LITTLE THINGS THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

1. On all pop fouls that draw the infielders away from their base, if there are runners on, the pitcher must cover the vacant base to prevent a runner from advancing on a ‘tag up’. For Example: Runner on second, pop foul down the third base line that draws the shortstop and third base out. If either one catches it, the runner at second can tag up if there is no one covering third.

2. A change up works well on big strong ‘middle of the order’ hitters.

3. The base on ball will score 50% of the time.

4. Most hitters will take the first pitch, so get ahead - throw first pitch strikes.

5. Pitch closed stance hitters’ hard, inside - open stance hitters outside and low.

6. In sacrifice bunt or suicide situations, pitch high and tight.

7. Keep the ball low on double play situations.

8. In a double play situation, the ideal pitch is the two-seam fastball - its sinking motion should produce a ground ball.

9. With first base open, don’t be afraid to pitch around a batter that can hurt you.

10. Bear down on the lead off hitter every inning. Get him out and you have completed one third of the inning.

11. Throw every pitch with the same arm action.

12. Don’t change up on a weak batter - go right at him.

13. Never show emotion, positive or negative, on the mound - always believe you are in control.

14. Never argue with the umpire, focus on your job.

15. Pitch one pitch at a time - don’t let an umpire’s call, an error or bad play affect your focus or concentration.

16. Any time you catch a runner on first looking back at the bag, usually as he is taking his lead, on the next pitch time a quick throw over as he begins to take his lead.

17. Don’t give the hitter too much credit - believe you are better than him.

18. With a runner on second and no outs, pitch inside to the right-handed hitter and outside to the left-handed hitter.

19. Have a purpose, a plan with each pitch - don’t just throw.

20. Use your defense - throw strikes and let your defense do their job - especially late in the game with a multiply run lead.

21. Before starting an inning, throw all of your pitches at least once, ending with a pitch from the stretch.

22. To avoid first inning disaster, pitch to your strengths - don’t get hung up on one pitch or over throwing.

23. Don’t show all your pitches in the first inning.

24. Throw quality warm up pitches between innings - don’t just toss the ball.

25. For the most part, first inning problems are a mental thing. The ‘I always have a tough first inning’ mentality becomes a self-fulfilled prophecy. If you really think this way, pitch the first inning twice. When you do your pre game warm up, decide that the last 12 throws are the first inning. Put yourself in a game mode mentality. Tell your catcher to give you signs. Have him call out balls and strikes. Ask one of your teammates to stand in the batters box, to be the batter. Thus when you go out to the mound when the game starts, psychologically, it’s the second inning.

26. Never miss over the plate with two strikes and no balls.

27. Force negative thoughts from your mind and replace them with positive ones:

Negative Thought Positive Thought

“Don’t walk him” “Make him hit this pitch!”
“Don’t slow your arm down” “Fastball arm speed!”
“Don’t hit the batter.” “Up and in!”
“Don’t throw down the middle” “Hit the glove!”

28. Concern yourself with the way you pitched and not the win or loss.

29. If you throw your best pitch and the batter beats you, tip your hat to him. That’s baseball.

30. Never walk the seven, eight or nine batters.

31. Throw first pitch strikes.

32. Work quickly and deliberately. The following is an excerpt from the sports page of a local newspaper about Curt Schilling.

At his best, a Schilling performance is a baseball rhapsody – nine innings that pass in a constant, fluid motion. “I love catching him”, Catcher Damian Miller said. “From a catcher’s point of view, its just easier…we just get into a rhythm.”

By working quickly, Schilling figures he gets the optimum support from his defense and a break from the umpires. “The first thing a good defensive player will tell you is, “I like a guy who works fast”. Schilling said.

“Umpires love pitchers who work fast and throw strikes. They’re going to give you the benefit of the doubt. “Hitters don’t like to be on the defensive.” He said. “If you are throwing strikes and working fast, they’re on the defensive right off the bat. You get a flow in the game.”

33. If your team is ahead by a lot of runs, and it’s late in the game, don’t slow the game up by trying to pick the runner off at first.