Learn How To Read A Umpire When Pitching Your Next Game.

Baseball pitching tips quite often require clever use of the mind as well as the body. As far as your plate umpire, first and foremost, don't ever put an umpire on display by letting everybody in attendance at the ball park know that you think he may have missed a strike call. Don't glare at them for several seconds or stomp around the mound between pitches. Umpires are regular people like we are and nobody likes to be shown up. You will not get any close calls during the rest of the game if you show them up and put them on display. Even worse yet, you may not get the calls that you should be getting!

As a pitcher, showing up an umpire is not in your best interest. There are going to be several pitches that can be called "either way" and you increase your chances of getting those close calls if you don't get the umpire annoyed at you.

If you truly feel you are being "squeezed" by an umpire on several pitches, a quick glance that lasts only about a half second may be in order and then quickly look the other way. And by a half second, I mean exactly a half second and not one second, one and a half seconds or two seconds. By glancing for a half second, you have politely made your point to the umpire that you think he may have "missed one" and you're getting that message across to him. You are letting him know and not letting everyone in attendance know that you think he missed the strike call.

Another way to let the umpire know that you think he missed the strike call is to politely ask him, "where did you have that one blue?" You have to walk a very fine line here and your tone of voice is critical. If you ask him where the pitch missed in a nasty tone of voice, you have blown it and made a huge mistake. When he lets you know where the pitch missed, give him what at least appears to be a sincere thank you.

Remember, baseball umpires have a very tough job to do and every close call they make is going to make one team happy and the other team upset.

Don't ever hesitate to compliment an umpire about his knowledge on a certain baseball ruling or for his hustle on a certain play.

Baseball pitching tips require clever use of the mind as well as the body. Remember, it is clearly in your best interest to stay on your plate umpire's "good side" at all times!

3 Secret Pitching Tips to help you throw inside

Throwing inside is one of the most valuable skills a pitcher can learn. It has been a skill that has been somewhat taken out of baseball for a number of reasons. I feel that kids are afraid to throw inside. Here's why.

Number one, they are afraid to hit a batter. It is a real fear that pitchers have. There is no doubt about it. They are afraid for two reasons. First, they do not want to hurt anybody. Second, they do not want to put anybody on base. You hear coaches talk all the time about how walks will kill you, giving up free bases will kill you, and that is a part of it.

The other reason kids are afraid to throw inside is that they are afraid they cannot control the pitch and making a mistake inside can be very costly.

Here are a few tips I think are really important for a pitcher who wants to learn how to throw inside.

1. You cannot have fear.
You have to put that out of your head. If it helps, try this. Draw a circle where you want to put the ball and paint everything else black so that you are just going through one little circle and not looking at the hitter. You cannot have the fear of hitting the batter. That is part of the game whether we like it or not. Nobody wants to get hurt. Nobody wants to be the one who hurts somebody, but a properly placed inside pitch, even if you hit a batter, will not hurt him.

2. You have to know where to place the pitch.
A good spot to place an inside pitch is right underneath the hitter's hands. Remember, what is in the hitter's hands? The bat. What does the hitter have to hit the ball with? The bat. So in order to move his hand, he has got to move the bat, which takes the bat out of his natural position of power. Also, throwing in that area gives the hitter a lot of leeway with their hips.

Throwing too high or throwing too low can be very, very dangerous. Throwing too high could get someone hurt. Throwing too low makes it hard for a hitter to get out of the way. Most hitters move back, instead of out of the batter's box. Throwing too high and throwing too low is very dangerous, but throwing right in the middle means a hitter can easily either move forward, back, or turn and take the pitch, either in their rear end or in their lower back; a place where there is really low risk of injury.

3. You have to be very clear on what you want to do.
I tell my pitchers that it has got to be perfect or the hitter has got to move. There are no two ways about it. You cannot have a hitter take away the inside part of the plate. I think it was Bob Gibson who said that intimidation is an extra pitch and intimidation is a part of the game.

Let's face it. Intimidation does not mean that you are being mean or you are being a bad person, but it is part of the game. If the hitter hits one off our shins they do not seem to mind, but they do mind when someone gets brushed back. In today's age of aluminum bats and substance injection we have to be able to guard the inside part of the plate. If you do not guard the inside part of the plate you are going to be very vulnerable and you have to practice this.

The best way to practice is obviously to have a hitter stand in. Another great way is to use a model or a portable device.

There are several good ones on the market today and you can do your research, but one of the great things is that practicing throwing an inside pitch will help you gain confidence. I feel that when a lot of pitchers go to throw an inside pitch they feel that they are going to make a mistake, but if you are perfect or if the hitter has got to move your mistakes are going to be a lot less.

