RAC Performance

Monday Mechanics Minute: Pitching Posture - There is no single correct set posture for ALL pitchers. There IS a correct posture for each pitcher, however. Your posture (hip-to-spine relationship) is determined by your delivery. Pay attention to your head and body when you start your delivery. If you move your head up or down as you begin to move forward, then you need to adjust your set posture to match accordingly. This will get rid of unnecessary body movement at the start of your delivery and keep you on a line towards the target and you’ll be more efficient. National Pitching

Monday Mechanics Minute: Narrow or Wide Stance? - We’ve found that using a narrow stance helps pitchers with their timing to the plate vs using a wide set position. When guys come set too wide, they tend to rock back before going forward towards the plate. This causes timing to slow down and the direction to the plate to vary from pitch to pitch… Even if they are able to move forward right away, they create less momentum due to the shorter distance they travel to footstrike. Instead, try narrowing your stance at set position and taking your front hip directly towards home when you lift your leg. You’ll feel the difference in energy and velocity coming out of your hand. National Pitching

Monday Mechanics Minute: Hip Forward Fast - When starting your delivery it is important to get that front hip moving FORWARD FAST towards the target. It does the following things:
• Generates more forward momentum
• Creates better ground reaction force at footstrike (to send more energy up the chain)
• Keeps your center of gravity on line towards the target
• Increases your stride length
• Your release point will be farther out front
Be sure to use a leg lift. DO NOT SLIDE STEP! With a leg lift you’ll see an increase in velocity with less effort or strain on your arm. National Pitching

Monday Mechanics Minute: Tunneling - How consistent you are with your release point is an important aspect to disguising your pitches. Ideally you will release all of your pitches from the same spot, and each pitch should travel through the same 4 foot “tunnel” before spin and gravity propel it on different trajectories towards the strike zone. For example, if your curveball and fastball are released from different spots, good hitters subconsciously pick this up and adjust accordingly without having to read spin to determine the pitch. Don’t let this happen to you. Each pitch you throw should look the same coming out of your hand. Only your grip and wrist angle should change.
 National Pitching

Monday Mechanics Minute: Practice From The Stretch - When I work with pitchers, we always practice from the set or stretch position. Two key reasons why:

1) Most pitchers throw at least 70% of their pitches from the stretch (because runners are on base)

2) All of the important/crucial pitches are thrown from the stretch (close game with runners on)

If you can master your mechanics from the stretch, then throwing from the windup is easy. So practice from the stretch, then finish up with a few from the windup.
 National Pitching

Monday Mechanics Minute: No Slide Step - Most coaches teach the slide step because they are trying to get pitchers to speed their delivery to home simply to prevent the running game. Unfortunately, the slide step forces a pitcher to rely almost exclusively on his arm to generate velocity which adds more stress to it. Pitchers will also throw with less movement on the ball and decreased velocity, giving batters and easier pitch to hit. To avoid this trap, pitchers NEED to use a leg lift - just make sure to get the front hip moving towards the target as soon as leg lift begins. You’ll get the benefit of being quick to home, AND you’ll use your lower half to help generate power, velocity and ball movement. 
 National Pitching

Mechanics Minute: Preset Shoulders - If you find yourself opening up too early, or over rotating, one way to eliminate this is to preset your shoulders closed about 10˚to 15˚ when coming set. After starting your delivery, hold that shoulder position until front footstrike and you’ll see and feel a dramatic difference in how easy the ball comes out with the same, or even better velocity. And your command will likely improve as well.  
 National Pitching

Monday Mechanics Minute: Nose To Target P.2 - One of the simplest ways to improve accuracy is to take your nose to the target. This helps level your eyes and keeps you from pulling off to the side, which can lead to lack of command and arm pain. Instead, just take your nose to the target! You’ll see a lot of other issues get fixed by this one small change.
 National Pitching

Monday Mechanics Minute: Nose To Target - One of the simplest ways to improve accuracy is to take your nose to the target. This helps level your eyes and keeps you from pulling off to the side, which can lead to lack of command and arm pain. Instead, just take your nose to the target! You’ll see a lot of other issues get fixed by this one small change.
 National Pitching