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.

Thanksgiving WishList 2010.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you out there in LIM Land. Having finished up what feels like ten days worth of food, I thought it was due time to fire up the 'ole blog and shed some light on some things that we as baseball players and, specifically, pitchers can be thankful for. Similar to last year's edition with updates and improvements as we head into the think of the off-season.

In no particular order, here is our Thanksgiving Top Ten.

10. Ground Ball Double Plays
With men on first and third and 1 out, there is nothing better than throwing a good harder sinker and getting out of the inning with a nice 6-4-3.

09. Catcher's Who Can Block Balls and Call Games
Mike Metheny (SF Giants) comes to mind. There is nothing better than having the confidence that your catcher has studied the hitters as much as you have and will block every single slider you throw in the dirt.

08. Pitcher's Toe
No this isn't some odd disease only pitchers can get. Instead, the perfectly dipped plastic mold on the back foot prevents the violent movements of a delivery from tearing your new Nike's apart at the seams.

07. Long Toss
Sometimes, there is nothing better than getting outside and jushttp://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=7889015573646278483t airing it out. Designed to teach the body and the arm how to throw harder and longer, it is essential to every pitchers 'in-season' and 'off-season' throwing program.

06. Single Leg Romanian Dead Lifts with Single Leg Squat
This complex full body exercise is one of the single best moves a pitcher can execute to increase balance and body control. Performed by balancing on one leg and, with the opposite arm, bending at the waste and touching the foot on the ground with that arm. At the same time, lift the other leg up to parallel. Then, return to upright and lift the free leg into a leg lift position and perform a single leg squat.

05. Roy Halladay
A pitcher who pitches the way it was meant to be. Throwing strikes, getting ahead, and getting out. He's thrown more complete games than any other pitcher is recent history. Expects to go the distance every time and doesn't rely on anyone but his defense to get the job done.

04. Free Swinging Hitters.
Only Vlad and Pablo Sandovol have been successful at swing at everything. The majority of these types of "hackers" are great at getting themselves out with pitches not in the zone. Think about Sammy Sosa early in his career or Mark Reynolds and Carlos Pena now. Sure they may hit one out of a hundred 900 feet, but the rest of the time, they usually end up back in the dugout.

03. The Change-Up
Easily the most difficult pitch to hit. Ask any pro-hitter, especially the aforementioned free swingers. Anything that looks like a fastball until it reaches the hitting zone, but isn't, tends to be the toughest pitch for a hitter to hit.

02. Phiten Necklace/Sinker Sleeves/Lucky Shirt
In other words, superstition. Pitcher's are notorious for relying on other worldly rituals to give them the edge (in addition to all other necessary work) on the mound. Whether its keeping a nickle their grandpa gave em in their back pocket during the game or always putting the left spike on first, if you believe it works....then it does.

01. Pine Tar
Like my old high school used to say..."if you ain't cheatin, you ain't tryin." Used by big leaguers across the land (literally....tons of them). This little piece of sticky heaven placed under the cap, on the laces of the glove, on the belt buckle, behind the back of the hat keeps your fingers tacky and the feel of the ball secure in any and all conditions.

So there are just a few things to think about all this Thanksgiving Holiday. Feel free to post your comments and suggestions.

Until Next Time

Wilson Vs. Cain - The Real World Series Match Up

Unfortunately, the match up between Cliff Lee and Tim Lincecum did not turn out to be the pitcher's duel that everyone had hoped. San Fran claimed the victory with a whopping score of 11-7. Game 2 is proving to be the type of game everyone was expecting It is the middle of the 7th now and the score is San Fran 1 - Texas 0.

I've been studying CJ Wilson pitch much of this season and I am increasingly impressed with his ability to locate all of his pitches in any count. Although he has been removed from the game with a blister on his pitching finger, he has proved his salt while battling the San Fran lineup. His only mistake being a fastball up in the zone, but not up enough, to Edgar Renteria.

I say many similarities between Wilson and Andy Petitte. Both lefties utilize a low 90s fastball and a good breaking ball that they use as a back door and front door breaking ball. By being able to locate his slider both inside and outside to right handed hitters, he prevents hitters from being able to sit on one pitcher or one location.

Similarly, Matt Cain has been able to remain scoreless through the entire playoff race by utilizing a devastating sinker/slider/change up combination that baffles hitters. I really enjoy how compact his hand break and arm swing is as he delivers the ball to the same release point on every single pitch. This make it next to impossible to for hitters to differentiate between what pitch is being thrown until it is in the hitting zone. The consistent downward action of all of his pitchers entices hitters to beat the ball into the ground, inducing double plays and routine groundballs.

The score is now 2-0 and Matt Cain is in control. Still, both pitchers are to be studied to try and emulate their deliveries and hopefully their success.

Big Leaguer Breakdown: CJ Wilson

Before you even say it, I know this video is sideways. I apologize, but the video was the best clip I could find for the pitcher I wanted to profile. I realize there hasn't been a BLB in a long time, but its mainly because I've been so busy teaching pitching lessons and studying pitchers on TV during big league games. I have a new favorite left handed pitching in the MLB and his name is CJ Wilson of the Texas Rangers. His mechanics, especially his finish, are the best in the game; absolutely text book. He's been outstanding all year long and has only improved with the addition of veteran Cliff Lee to the rotation. As of September 1, he is an amazing 14-4 with a 2.88 ERA. He is one of the main reasons (besides Lee and Josh Hamilton) that the Rangers are making a charge for the playoffs. He is our Big Leaguer Breakdown.

