Sports Psychology And Pitching: 14 Tips To Be Mentally Tough On The Mound

Sports Psychology And Pitching: 14 Tips To Be Mentally Tough On The Mound
By Jay Granat

Every week, I get calls from pitchers, parents of pitchers and coaches with questions about the mental aspects of being on the mound in a pressure situation.

Pitchers at all levels of baseball can struggle with confidence, focus, relaxation and negative self-talk. This can happen to little leaguers and to major leaguers.

When a pitcher loses his ability to stay mentally tough, his mechanics, his velocity, his ball movement and his command of the strike zone can all deteriorate.

Here are a few tips to help parents of baseball players, pitchers and pitching coaches with some of the mental aspects of the pitching in a baseball game.
1. Remember that pitchers prevail over hitters seventy five to eighty per cent of the time. So, pitchers have a nice edge to begin with.
2. If you throw your first pitch as a, strike your edge goes up a bit more.
3. The most important pitch is the next pitch you throw. You have to stay in the present.
You must train your mind to remain in the here and now.
4. When you pitch, you need to have either one thought or what might be thought of as an empty mind.
5. Develop a mantra when you are about to throw to a batter. Here are a few suggestions: Throw a strike. Throw inside. Let it go. Grip it and rip it. I'm the boss. Eyes on the target. I love this game. Throw it past him. Control the plate.
6. Your relationship with your coaches and your catchers are crucial. Do what you can on and off the field to build strong connections with these people.
7. Study hitters carefully and keep accurate records on what works and what does not work against players who you face multiple times.
8. Understand and accept what you can control and what you can not control.
9. You don't have to be perfect. You have to throw strikes twice as often as you throw balls.
10. Always be developing another pitch. If you master five pitches, hitters have a tough time guessing right as to what is coming.
11. Never engage in negative thoughts on the mound. If you are not feeling confident, relaxed, focused and ready, step off the mound and gather yourself.
12. Know your strengths and your weaknesses.
13. Have a purpose with every pitch.
14. Learn how to use self-hypnosis, visualization and meditation to get yourself into your ideal performance state of mind.

Jay P. Granat, Ph.D. is a psychotherapist and the founder of http://www.stayinthezone.com. He has written several books and developed several programs to help people perform to their fullest potential at sports, at work and at school. Dr. Granat, a former university professor, has appeared in The New York Times, Good Morning America, AP, ESPN, Golf Digest, The BBC and The CBC. He can be reached at info@stayinthezone.com. or at 888 580-ZONE.

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Baseball Pitching Drills - Improving Accuracy

Baseball Pitching Drills - Improving Accuracy
By Kenny Buford

Some of the most important baseball pitching drills focus on accuracy and placing the ball where you want it to be. The following drills work athletes to continually improve their ability to get the ball where it's intended to go. Drills can be adjusted depending on the age and playing level of different teams and players.

Bullseye

In the bullseye drill, players throw the ball into an ever-decreasing bullseye. Coaches should tape off a square bullseye, either into a padded wall or a throwing or batting cage.

Inside each square, there is a smaller square, with a total of 5 squares. The size of the bullseye depends on the age and playing ability of the team you are working with, but it should be challenging.

Players must throw 3-5 balls back-to-back inside the bullseye before the coach removes the outer-most piece of tape, thus decreasing the size of the bullseye. The number of back-to-back balls thrown into the bullseye is also a decision the coach makes, depending on the age and playing level of the team.

Kneeling Partner Pitches

Each player needs a partner. Both partners kneel on the ground, both with gloves, but with only one ball. The distance between the players is up to the coach, and can be extended periodically during the drill to make things more difficult.

Each pair pitches back and forth. The pitch is considered "good" if the catcher does not have to extend his arms out to his sides in order to catch the ball.

If the catchers extend their arms, the pitcher gets a point. If the catchers lift a knee to reach for the pitch, the pitcher gets two points. If the catcher falls in an effort to get the pitch, the pitcher gets three points.

Pitchers must keep their point total under 5 to stay in the game. The catcher counts the number of pitches the pitcher completes before reaching 5 points, and then the catcher becomes the pitcher and vice versa.

