Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Is Size a Factor...Throwin Hard?

I have run across a few people lately, young and old, who have asked me a relatively simple question with a relatively complicated answer.

"How can I throw the baseball harder? and Does being taller mean I will throw harder?"

Pretty good questions to be sure, born out of a desire to be the best pitcher they can be and hopefully pitch at the professional level no doubt. When I answer these types questions, I try to be as honest as I can when I say... "There are many many ways to skin a cat." Of course, what I mean is that all different types of bodies are able to generate powerful velocity. Whether its Tim Lincecum who is barely 6 feet tall, or Randy Johnson at 6' 11", you can generate velocity in many many ways. Both of these guys throw in the mid 90's.

I will say this however. As a general rule, the taller you are and the more athletic your build, the more appealing you would be as a pitcher to professional scouts. Of course, if you are 6'5" and built like a gladiator, but throw the ball 75mphs....scouts won't give you a look. However, for example, if you are tall and lanky with average velocity in high school (let's say 6'2", 180lbs, throwin 85mphs) scouts may be inclined to give you a chance in the hopes that you may develop better velocity as you mature. So there is a benefit to being taller and "looking like a pitcher." Still, the important thing to realize is that the best way to get drafted is to throw with good velocity or be extremely successful throughout the last two years of your high school career. This is when the scouts and college coaches will be most interested in you and most likely to truly analyze your skill.

Another word about your "build." Scouts are generally turned off by those with poor athleticism You are doing yourself no favors by being out of shape during the baseball season. Of course, being too muscular (like a body builder) would be detrimental to your draftability as well. The most similar build I can compare it too would be that of a slightly more muscular basketball player.

So in summation, being taller doesn't guarauntee you will throw harder. However, being taller in conjunction with a pitcher's build, does increase your stock with college and pro scouts.

Hopefully that clears up any confusion from my young readers and parents.

Until Next Time!!

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Big Leaguer Breakdown: Randy Johnson


One of the most dominating lefties in the HISTORY of professional baseball is without a doubt, Randy Johnson. Pitching for the Expos, Mariners, Diamondbacks, Yankees, and Giants, he is one the tallest pitchers in the game as well at 6' 10". He throws in the mid 90's from a low three quarters armslot and throws a slider that looks like its coming out from behind a lefties head. That pitch is known as one of the most devastating pitches in the game, this side of Mariano's cutter. That's why this week's Big Leaguer Breakdown is Randy Johnson.

Check out this video to really study the Big Unit's delivery.

This video operates in super slo-mo which is definitely one of my favorite videos to show. So, if we watch the first minute and five seconds of the video, we will see Randy finally get to the highest point of his leg lift. Notice how little body movement occurs in his upper and lower half as he lifts that front leg. There is a small amount of body tilt but for the most part, he is loaded and ready to stay tall through out the delivery.

The next thing I want you t do is watch the video from the 1.05 to 1.11 mark and watch how his front knee and glove stay connected in its movement. This is a great way to stay "timed" up so that the elbows are at their highest point as the front foot hits the ground. From the same clip, we do notice that as his hands break, the throwing arm wraps some behind his back. This works well for Randy as he utilizes that lower three quarters arm slot to create sink and get extension from the release point. In the middle of this sequence, the 1.09 mark, you will see how tall RJ is in the lower half. He gets the most out of his tall frame and really utlizes the leg for leverage.

At the 1.12 mark, you can see that his hips have cleared and his glove has turned directly under his chest. The glove turn is key because it isn't yanked off target. By turning it straight down, as he does in this video, his hand break and low arm slot come together perfectly to allow for perfect extension and a very repeatedabl delivery. Also notice, at the same time in the video, his front knee is slightly bent (think Roy Oswalt's video) making his front side extension even better.

Finally, his finish keeps his head on target and fully finishes his 95mph fastball.

Continue watching the video to see how compact and repeatable his video is. He was born with exceptional height and has created a delivery that perfectly makes the most of his assets.

Keep studying and post any questions!!

Until Next Time!!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

The Ultimate Baseball Christmas List


Merry Christmas from all here at Less is More to all my readers out there. In similar holiday fashion, I'd like to provide a Christmas list that every "Intelligent Pitcher" would want. You may recall that over Thanksgiving, we did a Thankful List. Well this time, we're getting a little on the selfish side, asking for things we really really want for our pitching selves. Of course, its always betting to give than receive, so we will be sure to exchange many many complete games and quality starts with this list!


So here goes... (These are in no particular order)


10. Rawlings Pro Preferred baseball glove. 12 to 12.25 inches with either a basket or two piece web and finger sleeve. Black or tan in color. The best glove for a pitcher around.


9. Nike Cooperstown baseball spikes to pitch in. I am personally a fan of the Puma Cell 2ks - but they are discontinued, so we'll go with the next best thing here. Nikes Cooperstown use the best leather and are still comfortable and light weight.


8. $100 giftcard to Tuff Toe. Every pitcher in the big leagues has their drag leg's spike professional dipped in super glue from the guys at Tuff Toe. $100 should last you atleast through a season or two and multiple dippings.


7. Nike Compression Sleeve. For use in between starts or as you warm up, the compression sleeve keeps the muscles warm and tight and minimizes swelling and inflamation when you are throwing.


6. Phiten Necklace and wrist band. I'm not convinced they work...but the big leaguers swear by em and they def. look cool. So, lets stimulate our blood flow like they do...plus, if its Christmas, why not?


5. Nike Air Max 360 Running Shoes. Because after everytime you pitch, you have to run. Why not have flywire technology to help make those long jogs a little easier.


4. Oakley Radar Path shades. You aren't on the mound all the time. When you aren't you usually shagging flies during BP or waiting in the bullpen before a game. Keep the sun out of your eyes!


3. Swiss Ball and Bosu Ball. For the best in core stabilization during your workouts. The big round ball and the half ball will force you to increase your core strength!


2. Container of Delaware River Mud. For the best ball rubbing dirt in the game, its got to be from the Delaware. As the story goes, one guy goes down to the river bank when no one is watching. He wades in with a 5 gallon bucket and scoops up as much as he can. He then packs it and sells it. He's the best source in the game.


1. Pine Tar. I don't care where or how...just get some and learn to use it. If you ain't cheatin, you ain't trying!



So there's the Christmas Pitching Wishlist. Lets hear some ideas that I forgot.


Until Next time!!


Sunday, December 20, 2009

Big Leaguer Breakdown: Max Scherzer



Today marks the conclusion of Jim Farr's Winter Baseball Camp. A lot was accomplished by the pitcher's and position players that attended despite the tough wintery weather conditions. One of the primary topics covered in many of the mechanical breakdowns lead by Farr himself and the other coaches (myself included) was the importance of athleticism on the mound and the use of the legs, hips and core in delivering the baseball. With that in mind, I've decided to make this weeks Big Leaguer Breakdown of Max Scherzer of the Arizona Diamondbacks. I played with Max during his first professional season in Hi A with the Visalia Oaks. One of the most apparent things about his delivery is his ability to explode to the target and finish over front side...getting almost parallel to the ground on his finish.

Let's check out this video of him pitching in Arizona to see what I mean.


To get the idea, lets start from the end and work back with his delivery. Check out the 22 second mark of the video...after Scherzer has finished his pitch. What I want to point out is just how parallel his body is to his finish. Even more important is his front leg being slightly bent and able to keep his chin on target through his finish. If you back up the video just a touch (still at the 22 second mark) you can see the glove turn also being utilized to keep the body on the mid-line. This point is key because of how fast and possibly even violent his finish is. It is essential to be consistent with that glove turn to stay online.

A few more ticks backward and we see Max's elbows are positioned fully elevated and "loaded" in the power position. At the same time, if you look at his front foot...it is fully positioned at the 45 degree angle as the foot is getting ready to plant. You can see how his foot as slighlty gained ground forward, but the majority of his weight is still back and ready to fire. As many of you know, staying loaded on that back leg as long as possible is key to generating the type of velocity (95 -97) that Scherzer does. Check out pic to see what I mean.


Finally, we'll look at the 21 second mark to see how compact and poised to explode he looks in this positin. Not that this position is where he generates his power, it is, however, how he gets in position to "get athletic." I really like how he brings his front leg in and tucks his hands to the same place. It leaves little room for error as the hands can easily work up from this position.

