Essentials of Baseball Development

We are creatures of routine, from waking up and brushing our teeth to athletes with systematic warm up protocols pre lift or throw, its truly individualized to the fullest extent. 

With that in mind, time and time again I find myself seeing starting pitchers in amateur baseball who do not have a routine, making it up along the way with zero “feel” for what they are supposed to do before their chance to play every five days. That makes sense right? 

From myofascial release to long toss + compression throws, pre start routines vary from pitcher to pitcher, here are bits and pieces I picked up throughout my career from coaches and teammates, to bring you the A-Z guide to having a clue as a starting pitcher. 

Myofascial Release (SMR)

SMR or Self Myofascial Release can be defined as “manipulative treatment that attempts to release tension in the fascia due to trauma, posture, or inflammation. Connective tissues called fascia surround the muscles, bones, nerves, and organs of the body” (https://www.spine-health.com/glossary/myofascial-release) 

Now why is this an important piece of any pitchers pre-throwing routine? Recent studies from the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapyand Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapy have determined that SMR offers the following benefits:

• Significant increase in mobility and joint range of motion
• Potential improvement of vascular function 
• Improved Performance in physical activity 
• Reduced soreness and delayed onset muscle soreness

SMR can be achieved using a wide range of tools on the physical therapy and sports performance market including some of the most popular: High Density Foam Rollers, Lacrosse Balls or Mobility Balls, Accumobility Products, Percussion Massagers such as the Theragun & Hyperice Hypervolt, and so many more. 

I was a huge believer in SMR late in my career, both pre and post outing, I always felt a tension relief. I used a thick PVC wrapped in tape for higher tension rolling on major muscle groups such as: quads hamstrings and lats; a standard high density foam roller for lesser tension on the major muscle groups including: glutes, IT Bands, and shoulder groupings; and a lacrosse ball for muscle specific rolling such as forearms, bicep, hip flexor and upper traps. 

Today, with the release of Percussion Massagers such as the Hyperice Hypervolt, SMR duration is significantly reduced and has become a huge piece of our pitchers warm up routine here at Post University. 

Resistance Bands

Whether it be Crossover Symmetry or Jaeger Bands or even Silverback Sports Band Routine, pre and or post throwing resistance band usage is a staple of maintaining a healthy and mobile throwing both in and out of season. Resistance band programs, take influences and/or are modeled after physical therapy programs, designed to strengthen, condition, and warmup the rotator cuff and surrounding muscles & tendons in the throwing arm. 

From youth to professional levels of baseball, throwing takes a toll on the body, maintaining levels of strength and mobility in the throwing shoulder and elbow is absolutely essential in regards to injury prevention. 

Personally, I have done both the Crossover Symmetry and Jaeger Band resistance band programs, both which I liked and do not have a specific preference. Crossover promotes scapular movement and overall shoulder health, where Jaeger Bands are baseball specific movements through and through. 

I highly recommend you add resistance band training into your pre and post-game throwing routines, simply put, throwing a baseball is a strenuous movement on the shoulder and elbow, why not give yourself a better chance to stay in one piece with a simple band routine?

Plyocare Routine

But Rob, weighted balls are DANGEROUS!! I couldn’t care less if you decide to ignore or bash new age training methods that make you better, do your research before you say something outrageous. Yeah and velocity CAN’T be taught, time to get out from under that rock. 

Anyways, unfortunately for me, ballistic training methods didn’t surface till the tail end of my collegiate career and didn’t make a major impact on me as a player until professional baseball. Being an early adopter of Driveline Baseball throwing methods through remote training, I was looked at like an absolute nut job throwing sand filled rubber balls as hard as I could into a bullpen wall before throwing on the mound. 

There are countless studies and articles citing the benefits of underload/overload training in various sports, especially baseball, and how they relate to improved performance and injury prevention in throwing athletes. Check out Driveline Baseball’s blog, educate yourself kid. 

I have always found that ballistic throwing drills prior to baseball specific throwing was the absolute best way for me to warmup, a way to movement prep while increase range of motion using overload and underload plyoballs. 

