The Louisville Slugger Complete Book of Pitching

by Myers, Doug; Gola, Mark

• ISBN13: 9780809226689
• ISBN10: 0809226685
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-04-22
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education

Summary

There is no one way to throw a baseball; for this simple reason the pitcher has one of the most intriguing positions in baseball. Short or tall, gawky or athletic, lefty or righty, hard thrower or crafty nibbler, anyone who can find a way to get batters out can be a good pitcher.The Louisville Slugger Complete Book of Pitchinganalyzes the methods of stars such as Nolan Ryan, Greg Maddux, and Tom Seaver. In addition, this book reveals what all prospective pitchers--regardless of style or stuff--need to do in order to be successful. Among the topics covered are: Building proper mechanics, from stride and delivery to release point and follow-through Throwing fastballs with varying velocity and movement around the plate Moving hitters in and out and forward and back in the box with an effective change-up Responding to key game situations and defensive responsibilities Building strength and flexibility in the arm as well as the legs and torso through customized conditioning plans Scouting opposition before game day, analyzing field conditions, and being your own coach on the mound when your stuff isn't working Developing the mental game necessary to control emotions and deal with adversity The Louisville Slugger Complete Book of Pitchingis more than just instruction. Its unique treatment includes historical sidebars and anecdotes from players that will delight baseball fans, making it the ultimate reference for pitchers, pitching coaces, and others who enjoy the thrill and magic of fooling the hitter. Doug Myers is the author ofEssential Cubsand the forthcomingLouisville Slugger Presents Batting Around. Mark Gola is a sportswriter who also works as the assistant coach for the Rider University baseball team.

Author Biography

Doug Myers is the author of Essential Cubs, an entertaining review of more than 100 years of Chicago Cubs baseball.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	ix
Introduction	xi
Pitching---Open to All	1	(12)
Proper Mechanics Equals Consistency and Success	13	(54)
The Golden Era of Pitching I: From the Beginning Through the Deadball Era	60	(7)
Challenging the Hitter: The Fastball	67	(26)
Pulling the String: The Change-up	93	(20)
Home Runs and Strikeouts: From the Babe to Rapid Robert	108	(5)
Making It Break: The Curve and Slider	113	(18)
Fielding Your Position	131	(28)
The Golden Era of Pitching II: Koufax, Gibson, and the Nasty Slider	154	(5)
Preparation and Conditioning	159	(24)
Game Day	183	(12)
Advanced Pitching: Mastering the Mental Game	195	(32)
Modern Pitching: Five-Man Rotations, Expansion, and the Splitter	223	(4)
Index	227