Dear billschopp,
Here's a baseball statistic for pitchers that
I find interesting...
Do you know which inning in baseball the most
runs are scored?
Think about this for a sec ... in which inning
do pitchers give up the most runs?
According to
MLB statistics, it's the
1st inning, by far.
There are certainly a few reasons for this. For
instance, I know first hand that it can take a
dozen or more pitches for a pitcher to adjust
to a new mound, especially if he's on the
visiting team.
But overwhelmingly, I propose that the reason
pitchers give up the most runs in the 1st inning
is because they haven't warmed up properly
before the game.
Their bodies simply aren't ready to pitch.
Of course, there's a solution for this -
and I encourage you to check it out because
it could really help you have a more successful
season this Spring.
In "The Pitching Manual," my training guide
for youth pitchers 8-13 years old, I provide
a Dynamic
Warmup (DW) that safely prepares
a pitcher's body for action.
http://www.thepitchingmanual.com
In my "TUFFCUFF Strength & Conditioning Manual"
for pitchers age 15 and older who want a true
MLB workout, the Active Isolated Stretching
(AIS)routine is the one I used in the
Chicago
Cubs organization.
http://www.tuffcuff.com
With these two warm up programs, getting out of
the 1st inning unscathed is a cinch.
Good luck and keep working hard!
Best,
Steven Ellis
Former Chicago Cubs pitching pro