Check out this sideways video to study CJ Wilson's pitching mechanics.
You may have to turn your laptop sideways to view it, but the first thing to notice is how compact CJ's leg lift is. I will post pictures of these clips here so you can visualize with me. His hands and front knee are moving in perfect unison and pause at a very high point as his hands are near his shoulders and knee is near his hands. Notice, also, that he hasn't begun moving toward the plate yet. Instead, he is balanced over his back leg and ready to begin the decent of his knee and hands DOWN FIRST before they go to the plate.
In our next frame, we see CJ getting into an athletic position as his glove and front knee work inward and down toward the plate. Young pitchers need to be careful here to notice that he has not rotated his hips too far inward and has not closed his front shoulder off very far. His front hip and shoulder will both still work directly to the target from this position. Also important is the height CJ maintains on his back leg. There is a slight bend in the back leg as he begins to "get athletic,: but he doesn't lose much height has the hands and elbows begin to elevate.

In our next picture, we are focusing on the hips and front foot at the "foot strike" position. His upper half is blurry, but you should be able to tell in full speed that his elbows are up and beginning to rotate forward. What we see in the lower half are the angle of his hips loaded and still closed just before the front foot hits the ground. Keeping the hips closed longer will allow a pitcher to stay on line longer and become more directional when the hips do fire.
Our last clip is the most important. CJ Wilson's ability to explode toward his target and finish with great extension over the his front knee helps him truly attack hitters. He does not walk very many hitters and really prides himself on getting ahead of a hitter and burying him. His explosive but directional finish is what allows him to do this. Observe the final pick and note the position of his chest square to the target and the chin stays on target through release. As the ball is let go, we see his back foot explode upwards. This is key. Many pitchers just turn the hips and let the leg drag behind. This does nothing to help the finish of the pitch. By elevating the back leg (think Johan Santana style) you force the chest to extend at the waist forward. If the chest extends, then the release point gets closer to the plate. If the ball is released closer to the plate then, by default, the movement of the pitch will be closer to the plate and in the zone longer.


Use this video and pics to study CJ Wilson's picture perfect mechanics. Better yet, try to catch him on TV so you can gain a better video understanding of his delivery.

As always, ask any questions you might have and I've got you covered.

In Between Season Long Toss

Now that many of the summer travel ball and legion seasons are coming to a close for most ball players, it is time to turn our sights on the off-season. It is a time that can truly make the difference between repeating the previous years performance or taking the next step toward achieving a ball player's dream of moving from high school to college or college to the pros. As an old sporting goods commercial used to say... " All men are created equal....some just work harder in the off season."

For the professional pitcher (i.e. any pitcher older than 12), this is the perfect time to start a dedicated long toss program. I think it is wise to take a month off to allow the arm to recover from the strain of a long spring and summer season. However, if the fall ball season starts in September or October, then we don't want to take any more than a week or two to ensure that no atrophy of the throwing muscles occur. With that in mind, we can take the extra time without actual games to get with a throwing partner and long toss atleast 3 times a week. The extended distances of the throwing and high intensity of the finish sets of a solid long toss program will allow the arm to build strength with less regard for "throwing strikes." This thought process may seem contrary to what we are trying to do (throw strikes). However, I believe that within the frame work of quality long toss (keeping head on the target, leading with the chin, not falling off to the side, the body must be trained to throw as hard as possible with out trying to throw strikes first. Then, once the velocity is increased, it must be "reigned" into the frame work of a pitching delivery.

So, take some time to get out there at least 3 times a week to begin the program. Try to increase the distance of your longest toss by about 10 feet, once a week. Be sure to mix in a solid weight lifting program and sprint/long distance cardio program. By increasing your overall physical strength in conjunction with the long toss, you can give your body the best chance to increase over all velocity, stamina, and ability repeat a delivery.

Again, this time period starting in mid August and carrying all the way into the winter is a great time to focus on building arm strength. You should try to dedicated atleast 2 solid months of long tossing 3 times a week to truly see any results. But truly, long toss should be a part of a year long throwing program. However, you wouldn't want to do it this often (3 times a week) within the season or pre-season.

If you have any questions about specific distances or actual throwing breakdowns, please comment and I will be happy to respond.

Until Next Time!

If You're Gonna Give 'Em Up, Make Sure They're Solo Jobs.

The enigmatic title "If You're Gonnna Give 'Em Up, Make Sure They're Solo Jobs" is a piece of advice that every pitcher should subscribe to. It refers to a pitching philosophy that revolves around keeping runners off base. In practice, it means that every pitcher is going to give up home runs, but the best ones can minimize damage and not give up as many long balls with runners on base.

I am reminded of this adage as I am watching the Orioles vs. Rays tonight on MASN. Matt Garza is on the mound for the Rays and has given up 4 home runs through 5 innings. He is also only losing 4-2. The Orioles pitcher has given up 2 home runs as well. It is not hard to imagine that this score could be much worse for both teams had those home runs not been solo shots. So, in practice, a pitcher must learn when to attack hitters and when to be careful. Of course, a pitcher must always "attack." However, early in the game and early an inning, the worst thing a pitcher can do is walk a batter. Walks and poorly placed pitches that lead to base hits are obvious things to avoid. However, this is never more true than early in those situations. With less than two outs, walking batters create more problems for the pitcher; especially if the next batter hits one out of the park.

