Can someone explain ( and I don't mean strikes and balls) pitching to me? I mean really explain in detail?

Question

I don't understand the ins and outs of it. Why is the count so important? Why should the hitter not swing sometimes(based on the count)? All the little details of what is going on between the pitcher and Hitter-I just can't grasp it. I stupidly thought that the pitcher simply tried to throw a pitch that the hitter couldn't hit, but it seems to be much more complicated. Help?

Answer 1

you are correct..."the pitcher simply tried to throw a pitch that the hitter couldn't hit,"
that is basically it...but lets say the batter has 3 balls and no strikes...then he takes one or more pitches because if the pitch is a ball he gets a walk and goes to first base...which is better than swinging where the odds are 3-1 that he will make an out.

Answer 2

The count is simple. The first number is number of balls and the second umber is the number of strikes. For example, 3-2 is a full count, 3 balls and 2 strikes. This is a very important count because if the pitcher throws a ball, the hitter draws a walk and gets on base, but a strike can lead to a strikeout.
If a pitcher throws 3 straight balls, the count is 3-0. Often times, the hitter won't swing at the next pitch because the pitcher is obviously struggling to locate his pitches and may walk him. Even if he throws a strike, the count is just 3-1 and the pressure is still on the pitcher, not the batter.
Conversely, if the pitcher starts off with an 0-2 count, he won't necessarily throw a strike. He puts the pressure on the hitter to still get on base and overcome the deficit. This pressure may cause the hitter to make a bad decision and swing at a bad pitch.
Counts are very important. If pitchers are consistently throwing balls, it may indicate to the manager that he is off his game and should be taken out early. The minimum number of pitches per inning is 3. Normally, a pitcher will make 10-20 pitches per inning. If a pitcher throws a lot of pitches in an inning, he will tire and won't go for as many innings.
If a pitcher is particularly sharp one game, hitters are encouraged to "work the count." This means don't just swing at the first pitch. If the hitter is going to make an out anyway, he might as well make the pitcher work for it and tire himself in th process.

Hopefully this is helpful.

Answer 3

Hmarshall, I'll try to be simple about this. The pitcher is trying to throw a pitch that the hitter can't hit, but if it's not over the plate and in the strike zone, it will be a ball. 4 balls and the batter will walk and get on base so the pitcher has to be careful where he pitches it. A lot of times the batter will not swing on the first pitch because he wants to get a feel for the pitcher (how hard he's throwing, etc) and he hopes it will be a ball. When there is more balls than strikes in the count, the pitcher has to put more emphasis on putting the ball over the plate so it's not another ball and the batter doesn't walk. That makes it easier for the batter to hit it.

Answer 4

Well they have like an imaginary box from about your chest to your knees and that is that strike zone. The pitcher wants to get it fast so the batter swings so slow that they miss and usually they want it right in the strike zone unless of course the batter has 2 strike then usually you are supposed to throw a ball because every better knows that when you have two stikes you have to "protect the plate" which means only swing if it is in there and if it is swing as hard as you can. So if the pitcher throws a ball down the middle than they will prbably hit it. One time a girl in softball did that and the batter hit a homerun! Sometimes the pitcher will walk some batters because it is way better to do that than let them hit a homerun. So the cathcher will go way out of the batters box and they will basiclly play catch. It alll depends on the batter and how many people are on base or the count. I hope that hepled you.

Answer 5

OK, the pitcher is trying to get out, that doesn't always mean throwing so the batter doesn't hit it. a lot of baseball pitchers try to throw balls so that the batter can hit into a double play. well you know that 3 strikes is an out and 4 balls is a walk so if the count is 3 balls no strikes he should swing because there is a good chance it will be a ball, and even if it isn't there is only on strike on you. if the count is no balls and 2 strikes then you have to be picky, and gaurd the plate. which means that you have to swing at almost everything. the goal of the hitter is to get on base, so if they get walked that is a good thing.

I hoped i helped.

