Making good use of checkpoints is one of the best baseball pitching tips anyone will ever give you. Checkpoints are very simply mental reminders that a pitcher gives to himself before every pitch. They are something that will help any pitcher be the most effective! Usually, baseball pitchers have about three or four and they will vary from pitcher to pitcher. I would venture to say that at the professional level of play, almost every pitcher uses them. Nobody can tell you what your personal checkpoints are. You have to know yourself as a pitcher and you must decide what they are. If you occasionally get into a bad habit while on the hill, then that particular thing would then become one of your checkpoints. It can possibly be that you have a tendency to rush your windup. Maybe you “fly open.” Just remember that they should be done before every pitch.

Some Common Checkpoints That Pitchers Use:

1. Step toward your catcher’s target.

2. Keep the front shoulder closed when driving toward the plate so you don’t “fly open.”

3. Throw the ball and don’t overthrow the ball.

4. Don’t rock left and right and keep everything straight during the windup and delivery of the pitch.

5. Remember not to tilt your head and to keep it straight during the windup.

6. Remember to “stay back on the rubber” if you have a tendency to get your body ahead of your throwing arm.

7. Keep the windup slow if you have a tendency to rush and it causes pitching problems for you.

8. Get the legs involved in the pitch to take some of the work load off your throwing arm.

9. Stay “on top” of your pitches or they will flatten out and be much more hittable.

10. Turn the hip enough when pivoting.

11. Raise the throwing elbow up to shoulder height.

12. Break the hands apart early so you don’t have to rush the throwing arm.

13. Raise the front knee to at least waist height.

The list can go on and on. (And it almost did.)

Don’t make a mistake here and undervalue how important checkpoints are. If you have two or three weaknesses, wouldn’t it be terrific if you can eliminate them almost all the time? As an individual pitcher, you have to decide what the three or four things are that should be your personal checkpoints. Think about them before every pitch! Trust me, it’s not nearly as complicated as one might think.

Simply think of an abbreviated form because it’s not like you have to think of thirty, forty or fifty words before every pitch. A typical checkpoint list may be staying back on the rubber, front shoulder closed and point the landing foot to the catcher’s target. A more logical and abbreviated version would be “stay back, closed and foot.” It takes about one second at the most. Using checkpoints should be right near the top of your list of outstanding baseball pitching tips.

To me, making very good use of checkpoints is a total no brainer. It will keep you totally focused and you will cut down on your number of mistakes. I truly hope you realize how spending this one second will help you tremendously as a baseball pitcher!

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CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 12: Phillip Humber #41 of the Chicago White Sox pitches against the Oakland Athletics on June 12, 2011 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Phillip Humber threw a perfect game yesterday for the Chicago White Sox, adding his name to the list of former Mets pitchers who have thrown no-hitters. While a couple pitchers had accomplished the feat prior to joining the Mets, most have done it after they have left the team. Humber is the second former Met to ever throw a perfect game, accomplished only by David Cone with the New York Yankees.

Mike Scott was traded in 1982 by the Mets for OF Danny Heep. While Heep was a member of the 1986 World Series Champion team, Scott became a nemasis, nearly ending the Mets NL Pennant dream. He also clinched the NL West title for the Astros by throwing a no-hitter, becoming another former Mets pitcher to throw one. Hideo Nomo threw one when he pitched for the Dodgers in 1996, pitched for the Mets, then threw a second one pitching for the Boston Red Sox.

Of course, the Mets have acquired their share of pitchers who had no hitters on their resume. The Mets acquired Cy Young winner Bret Saberhagen from the Royals in 1992, a year after he threw a no-hitter for the Kansas City Royals. They traded for LHP Al Leiter from the Marlins before the 1998 season, after he threw a no-hitter for the Marlins in 1996. Hall of Famer Warren Spahn, who joined the Mets pitching staff in 1965 while doubling as pitching coach, threw two no-hitters for the Braves in 1960 and 1961.

The earliest no-hitter thrown by a pitcher that would later pitch for the Mets was Don Cardwell, who as a Cubs pitcher no-hit the Cardinals on May 15, 1960. Cardwell joined the Mets in 1967. Dean Chance pitched a no-hitter for the Twins in 1967 before pitching three games for the Mets in 1970. Dock Ellis threw a no-hitter for the Pirates in 1970 (reportedly while tripping on acid) and pitched for the Mets in 1979. John Candelaria, who pitched in a handful of September games for the Mets in 1987, threw a no-hitter pitching for the Pirates in 1976.

CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 07: Phillip Humber #41 Chicago White Sox tips his cap after leaving the game in the seventh inning against the Seattle Mariners on June 7, 2011 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Sox defeated the Mariners 5-1. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Kenny Rogers is the only pitcher to throw a perfect game before pitching for the Mets. This happened in 1994 pitching for the Texas Rangers. He would pitch for the Mets in 1999. Scott Erickson, who briefly pitched for the Mets in 2004, threw a no-hitter for the Minnesota Twins in 1994 as well.

In the history of the franchise, there are four relief pitchers who have been part of no-hitters. Alejandro Pena pitched the final inning of a combined no hitter started by Kent Merker (7 innings) and Mark Wohlers (1 IP) in 1991, not too long after being traded from the Mets. LHP Ricardo Rincon, who would see some action in 2008 with the Mets, was part of a 10 inning no hitter for the Pirates, relieving Francisco Cordova and pitching an inning of hitless ball. Two pitchers who are now members of New York Mets alumni, Octavio Dotel and Billy Wagner, were part of that crazy no-hitter the Houston Astrosthrew against the Yankees in 2003. They each pitched an inning, combining with Roy Oswalt (1 IP), Peter Munro (2 2/3), Kirk Saarloos (1 1/3) and Brad Lidge (2) to keep the Yankees hitless.

The only other pitcher who was part of the Mets roster to pitch a no-hitter is Jim Bibby, who was a September call-up in 1971. He never got into a game, but was on the roster and in uniform for the team. He would pitch his no-hitter in 1973, while pitching for the Texas Rangers.

All this history about no-hitters and the Mets, you would think one would have been wearing a Mets uniform when they did it. Of course not, and it will be 50 years or more before it ever happens, if it ever does at all.

Exactly when you should start your stride varies among hitters. Usually, the stride begins a fraction of a second before the pitcher releases the ball and that’s my preference. Many teach that the stride should start when you see the pitcher pivot on the rubber and the hitter can see the pitcher’s rear end. That is not my preference. I think it’s too early and leaves the hitter in a little bit of a “pause” mode and hinders momentum into the pitch. I like the swing to take place immediately after the stride.

Whether you stride when the pitcher pivots or a split second before the pitcher’s release is a personal preference. On the other hand, one of the better baseball tips on hitting to remember is that it makes no sense at all to stride very late and have to rush everything after that. The stride is actually a weightless step that is used for timing. You should pretend that you are stepping on a sheet of ice and don’t want to slip and fall. No transfer of weight should take place when striding.You should land on the ball of your foot. Avoid the very common mistake of landing on your heel. It can cause you to spin like a top and your entire “foundation” will be ruined. If your foundation or base is disrupted, it won’t matter how many things you do properly after that. You will have no chance of being a successful baseball hitter.

You should stride with your front foot and toes pointing straight out across from your body. If you have a tendency to “fly open,” I would highly recommend pointing the toes slightly inward. In other words, slightly back toward the catcher. This will encourage you to “stay closed.” Opening any part of your front side too early will create many baseball hitting problems. One, your head will go along for the ride and you will be looking at the baseball out of the corners of your eyes. Two, any power you have will be lost because the hitting is not taking place out by your third base coach if you are a right-handed hitter or by your first base coach if you are a left-handed hitter. Lastly, low and away pitches will be almost impossible for you to hit successfully. Stay closed!

Always remember that the stride and the swing are two separate movements. There is a fine line between them and only a fraction of a second, but they must be separate and preferably smooth movements. The stride must be completed before the ball is in the hitting zone. The length of the stride varies from none at all to a couple of feet. The average stride is about four inches.

Some believe that the shorter the stride is the better it is. Some very good hitters take no stride at all. They simply pick up their front foot and then put it back on the ground in the same spot. My personal preference is about a 4 inch stride and it will be your shot to call on this one, as to which you prefer.

An advantage in keeping the stride short is that it encourages your head to “stay quiet.” In other words, a long stride may possibly cause your head to move around more and make it more difficult for your eyes to actually focus on the baseball.

Remember, one of the more important baseball tips on hitting to remember is that it is absolutely necessary to keep your weight back when you stride! “Foot forward, weight back.” Some youngsters have a hard time with this. When they stride and their front foot goes forward, they have a strong tendency to shift their weight forward also. This is not what you want to do.

