Steven Ellis Pitching Tips

Tip N° 1: If you are having difficulty locating your fastball in a game, throw an off-speed
pitch like a change-up or a curveball instead of going back to the fastball pitch after pitch.

Throwing an off-speed pitch will force you to get your arm out in front of your body with
your fingers on top of the baseball.

Then when you go back to the fastball, you’ll likely find that your arm path is back into
perfect throwing position.

Remember, sometimes all it takes get your fastball accuracy back is throwing an off-speed
pitch, and then coming right back with the hard stuff.

Tip N° 2: The more a pitcher can get his fastball to move the more effective he will be on
the mound and the off-season offers a perfect opportunity to experiment with different grips
and methods.

Here are a few tips to get more movement on your pitch:

1. When you grip the ball, pace slightly more pressure on the index finger than the middle
finger.

It should be noted that length of fingers and overall hand size can play a role in how much
the ball may move, to some degree. By placing more of the pressure on the index finger, it
will naturally cause the ball to move in the direction of the pitching arm side at the release
point and subsequently towards the plate, creating the "running" movement.

2. When you release the pitch, try to exaggerate the natural pronation of your wrist to get
more movement.

3. Pay attention to your arm slot. Keep in mind that arm slot plays a role in amount of
movement on your fastball. The lower one's arm slot the more likely it is that your fastball
will run.

Tip N° 3: Most pitchers don't spend nearly enough time in practice or the bullpen working
out of the stretch. As a result, they're not as prepared for "big game" situations as they
should be.

Remember this: just about ALL of the most important pitches you will EVER MAKE in a
game will be from the stretch... with runners on base... with runners in scoring position...
trying to protect a lead... trying to prevent a big inning.
It is thus a wise strategy to spend practice time and the off-season focusing on getting
comfortable and effective from the stretch. If your velocity isn't the EXACT SAME out of
the stretch as it is from the full wind-up, you have work to do. Working on the stretch will
enable you to rise to challenges and prevent the beginnings of a big inning.

Tip N° 4: One of the most important parts of pitching is learning how to change speeds on
the mound.

A good change-up can make your fastball seem much faster than it truly is. And a good mix
of pitches will prevent a hitter from locking in on one particular pitch in your arsenal.

Developing consistency in your off-speed pitches takes time and patience... it is not an
overnight process.

The post-season is a great time to focus on the weaker pitches in your arsenal. You can
stumble on something that will pay big dividends.

If you can come into a new season with the ability to throw all of your pitches with good
command (a 70% strike ratio), you can consider it a major step forward.

Tip N° 5: Holding runners close to the bag and being quick to the plate are areas of the
game that do not show up in box scores, but they're a major part of being successful on the
mound.

Cutting off an opponent's running game is not the sole responsibility of the catcher. The
pitcher must also focus upon it.

Many young pitchers believe that their inability to pick off runners nullifies the importance
of throwing to the bases. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Anyone who can cut a
runner's lead (even by half a step) or just put doubt into the runner's mind is helping to
prevent good jumps and extra bases.

Another aspect to cutting off an opponents' running game is developing quickness to the
plate.

Although I am not a proponent of the slide-step, there are many things that a pitcher can do
to quicken his delivery to the plate, such as developing an abbreviated leg kick or
shortening his regular leg kick. It just needs to be consistent.

These things enable pitchers to throw quickly to the plate without sacrificing movement
and velocity.

Tip N° 6: Many pitchers are great at getting ahead of hitters early in the count, but have
trouble finishing them off.
The post-season is the time to work on pitches that will get hitters out late in the count,
especially when you are ahead.

The ability to throw borderline strikes that move out of the strike zone is a skill that must
be worked on in the same manner as other skills in pitching.

I am not a believer in wasting pitches on 0-2 counts, but neither am I a believer in attacking
the middle of the plate when you are ahead in the count.

You have to develop pitches that are enticing enough to get the hitters to swing at them, but
are not in a good, hittable location for the batters, either.

Tip N° 7: The mound can be a lonely place at times. But the pitcher is expected to lead the
team with his actions. You must show composure and poise at all times, and be able to deal
with any situation that arises.

