pitching control?

Question

i can throw the ball really hard but i have no control. even when im not throwing my hardest I cant really throw the ball straigt. any advice?

Answer 1

It's more than likely have to do with your mechanics.

Pitching is a two-phase motor skill, if you want to improve (both velocity and control wise), you have to pitch from the mound at game time intensity with many repitions.

*Scientific stuff as to why you'll want to do what I say below*

From 28.6 of The Science and Art of Baseball Pitching: "Skill learning is determined by performing skill repititons and obtaining feedback (meaning, the catcher asked for a fastball low and away. Was it there?) in the absence of fatigue.

For skill learning to occur, learning has to take place in blocks so that feedback from one trial can be used to modify the next trial. That feedback gradually causes good elements to be retained and poor elements to be altered. The essential feature of learning is that the proximity of trials allows the learning benefits (the feedback) from one trial to transfer to the next. However, when other activities intervene between repititions of a skill, the benefits of feedback are disrupted. This interference means that what is experienced in one trial quickly becomes masked by the intervening unrelated activities. Consequently, sporadic trials wth unrelated trials in between do not foster learning. This is a major reason for skill development not being an artifact of a game experience. A block of repititions of the same skill should promote learning and improvement.

Fatigue is the other main feature that must be considered when planning or conducting skill development in a training session. Fatigue impedes learning. Skills and tactical elements are learned faster and retained better when learning occurs in non-fatigued states. All learning should precede (be before) any occurrence of fatigue in a training session... it has been shown that techniques and tactics learned in non-fatigued states produce better performances in fatigued states than do skills that have been learned in the persence of fatigue (Barnett, Ross, Schmidt, & Todd, 1973; Williams, McEwan, Watkins, Gillespie, & Boyd, 1979). The phsiology of learning supports this finding. The formation of neuromuscular patterns is inhibited by increases in acidity of the supporting physiological environment. Thus, when lactic acid accrues (increases) because of physical fatigue, the potential for learning is reduced. The other and more common complication of fatigue involvese neuromuscular patterns. Each skill trial lays down catecholamines at the nerve synapses in the evoked neuromuscular pattern. On the next trial, nerve impulses find it easier to follow the "chemical trail" than when there was none. That is why specific skill warm-ups and mental imagery work. They invoke the appropriate chemicals pattern of a movement and make it easier to perform the skill reliability.
However, if each skill trial is varied, the catecholamines are laid down in several patterns, some of which might be better than others. In time, the body becomes confused as to which neuromuscular pattern should be invoked because there are so many possible pathways to be followed." Once that happens, you'll want to stop and rest for awhile, if not the rest of the day, until the chemical status surrounding the nerves return to normal.

*End scientific stuff. Begin: what I say*

What all that above explained is if you want to get better, you're going to have to throw in blocked sets - with rest in between - so as not to fatigue, and to also go over what you need to work on during the next block in order to improve.

You'll want to throw 5-6 of the same pitch in the same location (and it'd be nice if you had someone watch you to offer advice, or what would be better is videotaping, so you can see yourself what you need to fix), then take about 1 1/2 to 2 minute break, then do this again.
Keep record of how many times you hit the desired location, and always try to become better than the pitch before.

This will all help you improve. The more you pitch (and with good feedback so you know what to do to improve), the better you'll become.

As your mechanics are improved, and your skill improves, then start pitching both in non-fatigued and fatigued states. "Arnett, DeLuccia, and Gilmartien (2000) showed that males and not females benefit from practicing in fatigued conditions. Performance in fatigued situations improved after condition-specific practice. A coach must be wary not to practice only in fatigued states but to balance the two experiences and to err on the side of too little rather than too much fatigued practice."

Also, another recommendation is to check out www.pitching.com
You don't have to buy anything, just read, read, and read some more. Read the blogs as well, and best of luck.

If you have any other questions, either ask here or send me and email.

Answer 2

Control is everything!!! If you cant throw a strike you won't be pitching very long. The key to pitching is disrupting the hitters timing. You don't need to blow away the batter to get him out. Changing speeds and location is th best way to fool a hitter. You can purchase a pitchers target at most sporting goods stores. Practice hitting your spots and you will develop control. After mastering your fastball you can work in other pitches like a change up and a curve.

Answer 3

It all comes down to pitching technique and delivering the ball the same way every time. My guess is that you haven't been playing baseball very long and if you really enjoy the game have a good pitching coach look at your delivery. If the skill level is there and you work on the delivery you will find the strike zone.

Answer 4

Try not to aim, and throw at a target like a net. Then get smaller and smaller until you get to a glove

Answer 5

Get some picthing DVD's that teach pitching...it most likely is in your mechanics...

Answer 6

work on mechanics.

greg maddux is a great pitcher b/c he changes speed and has great mechanics

bet you didnt think a girl had the answer!! :-)