Keys for Making Good Pitching Changes

Total Reading Time: 4 minutes

In this issue we’ll examine keys for making good pitching changes, something called the 99% Trap, and a program that can help your pitching coach… My passion is helping people and I hope this newsletter helps you!

Today's Topics:

• Keys for Making Good Pitching Changes

• Why to Avoid the 99% Trap

• Could Your Pitching Coach Use Some Help?

Keys for Making Good Pitching Changes

Making pitching changes is the hardest decision in our sport. While we all want to control the outcome, we can only control the factors we consider.

As my good friend Stacey Nuveman Deiniz (SDSU) says, “you want to make the change before the 3 run homerun instead of after it.”

That sounds great, but what things should you consider to avoid the BIG damage? Let’s consider these:

• If you run out of pitchers, do so with 6 outs or less left.

• Kill momentum NOW!

• Extend your Bulk pitcher (the one eating up most of the outs)

• Piece your relievers together in 5-6 outs

• Creat a plan where if 1 pitcher doesn’t perform - then you can still win. But know that if 2 or more pitchers don’t perform - you’re not winning the game.

• When you matchup with an opponent, you want to change to something that matches up better! (Which may not be your best pitcher, just your best matchup)

Why to Avoid the 99% Trap

I came across this concept from Laido Dittmar recently, and it goes like this: 99% of what you DO and THINK today will be almost exactly the same as what you did and thought yesterday.

Laido calls it The 99% Theory but I call it the 99% Trap because it’s so easy to fall into and so hard to recognize.

Whatever you call it, it says that your priority will slowly shift in practice from pushing your skill forward to simply practicing your routine. We shift from taking risks that stretch and grow our skills to playing it safe and protecting the skills we already have.

When this shift happens, we make the same skills, the same thoughts and the same routines our priority - which ensures that we will stay the same. That we will not improve ourselves, create new thoughts or develop better skills.

I’ve written about this danger before: The danger of placing routine ahead of improvement. Routine is comforting to us as coaches because it’s neat and tidy. Progress makes us nervous because it looks messy.

That’s why it’s so easy to fall into the 99% Trap. Watch out for it! If you truly want to make your pitchers better then YOU’VE got to make yourself better each day. You’ve got to avoid the 99% Trap so your pitchers can push through and expand their skills.

Could Your Pitching Coach Use Some Help?

Finding experienced Pitching Coaches has been a huge challenge, so lots of coaches are faced with hiring pitching coaches that may not be totally ready for the challenge.

They’re young, eager, able, and enthusiastic - but lacking experience in the skills needed to guide a pitching staff through a season.

Let me help. If this sounds like your situation (or YOU) - call me. We can work out a mentoring/consulting program that lets me connect with your pitching coach on a regular basis and offer a myriad of help from practice to game planning to pitch calling to pitcher development.

Let me help - while spots are still open.

Email: [email protected] Or Text: 813-368-2048

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Hear:

Jen Rocha, OU - Trisha Ford , Texas A&M - Kirk Walker UCLA - Nate Walker - Diamond Solutions

From the 2024 Pitching Summit

Hope you enjoyed this Issue. If there’s something specific you want to read about send that to me at [email protected]

See You Next Week!