Another tip I will close with. is you can take a mile or two off of an inside fastball. Remember, when you are locating a pitch, it is not how fast it gets there, it is where it goes. That is the most important thing. Sometimes guys will try and rear back and throw harder. Remember that nobody knows what is coming out of your hand. Nobody knows you are going to take a mile or two off to locate your fastball. The faster you throw, the harder the pitch is to control. That is just physics, but if we are good at really pinpointing our control we can take a mile or two off and we will have the added benefit of a slight change in speed, which is also good.

So take those four tips and put them to use. The best thing to do is to practice and remember if you throw a hundred inside pitches you are going to hit a couple of batters. That is just the name of the game. If you hit a hundred ground balls to Derek Jeter he is going to miss a few and that is just the way the game is played. The hitter knows this getting into the box. That is why they wear helmets. That is why catchers wear gear. It is part of the game. It is not a great part, but nevertheless, it is part of the game. You must throw in to win.

Pitching Drills For the Offseason.

Pitchers are not made during practice - they are made in the offseason. However, there is more to being a pitcher than simply throwing the ball - and throwing the ball too much during the offseason can do more harm than good. Follow these exercise siggestions to build a regular workout that will help increase emdurance, flexibility, and strength.


Squats. Contrary to popular belief, leg muscles - not arm strength - are where the pitcher's power comes from. Most of the force of a pitch starts with a good push off, accompanied by good form in the torso to transfer that energy through the body and out the arm.

A pitcher should do squats at least three to four days per week, in sets if fifteen to twenty. Supervise to ensure that the back is kept straight, the legs about sholder width apart. Add dumbells as the exercise gets easier.


Jogging. Anyone can start off a game with a solid inning or two. The real test of a pitcher's mettle is if he can last deep in the game and still have the stuff needed to get batters out. Even if your son is a designated closer, and only needs to pitch an inning or two, odds are that he is fielding another position in the meantime, and that the summer sun is still sapping his energy.

Jogging will build endurance like nothing else. Players should jog three times per week for maximum results, and will ideally cover at least a mile. At first, your player may well only be able to jog a hundred yards or two. That's fine. Have them jog as far as they can, then stop and wallk at a brisk rate to rest. As soon as the old heart rate drops enough to allow it, jog again.

Set goals - "today, I'll make it to the Smith's mailbox before I stop to walk" - and work on imrpoving them. Over time, the running portions will get longer, and the walks will get shorter and less frequent.

For younger kids (less than twelve years old), a mile or so is sufficient. Teens should shoot for longer distances.


Jump rope. Boxers know this one well - jumping rope will get your heart working in a hurry, and doing it repeatedly will greatly increase stamina. Work this one in slowly, but try to build up to at least three days per week (perhaps on alternating days with jogging). Much like jogging, a beginner won't be able to jump rope very long, but as his stamina increases, so will his maximum exercise time.


Weights. Younger players have no business pumping iron; do not push this. Even older pitchers should be careful of which weights they use - too much bulking of the upper body can only damage pitching potential.

Pitchers need flexibility - again, power comes from the legs and trunk and is transferred through the arm in almost a whip-like motion. Many great pitchers never lift weights at all, or do so very little, instead focusing on their legs and core.


Weighted baseballs. Once simple word about these - don't. Weighted baseballs do absolutely nothing for a pitcher except increase his risk for injury. Throwing a weighted baseball might make your arm muscles stronger, but it will do little to nothing for your pitching velocity - this has been scientifically proven. Arm muscles have almost nothing to do with pitch velocity!

Throwing a nine or eleven ounce "heavy ball" requires changing the pitching motion one uses to throw a regulation five ounce ball. You overwrite muscle memory, you develop bad habits, you set yourself up for much increased risk of shoulder and elbow injury.


If your players wants to be a good pitcher, he must get himself into shape. If he builds strong legs and a strong core, acquires great endurance, and maintains good flexibility, he will be that much better equipped to dominate at pitching.

An Easy way to find the best Pitcher on your team.

An Easy way to find the best Pitcher on your team.

What if I told you about a simple game that will give you an insight on finding the best players on your team to be pitchers. Even better, what if this was a simple game of catch. In this simple game of catch there are only Two rules:

• Each player must go through the mechanics of their pitching delivery - do not let them use the full windup mechanics of pitching.

• The Players have to throw the ball at either the chest area or the face area in order to receive points. Each player will get one point for throwing the ball into the chest area. If the player throws the ball into the face area they receive two points for their team.
  

It may help to recruit a few parents to help you with this Pitching Drill. Most kids love that they are having fun and playing a game. Most of all they are actually learning how to pitch the baseball.