With that in mind, if there are runners on and the game is getting into the last three or four innings, a pitcher must be careful to execute every pitch as perfectly as possible to prevent a late inning scoring onslaught. In fact, when facing a tough hitter with runners on, a good pitcher will "not give in" to a hitter by giving him a good pitch to hit. He will non-intentionally intentionally walk the batter to get a weaker hitter. He will make perfect pitches down and or just below the knees on the edges of the plate. These pitches will be so tough to hit that there is very little chance for a hitter to do damage with them. Keep in mind that this is an advanced technique that requires a very high command of ones pitches and of the strike zone. However, if executed correctly, a good pitcher can avoid giving up a mult-run hit or home run to a good hitter by making the hitter either swing at the pitcher's best pitches or be patient enough to take the walk.

The score of the game will dictate whether this strategy is a viable option. Obviously, if the score is within one run, a solo bomb is as devastating as any other home run. You would want at least a 2 run lead to begin considering putting more runners on base to get to weaker hitters.

Regardless of the situation and score however, if you are going to give up homeruns, it will always be better that they are solo shots. The less runs that score the better your ERA and your teams chance to win will be.

Until Next Time!

Rest In Peace George Steinbrenner

A legend of the professional baseball world passed away on Tuesday. George Steinbrenner, aka "The Boss" bought the Yankees in 1973 and ruled with an iron fist for three decades. In the time since he acquired the Bronx Bommers, he returned a struggling franchise to its former greatness. The Yankees generated more revenue, won more World Series', and produced more All-Stars than any other franchise during his tenure.

George suffered a massive heart attack before passing at the age of 80. Less is More Pitching would like to extend its sincere condolences to the entire Steinbrenner family and Yankee nation. This truly isn't just a loss for his family and team. The game of baseball will not be the same without Steinbrenner. He will certainly never be replaced.

Until Next Time.

Is Strasburg an All-Star?

So as we near closer to the July 13th mid-summer classic, the ballots have been cast for the American and National League All-Stars. Many names called are the ones that everyone expects. Jeter, Pujols, Ramierez, Sabathia and others. Other names may be confusing such as Omar Infante or perhaps Chris Young. However, the biggest question may well be whether or not Stephen Strasburg should be an All-Star. His numbers would suggest the easy answer is yes. To date, he is 2-2 with a 2.45. Even more impressive, he has recorded 53 punch outs in just over 36 innings and only walked 10. His star appeal and fan following would also indicate that he would be an easy choice. Strasburg is one of the most googled names in Major League Baseball. Tickets to Nationals park are still selling out for his starts. If he were to pitch in the All-star game, he would undoubtedly increase the popularity of an already famous event.

However.... I do not believe Steven Strasburg should be an All-Star. It isn't because I don't think he is good enough. Clearly, thus far, he has proven so as mentioned above. However, there are many unwritten rules and unsaid guidelines that govern how rookies are treated and how priority and tenure plays in a big league clubhouse. Granted, I've never been in a Major League clubhouse for more than a spring training game, I have played with enough current big leaguers to know that young ball players are expected to earn their place in the League. Of course, all players want to win at all costs. However, it is still a career and a job and Stephen's place on an All-Star roster will take the place of many other guys would have, at the very the least, pitched the whole season instead of a couple starts. Guys like Carl Pavano and Joel Pinero whom have been around the league for a few years and are beginning to have years that are worthy of all-star recognition.

Also, the All-star game is no longer just an exhibition game. Instead, it is played for home field advantage in the World Series. Allowing a rookie with little experience to make the All-star game because he would bring more fans to the stadium is irresponsible. I don't really think the All-star game is hurting for fans to begin with. So if it counts for something more than bragging rights now (which it does), then I say TV ratings shouldn't factor into the selection process.

Finally, young ball players just need to pay their dues somewhere. I agree the Strasburg is good enough to be an All-Star. I agree he's one of the most electric pitchers in the game today. However, he only spent 2 months in the minors and he is already touted as the next coming of Nolan Ryan. If his character is how it is described (a true gamer), than an all-star skip this year will only make him hungrier for the second half and the pennant run.

Let me know if you agree...

Until Next Time!!

We Can All Learn A Lot From Zambrano

A few years ago, Carlos Zambrano may have been the best pitcher in baseball. His mid 90's fastball and devastating breaking ball worked extremely well with a 'Take No Prisoners' competitive edge that had many batters feeling uncomfortable just to step in the box. Unfortunately, much has changed since those days. In an earlier post this year, I posed the question "How Will Zambrano react to being sent to the bullpen?" He is known for temper flare ups and not always being a team player. So, there was reason to be concerned about a perceived demotion to the bullpen. Apparently, these concerns were validated after Zambrano's most recent dugout spat with teammate Derek Lee. Of course, no one truly knows what was said and in what context it was perceived, but DLee is one of the classiest ball players in the game today, and I find it tough to believe he was out of line. Either way, the Cubs could scarcely afford any more distractions during an already disappointing season - especially with cross-town rivals, the White Sox on an 11 game win streak. The fallout of the incident has landed Carlos on an indefinite suspension and none of his teammates seem to miss him yet. Alfanso Soriano referenced this when saying simply that the team was not inspired by the tirade (as Zambrano tried to spin it) but that they would rather not have him.