To make the drill more exciting or competitive for the players, pitchers can be ranked against each other to find the pitcher who completed the most pitchers before reaching 5 points.

Increasing Difficulty

Each of these drills can be made more difficult with just a few small tweaks. As already mentioned, coaches can increase the distance between players or between the pitcher and the bullseye. Coaches can focus on pitching speed, or measuring accuracy against each other pitchers to create some friendly competition.

And if you'd like to see more free baseball drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:

http://www.baseball-tutorials.com/vid/

Kenny Buford is a youth baseball coach, and the owner and publisher of Baseball-Tutorials.com, the web's #1 resource for baseball drills, tips, and practice ideas for youth and high school coaches.

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Baseball Strategy Tips For Developing a Solid Pitching Rotation

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Baseball Strategy Tips For Developing a Solid Pitching Rotation
By Jack D. Elliott
Everyone enjoys the excitement of the homerun; however, pitching tends to play a larger role in the importance of a winning Baseball Strategy. Let's use high school baseball as an example. For most high school teams, there are usually only one or two good pitchers on each team. One of the differences between good and great high school teams is how they develop the rest of their pitching staff.

To win at the high school level in the playoffs and beyond, a high school team should develop a rotation of 4 to 6 pitchers. There are several reasons for this Baseball Strategy:


Top pitchers will then get the opportunity to rest their arms during the season.
It provides an opportunity for younger pitchers to develop their skills for future seasons.
The coach has a number of options to choose from for certain game situations. (For example, have a left hander throw to a left handed batter).
May be able to use your top pitchers in other roles. This can be especially helpful if they are a very good hitter as it adds a strong bat to your lineup.
Allows you some additional protection if you lose one of your pitchers to grades or an injury.

Traditionally, pitchers on high school baseball teams tend to be those who throw the hardest and or have done it for a number of years. However, a smart high school coach should be scouting his team every year to look for players who could be turned into pitchers. Some of the skills a coach should look for in a prospective pitcher include:


Left-handed or a unique throwing motion (ex. sidearm delivery).
Strong arm (Fastball is above 80 mph).
Excellent control of throws regardless of fastball speed.
Natural movement on fastball.
Ability to throw a unique pitch (ex. knuckleball).

Once these players are discovered, the coach should have them begin practicing pitching at every practice. Over time, their skills would improve to the point where you could use them in game situations. Then, your baseball strategy could shift from relying on your two top pitchers to letting these prospects start pitching against weaker teams in your district or allowing them to pitch a few innings in certain games.

To help encourage players to want to be a pitcher, the coach should give extra praise to those who are participating and repeat the importance that pitching has on helping the team go far in the playoffs. In addition, a wise coach would recommend these players take additional pitching instruction from quality baseball instructors in the area. With a little encouragement, you can outsource some of this training. This will allow for these players to keep developing their skills and not take away from the team's overall practice time.

The benefits of developing a pitching staff over time should allow for your high school team to move from a good to a great program. Also, who knows, you just might stumble upon the next great ace pitcher.

Jack Elliott, is a former player and fan of the game. To read more tips and techniques like the ones in this article, please click here: http://www.baseballtrainingtechniques.com/Baseball-Strategy/

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Important Pitching Mechanics Tips You Need to Know

Important Pitching Mechanics Tips You Need to Know
By Nate Barnett

One of the most important steps to becoming a successful pitcher is to ensure you throw with proper pitching mechanics. Great mechanics begin with appropriate balance and weight transfer toward the direction you are throwing. If there is any inappropriate head movement up or down, left or right or even any weight going in any other direction than toward home plate, you are mechanically insufficient. Many pitchers tend to struggle with their throwing mechanics. Are you one of them? Here are some helpful tips you should know about pitching mechanics.

1. Pitchers need to make sure their momentum is going in one direction, forward! However, there is more to pitching mechanics than merely making sure your momentum is going toward home plate. Pitchers need to use explosive movements to create sufficient energy for an explosive fastball. Many pitchers are lazy and get in the habit of getting to foot strike tortoise like. This creates no power in their delivery at all. These pitchers are often seen giving up the long ball and throwing batting practice in games as hitters tee off on their lackadaisical approach.

