For many years, pitcher's have been told "go run poles" by their coaches, with no real science behind it. Distance running for pitcher's has always been described as a way to work the lactic acid out of muscles after a start, or to build endurance in the legs to work deeper into games. As the strength and conditioning climate of baseball continues to move in a positive direction, players and coaches are coming to the realization that, as a pitcher, we are built to perform more like "sprinters" than "long distance runners." Take a second to think about the movements a pitcher will perform in a game situation. When we deliver the ball to home plate, it's an explosive movement. When we hop off the mound to field a ground ball, we're moving in short, quick bursts. When we cover first base, we're sprinting up the line to get to the bag. All the movements we perform during a game situation, are performed within a 60-70 foot radius, at a quick, but short, burst.
Therefore, when we are preparing for those game situations, we should prepare in short, quick bursts. Long distance running during practice is a thing of the past, for present pitchers. Sprint work, as well as some pitcher specific plyometric training (side shuffles, box jumps, lunge hops), should be the focus of in season conditioning during practices. If our players want to do some long distance cardio on their own, we won't stop them, but we don't find it necessary in order to maximize performance on the bump.
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