War Of The Pitching Worlds: Are You A "Type A," Type B," or "Type C" Baseball Pitcher?

With yesterday's release of Tom Cruise's new movie "War of the Worlds," I found it only fitting that a "war" of a different kind is heating up this summer, too.

This showdown, however, has nothing to do with aliens destroying earth.

This war is about baseball pitching training techniques -- specifically pertaining to the use of weighted baseballs.

Now stay with me here because this is important.

Perhaps you've seen "this" movie played out online at the various baseball pitching Web sites already.

In "Corner A" you've got pitching instructors who are adamantly opposed to the use of weighted baseballs and overload / underload strength-conditioning principals.

The "Type A's" say it's unnatural, unsafe, and "not how the old timers got to the Bigs."

In "Corner B" you've got those who are all for them.

The "Type B's" sell weighted baseball programs, they sell the balls and they sell the over-weight / under-weight philosophies.

In "Corner C" you've got those, like myself (the "Type C's"), who are wondering why the heck baseball pitching has been reduced to a conversation about weighted baseballs? Those who acknowledge that, though weighted baseballs may lead to pitching velocity increases in pitchers (they did for me, and I used them both in Div. 1 college ball and pro ball), weighted baseballs are certainly NOT an end-all-be-all velocity solution -- nor is it the only way to become a more complete pitcher.

"Type C's" are those who quite honestly don't know why the baseball pitching conversation has been diminished to a "war over weighted baseballs" ... I mean c'mon, the more time spent on that, the less time that's being spent on what it takes to pitch at the higher levels of the game.

My Major League Baseball pitching coaches in the Chicago Cubs organization (like Chicago Cubs big league pitching coach Larry Rothschild and former bullpen coach Rick Kranitz, who's now the Iowa Cubs AAA pitching coach) were talking strategy, tactics, insider secrets and mastery tips with us pros -- not weighted implements.

So who's right? And who's wrong?

That, my friends, is up to you to decide...

Are you "Type A," "Type B" or "Type C?"

I'm not out to convert anyone here, you already know that if you've visited and spent some on my free baseball pitching instruction Web site, www.thecompletepitcher.com.

But... no matter what "type" of baseball pitcher or pitching coach you are, I encourage you to look past the weighted baseball debate... because trust me friends, there's just far more to pitching than that. A lot, more!!

One last thing. If you haven't already, grab the all new Pitching Velocity & Fastball Tips E-Zine, a full year's subscription (12 issues in all) yours for free! Click here to subscribe today. I think you're really going to enjoy these pitching velocity tips!

Yours in baseball,

Steven Ellis
The Complete Pitcher, Inc.
www.thecompletepitcher.com
www.thecompletepitcher.blogs.com

Seven Simple Baseball Pitching Success Secrets

Here's an article that recently appeared in the Internet's most popular baseball pitching newsletter! To grab your own free subscription to The Complete Pitcher's Newsletter™, click here.

Seven Simple Secrets To Pitching Success

Secret #1: There is no secret to pitching success... Pitching is hard work and requires proper technique, perseverance, and MORE HARD WORK!

Secret #2: You've got to be balanced, controlled... Concentrate on your balance point. Work on it in practice. Go through your delivery without throwing a baseball and stop at the balance point. Make sure you can hold your balance point comfortably for three- to five-seconds -- then repeat. Balance is the key to velocity and control.

Secret #3: A positive attitude and positive body language... Stay poised and poker-faced throughout your performance. Don't tip-off to the hitter what you're thinking about by giving it away in your body posture, facial expressions, or body language. Stay poised at all times like Mariano Rivera, the closer for the New York Yankees. Whether things are going well for him or not, you can't ever tell what Rivera's thinking.

Secret #4: Proper technique and mechanics with attention to detail... Continually review your technique and correct your faults with a positive and open mind.

Secret #5: Throw, pitch, long toss! Spend 10 minutes every day throwing, pitching, or long-tossing -- 5-6 days a week, 9 months out of the year. Remember, practice is very important, but the right kind of practice, like long-tossing on a line (or a close to a line as possible) with each throw - or - crow-hopping once you extend beyond 90-feet, will allow you to develop into a better pitcher.

Secret #6: Live one pitch at a time. Forget the last one and concentrate on the next one... You can't control anything but the very next pitch. Make it count!

Secret #7: Have fun, stay loose, but get the job done... Nuff' said :-)

Steven Ellis
The Complete Pitcher, Inc.
www.thecompletepitcher.com
www.thecompletepitcher.blogs.com

A Costly Baseball Pitching "Brain Fart"

First things first...

