Tuesday, June 30, 2020

The Pitching Academy with Marcus Jones

The Pitching Academy

with Marcus Jones 

The Focus 

        The focus of the Pitching Academy is simple. Teach and/or refine pitchers pitcher's mechanics to be simple and repeatable. We must have control of the body before we have control of the baseball. Once the body is in order, we focus on command of the baseball. Command and control are too different things. Control means we can throw strikes consistently. Command means we can throw to different spots of the strike zone at will. We will build the complete pitcher. 

The Goal

      The goal of the Pitching Academy is for each pitcher to have command of three pitches. They will be able to throw these pitches in any count whether they are ahead or behind. They will be fierce competitors with extreme confidence while being relaxed and under control. 

Mechanics 

Simple and repeatable. Less moving parts is easier to fix, easier to control, and much easier to repeat. We teach biomechanical movements that relate to power and productivity. We want our pitchers to be strong and fast. We will use dry drills to work on our mechanics daily to emphasize simple and repeatable. Our pitchers will be 1.35s or less to home plate out of the stretch. (something your High School, College and Professional coaches will be extremely thankful for) 

Arm Strength and Health 

    We utilize a throwing program based on individual arms. We use Jaeger bands. We do Jobe exercises. We focus on core strength. Our belief is that players do not throw enough. This is not to be confused with pitch counts. Today’s pitcher may throw a bullpen a week, may play long-toss once a week and then expect to go throw 100 pitches on the weekend. That is a recipe for disaster. We want our pitchers throwing more often to condition their arm. We should play catch nearly every day and long toss at least 3 times a week. Again, what you do at the academy must be combined with what you do outside the academy to gain the results we desire. 

Pitch Design

    Pitch Design is one of the fun parts of any pitching program. Whether its teaching a new pitch or refining an old one, pitch design is essential for any pitcher hoping to compete at the next level. Our pitchers will learn to command the 2 and 4 seam fastball, a breaking ball, and a changeup. We will teach different grips but the arm action will remain the same. You hear the word tunneling these days. What is tunneling? Tunneling is having every pitch come out of the same arm slot and release point so that the hitter cannot distinguish fastball from off-speed. Same thing we have been working on for ages, just a new term.    

Velocity 

    Velocity is a by-product of clean repeatable mechanics, arm strength, and god given talent. Our pitcher's will see increase in Velocity based on their work in and outside the academy. Between Jaeger Band use, Long Toss, and volume of throwing, velocity will grow. If anyone gives you the blanket statement that their program adds 5-10 mph, turn and run. Velocity will increase as strength increases. We build pitchers not throwers. 

The Mental Game 

     This is the most important part which is almost never taught in individual pitching lessons where the focus is always on mechanics and stuff. Our pitchers will be calm and relaxed under the most extreme pressure. They will learn to control their breathing. They will understand the calming effects of the breath. They will learn how to believe in themselves when everything is falling apart around them. They will understand the 1 pitch at a time and 3 pitches or less concepts.


I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it. -Sandy Koufax


Marcus Jones is a former MLB pitcher with the Oakland A's. He prepped at Esperanza HS in Anaheim before playing collegiately under National Coach of the Year and USA Baseball Pitching Coach Dave Snow at Long Beach State. A two time All American and Big West Pitcher of the Year at Long Beach State, Marcus was drafted in the 40th round by the Mariners in high school, the 8th round by the White Sox after his sophomore year, and signed after being the 95th pick overall in the 1997 Draft by the Oakland A's. He has been working with youth, high school, college, and professional pitchers for over 15 years.



Thursday, June 25, 2020

The Bullpen Routine

    When I was in high school, I remember throwing bullpens for my coach and starting with a fastball, mixing in a curve, and throwing the change. I worked out of the stretch some but mostly out of the windup. When I got to Long Beach State and pitched for National Coach of the Year Dave Snow that all changed. I learned the importance of having a routine. That routine was reinforced by the teaching of our Mental Skills coach Dr. Ken Ravizza. The purpose of the routine is to have a plan. To be able to map out the work you want to put in and make every pitch meaningful. Let me explain. 

    Pitching is unlike hitting in that we cannot take 500 hacks a day. If we throw 500 balls a day there is a good chance our arm falls off by the end of the week. So, mapping out your bullpen limits the number of pitches and gives us a framework in which to work in. It also allows us to focus on each pitch more knowing that I only have a set amount of pitches to get this right. I cannot throw 50-75 pitches in a bullpen. Rather I should not throw 50- 75 pitches in a bullpen. Everyone has heard the quote, "quality over quantity." That is especially true with bullpen sessions. 

What should a bullpen session look like? 

    First it important to understand what your role is as a pitcher. A starter's bullpen is typically longer than a reliever's. Relievers typically pitch more often but a starter pitches longer. Are you a one inning guy, a two-inning guy, long relief, or a starter? The pitch counts should gradually get higher based on the amount of pitches you typically throw in a game. Know who you are! 

    Second always listen to your arm. Do what it tells you to do. But make sure you always set limits for bullpens. 15 pitch, 25 pitch, 35 pitch, and 45 pitch bullpens. Can you add a couple pitches here and there? Yes of course but limit yourself to not overdoing it. 

    Third. Bullpens are strike throwing sessions. We are not necessarily working on stuff. It does not matter how good your stuff is if you cannot throw a strike with it. Focus on command of your stuff in the location you want to throw it. Command and control are two different things. Control means you can throw the ball in the strike zone consistently. Command means you can throw it to the different parts of the strike zone at will.

 

Regular Bullpen 30 pitches:

    From Stretch:

        3 fast balls middle down in zone

        3 fast balls away to a righty down in zone

        3 fast balls in to a righty misses can be up or down but always in.

        3 change ups down in zone

        1 Fastball away to righty

        3 breaking balls misses are always down

    From Windup:

        3 Fastball in to lefty misses up and down but always in

        3 Fastball away to lefty miss down

        3 change ups down in zone

        1 fastball in to lefty

        3 breaking balls (depending on command can back door or back foot)

        1 FB middle

        1 Pitch Out from stretch. 

    Most of your bullpen work should be from the stretch. You should be varying your times to the plate and your time from start to the ball hitting the catcher’s glove should be 1.35 seconds or less. Why is the bulk of our work out of the stretch? I get asked this a lot. And I always answer back with a question. "How many perfect games have you thrown in your life?" The answer is usually none. So, what that tells me is that every game you have pitched in there are runners on base? As pitchers, do we want to be the best with runners on base or with no one on? For me that is simple. I do not want guys scoring so I better be really good out of the stretch. That is where the bulk of my work is done. 

    It is easy to add and subtract to this basic plan. adding 1 pitch to each sequence adds 10 pitches. Subtracting 1 removes 10 pitches. You can also add a simulated at bat or two to the end of the routine. It is important to have a plan with everything you do. From your stretching, to running, to throwing, and obviously your bullpens have a plan and stick to it. You can make changes that fit you as a player. 

 

"Failure to plan is planning to fail."

 

    I hope this helps anyone who reads. And especially the young pitcher just trying to find his way. Learn to simplify. Learn to plan. Work Smarter not Harder.

 

Marcus Jones

 

 

Marcus Jones is a former MLB pitcher with the Oakland A's and All American at Long Beach State

 


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