So, what can an aspiring pitcher take from this whole mess? For starters, it must be understood that it is a very thin line that a pitcher walks from being the meanest mother on the whole baseball field and not taking any crap from anyone and still respecting the game to completely showing no self control, respect for the game, or discipline. In fact, I'd say respect for the game is the ultimate issue. By allowing your emotions to get the best of you, your actions tell the other team and everyone that you are not mentally tough enough to handle the tests of a baseball game and season. Now, this is by no means and easy task, but it is a task that players have handled with grace for years. Personally, I feel it requires far more mental fortitude and "strength" to swallow ones pride and handle both your terrible defeats with the same demeanor as your greatest victories. It shouldn't matter if you throw a no-hitter or give up 9 earned in the first, a the true gamer keeps his emotions and on an even level. Because, if you allow yourself to ride that emotional rollercoaster, it will impossible to replicate any kind of success. It appears that Zambrano had been struggling with this for many years, but he had been able to keep at bay for the most part. Unfortunately, I fear this may be one of the last (if not THE last) straw for him. The Cubbies do not appear to be interested in his antics now that his performance has suffered.

So, going forward, the "Intelligent Pitcher" must be willing to walk that line. The one between extreme focus and intensity break down. The line between firery determination and emotional breakdown. It is no easy task, but the true gamers achieve this as they dominate the competition.

Let me hear your thoughts.

Until Next Time!

The Power Position

There are probably over a thousand ways to teach pitching mechanics. There are probably even more ways to pitch effectively that aren't considered "proper mechanics." However, we here at Less Is More believe that there are few key components of the delivery that most pitchers most hone to be able to repeat their motion and repeat their release point. Balance throughout the delivery, utilizing the hip turn for velocity and finally, getting into the "power position" with the elbows and scapula "loaded" before those hips turn. So instead of words today, here are a few pictures of big leaguers in the Power Position.

Here is CC Sabathia with elbows up.

Notice how the front foot has not yet hit the ground.

The hips are just about to turn, forcing the upper half to release.

Even though he has a long stride, the weight is still on the back leg - allowing those hips to fire.

Front side is on target and loaded.


Although is low arm is unconventional, Ubaldo Jimenez gets both his elbows up faster than anyone.

Just before the front foot hits the ground again, look where his power is - his back leg.

The throwing arm elbow is behind his back - prepared to reach full power position.

Front shoulder is closed and on target.

Weight is back, power is still in hips.

Verlander throws 100mphs by getting those elbows up.

This pic has him just before front foot hits, with weight still back.

The throwing arm is coming up and the shoulder blades are "loaded" as the hips are preparing to turn.

The hall of famer, Nolan Ryan gets into the power position better than any one.

The power is in the hips - notice they are still closed.

Elbows are perfectly up - still bent.

Front shoulder and hip are both are on target with weight on back leg.


These are just a few examples of what the power position can look like. Ideally, Nolan Ryan's pic shows the true PP. The elbows up and parallel to the shoulder. The weight is still on the back leg and both the front shoulder and hip have not rotated off target.

Now, get to work developing your own Power Position.

Until Next Time!!

Big Leaguer Breakdown Ted Lilly

As the major league seasons plows through June, the talking heads at ESPN are beginning to realize what I have been saying for at least a month. This year in baseball, is the "year of the pitcher." Of course, yours truly has blogged already twice about the fact that the balance of power is swing back towards the pitchers. Case in point, yesterday, the Chicago White Sox played the Chicago Cubs. Gavin Floyd was on the mound for since the Sox and Ted Lilly took the ball for the Cubs. What resulted was nothing short of masterful on both sides. Gavin and Ted both took no-nos into the 7th inning, where Floyd ultimately surrendered a few hits and the only run of the game. Lilly on the other hand, kept the White Sox hitless into the 9th when Juan Pierre finally ended the no-hit bid. It had been 8 starts since Lilly's last win, and despite a roller coaster ninth for the Cubs' bullpen, the game ended with a win for the Cubbies. I had a chance to study Lilly during the game last night and felt it was reason enough for Lilly to be this week's Big Leaguer Breakdown.

Here is a clip from youtube user cleveworld of Lilly warming up in Spring Training.

Ted Lilly makes his living interchanging an assortment of off speed pitches to complement a mid 80's fastball. While not over-powering, Lilly is also successful by utilizing some deception in his delivery. It is difficult to see, but at the 22 second mark, we see how Lilly rotates his an entire body and front leg around, showing his jersey number to the hitter. By doing so, Lilly does an excellent job of hiding the ball until he rotates back forward. He also keep the ball in his glove behind his back shoulder as you can see in the video. At the 23 second mark, you can see the hand break as his shoulders tilt back and the hand drops behind his back leg. The ball is still hidden at this point. Personally, I don't like how far he has collapsed on his back leg here, but moving forward, we see the tell-tale elbows elevating and hips rotate at the same time. Lilly could have used his inward to turn to try and develop more velocity, but it is my feeling that is merely for deception. I feel this way because you see very little "explosion" upon release of the ball. Going further in the video, we see how upright Lilly is as he finishes his pitch. There is very little upper half tilt forward at release either. By staying upright, the tends to flatten some of his pitches, but also helps to increase some of the balls lateral (side to side) movement. On a the next pitch in the sequence, we do see Lilly do a better job of finishing over his front foot and locating down in the zone. It is important to notice how controlled Ted is as the ball is released. Undoubtedly, this is a product of his control getting to the foot strike.

Repeating this delivery is made possible by how deliberate Ted Lilly is with his front foot and front leg when it is planted. Instead of being out of control, he lightly lets the foot plant and works down over the mid-line of the body. This is important to aide in the repeating of the body.