So there is Max's delivery in reverse. As you know, the video has more than one pitch...so always study them step by step. It's difficult to recreate some of the speed and flexibility he has in his core and legs...but it will do good to try and emulate his finish and position.

Until Next time!!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Top 10 Pitchers Pitches.


Certain pitcher's are known for having certain unhittable pitches. Be it, Nolan Ryan's fastball or Whitey Ford' spitball. For today's post, I present to you, the Less Is More Nation, the top ten current or recent pitches and the pitches they are known for. Keep in mind, this isn't necessary the best pitchers in the game. It is however, the best pitches by those pitchers.

10. Joel Zamaya's Fastball. With an official reading of 101 mph, his fastball is one of few to break the triple digit plateau. With flames on his arms...he truly in the ultimate fireballer.
9. Roy Halladay's Sinker. He is the ultimate workhouse. Able to pitch complete games in a single bound. How does he do it? With a vicious sinker that induces groundball after groundball...keeping that pitch count down.
8. Randy Johnson's Slider. Just ask John Kruk how good this slider is. Of course, with a mid 90's fsatball to boot, his slider is all the more devestating. He has one of the most unique are angles and frame (6'10") to create this unhittable pitch.
7. Trevor Hoffman's Change-Up. Even this late into his career, he has managed to be effective. Early in career he still had his mid 90's fastball to off-seat the already devastating pitch. Now, even as age has claimed to velo, he still gets hitters out with this pitch.
6. Barry Zito's Curveball. This pitch is difficult to his because of just how unique it is. Almost no one else in the league throws such a slow and looping (in a good way) breaking ball. When it is on, hitters can't seem to square it up.
5. Dan Haren's Splitter. Nothing is worse than trying to hit a good sinkerballer who also happens to have the best splitter in the game. One pitch goes down and in, the other down and way, both look the same....Nasty.
4. Cliff Lee's Spike Curve. I know I know...I said it was a knuckle curve, either way, its next to unhittable. Seriously, just ask the Yankiees.
3. Justin Verlander's Fastball. True, Zamaya may be able to throw a little harder. But Velander can also hit triple digits...in the first inning AND the 9th. Almost no one can still do that.
2. AJ Burnette's Curve. The only reason AJ ever gets hit is that he is a little erradic with his control. From his low three quarters arm slot, this pitch is almost inperceptible when he's throwing right.

1. Mariano Rivera's Cutter. He is the ONLY pitcher is baseball who throws ONE PITCH. and only one pitch...and dominates. In fact, I believe he's the only pitcher who even tries to do such a thing. He doesn't even really know how he throws it...the only thing that matters....NO ONE HITS IT.


So there's my list....Now let's hear your ideas. This should generate some discussion.

Until Next time!!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Catcher Signals and Stealing Signs


This may or may not come as a shock to most of you, but sign stealing is alive and well in professional, collegiate, and high school baseball. Case and point; every catcher in the big leagues gives multiple signs to the pitcher when telling them what pitch to throw. Especially when there is a runner on second base, it is very easy to see what fingers the catcher is putting down and therefore, even easier to tell the hitter what is coming. But even when there is no one on, you may see the catcher give multiple signs to prevent peering eyes from the other dugout picking up what pitch is coming. So, what are the methods that catcher's use to confuse would-be sign stealers? Here are just a few of the possibilities. Side note..."wiggle" is the universal sign for change-up which involves all four fingers down being wiggled.

1) Negatives - Essentially the catcher will put down multiple signs, none of which will be the pitch he actually wants the pitcher to throw. (e.g. the catcher puts down 2, 3, wiggle, 3 wiggle, 2). You'll notice that the preceding sequence never includes "1" or fastball. That is precisely the pitch the catcher wants. It requires concentration on the pitcher's part, but is generally good at getting the idea across.

2) Plus one Minus one - This technique involves either the innings or number of outs in a game. Essentially, the catcher will throw down any number of signs, with only the last or first sign being the important one. The catch is, if there are no outs, then the actual desired pitch is minus one from the sign given. If there are 1 out, it IS the sign given. And if there are two outs, it is plus one from the sign give. For example, if there is no one out and the catcher gives, 1, wiggle, 2, 2, wiggle, then, assuming the pitcher only has 3 pitches, the desired pitch would be 2 (breaking ball). As you can see, the last sign was a wiggle (or the 3rd pitch the pitcher has). Since there was no one out, you subtract one to get to the desired 2. Another example with innings would be for example, in the 7th inning, the catcher gives , 2, 3, 1, 1, 2, 1 this would mean he wants the pitcher to throw a breaking ball (2). This is because it is the last set of 3 innings which is a "plus one" situation. You take the last sign (1) and add one two it...giving you the desired 2.

3) Follow the 2 - This example is far less complicated but ultimately, just as effectively. Essentially, the catcher will give a sequence and whatever pitch follows the first 2 given is the desired pitch. So for example, if the catcher gives 1, wiggle, 1, 2, 2, wiggle this would mean the catcher wants a breaking ball. As you can see, this is because the first 2 was followed by another 2.

4) Touches- Our last example for today will be one that involves no signs at all. Instead the catcher will use places on his body for the pitch he wants. All the catcher will have to specify is what sign counts (first, second, third or so on) and what means what. So for example, top of the head will be fastball, mask will be curve, and chest will be breaking ball. If the catcher specifies that the second touch is the one that matters, then all he will have to do is touch in the appropriate order to get the desired pitch. For example, if he touches chest, head, mask, head...then this means the catcher wants a fastball.

Of course, there are many other scenarios that some catchers utilize, but these are just a few examples. If you need more, I will happily share more. There is also much more to stopping the running game, but that too will be covered in other posts.

Please post any questions or comments.

Until next time!!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Big Leaguer Breakdown: Roy Oswalt


Yet another Sunday has come and gone...and Christmas is drawing near...what another great day for another Big Leaguer Breakdown. This week's subject will be Roy Oswalt for two main reasons. One, I found an outstanding slow motion video like last week's Verlander clip. And two, I think he it the best example of using your hips to draw velocity out of a smaller than average body type. Now, as the story goes with Oswalt, early in his career he had loss some of his mid-90s velocity due to some nerve impingement in his shoulder. As luck would have it however, he was working on his car one morning and was making some 'adjustments' to his car battery and was inadvertently electrocuted. Some how, through this freak accident, the impingement was alleviated and he almost immediately regained his 95mph fastball. Now, let me say, I do not condone purposefully electrocuting oneself to throw the baseball harder...I do, however, condone studying videos of Oswalt to see how he does it now.

Check out the video I am talking about of Roy Oswalt rocking and firing.


Oswalt, as I said, does not have the body type of your "prototypical" pitcher. Generally, pitchers are tall, long and lean with large powerful legs and broad backs. Oswalt on the other hand, although lean, is short and looks more like a nascar driver than a pitcher. However, lets look at the video to see how he throws his fastball in the mid-90's.

Notice immediately at the 18 second mark, that Oswalt has already begun to lock his hips and front shoulder on target. By doing so early, he has set his body in the correct position to control his hip turn until the exact right moment. Notice how both his hips and shoulder seem to lock onto target at about the same time.

One warning though, you can see as he gets his front leg to its highest point, he has already begun to leak his body weight forward. As general rule, I am not a big fan of doing so, because it generally leads to rushing by the pitcher and it usually prevents getting the elbows up on time.

If we stop the video at the 30 second mark, we see two mechanical trademarks of Roy. First off, his stride is well above average for a pitcher his size. Generally, you want your stride to be timed off your elbows getting to shoulder heights. Pushing off and trying to "jump" to the plate as Oswalt does here generally prevents good timing from the elbows. Secondly, you can see how his elbows have elevated to the power position in perfect time. His front foot hasn't quite gotten to "foot strike" but his elbows are already up and ready to begin rotating to the plate.

The next section of the video here is the most important. Rewatch the video from 30 seconds to 32 seconds and study the split second timing between his hips and his elbows. Understand that at full speed, this hip turn happens in a blink of the eye. It is almost violent to watch Roy fire his hips and bring the hand through to release point. However, it is this athleticsm that allows Roy to truly utlize every inch of power from his smaller stature. Of course, it doesn't hurt that at the 32 second mark, his chin is perfectly on target with his chest over top of his front leg with a slight bend at the knee. As we know by now, if you've read any of my other BLB's, this is essential to a pitcher being able to repeat his delivery.