We're talking first base coverage here because I was having a conversation last night with one of the college baseball pitchers that I coached who is pitching in a collegiate summer league in Ohio.

He was bummed that because of a late inning "flub" the day before, he lost a ball game for his team.

His frustration stemmed from the fact that despite practicing right side coverage on balls hit to the right side 1,000s of times in fall ball and spring practices -- he forgot to do it in one instance -- and his team lost because of it.

"I had a brain fart," he said.

As a former pro, I know more than anybody that that happens sometimes when you're on the bump. It's happened to me, too.

So let's talk about what we can learn from this pitcher's simple mistake.

Pitchers should always cover the right side of the infield on balls hit to the right side. It should be second nature. On a ball hit to the right side, pitchers should hustle over toward first base -- every time. Ball hit in the air? Get over there! Ball Hit on the ground? Get over there! Assume you're the one covering first base -- even if your first baseman is on it. Then, slow your hustle after you're sure your first baseman has control of the bag.

If he doesn't (say, the firstbaseman is pulled into the gap on a ball between first base and second base) then you've got to cover the bag, which means you've got to be there before the runner coming up the line!

Now here's where a lot of pitchers go wrong: they don't instinctively cover the right side on balls hit to the right side. I see this happen sometimes on balls that are hit directly to the second baseman because they think "oh yeah, he's got it, no problem." So the pitcher will watch the play instead of get into position by covering the right side.

99% of the time, you're probably right. But for the 1% you're not, it's too hard to re-adjust and sprint to the bag if you're not already moving in that direction an any ball hit to the right side.

Therefore, on all balls to the right, get to the right side!

Yours in baseball,

Steven Ellis
The Complete Pitcher™
www.thecompletepitcher.com
www.thecompletepitcher.blogs.com

How Pitchers Can Take Advantage Of 2 Simple Pitching Strategies

When the umpire says “Play Ball” it’s a war out there on the baseball field.

You know that every advantage counts.

The good news for baseball pitchers is they’ve already got a huge advantage – they got the only high ground on the field. However, more times than not, pitchers squander that advantage.

For starters, many baseball pitchers show a natural tendency to crouch on their post leg while in the balance phase of their delivery – or immediately after as they begin their forward movement towards the plate to deliver a pitch.

That mechanical flaw instantly causes pitchers to lose the leverage and the advantage that pitching off of a 10-inch mound provides. When pitchers crouch through the balance phase, pitches enter the strike zone flatter and meatier – both attributes that make it easier for a hitter to put some wood on the ball.

A simple fix is to simply stay tall. In the balance phase of the pitching delivery, a pitcher should enter the balance position with a slight bend in his post leg (definitely not locked out, but a 5% bend is OK). This will enable the pitcher to comfortably transfer his weight from his back leg to his lead, plant foot upon delivery of the pitched baseball without losing leverage -- or the advantage.

Secondly, I’m seeing more and more pitchers give up the inside part of the plate and pitching middle to middle-out. And I’ve heard the reasoning: It’s safe out there; No chance of hitting the batter with a pitched ball.

That’s not good sense.

At the higher levels (and really, all levels) of the game, whoever controls the inside part of the plate controls the game. Period. It’s the same for hitters as it is for pitchers. It's the hitter's responsibility to move on pitches that are a little too inside. It's a pitcher's responsibility to get it in there and do just that: move hitters off of the plate.

THAT is where the “war” I’m talking about takes place every pitch, every at-bat. The pitcher’s already got the high ground… now who’s going to control the inner-half of the plate?

Pitching inside does three things: 1) it forces hitters to shorten their extension and ability to cover the entire plate (a bat is only so long), 2) it keeps hitters honest and prevents good hitters from cheating to the outside part of the plate, and 3) it’s a good way to promote jam-sandwiches and ground ball outs.

Here’s my point.

Stay tall. Pitch inside.

Now pitchers certainly shouldn’t pitch inside on every pitch. But just enough establish the inside part of the plate throughout the game so that hitters don’t cheat. That’s how pitchers can win the battle.

Steven Ellis
The Complete Pitcher™
www.thecompletepitcher.com
www.thecompletepitcher.blogs.com

MLB Pitching Observations From The 6th Row

You can learn a lot from watching Big League pitchers.

Yesterday, I took my dad to the Yankees-Cardinals rubber match at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. An early Father's Day gift.

For my dad, a huge Yankees fan, it was his first time seeing his beloved pinstripes up-close-and-personal since a visit to Yankee Stadium with his father in 1968.

We were six seats from the Yankees batters box (one of the perks of being a professional pitching instructor with a large client base in the St. Louis area) and we had one heck of a time despite the Bronx Bombers losing momentum (and eventually the game 5-3) on a seventh-inning home run from Cardinals pinch hitter Scott Seabol.

