~~The link below provides helpful information for our pitchers regarding proper grip, delivery and release, movement, speed and location of some of the most common pitches thrown by youth baseball pitchers all the way up to MLB pitchers.  I highly recommend that our pitchers review the information on the pages related to those pitches that they throw and would like to develop.

eFastball.com website with links to common pitch types:
http://www.efastball.com/baseball/pitching/grips/

In addition, the chart below provides a view of the Strike Zone of a batter facing various pitches thrown from a RH pitcher.  Our boys should begin to understand this chart as well, as they will be throwing and facing more pitches with movement in the coming years.

To understand the chart, imagine a RH batter standing on the left side of the chart and facing the pitcher.  A pitch thrown down the middle would move from the center of the Strike Zone to the ultimate destination on the Strike Zone grid for the respective pitch below.  For instance, a 2 Seam Fastball thrown down the center of the plate from a RH pitcher to a RH batter will move/break towards the inside of the plate and in on the hands of a RH batter as it crosses the plate.  Furthermore, a Slider or Curveball thrown from a RH pitcher to a RH batter will break down and away from the center of the plate, making a very effective pitch with which to complement a 2 Seam or 4 Seam Fastball that tends to move inside.  For a batter facing a LH pitcher, simply imagine a mirror image of the chart flipped the other direction (i.e. a 2 Seam Fastball thrown from a LH pitcher to a RH batter will break AWAY from the batter standing on the left side of this chart and looking towards the pitcher).  Make sense?

VIEW OF RH BATTER FACING RH PITCHER                                                              VIEW OF LH BATTER FACING RH PITCHER

  

Up until now, our boys should have been throwing mainly Four Seam Fastballs, with some Two Seam Fastballs and Change Ups mixed in for those who had been practicing on the side and were able to locate these pitches over the plate.

For this year, it will be important for all of our pitchers to develop and use secondary pitches.  At a minimum, I will want our pitchers to work in practice and at home on developing their Two Seam Fastball and a Change Up in addition to their Four Seam Fastball.  Either Change Up from the list below will work…whatever is most comfortable to throw (i.e. Circle Change Up or Palm Ball Change Up). 

The best way to develop these secondary pitches is to use the different grips every time they play catch in practice or in the yard at home.  I suggest that our pitchers begin playing catch each session by throwing their Four Seam Fastball initially, then work in some Two Seam Fastballs, and then finally some Change Ups.  At the end of each throwing session, they should mix in the different pitches.   For those who can throw the Two Seam Fastball consistently for strikes, this should become their primary Fastball pitch for use in games.

If we have pitchers comfortable with a Four Seam Fastball, Two Seam Fastball and Change Up, I suggest that they first develop a Cut Fastball as their pitch that will break in the opposite direction of their other pitches.  A Two Seam Fastball complemented by a Cut Fastball is a dangerous combination, as both pitches appear the same to the batter, but move in opposite directions.  Add in an effective Change Up, and you’ve got an arsenal of pitches that move in different directions and at different speeds.  This is what separates good from great pitchers who advance into higher levels of baseball. 

No need for our boys to throw a Slider or Curveball yet, especially if they can first develop an effective Cut Fastball that moves in the same direction as these pitches, anyway.  But there is no harm in developing a Slider or Curve now, as long as they work with a professional pitching coach at Gametime, Balls N Strikes, Ozzie’s or some other place that will teach them the proper way to throw these pitches.  Throwing these pitches incorrectly can lead to injury.

Here are the primary pitches that I suggest our boys learn, in the order of priority (choose one of the Change Ups…you don’t need two of these pitches in your arsenal).

1. Four Seam Fastball
http://www.efastball.com/baseball/pitching/grips/four-seam-fastball-grip/

2. Two Seam Fastball
http://www.efastball.com/baseball/pitching/grips/two-seam-fastball-grip/

3.  Circle Change Up
http://www.efastball.com/baseball/pitching/grips/circle-change-up-grip/

3b. Palm Ball Change Up
http://www.efastball.com/baseball/pitching/grips/palm-ball-grip/

4. Cut Fastball (Cutter)
http://www.efastball.com/baseball/pitching/grips/cut-fastball-grip/