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How to develop better control

Throwing with control comes from a mesh of having good pitching mechanics and developing a good rhythm on the mound. The best pitchers are able to throw low strikes on both sides of the plate consistently. That's something to aspire to. But you also should aim to throw low strikes ... and just throw strikes, period.

The left-right direction of a throw is dictated by where the front elbow (and front shoulder) are pointing at the moment the stride foot lands. It is decently simple to eliminate this variable, as long as the player maintains a feel for lining it up, much like lining up a sight on a gun. A feel for proper hip rotation also helps left/right control. These can be worked on in practice when throwing bullpens or playing catch on the side. It's important to develop a ood feel of your mechanics so you can develop the ability to repeat them.

The height of the throw is more difficult to quantify. It is essentially a feel for being balanced, for a consistent stride length, for good hip rotation, and for a consistent release point, although it is essential to make sure to reach the first balance point, with all the weight on the back leg. This is commonly referred to as staying back. It is important not to go out too fast onto the front leg, usually referred to as rushing.

Posted by Steven Ellis on July 28, 2007
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Former pro Steven EllisWelcome to StevenEllis.com, where every day you can get free baseball pitching tips from former Chicago Cubs pitching pro Steven Ellis. You'll find 600+ baseball tips in the blog archives. But you can read the most popular pitching articles here. Have a specific question? Get it answered on the discussion forums.

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