How quick should pitchers pitch from the stretch?

With runners on base, a pitcher needs to deliver the baseball from the stretch position to the plate quickly and efficiently.

This can easily be accomplished by having the same delivery to the plate on every pitch and by keeping that delivery at 1.3 seconds or quicker.

1.3 seconds or quicker insures the pitcher is allowing his catcher enough time to throw a potential base runner out. I also believe that the quicker a pitcher is to the plate, the less time things can go wrong mechanically.

In my experience as a college coach, the quicker my guys are to the plate, the better they pitch. Everything comes together nicely -- and our catchers can throw guys out, which they do more times than not.

Comments

[PJ Cowie]

Is there any exceptions to your rule of no change in a players arm slot?! Because going into my junior season a month before our first came my coach had me experiment with submarine pitching. I was a average velocity over the top righty working at mid 80's with good breaking stuff and above average command. But because of my athleticism and ability to pitch almost daily my coach wanted me to try submarine. It ended up being very effective form me, and didn't hurt my arm, but i always wondered if it was smart to change my arm especially because i'm naturally an over the top throwing outfielder.

-PJ