Archive for Chris Gissell – Page 8

Don’t Let The Game Speed Up On You

May
15

2015-04-16 11.11.33As a young player, I have no idea how many times this happened to me. I do know, though, that it was more than I would have liked. But to this day, all those moments have helped mold me into the parent and coach that I strive to be today.

I was working with one of my college students the other day. His mound work started off good but as the session went on, he started to battle his command. When I have worked with a player for a period of time, and I have come to know them emotionally and see where their strengths and weaknesses are, I will give them a chance to to work through these moments on their own. The worst thing a coach can do is say something to a pitcher between every pitch. Trust me, been there, experienced that. No bueno!

As the miss fires kept coming, you could see him getting more and more frustrated. With that frustration came a lose of focus which, in a game situation, would lead to disaster. After about 10-15 in a row, I finally stepped in and helped him realize what was going on. Physically, mechanically, nothing was wrong. What was wrong was what he was allowing to happen between his ears. He was throwing pitches while still focusing on what happened with his last pitch. He was trying to force command instead of trusting in his ability and letting his natural talent take over. It had had “Sped Up On Him”.

When this happens, we lose all rational thought. We are letting the situation control us instead of us controlling the situation. We swing at pitches out of the zone because we have no plan. We make poor pitch choices because we have become emotional. We make mistakes that we should know better than to do.

This happens often on the other side too. Us coaches in the dugout are just as prone to this as the players on the field are. My first year coaching, this reality slapped me in the face one night. Our pitcher was out there struggling. Things just weren’t going his way and I, as the coach, was in charge of keeping the pitch count. The longer the inning went on, the more mistakes I watched happen, the quicker I started to lose control of my job. We had an organizational rule that no pitcher was to throw more than 35 pitches in one inning. My boss happened to be in town, and in the dugout with me, when he came up and asked me what he was at (pitch count). When I looked down, he was at 30+ and we had no one up in the bullpen getting ready. Well, our pitcher ended up throwing too many and I got a good talking to after the game was over. Needless to say, lesson learned, it never happened again.

In the heat of the moment, on the field or in the dugout, staying mentally in control will allow you to make those rational decisions. The correct pitch selections, mound visits in the correct moments, making the last out at third, pitching changes, keeping track of pitch counts, etc.

Take a deep breath, gather your thoughts and do your best to…

“Don’t Let The Game Speed Up On You”

Categories : Catching, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog, Fielding, Hitting, Pitching

Pitch To Contact

May
11

2015-05-11 09.13.06My last session of the day yesterday was with two of my High School students. Both are great kids, both are talented pitchers and both have the ability to play past HS, if they so desire.

As they were playing catch, I was chatting with their parents I came to learn that they both had walk rates, during their seasons, that needed some attention.

After they were done with their mound work, we sat down for a few minutes and dug a little deeper into the topic. I wanted to hear what their approach is with every pitch. Is their catcher moving around, side to side, too much? What is their thought process in 2 ball counts? What is their intent with the first pitch to each batter? Are they looking to get contact or trying to get swing and misses?

A pitcher’s #1 job is to throw strikes. The goal is to do this 65% of the time. In my book, a pitcher has two counts where he can purposely throwing a pitch, out of the zone, to get a swing and miss. 0-2 and 1-2 counts. With that said, there is nothing better for a pitcher than getting a punch-out on 3 pitches, especially when you freeze the hitter with a fastball in an 0-2 count. This is proof that you are in the dome, you have them thinking too much and you have out thought them.

Besides those two counts, EVERY SINGLE PITCH should be thrown with the intent of inducing weak contact on the ground. Too often, young pitchers are pitching to get swing and misses. When we do this, pitch AWAY from contact, we WILL throw more balls than we should be. Remember, our job is to throw strikes. Nothing drives me more crazy, than seeing a catcher set up a foot off the plate, trying to steal strikes. This is not efficiency and this is not development.