Mariano Rivera was one of the best examples of the right way to handle yourself on the
mound. His game demeanor, body language and facial expressions were consistent
throughout the ups and downs of his career.

Composure on the mound needs to be developed like anything else. It starts with cutting off
all negative thoughts and rising above excuses, such as poor umpiring, bad weather,
inadequate facilities, or errors by the defense.

Good pitchers never let such thoughts creep into their minds. They also never allow a let-
down to affect their pitches to the next hitter.

If a fielder behind you makes an error... so what, next pitch. Pick him up by not walking the
next guy.

If the ump blows a call... so what, next pitch. Dig deeper and paint that corner for a strike.

If the pitcher before you digs out a Grand Canyon of a hole on the mound, fix it the best
you can and then... so what, next pitch. Don't be a victim of circumstance.

These situations are as much about focus and mental toughness, as they are about throwing
strikes.

Tip N° 8: Many coaches teach young pitchers to "tuck the glove," but a study in the Journal
of Biomechanics has showed that skilled pitchers have less glove movement.

This allows their throwing arm to whip around the body and increases velocity.

Do not tuck the glove!

Keeping the glove chest-high during a pitch helps keep the glove in front of the body at ball
release.
LESS GLOVE MOVEMENT leads to increased velocity, which leads to a more consistent
release point.

Tip N° 9: It takes a lot of energy to pitch. While other positions have moments in between
their chances to make an impact, the pitcher remains the central focus of the opposition
throughout the game.

A pitcher's preparation for a start begins when the last start ends.

It's imperative that the day before a start includes proper hydration practices and 8-10 hours
of sleep.

Making sure your arm and body receive proper rest in between outings is essential to your
success and to helping ensure a healthy career.

Tip N° 10: Let's talk about how pitchers should prepare on game day to have a successful
outcome.

Now that game day is here, the pitcher will want to employ a timed routine prior to seeing
game action. This routine should be defined and should work backward off of the planned
time of the first pitch.

The plan should include some oversight from a coach and at a minimum needs to be
communicated to the pre-game catcher (which may differ from the game catcher).

Working within a defined sequence will not only get the pitcher physically loose, but will
enable him to work towards the mental progression of getting focused for the game.

Tip N° 11: So much of pitching is mental. How many times have you seen a pitcher
breezing along in a game and then after a couple of bad developments, just falls apart?
Some pitchers have trouble dealing with any kind of annoyance on the mound.

The summer season is a good time to work on this. Summer leagues are often more low-
key than the pitcher's school league and offer a good time to work on emotional control.

Another thing I emphasize is no negative body language. We always strive to have our
pitchers exude a tough exterior body language when they pitch and never change it,
winning or losing.

Tip N° 12: Nolan Ryan says, "the center of your body is the center of your power." He
really hits the nail on the head. Lots of coaches' concentrate on building strength in their
players' legs and upper bodies, but how many focus on the abdominal region?
In the Chicago Cubs organization where I pitched professionally, players go through a long
daily regimen of abdominal work and it is very helpful. It is the kind of exercise they can
do almost every day, no matter where they are.

Tip N° 13: Fielding is something that not enough pitchers focus on. Pitchers usually think
about the mechanics of the delivery, ability to throw hard, and how to strike people out.

They ignore the vital aspect of fielding. It is a skill that has to be worked on to be
improved, and it is the coach who must do the motivating.

Tip N° 14: How often do you see a pitcher who has great stuff, but tries too hard to nibble
the corners? Does he have an aggressive approach?

This kind of pitcher has to learn to trust his stuff and develop a different mentality. If he has
the stuff to get people out, he must learn how to make hitters swing the bat rather than work
the count.

Some pitchers have to be pushed to aggressively attack the plate and make the hitter swing.
If a pitcher can create a tone that he is going to throw strikes, the hitters will start coming to
the plate looking to swing rather than work the count and extend the at-bat.

Tip N° 15: Long toss throwing where a pitcher backs up to distances of 120, 150 or 200+
feet is a great tool to develop pop on the fast ball and promote improved arm action.

