Howdy Wildcat fans,
Let’s talk pitching.
Everyone starts out trying to pitch when they begin playing this sport, but as you grow within it, the challenge becomes harder as the competition gets better! The hitters get better, so this forces the hand of pitchers to become just a little better than the hitters we expect to face!
When it comes to pitching, a lot of people overlook what it takes to be a pitcher. In my opinion, a good pitcher works at their stamina, consistency and refines their pitching versatility.
At this college level, whether you are a starter, a mid-reliever, or a closer, it is important to not only do your job when your number is called, but to do it consecutive days in a row. Some ways we build stamina at the collegiate level is through conditioning circuits or workouts but also putting ourselves in live situations at practice. I mean nothing beats throwing to a live offense to build stamina than practicing how you play! I have learned during my time here at Arizona that the best way to practice pitching is to put your stuff to the test! For me, this is throwing in scrimmages and pitching to our Arizona offense! Pitching live has allowed me to test my strategies, game plan, and my tools as a pitcher. No matter the outcome, throwing live allows me the opportunity to recognize my strengths as a pitcher, but also take my weaknesses to the bullpen and work on them to be a better and more well-rounded pitcher for the next outing!
Additionally, consistency is what complements pitching with stamina. Consistency actually means quite a few things when it comes to pitching. Consistency means hitting your spots in certain counts, hitting those spots with movement, and being able to be a reliable pitcher one day to the next or even one weekend to the next. The most important part of being a consistent pitcher is having what we call softball IQ. Softball IQ consists of being able to read hitters’ swing paths, knowing if they are aggressive or not, and even taking mental notes of their tendencies that may play into the success of our pitch calling. This softball IQ allows pitchers to not just play the game but read situations and be able to set up pitches according to the next play. Overall, consistency instills reliability! Consistency in hitting your spots, being confident no matter the situation, and controlling your emotions no matter what this game throws at you are the key components when it comes to being a good pitcher.
Lastly, versatility complements the traits of being a good pitcher with stamina and consistency. A lot of pitchers today master about two pitches, maybe three. This is good as every pitcher will become a part of a staff and complement those within a bullpen staff, but through my experience, being able to have more than three pitches enables a pitcher to change their look and become… well… versatile! Now this is not my way of saying you have to have every pitch known to softball in your arsenal, but in my experience, I have had the amazing opportunity to work with multiple pitching coaches who have taught me to throw pitches to every part of the zone. The downside to this is that it is difficult to master more than three pitches, but this is something that depends on each pitcher as we are all different in our own pitching style! That is the beauty of pitching! Whether you are a pitcher who has the ability to be successful with two pitches or throw six different pitches, being able to be consistent and reliable is the name of the pitching game! Now, when speaking on the topic of versatility, having five pitches to throw many different ways, over the last couple of years I have mastered what works for me and my ability to
throw them with movement, velocity, and consistency! With the ability to throw to all parts of the zone, I have slowly learned the importance of versatility and adaptability and how it works for my pitching style! Depending on the team, it is best to be a down-ball pitcher or an up-ball pitcher with the ability to add a third look of changing speeds. It has taken me quite a while to be able to do this, but this ability has been something that is quite new to my repertoire and something my pitching coach, Christian Conrad, and I have been working on ever since he became a part of our Arizona coaching staff. The ability to be versatile and adaptable is a must have a mindset to have in your mental games as a pitcher due to how the game of softball has evolved. With the technology era within softball now, scouting is tedious and teams practically know your every pitch and every tendency before you even face them. In my experience, being able to change looks as a pitcher has been something that has enhanced my versatility and adaptability when facing some of the toughest offenses this season!
Consistency, stamina, and versatility may seem daunting and these traits as a pitcher sure do take time to master, but the key to attaining these three things is the right pitching coach for you. Every pitcher is different and you learn something new from every coach, but you are only as good as the coaches that you surround yourself with, especially a pitching coach that believes in you! I have had the opportunity to work with multiple pitching coaches who have had a huge impact in my pitching career. From each coach, I have always learned something new and each coach has prepared me for exactly where I am at in my pitching career now. From learning body awareness, to velocity, to movement pitches, to learning a change up, and even as simple as the mental game of pitching in certain counts and situations. By working with multiple pitching coaches, I have learned what doesn’t work for me and what helps me find that success! Overall, when you get to the collegiate level of play, pitching coaches are there for a reason. They are the best of the best and are there due to their knowledge and style of coaching. When visiting schools, take the opportunity to make sure that you can grow as a pitcher under their coaching as well as respect their coaching style. You are only as good as your ability to be coachable! Pitchers! If there is anything that you grasp from this, being coachable is the key to success and having a perspective of a growth mindset will enhance your abilities as a pitcher!
To all those young pitchers out there, the sky’s the limit to your pitching ability! Just as much as you want to be successful as a pitcher, it is important to realize the kind of competitor you are on the mound and the kind of pitcher you aspire to be! Also, it is just as important as it is to be a pitcher that is coachable, pitching coaches will believe in you and your abilities when you are a student of the game! It is a two way street! What you put into your game when no one is watching is what you will get out of it!
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