FOUR STEP APPROACH
This step system is used primarily for mental imaging. I will talk about mental
imaging in another drill. It became so well adapted to my staff, that we just
went ahead and incorporated it into our scheme of things. Keep in mind that this
system is from the windup. Here it is in a nutshell:
Step 1:
To set up, both feet need to be in or around the middle of the rubber. What I
mean by this is that your insteps should be on the rubber. At most you will want
the ball of your big toes to be hanging over the rubber. Now this first step is
so important. It is called the "Rocker Step". This involves your left foot (RH
pitcher) to come back off the rubber to start your motion. The key to the rocker
step is to make sure that it is NOT a weight transfer, it is merely a momentum
shifter. So at no point should your weight be transferred completely over your
left foot. This momentum then creates the rest of the motion.
Step 2:
The second step is minor. It is the requirement of the right foot to go in front
of the rubber to be used as a push off and stability in the next step.
Step 3:
This step is probably the most important of all. This is the post position. At
this position, the pitcher's left leg is raised at about a 90-degree angle from
the knee. What is crucial at this point is the balance. The pitcher should be
able to stand "A post" at this point for any period of time. If he cannot then
his balance is not good enough and he will either have a tendency to rush his
delivery or his arm will drag. You want all motion to be gathered and ready to
explode all at once into the fourth and final step.
Step 4:
Step four is the explosion of the hip and release of the baseball. This is where
you want to make sure that the left leg is on line with the instep of the right
foot on the rubber. If it is to the left, then the pitcher is opening up too much
and his arm will not catch up to his front side causing high pitches. Just the
opposite is true if the left leg lands to the right of that instep line. The arm
will have a tendency to be ahead of the front side and will more than likely adjust
by throwing across the body.
As discussed in other drills, you want to keep the front side of the pitcher closed
until he begins to touch the ground with his left foot. At that point the pitcher
may begin to explode his hips to bring his arm through.
Submitted by: Coach B
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