So keep studying those mechanics and keep a close eye on the timing we are looking for. Oswalt is a model of that timing, even if he tends to jump a bit to his landing...this may be necessary for those vertically challenged pitchers out there.

Until next time...!!

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Throwing the Inside Change-Up


Today's topic maybe a bit on the advanced side, although the concept is quite simple. One of the most effective pitches in the game is a quality change-up. Almost every professional hitter I've discussed this with have agreed that a pitcher with a good change-up is the most frustrating. None of that should very surprising to you. But most pitchers are content with throwing their change-ups on the outer half of the plate (left handed pitchers throwing them away from righties and right handers away from lefty hitters). Problem with this is if the hitter is aware of these tendencies he can get expect and adjust to such habits.

One of the best ways to combat this dilemma is to throw change-ups on the inner half of the plate. Now understand, it takes large ........ cajones to throw this pitch. The reason is that the hitter will come out of his shoes swinging at this pitch. It will big and fat and if you miss in the middle of the plate and up, he may just hit it out of the yard. However, if it is down and in, he will either swing right through it or, more favorably hit the ball 1000 feet foul. This is because the pitch will look like a middle in fastball out of the pitcher's hand. Of course, all hitters are like sheep when they see pitches that look like fastballs in....meaning they are easily slaughtered when the pitch ISN'T a fastball.

Easily sheered sheep aside, if a pitcher can successfully execute the inner half change-up he will have added a completely new pitch and weapon to his repetoire. The hitter will have left himself completely vunerable to any number of pitches that could possibly follow the change-up. Of course, the inside change can be thrown in any count. However, I like to use it in those middle counts (1-1, 2-1, 1-0) where the hitter is looking for the fastball. He will be even more eager to swing at what looks like a fastball. What's even better, if he is thinking even more (which is always bad for a hitter...thinking mean) he may even fall victim to both the inside fastball and the inside change up following the properly executed first change.

So there you have it... the devasting effects of an inside change. Just remember, you must execute the location correctly, because, as said before, if you miss up and middle...those silly sheep will hit the ball a country mile.

Until next time

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

First Big Trade of the Off-Season


I figured today would be a good day to switch up the routine and talk about a little current events going on in the Major League off-season. In case you haven't heard, a huge trade has been announced between the Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees, and Detroit Tigers has just been finalized. The moves are as follows:

Tigers get Daniel Schlereth (LHP Dbacks) and Max Scherzer (RHP Dbacks) and Austin Jackson (CF prospect from Yankees) and Phil Coke (RHP Yankees)
Yankees get Curtis Granderson (CF Tigers)
Dbacks get Ian Kennedy (RHP Yankees) and Edwin Jackson (RHP Tigers)


So, this begs the question...who got the better end of this deal?

In terms of quality pitchers, I feel the Edwin Jackson and Max Scherzer are very comparable...Jackson did have a better year this year than Max, but both have tall upsides, although I'd argue Scherzer's upside is higher.

Both Phil Coke and Ian Kennedy had high upsides at one point in their career but seemed to have plataued a bit at the Major League level.

Speaking of plateaus, Curtis Granderson definitely peaked in 2007 where he had almost a 1000 slugging percentage. His numbers have gone down since '07 but still had quite a good season this year hitting 30 HRs, stole 20 bases, and had 71 RBI's. He will def. help fill a CF void that has been empty since Bernie Williams retired.

Schlereth may well be the wild card here. He did make his Major League debut this past year with the Dbacks and showed flashes of brilliance, but also was a bit erratic at times.

All things considered, I have to give the award for "best in the trade" to the Tigers. They essentially acquired four players who could all potentially make their opening day roster. They improved didn't lose much at the starting pitching position, but got better in the bullpen with both Coke and potentially Schlereth.

Of course, the Yankees make themselves better at a crucial position without giving up a ton....they always seem to do that - however, the Tigers do seem to have come out much better as a team, whereas the Yankees supserstar pedigree makes still trade pale a bit as compared to the moves they made last year.

Finally, the Dbacks don't get a ton better or worse with the trade. I do think Jackson will fit better in Arizona and Kennedy may do better out of the Big Apple, so there is def. potential there for both guys.

Bottom line, kudos to all three teams for making moves early in the off-season. We'll see how it all plays out this coming season.


Stay tuned for more pitchign tips soon!!!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Big Leaguer Breakdown: Justin Verlander


In my college playing career, I had the pleasure of pitching against Justin Verlander when he pitched for Old Dominion University and I was at the College of Williams & Mary. (Who, by the way, just won their second playoff football game and beat VCU in basketball....Go Tribe!) In our two starts against each other, I recorded a win, as did Verlander. Of course, he has gone on to become on of the best "hard throwing" starters in the Majors. I say "hard throwing" because it is very rare to find a pitcher such as Justin who can consistently pitch in the mid 90's and touch triple digits for a long period of time. (He has thrown that hard since college and just completed his5th big league season) Pitching for Detroit this season, Verlander went 19-9 with a 3.92 ERA. Even more impressively, he struck out 269 batters in 240 innings, both among the best in the American League. Most hard throwers "burn out" early in the season and eventually in their careers. I suppose it is still possible that Verlander will burn out, but for now he has shown an ability to maintain quality mechanics that keep his pitches sharp and velocity up. It is for these reasons, along with the personal connection that I've decided to look at Justin Verlander's mechanics in this week's Big Leaguer Breakdown.

Here's this week's video of Verlander pitching in extreme slo-mo to be looked at.

In the slo-mo video, it takes Verlander 24 seconds to get to the height of his leg lift. What you should notice is that his body weight does not shift very much from drop step, to piviot, to leg lift. The weight of his body is firmly planed on his right leg and you see very little body movement as his leg lifts to well above parallel. It requires a high amount of core strength as well as posture to maintain that body control without leaking forward.

His next movements are extremely important to notice. His leg drives straight down and Verlander almost immediately gets to his athletic position. In other words, the leg travels down before going forward with only a slight bend on the back leg. By not collapsing on the back leg, he is able to keep most of his body weight, and therefore, power in his hips and always stay taller throughout the delivery.

Verlander does tend to jump a bit to his landing. Watch the video from 27 seconds to 29 and you'll see what I mean. His foot looks as if it is about to plant and then he gains another few feet before planting. For many of my clients, this prevents them from getting on top of the ball and throw downhill. However, in this video, Verlander keeps his elbows "firing" upwards even during his 'jump.' You can tell he is getting over his front side by how bent his front knee is when it hits the ground. Although that knee does lock out on release, he is loose and flexible enough at the waist to still get over top and extend at release. Stop the video at th e31 second mark to see an absolutely perfect example of finishing over your front side with chest and chin to the target with an excellent glove turn down.

Rewatch the video from the 24 second to 31 mark and just watch his lover half. His timing is perfect with his hips leading the upperhalf to release. It is the speed of his elbows combined with the timing of his hips and height of his body at release that he is able to repeat his delivery and put serious velocity on the ball.

As always, rewatch this video and the second slo-mo video of him out of the stretch to really study his timing.

Please leave comments and/or questions......Until Next time!!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Why Do Pichter's Have to Run?


One of the biggest mistakes I see some of my young pitcher's make is skipping their post game or next day runs. Too many times I've heard the excuses..."But you don't really run in baseball." or "I don't run the ball to the plate, why should I work on running." Or my personal favorite, "My coach doesn't make us run, so I don't."

So here's the deal....Running is essential to becoming a better pitcher and here are three reasons why.

Firstly, legs are the foundation of a good pitching delivery. Weak legs cannot possibly repeat a pitching delivery with any kind of consistency. Therefore, running, especially sprints are essential to building explosive leg strength. Your feet, and therefore, your legs are the only part of the body that actually touch the ground. It is essential that they are as strong as possible

Secondly, running increases the overall endurance of a pitcher. This comes from quality, consistent long distance running. Think of it in terms of innings pitched. The first 10 minutes are like the first 3 innings, the next 10 minutes would be the 4th through the 6th, and the final 10 minutes represent the most important and most difficult innings in which to be sharp and effective on the mound. You that as motivation to be the pitcher who always finishes what he starts. Poor cardiovascular health will contribute to a pitcher breaking down earlier than his arm would otherwise last.