So we see a unique aspect of the pitching delivery in Lilly. His inward body rotation allows him to keep the ball hidden. It also allows him as well to put unique spin on his pitches as he rotates toward the midline and finish down.

Keep studying and post and questions.

Until Next Time!

Stephen Strasburg is the Real Deal

It's is the top of the 8th in Washington and Strasburg has just punched out the side to end his much anticipated Major League debut versus the Pittsburg Pirates for the Nationals. The score is 4-2 and after 14 total strikeouts, Strasburg's start was nothing short of legendary. He set a Nationals franchise record for K's in a debut after going 7 innings, giving up only four total hits, 2 earned runs, and the 14 K's mentioned previously. His stuff was "as advertised." The gun on MASN has his fastball at 93 - 103 MPHs. (The gun was probably juiced a few ticks, but still no doubt he was hitting triple digits) His curveball was a knee buckling 82 MPH and the slider and change-up were equally devastating. More than once, as Pirates hitters were gearing up for another heater, Strasburg would drop in that hammer and buckle the knees of those Big League hitters. Most of those strike-outs were wild swings and misses on super heaters and exploding breaking stuff.

So it almost doesn't even need to be said that Strasburg is good. Truly, the only question that remains is 'Will Strasburg be the perennial All-Star that everyone expects him to be?' While I'm not fortune teller, I do consider myself an expert on the subject of pitching. Without attempting to tell the future, I think the answer to that question is a resounding yes. The main reason for my confidence in the phenom is found in his delivery. Very few guys are able to replicate such incredible velocity with such poise and apparent ease. Who knows, he could blow out his arm tomorrow, but I'm not betting on it. When compared to other 100 mph fireballers, Stephen has the smoothest, most fluid delivery of all of them. Other pitchers in this category are guys like Ubaldo Jimenez, Justin Verlander, Joel Zamaya, and perhaps old-schooler, Nolan Ryan. Of those, only Nolan Ryan rivaled Strasburg's apparent lack of "effort." All of the others appear to be trying to throw that hard. On the contrary, he is smooth loose and the only thing that is violent is the ball exploding into the catcher's glove. These facts tell me that Strasburg has mastered the art of staying loose and under control and allow the lower half to do the work for you. The ultimate thesis behind the Less Is More philosophy.

So going forward, I look forward to seeing what becomes of Mr. Strasburg. It is my prediction that he will be an All-Star by next year. Plus, if Bryce Harper turns out to be the offensive stud that everyone say he is, then the Nationals could be led by two no. 1 draft picks all the way to the 2015 World Series. A bold prediction, but I'll stand by it as long as those two are healthy.

I look forward to five days from now to see Strasburg start again. Look for a Big Leaguer Breakdown on him fairly soon.

Until Next Time


Image By Geoff Burke, U.S. Presswire

Pitching to the Ball Park

Much to do is made about the ball park in which a pitcher is pitching. Fenway in Boston is known for being a great place for lefties to pull the ball and righties to hit high towering balls over the monster. Yankee stadium, new or old, is notoriously easy to hit balls out of the yard. The left field line is only 314 ft. There are middle schoolers who can clear that distance. In Houston, the left field fence is so far forward that the left fielder has to adjust where he normally stands to adjust for how the ball will come off. The question becomes, though, does a pitcher need to adjust how he pitches based on the field in which he is playing. The quick answer is "no." That is to say, a pitcher should not alter the pitches he throws or how aggressive he is based on the stadium. Sure, the possibility exists that hitter could hit a less than towering drive and it might slip out of the park. However, that kind of happening cannot always be controlled. By altering what pitch you throw because of the park, a pitcher is more likely to loose his rhythm and his ability to put away a hitter once he is ahead. As I've said many times, a pitcher must always lean toward pitching to his strengths. If you have a "plus" fastball, then you want to stay with that pitch even if the hitter is a power guy.

That being said, making "adjustments' that play into your pitching strategy are always a plus. For example, focusing on locating pitches down in the zone is a strategy that is good for any pitcher to adopt. It also would serve the purpose of keeping balls in the yard more frequently. Pitching on both sides of the plate and changing speeds with all of your pitches are also great philosophies of pitching that also will help keep the hitter from squaring up pitches.

As we get more advanced, certain situations and hitters in the lineup can dictate pitches are thrown and when based on the pitcher. This requires a pitcher to be able to throw multiple pitches for strikes in any count. The situation could be when a number 3 hitter is at the dish with 2 outs. You don't necessarily want to challenge this guy inside early in the count. As a generally, staying away here to get ahead and get to a two strike count is a good idea. Similarly, if you have runners on first and third, with one out, using your ground ball pitch to get the double play is another way to pitch well in any park, not just a hitters park.

So let that be your guideline. If the philosophy matches up with overall good pitching strategies, then it is good to use to keep hitters in the park. Keep the ball down, change speeds, and attack the hitters!

Until Next Time!!

Never EVER Walk the Lead Off Hitter.

The Baseball Gods are a very strict bunch. They have very defined guidelines that decide what constitutes quality baseball. They are also relentless. If a player crosses one of these guidelines, the vengeance is usually swift and severe. Case and Point. Last night, Chris Carpenter of the St. Louis Cardinals was pitching a gem against the Washington Nationals. It was the 8th inning and the Nationals managed to scratch out a run to tie the game at 2 - 2. The momentum was swinging back to the Nationals as they took the field to start the 9th inning. Tyler Clippard took the mound for the Nationals to face the lead off hitter...

