How to Pitch Like a Pro

Baseball has long been referred to as America's pastime. Pitchers control most of the game's action and almost every child dreams of being the one on center stage. Some children have natural abilities that coaches and parents can nurture; these children can learn to pitch just like those in the big leagues. Parents and coaches can assist young pitchers by helping them learn the fundamentals of throwing and fielding from a pitcher's position and by monitoring practice and games to avoid injuries.

Instructions

    • 1

      Practice hitting the mitt. With a partner in a catcher's position, repeatedly throw the ball until the pitches land in the mitt consistently. A pitcher should not be concerned with the different styles of pitches such as fastballs or curveballs until he can guarantee he can get the ball to the catcher with every throw.

    • 2

      Study the different types of pitches and how to throw them. Most pitch types depend on how the ball is gripped. A three-finger change up, for example, involves gripping the ball with three fingers in specific places. A good pitch to start with is the curveball or the four-seam fastball.

    • 3

      Practice repeatedly. Young pitchers should throw multiple balls each week, but should not throw at full strength or speed very often. This will build up arm endurance without putting undue strain on the pitcher's arm. Parents and coaches should monitor practice times as much as possible and train the young pitcher to stop practicing when the arm begins to hurt or the pitcher becomes too fatigued. There should be at least a day of rest between practice sessions, if a high pitch count is recorded.

    • 4

      Move the ball and know the plays. Pitching effectively involves more than just throwing the ball to home plate. Fielding is a strong part of the position, as well. Pitchers should drill on where to throw the ball after they retrieve it and should practice anticipating what runners on base will do. Many ball games are won or lost on attempted stolen bases and it is the pitcher's responsibility to know when a runner may steal and be able to make the play.