And finally and most importantly, running is essential to preventing arm injury and recovering from outings quickly and more efficiently. So here's the science behind it all. When you throw, you project your arm, shoulder, and elbow away from your body and thousands of tiny muscle fibers grip those body parts and immediately slow your arm down right after the baseball is released. When this happens repeatedly, as with pitching a game, tiny muscle fiber tears build up in the arm. To combat this, the body produces what is called "lactic acid." Recent research actually indicates that lactic acid is used by the body and burned as energy. Regardless, over time the muscles become sore. This soreness carries over and is generally worse over the following 1 to 3 days. To combat this soreness, it is essential for a pitcher to "flush" his system by getting the heart rate elevated from atleast 15 to 20 minutes. The elevated heart rate from running distance is perfect for getting more oxygen rich blood through the entire body. (In this case, any kind of cardio would suffice...swimming, biking, elliptical machine, row machine).

So, to get the best of all three running benefits, the "Intelligent Pitcher" must utilize both sprints, interval running, and distance work. I will be putting out an E-Book in the next few months to describe the perfect workout routine.

Stay tuned for more info on everything pitching...

Monday, November 30, 2009

Big Leaguer Breakdown: Dan Haren


In honor of my former team, I decided it was time to look at one of the best pitchers on the Arizona Diamondbacks, Dan Haren. Although the team struggled, Haren lead the pitching staff in almost every statistical category on his way to a stellar year with a 3.14 ERA and 14-10 Win/Loss record.


Check out this video of Dan Haren to study his motion.

The first and most obvious attribute of his delivery is his elongated pause at the top of his leg lift. This movement is very unique to Haren and possibly one or two other pitchers. It casts some light on a very important mistake that a lot of young pitchers make. They feel they must generate velocity by having a very exaggerated leg lift and jump forward to their target. However, Dan Haren's delivery is proof that you can still generate velocity (he throws in the low 90's) without gaining anything from the initial leg lift.

Let's look at the 5 second mark of the video, just after the leg lift has moved downard. You'll notice that his body is still very tall and he has not yet collapsed on the back leg. His hands have broken away from each other and the ball is well hidden behind his back. An important note should be made here, that for Haren to get back on top of the baseball and get to his 'power position' he must have a very fluid yet aggressive move to the elbows up position. Regardless, Haren at this mark has remained tall and has his front shoulder, hip, and ankle directly on target. With a few clicks of the mouse forward, we see that Haren does exactly what he needs to do. The elbows do accelerate upward to a slightly tilted power positin. Also note that before his shoulders begin to turn to throw, his hips have ALREADY fired and front foot is turned torward the target.

You'll notice at the 6 second mark that his finish is a little off center and his legs remains very stiff on the finish. I normally would not advise either of these movments, but for Haren, he's managed to repeat his delivery well enough to get on top of the ball and locate it as he wishes. He is notorious for having pinpoint control and a devasting split fingered pitch. I believe that his stiffness on the front leg has actually contributed some to finishing on top of his splitter (more on that in another post)

There's another great slow mo version of Haren pitching. Check it out to really study his mechanics.

You really see how he gets into to power position and then fires the hips at about the 1.21 mark.

I love Haren's ability to repeat his delivery and hide the baseball. More importantly, I love how he is able to generate power 100% from his hip turn and drive from the back leg.

Let that be a lesson to all the young "Intelligent Pitchers" out there. You generate no extra velocity by rushing through your leg lift.

UNTIL NEXT TIME

Friday, November 27, 2009

The PItcher's Thanksgiving Wish List


In honor of the second coolest holiday of the year (behind Christmas, of course) I decided to create a Thanksgiving list of things that all pitcher's would without a doubt be thankful for (assuming they had or possessed them). Now I've left out any performance factors here. Of course, every pitcher would be thankful for being able to throw 95 mph with super sink, but lets take a second to look at some other less obvious things a pitcher would benefit from having...and therefore be thankful. Please feel free to comment and add to his list. I'll start with the top ten!!!

1. A catcher who throws out over 50% of their runners and never misses a blocked ball.

2. A shortstop that lays out for every ball from beyond second to behind third...and hits .350.

3. A set of outfielders who consider running through outfield walls a personal hobby...and hit 25 hrs each.

4. A field crew who keeps the pitcher's mound precisely at the correct angle and the dirt at exactly the right density and dampness.

5. An umpire who loves calling both the high strike AND the low strike as well as gives 2 to 3 baseballs off the outside AND inside black.

6. Hitters who know how to hit balls right at fielders...all the time.

7. A glove (and set of reflexes) that always manage to nab that chopper up the middle...even the ones behind the back ala Cliff Lee.

8. Pine tar.

9. Really long, flexible fingers that put phenomenal spin on every pitch they throw.

And last but not least.........and I had to include one performance 'thank' because its that important.

10. The ability to throw first pitch strikes in every different way possible whenever and however he wants.



So there is it boys....The "Intelligent Pitcher's Thankful List" Please leave comments and add to the list

Monday, November 23, 2009

Warming Up Like a Pitcher



Today's post will concern what might be considered by some to be a pretty obvious topic. Granted the idea of "warming up like a pitcher" does seem pretty apparent. However, the actual implementation of this idea requires a little more dedication and in fact, concentration.

The idea is simple. As you are loosening your arm for a day of baseball, be it practice, a game, or just tossing with your friends, it is of great important that you take time to consider your release point and create "good muscles memory." In other words, it does the "Intelligent Pitcher" no good to toss however he pleases as he prepares for the day. I have spoken frequently, especially in our Big Leaguer Breakdowns, about the importance of certain aspects of the delivery. For example, getting the elbows up to the power position, using your hips to drive the upper half to release point, and of course, balance point. To create the positive muscle memory, we must make sure that we incorporate these movements into each throw we make. If we don't, we train our muscles to move in a way that creates poor pitching mechanics.

So, one simple way to create better muscle memory as we warm up is to focus on one part of your throwing partners body. I like to use one of my partner's shoulders as a target. I alternate each throw from side to side to better simulate throwing to both sides of the plate. It's also very important to concentrate on repeating the same arm slot with every throw you make. As you increase your throwing distance, it becomes easier to incorporate other throwing techniques as it becomes more necessary to use your hips and accelerate your hand at release point to get the ball to the target.

Give these tips a try starting with your next game of catch. Then, stay consistent with these adjustments over the course of the offseason, then by the time your season rolls around you will be able to repeat your perfect delivery without the same effort.

Until next time!!!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Big Leaguer Breakdown: Johan Santana


As a left handed pitcher myself, I find it tremendously useful to study some of the best lefties in the game. Without a doubt, Johan Santana can make claim to that distinction based on his many years with the Minnesota Twins and last two years with the New York Mets. He throws three pitches extremely well with his power change-up being his true "out pitch." Of course, it doesn't hurt that he throws 95 mph and locates with pin-point accuracy most of the time. In fact his numbers speak for themselves. In 10 big league seasons, he has a career record of 122-60 with an ERA of 3.20. He has 1733 career strikeouts and only a 1.10 WHIP. So, as we do here at Less Is More, I've decided to analyze Johan's motion for this week's Big Leaguer Breakdown.

Check out this video of Johan warming up to get a look at how he works.


The video is of Johan working out of the stretch and at the end we have a slow motion version of his delivery so we will talk about that portion of the clip. Feel free to watch repeatedly the entire video. Examine the 44 second mark of the video, before he's even lifted his leg - it should be easy to see how tall and athletic he already looks before he even moves. Notice his hand slot as well. They are located up by his shoulder and slightly away from his body. Within the framework of his mechanics, it works extremely well because of how his hand break works. If we watch forward to the 47 second mark, Santana has lifted his leg and gotten more compact within his entire body. His hands have moved in and front leg has gotten "loaded" inward before he works forward.

The next part of his delivery is key to study. Watch as his hands breaks and his front leg works down, but also out. Johan also sinks considerably on his back leg. Typically, I would argue that this would create some problems when trying to work down hill at release. However, in Johan's case, you must notice how quickly his hand break transfer into the "elbow's up"power position. Although the front leg has swung slighty out and around, his body weight stays loaded on the back leg for a longer period of time than the average pitcher. This characteristic is key to notice, because it allows him to transfer his weight exactly at the instance of foot strike (front foot hitting the ground). Again, notice at the 50 second mark, how perfectly his elbows are align and on target. Notice also how his front hip has not yet rotated through, but is also still on contact. By keeping his weight loaded on his back leg longer (even though he does collapse a bit) he is able to truly drive his hips through and, as we all know, if the elbows are up they will follow the hits.