One of the most important rules held by the Baseball Gods is NEVER WALK THE LEAD OFF HITTER...especially when your team has just come back to tie or take the lead late in the game.
What did Tyler do? He walked the lead off hitter. Now, the Cardinals tried to bail him out. First, Felipe Lopez attempted to bunt him over to second. Instead, he popped the bunt up for the first out of the inning. Then, the runner at first was picked off by Tyler. (A another offense to the Baseball God's, but not as severe). So, the situation now looks pretty darn good for Clifford. He has two outs, nobody on base, and Ryan Ludwick is at the plate with a 1-1 count when the runner was picked off. All Tyler has to do is get this last out. But the Baseball God's wouldn't allow it. The very next pitch after pick-off, Clippard hangs a slider and Ludwick deposits it roughly 20 rows back over the left field wall. Cardinals win 3-2. Carpenter gets the win and Franklin gets a save. (This has nothing to do with my point except both Carpenter and Franklin are on my fantasy team...holler).

I'm not saying the Baseball Gods made him throw a bad slider. I am not even saying the Baseball Gods exist. What I am saying is that more often than not, walking the lead off hitter will come back to haunt a pitcher. Usually, it is the lead off hitter that scores. I believe the percentage is around 70% of the time. Granted, the example here has nothing to do with that. But isn't it interesting that some how things went foul for Tyler after walking the lead off hitter. If you're team has worked hard to gain the lead or tie the game, the best thing you can do is attack the hitter and prevent giving back that run. Late in the game, it becomes even more pertinent to hang a zero up after a great come back.

This story goes well with my over all philosophy on pitching. Always be on the offensive. Attack the hitter. Don't allow the hitter to ever be comfortable in the box. Throw strikes early and often and control the game!

Until Next Time!!


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Major League Power Swing

I know this blog's title might sound like it is about hitters. It is actually about the balance of power between pitchers and hitters. It is safe to say that from the mid 90's to the mid/late 2000's, there was NO balance. What is now referred to as the "Steroid Era," was undboutedly the most prolific decade for hitters ever seen. Just from the broken records alone one can see how hitters flourished. The formerly unbreakable single season home record was shattered three different times in the span of a couple years (Sosa, McGuire, and Bonds). The second most hallowed record in all of baseball (behind perhaps Dimaggio's hit 52 game hit streak) was broken a few short years later with Bonds surpassing Hank Aaron for the ultimate home run record. All the while, these records were considered tarnish by the terrible, steroid-induced asterisk.

However, Major League Baseball finally got its act together and implemented a much stricter drug testing policy and the over-arching the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program was adopted in 2006. Since then, the balance of power has begun to shift. It is my opinion that MLB has actually achieved what it set out to do. That is, they have shifted the power back closer to even between pitchers and hitters. It is my opinion, of course, that this is a positive change. As a self-proclaimed baseball purist, I think a 3-2 pitcher's duel is baseball at its best. I agree that home runs are wonderful and a lot of fun to watch, but when baseball scores began to look as though they were achieved with 50 yard bombs to the end zone, I think everyone knew something was wrong. Thankfully, that aforementioned changed did occur, and the steroid era appears to be over. Case and point, from '95 to '07, the average number of homeruns hit by the league leaders was well above 50. In fact, 15 times in that span, a home run leader broke the 50 home run mark. Of course, there was a handful of years where the number crested 60 with others in the 50 range and culminating with Bonds' 73. However, in 2008 and 2009, the leaders hit only 37, 38, 48, and 47 respectively. Now I realize that two years is hardly a trend, but it is my belief that 2010 will show similarly lower numbers. Of course, this is good news for baseball purists near and far. For, if those numbers did not decrease, there would be little reason to believe steroids had anything to do with the power surge.

So, heres to the conclusion of the steroid age, and the dawning of a new age of balance. I look forward to the next few 20 game winners. Perhaps now, there will be more than just one or two in each league. 2009 had none and 2008 only had Webb and Lee, Mussina, Halladay and Beckett. I suspect these numbers will increase as well over the years.

Stay tuned and let's see if I'm right.

Until Next time!!

Big Leaguer Breakdown: Dallas Braden

Happy Mother's Day from Less Is More and what a day it was. Dallas Braden's grandmother got one of the most unique and rare gifts ever given on a Mother's Day, a perfect game. Only the 19th such accomplishment in MLB history! The lefty faced the minimum, walked none, and his teammates made no errors on his way to beating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-0. What made the feat even more incredible is that the Rays only swung and missed at 5 pitches that Braden threw; the fewest in a no-hitter since 2007. Dallas improved to 4-2 on the season by punching out six hitters and of course, walking none. His perfect game did as much to establish himself as a bonafide star as it did to quelsh some of the negative attention that had been simmering since his lashing out verbally at Alex Rodriquez after AROD trotted over the pitcher's mound after getting out in a game earlier in the season. Side Note...I think it shows a lot about Braden's fire and determination on the mound that he felt the need to "defend his territory" after Rodriquez essentially disrespected his mound by jogging across it. I like it and I think every pitcher can learn from it. Either way, Braden was awesome today and he is this week's Big Leaguer Breakdown.

Check out this video of Dallas Braden from my favorite youtuber, laflippin.

You can see right off the bat that Braden comes set with the glove far away from his body and his feet wide on the mound. I have always been a fan of looking imposing on the mound and applying this stance is a great way to do so. As he starts his delivery, we see him utilize a very long side step (instead of a drop step back). As a general rule, I prefer a drop step to stepping to the side because it makes finishing toward the target more difficult. However, Dallas uses the side step to create some misdirection and deception in his delivery. He repeats this very well and it does a lot to disrupt a hitter trying to track the ball.