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Maturity and success aren’t always aligned with years on the diamond; just ask Australian sensation Justin Erasmus.  The Boston Red Sox know this, having snapped Erasmus up as a free agent at just 17.  This now 21-year-old right handed pitcher is carving his name around the globe in baseball.

Currently on the Brisbane Bandits roster, Erasmus is a star player in his second season with the newly revived Australian Baseball League.  Here are some insights into his quirky superstitions, how he keeps his money-maker in check, the Sox and what really goes on in the bullpen…

Sox Prospects describes your pitch as “Smooth, over-the-top and deliberate”, can you elaborate?

I think they’ve got it spot on – I try to be as sound as I can with my mechanics.  I’ll go with pretty much exactly what they said.

How do you keep your arm in check?

I do a shoulder program around three times a week, but every day I’ll do Thera-Band work and pretty much just throwing and lots of stretching.  Every time at the field I’ll do internal and external rotations, more stretching, then recovery – involves loads of ice.

General fitness – what do you do to maintain your performance level?

It is pretty difficult; I’m on a Red Sox Training Program and a gym routine. Right now it’s five days a week and it’s tough because I’ve got training and then pitching on the weekend.  So I go – Monday I’ll do legs, Tuesday upper body, Wednesday legs again, Thursday upper body, Friday is a light kind of mellow recovery day and weekends I’m running around playing baseball.

Which aspects of your pitching game are you currently working on and aiming to improve?

Throwing strikes, trying to throw a Cutter right now which is pretty much a fastball but a little different.  Throwing a Cutter is my focus, more change ups, pretty much pitching in general, just trying to do something different than just straight.  It’s all about finger pressure and how you release the ball.

Considering your high pressure role, are you always tense during games?

When I’m there, this might sound really weird, but I don’t pay much attention to the actual game, I try to mellow out, have some fun in the bullpen and then when they call ‘Erasmus do you want to get ready?’ I go through my pregame routine; before I go out there I give everyone a fist pump thing, pump myself up a little bit and once I get to the mound, I know my job is to get that guy out any way, shape or form.

How do you relax and then go straight in to playing mode?

It’s turning it on.  If you’re 100% ready to go every single game and you don’t throw the first three games, by the fourth you are mentally drained.  When you finally go on to pitch, you won’t be as good as you should be.  I’ve learnt how to turn it on and turn it off, so most of the time I’m off and then, when my name gets called, I just mentally flip, I don’t talk too much, I do what I need to do to get warm.  When I run out there it’s all adrenaline and then I slow down. When the first hitter steps in, I’m ready and then it’s just trying to get him out – any way.

How do you pass the time in the bullpen?

You chill out, you have fun.  Obviously you watch a bit of the game, you’ve got to note what some hitters do but you’re not 100% on the game.  You’ve got to be able to zone out and a change back really quickly, like snap back into it.

Once on the mound, what do you end up saying to yourself?

Before I get to there, I’ve got a lot of pregame/prepitch superstitions so that’s pretty much the switch – saying “Alright, you’ve got to go to work” and I just tell myself “Hey, stay back, throw the ball down, throw a strike” – that’s pretty much it.  Hit a spot, I’m confident in everything I throw so I just make sure I hit that spot.

A lot of people have asked me to find out what the ball-behind-the-head routine is about.  Can you explain it?

What it is, is a tap the back of my right foot and touch my hat and it’s like a signal – right, go to work.  It’s a switch, you’ve just thrown your first pitch and that’s over and done with and now you’ve got to do it all over again, start again.  So if I miss and throw a ball, I’ll do that and prepare myself for the next pitch, hopefully a better one.

Pitchers in particular are known to be superstitious players, I guess only you can really understand it…

I have a lot of rituals, superstitions, and that works so I’m not going to go changing it.  If you could get a video of these superstitions that would be pretty funny but there are also a lot of behind the scenes superstitions no one really knows about.

Fair to say you’re quite a controlled player…

Yes, I am focused, I’m over analytical, I think a lot which makes me aggressive on the mound.  I know my job, I know what I’ve got to do and I’ll do anything to get that job done.

Obviously you understand it’s not just harnessing your skill in one way…

Baseball is 90% mental – once you’re happy with yourself and have developed your own strategies, it makes it a whole lot easier.  I learnt that from Phil Jauncey (Australia’s foremost Performance Psychologist), he gives you a test that defines your approach to life and getting ahead and you go from there.  I am a ‘Mozzie’ thinker which means I talk a lot, I’ve got a lot of energy and when it comes down to it, I like to analyze things and make sure I’ve got it all sorted out properly.

