Baseball pitch grips are a big part of throwing a baseball. Every pitcher has a unique way of holding and gripping every pitch in his arsenal. Since the size of the baseball is “a given”, success with different pitches and baseball pitch grips can be attributable to many things, including hand size, finger size, finger pressure, finger placement, depth of the hold, hand / finger dexterity and most importantly comfort. In this article we are going to review the eight major pitch types, each with its own distinct baseball pitch grip and movement pattern: Continue reading “Baseball Pitch Grips — A Comprehensive Guide”
Athlete Highlight – Nick Cimillo with the Pirates, Batting .289 with 3 HRs
Nick Cimillo recently concluded an outstanding spring training with the Pittsburgh Pirates with a .289 cumulative BA, 11 hits including two 2B, one 3B and three HRs. His three HRs had an average exit velo over 100 mph with 2 of them carrying over 400 feet. How did he do it?
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3 Great Mobility Drills and Stretches for Baseball Catchers
Catchers are the unsung heroes in regards to duties on the baseball field. But I think it’s really important that if they want to continue being at the top of their game, they need to remain mobile in an ungodly uncomfortable position. For catchers, a large degree of importance needs to be placed on:
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- Ankle stability / mobility
- T-spine mobility
- Hip mobility
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Podcast #45: Importance of In-season Training and Youth Development
I’m flying solo today answering some of my listeners frequently asked questions. Today’s topics:
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- The importance of a great In-season training program
- When and how to start training youth athletes and why it’s important
- Remote training
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Warm-up Routine for 10-12 Year Old Baseball Players
Building good habits from a young age will pay big dividends over time as young athletes get older. This is especially true when it comes to taking care of their bodies. The following warm-up routine is appropriate for pitchers and position players, between the ages of 10 and 12 years old and it includes:
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- Arm Care / Band Work (5 min)
- Multi-Planar Movement Prep (5-10 min)
- Long Toss (10 min)
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Lower Half Pitching Mechanics: Drive / Rotate – Simplified (Part 3 of 4)
Use your legs. Use your lower half. Sounds great but, “what the heck does it mean”? Coaches often cue this as if it’s one single thing. In reality, a proper use of the lower half has 4 different but connected and sequential components. In Part 3 of this 4 part series on lower half pitching mechanics, we’ll take a closer look and break down what I refer to as the Drive / Rotate phase.
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Remote Athlete Highlight: Evan Festa Batting .459 (Class 2024 from Nevada)
Evan Festa , 2-way player from Las Vegas, Nevada (Class of 2024), came to us last September looking to elevate his game and performance on the field. At 5’11″, Evan started his remote training at RPP weighing in at 155 lbs. and expressing a desire to increase his lean body mass, strength and power, and eliminate his pre-existing lower back discomfort. Six months later, Evan is off to a great start this spring with a .459 batting average and no lower back discomfort. Let’s review how we got here.
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Athlete Highlight – Jack Brodsky from Sitting 91-93 to Sitting 93-94, T95
Jack Brodsky, 5th year grad student and closer for University of Tampa Baseball, is having a banner year. With 11 appearances and 15.2 inning pitched, he has a 0.57 ERA and a 0.57 WHIP, with a pitching velo up to 95 mph. Jack joined us last summer as a part of the summer throwing program after graduating from Emory University. He also returned during his winter break before the start of the spring season. When he started in June 2022, his objectives were to improve his velocity and command and control. He was sitting 91-93 and had just graduated from Emory with a 1.59 WHIP and a 5.42 cumulative ERA. How did we do it?
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Podcast #44: Setting up a Successful Team Culture with University of SF Head Coach Rob DiToma
Today we’re sitting down with University of San Francisco Head Coach Rob DiToma, whom I’ve known since his days at Farleigh Dickinson University (FDU). On the menu today:
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- Recent changes in the incoming ball player
- Creating a team culture on day 1
- Early specialization and injury
Podcast #43: Training a Moving Target with SF Giants S&C Coach Andy Lyon
Today’s podcast is with Andy Lyon, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach with the San Francisco Giants. Join us as discuss a variety of topics including maneuvering programming to optimize the ever changing needs of professional baseball players throughout the year. Topics include:
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- Off-season / in-season training needs
- Differences between training pitchers and position players
- When and how to apply baseball-specific conditioning throughout the year
Continue reading “Podcast #43: Training a Moving Target with SF Giants S&C Coach Andy Lyon”