Pitching Instruction in Central Texas?

[bronxkid]

I have never heard Englishbey before.





Weighted Balls:" seem like a feather which makes you "throw harder". I believe this is a hallucination and people believe they are throwing so hard becuase they were throwing so dam* slow with the heavy ball. Sort of like where you put a donut on your bat when you are on deck and practice swings and when you go up the plate you "swing faster".

Towel Drill: I like this one, this drill is made to teach arm extension. (explosive velocity: velocity that isn't really there but it feels like it got there fast to the hitter because it seems like it "snuck up on them".)



The towel drill will teach you "perceived velocity". Good luck with this one. Basically you are pitching closer to the plate giving the impression that an 87 MPH pitch will seem quicker if you are about a foot closer to the plate. This drill is a waste of time. Ask Mark Prior about this one.

[EvanAparra]

I was looking to get back into pitching -- havent done it in about 4 years and know I can't do it alone... Does anyone know of an instructor around the Austin area?

If not -- what DVD would be a good place to start?

[losgadas]

The Texas Baseball Ranch, whose president is Ron Wolforth, is located I believe north of Houston. Actually, Montgomery, Texas.

http://www.texasbaseballranch.com/

Although I have not been to his camps, it sounds like a good one. He also has a DVD which you can purchase at:

http://www.webball.com/cms/page1709.cfmhttp://www.webball.com/cms/page1709.cfm

If you get a chance to go, or purchase the DVD, please let us know what you think.

[wogdoggy]

I have his dvd it has ZERO on pitching mechanics,,it is all about medicine balls weighted balls and tubing.it probably WILL make you a few mph's faster if you are serious about it

[EvanAparra]

I have his dvd it has ZERO on pitching mechanics,,it is all about medicine balls weighted balls and tubing.it probably WILL make you a few mph's faster if you are serious about it
Thanks -- I'm actually looking at instruction mechanics wise, could you suggest a DVD that has a lot of that?

[EdmondsFan#1]

Thanks -- I'm actually looking at instruction mechanics wise, could you suggest a DVD that has a lot of that?

There is lots of DVDs out there for that. Dick Mills has DVD(s) on mechanics, there is a new DVD with Mariano Rivera (if i am correct), probably some Marshall and Paul Nyman DVDs out there.

Those are my reccomendations.

[EvanAparra]

There is lots of DVDs out there for that. Dick Mills has DVD(s) on mechanics, there is a new DVD with Mariano Rivera (if i am correct), probably some Marshall and Paul Nyman DVDs out there.

Those are my reccomendations.

Thanks, i'll look into it.

Does Englishbey do pitching as well?

[EdmondsFan#1]

Thanks, i'll look into it.

Does Englishbey do pitching as well?

I have never heard Englishbey before.

I see a pitching instructor named Nic Nelson, most pitching instructors will do fine. Alot of them teach the same stuff mechanical wise. Except some believe in something called "scapular loading" where you pinch your shoulders together by bringing your elbows behind your back so that when you throw the ball your shoulders are in the best possible position to get a better "launch" on the ball. (I don't believe in it, and my instructor has taught me that this is what is causing injuries in my elbow.). And some instructors believe in certain pitching drills like long toss, weighted balls (helloooo injuries!) , towel drill, kneeling drill, etc. I suggest you read up.

In a nutshell,

Long Toss: Made to strech out the muscles and ligaments to pitch, I don't think it makes sense for many reasons. You basically throw from 90 ft or more and you throw a lollipop throw with the mechanics you would use in the outfield (crow hop, flat ground, arm vertical then rise, and use high release point). I don't think changing release point will help your pitching, or throwing from flat ground, or crow hopping, but whatever. This is a good way to condition your arm in the offseason and in my opinion, that is it.

Weighted Balls: Made to increase velocity, and nothing else. I think this is a good way to get injured but you can do it if you want... Basically, this is supposed to increase velocity because throwing a heavy ball so much will make the lighter ball seem like a feather which makes you "throw harder". I believe this is a hallucination and people believe they are throwing so hard becuase they were throwing so dam* slow with the heavy ball. Sort of like where you put a donut on your bat when you are on deck and practice swings and when you go up the plate you "swing faster".

Towel Drill: I like this one, this drill is made to teach arm extension. In theory if you extend your arm you will be that much closer to the plate at release point and this makes more explosive velocity. (explosive velocity: velocity that isn't really there but it feels like it got there fast to the hitter because it seems like it "snuck up on them".) Dick Mills says this method is untrue, however, and the only way to truly be closer to the plate is by having a longer stride. But arm extension is also where you get most of your movement and some velocity.