Answer 6

Pitchers who try to throw pitches that batters can't hit don't last very long. That's why there are eight other players on the field. Pitchers try to throw pitches that the batter can't hit hard. Check out the link below, maybe it will help.

http://www.pitching.com

Answer 7

It means that a participant ought to no longer be the suited striker yet he's very precise on loose kicks, corners and consequences. ie- while the ball is lifeless and that's no longer open play examples- David Beckham, Andrea Pirlo

Answer 8

Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing.
--Warren Spahn (HOF pitcher)

Answer 9

I think that you need a professional to answer this one. You got a Psychiatrist number handy?

Answer 10

pLEASE SEE THE LAST URL ARTICLE THE ART OF PTICHING IN BASEBALL FROM AN 1886 ARTICLE IN SCIENTIFICAAMERICAN.


This is the most improtan and the most fun part of baseball. Ptiching has so many nuaances that it would be impossible to explain the whole thing you would have to get invovlde in foregin substances stealing signs chin music etc. There is nothing like a pitcher in all of sport not even a footbal quaterback can be compared. You have to start off with home plate it's a foot sq. and tapered to a point at the end pointing away from the field. It has an inch wide black outline(this is where most pitcers live on the balck outline). The ptichinfg rubber where the pitcer stands is exactly 60 ft 6 inches from the bgining of the palate. If the ball passes anywaher over that plate or part of it even the smallest part of a balck cornerg between the batters knees and letters on his jersy then that is a strike anywhere not in that "strike zone" is a ball. Of course the determination of whether a pitch is in or out of the strike zone is made by the home pplate umpire (that gut with the thick glasses that is foudn behind the cather in a somewhat awarked postion (although not as awakward as that of a footbal quaterback and cente combo). Pitches typicaly have three charactistics speed or velocitiy(how fast the ball goes) low 90s great fast ball, high 90's unbelivable, 100s(nolan ryan. randy johnson when he was young on a good day), location is the second charcteristic where the ball is in relation to that strike zone, so say for example a pitch is at the batters knees and just cuts across the balck portion of the plate that is inside to the batter (on the batters side) this would be a strike although the batter might be fooled thinking the pitch was inside, but the ump desided that no it wqasn;t inside it just was on the edge of that 1 inch black outline on the inside parotion of the plate. The thrid characteristic is movement pitchers just doun't thourhg the ball straight those wiley dudes the cureve in and out big curves small curves they drop jus t slighlty at the end or the fall off the edge of a table, screw balls curve the oposite way and knuckleballs the mariposa (who knows where that one is going.). and oh my great gaylord perry he's loaded one up, so velocity, location, movement remeber these three. next time types of pitchers power and junk ballers. You know who I really miss luis tiant. El Tiant. He would turn his back on th ebatter and his pitchs would arc and drop in for a strike. I was blessed to see him pitch.

Unfortunately for the statement made by the World editor, viz., that "scientifically the theory is absurd," the theory in question is as simple in its rules as it is easy of demonstration practically. It is as follows: The ball, in its horizontal flight through the air from the hand of the thrower - technically known as the pitcher - is retarded in its forward motion by the resistance of the air, which not only exerts a pressure on the face of the ball, but also a resisting force on its sides by friction. Now, if the ball is simply thrown forward without any special bias being given it, the friction of the air is equal on each side of it; but if it be made to rotate on its own axis from right to left or left to right, the conditions are at once materially changed, inasmuch as in the latter case one side of the ball's surface is made to move forward through the air with twice the rapidity of the other side, and to the extent of this increased lateral friction is the ball retarded in its progress one the side on which the increased friction bears. The result of this changed relation is naturally a curve in the line of its delivery in the direction of the side on which its progress has been retarded. This is the simple philosophy of the curve of modern baseball pitching. The application of the theory in practice is to learn to give the necessary bias or rotary motion to the right or left - in order to produce the "in curve" or the "out curve." For instance, the appended diagrams illustrate the lines of direction of a curved ball, the straight arrow (Cut A) indicating the forward direction of the ball, and the bent arrow that of the rotary movement of the ball on its own axis. The bias to the right or left is imparted by a quick motion of the wrist, the ball being clasped by the fingers in such a way as to give it the required twist.

