How to Use Pitch Selection Strategy

Having good pitching ability is only the beginning of being a good pitcher. To succeed at pitching, especially at higher levels, you need to use good pitch selection. Mixing up your pitches is a start, but you will have much more success if you employ more advanced strategies in your pitch selection.

Instructions

1. Get started with a strike. Always try to start off the batter with a strike. Being ahead 0-1 in the count puts you in control of the bat for at least the next two pitches and probably more.

2. Find your best two, three or four pitches and concentrate on those. No successful pitcher throws 10 different pitches and no pitcher needs to. A good rule is to find something to throw hard, something to throw slower and something that moves. This can be accomplished by mastering two or three pitches.

3. Disrupt the hitter's timing. Hitting is about timing. Disrupt that timing by changing the speed of your pitches. A fastball thrown after a change-up seems a lot faster to a hitter because of the change in speed. Likewise, if a hitter pulls a fastball foul, slip him a change-up and he will likely swing too early.

4. Change the eye level of the hitter. When a hitter sees a pitch high in the strike zone, his eyes adjust to the ball in that location. Throw the next pitch low in the strike zone and it will look even lower to him, possibly causing him to take the pitch for a strike.

5. Know what to throw on what count. Your pitch selection should adjust to the count. When ahead 0-2 or 1-2, try to make the hitter chase pitches outside of the strike zone. When down in the count 3-0, 3-1 or 2-0 throw a strike, but do not throw the ball right down the middle. Hitters are looking for one pitch to swing at when ahead in these counts and if you give it to them, they are likely to hit it hard.

6. Concentrate on low and away pitches. Most hitters hit inside pitches and high pitches the best. If you throw inside, be sure to throw the ball close to the inside corner of the plate.

7. Use two seam fastballs, split-finger fastballs, sinkers and sliders low in the strike zone to induce ground balls with runners on base. Ground balls are less likely to drive in runs. These pitch selections also lead to valuable double plays.