2. During a pitchers transition to foot strike, using these explosive movements; it is imperative that a pitcher keep his head over his center of gravity, belly button, or slightly behind the center of gravity when they transfer their weight from one foot to the other. Many pitchers have the issue of staying back to long which can create arm lag.

3. We talked about explosive movements toward home plate, but how long should your stride be? Your stride should be as long as you are tall. If your stride is shorter than 100% of your height you should be working on lengthening your stride. A longer stride creates more power toward the direction of your throw, a shorter stride places more stress on your throwing arm because you have to rely on your arm for the velocity as apposed to first using your legs to generate it. Another advantage of having a longer stride is perceived pitching velocity. Every foot closer you are to the batter at release of the baseball at sixty feet six inches away, it "appears" like 3 mph faster to the batters eye. This gives the batter less time to react to each pitch you throw.

4. The next step to create optimal balance in your delivery is making sure your throwing arm and glove arm mirror each other. I believe pitching instructor Tom House coined the term "equal and opposite" for this mechanical process. This means that your glove arm and your throwing arm create the same angle at foot strike. You will see different styles of how to do this in our pitching mechanics DVD. You have to see it!

5. One of the more challenging aspect coaches face when learning about pitching mechanics is their misunderstanding of mechanical terminology. For example, there is still a lot of confusion about arm slot and arm path when a pitcher releases the ball. What arm slot is the best? What does this mean exactly? These are common questions pitchers ask me all of the time. The answer is whatever arm slot is natural for you. You don't want to force a 90 degree arm slot on a pitcher when they naturally throw three quarter. In fact, most pitchers tend to throw with a natural three quarter arm slot.

There is a lot of science to pitching mechanics. The Pitching Academy breaks this all down for you if you're looking for more information. Pitching mechanics should be easy to understand for anybody who is eager to learn; we keep the science into pitching, but you will be surprised how simple it is to learn proper mechanics.

Nate Barnett is co-owner of The Pitching Academy.

After finishing a professional career in the Seattle Mariners Organization, Nate pursued his coaching and motivational training career. You can find The Pitching Academy's videos, blog, and more articles on pitching mechanics the website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nate_Barnett

Coaches Must Learn to Teach Proper Pitching Mechanics

Coaches Must Learn to Teach Proper Pitching Mechanics
By Nate Barnett

Just Throw Strikes?

Have one of your coaches ever told you to "just throw strikes" and get us out of this inning? Many coaches out there make the mistake of telling pitchers to "just throw strikes". Of course your pitchers are trying to throw strikes to end the inning; what they really can't do is control their emotions or they lack correct mechanics. When a coach tells pitchers to "just throw strikes" what the coach is really implying is they don't know what else to tell the struggling pitcher. They lack the education behind what is really going on in the pitchers mind in different game scenarios; or they lack the knowledge about pitching mechanics.

Many youth pitchers hear "just throw strikes" and they do just that. Many pitchers start aiming the ball and they forget about their basic pitching mechanics. They may slow their motion down; not exploding to foot strike. Many pitchers often open up to soon taking more of a step instead of a strike to home plate; guiding the ball over the plate instead of simply throwing it. The pitcher begins to throw batting practice and the batters begin to tee off. Yes your pitchers are throwing strikes, but they are often right down the heart of the plate with no velocity behind the ball. See ya! Game over! You Lose!

If you are a coach, you will do more harm than good throwing out little comments like "just throw strikes", "rare back and fire", "throw hard now", "get er done" what do all of these things mean to your pitchers? Do you know what they mean?

Every pitcher is going to have a different interpretation of what these things mean unless you are very clear in presenting to them what they mean. What does "rare back and fire" mean? We have all heard that one. Does it mean to rock back and throw as hard as you can? If so, a pitcher will lose all control of the baseball if they rare back because they lose their balance. What does "throw hard now" mean? When you tell a young pitcher to throw hard, what do they usually end up doing to their pitching mechanics? One, they never try to get power from their legs, hips, torso and shoulders (entire body) as they should; they use too much of their arm to throw when trying to get more velocity. The only time these small innuendos work is if the coach explains to the pitchers what the terminology means. Otherwise these words are just filler words for lack of better education.

