Help with outfield throws

[EdmondsFan#1]

I'm a pitcher and an outfielder (RF) and when i'm on the mound I can throw very hard. But from right field when i'm making a long throw I throw terrible the ball doesn't look like it's going at all and it keeps getting an arch even though I know my arm is much stronger than that. Does anyone know any common problems with people throwing from the outfield?

[PhilliesPhan22]

Play lots of long toss. Work on your throwing mechanics and crow hop.

[EdmondsFan#1]

Does it matter how I throw from the outfield like over the top, 3/4, or sidearm?

[TG Coach]

You need to come over the top from the outfield so the ball goes straight. If you throw to fall on your face** you will throw straighter and stronger given you have a good arm from the mound.

** I hope you understand what this means. It's a term I use with my outfielders.

[virg]

Edmondsfan, when pitching a fastball off the mound, in the follow-through does your throwing side lower leg flip back and upward at the knee? Does it when you peg from the outfield? That's where the final kick is, in a hard peg. Torso folds low, foot kicks back and upward.

[PhilliesPhan22]

Does it matter how I throw from the outfield like over the top, 3/4, or sidearm?

I throw straight over the top.

[StraightGrain11]

Why is your [arm] motion changing from the mound to the field? Sounds like your throwing mechanics are breaking down. I had this problem when I was younger (sophmore in HS). You just need to find a drill, or really concentrate, for/on keeping everything together. What's probably happening is your body's getting into the throw so fast it's leaving your arm behind; you need to figure out a way to get your body to wait for your arm just a split second longer (NOT accelerate your arm to catch your body - as this is already what you're doing and it's obviously NOT working). This was told to me by a Chi White Sox scout.

Fun Fact: An AVERAGE professional arm is rated as a 4+. Arms are rated in x-,x,x+ (1-_1_1+_2-_2_2+_3-_3_3+ etc.)from 1-8...8 being a Delmon Young or Ichiro or old Vlad Guerrero. The rating system is based on throws made from RF to 3B at a set number of feet from home plate (can't remember exactly what it is, but I believe it's around 250-300 ft). He said mine was a 4-, but could probably get to 5 if I got my mechanics to sync up.

And throwing to "fall on your face" has nothing to do with "straight throws," it has to do with keeping the ball from "sailing" on you. Our CF and I (RF) used to do it sometimes for fun during practice, never needed to, though. He had a nice cannon, but no matter how hard he tried or what he did, he could never get his ball to fly straight (which is probably why I could out throw him and was always just a bit more accurate). But he always adjusted well for it as his throws were usually accurate.

[CoachHenry]

You need to come over the top from the outfield so the ball goes straight. If you throw to fall on your face** you will throw straighter and stronger given you have a good arm from the mound.

** I hope you understand what this means. It's a term I use with my outfielders.

Ta-da! I have said that to many many people and they look at me odd. My old HS coach told us that if we were making a hard throw from the OF we should fall on our face.

Here is some over-analysis to think about: Every joint in your body connects two levers. Think of all the body parts that move when you do a throw from the outfield and see if you can maximize each of those levers to deliver as much over the top throwing speed that you can. Of the vital levers you can put into action your trunk (generally lower body to upper body) should be a controlled violent motion. If everything works right you are throwing your face towards the ground, you have a massive leg kick over and after release you are fighting for your life to not face-plant. But you have to COMMIT yourself to this or you don't get all you can get.

[Drill]

I'm a pitcher and an outfielder (RF) and when i'm on the mound I can throw very hard. But from right field when i'm making a long throw I throw terrible the ball doesn't look like it's going at all and it keeps getting an arch even though I know my arm is much stronger than that. Does anyone know any common problems with people throwing from the outfield?

this is probably a stupid question but i will ask you anyways. Do you crow hop when you throw from out field or try to throw the ball like you are pitching it?


drill

[LAball]

crossover step from the outfield.

[EdmondsFan#1]

this is probably a stupid question but i will ask you anyways. Do you crow hop when you throw from out field or try to throw the ball like you are pitching it?


drill

crow hop


```

[BenHertz]

"...throw to fall on your face" - Is that what Eric Byrnes does?

When I played in the outfield, I would try to throw the ball at the cutoff man's head, or right above his head.

[StraightGrain11]

"...throw to fall on your face" - Is that what Eric Byrnes does?

When I played in the outfield, I would try to throw the ball at the cutoff man's head, or right above his head.

Yes, that's what Byrnes does.
Good, then you were taught correctly, that's EXACTLY what you should be aiming for . But the "fall on your face" is (or atleast SHOULD) only be used in "do or die" situations where you are airmailing the cutoff man - i.e. plays at the plate.

[virg]

"...throw to fall on your face" - Is that what Eric Byrnes does?

When I played in the outfield, I would try to throw the ball at the cutoff man's head, or right above his head.

High on the cutoff man's glove side so he won't have to turn to throw. Crow hop to get your weight into it. Fold forward with the weight, and let the back foot kick backward at release: rock into the throw.

[CoachHenry]

Yes, that's what Byrnes does.
Good, then you were taught correctly, that's EXACTLY what you should be aiming for . But the "fall on your face" is (or atleast SHOULD) only be used in "do or die" situations where you are airmailing the cutoff man - i.e. plays at the plate.

Right. I suppose in what I said it looked like it should be done all the time. Only when you have that big throw to make.