Very few youth pitchers have the ability to hit the corner 6-7 times out of 10 pitches. With that understanding, catchers need to be using more of the plate, to give their pitchers a little wiggle room when they miss, some, side to side. Unless it is an 0-2 or 1-2 count, have them sit thirds of the plate or just stay middle. If you do have a pitcher who is advanced with their command of the baseball, then sure, keep them progressing in their development and learn how to work the strike zone.

Two ball counts are a huge count for pitchers. One of our main goals should be to do what we can to stay away from the dreaded 3 ball count. Staying away from these counts will allow us to stay away from those free bases. There is nothing worse than giving the batter first base for free. We have to make them earn it. A mentality of Pitching To Contact, will most definitely, help us achieve this important goal.

They first pitch to each hitter IS the most important pitch of the at bat. I don’t have specifics, but there is a HUGE difference in a hitters batting average when they start the count 0-1 vs. 1-0. The first pitch to a hitter NEEDS to be thrown with the intent of getting contact, preferably, on the ground. Focus on executing the pitch down in the zone. Getting an out on one pitch can’t be done if we don’t throw a first pitch strike.

Pitchers, learn to trust your stuff and throw pitches with the goal of the inducing contact. Coaches, help your pitchers and catchers understand this. Help them keep their pitch count down which will allow them to give you more innings.

“PITCH TO CONTACT”

Categories : Catching, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog, Pitching

Calling Pitches From the Dugout

May
6

IMG_1938I have written on this before but after a couple recent brief conversations, I promised I would go into it further.

I have called plenty of pitches from the dugout (never every pitch though). Always with the intent to help my pitcher on the mound work on developing a certain pitch they need to build some confidence in or to show them how effective a certain pitch/location can affect the hitter and their comfort level.

With this though, there was always an understanding with my catcher that if the pitcher shook him off, he was to go with what they wanted. If they have a plan, are thinking, and feel confident in another pitch, then by all means, go for it. If they believe in a certain pitch in a certain count/situation, they will throw that pitch with more conviction than they will the pitch that I am suggesting.

If it ends up being a poor choice in pitch selection/location, then we can talk about it after the inning is over, or after the game is over and work through thoughts and ideas. With that in mind though, believe this…a pitcher can throw any pitch in any count and if they EXECUTE that pitch, their chances of success are very high. Too often we will get caught up in saying “That was the wrong pitch to throw, that’s why it was a hit” but it ALWAYS comes down to the execution of the pitch. Everyone on the field, and in the stands, may know the pitcher is going to throw a breaking ball and if he throws it where he is suppose to, he will win. If he leaves it up, the hitter should do with it what he trains to do, and he will win. BEFORE YOU SECOND GUESS A PITCH SELECTION, FIRST LOOK AT THE EXECUTION OF THE PITCH.

Now, if we have a young, raw pitcher, on the mound who is so new to it that there is no way they can try to repeat their delivery, focus on the glove and think about pitch selection, at the same time, AND a you have a young catcher who lacks experience too, then sure, let’s help them with pitch selection.

As you all know, I am a strong believer in development. Calling every single pitch for your pitcher and catcher, is not development. If you have a pitcher and/or catcher who has shown you that they are out there thinking, then let them go with it. If you feel that they made some poor choices in pitch selection, then talk through it later. Let them learn. Let them make some mistakes. Let them build some confidence in their own choices. LET THEM LEARN AND FIGURE IT OUT.

It always amazed me when we would get a pitcher, who was just drafted, and he had no idea how to call his own game. At that level, you are expected to be able to do this and when a young pitcher has his hand held every time they took the mound, as an amateur, this is the product. All talent, no smarts. The player who can think, play the mind games and out think their opponent, is the player who will advance quicker.

Coaches, please give the kids, your pitchers and catchers, a chance to call their own pitches. You saying that the pitch you call is the final word, that the pitcher has no option to shake off the catcher, is you saying you have one thing in mind, WIN.