Finally – why Bandits, why a second time around?

Pretty much working with KJ (Kevin Jordon, Bandits Manger and former Philadelphia Phillies infielder) again.  I spoke to him a lot last season, he is a great guy who knows so much about baseball. He knows my situation; he knows what I’ve got to do.  KJs been in the big leagues – I respect him a lot.  Right now, I’m back living at home with my family which is great because I spend 9 to 10 months out of the country, being around them when I can is really important.

Erasmus was one of just two Brisbane Bandits handpicked to play for Team Australia in the Australian Baseball League All-Stars game in Perth on December 21st which aired on the MLB Network.

Take a look at almost any inning in which three or more runs are scored and I would venture that in at least 75% of those innings one or more walks were involved. I teach pitchers that you must throw strikes consistently and I don’t care if a batter hits the ball into the trees past the outfield fence. You cannot give the opposing team free gifts. I truly believe that pitching begins with having good control. The first thing that should be taught to a pitcher is that he must have good command of his fast ball to all four parts of the strike zone. Good command equals good control. After step one is completed, step number two is to teach variations on the fast ball and the changeup. Step number three is to teach the breaking ball.

A lot of people don’t realize that control also means being able to throw a ball off the plate and not just over the plate. That means that I can throw a ball three or four inches off the plate to get a hitter out who “chases” bad pitches. If I’m ahead in the count, the batter almost has to swing at the pitch that’s just off the plate.

Control obviously also means control within the strike zone. Being able to control pitches up and in or low and away is very important. If I’m shooting for low and away and I’m too high by a foot, the pitch is not nearly as effective and could very well get hit hard.

If I’m shooting up and in and I’m off by ten inches and get the middle of the plate, once again, it’s not nearly as effective. If you are serious about pitching, you should aim for a target every time you throw a baseball. Every time you throw a baseball!

When I’m having a catch with my sixteen year old son and I’m not behind the plate, we play a game we invented called “Target.” We are both very competitive and this game is fun! Twenty points usually wins and you have to win by two points. We have a regular catch and give each other a target. The target can be left or right shoulder, left or right hip or basically wherever you want to place the target. If you are throwing and are within a foot of the target with a fastball, you get one point. If you throw a changeup or breaking ball and are within a foot, you get two points. (This gives you the flexibility to go after two points if you are trailing late in the game.) Not only will this help your control, but you will have a blast while you’re playing it!

Even if you want to insult my son Tyler and I and not play “Target,” remember that to improve your control, one of the best baseball pitching tips is to aim for a target every time you throw a baseball! It can be your throwing partner’s left hip, right hip, left shoulder, right shoulder, etc.

How can this possibly not help your control?

You really have to experiment and find out what is the most comfortable for you when it comes to different grips on the baseball. Baseball pitching tips involve experimenting with many different ways to grip your pitches. This definitely applies to throwing the changeup. I would venture that 95% of all pitchers, at any level of play, use one of the following three grips for the changeup.

“Circle Change”
One of the very consistent things on the circle change is to remove index finger to the inside of the ball. The index finger is one of your two “power fingers” and you’re not looking for power when throwing the changeup. The other “power finger” is the middle finger. The index finger and thumb form a circle or an okay sign on the side of the baseball and that’s why it called what it is. A very common grip used by several professionals is with the middle and ring fingers on the seams like a 2-seamer. The index finger is curled on the side and rests either against the thumb or if you prefer, just next to it. Some pitchers prefer to put the index finger against the thumb nail. You can grip it like a two-seamer with the middle and ring fingers going along the seams.

One of the advantages of the circle change is that quite often it has movement down and away. One drawback is the circle change is tough to master and must be practiced often. Another drawback is that youngsters sometimes struggle throwing it because their fingers are not long enough. It can also be gripped across the seams. Like I said, find out what’s more comfortable in your hand.

The circle change can also be gripped similar to a four-seamer, having the fingers cross over the seams instead of the fingers riding the seams, forming a tic-tac-toe appearance with your fingers and the baseball. Some pitchers grip the ball a little deeper in their hand to slow it down a little. Many pitchers release it with their wrist fairly stiff and like they are pulling down a window shade.

