Start Your Preseason Throwing Program

It's now the middle of January 2011. Even though the majority of the midwest is still under a foot of snow and no where but Florida and southern Cali feel anything like baseball weather, it is time to put on your Nike HyperWarm and a stocking cap and start throwing. For most high school ball players, tryouts are at the end of February, this gives us a solid month to build the necessary arm strength to be in "mid-season form" by the first day of try outs.

Hopefully, the majority of you have already been throwing some. However, now is the time to dial in your focus and start charting your throws with a specific goal in mind. For example, this week should consist of three separate throwing sessions. The first should be a light toss and bullpen consisting of no more then 30 pitches - fastballs and change ups. If you have already been throwing for a few weeks, then the breaking ball can be added as well as a few extra total pitches. These bullpens can be thrown in doors (as most of you will need to do anyways) at your local high school or indoor facility.

The second sessions should simply be a light toss. Focus on release point and finish, and not going anything further than the distance from home to 2nd base (120 ft. if you're on a full size field). You should throw enough to get loose and warm, but should not be sore after the session is over.

The final session will be a longer, more strenuous, dedicated long toss program. We are going to have to head out doors for this one; as the goal is to reach your max throwing distance with a generous arch on the ball. We are still finishing to the target with focus on the hand path through the ball, but we aren't concerned as much about the flight of the ball. After reaching your max distance, you want to work your way back in throwing the ball on a line at close to max effort. Again, focus is still on finishing to the target, but now the ball will have a down angle out of the throwers hand and will have to short/long hop the throwing partner until the distance is shortened enough.

You should be sore after this session and will need atleast 2 days off before your next week's bullpen. Each new week, you will want to add an addition throwing day (bullpen or long toss) depending on arm strength until you are throwing 5 to 6 days a week. Gradually increasing arm strength along the way.

Good luck and post any questions.