All too often, pitchers will baby their arms and not use the time away from the mound to
take their pitching in a positive direction. Long toss is a simple way of using off time in a
constructive way.

I encourage you to throw a lot in the off-season and max-out your throwing just before they
are going to get a day or two off. Good long toss programs done over a series of weeks will
add speed to a pitcher's fastball and stamina and allow them to go deeper when they pitch.

Tip N° 16: Pitchers who work fast have many advantages over pitchers who do not. They
keep their fielders' minds in the game, maintain the tempo of the game, and discomfort the
hitters.

Since it takes about 20 seconds for a person to clear his mind of a bad event, it makes sense
for a pitcher to work quickly and prevent the hitters from resting and clearing their minds.

Though I'm not an advocate of the quick pitch I'm aware of the things that can be done to
help a pitcher work quickly. You can reduce the pitcher's fidgeting to a minimum (no
playing with their pant leg), ask them to stay on the mound (not walk around it or walk
toward the catcher when the ball is being returned), and to set for the catcher's signal as
quickly as possible.

This requires help from the catcher, as catchers are also notorious fidgeters, often take too
much time to relay the sign, or just slow movers in general behind the dish.
I put my pitchers on a stopwatch, setting a goal of 12 seconds between pitches and have had
terrific success getting pitchers to follow this formula. Like all things in pitching, it requires
attention and practice.

Tip N° 17: Unlike the four-seam, which is held across the seams, the two-seam fastball is
held with the seams.

For both grips, it's important to have your fingertips rest on the stitches, not on the slick
part of the ball. Holding the stitches enables you to pull on the ball, creating friction and
backspin.

With a four-seam fastball, more spin means more power in the pitch. With a two-seam grip,
spin equals movement.

Grip the ball with the seams either on top or with your fingers across the narrowest seams.
Pressure on your index and middle finger at the release point will produce added
movement.

Because of the finger pressure, though, velocity decreases. The key is to maintain
consistent arm action and arm speed so as not to tip the pitch.

As a pitcher progresses with this pitch, they may develop sink or arm-side run.

Often this pitch will be used to work the arm side of the plate.

Tip N° 18: On a four-seam grip, your fingertips should contact with the seams, and your
thumb should be under the ball.

Your fingers should be a comfortable distance apart but not too far - the farther they're
spread, the less velocity on the throw. Your thumb should be below, acting as the anchor.

Younger players with small hands might be more comfortable initially gripping the ball
with three fingers - index, middle and ring - until their hands are big enough to master the
grip with just their index and middle fingers. Either way, your fingers - whether two or
three - should go across the seams.

The four-seam fastball consists of a gentle grip and an easy release.

Don't choke the ball.

The throw will stay straight, which is why infielders use a four-seam grip to throw.

As pitchers develop, they may experience some natural movement on their four-seam
fastball.

In time, this pitch is often used to work the cross-corner of the plate.
Tip N° 19: A proper warm up is essential to any position on the field, and the pitcher is no
different.

A dynamic or static stretching routine, with some light cardio work, is the first step in
getting ready to take the mound.

Some pitchers will opt for additional methods of getting loose, including band work.

At a minimum, the warm-up and stretching routine for the pitcher should be as extensive as
any other pre-activity stretch and usually more-so prior to a start.

Tip N° 20: Don't divide your attention between the hitter and the base-runner.

This is another part of the game that pitchers tend to neglect. One of the things that offenses
do against good pitching is to try to get inside the pitcher's head and take his mind off the
hitter. By getting the pitcher to divide his concentration between himself and the hitter,
they give the batter a small advantage.

There are many ways that base runners can do this, and many ways for the pitcher to react.
The more the pitchers allow these things to distract them, the more it encourages the
offense to further irritate them on the bases.

Tip N° 21: While not the only change-up grip, the circle-change is one of the more popular
change-ups and is frequently used by younger pitchers.

It's gripped with the index finger tucked against the thumb. The ring and middle fingers are
along the seams.

The ball slides off those fingers, with the force directed alongside the ball, which takes
something off the pitch.

As you gain more feel and confidence with the change-up, you can apply pressure with
your fingers to take more velocity off the pitch, creating more deception.

