Meatball Practice

Since Monday, I have been lifting upper body.  On Tuesday I did chest and back (love doing antagonistic muscle groups!) and on Wednesday I did biceps, triceps, and shoulders.  I tried some new shoulder exercises and stretches that I learned in class on Friday.  Learning new things always does motivate me to work both harder and smarter.  Complacency is the enemy of progress and I really feel that education helps to fight complacence.  It does feel good to lift again after doing mostly cardio last week.  I did Yoga for an hour and a half today in addition to walking the dogs.  Yoga might be my favorite exercise of all time (when it is difficult enough - tough postures and flowing movements).  I definitely credit it with helping me to pitch so well during my last season.   Aside from being good exercise, it works on focus and composure: two things that pitchers really need.

Another thing that pitchers need is really good quality practice.  This is often tough to come by during the season, which is why we hope to do the bulk of our mechanical work and speed work in the off season.  In-season work is hopefully reserved for minor adjustments.  Throwing to live batters is both an integral part of preparing for the season and a means to adjust different breaking pitches throughout the season in a controlled environment.  However, there is a right way to do this and a wrong way to do this.  I have been appalled to hear that many coaches will ask pitchers to just "slow it down" and "lob it over the plate," so that batters can get some good swings in.  Are you insane?!!!!  You would never ask batters to take a horrible, loopy, disgusting swings just to make pitchers feel better.  If batters aren't ready to be facing a pitcher who can throw some heat and some spin, then they should still be doing tee work and machine work.   There is no better way to royally screw up a pitching motion that a girl has devoted her entire off season to perfecting then to have her try to lob the ball.  Any non pitcher on the team can lob the ball!  Pitchers need to practice different spins and so forth just as much as batters need to practice their swings.  If you don't want your pitcher throwing meatballs in games, stop having her throw meatballs in practice.