With that in mind, I’m not going to go into a multi-page explanation about why you should use weighted balls, but I will give you the same plyoball routine I used pre outing during my career:

Reverse Throw	Pivot Pickoff	Roll In	Rocker	Walking Windup
1×10 2Kg	1×10 2Kg	1×5 1Kg	1 x 1-2 450g	1 x 1-2 450g
1×10 1Kg	1×10 1Kg	1×5 450g	1 x 1-2 225g	1 x 1-2 225g
		1×5 225g	1 x 1-2 150g	1 x 1-2 150g
			1 x 1-2 100g	1 x 1-2 100g

Long Toss

A staple in a majority of pitcher’s warm up routines is long toss, AKA “extension throws”, AKA “airing it out”, and so many other random phrases to describe progressively throwing for distance created over the last few decades. 

Long Toss has shown in various studies to work by strengthening the muscles of the rotator cuff and shoulder, elbow flexor grouping, in an eccentric (muscle lengthening under specific load, in this case a baseball) fashion. During the extension phase of long toss, we are essentially lengthening the muscles in our throwing arm, improving joint range of motion, STRONG long muscles have potential for more energy production. Repetitive overload of the muscles of the throwing shoulder and elbow result in strengthening of the tissue in a concentric fashion forcing the body to recruit global muscle groups and throw the ball harder, and in this case further.  

With that being said, without PROPER eccentric strength in the throwing arm, stresses on the throwing arm are increased during long toss compared to throwing off of a mound. A 2011 study conducted by the Journal of Sports and Orthopedic Physical Therapy concluded that elbow and shoulder stresses increased during long toss during the “late cocking” and “follow through” phases of the throwing motion compared to throws from the mound. (https://www.jospt.org/doi/full/10.2519/jospt.2011.3568)

Isn’t that the point though, to increase stresses on the throwing arm forcing adaptation? 

I was a huge believer in long toss, was a huge influence on my development as a pitcher especially because ballistic throwing methods were at that time not a popular training modality. Long toss is an essential tool in a warmup and/or training setting for baseball players of any position in a structured approach. The best part about long toss is the idea that you, the athlete, determines the RPE (rate of perceived exertion) and what arc or lack thereof is used works best for you in various settings whether that be pre game or offseason throwing settings. 

Compression Throws & Flatground Work

Post extension phase of long toss, compression or “throws on a line” are often the next step in any given pitchers pre game routine while reducing distance with each throw. Now that the muscles of the throwing shoulder are lengthened and ROM is improved, promoting intent and pitching specific movement is essential to game preparation. 

Pulldowns or “compression throws” are an exceptional way to create efficient movement patterns that directly translate to the mound. Lead leg block is argued to be one of the most influential biomechanical checkpoints in the pitching motion that directly impacts pitch velocity and pitch command.

Individual pitchers have their own routine before they head to the bullpen to throw on the mound, I was like many others, always incorporating flatground work before heading to the slope. 

It is common for starting pitchers to throw extended distance changeups with momentum (shuffle) to create “feel”. Changeup arm speed is essential to success of the pitch in game, creating the visual component of a fastball out of the hand and for an extended distance toward home plate. Having a sense of sequencing through release, controlling the relationship and timing between wrist flexion and extension, all contributing to the end result of execution. 

Pre mound work flatground sessions accomplish a wide range of individual goals, each pitcher with a specific emphasis in mind. For example, I always threw flatground sessions at 45-50 feet, I always felt that it created an stress on driving pitches through the zone prior to hopping on the mound and throwing from 60’6”. Guys use flatground work to create “feel” for their off-speed pitches, execution of location, “feel” for extension through release, and a million other specific focal points; flatground sessions are truly to each their own. 

Stepping on the Mound: Pre Game Bullpen

On to the final piece of a starting pitcher’s pre game routine, stepping on the bullpen mound. Every single elite level pitcher has a set routine, a specific pitch sequence, a goal in mind; execution. This is a concept I struggled with my entire career, I saw pre game mound work as a part of the warmup just to create feel for pitches, with no specific goal in mind. 

Execution of fastballs and primary off-speed pitches in any count is the goal right? With that in mind, wouldn’t we want to prime ourselves during a pre-game bullpen to execute those specific pitches? 

This concept was completely foreign to me a bulk of my career, up until professional baseball. Being effectively wild played during my collegiate and professional career, with only one true primary off-speed pitch being a change-up, so I got away with missing spots constantly because of the combination of velocity and movement. 