“Choke Change”

As the name implies, the ball is “choked” back further in the hand. Generally, the more the ball is “choked” back in the hand, the slower the speed because the ball will not leave your hand as freely. There are many different grips used but the important part is the choking. Sometimes the choke change can be a little tough to control. The pressure points are on the first joints of the fingers and the thumb. Instead of having the loose, relaxed wrist like on the fastball, hold your wrist stiffer and straighter. A big advantage with the “choke change” is that many pitchers find it very comfortable. Let’s face it, it’s the normal grip like their fastball but it’s simply pushed back deeper in the hand. For some, it’s easy to learn.

The only real disadvantage to the choke change is that sometimes, before you learn it and get command of it, it may be high in the strike zone and that’s not where you want to be. Do you know what happens to high changeups? They never make it to the catcher. They usually make it over the left center or right center field fence. Don’t worry if you are bouncing some of them in the dirt but never miss high with your changeup!

“Pitch Fork”

This is my personal favorite! Why is it my favorite? First of all, it feels very comfortable in my hand. I find it very easy to throw over the plate, even though I’m an old bag at age 56. I played around with it while playing catch with my son and in no time it all, I was able to throw it pretty well. If I were still pitching, I would have to perfect the height as sometimes I am up in the zone.

I figure half the battle is over already because I can throw it over the plate, and now I just need to work on my height. This is the one I would teach to a youngster! If the youngster feels it is not comfortable, then I would experiment with some of the other grips instead. Like I said, one size does not fit all and you have to find the grip that is most comfortable for you!

The grip with the pitch fork change is like a four-seamer with the horse shoe either facing inside or to the outside. Basically, the only difference is that you include the ring finger also. Keep the three fingertips off the baseball and you sort of push the ball out instead of letting it spin freely like the four-seamer. Keep the ball choked back in the hand and don’t break your wrist when throwing it and keep your wrist straight. Follow through with your hand going straight down. Give this grip a try and you can always go back to your circle change if you want. You may not go back though and may really like this grip better. I’m an old bag and I can throw it pretty well so imagine what you can do.

Once again, one of the best baseball pitching tips to always remember is that catchers don’t catch high changeups. Spectators in the outfield seats catch them after they are hit over the fence.

Never miss high with your changeup. If you do, you and I will no longer be on speaking terms!

I’ll gladly give you my input about pitching from different sides of the rubber but ultimately you will have to decide what works best for you and where you are comfortable. There are many baseball theories on this but ultimately you will have the final say because you are doing the pitching.

Usually, but not always, a right-hander stands on the third base side of the rubber and a left-hander on the first base side. Many believe this method gives you a better angle to the hitter. Let’s use a right-handed batter against a right-handed pitcher as an example. The righty pitcher who is starting from the third base side of the rubber will create the effect that the pitch is coming toward the righty batter and then going over the plate. If the righty pitcher is on the side of the rubber closest to first base, the righty batter will possibly be a little more comfortable. The reason is the ball is starting away from him and then coming into the plate.

Now, it can get a little tricky. Many pitchers who have a tail on their fastball, will do the opposite. If that’s the case, the right-handed pitcher usually will opt for the first base side of the rubber and the left-handed pitcher will usually opt for the third base side of the rubber. Once again, it will give the pitcher a slightly better angle to the batter.

Some left-handed pitchers will pitch on the first base side of the rubber to left handed batters only, to make it even more intimidating to the batter.

Some right-handed pitchers will do the same and stand on the third base side of the rubber for right-handed batters, to make it more intimidating for the right-handed batter. The point here is that there is nothing etched in stone as to where ANY pitcher should stand on the rubber. This is not a “one size its all” situation. You will have to experiment and find what works the best for you. You may prefer to use one side of the rubber when facing a right-handed batter and the other side when you are facing a left-handed batter. Or you can play it middle of the road and use the same spot on the rubber all the time. It’s one of those things that come down to your personal preference.

I do however, think it makes a lot of sense for a right-handed pitcher to stand on the third base side of the rubber when facing a right-handed hitter and for a left-handed pitcher to stand on the first base side of the rubber when facing a left-handed hitter. As a pitcher, isn’t it your job to make hitters uncomfortable? I truly believe that it’s your job. Hitters should never be too comfortable when facing you. If a baseball hitter is intimidated by a pitcher, half the battle is won by the pitcher before the battle even begins!

It’s your shot to call on this one. Baseball pitching tips quite often involve experimenting and finding out what works best for you. All of the things we mentioned above are strictly recommendations and then it’s going to be your shot to call.

The “long toss” is simply a throwing session where you start out fairly close to your throwing partner, then gradually increase the distance between the two of you. You finish the drill by then gradually decreasing the distance until you are back to the distance you originally started from.