Go ahead and look forward to the 1 minute mark. This is Johan's second slow motion pitch. We are now at the finish of his delivery; something he does with exact replicatin each time. His head is slightly off center, but does finish with absolute athleticism over top of his front leg.

So as we can see with the video, we must be careful to stay loaded on the back leg until the elbows get to their highest point. Although Johan collapses a bit, he times up his hips perfectly with those elbows and his athletic ability allow him to get on top of the baseball and finish down.

Continue to study and make it happen as Johan does!

Until next time!!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Look Imposing on the Mound

I've been communicating with some young pitchers lately on a forum at www.letstalkpitching.com. One of the topics asked by a high schooler was "How do intimidate hitters?" It was actually a very intelligent question from a young aspiring hurler. It certainly acknowledges that there is much more to the pitcher - hitter battle than just the pitches being thrown. Sometimes, even the pitches being thrown can and should be used to "intimidate" the hitter.

From an "Intelligent Pitcher's" perspective, we must constantly aspire to have the edge in both the mental and physical side of the contest. For starters, let's think about how we stand and look on the mound. I used to wear my socks up in high school and college. However, upon turning pro, I decided that most professional pitchers wear their pants down and that it contributes to looking taller on the mound. Trust me, the taller the pitcher looks, the less comfortable the hitter will be in the box (e.g. Randy Johnson). I am also reminded of an interview with Johan Santana where he was describing where he learned his unique style of pitching. He said that in an effort to look bigger on the mound he had to physically widen is stance on the rubber. That thought process contributed to him standing as he currently does with his feet wider than most on the mound out of the wind-up.


Here's Kruk barely missing RJ's Fastball in the 2003 Allstar Game



Secondly, I've always ascribed to the school of that a pitcher should never show emotion on the mound. It is the idea that you are in control at all times and nothing the other team, especially the hitter at the plate, can do to get into your head. I'm not a big fan of the large fist pump after strike out or big play, however, I understand there are times where some people just can't help but let a little adrenaline out. It shouldn't matter if you just recorded a strike-out or gave up a three run bomb - your mind set and countenance (sorry, thats a William and Mary word that means facial expression) should never change.

Thirdly, the pitches you make will say the most about who you are as a pitcher. Never ever be afraid to throw the baseball inside. That part of the plate is yours and will never ever be the hitter's unless you allow it to be. If a hitter gets too close, you are completely within your rights to make sure you let him know he's too close with a well placed fastball under the chin. Now understand, do not EVER throw at a hitter's head, but if you need to knock him down...do it.

Ultimately, the pitches you make and your ability to shut down the opposing hitters will make you look more imposing than anything else. However, you must constantly be striving for every advantage and these few examples will go a long way to give you the edge you are looking forward to. It's all part of the Less is More philosphy. The idea that the more prepared and in control you are, the less hard you will have to "try"to throw strikes and gets outs as it all becomes more and more natural and, well, effortless.

Until Next time!!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

What the Heck is a Spike Curveball?

With the conclusion of the World Series and off season successfully here, I wanted to address one of the pitches that made Cliff Lee so effective this season. Many times you heard announcers describe his breaking ball as a "Spike Curveball." Well, I'll be honest with you. I had never heard the phrase before and yet, I still knew what I thought they were talking about. Upon further investigation and research, I discovered that the unique breaking ball that Mr. Lee throws is what is normally referred to as a Knuckle Curve.

Before Lee, Mike Mussina was also famous for throwing this tight spinning 12 to 6 or 11 to 5 (on the clock) breaking pitch. It gets its name as a Knuckle Curve (and also Spike Curve) because of the way the pitch is gripped. The middle finger is straight along the outer seam of the ball and the index finger is tucked underneath (similar to a knuckleball grip). I have had better success myself by sticking my fingernail directly into the seam of the ball. Either way, the knuckle is used to help accelerate the spin of the ball as it comes out of the pitchers hand by straightening the tucked finger at the release of the pitch. Typically, this will create a hard biting pitch that "spikes" downward, generally bouncing on the plate. Hence, the two reasons for the name.



The other difference between the Cliff Lee breaking ball and your average curveball is hand position at release. With a typical curve, the hand turned clockwise at release to put breaking ball spin on the ball. The benefit of the Spike Curve ball is that than hand stays up and behind the baseball until release. Instead of the quarter turn as described above, the hand rolls over at release and the knuckle finger extends, applying spin to the ball. Without the hand turn, the pitch is even more difficult to pick up. It works especially well when the spin of the ball is exactly 12 - 6 (or end over end). Most hitters are unable to tell the difference between a breaking ball spinning end over end and a fastball spinning in the exact opposite direction. The delay in pitch recognition will be all it takes to make it too late for the hitter to adjust to the breaking ball.

So there you have, the Spike Curve (Knuckle Curve) explained!

Remember to check out the new website here (if you aren't already there) and register for the free content!!

Until next time!!!!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Big Leaguer Breakdown: Roy Halladay


Another week has come and gone and that means its time for another installment of Less Is More's Big Leaguer Breakdown. As one of the best all around pitchers of the past five years, Roy Hallady will be this week's victim. After ranking first in league in 2009 in complete games (9), third in ERA (2.79), second in IP (239), and second in WHIP (1.13), it begs to reason that much can be learned from the pitching techniques of Mr. Halladay.

Check out this video of Roy preparing for a game vs. the Orioles in 2009.

As an "Intelligent Pitcher," we understand the importance of being fluid in one's delivery and, more importantly, repeating that delivery every time. Roy Halladay does not have the most text book mechanics, but his ability to repeat that delivery has created a pitching style that allows him to release all three pitches (sinker, slider, change-up) from the exact same arm slot with the same exact arm speed.

We'll start as we normally do, at the most important point in the delivery (besides the power position), the balance point. At the 4 second mark the in the delivery, Halladay in unique as he brings his league high into his chest as it rotates inward, showing his back to the hitter. It is important to note here, that Halladay's fastball is one of the best "sinkers" in the game. Most, if not all, sinker-ballers have some sort of upper body rotation like Roy's. Revisit the BLB's of both Derek Lowe and AJ Burnette (both sinker-ballers) and you will see similar upper body rotation.

Go ahead a few clicks and the video and you will see the mechanics that contribute to the sinker. From the 5 and 6 second mark, Halladay breaks his hands out and around as his front leg does the same thing. Another keep trade mark of the "Intelligent Pitcher," is maintaining symmetry between the upper half and the lower half. Of course, as the upper and lower body rotate together, it must get to the mid-line in the delivery and finish directly at the target. Watch as the front foot hits the ground and his rotation in his hips are delivered through the upper-half and finishes with the release of the pitch. This finish is key to the sinker and Roy Halladay's deceptiveness.

It would be very difficult to throw directly overhand with the upperhalf rotation, so Roy does have a low-three quarters arm slot. Stop the video at the 15 second mark to view a second pitch and review his arm slot. His chest is over top of his front foot, and his chin is over top of his chest and pointed right at the target. In previous Big League Breakdowns, almost every pitcher has been able to get to this point in their delivery. Roy's difference is that he is able to repeat his rotation almost flawlessly where to many other's it would create timing problems.

Again, review this video and take not of how fluid he is from start to finish. Also note that although he is not direct to the target until he gets to his front foot plant position. It is his ability to finish down to the target that creates an unhittable sinker, slider, change-up. That and flawless identical hand and arm speed.


In related news...The Less Is More website will be up and running tomorrow! Check it out here!

Until next time!!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

How to Strike Out Albert Pujols.


As one of the most prolific homerun hitters in the last decade, Albert Pujols is possibly one of the most difficult hitters to get out in all of baseball. If you'll recall, by August of this year, King Albert was 7-9 with 5 bombs and 24 RBI's with the bases juiced. What's more, he was 6-6 on first pitch counts and when he was actually behind in counts. So he becomes even more dangerous when it matters the most!

Aside from intentionally walking in a run when he comes to the plate with the bases loaded - how does the "Intelligent Pitcher" get Pujols out. I am reminded of an at bat versus the Astros' Roy Oswalt. Roy was able to strike Pujols out on three consecutive perfectly placed outside fastballs. Albert didn't swing at any of the three pitches and struck out quickly. What does this tell us about Pujols?