At the :23 mark, we see Braden's foot almost disappear behind his back side. This position tells us that his leg lift well above average in height. As long as the pitcher's body (legs and core) are strong enough, a high leg lift that is controlled can help a pitcher generate more momentum in his delivery while staying taller longer. What how Dallas accomplishes this from the :23 mark to the :32 mark. We can see a lot about his delivery in this segment. From the leg lift, we see the glove and front leg work in perfect unison down and out toward the target. All the while, his back leg does not collapse much at all. While all this is happening, Braden does close off his front shoulder some, showing his back to the right handed hitter. You can't see this in the video here, but if you watch him pitching from behind, you can see what I mean. At the :32 mark, we see how Braden's elbows have elevated to a perfect power position just before the front foot hits the ground. Notice also how the back foot has begun to rotate, which indicates that the hips have turned as well. With the hips firing, but the elbows are still closed, the pitcher can really generate some power in delivery.

The :33 mark shows an absolutely picture perfect chin position, glove turn and front leg bend. This tells us a lot about how consistent Braden is with his delivery. At 36 seconds, we can see his body is almost entirely parallel to the ground at the ball comes out of his hand.

Overall, there's not much negative about Braden's delivery and this tells us quite a bit about how he was able to throw a perfect game. If I'm being picky, there isn't a ton of tempo through his delivery. He seems to be moving a touch slower than the average pitcher, but then again, that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

So, it goes without saying, Dallas Braden has a good idea about how to deliver the baseball. We here at Less Is More tip our caps to you Dallas. Congrats on your fantastic game!



Image source: yahoo sports - http://sports.yahoo.com/

The Curse of the Knucleball

Every now and then I feel the need to rant a bit about some of the things I see going on in a certain aspect of the game of the baseball. Today is one of those days. I'm not really that upset mind you, just a tad bit frustrated about the over use of the knuckleball by littler leaguers in the Williamsburg area. It's not that I think the knuckleball is necessarily a bad pitch. The problem I have is the fact that many very talented young pitchers are wasting time working on an aspect of pitching that has very little chance of helping them in their future careers. Quick, name more than two knuckleballers who have pitched in the Bigs in the last twenty years. Tim Wakefield is one...the most obvious choice. How about another... waitng ... waiting... Tom Candiotti anyone. Most of my pitching clients have probably never even heard of him and past that, I can't even name another.

The point is there is a less than 1% chance that a youngster will end up throwing a knuckleball later in life. Now, it wasn't that long ago that I was a little leaguer. I can remember how much fun it was to try and make the ball dance as I played catch with some of teammates. As best as I can tell, that is the main appeal of the pitch. The problem with this is that it requires a pitcher to completely change his delivery to throw the pitch correctly. For anyone who knows my philosophy on pitching, it goes without saying that I am completely against changing ones delivery, arm slot, or arm speed to throw a pitch. It is this philosophy that explains why Big League knuckleballers only throw fastballs and knuckleballs. To make matters worse, the coaches of these kids are neither encouraging or discouraging this practice.

I think it is time that we take a position on the over use of a pitch that really has no benefits in the future games of these kids. I guess I tend to be a baseball purist. I would much rather see I young pitcher continue to develop useful pitches (fastball, change-up, breaking ball) at the expense of some early success with a trick pitch. I just put more value in the development of the pitcher than a few little league strike outs due to a knuckleball.

I'd love to hear any contrasting opinions from players and coaches out there. Feel free to post and I will respond.

Until Next Time!

Zambrano to the Pen?

In relatively recent events, Chicago Cubs manager announced that normally unhittable ace, Carlos Zambrano will be delegated to set-up man duties to help out the Cubbies struggling bullpen. He also mentioned that the return to Ted Lilly to the rotation made this move even more necessary. I'm not sure if I buy it, but alas, I'm not a big league manager. I realize Zambrano has struggled in his first few starts, but he still has the "stuff" of an ace and, as long as he is healthy, will likely bounce back from the early season mishaps.

Regardless, this has nothing to do with LessIsMorePitching or my philosophy. What this does have to do with is the mind set of a pitcher like Zambrano who has to make a change. As a pitcher, you may be asked to make changes to your delivery, your role on the team, or your pitching style. Speaking from experience, late in my professional career, the Diamondbacks asked me to start throwing side arm, after throwing overhand for my entire career. Although this marked the possible end of my career, it has, for others, launched their careers into the next level. For Zambrano, it could go either way. He could become the most dominant set-up man in the league. For you, it could also take one of two courses. No matter what, it starts with your mind set. And this is the point of this blog post. Your coach may not always think the same way you do about different aspects of pitching. However, you are obligated to some degree to try the suggestions your coaches make. If you hate them, hopefully, your coach will take the time to work out an agreeable solution. If this is not the case though, and you are left with an adjustment or change that you are not comfortable with, then it becomes your job to make that adjustment with the optimism and determination of your entire being. Because if you don't, you will be leaving part of your ability off the field. As competitive as baseball is, you cannot afford to only have half your heart on the field.
So far, Zambrano seems to have made the change without causing too much of a fuss. This is called "professionalism" in the biz. Every player could use a dose of this type of approach. Big Leaguers aren't always the best example of how to carry yourself on the field. I, for one, hope my initial reactions are not betrayed later on.

Stay tuned as always.

Until Next Time.