It is absolutely essential as a pitcher to have a routine as soon as you step on the mound prior to the game. Specific number of pitches to location, pairing fastballs and off-speed to similar spots, simulation of advantage pitcher counts, and replication of hitter sequencing whether that be right or left handed hitters. Set yourself up for success!

Takeaways

The game has changed, velocity is constantly on the rise with the increase in ballistic throwing methods and the concept of pitch design has brought pitchers to another level; development has become a primary focus for players of all ages rather than increasing the amount of games played especially with the rise of player metrics and showcase baseball. 

Creating a routine as a starting pitcher plays a huge role in in-game success, staying consistent setting the table for outing after outing being positive with a constant trend of improvement. We have so many tools as players to choose from pre-game from SMR with new age massage tools to extended distance change-ups, each and every pitcher has their own step by step process.

Each long toss session with specific distances with various number of throws, distances of flat ground work anywhere from 40 to even 60 feet; we have the freedom as pitchers to do whatever “feels” right to get us ready for competition.

Finding out what works for YOU is a process of trial and error, we are all creatures of developed habit unique to us. 

It’s about time to address the never-ending debate among coaches, is there an “ideal” arm action both throwing and non-throwing arm for baseball players? Simply put…we have no idea, and to create absolutes is simply moronic, yet in the baseball coaching world everyone seems to have it figured out. 

Here’s my take on some methodologies about upper body throwing mechanisms I have seen, and so called “anatomical absolutes” and how they relate to energy movement throughout the kinetic chain.

If you haven’t read Driveline Baseball’s “Hacking The Kinetic Chain” and their section about Upper Body throwing mechanics, specifically The Arms: Separation, Pickup, Disconnection, Elbow Spiral, Driveline, Recovery on pages 24-35 you need to figure it out and educate yourself. Their programming and mentorship from the one and only @flamadgaf (give him a follow on Instagram) saved my career and got me back to throwing low to mid 90’s after years of being “domed up” after labrum surgery. 

I had an awesome conversation with Anthony Brady, biomechanist at Driveline Baseball @baseballfreak12 (follow on Instagram) , about the relationship between maintaining elbow flexion inside 90 degrees into the driveline phase and reduced elbow valgus stress. To translate that into simpler terms, I wanted to know his thoughts on if maintaining elbow position of the throwing arm at or inside 90 degrees showed reduced stress on the elbow? 

To my surprise over the course of a 20 minute conversation, he was actually investigating that concept and expanding it even further, how the “timing” of kinetic checkpoints could be more influential on reduced stresses then the actual positions themselves and how throwing drills can be improved and adjusted to impact elbow stresses. The blending of biomechanical data and throwing checkpoints, this was when his biomechanical skeleton overlays and analysis hit the web, if you haven’t seen them they are a must. Here’s a still of one below:

Driveline Baseball breaks down arm action into its simplest form, for me it put a lot of my thoughts into words and expanded it 10 fold. Here’s a quick summary without getting too technical of the six phase progression of arm action:

Separation:Throwing hand separation from glove downward

Pickup:Forearm and wrist move upward either into elbow retraction or toward second base

Disconnection: Scapular retraction of lead arm in unison with throwing arm without opening front shoulder 

Elbow Spiral:At front foot strike, forearm close to vertical with hand in neutral position, elbow begins slightly upward path into external rotation

Driveline:From external rotation into ball release, maximize time between external rotation and internal rotation of throwing shoulder

Recovery: Accept force into deceleration

Here’s a frame by frame video of me throwing during the offseason going into my second year of professional baseball in the Frontier League. Can you see all of the six phases of arm action?

There are so many ideas and arm action concepts publicized on social media, so let’s address a few key ones and stir the pot. 

“The Pocket” originally publicized by Dave Coggin of PFA @pfastrong1 with poster-boy Joe Kelly, has created a ton of buzz in the baseball world. In short, the concept is based off an efficient pickup phase, maintaining a degree of elbow flexion of 90 and below into the following phases of the throwing motion. I am a fan of this concept because of its ability to create movement that is easily replicable, producing consistent results regardless of pitch type. Dave has developed a ton of plyo throwing drills to reinforce this concept and promote proprioception from youth to professionals. Although this a theory based on subjective information, I think it is beneficial for encouraging proper pickup phase which in turn follows suit throughout the movement.  

