Situational Pitching: What to Throw and When
SITUATIONAL PITCHING IS:
1. Being able to know the right pitch
2. Determining the right location, and,
3. BEING ABLE TO THROW IT WHEN, WHERE, AND HOW YOU WANT IT – EVERY TIME YOU WANT IT.
(It’s not signals from the dugout or fingers from the catcher)
1. KNOW YOUR PITCHER:
- Where does he/she like his/her targets – glove or below?
- Does he/she work fast or slow?
- Does he/she like the glove or body for location?
- Does he/she have high or low focus maintenance?
GET AHEAD AND STAY AHEAD – the more experienced and skilled the pitcher, the less this applies. But it’s always as close to the Golden Rule of Pitching as you can get…
2. KNOW YOUR WEAPONS:
what:
Strike Pitch
the go-to pitch to get ahead in the count,get a strike, or put the batter away.
Occasional Strike Pitch
sometimes relied on for a strike or to put the batter away.
Waste Pitch
used when ahead in the count on an aggressive hitter.
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where:
- Thrown on corners of the plate
- Thrown on the black of the plate.
- Thrown off the plate. |
3. KNOW YOUR COUNT:
0-0
0-1
0-2
1-0
1-1
1-2
2-2
3-1
3-2 |
strike pitch on the corner
occasional strike or waste pitch on the black or off the plate
waste pitch off the plate
strike pitch on the corner
strike pitch on the corner or waste pitch
occasional strike or waste pitch on the black or off the plate
strike pitch on corner (GET THE HITTER!!!)
strike pitch to come back
strike pitch on the corner, no walks |
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4. KNOW YOUR TYPES OF HITTERS:
if:
Batter swings up
Batter swings down
Batter swings late
Batter crowds the plate
Batter is off the plate
Batter dives into the plate
Batter pulls out
Batter swings inside-out |
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then
Throw up
Throw down
Jam him/her low (no change-ups)
Jam him/her
Throw outside corner
Jam him/her (slapper) (Down and In)
Down and out and off
Jam him/her (These hitters can hit to the opposite field easier than the others) |
5. KNOW THE VARIABLES:
the Umpire!!!!
(A) The Pitcher’s Variables:
What’s his/her best pitch or location?
- Today?
- Right now?
What’s his/her worst pitch or location?
- Today?
- Right now?
Is the change-up an option?
- For a strike?
- At all?
(B) The Situation Variables:
What do we need right now?
- Ground ball?
- Fly ball?
- Ball away from a certain player?
What do they need?
- Bunt? (up pitch)
- Slapper? (inside pitch)
- Long ball/fly ball? (low pitch)
(C) The Batter’s Variables:
What did he/she do last time up?
What did he/she look weak on?
Where does he/she hit in the line-up?
(NO CHANGE-UPS TO NUMBERS 8 & 9 IN THE ORDER!!!) |
