How To Coach Baseball Pitching – Tips and Drills

Check out these tips and drills on how to coach baseball pitching from Pro Tips. Also, find out how to improve your pitching game and what not to do when pitching.

Introduction

Baseball pitching is a complex and difficult skill to master. It requires coordination, balance, and explosive power. As a coach, it is your responsibility to break down the pitching motion into its component parts and then teach your pitchers how to perform each one correctly.

In this article, we will give you some tips on how to coach baseball pitching. We will also provide you with some drills that you can use to improve your pitchers’ technique.

The Grip

Properly gripping the baseball is the first and most important step in throwing a pitch. The way you grip the ball will determine the type of pitch you throw. There are three main types of pitches: fastball, curveball, and slider. Each pitch requires a different grip.

Two-Seam Fastball

The two-seam fastball is a common grip for pitchers who want to generate extra movement on their pitches. The two-seam fastball is gripped like a four-seam fastball, but the middle and index fingers are slightly closer together. This gives the ball less spin and more movement.

Two-seam fastballs are often thrown low in the strike zone, which makes them difficult for hitters to lift. They can be effective against both right-handed and left-handed hitters. However, they are tougher to command than four-seam fastballs and may not be as effective against power hitters.

Four-Seam Fastball

The Four-Seam Fastball is the first pitch every pitcher should master. It is the fastest and easiest to control of all the pitches, so it sets the tone for everything else you throw. The key to throwing a great four-seam fastball is to keep your fingers close together on top of the ball and throw with a long, fluid motion.

Here are some tips to help you perfect your four-seam fastball:

– Start with your fingers close together on top of the ball.

– Make sure your thumb is underneath the ball, and your index and middle finger are on either side of the seam.

– As you cock your wrist, snap your fingers down towards the ground. This will give the ball spin and movement.

– As you release the ball, snap your wrist again and follow through with your arm towards the target.

Changeup

Changeup: As the name implies, the changeup is meant to change the batter’s timing. It should be thrown with the same arm action as the fastball, but at a slower speed with less rotations on the ball. Commonly, pitchers will grip the changeup with their palm and fingernails across all 4 seams or with their middle and ring fingers across 2 seams (similar to a 4-seam fastball).

You can hold a changeup in various ways, but some of the most common are:
-Circle changeup: Pitchers grip the ball with their index and middle finger along with their thumb creating a circle formation in their hand. To throw this pitch, they simply turn their palm towards the catcher while trying to maintain the same arm speed as their fastball. This is one of the easiest ways to throw a changeup for young pitchers.
-Forkball: Held like a 2-seam fastball, but with your index and middle fingers crossed over the top of 3 seams instead of 2. To throw it, use your middle finger to drive down while your index finger pulls up slightly giving it topspin. Forkballs are typically thrown softer than splitters.
-Palm ball: The pitching grip appears similar to a 2-seam fastball, but your middle finger rests underneath all 4 seams instead of on top of 2 like normal. You throw it by cocking your wrist slightly forward so that you hide the ball from view longer. This deception makes it appear faster to hitters out of your hand. Palm balls come out looking like fastballs before unexpectedly dropping at the plate due to decreased spin.

Curveball

A curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a spin so that its path curves as it approaches the hitter. A pitcher throws a curveball by gripping the ball tightly and releasing it so that it spins quickly on its way to the plate. The purpose of the curveball is to deceive the hitter by making the ball appear to be headed for the strike zone but then break out of it at the last second.

The curveball is often said to be one of the most difficult pitches to hit, especially when thrown by a pitcher with a good arm action. In order for a curveball to be effective, it must be thrown with enough velocity to reach the plate before it starts to break. It must also have enough spin to make it break sharply. If a curveball does not break sharply, it will not fool the hitter and will likely end up in the middle of the strike zone where it can be hit hard.

There are two main types of grip for throwing a curveball:

The first is called a four-seam grip, which is when the pitcher wraps his index and middle fingers around the baseball so that they’re both touching two seams. The thumb should rest underneath the ball. This grip gives the ball more spin and makes it break more sharply.

The second type of grip is called a two-seam grip, which is when the pitcher wraps his middle and ring fingers around the baseball so that they’re both touching two seams. The thumb and index finger should rest on top of the ball. This grip makes the ball less likely to spin and makes it break less sharply.

The Windup

The windup is the first part of the pitching motion. The pitcher starts with his feet together and the ball in his glove. He then raises his leg like he is going to kick a field goal. As he raises his leg, he brings his arm back.

