September 5, 2011 By The Pitching Academy Leave a Comment

Pitching Grips: Change and Curve

Happy holiday! We hope you are having a great Labor Day weekend and are doing something fun with the family.

Today we wanted to spend some time talking about how to throw different pitches. We are also going to answer some questions we get asked everyday as it relates to specific ages of throwing different pitches aside from a fastball.

In the following video you will learn how to grip and release a changeup, curveball and sinker. The sinker is very similar to the fastball grip but released similar to a circle change.

Take a look at the pitching grips video now!

August 22, 2011 By The Pitching Academy Leave a Comment

Pitching Grips

Learning different pitching grips is important to your success, but more importantly than the actual grip of the pitch is how you release it. Release of each pitch using proper wrist and forearm angle will determine whether the pitch will rotate properly for you. In this brief pitching video I show you how to grip different pitches, but I will also show you how to position your wrist at release.

Here’s the video: Enjoy!

If you have more questions about how to throw or grip different pitches effectively, our new pitching grips dvd would be perfect for you to have in your baseball library.

Filed Under: General Pitching, Pitching Grips Tagged With: Baseball Pitching Grips, Different Baseball Pitches, Pitching Grips

June 22, 2011 By The Pitching Academy Leave a Comment

Are you a good pitcher?

There is some great competition out there these days. That especially rings true if you are a right-handed pitcher. A right handed pitcher is the most competitive position in all of baseball. How are you going to stand out?

How much do you know about biomechanics? pitching mechanics?

How much time do you spend each day on your functional fitness?

Are you mentally and emotionally stable on the mound?

Are you eating like a winner? nutrition plan?

How’s your attitude on and off the field?

Do you consider yourself a leader?

Do you set pitching specific goals? If so, what are you working on right now?

Do you have the courage to tell your coach you want the ball in a crucial situation?

Does your coach and your team have confidence that you can do the job anytime?

Are you fully prepared each game mentally, physically and emotionally? [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coaching Pitchers, General Baseball, General Pitching, Nutrition, Pitching Grips, Pitching Mechanics, Pitching Tips, Pitching Workouts Tagged With: Pitching, Pitching Mechanics

June 2, 2011 By The Pitching Academy Leave a Comment

Knee Buckling Pitches

There are literally only 4 hours left to take advantage of today’s one time offer on our best selling pitching DVD.

How will you benefit?

Learn how to throw seven effective knee buckling pitches

Throw “4 deadly changeups” that humiliate hitters.

Understand why your off-speed pitches really don’t work

Stay Healthy throwing different pitches

Keep the opposing teams batting average below .300

Learn a pitching drill that will help you learn other pitches quickly! and much more!

Regularly $34.95; today’s price $25 Click here or miss out!

This DVD is a part of our new DVD series.

Filed Under: Pitching Grips Tagged With: Pitching Grips

May 11, 2011 By The Pitching Academy Leave a Comment

Mariano Rivera Success

I was watching a Yankees game in mid-April and Mariano Rivera came in to finish the deal in the bottom of the 9th. I thought for sure it was over, but the Jays got to him for two runs, tied the game, and ended up winning the game in the 10th. I said to myself that maybe he’s getting too old for the closers role in N.Y. I was wrong it seems.

Since that night a few weeks ago I haven’t really paid much attention to him, though I stumbled across a highlight last night. I did a little research and it turns out that he’s only allowed one more run since that evening! Seriously now, the guy is turning the same age as his uniform number at the end of the season (42), and he’s still mowing down hitters.

So what is his secret? [Read more...]

Filed Under: Pitching Grips Tagged With: Cut Fastball, Increase Pitching Velocity

May 10, 2011 By The Pitching Academy Leave a Comment

Pitching is Upsetting Timing

Warren Spahn once said that “hitting is all about timing and pitching is all about upsetting timing.” I couldn’t agree more. Nate wrote us a great message yesterday about Verlander’s no hit game and the lessons we learn from pitchers that have the luxury of throwing one at that level. Pitching is all about upsetting timing. As we found out yesterday, that’s all Verlander did with only 4 strikeouts to complete his no-hit game. Did you see how many grounders and pop outs he created on the replay yesterday?

If you have been watching ESPN this year, you know this is the “year of the pitcher.” Why is that? After every commentary they talk about this very thing. Pitchers nowadays study hitters so well that
they have pinpointed weaknesses. They have mastered their craft to a science and know exactly where to throw the ball, which pitch to throw in any given scenario and how much speed comes off each pitch with any given hitter. Now that’s smart pitching. [Read more...]

Filed Under: General Pitching, Pitching Grips, Pitching Mechanics Tagged With: Pitching Grips, Pitching Mechanics

May 9, 2011 By The Pitching Academy Leave a Comment

Learn From Verlander’s No Hitter

In case you were out playing baseball Saturday (in a place that doesn’t rain) you may have missed Tigers ace Justin Verlander’s no-hitter against the Jays. I’ve got the highlight below for you.

Before we get there I want to highlight a couple things we can learn from his outing.

* He was throwing 95+ all day, and hit 100+ a handful of times, yet only had four strikeouts. He’ll get his strikeouts for sure, but the focus was location and pitch variety, not strikeouts. Too many youth pitchers want three strikeouts as the standard for a successful inning. No true. K’s are a bonus. [Read more...]

Filed Under: General Pitching, Pitching Grips, Pitching Mechanics, Pitching Velocity Tagged With: Mental Game of Baseball

May 6, 2011 By The Pitching Academy Leave a Comment

How To Throw A No-Hitter

How to Throw a No Hitter

This past Friday, Francisco Liriano threw a no-hitter. Aside from being a rare feat, there were a few unique things about Liriano’s outing.

1. He didn’t know he was throwing a no-hitter until the 8th inning. This is typical of a guy who is so focused on a pitch to pitch basis. (Plus, he had walked six guys, so base runners were fairly common). Remember though, you’re better if you leave your stats out of your mind during a performance. It does you no good. [Read more...]

Filed Under: General Pitching, Pitching Grips Tagged With: Pitching Grips

April 26, 2011 By The Pitching Academy Leave a Comment

Change of Speed or Movement?

Change of speed or Movement?

If you’re a hitter, what type of pitcher would you rather face? One that throws extremely hard and throws a straight changeup that slows down 15 miles an hour? Or, would you rather face that same pitcher who throws just as hard but comes at you with a change up that’s 8 miles an hour slower yet has a nasty break?

I would choose pitcher number one; I’m certain you would too. The perfect combination for any pitcher is to have both change of speed and movement.

I see so many pitchers “guiding” [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coaching Pitchers, General Pitching, Pitching Grips, Pitching Velocity Tagged With: Off Speed Pitches, Pitching Mechanics

April 14, 2011 By The Pitching Academy 3 Comments

Is A Curveball A Must?

Is a Curveball a Must?

One of the most common questions we get as pitching instructors is how to throw a curveball. I know there all sorts of philosophies on when to begin teaching an athlete a curve, etc. This post won’t examine that question. Instead, I wanted to discuss a question that isn’t asked nearly as much. Does a pitcher need a curveball in the first place? The short answer is most likely at some point. The little longer answer is that one can go a long way without the reliance on a curveball. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Pitching Grips Tagged With: Curveball, How to Throw a Curveball