When someone asks me what the most important pitch in baseball is, my reply every time is Strike One! The most important aspect of pitching is the ability to throw strikes and stay ahead of the hitters. So what are some basic concepts that will make this easier?
First, I believe it is of utmost importance to keep your delivery to the plate as simple and repeatable as possible. Your goal is to stay over the rubber as long as possible before you break from your balance point and deliver the pitch to the plate.
This means no huge steps, making sure your pivot foot is even with the rubber, and not turning your body away from the plate when you get to your balance point. Nothing that your body does before breaking from your balance point is going to help you throw any harder or throw more strikes. In fact, it just becomes tougher to repeat, which in turn leads to fewer strikes and less velocity over the long haul.
Remember, keep it simple and you should notice a dramatic improvement in your ability to throw strikes. Get ahead in the count and success will follow!
