Baseball Pitching: The Fix

Don’t miss this episode: live videos, drills, exercises… everything you need to wrap your brain around the importance of the stability of the front leg. TM link: See the pictures and videos on YouTube Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com https://GymScience.com

In this episode, Coach Larry Owens and I dive into the topic of the day: the use of sticky substances by MLB pitchers. I interviewed three younger pitchers and you will hear their take-home messages about the subject. You will also hear Part One of “Sticking your Landing”; the importance of stability of the front leg for power through the acceleration and follow-through parts of the delivery especially as it relates to maintaining a good grip on the ball. Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com https://GymScience.com

Using a comparison to a quarterback’s arm position, I discuss one of the most common flaws in shoulder mechanics that can cause inefficient spin, loss of velocity, and diminished command of the baseball. Leading with the elbow is especially common in youth pitchers. With an anatomy lesson in the forearm, and excellent questions from Coach Larry Owens of Bellarmine University, I teach how to see what it looks like and offer some tips on the why and how of understanding the issue. See the pictures on YouTube Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com https://GymScience.com

The fingers and fingertips are the last body part to have contact with the ball which makes them the most important body part to understand, have feel for, and strengthen. This episode was created to give you a new way, or a reminder, about the importance of what happens as the ball leaves your hand. Head Coach Larry Owens from Bellarmine University is my Co-Host and as always, he sheds his unique perspective on this topic and the current increase in the hit-by-pitch statistic. Watch the Drills on YouTube Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com www.GymScience.com

In this episode, I share an “eye candy” moment from the mechanics of Giolito and Bieber. Using a detail of their mechanics as a sample, you will learn how to see and understand the shoulder position prior to the max external rotation position along with how to teach the feel and the skill involved. Angel Borrelli Pitching You Tube Channel Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com www.GymScience.com

Incomplete rotation to the plate Timing Stretch vs. Wind-up stride differences… …are the topics discussed in this episode of The Fix. Troubleshooting a pitcher’s issues during the season must be done differently than in the off-season. If pitchers start to show sudden location, velocity, or arm-soreness issues, as coaches you need easy and simple ways to recognize the issues and make simple adjustments. This episode will give you some of the easiest fixes I use to get the job done without doing a complete overhaul to the pitcher’s delivery. Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com  https://www.GymScience.com 

With my guest, Associate Head Coach Jon Watson, who was a closer in college as well as a former pitching coach with the Angels’ Minor League system, we take this topic on in a 1-2-3 closer-style. To coaches at all levels… don’t miss this episode. Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com www.GymScience.com

Listen to Angel being interviewed as a guest on Pete Caliendo’s renowned “Baseball Outside the Box” podcast. I was honored to be a guest on Pete’s podcast. He is an experienced baseball guy, interviewer, and owner of Caliendo Sports International. He asked many questions about youth baseball, injuries, mechanics, the mental game…and more. There is something for everyone and after listening to this, be sure and check out his archive of podcasts. To watch the interview video, go to Angel Borrelli Pitching on YouTube Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com www.GymScience.com

Angel opens-up Season Eight, Episode One, with guest Head Coach Larry Owens from Bellarmine University. Larry had a question about the pitching motion, specifically, the common flaw of lifting the rear leg off the mound early in the motion, so much so, that it looks like the pitcher is pitching on one leg. Angel goes into depth about not only the role of the rear leg, but the effect lifting the leg has on rotation and arm mechanics. Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com www.GymScience.com

Join me in troubleshooting an arm-action issue. A coach/listener provided video for a consult with me to help him understand more thoroughly what this pitcher was doing wrong. I provide a visual/photo feedback session to explain what he’s doing, why he is doing, and the details around the flaw. You don’t want to miss this as I guarantee, this is a flaw that you have seen and will continue to see; you can get a handle on this now. To see the meeting and the visual demonstrations, this podcast is also available on YouTube at Angel Borrelli Pitching. https://youtu.be/B_o9KIgY8jA Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com www.GymScience.com

Our friend to the show Coach Larry Owens from Bellarmine University asked if I would be open to doing a face-to-face video call with his pitchers. The great news is that we recorded the video meeting so I could share it with you as today’s podcast. The pitchers asked great questions which led to many interesting topics ranging from training to throwing programs and more. To see the meeting and the visual demonstrations, this podcast is also available on YouTube at Angel Borrelli Pitching. Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com www.GymScience.com

