Essential Off-Season Throwing Tips For Baseball Pitchers

I don't know if you've been paying close attention to some of the trades and dealings in Major League Baseball this off-season.

Maybe you've noticed that your favorite team has some new faces on its pitching staff.

If you haven't been paying attention, here's a 'Cliff-notes' version of what's taking place: if you're good enough to pitch in the major leagues, you're set to make a ridiculous amount of money.

Pitchers, some of whom have mediocre stats, are scooping up million dollar contracts left and right -- and the pace of spending for pitchers isn't showing signs of slowing either.

What does that mean for you?

Nothing ... and everything.

Look, good pitchers are a commodity. And major league teams know that, which is why they're willing to pay a premium to get it.

Good pitching at any level is a premium.

But in order to be good, you've got to be prepared. So this pre-season I encourage you to sit down and devise a throwing program that will enable you to be prepared... to be good!

One program that I've used and recommend is called my 10 Minute Long Toss Program. Here's what it is:

* First, throw 3 minutes at 60 feet
* Then, throw 3 minutes at 90 feet
* Then, throw 3 minutes at 120 feet
* Finally, throw 1 minute at 60 feet again

(Youth pitchers who are gearing up for Little League Baseball can adjust the throwing protocols as follows: 3 minutes at 45 feet, 3 minutes at 60 feet, 3 minutes at 75-90 feet, and 1 minute at 45 feet again.)

This program is simple. And 10 minutes, of course, isn't a lot of time. But you don't need to spend a lot of time to start -- you just need to throw. Start with throwing three days a week. Then, add a day every two weeks so that by the end of two months, you're throwing 6 days a week.

Add a bullpen at 4 weeks. Throw two bullpens during the 5th week. And throw three bullpens starting around the 6th week. You will still throw my 10 Minute Long Toss Program on the days that you throw a pen.

This program is basic. A good rule of thumb is to stick with the time provided, and add no more than 10% work load on any day.

So get going. This holiday is a good start to get a jump-start on your throwing.

One final note: For complete 90-day and 60-day pre-season throwing programs, mapped out in an easy-to-follow calendar, grab a copy of my second edition e-book: "The Complete Pitcher's Ultimate Guide To Advanced Pitching Philosophies." Here's the link:

http://www.thecompletepitcher.com/baseball_pitching_ebook.htm

Yours in baseball,

Steven Ellis
The Complete Pitcher®
www.thecompletepitcher.com