The Science of "Scientific" Baseball Pitching

Dick Mills (on his 1971 Topps baseball card, at right) has done it again.

In two weeks, according to his website (pitchingrebel.com), Mr. Mills is releasing a 600-plus-page book, "The Science and Art of Baseball Pitching."

Should you pay attention?

You betcha! And here's why: Why not?

Let's face it, at the very least, it should be an interesting -- if not an altogether thought-provoking -- read.

Now don't get me wrong here. You don't have to "like" Dick Mills. But whether he's right or wrong, or whether you like him or not, I think it's good to pay attention to what's going on in the pitching world. It'll help you formulate your own, personal philosophies of what you want to do -- or don't want to do -- to get better on the mound. That's why I don't cram my style down your throat, nor do I discount any other instructor's pitching preachings: A) It's just not my thing, and B) the reality is there's a little something you can learn from every instructor out there. Piecemeal it all together, and you'll wind up one heck of a pitcher, I promise!

The concept of pitching as a science is nothing new. Last year, Tom House (Nolan Ryan and Mark Prior's pitching coach) released a video series by the same title as Mills's new book. Before that, physicist Robert K. Adair, who wrote the "Physics of Baseball," talked extensively about the application of science to pitching.

Will Carroll, "Saving the Pitcher," addresses science and pitching in accessing modern pitching injuries, although I'd say a better authority on pitching injury are Dr's. Andrews and Fleisig at ASMI in Alabama.

Florida-based pitching instructor Mike Marshall, a former Cy Young winner, is a doctor (a Ph.D.) which is, no doubt, impressive. On his website is his book, a scientific dissertation of pitching. It's got everything from "bio"-mechanics to grips to drills.

And there are others. Some well known, others not. High school coach Jerry Kreber has performed extensive testing with weighted baseballs with his prep ball players, as has Pitching Central's Ron Wolforth. Both have seen favorable results, as has Steve Zarwotny, CSCS, a baseball instructor in Oklahoma.

Instructor Paul Nyman, who termed the phrase "scap loading," uses science in his analyses. Alan Jaeger uses science in his explanation of a pitchers long-toss throwing program.

The bottom line is this: science is all around us ... and it should come as no surprise that's it's all around baseball, too.

But back to Mills's book: Check it out. Give it a read. If you'd like, you can discuss it on my LetsTalkPitching.com™ Baseball Forum -- one of the best spots for intelligent, in-depth discussion of pitching.

And Mr. Mills, if you'd like to send an advanced copy my way, I'm looking forward to reading it. My address is at my website.

Thanks, Brent Strom!

I always appreciate it when visitors tell others about my site. It, of course, helps get more people participating on this blog and in my free discussion forum. I often get e-mails from visitors telling me about how they found The Complete Pitcher. Sometimes it's because a friend told them. Other times, it's a coach or parent passing on the word. Here's a an example...

"Dear Coach Ellis: Having just returned from the ABCA convention in Chicago [Thursday, Jan. 5], I'm mentally and physically exhausted. An extreme amount of information given in a very brief period of time ... but worth every second.

"I've read and watched material primarily from Tom House, Bill Thurston, John Bagonzi, and Joe McFarland. After speaking with Brent Strom at the convention, he suggested several Web sites to visit, including yours ..."

(Coach Strom is a former major league pitching coach for the Kansas City Royals.)

If you enjoy the free content here, too, tell a friend as Coach Strom did. Send them an e-mail. Here's a link you can use:

Click here to tell a friend about this site.

Thanks again for promoting the site. I really appreciate it.

Yours in baseball,

Steven Ellis
The Complete Pitcher®
www.thecompletepitcher.com

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