To get better results out of your pitchers in games, it is imperative that you understand proper pitching mechanics. You also need to know your pitcher and how they react to different game situations. Do they get nervous and buckle under stressful game situations? If so, you need to figure out why they get nervous.

It's time to get educated on proper pitching mechanics.

Nate Barnett is co-owner of The Pitching Academy.

After finishing a professional career in the Seattle Mariners Organization, Nate pursued his coaching and motivational training career. You can find The Pitching Academy's videos, blog, and more articles when you visit the website.

The Pitching Academy's pitching mechanics DVD

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Baseball Pitching - Smart Pitchers Set Goals

Baseball Pitching - Smart Pitchers Set Goals
By Dan Gazaway

You may have read my previous article, "Reaching a Higher Level of Success." If so, you saw that pitching tip #2 was setting goals. Many athletes don't know how to set and achieve goals. The following are a few simple steps to ensure your goals are met. Remember, no professional athlete gets where they are without having both a clearly defined goal, and a clear plan of action to accomplish it.

Setting goals should be a big part of every pitcher's priorities. Without goals, you lack focus and direction. As a result, you can sometimes forget what you want to achieve or lose sight of the big picture of what your objectives are. Before you set a goal, you have to understand what it is you want. You must then ask yourself the right questions to reach them. The answers to those questions will help you reach your goals.

Question #1: What am I attempting to achieve?

Sounds simple right? When answering these questions, write them down on paper. It is important to have clearly defined goals. Don't be vague in describing what your focus is, be clear and specific.

Example:

Let's say your goal is to be able to throw an effective curveball by September of this year. Did you notice the time frame? Setting a realistic time frame to accomplish the goal sets some standards for you. Now that you have identified a specific goal and time frame, ask additional questions so you can take action steps to achieve it.

Question #2: What am I going to do on a daily basis to ensure I achieve this goal?

Do I need personal instruction so I'm throwing the pitch correctly? What pitchers can I study who throw that pitch effectively? What information can I gather, or what resources do I have, that will give me accurate information about the curveball? Are there pitching-specific exercises or pitching drills I can work on to develop proper control of the curveball? If so, what are they?

Now it's time to take action on your goal! Set a schedule for yourself, ensuring that if you follow your pattern for success, there should be no reason why you won't achieve the goal by the date you've set.

Dan Gazaway is the owner and founder of The Pitching Academy in Utah. His expertise includes instructing athletes about proper pitching mechanics, pitching workout programs and different pitching grips He is known as a premiere pitching instructor in that area and is branching out to other states very quickly. Coach Gazaway has been an avid student of pitching for over twenty years and is continuing that pursuit so he will always offer the most up to date pitching information. Dan also has received his coaching certification from The National Pitching Association in San Diego.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Gazaway

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Coaching Baseball Pitchers - Absolute Best Drill You Can Use to Improve Control and Build Confidence

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Coaching Baseball Pitchers - Absolute Best Drill You Can Use to Improve Control and Build Confidence

By Nick Dixon

Learning to control every pitch and to be able to "hit spots" is a required skill for pitching success at all levels including Little League, High School, College and MLB baseball. There is no better baseball pitching drill for improving a pitcher's control and building a pitcher's confidence than the "Japanese Pitching Drill". I do not know where the name came from. I saw this drill used back in the late 80's at a college summer baseball camp and the coaches called it the "Japanese Drill". When I asked the coaches why they called the drill, the "Japanese Drill", they respond that the drill was called that because it was originated in the country of Japan. I know that if you use this drill regularly, it will definitely build pitching control and confidence.

"Japanese" Pitching Drill

The drill involves a pitcher throwing strikes at varying distances as shown in the diagram below. The catcher is "c" and each spot the pitcher throws from is marked with an "x". The distances shown are for high school and college pitchers. You can reduce the distances between spots and reduce the number of spots for younger players.