Kneeling Drill: You kneel on the ground and throw the ball to a partner about 10 feet away. Since you can't use your legs on this drill it is to teach you to use more upper body (mainly the torso). I am neutrul on this drill because it is important to have the torso involved in the pitching motion but you need legs much more.

[losgadas]

I also like Chris McCoy, from www.pitchsmarter.com.

He sells his DVDs on ebay. They are very cheap and has tons of really good information. In fact, in my first seasons with my son, we used his instructions exclusively and my son did really good.

He covers mechanics, as well as functional strength, and numerous drills.

I highly recommend it.

[EvanAparra]

I also like Chris McCoy, from www.pitchsmarter.com.

He sells his DVDs on ebay. They are very cheap and has tons of really good information. In fact, in my first seasons with my son, we used his instructions exclusively and my son did really good.

He covers mechanics, as well as functional strength, and numerous drills.

I highly recommend it.

That sounds good, i'll check it out. Thanks!

And thanks for the tips, EdmondsFan.

[jojab]

That sounds good, i'll check it out. Thanks!

And thanks for the tips, EdmondsFan.

Before you take the advice offered up by EdmondsFan, you might want to check what he says against clips of high-level pitchers (most of whom scap load). Take a look at the clips at Siggy's site. Even the guy he mentions as being his hero, Carpenter, can be seen doing it here:

http://www.realgmbaseball.com/src_teamarticle/54/20050615/carpenters_one_hitter_proves_hes_ace

As for the towel drill, again take a look at clips of high-level pitchers and imagine them holding the towel. Does it look like they finish with their arm extending towards the plate or more around their bodies?

Do a search on this site about weighted balls. There are other points of view on this subject.

Finally, not all baseball pitching instruction is the same. Nyman and Marsall, for example, are pretty far apart. Mills has his own theories. The PitchSmarter stuff (which I purchased a few years ago - and not something I found useful) seems like it is based almost entirely on Tom House's views.

You asked about Englishbey. While he is well known for his hitting instruction, there is now a section on his site that talks about pitching and it is quite good not only because of Steve's comments but because of the clips and comments that others have posted on the site. If you are getting his hitting DVD and plan on getting signed up for his site, the pitching stuff is an added bonus.

As always, compare what you read or hear to clips of what high-level players actually do (The Mark Hansen rule).

[EdmondsFan#1]

Before you take the advice offered up by EdmondsFan, you might want to check what he says against clips of high-level pitchers (most of whom scap load). Take a look at the clips at Siggy's site. Even the guy he mentions as being his hero, Carpenter, can be seen doing it here:

http://www.realgmbaseball.com/src_teamarticle/54/20050615/carpenters_one_hitter_proves_hes_ace

As for the towel drill, again take a look at clips of high-level pitchers and imagine them holding the towel. Does it look like they finish with their arm extending towards the plate or more around their bodies?

Do a search on this site about weighted balls. There are other points of view on this subject.

Finally, not all baseball pitching instruction is the same. Nyman and Marsall, for example, are pretty far apart. Mills has his own theories. The PitchSmarter stuff (which I purchased a few years ago - and not something I found useful) seems like it is based almost entirely on Tom House's views.

You asked about Englishbey. While he is well known for his hitting instruction, there is now a section on his site that talks about pitching and it is quite good not only because of Steve's comments but because of the clips and comments that others have posted on the site. If you are getting his hitting DVD and plan on getting signed up for his site, the pitching stuff is an added bonus.

As always, compare what you read or hear to clips of what high-level players actually do (The Mark Hansen rule).

I got my scapula loading opinion from reading up on material from Dick Mills, it all seemed logical to me... And just because Carpenter does scapula load i would like to see if he can do just as good without scapula loading.

[jojab]

I got my scapula loading opinion from reading up on material from Dick Mills, it all seemed logical to me... And just because Carpenter does scapula load i would like to see if he can do just as good without scapula loading.

So Mills says don't do it on his site. You watch clips of MLB pitchers and they do it. And now what you are left with is, "well, sure they do it but I'd like to see if they could still be effective if they didn't do it"?

These are the best pitchers in the world for a reason -- their motion is extremely efficient.

That's why it is always a good idea to stick with the Mark H. rule of comparing what you see and hear to clips of high-level players. If you are getting conflicting information, you have to start to wonder why you're being told something different.