Some pitchers are philosophers. Part of this is rooted in the fact that, when they’re not pitching, they tend to do a lot of sitting around. The environment naturally lends itself to thoughtful contemplation. However, the physical trials of pitching also contribute to their proclivity for thinking, thinking and thinking some more. If things aren’t going quite right on the mound, they often doubt (philosophically) any potential contributing factor. Much of this thought goes into their mechanics.
Even for a professional pitcher, proper mechanics are not easily executed. The movements of the arms, torso, hips and legs must be in sync. Consistency is of the utmost importance. Balance ensures a steady delivery. The process can be especially difficult for young athletes.
Coaches should help these youngsters along by taking gradual steps. For example - where do you step on the mound? Do you first move your leg backwards or to the side? With sports team websites, coaches can go through pitching mechanics step by step, helping young players along through this elaborate but teachable procedure.
Professional pitchers regularly work on their mechanics. Young athletes can do it too.
Garza adapts as a veteran
Matt Garza of the Milwaukee Brewers has been a successful pitcher for many years. In his younger years with the Minnesota Twins and the Tampa Bay Rays, Garza could blow by hitters with electric stuff. But as he gets older, the 31-year-old is gradually tweaking his mechanics, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“The last two seasons, me and my brother, who has been along with me this career, we kind of broke it down,” Garza told the news outlet. “When stuff gets exposed, you leave it open for injury, and that’s what I was doing. There’s so much torque coming down that mountain that you can only hold so much so many times.”
Giants prospect learns from his teammates
Kyle Crick, a pitching prospect with the San Francisco Giants, has learned from veteran teammates like Jake Peavy, Tim Hudson and Matt Cain about the intricacies of pitching for many years in a row. He believes the focus on mechanics will help improve his approach to the game.
“I believe last year was the first actual bump in the road for me in my minor league career,” Crick told the news outlet. “It was more of a mentality thing, not trusting myself. I was just trying to do too much with my mechanics and not just throwing the ball. This offseason I got to a better mental state about baseball.”
