Whether it is execution at the highest level, execution in high school, or execution in college, there is one common denominator. Confidence. The wrong pitch thrown with confidence, aggressiveness, and conviction is better than the right pitch thrown with doubt. This post will include some of the key factors I have learned that can help, or kill confidence in any young or adult pitcher.
I. Confidence starts during catch play.
Half a foot. You will never be able to reach your max confidence level without challenging yourself every time you put a glove on and throw a ball. As always, keep the game fun and enjoy being around your teammates - but it is still possible to have the confidence while having fun that you will be within 6 inches, or half a foot of your target every time you throw a baseball.
II. Dont Hope. Know.
Hope is a killer. Abstractly, it sounds good - but on the mound, it won't get you very far. If you are 'hoping' to throw a strike, or execute your slider on this pitch, or keep your changeup down - you wont do it at more than a 50% rate.
I learned early on that hope means nothing out on the hill. It is just you, God, and the ball. Know with everything in your mind that you are going to dominate that pitch. Expect greatness and greatness tends to follow. Find the physical or mental cues that work for you (see blog 2) and practice them religiously during catch play and bullpens. Even though we don't want to be "robotic" as pitchers, our minds need to be robotic and automatic with confidence.
III. Routines makes your subconcious feel prepared.
As humans, we have routines. Brushing your teeth, showering, eating, going to work, watching football, etc. It is human nature to have routines, because they help our brains slow things down, and let us live in the present. The same is true about pitching, and treating it as such. Only very gifted individuals are able to hold consistent success without routines - and those guys are very few and far between.
Develop a routine that starts the day before you pitch as a starter. As you step on the mound, knowing that you have done everything you could have to prepare helps your subconscious keep doubts away.
Common Routine Elements and Prep (You don't have to do all of these, they are suggestions of how to plan your process):
If you are a reliever, and in season, your routine needs to be the same thing every single day if you have games the next day. Keep your base strong, and you will notice similar patterns of success.
Michael Jensen is the Lead Pitching Instructor and the Business Development Manager for the Minnesota Blizzard. A member of the Blizzard program since 2013, Jensen played for Barta for 5 years before playing college baseball at the University of Oklahoma and Augustana University. After college, Michael has been the head pitching coach for Augsburg University for three seasons, leading pitchers from 74-78 to 86-90.
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