Switch Pitching 101

The  Change Up  - Pitching Professor The most popular change-up today is the okay or circle change for the very reason that it gets good action on the ball when thrown low.  Pedro Martinez claims that his circle is his most effective pitch. ..................................................... Jamie Moyer demonstrates the changeup grip  Watch the video   >> Other than a fastball, I think the changeup is the best pitch in the game of baseball.  -- Jamie Moyer As taught to him by Quirk, Moyer holds the ball in an unusual fashion. With the open horseshoe of the ball facing toward first base, he lays his middle, ring and pinkie fingers on top of the ball. Moyer's thumb rests underneath the ball and his pointer finger wraps around the outside of the thumb. The loose grip pulls the rip cord on the pitch. He throws the change-up with fastball arm speed to deceive the batters. Read more:  Rockies' Jamie Moyer relies on changeup to foil...

Are you looking to gain 3-5 mph on your fastball? Here are tips to help you gain throwing velocity. This 2 minute video highlights several exercises to build strength in the arms, shoulders and back. Strengthen the decelerator muscles to gain velocity. Most pitchers focus on strengthening the accelerator muscles by doing presses and pushups, but strong back muscles are very important in throwing velocity. If the arm speeds up, then it also must slow down (decelerate) properly to avoid injury. Suggestion: Do twice as much work with the decelerator muscles over six weeks and you will see a jump in your throwing velocity. What muscles slow down the arm? The main  decelerator muscles  are the latissimus dorsi (lats), posterior deltoid (  back  of the shoulder), the biceps (front of upper arm), trapezius (major  back muscles) and rotator cuff muscles. These muscles work together to slow down the arm after release and keep the arm from coming...

Mariano Rivera's  Cutter  is the Miracle Pitch. Mariano Rivera's Cutter "The  Miracle Pitch " - YouTube Learn how to throw a cutter like Mariano Rivera >> The cutter is also know as a  cut fastball . .

Pat Venditte was drafted twice as an ambidextrous pitcher by the New York Yankees. Patrick Michael Venditte Jr. Born:  June 30, 1985 in Omaha, NE Hometown:  Omaha, Nebraska Switch pitcher Pat Venditte plays in the minor league  High School Team:  Omaha Central High School, Nebraska College:  Walk-on pitcher for Creighton University in 2005 MLB:  Drafted by the New York Yankees in the 20th round in 2008 Positions:  RHP / LHP  (Switch Pitcher) Venditte's custom 6-finger ambidextrous glove Bats:  Right (former switch hitter) Throws:  Both, ambidextrous     Right hand dominant Velocity: 92-94 mph RHP; 85-87 mph LHP College Velocity:  85 mph RHP; 80 mph LHP Glove:  Venditte uses a custom made six-fingered glove. The glove has two thumbs and a wide, pie-shaped pocket. Pat Venditte, Sr. ordered a custom Mizuno glove made in Japan for his son, costing $600! Pat ...

Greg Allen Harris Ambidextrous Pitcher in the MLB Born November 2, 1955 in Lynwood, California High School:  Los Alamitos HS, Los Alamitos, CA College:  Long Beach City College Positions:  RHP / LHP (one inning in the big league) Bats:  Switch hitter Major League Pitcher for 15 years, from 1981 to 1995. Pitching record: 74-90   Earned run average: 3.69   Saves: 54 Velocity:   RHP 85-86 mph; LHP 80-81 mph Teams:  New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, Montreal Expos, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. Greg Harris's ambidextrous glove in the National Baseball Hall of Fame Glove:  Mizuno designed a custom six-fingered glove Harris could wear on either hand.The ambidextrous glove is similar to Venditte's - with two thumbs and a wide, pie-shaped pocket. In 1995, Harris donated his famous six-fingered glove to the Baseball Hall of F...

In 2010, Vettleson was ranked as the top baseball player in Washington state. Drew Vettleson was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays out of high school and is playing outfield in the minors. Drew G. Vettleson Drew Vettleson (Harrisburg Senators) Born:  07/19/1991 (Age 22) Hometown:  Tracyton, Washington High School:  Central Kitsap High School, Washington (Class of 2010) College:  Oregon State University (signed letter of intent to play baseball) MLB Draft:  Selected No. 42 overall by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2010 Major League Draft  (signed for $845,000) Minor League:  2012  Bowling Green Hot Rods, 2013 Charlotte Stone Crabs Positions:  OF, RHP/LHP Height/Weight:   6' 1", 185 lb. Bats:  Left Throws:  Both, Switch pitcher in high school  Plays OF right-handed in the minors 2010 Notes - prior to Vettleson signing with the Tampa Bay Rays Drew Vettleson is an 18-year-old player fr...

Matt Brunnig Hometown:  Deland, Florida High School:  Home schooled College:  Harvard University (Class of 2006) Played for coach  Joe Walsh Positions:  RHP / LHP Bats:  Switch hitter Throws:  Both, ambidextrous Dominant Hand:  Matt is a natural right-hander who learned to throw with both arms when he was 6-years-old. Brunnig was called "Freak" by his Harvard teammates. His dad was a chiropractor who wanted his son to avoid back problems. The oldest of six children, he was home-schooled by his mother, Sarah, from kindergarten through high school. How he got started: A natural right-hander, Brunnig honed his lefty skills at age 6 with help from his father, John, who's a chiropractor. "He didn't want me to overly develop my body muscles on one side," Brunnig said. Worried about his son’s back and the strain that comes with exerting such force with just one arm, John Brunnig insisted that young Matt learn to throw both ways, ...