Once again, it all comes down to development. Develop first, win second.

Categories : Catching, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog, Pitching

Emotions and Body Language

May
3

2014-06-12 15.28.26True competitors are often very emotional. They have the tendency to get very excited when great things happen and get very frustrated when things go against them. This is the nature of a competitor.

You watch any game in person or on TV, there is a good chance you will see both sides of this. I was brought up to never do something that will let your opponents know that they are getting the better of you or do anything that would rub your success in their face. These traits, I believe, are a huge reason why I feel I was able to play for as long as I did with very average stuff.

Don’t get me wrong, there was a learning curve. I had plenty of games, early in my career, where I let my emotions get the best of me, but I did get a grip on it. Through trail and error, it got to the point where I had coaches who would ask if I was happy with my performance or if I was disappointed. Of course I was happy when I did my part and the team won, that was my job, and of course I was disappointed when the team lost, but I would never let my emotions waiver. This is what I learned about myself and what would allow me to stay in the right place, mentally, to go out and perform outing after outing. Never get too high and never get too low. Stay even keel through success AND failure.

When you do see a player who has poor body language, you are seeing a player who is most likely one of the mentally weaker ones on the field. If they can’t control their appearance, in my experience, they will have a hard time controlling their emotions when they are on the mound or in the box in a big situation.

The player who is great at controlling their body language, in success and failure, is the player who is mentally stronger and will win the battle of longevity in the end.

Here are some examples of poor body language to look out for…
-Throwing their hands up in the air, or throwing their head back, after they think the umpire missed a call.
-Yelling at their teammates, while on the field, when they make a mistake.
-Striking out and slamming their bat, or helmet, on the ground.
-Yelling out curse words when they get to the dugout.

This goes for us coaches too. Remember, we are our Dudes role models. How we handle success, and adversity, is an example to them. We are telling them how we think it’s okay to act. With that in mind, keep yourself in check at all times.

Poor body language is a direct reflect of ones mental toughness. Learn how to control your emotions boys!

Categories : Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog, Hitting, Parents, Pitching

Giving Signs From Second Base

Apr
24

2015-03-13 23.21.25-1
With the season in full swing, we have many from across the country contact us seeking advise, looking for our opinion on how to handle special situations and just wanting to share stories with us.

We talk about playing this game the right way. We talk about development. We talk about respecting the game and your opponents.

Here is a topic that has come up a few times so I want to speak on it for a few minutes. This is one of those un-written rules in Baseball. It’s unacceptable, but often done. If, and when, a team gets caught doing this by the other team, it often doesn’t end well, especially in the adult version of this game. It’s usually something planed out by the players (though I have heard of coaches teaching the players how to do this…classless). A runner gets to second base and is there long enough that he is able to unlock the code of signs the catcher is giving to the pitcher. It’s often something very simple like, “The second sign”, “The first sign after 2”, “The last sign” or “Outs +1”.

Some tips on what to look for in a runner on second who is giving signs…

-Verbal cues (probably only with the young age groups).
-Different shuffles in their lead after seeing the signs.
-Starting with hands on upper leg, then dropping one or the other after seeing the signs.
-Looking left or right after seeing the signs.
-Stepping forward or backward after seeing the signs.
-Standing straight up or squatting lower in their lead after seeing the signs.

Like I said, this is often done but is what we call “Bush League” and most pitchers and catchers will take this personal when they see this happening.

If your hitters can’t read the ball out of the pitchers hand, then try teaching them what to look for in a pitchers delivery that may show what he plans on throwing. If you really study a pitcher, most will tell you, with their body movements, what they are throwing on almost every pitch. If you are teaching your players how to “Give Signs From Second Base”, you are NOT developing. You are NOT respecting the game. You are NOT respecting your opponent.