C.............. X................X................X..................X................X................X.................X

----------- 10'----------20'---------30'-----------40'---------50'----------60'----------70' (Distances)

The plate and catcher are set at a stationary location and they are never moved. The pitcher will move forward or back from "spot to spot" after throwing a set number of pitches at each location. Normally the spots are marked with cones or plastic round markers. The pitcher should begin throwing at a distance about 1/4 of his normal pitching distance. At the close spots the pitcher will throw at 1/2 speed. You should have 6-8 distance markers with the first being at the starting point and the longest being 1 and ½ times the normal pitching distance. The markers should be in a straight line with the plate. The object of the drill is to develop control by throwing pitches from spots will gradually moving away from and toward the plate. The pitcher is required to throw 3 strikes from each marker before moving to the next. The catcher serves as the umpire.

It is good to have the pitcher throw from each spot going backward and then throw from each spot coming forward. If your pitchers are young, you may want to make then throw just 1 or 2 strikes from each spot. Pitchers gain great confidence when they see that they can throw strikes from a distance farther than their regular pitching distance. They learn to concentrate on the target and throw to the mitt. You will be very pleased from the results you see in the control of your pitchers. Another variation of this drill is to have 2 pitchers competing against each other in a timed drill. The winner is the pitcher that starts at the front, goes to the back, and returns to the front, first. The pitchers must throw 3 strikes at each spot before advancing to the next spot. This is a great drill to teach pitchers to throw strikes under pressure. When more than one pitcher and catcher are involved, make sure that your catchers are far enough apart to prevent a wild pitch from hitting another catcher. It is also a good idea for catchers to wear full gear when participating in this drill.

When two pitchers compete in this drill they learn to work fast, concentrate, and execute a perfect pitch. Make sure your pitchers are in condition for this drill. They will find that throwing strikes from longer distance requires great mechanics and builds arm strength. Make sure your players stretch and warm-up first.

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Coaching Baseball Pitchers - Multi-Purpose Baseball Pitching Drills to Improve Control

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By Nick Dixon

Learning correct baseball pitching mechanics are the first step in the making of a pitcher. Once proper mechanics are mastered these two drills can be used to hone skill, increase concentration, build confidence, and improve control.

Here are two drills that can bed used to help improve a pitchers control. The two drills are "Pitch Tracking" and the "20 X 4" Pitching Drill.


"Pitch Tracking"


Great Drill for Hitters, Catchers, and Pitchers!


The pitcher is throwing to a catcher as he normally would in pitching practice or bull-pen work. The pitcher is throwing at his normal pitching distance. The purpose of the drill is to increase a pitcher's level of concentration, to work a catcher, and to allow one batter or two batters learn to "track" every pitch.


Variation #1: One Batter - Right or Left handed
C --------------------------------------- P
B


Variation #2: Two Batters - One Right and One Left handed
B
C --------------------------------------- P
B


Variation #1 - One batter is standing in and tracking every pitch from the pitcher's hand to the catcher's mitt. The batter does not have a bat. The batter will assume his regular stance and imagine that he is holding a bat. The batter will "track" or watch the first three pitches out of the pitcher's hand until they hit the catcher's mitt, making sure to keep his head down and eyes on the ball all of the way. The batter must have a batting helmet on. The next steps to the drill are explained in the second paragraph below.


Variation #2 - Two batters are standing in the batter's box without bats. Each batter will assume his regular stance and imagine that he is holding a bat. The batters will "track" or watch the first three pitches out of the pitcher's hand until they hit the catcher's mitt, making sure to keep his head down and his eyes on the ball all of the way. The batters must have a batting helmet on. The next steps to the drill are explained in the paragraph below.


Next the batters will swing away with their "imaginary" bats. The batters will read the location of each pitch the pitcher throws and hit the ball where it is pitched. When two batters are tracking, they will do opposites. One will pull a pitch in a location that his tracking partner will hit to the opposite field.


The coach can call out a count such as 2-0, 3-1, 1-2, and 0-2 to allow the batters, pitchers, and catchers certain mind-sets in different situations.
Note: If your hitters are too young to perform this drill, have a coach to stand in. The coach may wish to wear a helmet and wear a glove for protection. This is a tough drill, but it is great for developing concentration. Make sure all batters wear helmets and other proper protective equipment.
Coaching Point: The hitters do not hold a bat. The batters will swing a "invisible" bat. They must attack and hit every pitch according to its location. This drill is great for teaching hitters to see spin and to teach them to see a pitchers release point.