Well, for starters, it proves that you can't make mistakes to Pujols. The pitches were perfectly located that Oswalt used to K Big Red. They were just outside enough to look like balls, and yet they were still on the black for a strike. Sorry, I know that isn't exactly easy to do, but sometimes the truth hurts.

But more importantly, this at bat gives us serious insight into the mind of big league hitters. The best hitters in the game are where they are because they are the most disciplined and selective hitters in the world. They are not like their minor league breathren who are inclined to swing much more aggressively...especially at pitches they aren't in the zone. In essence, they "help out" the pitcher when he would otherwise end up walking them or getting into "hitter's counts." The professional hitter (e.g. Pujols) will wait and wait and wait for HIS pitch. It big be an inner half fastball, or a first pitch curveball or change up out over the dish. Usually its a pitch out over the dish that they can drive. Whatever it is, the best hitters in the game, such as Albert, are good enough to let good pitches go, even for strikes that put them in pitcher's count, to allow them to get the pitch they are looking for later in the at bat. Hitter's like Albert are good enough to fight off pitches when they are in 2-strike counts until the hitter makes the mistake. Sometimes even into multiple at bats, the best hitters will wait until they get that pitch...and when they get it......they do not miss.

So back to the Oswalt encounter. The best I can say is that either Oswalt or the catcher saw something in the way Albert was approaching his at bat that tipped him off that he was looking for something off-speed or inside. Luckily, they were correct and were smart enough to not deviate from their game plan. So, in this case, three perfectly painted fastballs down and away is all it took in this instance to get him out.

As you can tell, getting Pujols out is not an easy task. The "Intelligent Pitcher" must be on his game and intuitive enough to execute a game plan to perfection...all the while hoping Albert hasn't already thought of your game plan and is there waiting with the bases loaded.

Until next time.....

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Big Leaguer Breakdown: AJ Burnette



Well, unfortunately, I was correct in predicting the New York Yankees would claim their 27th World Series crown. I was also correct when I proclaimed that it would all come down to pitching and the Yankees had the advantage in that category as well. Since we've already looked at the mechanics of both CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte, (two of the three starters used by the Yankees) I thought it'd be fitting to finish the trifecta by making this week's Big Leaguer Breakdown, AJ Burnette.

Check out this video on youtube of AJ Burnette pitching for the Yankees vs. the Tigers in July 2009.

The first thing to notice is the rhythm that AJ maintains throughout the entire motion. He's extremely fluid from start to finish and never rushes, never jumps, and never appears to be out of control. The "Intelligent Pitcher" should always strive to be like AJ in this aspect. It goes hand in hand with my "Less is More" philosophy.

So lets take our first look in this video at the 15 second mark. What you should notice is that Burnette's entire body has rotated inward, showing his back to the batter and effectively creating some deception in his delivery. It's important to note here that although this does hide the baseball, it also requires extreme focus to maintain a consisten release point. You can really notice this if you view AJ from behind. Watch the video a few clicks past (still on the 15 second mark) and you'll notice his hands break in a circular motion as is leg drops down and kicks out. Again, this contributes to AJ's deception and low-arm slot sinker he throws.

So how does AJ throw strikes with so much rotational movement in his delivery? Take a few more clicks on the video and notice the most important aspect of the Less is More Pitching philosphy... the elbows. His elbows explode up from his low hand break postion to an absolutely perfect "power position." His foot is just about to hit the ground and his hips have started to rotate. Notice (and this is key) his elbows have not yet cleared or opened yet. This position exemplifies how the hips (and hip turn) generate power to the arms to THROW THE BALL HARDER.

Another frame to exam is another one of my favorites. At the 29 second mark, Burnette has just released his second pitch in the sequence. Note the slight bend in his front knee and extention his throwing arm gets out over the leg. There is a significant bend at the waste that helps take the movement of his pitches closer to the pitch, so the hitter has less time to recognize and react to the pitch.

Go ahead and watch the rest of the video and study his mechanics again. His mechanics are not exactly textbook and they are defintely 'advanced' by most standards. For this reason, he does fall victim to some erratic performances from time to time. But when he is on, he is unhittable.

As always, leave comments and/or questions.

Until next time!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Give Me the Ball!!


So, I've tried to be very positive with most, and or all, of my posts so far in the LessisMorePitching universe. Unfortunately, that all ends to day thanks to Cole Hamels. As a general rule, I like the guy as a pitcher. I'll admit, he has struggled some this year, especially in the playoffs, but as I mentioned in his Big League Breakdown, he really has one of the best change ups in the game and is very very good.

But................

After his comments following game 3 of the World Series, I've lost a bit of respect for the guy. In case you missed it, following his loss to the Yankees he was asked what went wrong and basically his response involved complaints about the erratic start times during the season and that he "could wait for the season to end." He continued to say it has been an emotionally draining season and just needed a fresh start.

A fresh start!?!?!?!?! You want the season to end!?!?!?!? You're still in the WORLD SERIES, Cole!!!!! You could possibly be the GAME 7 starter!!!!! As a professional baseball player myself, I can relate to being frustrated with a few bad games or even an entire season, but I also understand just how delicate the balance in a club house can be. There's no doubt that he'll be getting more than just a few dirtly looks from his teammates...espeically if they don't mount an incredible comeback in game 6 and 7. I would be much more understanding of his comments if his season were over. In fact, Derek Lowe was quoted saying similar things at the conclusion of his disappointing season. But his team was completely out of contention and had no way to make it in. I just couldn't believe he was so short-sighted to feed the media with such explosive material with two games to go in the world series. There's no doubt countless distractions as it is for all the players involved in the game...let alone the media asking everyone how the feel about Cole Hamel's comments.

From a pitching standpoint, the "Intelligent Pitcher" must always appear and act confident on the outside even if he doesn't necessarily feel it on the inside. Trust me, hitters are like wolves, they can smell and feed off of fear. And perhaps he did the Phillies a favor but giving them an idea of how unconfident he is. Hopefully, the will not give him the ball for game 7. I know atleast one former Philadelphia Philly agrees with me. Mitch Williams was asked if Cole should start, and he rightly said there is no way he can be given the baseball now. Again, let me acknowledge that I understand some of what Hamels is going through and I know that confidence and success are both absolutely necessary for the other to survive. It then begs the age old athletic question...what comes first "Confidence or Success?"

Regardless, Cole should have really thought twice before being so honest with the media. The fact remains that game 7 is still a possibility and whoever gets the baseball will undoubtedly be nervous. But he also will be the most focused, anxious, and fired up for the most important game of the season. The person who starts this game MUST want the baseball and never let on that he has EVER doubted a pitch he's ever thrown.

THE INTELLIGENT PITCHER MUST EXUDE COCKY CONFIDENCE!

Until next time......I'll return to my postive upbeat nature next entry...I promise...unless Cole says something else rediculous.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Big Leaguer Breakdown: Andy Pettitte


With the Yankees leading the 2009 World Series 2 games to 1, I found it only fitting that this weeks big league breakdown be of game 3 winner Andy Pettitte. With a line of 6 innings pitched, 4 earned runs, 7 k's, and 3 walks, one of the best post season pitchers in the game was able to battle the Phils long enough to allow his line-up to get to Cole Hamel and take the victory.

Check out this video of Andy Pettite warming up during this past regular season and study his mechanics

The first thing that should be noticed is how meticulous Andy is when he goes about his business. And it does appear to all business with Mr. Pettitte. He is very regimented with all of his prepratory movements and takes care to do the same thing before, during and after each pitch. Lets start by looking at the 13 second mark where he has lifted his leg to its highest point. His chin is tucked and leg is characteristically high. What I want to point out is how high his hands are at this point. Pettitte is very compact with his posture but his back elbow is very high at this juncture. Now as the saying goes, what goes up must come down and his high elbow contributes to his very long arm swing. Fast forward the video just a few clicks and you'll see what I mean. His throwing hand travels straight down before swing out. Not unlike his teammate CC Sabathia, this creates a small hesitation in his delivery which is necessary to allow him to be on time to his release.

