All new pitchers should start from the stretch (only one book differs on that and itвЂ™s a good one, but I digress - there is no such thing as real agreement between baseball coaches especially on mechanics). Start with Feet wide, knees bent, weight on ball of the foot and lean forward slightly. This is oversimplifying things, but itвЂ™s a start. Work on having them showing no reaction after a pitch. Just have the pitcher throw to the catcher and get them out. If they catch the ball cleanly and go back to the mound with two or three quick steps, its unlikely the runner is going to steal home and if the runner does. Try to encourage them not to get into cat and mouse games with runners. The key is that they throw a pitch, take three steps toward the catcher, ask for the ball and return to the mound.

New pitchers just need a 4-seam fastball and if they are throwing a lot of strikes you can teach them the 2-seam fastball, but that should be the end of it. Many young pitchers turn each pitch into an experiment into what to try next вЂ“ sidearm, windup, stretch, knuckle ball. Make sure they get set and have a target from the catcher before they throw.Д®ncourage pitchers to do the same thing with every pitch. We donвЂ™t want them to take forever as games can be slow enough, but some new pitchers absolutely get the ball and almost run to the rubber and throw. I have found that yelling, вЂњFix your hat,вЂќ is a great way to break up too much tension in pitcher.Д®ncourage them to take a deep breath and have fun. Yelling, вЂњThrow hard,вЂќ really doesnвЂ™t help. You can use one or two work cues you have worked on with a particular pitcher. sit ups, push ups, holding plank position).Дo not give a lot of advice on mechanics during a game. If players want to pitch, they will have more success if they do lots of core strengthening (e.g. Its better to get used to this in practice then in a game.Д¬ore strength has a lot to do with turning hips powerfully and with balance. YouвЂ™ll find the presence of a batter will вЂњspookвЂќ a young pitcher. Have pitchers practice with a player holding a bat who is instructed not to swing. Plan on 10 minutes of this activity before you throw the first pitch.вЂњWarm up to throwвЂќ not вЂњThrow to warm upвЂќ.Stretch the muscles to be used (arms, legs, shoulders, back).WeвЂ™ll start with a few things to remember about warming up: If they have good throwing mechanics, they will be fine pitchers.ДЇinally, encourage pitchers to use the same mechanics with each pitch. Pitching at the younger levels is much like throwing. Players often throw without thinking about it. If you take a player and have them recite, вЂњI am going to hit the target,вЂќ before they throw, they will often hit the target far better than if they didnвЂ™t say this. Pitchers have to learn to focus on the batter and then throw a pitch. This will often change the success ratio to 1 out of 10. Once they throw strikes to a target on a consistent basis (5 out of 10 pitches), then introduce a live batter. Since pitching is the key enabler of the game, you have to become adept at getting kids to throw strikes. Pitching a ball from 46 feet that will land across a small plate is not at all easy for a typical AA player.ДЄn average AA draft (8 and 9 year olds) will of 70-100 players will have about five very solid pitchers, another five probable pitchers and the rest you will have to teach.

Pitching out of the stretch