Many coaches require their pitchers to run right after the pitch, as well as the day after an outing. Doing this will ensure the pitcher's shoulder receives the proper nutrients necessary to remain healthy. Running foul poles is an easy task.
We recommend all high school pitchers take at minimum, 1 month off of total throwing and 4 months off of pitching, whereas youth pitchers should be getting 1.5-2 months off of total throwing and 4 months off of pitching.
No. In fact, no player can reenter a game once they are pulled. The only way a pitcher can return to the mound once he leaves is if he takes another position without leaving the game.
Should you ice your arm after pitching? If you have sharp pain in your arm after pitching, then yes – icing will help reduce pain, swelling and inflammation. However, if you do NOT have sharp pain, then ice only stands to reduce the amount of bloodflow to the pitching arm, which actually slows recovery.
The day after you start, you should visit the weight room. Perform Squats, Deadlifts, Lunges, Rows, Push-Ups, Deadbugs, Pallof Presses, Planks and rotator cuff work. I recommend performing a light throwing session prior to lifting, but this depends on how a pitcher is feeling.
2. Perform a “cool down activity.” Have pitchers' jog for four to six minutes, to the point when they start to sweat. This increases general blood flow throughout the body and prepares the body for a post-performance flexibility routine.
So, throwing velocity on average actually decreased when throwing past 180 feet. However, long toss does increase your intensity to throw the ball and that is a benefit. It can actually help you gain a little velocity, but if you are a pitcher who needs more than 2-3 mph to reach 90 mph you need more than long tossing.
Pitching velocity by age in the U.S.
| Age | Average Velocity¹ | Your Goal² |
|---|
| 14 | 68 MPH | 70 MPH |
| 15 | 70 MPH | 75 MPH |
| 16 | 76 MPH | 80 MPH |
| 17 | 80 MPH | 85 MPH |
Arm Strength (Life & Carry)Long toss promotes arm strength because the arm gains range of motion from distance. And learning how to translate this freedom into aggressiveness with the right intention promotes greater explosiveness and life on the ball.
We know that pitching a baseball places near maximal stress on the body with each pitch. Long tossing to 180 feet and beyond increases this stress more than pitching off a mound. This is one of the main reasons that the criteria for an injured player to start throwing off the mound is only 120 feet.
One reason could be the mechanics necessary to throw a good slider. It requires a more violent arm motion; it's like a combination of a curve and a fastball. And kids who don't throw curveballs or sliders still get hurt. Some even develop tendinitis.
Pitchers need strong legs, and pitchers need endurance to get deep into a game. Running long distances gives you strong legs and it gives you endurance.
It is proven that sidearm pitchers are more prone to injuries than over the top pitchers. There is a lot of strain placed on the elbow and shoulder when throwing from the side. A college or pro scout does not want to invest in a young side arm pitcher who may get hurt later in his career.
You may have been told to do this by a coach, trainer, teammate, etc. It is a common belief that icing a pitcher's arm after an outing will help prevent injuries and speed up the recovery time. However, this is not entirely true. Icing may in fact inhibit the recovery process.
(Typically 46-50' Pitching Distance)
| Age | Daily Max (Pitches in Game) | 4 Days Rest |
|---|
| 9-10 | 75 | 66+ |
| 11-12 | 85 | 66+ |
Therefore, they should be avoided in a sound baseball strength and conditioning program.
- Upright Rows. Most baseball players have a lack of internal rotation in their throwing shoulders.
- Empty Cans. Just like Upright Rows, this exercise puts excessive stress on the shoulder.
- Supermans.
- Dips.
- Barbell Bench Press.
The time between innings and pitching changes is 2 minutes, 5 seconds for local broadcasts, 2 minutes, 25 seconds for nationally televised games and 2 minutes, 55 seconds for tiebreaker and postseason games.
Ages 9 to 12
| Age | Daily Max (Pitches in Game) | Required Rest (Pitches) |
|---|
| | 4 Days |
| 9-10 | 75 | 66+ |
| 11-12 | 85 | 66+ |
No, throwing a screwball doesn't hurt your arm.Throwing a screwball is something like throwing sidearm or submarine-style.
Prototypical Division I pitching recruits throw anywhere between 87 and 95 MPH on a consistent basis. It is important to remember that coaches are looking for pitchers to consistently throw at this velocity, not just touch it every once and awhile.
A 1.5 power to weight ratio would be an accurate requirement for a pitcher to have the power to produce a 90+ mph fastball. I have seen pitchers with at least a 28 inch vertical who can do the same. I have never seen a pitcher with a vertical jump under 25 inches who can throw 90 mph.
Generally, 14 year old average cruising speed would be about 65 mph. Average freshman pitcher (14 to 15 year old) cruising speed would be about 70 mph. Average cruising speed for a good high school pitching prospect at 14 to 15 years old would be about 75 mph.
Why do some pitchers throw harder than others? Because they have more external rotation after front foot strike, more forward trunk tilt, and they are able to generate more power with their muscular, skeletal, and chemical makeup, through the stretch-shortening cycle, during external rotation.
Yu Darvish's 59-mph eephus pitch.