The benefits will be tremendous but remember to proceed with caution.

Whenever you are ahead in the count, you should “expand the strike zone.” No, let’s rephrase that. You must expand the strike zone! That simply means throwing a pitch off the plate, that’s actually a ball. Or throwing a pitch too high or too low that is out of the strike zone. Let’s be clear on one thing. I think it is a total waste if you throw the pitch too far off the plate. If ahead of the batter and the count is 0-2, it makes no sense to throw a pitch over the batter’s head or two feet off the plate. The objective is to get the batter to swing at a pitch that’s not a strike. If you throw the ball way off the plate or over the batter’s head the batter will not swing. The only thing that does is that it adds to your pitch count. That makes no sense.

It is estimated that at least 70% of swinging strike threes at any level of play are on pitches that are not strikes. Please read the previous sentence again!

You don’t have to take my word for it. You can see it for yourself. Occasionally, when a pitcher strikes out a lot of hitters in a baseball game, the following morning on television, they sometimes show the replays of all the strikeouts. Keep a tally for yourself. (Trust me on this one, you can do it.) I have done it several times.

If the hitter took strike three, you don’t tally it. You are only checking the swinging strike threes. Simply count the pitches swung at that were strikes and pitches swung at that were balls. Your tally will go like this: 1 out of 1, 1 out of 2, 2 out of 3, 2 out of 4, 3 out of 5, etc.

I really suggest you try this. I’m not saying to do it all the time but try it two or three times. You will get very good at it and in no time at all and may find it very interesting as well as surprising. The batters swing at more strike threes that are balls than are strikes! That is a very powerful statement. It is because the batter can no longer be fussy about what he swings at and must protect against being called out on strikes.

There is an expression that has been around for decades and still holds true and will never become obsolete. “You get ahead of them with strikes but you get them out with balls.” I know it’s been around for decades because my father, God rest his soul, taught it to me about 50 years ago, when I was 9 years old. Boy am I old!

Make very good use of expanding the strike zone because very often, if ahead in the count, you will get batters out with balls.

One of the better baseball pitching tips you should always remember is that there is simply no reason on earth to give a hitter a strike to hit if he’s going to swing at a ball! Baseball pitching is plenty tough enough.

Why not make your life easier as a pitcher? And remember one of the better baseball pitching tips…”You get ahead of them with strikes but you get them out with balls!”

For something that’s very important, I’m quite surprised hiding your grip isn’t talked about or taught more. How many things can be more detrimental for a pitcher than tipping off his pitches to opposing players and their coaches? Trust me. Players, coaches and managers will look for opposing pitchers that tip off their pitches!

For decades, I have heard several times of a pitcher who has been very successful and all of a sudden he is hit very hard for four or five straight outings. Then he gets back on the right track and you hear he was tipping off his pitches and that’s why he was getting hit hard. And some of these pitchers were outstanding professional pitchers so that shows that it is a very common pitching problem. This gives the better hitters a huge advantage. Imagine if they can see ahead of time that you have your circle changeup grip on the baseball.

He can be tipping the pitches off in several ways and quite often it’s because he is not hiding his grip on the ball for his different pitches. If you are using the full windup, make sure that even when you are raising your hands and pivoting on the rubber, you keep the inside of your glove facing your chest! If you are pitching from the stretch position, make sure that when you come set, you keep the inside of your glove facing your chest. As you advance to higher levels of play the opposing team will be looking to see if you are advertising your grip. It may be the third base coach, a manager, some of the players on the bench, etc.

It’s when raising the hands and pivoting on the rubber that a lot of pitchers have a tendency to open up the glove and that is advertising your grip.

Some pitchers start with a fancy grip before every pitch and then sometimes switch to another grip at the last moment. An example would be starting with a circle changeup grip every single pitch and then changing the grip at the last second to the one you really want to use.

You can play some “mind games” with the batter also. If the batter knows that you have a very good changeup, you can move your hand around on the ball for a second or two, and lead him to believe that you might be going to your circle change grip. Then you can surprise him with a good four-seamer that is in on his hands.

One pitch later, you can move your hand on the ball again and this time you do throw the changeup. I’m not saying to do this on every pitch, but on occasion, it will work well for you and annoy the batter.

Why not give the batter a little more to think about? He may start over thinking, out think himself and become annoyed.

As a pitcher, I most certainly want to annoy a batter in any way I can. Always remember that baseball pitching tips require clever use of the mind and not just the body!