Its difficult to tell in this video, but Pettitte does an outstanding job of staying tall throughout his delivery and this also contributes to his ability to get back on top of his pitches and throw down hill. At the 14 second mark after his hands have broken, you can see that there is a rather dramatic tilt from the front elbow and glove to the back elbow and throwing arm. Many pitchers utilize this technique to create more torque and power through the release point. A warning to young pitchers though...you must be able to get that back elbow back up and through to release very quickly and without disrupting the desired release point. You'll notice that even at the 26 second mark (his second pitch) he still has gotten the back elbow all the way up, even though the hand has already begun moving forward. Pettitte utilizes a very aggressive front glove side to get over top of the front leg and get the throwing arm into an appropriate position.

Although the Yankee fan's head is in the way, on every pitch if you pause video right before release, you see that Andy is able to keep his CHIN ON TARGET and finish with his chest over top of his front leg. Keep watching the video a few more times and see if you can pick up on other things Andy does or doesn't do well.

I hope all my readers are picking up on a pattern with these Big Leaguer Breakdowns. As I've mentioned, all these very successful pitchers have their own unique deliveries. However, they do a few things very very similarly. Balancing on the back leg at balance point of the leg lift, getting the elbows up aggressively, taking the chin to the target at as they stay tall on their back leg, and finishi with their glove down and chest over the front leg. These main points should be the goal of all my aspiring pitchers and then be able to incorporate their own personal comfortable delivery with which they are able to repeat and throw strikes.

Until next time..........study those pitchers....leave comments and questions!!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

A Fastball is Worth 4 Pitches

Fact: If you can locate a fastball, you can actually throw 4 different pitches.


Don't believe me? Just ask Johnny Damon. In an at-bat tonight, versus Cliff Lee in game 1 of the World-Series, Lee threw him four different fastballs in 4 different locations - resulting in a broken bat pop up right back to the mound. Its all about how the pitch is viewed coming into the hitting zone by the hitter. As most "Intelligent Pitchers" know, the average hitter wants the ball middle in that he can drive into the gaps. So, it would beg to reason that we should avoid locating our fastballs in that location. So we will first begin with a hard fastball on the inside corner of the plate AND down a the knees. This requires the hitter to set his sights down and in and naturally causes his hands to "speed up" to get to that pitch. Most well located fastballs will not be hit unless the hitter guess correctly.

Now, the second most favorable location for a hitter to hit is up and slight away that can be driven up the middle. So, after speeding the hitter up and in, we will locate our next fastball up and away. (Think letter high off the outside black). The hitter will instinctively get "excited" because he reads fastball out of your hand. However, he will already be geared for the inside fastball and not be able to adjust his eye level back up and out in time to get the bat-head to the ball. This will likely result in a swing and miss or fouled off pitch.

Now that we've gone down and in and up and away, we should be in either a 1-1 or 0-2 count. At 1-1 we can go back down and in or in both 1-1 or 0-2 counts we can throw our third type of fastball, this time up and and in. Again, the hitter's eyes will light up at the sight of the fastball but as long as this pitch is located at the hitters hands - literally - he will likely swing but be unable to reach the pitch before it gets too deep. Another foul off or swing and miss should result.

To finish the hitter off, a well located low and away fastball should be all it takes. Why? Because it is the farthest away from the hitters eyes and therefore requires the most difficulty to hit. The hitter's eyes would again change down and also out. To hit this pitch, the hitter must wait and allow the pitch to travel further into the hitting zone and the hitter must also drive through the pitch and take it the opposite way. Unless you Albert Pujols, this probably is going to happen. Now, if the hitter has managed to foul any of these pitches off, you may need to double up on a few of the locations to get him out using just fastballs, and there are plenty of times when repeating a pitch will do the job. But you must note that you have attacked this hitter without using anything but a fastball. Of course, the better you are able to locate your pitches, the better.

The key here is avoiding the middle of the plate. We've utilized all four corners of the plate to force the hitter to change his eye level and speed up and slow down his hand speeds. Trust me on this, you must utilize all your pitches in all locations, but start with the fastball.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Why the Yankees Will Win the World Series

So the October Classic has been set. Its Phillies vs. the Yankees to determine the best baseball team in the world for 2009. You know who's going to win? The Yankees. Why? Pitching Pitching Pitching Pitching.

Now, don't get me wrong, I really don't like the Yankees. I really don't like Alex Rodriguez. But there is no denying that they are one of the most powerful dynasties in sports (even if they did just buy all their players). This year will be no different and it all comes down to pitching. It's what makes playoff baseball so special and so different from the regular season. You may be able to catch the Yankees (or even the Phillies in this case) on an off day when they are starting their 5th starter or on a rare bad day for Sabathia or Cliff Lee. But not in the playoffs. You will face each other's top 3 pitchers for 7 straight games. The best pitchers in the game will almost undoubtedly be at their peak performance, even on short rest.

So, as I said, the Yankees will win. Let's break it down.

Game 1: CC Sabathia (NYY) vs. Cliff Lee (PHI) - This game may be on the only game that doesn't give either team a clear advantage. Both pitchers are masters of their left-handed pitching craft. But again, this should give the advantage to the Yankees since they have more right-handed or switch hitters compared to the largely lefthanded Phillies

Game 2: AJ Burnette (NYY) vs. Cole Hamels (PHI) - Here we another set of all-star calibur pitchers who have shown that they can be both brilliant or mediocre depending on the day. Most concerning here is Hamels who has not been able to quite lock in as he will need to here to pull off a victory. If Burnette leaves balls up in the zone, he is hittable, but if he keeps it down, fuuughhet ahbadit.

Game 3: Andy Pettite (NYY) vs. Joe Blanton (PHI) - If history is any indication, Pettite has the advantage here. With the most post-season wins of any pitcher in history and coming off an outstanding series clinching performance vs the Angels (his 5th clinching). Of course Joe Blanton has the capability to be tough to hit, still experience prevails here.

Game 4: CC Sabathia (NYY) vs. Cliff Lee (or Pedro Martinez) (PHI) - No one in baseball is better at coming back on short rest and dominating. He did it for Cleveland. He did it for Milwaukee. He will do it for New York. Cliff Lee could also have success here, but just can't over come. If for some reason the Phils are winning the series, they could decide to go with Pedro here.

So you get the idea....both teams are excellent. Both teams have unbelievable fire-power on offense. I just feel the advantage points in the Yankees direction too often for the Phils to over come. Still, it is playoff baseball and absolutely anything can happen. As they say....."that's why they play the game."


Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of the LessisMorePitching community.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Big Leaguer Breakdown: Cole Hamels


With the Phillies-Dodgers NLCS series tied at 1 game apiece, I felt it appropriate to look at one of the most important pitchers in that series so far; Cole Hamels for this weeks Big Leaguer Breakdown. Hamels battled the powerful Dodgers lineup every inning producing a line of 5 1/3 innings pitched, giving up 4 earned runs, striking out 4 and walking 1. Not particularly stellar on this particular night, but thanks Carlos Ruiz and the rest of the Phillies lineup, good enough for an ever-important game one win.

Check out this video of Cole Hamels warming up to study his mechanics.

Immediately, you should notice a theme developing about the elite pitchers in the major leaguers and their mechanics. None of them are immediately similar! I feel however, that there is much to be gained from that knowledge. Essentially, its important to understand, as I've mentioned previously, that deception and variations in a delivery can be very important to disrupting a hitters timing and making the hitter less comfortable in the box against you. And of course, I can't stress enough, that there a few key points that the "Intelligent Pitcher" must get to as Cole Hamels does here.

Lets first pause the video at the 1 second mark as his leg lift get to hits highest point. You've notice a small rock to the right before pivoting and lifting the leg, but his leg lift is one of the higher kicks in the game. However, he allows this to develop good momentum to the plate without falling off balance. This technique requires incredible core strength to keep his body in-line and on target to release. You should also notice how his chin is tucked down and in line with his front shoulder and front hip (essential to most pitchers delivery).

If you watch the video for another full second, you'll notice some sink in his back leg as the front leg swings out and around on its way to its landing. I am not a particularly huge fan of this as it "shrinks the pitcher" and can potentially flatten out his pitches (because he's throwing from a lower angel), and the leg swing can make finishing to the plate very tricky. However, it does provide for some disruption in tempo and hides the baseball very well from the hitter.

Once Hamels gets to foot-strike, watch how his glove swivels underneath as his chest turns follwing the hips to the square position. Of course, the finish is what is most important since its where the ball is released and Hamels finishes slightly off center (with a slight head tilt) but if he is able to repeat that release point, he can use the run on the pitch that it creates to be even more deceptive.

