Looking for a Baseball Winter Offseason program to join? These programs typically run for about 6 weeks and offer a wide range of benefits for pitchers aiming to improve their arm strength. The program begins with light throwing exercises and core strength training to warm up the muscles and establish a strong foundation. It also includes arm band or plyo ball training to enhance shoulder stability and increase arm strength.
1. Transition from a passive state to an active one; “feeling ready!” Per Driveline Baseball, "In amateur baseball, starting pitchers generally transition from lengthy spans of time sitting – whether in a classroom, car, bus, or on a couch – before arriving to the field before the game. The pre-game routine serves as a means of getting out of this sedentary state and into an active one." Muscles that are dormant for a long car ride or by prolonged sitting must be "woken up" to help the pitcher get into an active state in "controlled, progressive manner."
Crucial to the art of shutting down hitters is the ability to locate pitches in the zone and make balls look like strikes (and vice versa). At the advanced level of baseball, control is more than just throwing strikes. Control means being able to pitch to a scouting report and locate pitches. Pitch location is the most important. No matter how a pitcher feels any certain day, location will win more times than not in the battle against the hitter. Most of the time, a pitcher will not be able to improve velocity or “life” during a game, but he can always fix the location on his pitches with a good mental approach and sound mechanics. As former big leaguer Mike Sweeney said, “God blessed each pitcher with a certain amount of ability to throw a ball." Locating pitches however is the most effective means of getting hitters out.