The Stretch

In the stretch, the pitcher comes set before delivering the ball to the plate. This is done to quicken the delivery and prevent runners from stealing bases. The pitcher may come set at any time during his windup, but must come set before delivering the ball. There are two common ways to coming set in the stretch:

The first way is to come Set position, then turn your back to the batter while bringing your pitching arm up above your head. From here you will bring your pitching arm down and land in your Power Position.

The second way is to start in your Power Position and then turn your back to the batter while lifting your lead leg up. You will then bring your lead leg down and land in your Set Position.

The Set

As the pitcher comes to the set position, his non-pitching hand (glove hand) is positioned on his hip. His back foot—the foot on the same side as his pitching hand—is pointing toward second base. At the top of his windup, his front foot will be just about even with the back half of his rubber-padded pitching plate. This is called being “on the rubber.” Right-handed pitchers will have their left foot on the rubber, while lefties will have their right foot touching it.

The pitcher should be standing tall and should have slight flex in his knees. As he throws, he will push off from the back leg and should end up balanced over his front leg, which is raised in front of him with the knee bent.

The Stride

The first thing a pitcher needs to do is “stride” or “step” toward home plate with their lead foot. This stride should be about 80% of the pitcher’s full height. For example, if the pitcher is 6 feet tall, their stride should be about 4 1/2 feet. The lead foot should land on a line directly toward home plate and the momentum should carry the pitcher’s body toward home plate. At the end of the pitch, the lead shoulder should be pointing directly at home plate and the back heel should be raised off the ground.

The Delivery

Assuming a basic understanding of the mechanics involved in the delivery, the following tips are designed to help the coach correct the most common mechanical problems pitchers have with their delivery.

The Follow Through

After the ball is released, the pitcher’s arm will continue moving forward, culminating in what is called the follow through. The follow through is not only important in terms of generating velocity, but also in protecting the pitcher’s elbow from injury.

As the arm continues to move forward, the pitcher will rotate his body so that his throwing shoulder points toward the target. At the same time, he will raise his lead leg and bring his gloved hand up to chest level. The glove should be opened so that the palm faces upward; this will help protect the face if the ball hits it.

Drills

As a baseball pitcher, you need to be able to control the ball. This means having a good grip on the ball, and being able to throw it with accuracy. There are a number of drills you can do to improve your pitching. In this article, we’ll cover some of the more popular pitching drills.

The Wrist Drill

One of the best baseball pitching tips is to keep your wrist firm when you release the ball. A good way to practice this is to do the wrist drill. To do this drill, all you need is a baseball.

1. Start by holding the ball in your right hand (if you are a right-handed pitcher) or in your left hand (if you are a left-handed pitcher).
2. Place your middle finger and index finger on top of the seams of the ball.
3. Put your thumb underneath the ball, on the opposite side of your middle finger and index finger.
4. With your wrist firm, throw the ball as hard as you can against a wall. Make sure that you follow through with your hand and that your thumb points down when you release the ball.

The Elbow Drill

One of the most important aspects of pitching is having a strong and accurate elbow. This drill is designed to help pitchers develop a strong and accurate elbow, while also improving their stamina.

1. Start by having the pitcher stand with their arm out to their side and their elbow bent at a 90-degree angle.
2. Next, have the pitcher raise their arm up so that their hand is above their shoulder.
3. From here, the pitcher will quickly snap their elbow down, throwing the ball as hard as they can.
4. The pitcher will then catch the ball and repeat the motion for a set amount of time or a set number of repetitions.

This drill can be performed with or without a baseball, depending on the preference of the coach or player. It is important to note that this drill should not be performed with too much weight on the elbow, as this could lead to injury.

The Shoulder Drill

One of the most important muscle groups for a pitcher is the shoulder. The shoulder drill is a great way to warm up this muscle group and get it ready for pitching. To do the shoulder drill, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides. Raise your right arm to shoulder height and then rotate your arm so that your palm is facing behind you. Return to the starting position and repeat with your left arm. Do this for 10-15 repetitions on each side.

The Foot Drill

The foot drill is an easy way to develop feel and keep the body in sync when pitching. The basic idea is to step forward with the front foot while keeping the back foot in contact with the rubber, and then push off the rubber with the back foot while keeping the front foot on the ground.

This drill can be done without a ball, or with a partner tossing a ball back and forth. For an added challenge, you can also try to keep your balance while doing this drill.

Conclusion

As a baseball pitching coach, you should always keep an eye on the following things: the pitcher’s windup, his release point, his arm slot, his follow through, and his balance. By constantly monitoring these things, you will be able to make the necessary adjustments to help your pitcher improve his pitching mechanics.