Big Leaguer Breakdown: Doug Fister

I apologize for the lack of posts this week. No real excuses here, I've just been a bit busy. Regardless, it is already Sunday which means its time for another segment of Big Leaguer Breakdown. This week, we look at a lesser known pitcher for the Seattle Mariners. His name is Doug Fister and just this past Saturday he threw 8 innings, giving up 2 runs and striking out four...the day after I added him to my fantasy team. (I take my fantasy baseball very seriously). Fister is a second year rookie this season after spending four seasons in the minors at various levels and making his big league debut last year and totaling 61 innings and a 4.13 ERA. He is 6'8" and uses his size to his advantage; throwing the ball on a great down hill plane and mixing his fastball with plus slider and change up. He is young and wet behind the ears but he is still this week's BLB.

Check out this great slow motion video by youtube user BrianDLarsen1988 to study his mechanics.

Hopefully, the first thing you notice about Doug is how long and lean he is standing on the mound. Fister clearly has the build that scouts look for as they project young college and high school talent. The first 4o seconds of the video shows Doug utilizing and over the head glove movement out of the wind up. Study his hands as the come back over his head and rest right around chest height. At the same time, as the hands come down, the knee raises to meet the glove at chest height. This requires very solid core strength and balance in the lower half as the knee raises past parallel. It is also great, however, for generating momentum as the leg works down and toward the plate.

At the 46 second mark, notice how the front foot is tucked back in toward the body. This small adjustment gets the foot in better position to stay along the mid line path toward the plate. Many young pitchers will allow the foot to stay loose and swing around the mound on its way forward. Unfortunately, this generally causes a multitude of other problems and should be avoided in the saw way that Doug has eliminated this issue.

However, if we watch the video from :46 to :53, we see Fister get all the way to foot-strike without ever getting into what I call the "athletic position." Instead, his back is arched back behind his heels and his front foot is landing closed. We see his glove side clear violently as he attempts to get over that front leg and finish downhill. What saves Doug here is the fact that he is so long and lanky that he is able to get his throwing arm up and through release as the front knee bends. Doug is also utilizes a very powerful hip turn and drive with the back leg which forces the upper half forward and down to release point.

So, at the :56 mark, we see the release point. The first thing we should notice is how far off the mid-line his head falls because of his improper body posture at foot-strike. However, as mentioned before, he is very athletic in his core and is able to get some extension on release. It is the opinion of this blogger that Doug could utilize even more extension if he were to stay athletic longer through the delivery.

Regardless, we see the video conclude with Fister's chest parallel to the ground and full elevation of the back leg. Two key signs that he is utilizing much of his lower half to throw the baseball. It remains to be seen if Doug will blossom into a perrenial all-star but he definitely has size and velocity (he throws 94) on his side. I'd say he is a risky permanent addition to a fantasy roster but with huge upside.

Let me know how your season are going in the real world and I'll answer any fantasy questions as well.

Until Next Time!!

Big Leaguer Breakdown: Matt Cain

Another Sunday means its time for another Big Leaguer Breakdown. This week's victim is another from YouTube user laflippin's fantastic slow motion posts. This time around, we look at a guy whose 2009 was nothing short of an amazing breakout campaign. Having never posted an ERA lower than 3.65 in his previous 5 full seasons (which is pretty good anyways), Matt Cain completed the '09 season with a minuscule 2.89 ERA and 14-8 record on a mediocre San Fransisco team. Enjoy this week's analysis of another major leaguer's delivery.


Click here for the YouTube video of Matt Cain delivering the baseball.

The video begins with Matt out of his wind-up with the ball in his glove and throwing hand by his side. When a pitcher does this, it is important to have the ball held between the pinky and thumb so that it does not rest deep in the glove. The reasoning here is that you don't want the baseball to be difficult to grab and get the seams you need for the pitch you want. I don't know if Cain does this, but I know from experience that it is important to set the ball shallow in the glove and make sure the seams are set either in a two-seam or four-seam pattern. This is important because most pitch grips can be achieved from those two starting points.

As Cain drops back and starts his delivery, we can see how balanced he is with his feet slightly wider than shoulder width as he begins his drop step. Study closely around the :30 mark. We see Cain utilize a very short drop step to maintain this type of balance when the leg begins to lift. Most young pitchers love to step way back and off to the side. I much prefer a drop step similar to Cain's from a balance stand point.

The next position to check out is the :45 mark. We see one of my favorite positions with the leg lift at its highest point. Notice how Matt has purposefully rotated his torso toward 2nd base to hide the ball from the hitter. His hands are tucked around his belt in a good starting position. This low hand slot may be low for some pitcher's taste but it helps with the hand break which is about to follow. However, at the :46 mark, he raises his hands to begin that hand break and separates his hands with what I will call the "down hill" hand break. In other words, the front shoulder and arm is angled upwards toward the sky and the throwing arm is bent in a down angle in relation to the front arm. This is one method of generating whip action in the arm as it comes through, but it is very important to get the back elbow up and through as Matt does at the :51 second mark.

From there, the hips fire through and the elbows follow. Watch how the front elbow rotates forward and down without yanking the body off the midline. The throwing arm follows through with level shoulders and a high three quarters release point. At the :54 second mark, the finish is excellent over a slightly bent front knee. Young pitchers could learn a lot from Cain's ability to go straight toward the target and get extension over that front side.

As always, continue studying the mechanics of the guys who know how to do it.

Keep the questions coming and I'll keep you up to date.

Until Next Time!!