How RH Pitchers Can Control Baseball Runners Effectively to Lower ERA and Win More Games
Show your pitching prowess and control baseball runners efficiently and effectively Learning how to control baseball runners in a game is important and very beneficial to a baseball pitcher. But you have to know how to do it right, before you can see those benefits. Below are three things that the best pitchers in baseball have mastered and are absolutely critical to your success at controlling the running game.
How RHP can control the running game at first base 1. Develop an efficient move that’s quick with an accurate throw. 2. Vary the amount of time you hold the ball before you pitch or pick. 3. Develop pitching mechanics that allow you to maximize velocity and action on all your pitches but still remain quick enough to the plate to deter stealing.
1. DEVELOP A GOOD PICKOFF MOVE.
Once a pitcher addresses the rubber and looks in for the signs from the catcher, there are several ways he can pick to first base: a. He can pick as he brings his hands up to come set b. He can pick as he brings his hands down to come set c. He can pick after he has come set d. He can step off the back of the rubber with his right foot and pick. Regardless of which one of the above choices a pitcher makes, the pitching technique of the throw should be kept simple. Step and throw over to the first baseman, trying to locate it between belt and knee level. The pitcher is basically making a 90 degree turn to his left in order to be in position to make the throw to the base. As the feet move together getting into position, the hands break and the ball goes directly up to ear level. This allows the pitcher to make a quick and accurate throw to the belt of the first baseman. Remember that the whole purpose is to control baseball runners, keep them honest and close to the bag, NOT to pick them off. So make a good throw with some velocity but most importantly…BE ACCURATE.
2. VARY YOUR HOLD TIMES. Probably the most effective way to keep runners honest is to vary the amount of time you hold the ball after you come set. Great base runners want the pitcher to come set quickly and to pitch quickly. They are anxious and don’t like to sit and wait. The cardinal sin of pitching with runners on base is falling into a pattern.
Never fall into a pattern.
If you come set and hold the ball for the same amount of time every time, then runners will time you and it is game over. To keep from falling into that pattern, develop 3 or 4 different hold times. Those hold times could be 1, 3, 5, 10 seconds. For example, the first time you come set hold the ball for 3 seconds and then pick. Then come set for 5 seconds and pick. Then come set for 3 seconds and then pitch. It mixes it up for the runner and he doesn’t know when you will pick or pitch so he can’t get as good a jump to steal second.
3. DEVELOP PITCHING MECHANICS THAT ALLOW BOTH QUICKNESS TO THE PLATE AND VELOCITY AND ACTION ON YOUR PITCHES.
I won’t go into specific mechanics here because every single pitcher is different in how they throw the ball. However, the principle is crucial to understand and follow. A baseball pitcher does not have to choose the lesser of two evils and either sacrifice quickness to the plate or velocity, action and location.
A pitcher should deliver the ball to the plate in no more than 1.3 seconds. This gives the catcher more margin for error if a runner does steal. Erase the words “slide step” from your vocabulary. The slide step ultimately results in the sacrifice of velocity, action and location while not being all that much quicker to the plate. You can have your cake and eat it too, but you have to work hard to do it.
I guarantee that if you follow this simple pitching strategy, you will have a better ERA and win more games. You will control baseball runners and ultimately take control of the game and that’s the way it should be.
Return from Control Baseball Runners to Pitching Tips
|
