Total Reading Time: 10 minutes

Happy Monday! Today we talk about data averages that impact pitcher’s progress, as well as diving into a pitching development plan. Oh, and we also look at what to expect from our next zoom.

So Let’s Go!

Data Averages to Help Determine Your Pitcher’s Progress -

We’re constantly trying to get our pitchers better. We collect data, use all kinds of technology, video everything and have all kinds of numbers.

But unless you know what numbers are average, or good, or elite - the numbers don’t help you as much as they could.

I’ve compiled a bunch of these numbers that I’ve collected over the years in my special black book (I’d run back into a burning building to grab it), and I’ve done my best to give you as much, in as simple a format as possible.

Hope it helps!

Next Pitching Zoom Details

Could your pitchers stand to get tougher mentally? If so then join the club - and join our next zoom as we talk all things Mental Game on SUNDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 28 (8pm eastern /5pm pacific).

Megan Rhodes Smith, Tennessee Pitching Coach, will dive into the details of Coaching the Mental Game and share everything she does to help one of the country’s top pitching staffs get and stay mentally strong.

You don’t want to miss this!!! But, if you do - it’s recorded so you can watch it later. That is, if you’re a ZOOM MEMBER. If not - don’t worry, there’s time to join, and it’s easy and affordable.

Our first zoom of the year was last Monday, when Christian Conrad, Arizona pitching coach shared with us how he preps for a game including what data he uses, what video he watches and how he creates his gameplan.

Missed the zoom but want to hear the recording? Become a Premium Zoom Member and get all zoom access!!

Your Fall Progress Requires a Fall Development Plan

If details and numbers aren’t your thing, then talking about a “Development Plan” can sound overwhelming. I get that. Part of my brain goes wonky at the sight of numbers, but the achievement part of me knows how crucial they are to progress and ultimately to success.

There are lots of ways to create a “Development Plan” so I’m not professing to know the only way. I’m just going to share a pretty simple format that I’ve used that has helped me create a roadmap for getting from where each pitcher currently is - to where I can realistically get them to by (1) end of Fall (2) tournament time in Spring (3) Conference time, and (4) Post-Season.

Think of a Development Plan as your GPS. You plug in a destination and the GPS creates your development plan. And just like the GPS, as you take wrong turns or swing in to get something to eat - your plan can totally “recalibrate” along the way. But without a GPS (or development plan), the chances of you actually ending up at your destination are slim.

The best development plan involves some kind of technology; Rapsodo, Yakkertech, HitTrax, FlightScope but you definitely CAN create a plan without it. Access to tech and data just make your plan far more specific and much easier to track and measure progress.

Personally, I use Rapsodo as it has the cheapest entry point - the disadvantage is that you can’t get actually in-game data, but what you can get is still super helpful!

Let me take you step-by-step through creating a development plan for each of your pitchers for the fall.

Before I take you through how to create each pitcher’s plan, here’s what it looks like. For me it includes 2 charts, and a COMMENTS and FOCUS section at the bottom:

STEP 1:

I look at the OVERVIEW tab in Rapsodo (top left corner on the team homepage on the cloud). This allows you to see all your pitchers, and their pitches in one place. Each pitch type is listed at the top so you can toggle through each pitch and note things that stick out to you that you’ll likely include in each pitcher’s plan

This doesn’t show up on the individual pitcher’s report (shown above) but I not only list all of these at the beginning of the complete report I give to the head coach, but I use them to help me see what stands out for each pitcher on each pitch.

STEP 2:

For this section I simply screen capture the Spray Chart (Vertical & Horizontal Break) profile as this singular chart is one of THE most helpful things you can use for a pitcher!

STEP 3:

While the movement profile above (Step 2) shows you the movement of each pitch, the Strikezone Breakdown shows how well the pitcher does or doesn’t command each of her pitches. (NOTE: the dotted line signifies the chase zone. The strikezone is inside of that.)

STEP 4:

Now your work and analysis starts. I start with comments that will help the pitcher’s confidence and belief in themselves.

• Then I simply state how much each of their pitches move, either vertically or horizontally - again - so the pitcher knows how much their stuff moves since so many of them actually have no clue.

• I also comment on pitches that might have good movement but move differently than the pitch-name says. In the case below, the SCREWBALL has good + vertical and - vertical movement - so I said to throw it enough to determine how this pitch is going to move.

• Pitches that don’t move much, or at all, I’ve learned to say we’re going to “pause” them, instead of “stop throwing them”. Pitchers seem to have a better ability to accept something being paused versus stopping it. (Pitches can always be “unpaused” down the road.

STEP 5:

My final step is to look at their movement profile above in Step 2 and compare it to their command of each pitch within the zone (Step 3). So below you can see that I tell this pitcher that while her pitches move gloveside, they’re ending up armside because she’s not trusting her pitches to break and instead, angling the pitch from her shoulder. This is something we’ve already talked about in practice so she’s not reading it here for the first time.

Then I focus on what pitches we’ll focus on for the Fall and what our focus for each pitch will be.

I go over each profile with each pitcher individually so they can understand it. See what I see. And understand what their focus will be this Fall.

In every case the pitchers love getting this report. They comment that they didn’t know their pitches moved that much, and that it’s not only great to hear how good they are, but to know what they’re trying to do this Fall.

Thanks for reading this week’s Curveball Chronicles. I hope it helped give you some insight to help your pitchers, and to give yourself some encouragement, knowledge and grace.

Go make this a Great week!

Missed some previous issues? Don’t worry, I’ve got them all on my website: https://pitchingcoachcentral.com/curveball-newsletter/