Different Off-Speed Pitches

Everyone wants to be the next power pitcher that can just blow the ball past the batter.  While that is fun; success with just one pitch is very temporary.  This year we have seen a few pitchers that can throw over 100 in the major leagues.  Chapman hit 105 this year playing for the Reds; Incredible!  Major League hitters struggled with his fastball until they made a few adjustments and then he started to get shelled.  Now, I think it would be awesome to throw 105; I’m not saying that it wouldn’t.  Could you imagine having Nolan Ryan’s knee- buckling Curveball, Wakefield’s Knuckle, Rivera’s cutter and then came back with a fastball over 100?  Now that would be unhittable pitching.

While that would be nice. What is your job as a pitcher?

Simple! Keep hitter’s off balance.  Don’t try to strike everyone out.  That really isn’t your job.  Remember, there are three things in a pitcher’s arsenal that keep hitters off balance.  Location, change of speed and movement.  Now that is a deadly combination.  If you can accomplish this you will have your strikeouts, but along with the strikeouts you will get weak groundballs, pop-ups and a lot of wins.

In our new baseball DVD we go over how to throw 10 different baseball pitches.  It is imperative that you learn how to throw with proper mechanics before you throw off-speed pitches; we’ve included that in the series as well.  However, you cannot be successful with velocity alone.  Learn how to throw three of these pitches  (demonstrated in the series) with proper mechanics; and you will be on your way to success on the mound.