Baseball Strategy Tip for Developing A Solid Pitching Rotation
Everyone enjoys the excitement of the
homerun; however, pitching tends to play a larger role in the importance of a winning Baseball Strategy. Let's use high school baseball as an example. For most high school teams, there are usually only one
or two good pitchers on each team. One of the differences between good and great high school
teams is how they develop the rest of their pitching staff.
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To win at the high school level in the playoffs and beyond, a high school
team should develop a rotation of 4 to 6 pitchers. There are several reasons for this
Baseball Strategy:
1. Top pitchers will then get the opportunity to
rest their arms during the season.
2. It provides
an opportunity for younger pitchers to develop their skills for future seasons.
3. The coach has a number of options to choose
from for certain game situations. (For example, have a left hander throw to a left handed batter).
4. May be able to use your
top pitchers in other roles. This can be especially helpful if they are a very good hitter as it
adds a strong bat to your lineup.
5. Allows you some
additional protection if you lose one of your pitchers to grades or an injury.
Traditionally, pitchers on high school baseball teams tend to be those who throw the
hardest and or have done it for a number of years. However, a smart high school coach should be
scouting his team every year to look for players who could be turned into pitchers. Some of the
skills a coach should look for in a prospective pitcher include:
· Left-handed or a unique
throwing motion (ex. sidearm delivery).
· Strong arm (Fastball is
above 80 mph).
· Excellent control
of throws regardless of fastball speed.
· Natural movement on
fastball.
· Ability to throw a
unique pitch (ex. knuckleball).
Once these players are discovered, the coach should have them
begin practicing pitching at every practice. Over time, their skills would improve to
the point where you could use them in game situations. Then, your baseball strategy could shift
from relying on your two top pitchers to letting these prospects start pitching against weaker teams in your district or allowing
them to pitch a few innings in certain games.
To help encourage players to want to be a pitcher, the coach should
give extra praise to those who are participating and repeat the importance that pitching has on helping the team go far in the
playoffs. In addition, a wise coach would recommend these players take additional pitching
or Baseball Instruction from quality baseball instructors in the area. With a little
encouragement, you can "outsource" some of this training
. This will allow for these players to keep developing their skills and not take
away from the team's overall practice time.
The benefits of developing a pitching staff over time should allow for your high school team to move from a good to a great
program. Also, who knows, you just might stumble upon the next great ace pitcher.
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