Off-season Pitcher-Specific Training Series starts today Three must-do exercises for the upper back of the pitcher In my off-season training series, you will get: - Specialized exercises with still shots/video that can be viewed at Angel Borrelli Pitching on YouTube - The How and Why of all the exercises - How to incorporate the exercises into your training program Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com www.GymScience.com

With the unusual circumstances of the 2020 spring, summer, and fall seasons for baseball pitchers, coaches and pitchers find themselves asking questions about readiness for the fall, shutting pitchers down when if feels like they’ve been shut down, and scenarios that are beyond one’s imagination. Many situations are discussed with my suggestions for how to make decisions that will ensure a sound re-entry into spring baseball, 2021. I also delve into the main question I receive during the World Series: “so-and-so on the MLB does this with his mechanics and he is really good. Should I emulate him?” You want to hear this before you start making your own adjustments. Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com www.GymScience.com

In this special episode, Coach Larry Owens from Bellarmine University and myself talk about two topics that are critical to the development and success of our pitchers (and are often overlooked and/or underplayed as being important). There are no words to describe or summarize our discussion so do not miss listening to this episode. If you are a coach, a parent, or a pitcher, and the topics we discuss pertain to you, the information you hear could be a game-changer for you and your improvement. Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com www.GymScience.com

MLB pitching injuries: why are there so many? Creating and planning your cycles of training between now and the beginning of the 2021 season…plus…the special recruitment obstacles facing our graduating high-school seniors. The importance of the height of the front leg: a drill and exercise that teach the skill. Click Here for Teaching Moment Video Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com www.GymScience.com

The season opener begins with the podcast’s newest addition, Coach Larry Owens, and his segment called the “Top of the First”. Larry talks about a topic that is near to him: youth pitchers being overused due to back-to-back games and how the negative results of being overused can show-up for many years to come. Larry and I try to offer some “food-for-thought” to youth coaches on how to address this ongoing issue. And in the Teaching Moment for this episode entitled “Get a Grip”, I talk about the anatomy of the grip, the roles of the fingers and wrist, and their relationship and connection to the release, spin rate, pitch-type, hand-size, etc. And in today’s last segment, “Engineering the Pitcher”, I make some suggestions for how pitcher’s can “get a better grip” on the baseball through strength training the often-forgotten fingers as well as the wrist. Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com www.GymScience.com Click Here for Teaching Moment Video  

The Fix: a special pop-up episode covering -Re-entry into baseball -Creative ideas for handling a short summer season -How to organize a throwing/pitching program when the start date is not certain -Two deadly pitching-motion flaws that can be fixed at home without releasing a ball I invited Associate Head Coach Steve Harrow from Morro Bay High School in California to help with the discussion. Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com www.GymScience.com

In this episode, I brought together three expert coaches: Ed Sprague, Director of Player Development, Oakland A’s Larry Owens, Head Coach, Bellarmine University, Kentucky Andy Tarpley, Head Coach, College Park High School… …to discuss all the issues facing baseball and players during this trying time. Also included: suggestions for the daily plan to survive…and maybe even thrive…during this crisis including workout ideas, arm readiness, etc. Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com www.GymScience.com

The Baseball Pitching Stride is one of the most misunderstood parts of the pitching motion. In this episode, along with my guest, Coach Larry Owens of Bellarmine University, we talk everything stride: the stride phase from beginning to end, the issues around stride length, drills to teach direction, exercises to teach strength and more. Go to You Tube channel, Angel Borrelli Pitching, to see all the visuals that go along with the drills and exercises. https://youtu.be/ddt-vXOjxbk Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com www.GymScience.com

In this special Pre-Season Series, with my guest coach Steve Harrow, and emails from two high school coaches Brent and David, we cover the issues that come up for coaches during this time of the year: how to create the pre-season calendar for getting the pitchers’ arms ready; what to do when pitchers are coming in late to the season because they play a second sport; how to rotate pitchers in a 4-day tournament without breaking recovery-rule guidelines… and more. Email Angel at angel@gymscience.com www.GymScience.com