Categories : Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog, Hitting, Pitching

Get Your Mind Right

Apr
14

2015-03-18 09.55.47
WARNING…This is a former pitcher speaking so hitters, don’t get sensitive on me!

One of my biggest pet peeves as a player and now as a coach, was and is, when hitters complain about high strikes called. I’m talking about the pitch belt high, maybe a ball or two above it, that is called for a strike. First, according to the so called rule book strike zone, it should be called a strike every time, but it’s not and I’m ok with that because I don’t ever want to throw it there. Second, think about it, if you HAD swung the bat instead of watching that meat ball go by, you could have crushed it! If you are going to be upset with anybody, it should be with yourself. Stop whining about a mistake that you made (by choosing not to swing) but are trying to blame it on someone else (the umpire).

Next…Pitchers, you should know how hard it is to hit. I don’t care who is in the box, don’t ever give them too much credit. Last time I checked, there has NEVER been a hitter that got a hit every time they stepped in the box. Even Trout gets out 6-7 times out of every 10 at bats. Your job is to throw strikes. Execute pitches. Compete with every pitch. Pitch to contact. Stay away from 3 ball counts. Control the running game and get as many outs as you can on as few pitches as possible.

When we give them too much credit, that’s when we make mistakes. That’s when we throw pitches without conviction. That’s when we are focused too much on who is in the box rather than what pitch I am about to throw and how I want to execute it. Remember, when we are on the mound, all we are doing is playing a glorified game of catch with our catcher.

Get Your Mind Right boys!!

Categories : All Articles, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Pitching

Leading By Example

Apr
11

2015-03-19 16.58.16Being around this game from the Little League level to the Big League level, one thing that is consistent from level to level is the human factor.

Let’s talk about the strike zone. Don’t pay attention to what the rule book says as all umpires have their own version. Some are bigger up and down than they are side to side while others are bigger side to side than they are up and down. If you have never been behind the dish, then you really don’t know how difficult it is to be consistent back there. This is part of the human factor. Just as the players have a tough time repeating their swing pitch after pitch and the pitchers have a tough time executing pitch after pitch, the umpire behind the plate can battle calling the same strike zone pitch after pitch.

We ALL need to recognize this, chill out and let the game play out as it will. One thing that I learned over the years is that it all evens out. For all the pitches that we believe the umpire missed, if we sit back and think about it, how many times has a pitcher thrown a pitch off the plate, side to side or down or up, that should have been called a ball but was called a strike??

The part I have a hard time with is seeing/watching players, young and old, complain, throw their hands in the air, yell at the umpires and act as if they are constantly being screwed. Where do you think they learned how to act like this?? Think about it parents and coaches…Who do they look up to? We, parents and coaches, are their closest role models. What type of example are we setting when we act like this?

Missed calls are a part of the game. Deal with it, stop complaining, act professional and use this as an opportunity to learn how to handle some adversity because if they can’t handle it in a game, how will they handle it in real life??

Categories : Baseball Life, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog, Parents

TRUTH

Mar
19

2015-02-28 13.27.37-1
TRUTH…The chances of an amateur player becoming a Major Leaguer (Just because a player is drafted, it does not mean they are a Major Leaguer) are so slim. I’ve heard all sorts of odds but have no idea what is exact. Personally, I have seen some of the most talented players in the world fall victim to the quality of competition, the amount of players in professional baseball as talented as they are along with all of the politics that come with all youth and professional sports. As parents, we need to keep this all in perspective while supporting our Dudes in any way we can. Motivate them to be the best they can be while at the same time, not overdoing it when it comes to pushing them and/or providing them with opportunities.

Use this game to teach them about life. How to deal with other people. What dedication is. What it means to have a strong work ethic and how that will affect them, for better or worse, later in life. How to handle themselves properly in moments of adversity and the proper way to handle success (Be Humble!)