Actually, that dong didn't come as a surprise.

The pitching throughout the day was sub-par from both dugouts.

However, two guys did stand out: Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen and Yankees late-inning mop-up reliever Flash Gordon.

The reason?

While we were being slowly lulled to sleep by the slow, monotonous, 30-seconds-between-pitches-pace of starters Matt Morris (Cards) and Carl Pavano (Yanks), hitters were having a field day.

Then, in comes a few Yankees relievers and a couple of Cards hurlers, who gave us much of the same.

In the eighth, the Yanks called in Flash. Up-tempo. Cap pulled low. All business. Working fast. Throwing strikes (throwing 94-95 mph, too) and getting outs. 1-2-3.

Joe Torre probably should've brought him in earlier.

Izzy followed for the Cards and shut the door. He, too, was all business. Moving hitters with a good, hard inside fastball, then dropping his breaker in for a strike. He'd pitch, hop back on the mound and pitch again. Fast. The Yanks didn't have a chance.

Here's my point.

You can learn a lot from watching Major League pitchers. What my dad and I observed Sunday was the pitchers who worked faster, performed better. The pitchers who took their time, walked off and around the mound in between pitches didn't do as well because they weren't ever able to develop any rhythm. And as you may know, rhythm gets outs. And outs win ball games.

Painfully simple pro pitching advice, I know, but every bit apparent in Sunday's game. Work fast (and under control) and you too can have better success on the mound.

Yours in baseball,

Steven Ellis
The Complete Pitcher™
www.thecompletepitcher.com
www.thecompletepitcher.blogs.com

It’s Not The Steroids Dr. Tom House, It’s Your Reason For Taking Them

I was floored. Caught totally off guard.

There, in the middle of the USA Today Sports Section, was an article about one of America’s foremost pitching consultants. The author of a dozen baseball pitching books (all of which I’ve read). Nolan Ryan and Mark Prior’s pitching coach. An American baseball pitching institution.

There, in size 18 font, was a headline that read: “Former Pitcher Tom House Describes Past Steroid Use.”

I couldn’t believe it.

Not Tom House. Not the guy who co-founded the National Pitching Association. The guy who worked with Bill Thurston, my pitching instructor of seven years, at the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI). The guy who annually advises hundreds of youth pitchers across the nation on becoming better pitchers.

It was true.

House, a former Major League Baseball pitcher in the 1960s and 1970s and today one of the most widely-recognized pitching coaches, said performance-enhancing drugs were widespread during his career. He said he and several teammates used amphetamines, human growth hormone, and “whatever steroid” they could find in order to keep up with the competition.

“I pretty much popped everything cold-turkey,” House told USA Today in a May 3 article. “We were doing steroids they wouldn’t give to horses. That was the ‘60s. when nobody knew. The good thing is, we know now. There’s a lot more research and understanding.”

House’s comments are the first to disclose of steroid use in baseball as far back as the 1960s. He later said at least six or seven pitchers per team were at least experimenting with steroids or human growth hormone. He said players talked about losing to opponents using more effective drugs.

“We didn’t get beat, we got out-milligrammed,” House said. “And when you found out what they were taking, you started taking them.” He added that steroids added significant body mass gains (30 pounds), but he never topped 82 mph. “I was a failed experiment,” he said.

Now I’m well aware that this article, which broke May 3, is now old news. Since his initial comments, which appeared in both daily newspapers across the country and on ESPN, House has posted a rebuttal on the National Pitching Association’s Web site (nationalpitching.com) in which he says, “I was hoping that others could learn from my experiences in another baseball era. I know that experience is the best teacher. My intent was to basically let the athletes, the parents, and the coaches know that using performance enhancers is a dead end. I know from experience.”

I guess it’s better to ask forgiveness than it is to seek permission (or do the right thing), right?

What bothers me about the whole thing is House’s seemingly blasé attitude. The mentality that ‘because everyone else was doing it, it’s OK to do it, too,’ -- no matter what it is.

That’s disappointing, Mr. House. What message does that send to baseball pitchers, coaches and parents across the country who look to you for advice?

If every one jumped off of a bridge, would YOU do that, too? Is that what you teach your baseball students? Do as I say, not as I do?

And although House said he stopped using steroids after learning about the long-term harm they could cause, it’s his character that’s the most disappointing… and now, we all know where he stands in that department.

Yours in baseball (and character development),

Steven Ellis
The Complete Pitcher ™
www.thecompletepitcher.com
www.thecompletepitcher.blogs.com