With a four-seam circle-change, the middle and ring fingers are across the four seams. The
thumb and index finger touch to form a circle on the side of the ball.

This pitch produces more backspin than others. It looks like a four-seam fastball but is
slower. You should use the grip if you primarily throw a four-seam fastball. You want the
change up to look like your fastball.

Tip N° 22: There are many moments in a game when pitchers tend to overthrow: (1) after
giving up a home run, (2) in the last inning of games, when they feel that the coach is about
to remove them after a cheap hit, or on 0-2 pitches when they are thinking about striking
the hitter out.
One of the ways in which coaches can turn good pitchers into great ones is by teaching
them to cope more effectively with these situations.

Tip N° 23: Develop a strategy for pitching to weaker hitters.

What drives coaches crazy is watching their pitcher walking or getting behind weak hitters.
If your pitcher has a real good pop on his fastball and you know your opponents' no. 7,8,
and 9 hitters are not going to catch up to it, you may have the pitcher keep throwing that
pitch until the hitter proves he can hit it.

Against a better hitter, you may want him to change speeds. Pitchers must learn to
recognize these situations and work them to their advantage. There will be times when you
will want to challenge a hitter with a fastball right down the middle.

Tip N° 24: Pitch to get outs, not strikeouts. Take advantage of aggressive hitters.

Pitchers sometimes think that their ability to strike hitters out will impress people more
than their ability to get people out on the easy taps. I don't agree with this kind of thinking.
I much prefer pitchers who are economical with the pitches and who get hitters to make
outs early in the count.

To me, any time you identify a hitter who tends to swing at the first pitch, it's smart to use
the hitter's aggressiveness to your advantage.

Pitchers who get hitters out early in their at-bats, have lower pitch counts, pitch farther into
games, and bounce back faster for their next outings. Pitchers need to think more about outs
and less about strikeouts. If this is going to happen, it has to come from the coach.

Tip N° 25: Before even stepping on the rubber, the pitcher needs to know which stance is
appropriate for their current situation.

With no runners on base, for example, the windup can be used. For this stance, the pitcher
will begin on the rubber facing home plate, with their feet roughly shoulder width apart and
their glove and throwing hand together in front of their chest.

The pitcher should be upright and relaxed. From this position, the pitcher will take a short
step back with their glove-side foot (this small step back does not represent a transfer of
weight and should simply be used as a rocker step).

The pitcher will then pivot their throwing-side foot so that it is flush against the front side
of the rubber.

Once in this position, the pitcher can then pull their glove-side knee up to get to the leg lift
or balance position.
Tip N° 26: Preparing the mind before a game is a main ingredient in having a winning
attitude. Some players use music as a way to focus, other players like to sit in silence, or
rub up the game ball, or polish their spikes, or tighten their glove strings.

Everyone is different and has different methods for getting focused on what they are
preparing to do. It might be eating the same meal before a game, or always stepping over
the baseline when you walk out onto the field. Whatever your little quirk may be is
something that keeps your mind focused and your attention on the task at hand. And that’s
a good thing.

Tip N° 27: I never liked to throw set-up pitches in any situation when I had 2 balls on a
hitter.

The set-up pitch is meant to set the hitter up for the knockout pitch. As a result, 2-0, 2-1 and
2-2 counts are not the best situations for this because if the hitter doesn't bite, you're stuck
with a 3 ball count and the pressure is back on you to make a big pitch.

Only throw a set-up pitch with 2 strikes. When you get 2 balls on a hitter, it’s time to attack
the strike zone with your best stuff.

Tip N° 28: I want pitchers to establish a mound presence so there is no question in

anyone’s mind who is pitching on that particular day. This starts with your mound tempo,
which is showing the ability to work fast and keep the pressure on the hitter. Body language
is huge regardless of what is happening in the game. You have to show the ability to
control the game and not let the game control you.

Tip N° 29: During a pitcher's brief and explosive "arm acceleration" phase, the arm
straightens at the elbow and then "internally rotates" at the shoulder.

The arm acceleration phase ends at the instant of ball release.