"20 X 4" Pitching Drill


Improves Control & Concentration


This drill is a pitching drill in which the young pitcher works at a smooth, rather fast pace, but only throws 50-60% of normal speed. The pitcher should not be allowed to throw full speed. The objective of the drill is to teach concentration and develop great control. The pitcher has to throw 20 strikes before 4 balls are thrown. The pitcher should be allowed to perform the drill at a shorter distance at first. After several practices, the pitcher should be able to move to the regular pitching distance within. If 4 balls are thrown before 20 strikes, the pitcher must restart. Care should be taken to not overwork the pitcher. Keeping the distance short, emphasizing accuracy not speed, and making sure the pitcher is properly stretched and warmed-up should prevent any chance of arm injury.


With younger players you may want to make the drill a 10-3 drill. 10 strikes must be thrown before 3 balls or the drill is restarted.


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If you are looking for great coaching articles, please consider one of our sites: The BaseballCoachingDigest.com, the YouthBaseballDigest.com or the BaseballParentGuide.com. Have a safe and happy season! Nick Dixon

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Pitching Mechanics - Using an Elastic Chord to Fine Tune Your Mechanics?

By Dan Gazaway

My favorite topic to discuss as it relates to Baseball is Pitching Mechanics. But I want to write about pitching mechanics as they relate to elastic chord pitching workouts. If you aren't involved in a pitching workout routine that involves using elastic chords to strengthen the tendons and ligaments that support your surrounding muscles, I would highly recommend it. However, were you aware that an elastic chord can help you with your pitching mechanics?

Here is the exercise that I would recommend you try if you want to see if your pitching mechanics are up to par. Attach an elastic band (surgical tubing) to a fence (or anything stationary) shoulder height. Stretch the band far enough to feel resistance. You'll want to hold the band away from you (toward second base if you were on the mound) as you would with your fastball pitching grip. Once you do this you can try any mechanical maneuver (the correct way or the wrong way) from the stretch position to see if you need a mechanical tune-up. The key to doing these drills is to "feel" the difference in power as you pull the chord the right way and "feel" the difference when you don't.

To prove this drills effectiveness, you need to understand some basic mechanical flaws so you can try it yourself. One of the most common mistakes a pitcher will make is opening up too soon. They will open up their shoulder and hips prematurely before foot strike. To "feel" that this isn't mechanically correct, purposely open your hips and shoulders before foot strike and pull the elastic chord forward. What do you "feel"? Do you feel less power?

Another common mechanical flaw is to lift your pivot foot up too soon before release of the baseball. To prove for yourself that this will decrease your pitching velocity, try it with the elastic band. Once you lift your pivot foot too soon (before release) the stretched elastic band will start pulling you back. You know you have lost power; you also know you shouldn't do it. If you keep your foot planted on the ground until release you clearly have control.

You can try these drills to test your strength throughout your entire delivery. If something doesn't feel right (pressure in your arm; less power) when you pull the elastic band forward, then you know it's time to tweak your pitching mechanics. If your serious about improving your overall pitching performance, I would recommend you get some pitching instruction from a certified coach in your area.

Dan Gazaway is owner and founder of The Pitching Academy in Utah. He is known as a premiere pitching instructor focusing on pitching workout programs, pitching mechanics an baseball pitching grips [http://www.thepitchingacademy.net/Articles/Pitching-Articles/Maintain-Proper-Pitching-Mechanics-and-Technique-with-Curveball-and-Changeup.html]

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The Mental Side of Baseball Pitching

By Chris Moheno
In many sports and athletic disciplines, the difference between a good performer and a great performer is mental toughness, intelligence and confidence. The same applies to baseball hitting and baseball pitching, the two all important aspects to baseball players and baseball teams. A hitting slump or a pitcher who can't find the strike zone and get an out are both problems that can almost always be solved with proper mental techniques and strengths. In this article, the mental side of pitching will be discussed in order to maximize your results.

Think Success and Have Confidence

Quite simply, those who do not believe in their own abilities will not see the successes their physical talent tells you they should have. If you think you will fail, that you will not throw a strike or get a batter to fly out or swing and miss, than chances are you will fail. You must believe in yourself and trust your physical talents. Know that you can hit the corners of the strike zone and believe that even if you don't have your best stuff, you are still good enough to do your job effectively.

