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Pitching with Runners

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     One big thing for Little Leaguers coming up to 90-foot baselines and 60-and-a-half foot pitching distances is pitching when there are runners on base.  Now runners can take a lead, and they don't have to wait for your pitch to cross the plate before they move.  So often in the beginning of Junior League seasons you'll see runners who are learning to lead get picked off, and pitchers learning to pick off having a balk called on them.  Knowledge and concentration are all that are required to make sure you are not the one feeling foolish in those situations.  Practice is the way to develop both knowledge and concentration.  

The Stretch Position - When you have runners on base you need to change to the stretch delivery.  The quicker you can throw strikes to the catcher the less time a runner has in stealing.  You should practice from the stretch position to gain confidence for when you need to use it, and practice your pick-off move from different points of your delivery.  Notice that the mechanics are basically the same for the windup and stretch positions.  Only the first 2 of the 8 listed are changed because by "mechanics" we mean physics, the physical laws that determine the most efficient movements in obtaining the greatest velocity while maintaining control.
     Start with the outside of your post foot parallel with and touching the front of the rubber.  Your throwing-hand shoulder points to second and your glove-hand shoulder points to the plate.  Vary the timing and sequence of your looks to the runners so you don't develop a telegraphic routine.  You will always concentrate on the lead runner, but remember the trailing runners might become lax or overconfident in their leads and can often make "sitting duck" targets.  Before you make any attempt on a trailing runner be sure the lead runner will not advance.
     Every team should have signals, from the bench or from the catcher, calling for a pitch out, a throw over, or a step off.  Check out some example from WebBall.Com™.
     Staying in the stretch position even with bases loaded is a good idea if you are a right-handed pitcher because you have a distinct advantage to pick off the lead runner.  There are many times, however, when you want to go back to your full windup with bases loaded.  Know the situation and your current ability to control it.  Most pitchers throw with more speed and accuracy from the windup than from the stretch.  Listen to your coaches.

Pick-off move to first - As mentioned above, you should practice your pick-off moves from various points of your delivery.  Keep in mind that your primary objective with any pick-off attempt is not to actually pick the runner off, to get her out, but to shorten her lead.  It's only that "lead-limiting move" doesn't sound as confident or thrilling as "pick-off attempt."  If you rush the move thinking you're going to get the runner out, you're more likely to over throw it.  Just throw it to your 1st to keep her closer to the base.  Occasionally you may make a pick-off move just to mess up the batter's rhythm.
     Very often a runner will force you to throw over just to see your move.  Don't show her.  Throw it over, of course, but don't show her your full-speed move until you actually do attempt to pick her off.  

 

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Last modified: December 05, 2002