A Closer Look At Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Columnist Charlie Greene's Throwing Recommendations

I've been a subscriber to Collegiate Baseball newspaper (baseballnews.com) for some time. Comes out a couple of times a month and usually has some discussion-worthy pitching articles.

Coach Charlie Greene (at right), a columnist for Collegiate Baseball and former head coach at Miami-Dade Community College, wrote about some preseason throwing recommendations in his latest article "Throwing Schedule Essential" (Feb. 10, 2006). Instructor Dick Mills dismissed it on his blog. Said it was inept. But I think it's a good effort on Coach Greene's part to suggest that establishing a daily throwing program is necessary in becoming a successful pitcher. How can you argue with that?

I e-mailed Coach Greene today to have him further explain his "dowel drill" for pitchers. I'm not advocating it's use. I'm not against it, either. Although I never trained with a dowel, I understand where Coach Greene's coming from. I simply feel that more information was needed than what newspaper space had allowed.

Coach Greene suggested using a 2-foot wooden dowel that's 3/8-inch round. The dowel is taped at one end. That's the end a pitcher will hold in his throwing hand. The pitcher then performs his pitching mechanics, without throwing, of course. The benefit of the drill, said Coach Greene, is that a pitcher gets the opportunity to work on his mechanics, but save his arm from the strains of throwing - because he isn't throwing. This drill is a lot like the "mirror drill" pitchers perform in front of a mirror. Coach Greene's version simply introduces a wooden dowel.

"You hold the dowel like a band leader holds a baton," said Coach Greene in his e-mail to me. "Arm action will cause the dowel to create a swishing sound. The louder the swish the faster the hand."