Throwing Inside

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Throwing inside is one of the most valuable skills a pitcher can learn. It has been a skill that has been somewhat taken out of baseball for a number of reasons. I feel that kids are afraid to throw inside. Here's why.

Number one, they are afraid to hit a batter. It is a real fear that pitchers have. There is no doubt about it. They are afraid for two reasons. First, they do not want to hurt anybody. Second, they do not want to put anybody on base. You hear coaches talk all the time about how walks will kill you, giving up free bases will kill you, and that is a part of it.

The other reason kids are afraid to throw inside is that they are afraid they cannot control the pitch and making a mistake inside can be very costly.

Here are a few tips I think are really important for a pitcher who wants to learn how to throw inside.

1. You cannot have fear.
You have to put that out of your head. If it helps, try this. Draw a circle where you want to put the ball and paint everything else black so that you are just going through one little circle and not looking at the hitter. You cannot have the fear of hitting the batter. That is part of the game whether we like it or not. Nobody wants to get hurt. Nobody wants to be the one who hurts somebody, but a properly placed inside pitch, even if you hit a batter, will not hurt him.

2. You have to know where to place the pitch.
A good spot to place an inside pitch is right underneath the hitter's hands. Remember, what is in the hitter's hands? The bat. What does the hitter have to hit the ball with? The bat. So in order to move his hand, he has got to move the bat, which takes the bat out of his natural position of power. Also, throwing in that area gives the hitter a lot of leeway with their hips.

Throwing too high or throwing too low can be very, very dangerous. Throwing too high could get someone hurt. Throwing too low makes it hard for a hitter to get out of the way. Most hitters move back, instead of out of the batter's box. Throwing too high and throwing too low is very dangerous, but throwing right in the middle means a hitter can easily either move forward, back, or turn and take the pitch, either in their rear end or in their lower back; a place where there is really low risk of injury.

3. You have to be very clear on what you want to do.
I tell my pitchers that it has got to be perfect or the hitter has got to move. There are no two ways about it. You cannot have a hitter take away the inside part of the plate. I think it was Bob Gibson who said that intimidation is an extra pitch and intimidation is a part of the game.

Let's face it. Intimidation does not mean that you are being mean or you are being a bad person, but it is part of the game. If the hitter hits one off our shins they do not seem to mind, but they do mind when someone gets brushed back. In today's age of aluminum bats and substance injection we have to be able to guard the inside part of the plate. If you do not guard the inside part of the plate you are going to be very vulnerable and you have to practice this.

The best way to practice is obviously to have a hitter stand in. Another great way is to use a model or a portable device. There are several good ones on the market today and you can do your research, but one of the great things is that practicing throwing an inside pitch will help you gain confidence. I feel that when a lot of pitchers go to throw an inside pitch they feel that they are going to make a mistake, but if you are perfect or if the hitter has got to move your mistakes are going to be a lot less.

Another tip I will close with. is you can take a mile or two off of an inside fastball. Remember, when you are locating a pitch, it is not how fast it gets there, it is where it goes. That is the most important thing. Sometimes guys will try and rear back and throw harder. Remember that nobody knows what is coming out of your hand. Nobody knows you are going to take a mile or two off to locate your fastball. The faster you throw, the harder the pitch is to control. That is just physics, but if we are good at really pinpointing our control we can take a mile or two off and we will have the added benefit of a slight change in speed, which is also good.

So take those four tips and put them to use. The best thing to do is to practice and remember if you throw a hundred inside pitches you are going to hit a couple of batters. That is just the name of the game. If you hit a hundred ground balls to Derek Jeter he is going to miss a few and that is just the way the game is played. The hitter knows this getting into the box. That is why they wear helmets. That is why catchers wear gear. It is part of the game. It is not a great part, but nevertheless, it is part of the game. You must throw in to win.

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