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.