The number of years they will get to play this game will be so small compared to the number of years they live but the number of life lessons they can learn in those years is why this game is so great. If they have a great day, be proud of them and help keep them grounded and when they have a bad day, help them learn from it as they need to be able to accept the failures in baseball, and in life, if they want to grow.

Categories : Baseball Life, Chris Gissell, Dudes Blog, Parents

Baseball Lessons=Life Lessons

Dec
26

2014-11-26 18.47.12-1If you play this game long enough, you will most definitely experience failure over and over and over. I was blessed to play this game for a long time, briefly make it as far as you can, and experience some amazing highs and the lowest of lows. From MVP awards to not making it out of the first inning while giving up 6 runs and only getting one out!

The lessons this game has taught me have molded me into the adult I am today. Along the way, people were put in my life that taught me valuable lessons. From coaches who were amazing teachers to coaches who had no business being in the position they were in. They taught me how I wanted to act and how I most certainly didn’t want to act.

I will always remember how tough this game is to play…Remember how hard it is to hit a baseball, how hard it is to throw the ball to a specific location, how hard it is to field a ground ball on a bumpy surface, how hard it is catch a fly ball on a windy/sunny day and how hard it is to be consistent at all of it.

With that said, as long as a player is giving me their best attitude and their best effort, I will never get upset with them over their ability and game play. If it was as easy as many think and/or act like it is, there would be a lot more MLB teams than just 30.

Bottom line…Be positive, be motivating, be inspiring and be supportive of your Dude when it comes to playing this game. So many lessons to be learned and the more they will get to experience the longer they play.

Categories : Baseball Life, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog, Parents

BE SMART

Nov
27

2014-11-16 22.31.04BE SMART…Our PDP students will not pick up a baseball from October thru December. Somewhere along the line, the idea of throwing a baseball year round came about as a way to get ahead. Well…It’s Not! The arm needs a break. Time to heal up and give a player some time to play another sport, focus on the mental side of the game, focus on overall strength or just be a kid. I strongly recommend taking at least 2.5 months off of throwing, and 3 would be great!

We use the months of November and December to focus on our Mental Toughness & Leadership Skills through class room work and also meet to focus on arm care routines, the fundamentals of our swings, the fundamentals of the different positions and some speed and agility when we can.

Parents…Take care of your Dudes arm. Please educate yourself on this and have a plan for the off seasons. If you want suggestions on this, please feel free to send us a message or email us and we will help in any way we can.

Categories : Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog, Parents, Pitching

Sportsmanship

Aug
22

2014-03-03 18.35.03-2For those that have followed us long enough, you know we preach, and teach, ways to respect the game and those around you. There’s a part of the youth game that I don’t quite understand when it comes to this. Allowing players to yell, from the dugout, things towards the opposing team, that are meant to distract and make them feel inadequate. This is not the way the game should be played. This is not respecting your opponents. This is not developing respectable young men but allowing them to bully in a controlled situation. In fact, these are the players who end up grown men, sitting in the stands at a professional game thinking it’s ok to yell at the players on the field.

As a former professional player and now a coach, I call this acting “Bush league”. This is no different than disrespecting your opponent by bat flipping after hitting a HR, or showing up the batter after you strike him out. The worst part about this is that it is sometimes promoted by the coaches. I would never allow my players to do this. Coaches who do allow this are simply hunting the “W” and willing to do whatever it takes to get that Win.

Parents, if your vision is for your Dude to grow up understanding what it means to respect others, watch out for this happening on his team. If it does happen, please take the time to help him understand why this is not how we want to act. Have him put himself in the other players shoes and how it would affect him if the yelling was towards him.

This is my opinion on this subject. Take it how you will, but point blank…Whether its my players or my own children, Respect, Honor and Integrity is the focus behind everything we do.

