How to simplify pitching mechanics for young pitchers

Sometimes when working with younger baseball pitchers (kids 8 to 13 years old) it's beneficial to scrap the full windup and teach them to pitch only from the stretch. That's because it simplifies things -- kids only have to learn one motion, not two. It also makes it easier, in many instances, for young pitchers to concentrate and throw strikes because less can go wrong mechanically with the throwing motion.

Many young pitchers find that by only pitching from the stretch they can repeat their delivery -- and that, as a result, they're around the plate more consistently.

There will be plenty of time later in a kid's career to develop the skill of pitching from the full windup (or pitching with two deliveries), but during the early stages of a pitcher's development, it's perfectly OK to work on solely out of the stretch.

By the way, in pro ball, I pitched entirely out of the stretch. Granted, I was a closer. But even with no runners on base, I threw out of the stretch. One motion ... simple!