1. Softball Pitching Arm Circle Slots Drill
2. Baseball Pitching Arm Slots

• I’ve heard so many different contradicting opinions on a pitchers arm slot. Over-hand, high 3 quarters, 3 quarters, side arm and obviously subby (which im not too concerned about since I will never throw like that). First off I want to know what are the advantages vs. Disadvantages for these arm slots. I know velocity and movement are key variables. 2nd: I’m a college pitcher with a very.
• Pitching mechanics is the answer to the question of how you develop hall of fame pitchers like Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, and Mariano Rivera - and modern greats like Justin Verlander and Aroldis Chapman - while staying away from the problems of frequently-injured pitchers.
• Let pitchers throw from their instinctive arm slots. Today, I am going to share a few ideas why I think it is potentially harmful for coaches to try and make all pitchers the same. Walter Johnson, Nolan Ryan, Jake Peavy, Randy Johnson, Dennis Eckersley, Pedro Martinez, the list goes on and on of pitchers who throw from a 3/4 to sidearm arm slot.
• Jan 29, 2013 What is the Best Arm Slot for Pitchers? Follow 1 Simple Rule to Find Out January 29, 2013 (Click here for a 1-page.pdf of this newsletter)The often-taught coaching concept to throw ‘Over the Top’ produces throwing motions like this.

Achieving the higher arm slot is linked to how the trunk and spine move into rotation prior to release. If a pitcher’s posture and head stay forward, the shoulders are forced to rotate horizontally, leading to a lower arm slot and increase stress on the throwing shoulder and elbow.

Should pitchers be allowed to be athletes or should we clone them to all be the same? To me the answer is obvious. Let pitchers throw from their instinctive arm slots. Today, I am going to share a few ideas why I think it is potentially harmful for coaches to try and make all pitchers the same.

Walter Johnson, Nolan Ryan, Jake Peavy, Randy Johnson, Dennis Eckersley, Pedro Martinez, the list goes on and on of pitchers who throw from a 3/4 to sidearm arm slot. Where would the game be today if these pitchers had been changed during their youth to throw “over the top”? I am included in this group. When I was a kid in the backyard throwing rocks, balls, anything I could throw, no one was telling me how I needed to throw. It was just whatever came natural. What would have happened had I been over coached and taken away from my instincts? Would I still be pitching today? I don’t think so.

In my opinion, pitching is an art form. No coach should try and make their athlete into something they are not. I believe we should let individuals be who they are and rely on instinct, athleticism, and style to decide how they throw the baseball. Yes there are certain absolutes that will help make a pitcher a better pitcher such as controlling their body and head, transferring force better from one leg to the other, and learning how to slow the game down through better breathing along with developing a pre pitch routine that helps the athlete play the game one pitch at a time. Baseball is a game and should be fun. If we try and make kids do things they were not designed to do they will constantly be battling themselves and never have a chance to reach their full potential. Shouldn’t we let kids be okay with who they are as a pitcher? Just because a kid is not releasing the ball out in front of their body does not mean we should subscribe to the “old school” teach of throw over the top. If we are teaching them things that are unnatural to how they move we are simply holding them back from being the best they can be.

In my opinion, most coaches focus way too much attention on mechanics as their fix all theory on pitching. If pitchers do not all throw the same why would we teach them that way. Baseball would be boring if everyone threw the ball and swung the same. Individualism and style is what makes this game special and great. Now don’t get me wrong, mechanical efficiency is an important factor when it comes to pitching. However the more we have kids thinking about mechanics the worse they become as pitchers when it is crunch time and the more mental midgets we are creating. Let kids learn and compete.

Softball Pitching Arm Circle Slots Drill

Focus on the mitt and where you are intending to throw the ball instead of slowing the development down by teaching kids to drag their back foot, get their arm on top, point the ball here or there, etc. These old teaches are by products of good mechanics not necessarily things a pitcher should be thinking about while he is pitching.

Teach your kids how to train themselves to become more instinctive athletes who have the ability to adjust on the go while developing trust and feel on the mound. When it comes down to it the pitcher is only one who is on the mound when the game is on the line. Teach the kids how to be their own best coach so they do not depend on us as coaches of mechanics when it is 3-2 bottom of the 9th playing for the Championship. Just because something may have worked for you mechanically as a pitcher does not mean it is going to work for every kid you instruct. In baseball there are a lot of gray areas, not all clear black and white. This is where style, instinct, and athleticism take over. Improve their movement, how they train, their instincts, and their mental approaches. Teach them to be in the moment, be individuals who work together for one common goal, and enjoy each day on the field. Respect the game. Let the kids leave their own legacy and by all means let their arms slots be.

By: Derek Johnson

Originally Published by - Human Kinetics - The Complete Guide to Pitching

The sinking fastball is becoming one of the more prevalent pitches in the game. The function of the sinker is generally to run or tail and sink toward the arm side of the pitcher. Like the cutter, the sinking fastball will promote weaker contact and more swings and misses by the hitter because of the late action on the pitch. The sinker is usually a bit easier to master than the cutter because the pitcher uses the natural pronation of his arm to create the spin on the ball. With the cutter, the pitcher applies force to the area just outside the middle of the ball to create sidespin. In the case of the sinker, however, the pitcher will apply the force to just inside the middle of the ball, creating the opposite spin. Some pitchers, because of arm slot and timing of the delivery, naturally create run and sink on the ball, as evidenced in many throwers with low three-quarter slots. Also note that a two-seam fastball will often create the desired effect of a sinker without any further effort by the pitcher.

Baseball Pitching Arm Slots

Figure 5.8 Sinker grip: first two fingers closer together.

For our purposes, the sinker will be thrown with one of the three two-seam grips that were discussed earlier. The pitcher should first experiment with the grip he finds comfortable to see if sinking action occurs by simply throwing the ball normally. If the ball does not sink, the pitcher should try placing his middle finger just inside the middle of the ball. The first two fingers may be moved closer together, and the thumb will again start in the middle of the ball (see figure 5.8). As coach and pitcher observe the shape of this pitch, they can determine any further adjustments that the pitcher needs to make. Again, the determining factor for any pitch in the pitcher's arsenal is what the hitter sees or does not see. If late-breaking action occurs on the sinker, interrupted or mistimed swings are bound to occur.