Tip N° 30: A pitcher can learn a lot about the hitter by studying his stance, the way he
holds the bat, and the way he swings. If, for example, the hitter wraps the bat around his
head in the stance, he can be vulnerable to the inside fastball. If he has a real uppercut to his
swing, he can be pitched up in the zone.

The more the pitchers learn about the hitters' swings, the more effective they can be in
exploiting weaknesses. This is something you can have your pitchers learn when they are
not pitching, making it easier for them to identify when they are out on the mound.

Tip N° 31: Now, his upper body and momentum have shifted out over his glove-side leg.
The throwing-side arm is now working out in front of his body and is accelerating toward
the catcher.

The ball should be released out front on a downward trajectory toward the target.
The glove hand is firmly tucked into the pitcher's chest and his momentum will carry
forward in to his follow through.

Tip N° 32: Many pitchers will experience early success based solely on their ability to
locate their fastball.

However, regardless of a pitcher's velocity or his command, eventually he'll need to

develop secondary pitches to keep hitters guessing and off-balance.

The first off-speed pitch that is introduced to a young pitcher should undoubtedly be the
change-up.

The change-up is a safer pitch for young players to throw, as opposed to a slider or curve,
and is an effective one for them to use. It's an off-speed pitch that's 8-to-10 mph slower
than the fastball, carrying a little more velocity than a batting practice fastball. But it's
delivered with the same arm speed and action as a fastball, so the batter starts his swing
early, reducing his power.

The key is arm speed and aggressiveness with the change-up.

If the hitters usually see fastball out of the hand the change equalizes or stops bat speed.

Tip N° 33: The stretch stance is being used more commonly today than ever before
amongst pitchers with no runners on base.

This stance must be used with runners on, and its simplicity lends it to frequently being
used to introduce pitching to younger players.

For this stance, the pitcher will start with their glove-side shoulder pointed toward home
plate, and the outside of their throwing-side foot flush with the front side of the rubber.

Their glove and throwing hand should be in a relaxed position in front of their chest, and
their feet should be shoulder width apart.

From this position, the pitcher can shift their weight back onto their throwing-side foot to
get to the leg lift or balance position.

Tip N° 34: A closed stance generally indicates the hitter wants to make contact and/or go
the other way. This stance offers a great opportunity to establish the inside part of the plate.
Closing the stance creates a significant hole in the swing and makes it very difficult to hit
the inside pitch. A moving two-seam fastball is a great pitch to throw to this type of hitter
until he proves he can handle it.

Tip N° 35: No matter which stance is used to start the delivery, the pitcher will always gain
their balance and collect their power using a leg lift, which is also known as a balance
position.
Tip N° 36: Many pitchers, such as the ageless Jamie Moyer, enjoyed long careers with
little more than an effective change-up to complement a mid-80s fastball.

Greg Maddux comes to mind, too.

They keep batters off balance by constantly changing the speeds of their pitches.

The change-up is the toughest pitch for hitters to recognize the seams or rotation visually.
Curt Shilling, one of the greatest postseason pitchers of all time, didn't even attempt to
throw a curveball until he was 18 years old and did not throw one in the Major Leagues.

You should throw the change-up daily in your regular catch routine. Increasing the feel and
comfort of the pitch will increase your confidence in the pitch. Always have a mindset of
attack or aggression, instead of slowed down and passive.

The pitcher will bring their glove-side knee up so that their thigh is at least parallel to the
ground and they are balanced on their throwing-side foot. Their head and eyes should be
aligned, and their shoulders should be parallel to the ground. While maintaining balance
and body control, their lower body should be loaded and ready to move forward to deliver
the pitch.

Tip N° 37: We’ve discussed mound presence and body language as playing key roles in
helping pitchers succeed. Regardless of what’s happening around you in a game, you have
to show the ability to control yourself and the game, and not let the game control you.

But just as important as how you carry yourself on the mound is your ATTITUDE toward
throwing strikes and attacking hitters. It’s critical that you throw the ball in the zone with
conviction EARLY in counts.

Whether you’re a strikeout pitcher or a pitch-to-contact guy, going into attack mode early
puts hitters on the defensive and gives you a lot more options to expand the strike zone later
in the count.

Attack early, expand late.