If the ball (or strictly its center of gravity) is moving forward (let us say at the rate of 100 feet per second), and at the same time it is revolving so that points on its equator are traveling around its center at an equal rate, it is evident that D is travelling backward as fast as the ball, as a whole, moves forward; while I is moving forward at its own rate plus that of the center - that is, twice as fast as E. As the friction of the air increases with the velocity of the moving object, it must be greatest at I and least at D, being really zero at D under the conditions given. The I side of the ball is therefore retarded more than the center or any other part, while the D side suffers no retardation. The result must be a curve toward the retarded side. When the rotation is on a nearly vertical axis, this effect will be at its maximum, and, according to the direction of the "twist," the ball will curve to the right or to the left - "in" or "out."

It is almost impossible to fully illustrate the action of the wrist and fingers in imparting the bias to the ball which produces the curves in question, but a curve pitcher gives me the appended illustration of his method of holding the ball when he first takes his position to throw, and when the ball leaves his hand.

He says that in order to produce the out curve, you secure the ball between the first two fingers closed in the palm of the hand. In delivering the ball to the batsman, throw the arm forward midway between the shoulder and the waist, and at the moment of releasing the ball turn or twist the hand quickly to the left.

The cuts above show how the ball is held just before its delivery, and also its position as it leaves the hand. (Cut B.) In producing the in curve, the pitcher should grasp the ball securely with all the fingers, and with the thumb pressed firmly against the opposite side. Throw the ball at a height equal to the shoulder, and at the instant of releasing it from the hand twist quickly outward, allowing the ball to twist off the ends of the first two finger.

These two movements are still further shown in the preceding cuts, the ball marked with the back spot and letter A, held in the hand, and the same as it leaves the hand, showing how the ball is made to rotate on its own axis while it is being thrown forward; while the figure standing - Nos. 1 and 2 - show the movement of the arm in throwing. (Cut C.)

The accompanying diagram illustrate the lines of the two curves, one of which is developed nearer the home plate than the other. The dotted lines show the direction the ball would take but for the rotary motion imparted to the right or the left, and it will be seen that in both instances but for the curving of the ball it would have passed clear of the base, but the curves take it over the base. (Cut D.)

There are other important essentials of success in the art of pitching outside of the power to curve the ball to the right or left, and the first of these is thorough control of the ball in delivery, without which strategic skill in pitching is next to impossible; besides which, even the curving or the ball is robbed of its advantages. Of what use is the power to curve the ball in sending it to the batsman unless you can control its direction so as to make it pass over the home plate, and at the height call for by the batsman, at will? Speed in delivery is another essential which is comparatively useless as an element of success unless accompanied by thorough command of the ball. But suppose you possess these essentials of the "curve" and of speed in delivery, in combination with the required command of the ball, so as to secure accuracy of aim in your pitching, you will still be wanting in a thorough knowledge of the "art of pitching" unless you can bring skillful strategy into play in your work in the "box," technically termed "headwork."

It may be naturally be asked, "What is strategy, or 'headwork,' in pitching?" and its elements may be summed up as follows: Primarily, it is to deceive the eye and the judgement of the batsman who faces you as to the character of the ball sent in to the bat; such as making it appear that you are sending in a very swift ball, when, in fact, the pace of the ball is lessened by a well disguised method of delivery. Also to suddenly change the line of the ball's direction through the medium of the "curve" after sending in a straight ball. To these strategic points are to be added that of watching the action of the batsman, so as to catch him standing out of good "form" for effective batting; and lastly, to tempt him to hit a high ball to a part of the field where you have a fielder ready to catch it. These are the main characteristics of strategy in pitching, and together with the "curve" and speed and command of the ball, they comprise the essentials of the art.