Separate From Your Emotions

It is easy to let your emotions get the best of you on the mound. There are so many individual plays that can go against you, a missed strike call, a bad play in the field, a mistake that a hitter took advantage of for a home run. It is up to you, the pitcher, to rebound from this. Just like a poker player going on "tilt" a pitcher who loses control of his emotions can quickly self-destruct. Do not let these bad moments get the best of you. Have a short memory and focus on the job still at hand. If you throw a bad pitch that somebody gets a hold of, focus especially hard on needing to get the job done before more damage is done. If a strike is called a ball, focus on the fact that the hitter will not always be lucky enough to get that call. As soon as you get angry, upset or distressed, you're taken out of your game and your performance will suffer.

Trust Your Teammates

It is crucial to always remember that you are not alone out there on the mound; you must trust and rely on your teammates. You don't need to have every batter swing, miss and strikeout. Know that you have good teammates who will track down those fly balls. If you are in trouble with people on the bases and no outs, focus on getting that ground ball, knowing your infielders will turn the double play and get you out of the jam. Believe that your catcher has done his homework and knows what pitches would be best for you to throw. With 8 other teammates out there supporting you, take advantage of them and use them to your benefit. If you start thinking you're alone and that it is all on your shoulders, in your striving to be "perfect" you will likely come up short.

Think Your Way through Situations

Not every situation you will face will be the same, nor is every opponent you face the same. Different batters have different weaknesses, strengths and tendencies and different situations call for various strategies. It is important to be intelligent on the mound and think your way through these moments. While you always want to fall back on your best pitch in a tough situation, remember that if your best pitch is a fast ball inside, and a batter can only hit those pitches, it is best to fool them with something else. Be intelligent and always think through all the different situations you will face as opposed to treating them all the same way.

These are just some of the important mental aspects of baseball pitching; and many of these same principles can be applied to baseball hitting as well. Remember, at most levels of the game the talent across the board is fairly equal. The athletic capabilities of different players only vary slightly. It is the mental components that turn those athletic capabilities into pitching successes.

There are plenty of players who squandered their 100 MPH fastballs by not being able to control it in tough situations. Just the same, there are all time greats such as Greg Maddux who relied on their craftiness, intelligence and their baseball training rather than domineering stuff to make a great career. Hone your mental toughness and follow these guidelines to see better results on the mound.

Chris Moheno has a long time passion for sports in general and for baseball coaching more specifically. His goal is to spread the word about effective non-fluff baseball training techniques for both more experienced and young baseball players, to help them perform better during the game. Discover more about baseball training on http://www.baseballtrainingsecrets.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Moheno

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Pitching Mechanics Drills - Yes Drill Sergeant!

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By KC Andrus

Pitchers control the entire game of baseball, it is one of the most coveted positions in the game. Think about it, the game can go absolutely nowhere unless the pitcher throws the ball. With all this power in their hands pitchers need to feel confident on the mound. This will enable them to pound the strike zone with and at a high velocity. The most prudent way to do this is to improve your pitching mechanics. So how do you improve your pitching mechanics? What's the most important thing to focus on? Here are some drills to help out.

1. Extension Drill- This drill is fantastic for making sure you are fully extended and releasing the ball out in front. Simply drop to one knee and put your throwing elbow in your glove out in front of your face. Then throw the ball using only a flick of your wrist, concentrating on getting that good extension and producing consistent results. This will help improve your velocity as well by improving the rate at which the ball comes out of your hand and helping you reach further towards home, in effect putting you closer to the plate.

2. On a Knee- This drill still requires you to remain on one knee. All you need to do to perform this drill is to find a partner and play catch on a knee. The thing you need to focus and this drill will really help is your follow through and finish. It is very important that you concentrate on your throwing arm finishing over the opposite knee. This drill will help create great consistency within your throwing motion.

These are only a couple drills that will help with your pitching mechanics. This drills in particular help with your actually arm motion, but there is so much more to pitching mechanics than your arm action. There are many pitching mechanics drills that will help you improve both the velocity and command of your pitches. Follow the link below to learn how you can add 10 mph to your fastball"

Pitching Mechanics Drills

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=KC_Andrus

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