Categories : Baseball Life, Chris Gissell, Dudes Blog

In Your Favor…

Aug
7

AdamPiratesPitchers…Like I have said before, you need to realize how hard it is to hit a baseball. Besides that, there are a few other things that are in your favor. Here’s what I can think of…

1) The strike zone goes all the way to the bottom of the knees. If you can become great at commanding that part of the zone, you will make it a lot easier on yourself and get a lot more ground balls.

2) You have 7 guys behind you, and 1 behind the plate, waiting to help you. Throw the ball over the plate, don’t be afraid of contact, and let them take care of the rest.

3) Hitters can be very emotional. If a pitch comes anywhere near them, they more often than not, think it was on purpose. They have a hard time realizing that you just badly missed your spot. They often will get frustrated and become more aggressive and swing at pitches that they normally wouldn’t. Use this to your advantage.

4) They also have a hard time letting it go when they don’t agree with the umpires. Whether it’s a strike call or a check swing call, many amateur, minor league and some major league hitters will step back in the box still thinking about how they think they just get screwed. Use this to your advantage as they will be in that aggressive mode again.

5) Play doesn’t start until you throw the ball. Use this to your advantage and work quickly. Get back on the rubber as soon as possible and throw the next pitch. If you can work with 8 seconds or less in-between pitches, the hitter may feel uncomfortable and rushed in the box resulting in less quality swings.

6) You have a catcher behind the plate who, if he is taught right, can see things that the hitter does in the box which can help him decide on which pitches to call. Trust him back there!

There are more, but think about those for now. There are also many things that give the hitter an advantage but we don’t want to focus on that. Give all of your attention to what you do, and think, when you are on the mound. Become confident in your ability and believe in yourself. Proper preparation builds self esteem and confidence.

Categories : Chris Gissell, Dudes Blog, Pitching

Dugout Etiquette

Jul
11

2014-05-30 19.47.09As a parent, my Dudes behavior is of the utmost importance. It is my responsibility as their leader to help them learn between what is right and what is wrong. From the way they speak to the way they carry themselves, I take it personal. With my kids all being so young, they, especially my 8 year old, are at a stage where they have a hard time deciphering between what is right and wrong, especially when they see their friends, who they look up to, act in certain ways. I don’t see or hear about everything but when I do, it’s my job as a responsible parent to set them straight. They may not like me at that moment, but that’s ok.

As coaches, how our players act in the dugout is our responsibility. I have seen some players who are great teammates and others who should be benched for their actions.

The best always make it a point to be positive. If a teammate is having a tough game, they don’t criticize behind their back. They don’t yell things from the dugout at the other team. If they strike out, they don’t hang their head and come back to the dugout and sit on the bench and pout while their team is trying to put something together. And they ALWAYS congratulate their teammates on their successes and are genuinely happy for them.

Players who are selfish need to be kept in check at all times. By allowing a player to act like this, not appreciate the efforts of their teammates, you are setting them up for a life where they will think it is ok to act like this. It should be unacceptable for a player to sit on the bench and hang their head because they made an error in the field or struck out. Every player should be up and high-fiveing when their team is out there working and scoring runs. Keep your eyes open for those who are not and you will see the selfish ones. It should be unacceptable for your players to yell at the other team or laugh at them when they make errors. And it should never be ok for your players to ridicule or put down their teammates for their ability. A player who does this would not have a place on my team.

With that said, young, and old men, like to tease back and forth. It’s usually just for fun but I have often seen it get to a point where someone takes it personal and feelings get hurt. This is bound to happen as we are controlled by emotions but we need to teach our Dudes and help them understand what is ok, what is taking it too far and that if they can dish it, they better be able to take it.

As always, there are so many life lessons we learn from this game. How we handle ourselves and how we handle the way others act is up front and center every day we are on the field. Be the best person/player/coach you can be and it will make life a lot more enjoyable.

Be positive, be respectful, be honest and be caring towards others as often as you can.