Go ahead and watch the second pitch in the video and watch how well the hips stay online and the elbows accelerate up late in the delivery. Hamels sometimes elevates pitches because his throwing elbow lags behind the front side. However, when it is times up perfectly (as it usually does) Hamels perfect front side and great hand speed are successful in keeping even the Dodgers off balance.


Comment on any things you might see in his delivery.


***** As mentioned, I'm getting married today, so will be offline until next week....keep working on those mechanics and I'll be back soon*****


Image Source: http://chrisoleary.com/projects/Baseball/Pitching/Images/Pitchers/ColeHamels/ColeHamels_2006_006.jpg

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

What's the Big Deal with the WHIP??

One of the greatest things about baseball, professional, college, high school or otherwise, is the fact that anything and everything can be and IS analyzed through statistics. Baseball truly is the game of numbers. Batting average, ERA, slugging percentage, strike out to walk ratio, home run to strike out; they are all tools for coaches, managers, scouts, and arm chair fans alike to discuss, compare, and decide who is the best, most suited player of each and every variety. Two other statistics that have gained more attention thanks to the talking heads at ESPN (e.g. Buster Olney) is the OPS (on base percentage plus slugging) and more importantly to the 'Intelligent Pitcher' is the WHIP (walks plus hits divided by innings pitched).

Besides the obvious, what makes this statistic so defining(even more so than ERA)that it has become the most important number by which most all pitchers are measured. The answer lies in the information that the number implies about a pitcher. The average WHIP lies around 1.00 - 1.20 in the major leagues. What this means is that for every inning a pitcher throws, he only gives up one walk OR hit. The difference between hits and walks make up all other statistics that a pitcher is measured by. For example, to give up earned runs, a pitcher must first give up hits and/or walks before the runs are driven in. For a pitcher to strike out a batter, it means that he has neither give up a hit nor a walk (for that particular at bat). Taking this further, the WHIP is aimed a truly determining how affective, per inning, a pitcher can be. If a pitcher is able to keep this stat BELOW 1.00, it is safe to reason that 1 hit or walk or inning would result in a run and further. Of course, in 2009, this type of dominance is reserved for the likes of Mariano Rivera (.898 WHIP) Joe Nathan (.911) and Houston Street (.915)

So what does the 'Intelligent Pitcher' do with this type of knowledge. He understands that he must make every effort to MINIMIZE at all costs any efforts for the offense to string together any semblance of a rally. If they manage to get a hit, or you manage to give a walk, your focus must turn to preventing any further damage. (This goes back to the using your sinker to induce ground balls or you slider or other 'out-pitch' to get strikeouts as described in previous blogs) Certainly the outstanding numbers posted by some of the games best pitchers is not the norm. Let's be honest, Mariano is unbelievable. However, one must do all he can to stifle an offense with whatever weapons he has. If a pitcher is successful at this very basic point, then it begs to reason that all of his other numbers and statistics will look equally as good. Especially in the Wins and Saves Categories!

As always, post any comments and questions you may have and I will respond.


****I won't be able to post as often this next week because I am getting married Saturday and then going on my honeymoon. I'll be back on the blog as soon as I'm home****

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Big Leaguer Breakdown: CC Sibathia


As one of the most dominating left handed pitchers in the game today, CC Sabathia over powers hitters with a mid-90s fastball, devastating slider and even better change-up. His skills were so enticing that he earned himself one of the biggest free agent contracts in the history of the game from the New York Yankees to the tune of $1.61 million over 7 years. His delivery is unique with aspects that make him both deceptive and explosive and it is why he is this weeks Big Leaguer Breakdown.

Check out this video of CC warming up for a spring training game on you tube.


You'll notice immediately CC's sheer size and imposing presence on the mound. One way for the "Intelligent Pitcher" to gain an advantage on the mound is to look as wide and tall as possible on the mound. (Nobody's afraid of a short skinny pitcher - accept maybe Lincecum). To begin, pause the video at the 5 second mark where his leg lift gets to its highest point. You see that his entire body has rotated inward with his high by his back shoulder. Normally, this would create problems later in the delivery with the hands not getting through fast enough and throwing around his body. However, what he does next erases both these possible problems. Watch as his hands break down extremely quickly and his leg lift rotates back to straight before he begins his stride forward. All of a sudden he's back in a better throwing position.

From here he pauses ever so slightly with the ball hidden behind his hip. Again, the ball staying down could create problems for Sabathia. But if you watch closely as the video goes from 5 seconds to 7 seconds, his hands and elbows explode upward (especially with the front elbow leading his trek down the mound). As the hands explode upward, his front hip stay locked on straight and loaded (this is where he avoids opening up and rotating too early). As soon as the front foot hits the ground, hips fire through and his hand acts as that trust whip and absolutely explodes to release. (Hence 95 mphs) Go ahead and pause the video at 22 seconds to see another example of the hips loaded and elbows up . Note the tilt in the hips and shoulders. Again, these techniques may not be textbook mechanics, but they certainly work for Sabathia, because he knows his body well enough to still get through to the release point and stay on top of the baseball.

If you rewatch the video around 22 seconds and pause it as the ball is being released, you will see exactly what I mean about being to get to a release point. Notice that at release, his mechanics are 100% perfect. There is a slight bend at the knee, his chin is perfectly level over top of his chest and the glove is swiveled (not yanked) underneath the chest. Another quality of the "Intelligent Pitcher" is he knows there are many ways to have 'good mechanics' but there are certain things every pitcher must do to get to that release point that allows him to throw strikes consistently and (more importantly) effectively.

So there we have it. Another potential Cy Young award winner with unique but repeatable mechanics with various major points that are inline with the other pitchers we've seen. Elbows up, hips on line, chest square and chin to target at release.

Watch the last pitch in the video and see if you can pick out any other characteristics that CC uses to help him deliver his pitches. Add comments and I'll respond accordingly!!!.

Stay tuned for more posts this week.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

The Honesty of Chris Carpenter


It would not be considered an understatement at all to claim that Chris Carpenter should almost definitely win the Cy Young award this season in the American League.
His numbers speak for themselves... 17 wins - 4 Losses, 2.24 ERA, 1.01 WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched)144 k's and only 38 walks. It was amazing comeback story for a player who has been marred with injuries including 'tommy-john' surgery in 2007 and a shoulder sprain in 2008.

Unfortunately, Carpenter was not as sharp in the first game of the 2009 playoff series versus their rival LA Dodgers. The Cardinals' ace gave up 4 earned runs on 9 hits while walking 3 and only strikes out 4 in only 5 innings of work en route to a 5-3 loss to the boys in blue. The reason I felt this story was blog-worthy is not because of the fact that a stud pitcher finally did poorly. In fact, Carpenter, in his defeat, showed in his post-game interview just how well he understands pitching and as a result why he is so good most of the time. Here's a paraphrased version of what he said...

When asked essentially 'What went wrong?' Carpenter said

"I was battling myself all game long. I just couldn't stay out of the middle of the plate. They hit everything I threw there. When I tried to get away from the middle, I threw balls and missed off and fell behind hitters. When I tried to get back to edge of the plate, I missed over the middle. I was either right down the middle or out of the strike zone and that's not a good way to pitch."

When asked about the 2 run homerun he gave up to Matt Kemp. (Again paraphrasing)

"I threw a pitch that was up in the zone and he put a good swing on it. He should have hit it out."


What you can see here by his comments is that Carpenter is able to take responsibility for his successes and his struggles. He knows that no one, not even the best big leaguers in the game, is good enough to throw pitches in the middle of the zone and get away with it. (Keep in mind that Carpenter's fastball is in the mid-90's and even that was not enough). He also knew that he can't throw balls out of the strike-zone if he doesn't first establish himself in the zone. Carpenter did acknowledge that the Dodgers did a good job of not missing the mistakes he threw (giving credit where it was due) but when on to say the he was battling and struggling all day but was never able to find his rhythm. Again, this is key, the he realize that when he as at his peak performance, he not forcing pitches to go where they are supposed to go. Rather, when he is in a good rhythm he is able to relax and command his pitches in the zone and out of the zone when he wants.

Luckily for the Cardinals, Chris Carpenter has needed to explain why he didn't throw well very often if at all this season. Unfortunately, they did in the first game of the series and after tonites meltdown, they wasted the stellar performance from the their' ther ace, Adam Wainwright.

Here's hoping he gets another chance before the series ends.