“Equal & Opposite” a concept that was publicized by coaching legend Tom House of NPA (National Pitching Association) and creator of the Velocity+ Arm Care and now rebranded Throw Smart throwing program. I participated in the Velocity+ Arm Care program at Keystone College, where I pitched for my final year of NCAA eligibility and then coached the following year. This theory based on subjective information can be immediately discredited from being an absolute by watching a Major League Baseball game…see 100 mph arm Tyler Glasnow below…

In an effort to prevent front shoulder rotation, the idea of bringing the chest to the glove was born, talk about replacing your glove with a huge stop sign. This became popular in football with guys such as Tom Brady and others. I have literally seen instructors teach pitchers to control their front arm like this… Does this position look like any pitcher you have ever seen?

Here’s National League Cy Young winner Jacob Degrom at similar release…

With that in mind, two completely different sports, with two athletes with completely different physiological makeups and biomechanical checkpoints. Yet, disconnection of lead arm is simply not achievable by forcing the “torso to the glove” or insert random external cue. I’m not going to go into stationary drills used by a certain association promote excessive shoulder abduction, and resemble the “Inverted W”, a phenomenon that shown to be problematic. (Driveline Baseball wrote a great blog post addressing this theory, go check it out https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/2010/09/strasburg-the-inverted-w-and-pitching-mechanics/)

To finish out my short rant about Tom House and his methodology of absolutes, his weighted ball throwing program is an absolute disaster and here’s a few reasons why. 

1. Max effort holds & throws multiple days per week

2. Little to no individualization 

3. No structured recovery protocols 

4. No emphasis of strength training 

5. Max effort throw with no ball or just towel

6. 2lb, 1lb & 2oz “Run and Gun” throws, ummm what

Who knows if the newly rebranded “Throw Smart” Tom House throwing program is altered from what it used to be, I sure hope so, max effort 3+ days a week…no thanks, luckily I am still intact. 

Now for the throwback throwing 101 external cues such as “show the ball to second base, centerfield, ect.”, the staples of the old school throwing method, that is still in use today by youth coaches nationwide. Looking at old school cueing and the sequence of events that follow:

 “Leg Lift and Balance Point”

“Ball down and away”

“Power Position (Lead elbow toward target, Baseball Facing Centerfield)

“Throw and Tuck the Glove” 

 “Finish out front and in Fielding Position”

This series of “mechanical checkpoints” are often labeled with numbers in a group setting in an effort to teach to the masses. Here are my thoughts…

Does momentum result in higher throwing velocity? YES, Velocity = Mass x Acceleration. So as pitchers, why wouldn’t we try and use momentum to our advantage down a slope? So, in theory, a “balance point” would be a break in momentum would it not? 

Now, “ball down and away”, promoting elbow extension toward the ground or second base with itself not being an issue, but with athletes without levels of proprioception we may see excessive pronation or supination into elbow extension. 

The infamous “power position” in itself actually being a piece of the kinetic chain, proper level of shoulder abduction, and the forearm being between 45-90 degrees ideally at foot strike. Yet, there is no emphasis in this sequence on the pickup phase, with zero emphasis on scapular retraction whatsoever. 

Tucking the glove, or chest to glove, we covered earlier when talking about equal and opposite, but, “finish in a fielding position”, come on man. Talk about teaching a pitcher to not “lead leg block” and force excessive torso flexion toward the ground is just absurd. 

According to Baseball Reference, during the 2018 MLB Regular Season, pitchers were involved in 5.31% of outs made in the field (Putouts & Assists), a whopping 6,926 out of 130,467 outs made. https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2018-specialpos_p-fielding.shtml

I’m sure there are plenty of you reading this blog post being like:

“Way to teach players to not control their front arm” 

“Look at this major league pitcher with his glove in front of his body” 

“Throwing like that will get you hurt!”

“PFP needs to be a priority”

I’m going to leave all the readers with this: Absolutes. A death sentence for any coach without objective information backing up claims. Coaches, as much as you think you know, you don’t. A few years ago I thought I knew a good amount about throwing and the movement involved, guess what, I didn’t, and I am still learning EVERY SINGLE DAY. 

Additional Sources:

Hacking The Kinetic Chain (Driveline Baseball) Matt Daniels & Kyle Boddy