Categories : Baseball Life, Chris Gissell, Dudes Blog

Learn From Each Other

Jul
9

2014-06-12 15.28.26Everyday, we (my pitchers and I) start our day with a meeting. We will go over the plan for the day, maybe fill them in on some information about future travel or something and then we get into discussing the events that occurred in the game the day before. This meeting usually takes between 10-20 minutes and I honestly feel that this is the part of the day where these future big leaguers grow the most.

We discuss the good, the bad and the ugly. I will most often call out the players and force them to participate. One, they need to learn to be comfortable speaking in front of others and two, the lessons we can learn from each others successes and downfalls can be great. If you were to sit in on our meetings, you would most likely hear the same things day after day, but that’s ok. If it takes one needing to hear something 100 times before they really start to understand it, then I’m going to say the same thing 100 times.

For these players to get to this level is a great success in their lives. They are the select few who have the god given talent and have worked hard enough to make it here. But often, it is a humbling experience once they start facing the competition in professional baseball. They can’t just sit back and throw the ball as hard as they can anymore because that guy in the batters box will turn around a belt high 95 mph fastball like you are throwing batting practice up there. You can’t throw an 0-2 breaking ball in the dirt every single time because these hitters are taught to look for those type of patterns.

Daily, we will discuss things like that. We also discuss others routines, and how it may be affecting their game in a good or bad way. We will discuss mistakes on the field that we all need to learn from for instance, I have a pitcher who developed a so called “Balk move” in college and he has used it successfully but got caught with it the other day and ended up balking in a run. The lesson here was that if you have one of these moves, don’t ever use it with a runner on third because you are risking giving them a free run.

From my end, having gone through what all these players are going through right now, is fun to watch. It would be very easy for me to get frustrated with them, but with my own personal experiences in this game, I understand how hard what they are doing really is. This game is very humbling. One day these kids heard their name called by a professional organization and they are on top of the world and the next day they are having missiles hit off them left and right. Only the mentally strong will survive and the more we can learn and take in, the mentally stronger we will get.

Be observant, go into it with a open mind and don’t get caught thinking that you have it figured out. Learn everyday.

Categories : Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog, Parents

High Elevation

Jun
30

2014-05-25 15.34.25It’s very tough to pitch in higher elevation cities. Pitchers struggle with it all the time. Sinkers don’t sink. Fly balls fly further than normal. Breaking balls usually don’t have the bite they do when closer to sea level. In my opinion, there are a couple keys to be able to have some success in these places.

First, you better be able to pitch inside with your fastball. And I’m not just talking about going in there a couple times, I’m talking about going in there often enough to make the hitters uncomfortable. Hitters naturally have more confidence in these ball parks since they right away know they have the advantage. Hitters are taught to look for something out over the plate that they can get extended on. Often, they are also taught to let it go inside and look away on the next pitch. I have heard, on many occasions, hitting coaches and hitters say that very rarely will you see a pitcher who can command the inside part of the plate.

When you do go inside, commit to that part of the plate. Tell yourself, if you are going to miss, miss off the plate. It’s ok if you knock someone down or mistakingly hit him, you have to be able to own this side of the plate, especially in those higher elevation places. Get comfortable at pitching inside for balls and strikes and you will see more success.

Second, and this goes for anywhere, you need to learn what “Down in the zone” really means. Five inches above the knee is NOT down in the zone. Down in the zone is the knee caps or lower. Pitchers often fool themselves thinking they made a great pitch, but most of the time if they are able to go back and look at it on video, or ask their catcher, they will realize the pitch wasn’t where they thought it was. When throwing a bullpen session, you need to focus on this. If you throw a pitch that is too high, have a coach or the catcher tell you how high it was and get the next one down. Develop that muscle memory you need to get it down consistently. Become a good self evaluator and be able to recognize when you made a good pitch or bad pitch.

Command the inside part of the plate and the bottom of the zone and you will have more success in not just the higher elevation cities, but anywhere you pitch.

Categories : Chris Gissell, Dudes Blog, Pitching
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