With pitchers and catchers set to report to spring training in 2 days, I thought it would be good to talk about what we can learn by watching the Major Leaguers go about their business. First, let's talk mechanics. When pitchers take the hill in the early weeks of spring training, they're out there trying to get themselves into a comfort zone mechanically, first and foremost. Take a look, during the next couple of weeks, at how pitchers will struggle with their mechanics. Are they balanced throughout their motion? Are they keeping good tempo or are they rushing the ball to home plate? Are they finishing towards home plate or peeling off to first base (Right Handers) or third base (Left Handers)? If you're watching a certain pro's mechanics, think of the mechanical adjustments you're trying to make. Look for guys who are struggling with the same things that you are, because these are the guys that can become a form of video study for you to work with, other than your own.
Second, take a look at how pro pitchers set hitters up. A great way to see exactly what a pitcher is trying to accomplish out there is to keep the book. By keeping the book, you can keep tabs on what pitches a pitcher threw in a certain count, and then reflect on why he was throwing that certain pitch. Was he trying to set up the next 2 pitches? Was he working for a ground ball in a double play situation? Remember, we always have a purpose for EVERY SINGLE PITCH WE THROW. You will never throw a "waste" pitch. If a coach tells you to "waste" a pitch, he's not necessarily a guy you want to be taking pitching advice from. My apologies for digressing from the topic at hand...
Third, and finally, take a look at how a pitcher works both sides of the plate, as well as working up and down in the zone. In order to get hitters out, we need to change eye levels, as well as a hitters balance. If we can get the hitter off balance, even in the slightest bit, we can get him to hit the ball where we want in any situation. Take notice to pitchers during spring training, and how they work each hitter. Here is an example of what I'm talking about...
-At :27, Johnson starts Shinjo off with a 0-0 slider, down and in. Shinjo's weight is on his front foot, which means he was reading fastball, telling us that the spin on the slider is really tight, almost impossible to see.
-At :45, Slider down and in again, Shinjo is still reading fastball on the slider. Johnson now owns both sides of the plate. Shinjo still can't pick up Johnson's spin on the slider, and has yet to see the fastball.
-At 1:05, Johnson throws a fastball away. To me, this is the key pitch in the entire sequence. Go back and watch the first two pitches, and see where Shinjo's stride was on the sliders. Now, watch where his stride goes on the 0-2 fastball away...He strides to third base, which means his weight is on his heels. Johnson should go with the fastball away again, he owns him.
-At 1:20, Johnson throws a slider, down and in, repeating his pitch selection from the Little League days. Johnson gets lucky, as Shinjo hooks the slider foul, down the third base line. Let's see what happens next...
-At 1:47, the catcher (Jake Taylor?) calls for a fastball, down and in, but Johnson misses away with it, as Shinjo swings through it, because his weight is still on his heels.
I hope that example gives you an idea of how to battle hitters as the season approches. Again, you will see pitchers during spring training working on their mechanics, pitch location, and pitch selection. As we just saw in the video, Randy Johnson threw an extra pitch in the Shinjo at-bat because of poor pitch selection. Those extra pitches will add up over the course of a game and a season, so it is important for us to be smart, and more importantly, efficient on the hill when we approach hitters.
On a side note, I want to congratulate Andy Messa, on the upcoming birth of his son. Andy is a 6'2, lefty, and if the genes stay strong, his son will be as well. Here at AE, we're prepping to get the little, soon to be southpaw on the draft and follow list ASAP. Congrats to Andy and his wife!
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