Choice of Pitches

With regard to the curve...first I must say that the curve presents some danger's to your arm. Not as bad as the slider in my opinion, but an increase in risk over the fastball and change-up. As long as you understand those risks (along with your coaches and parents), you can make your own decision on how many you throw in a game. There, that's done :). If you still choose to use it often, here are my recomendations on how to do it.

To me the key to a good curve is the set up. One great way to set it up is to bust the batter up and in with a fastball then throw the curve low and away. The opposing coach might even be telling the batter to watch out for the curve after you bust him inside but it won't matter. Self preservation will be first and foremost in the batter's mind after you run one high and tight. He might even guess curve on the subsequent pitch, but his legs will probably still buckle.

I don't like 0-2 curves for strikes. If you get into the habit of throwing it in those counts, some batters are going to wait on it and drive it. Remember, it is a cardinal sin for a pitcher to give up an 0-2 basehit (never waste a pitch though, have a purpose on every pitch even if it is just to set up the rest of the at bat). Often, just showing the curve, in the dirt maybe, will throw off their timing enough to burn one by them on the next pitch.

Always remember that your fastball is always your best pitch. If you are going to get beat, get beat with your best. Never throw off speed stuff to a batter you can over power. Never get "count specific" with your pitches because as Old Ag said, you will become predictable. Instead, bewteen pitches, think a couple pitches ahead. If you are ahead in the count, use one pitch to set up another. That is the chess game that is pitching.

Unless you have a super bender and can spot it wherever you like (in that case, I would like to be your agent right now:), don't throw curves back to back. The first one teaches the batter the velocity and movement and that will be fresh in his mind on the next pitch. Also, although the curve is very effective low and away, you can also throw it right at a batter's head and let it bend in over the inside part of the plate. I have told many HS pitchers to start some of the curves right at the batter's head and then watch the knees buckle and the ump's arm go up. Again, even if it is effective, don't fall in love with your curve or you will start seeing them parked over the fence.

Throw both changes (or more) but understand you are doing different things with them. Because you drop your arm angle on the circle change, you are tipping it off to the batter. In that case, you are relying more on the movement than the change up speed and in reality throwing a poor man's screwball. Thats ok as long as you understand it.

The straight change is a killer if it looks just like your fastball. The batter can't tell anything by the rotation, it looks like a fastball. If you can throw it for strikes consistently, it is an excellent pitch when you are behind in the count and the batter is sitting on the fastball.

As for the sinker and splitter or other trick pitches, you seldom want to throw those for strikes if you have a good fastball, curve, and change. They can be awesome strike out pitches if used and set up properly. More so, they can be great pitches to reduce your pitch count. Those pitches can be used early in the count to get the batters to hit easy ground balls. The perfect inning is a three pitch inning. If you are a starting pitcher and you have decent defense behind you, use that defense early in the game. Then later when it counts, you will still have enough gas in the tank to get the needed strike outs.

Everything that I have talked about there is part of the art of pitching. The thought proccess. While you need to concentrate on the next pitch right before you throw it, in between pitches you should be thinking about how you are setting up the batter.

Finally, I'll tell you a good trick to use if you have a few good pitches. Talk to your coach and your catcher (coach is probably calling the pitches, right?) before you do this or you will have them all breathing down your neck! Here's my big wisdom: Shake off the catcher a few times. I know it sounds stupid but it works. Every time you shake him off, the catcher just puts down the same sign ('cause the coach called the pitch and you will throw it!). Use this sparingly when it is important or you can get a strike out.

About the fourth time you shake off the catcher, the batter's mind will be buzzing. How many pitches does this guy have?! He will probably think the first two signs that you shook off were the fastball and curve. The third would be the change....probably. By the fourth time, he may have no idea what is coming. He will be guessing and then you own him.

Take care!
Splitter