Total Reading Time: 6 minutes

Happy Monday! We’ve officially hit the holidays and while you should be relaxing you’re no doubt busier than ever. This week we’ll look at a month-long pitching plan based on whether or not your pitchers worked out over the break, as well as how to figure out the number of pitches they need to throw each week.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All of You!

Let’s Go!

Table of Contents

• How Many Pitches Should They Throw Each Week?

• A 4-Week Plan for the 3 Scenarios Coming Back From …

How Many Pitches Should They Throw Each Week?

Coming back from the break we feel this huge need to ramp up our pitchers workload as if they’re all complete-game horses. And of course, they aren’t. In fact, in today’s pitching climate and offensive-minded atmosphere it’s a rarity for 1 pitcher to throw a complete game let alone win one.

Instead of having a complete-game horse, we’re all starting to use pitching staffs to some degree. And since each member of the staff has a different and specific role, they all have different numbers of pitches that each role can anticipate throwing.

As a result, that’s the number of pitches they need to train for, and it varies greatly based on the role.

Let’s check it out:

Based on this grid there’s a huge difference between what a Pinch-Pitcher and a Horse can expect to throw.

I believe ONE GIAGANTIC way we’ve failed to properly prepare our pitchers (I know that I sure have) - is treating their pre-season pitchloads all the same yet knowing their roles will be different. Just saying that outload sounds dumb, and yet I’ve done it every year and never thought about it until sitting down to write this article!!

Basically, here’s the gist:

• Small Quantity Pitching Specialists (Openers and Pinch-Pitchers) are QUALITY SPECIALISTS and as such can expect to only throw 10-25 total pitches in an outing. So they don’t need to risk losing the specificity in the quantity. They’re like field-goal kickers - they don’t do much but what they do is critical!

• Mid Quantity Pitching Specialists (Bridge and Closers) are the MID-RANGE SPECIALISTS and can expect to throw between 30-50 pitches, so they’re more like middle distance runners that need enough endurance to last but enough strength to dominate their role. Too many pitches in weeks and weeks of practice over the course of a season and they start to strain and fizzle out.

• Whole Game Specialists (The Horse) are the LONG HAUL TRUCKERS and as such their load is enormous, so their workload is tricky. Early in Spring they need to have their pitch count built up to around 80-90 pitches 3 days/week so they can handle the load. BUT - it’s a tricky balance because the more they pitch during the season the more rest they’ll need during the week. Each of these pitchers is different, so make sure you watch them closely and monitor their arm health.

Just know that you can’t train a great Opener the way you train a Horse, and visa versa.

So take all of this into account when you look at the next article about building your pre-season month-long plan.

A 4-Week Plan for the 3 Scenarios Coming Back From Break

Coming back from break is always a hold-your-breath kind of moment for coaches. Did they work out, did they pitch? While we can’t ask them and can’t make them do it it doesn’t mean we can’t worry about it.

But whether they did or didn’t, you’ve got to create a pitching plan for all of them to prepare for those first couple of weekends of the season.

Well maybe you don’t. I’ve taken a stab at it for you based on the 3 most likely scenarios of pitchers coming back from break, and listed what you need to be mindful of with each group.

The 3 groups to me are:

• DIDN’T DO ANYTHING - since this group literally did nothing, soreness will be what holds them back. They’ll be sore from pitching again, from the weightroom again and from conditioning again. This is the group most likely to injure themselves because - well they did nothing.

• WENT TO THEIR OLD PITCHING COACH & UNDID EVERYTHING YOU DID IN THE FALL - This group meant well over break but they’ve likely gone backwards. So be mindful that their old pitching coach has a very emotional place in their life, 5so frame all the re-do work as just adding to what the old coach did. Be patient as this group’s progress will take the longest.

• DID EVERYTHING & CAME BACK READY-TO-GO - if only. Some of our pitchers will come back like this, and they’ll be ready to throw 100 pitches on Day 1. You’re going to have to be mindful of them wanting to step-on-the-gas and probably hurt themselves in the process. Give them a specific daily and weekly pitch count and let them see that it builds up to get them ready for the season (otherwise they’ll panic and overwork).

With that, I’ve taken a stab at making a practice plan for all 3 types of pitchers, based on 5 days per week and 4 weeks before our first tournament weekend. It’s not etched in stone, adjust it as you need to, and also adjust the pitch quantities based on the role of each of your pitchers.

Also know that as humans, it’s MUCH easier for us to change something we’re looking at than it is to create it from a blank page. Trust me - I stared at this blank page until last night (ha!).

I hope this helps you!

Text me changes that you make to it - I’d love to see them and share them with everyone.

Thanks for reading this week’s Curveball Chronicles. I hope you gained some insight, some encouragement, some knowledge or some 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/