How to Serve as Pitching Coach for Over-40 Baseball

You love baseball. If you are a pitching coach in a 40 and over league, chances are you are still participating yourself and willing to take on the added duty of coaching the other pitchers. A pitching coach in a 40 and over league is not at all similar to a pitching coach at the high school, college or professional level. While you may offer a few pointers on how to throw a breaking pitch, your main job is to keep your pitching staff healthy and not allow the pitchers to do more than they are capable of once they have reached their 40th birthday.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• baseball
• glove
• uniform
• pitch counter

Staying in shape

1. Pulled muscles are a constant threat to many players after they reach the age of 35. This includes pitchers. The best way to limit these injuries is to stay in shape. The best way for pitchers to stay in shape is by running. Running from foul line to foul line 5 or 6 times a day not only increases stamina it strengthens the legs. Pitchers who try to pitch with tired legs generally over compensate and put more strain on their shoulder, leading to injuries.

2. Learn your pitchers' strengths and weaknesses. If there are 7 or 8 pitchers on a 40 and over team, you probably won't have more than one who features a fastball as his out pitch. Don't ask your pitchers to try to blow the ball past opponents. That could ruin a shoulder and most pitchers simply can't do it. Older pitchers succeed by working the ball up and down, in and out and changing speeds.

3. No pitcher is ever too old to learn. If you're the pitching coach, chances are you can throw a curve, a changeup, a screwball, a palm ball or a knuckler. Try to teach your pitchers at least one of these pitches. If your staff has been playing the game most of their life, chances are they know how to throw several pitches. However, if you can help them improve their delivery on one or two of them, then you will be doing your job.

4. Use a pitch counter, but don't let it rule your decisions. As we said earlier, very few 40 and over pitchers are fastball pitchers and most will not put a ton of strain on their shoulder or elbow. However, once a pitcher gets past 70-80 pitches in a game or 130 pitches in a week, you may at least want to think about replacing him.

Tips & Warnings

• Your first piece of advice to your pitchers should be to take care of their arms and not overdo it.
• Encourage pitchers to learn offspeed pitches like the slow curve, change of pace and knuckle ball.
• Tell your pitchers to vary locations and speed. This is esseential for pitchers who can no longer fire a fastball by a batter consistently.
• With any pain following extended throwing, have your pitchers ice down their arms. If pain is persistent, a physician should be consulted.

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