Re-Defining Success

As a pitcher, success is something that we measure with every pitch. We ask ourselves: Was that a good pitch? Was it hard enough? Did the batter hit it? Was it hit hard? The questions keep going. Oftentimes a pitcher will measure success under the idea that failure is not an option. Well, I would like to change your perspective on what a successful pitcher is. This means we have to re-define what success means in the sport of baseball.

The most important thing to know is that baseball is a sport of failure. I know it seems harsh, but it's true. It is the only sport that an above-average hitter fails seven times out of ten. That's 70% of the time! It seems like pitchers have a huge advantage, but what happens the other 30% of the time? Well, a great pitcher has a an era of 3.00 or less. This means that in that small window of success, an offense still manages to get 3 runs a game off of a pitcher.

What do all these numbers imply? It means that we cannot measure success with score or ERA or even strikeouts for that matter. We cannot rely on factors outside of our control to determine our success, because there are too many variables that we cannot account for or even measure. By measuring success in this way, we give ourselves a false sense of accomplishment and/or failure. We want to measure things that give us a more accurate account of our performance and realistic expectations of ourselves.

What can we measure? In order to answer this we have to figure out what is in our control. Every one has a to have a starting point, a time when you begin to measure success. For professional athletes it is a constant in their routine. In season, this begins immediately after their outing with how they recover. It then moves from there to measuring the success of side sessions and then pre-gameday preparation, pre-game preparation and all the way through the start. For the sake of this article we will focus specifically on the game itself. It is a great place to start from and to learn the process. Later, we can expand on it.

Here are some questions we can use to help measure success in a game. They are broken down into 4 categories: Before the Inning Starts, During the Inning, Between Innings and The End of Your Performance.

Before the Inning Starts - Were my warmup pitches effective? Did I locate them? Did I have a plan for them? Did I throw each warmup pitch with conviction?

During the Inning - Did I throw each pitch with conviction? Did I hit my spots? (Notice how I didn't say 'did I throw strikes?' This is something the umpire controls, not you.) How was my tempo? How did I deal with adversity? (This is important because it can be the difference between a good outing and a bad one.) Did I field my position?

Between Innings - What did I do between innings? Was I in the game? If you are batting, are you able to separate it from pitching? (These require two completely independent means of measurement. You have to be able to switch and differentiate between the two.) Before taking the mound again was I ready to commit to a new inning?

The End of Your Performance - Do not make a final determination of your success until after the game when you have time to re-visit each question above. Your ability to stay in the moment will translate to the mound. If you are sulking in the corner this attitude can be projected on to other teammates. When you do have time to re-visit your outing (within 24-hours), quantify each answer by use of a scale. It could be as simple as answering the questions with always, sometimes, rarely, never. This way you can see how this improves over the season.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Don't let your measurement be result driven, meaning that once the ball leaves your hand the result is out of your control and therefore cannot be quantified or reflect your success.
- Sometimes in this game you will get beat even if you have done everything above. It is the nature of the game.
- If you can answer all these questions with confidence and you know you did everything you should have, that should be all you need to say "I was successful".
Be satisfied with that and I guarantee that you will become a better pitcher.

Remember: nothing can get you to the next level faster than working with a professional. If you, or someone else you know, needs individual instruction please contact me via email at gwhelan@tpgpitching.com for more information.

Improving Velocity - Quick Fix

Velocity is constantly on the minds of pitchers at every level. Although velocity is not the most important factor in being successful, it is still a very valuable asset when playing at higher levels. I am going to tell you how you can instantly add a little velocity to your pitches or at least give you a little more life on your fastball by addressing a common issue amongst younger pitchers; getting behind the baseball.

We hear this phrase all the time, at every level, but what does it mean?

Well, to put it simply, it means using ALL the force generated by the body to throw the ball, while taking as much strain off the arm as possible. Oftentimes pitchers generate a lot of power but miss out on using it because the body jumps ahead of the ball too fast, making the arm do all of the work. So how do we fix this?

One simple fix is to separate your hands a little earlier. This gives the arm a head start getting it into the slot easier and allow the body to stay back. Here is a simple drill you can do to teach your muscles the right timing. Get to the balanced position and pause. A split second before you begin to drop your lift leg, begin to separate your hands. Continue your motion until just before you come out of balance and pull your lift leg and arms back up to the balance position you started in. Repeat this 10 times and rest for 30 sec. You should do 2 or 3 sets of this drill every other day.

Remember: nothing can get you to the next level faster than working with a professional. If you, or someone else you know, needs individual instruction please contact me via email at gwhelan@tpgpitching.com for more information.

Conviction...

...is one of the most important aspects of a pitchers game. Every pitch matters and a pitch thrown with conviction is more likely to be successful than that same pitch thrown without.

Everyone has heard that the game of baseball is more cerebral than physical. The mental aspect of the game for a pitcher is probably even more important. I have learned that hitters feed off of the energy we provide, so if we are up there just throwing what's called then we get shelled. If you believe in the pitch you are about to throw, and know it will be successful, then you can get anyone out you want to.

I know what your thinking: "easier said than done." Right? Well, sure I wouldn't be talking about it here if it was easy. But if you go to the mound with a few of these tips, you will more easily master the art of conviction.

1. Own the pitch - whether you or someone else is calling the game, the pitch is still yours. This way there is no one to blame, thus eliminating excuses and instilling belief in every pitch.

2. Do not second guess - If there is any doubt in your head -- at all -- about the pitch called, step off the rubber and collect your thoughts. Then don't get back on the rubber until you own the pitch. You control the pace of the game. A lot of pitchers forget this. You need to believe 100% in the pitch you're about to throw.

3. Control emotion - Whatever happens you need to know that once the ball leaves your hand the outcome is no longer in your control. It's all about preparation. If you have done everything else right you cannot get upset if a guy bloops your best pitch in for a hit. You need to show everyone that every pitch you throw is exactly what you wanted to throw. This confidence will rub off on your teammates and intimidate the opponents.

4. Repeat.


Try this the next time you hit the mound. Don't stop at the games either. Do this in the pen and while playing catch and it will become second nature in no time.

Remember: nothing can get you to the next level faster than working with a professional. If you, or someone else you know, need individual instruction please contact me at (510) 260-6184 or via email at graigwhelan@gmail.com for more information.