Decisions from the Set Position

Once in the set position, pitchers need to decide whether to throw to a base or throw to the plate. This sounds simple enough but all too often young pitchers do not make this decision soon enough. They will still be looking at a runner when they start their delivery home and fail to pick up the catcher's target soon enough. Kids must be taught to make the decision on where to throw the ball early. They should set, check the runners and then make a decision and live with it. I had a 14-year-old LH pitcher who made his decision after his knee was fully lifted. He had good control except when a runner was on first base. He became much better after he started making his decision to pick or pitch before he lifted his stride foot.

While we will deal with pick-off moves later, it should be noted that sometimes the decision to go to a base is made before coming to the set position. Given that a lot of kids glance back at a base while taking their second step in their lead off, a pitcher can sometimes get the runner by throwing to the base before coming up to the set position (usually a second after stepping on the rubber). Coaches with pitchers who do this should make sure their first basemen are awake and always looking at the pitcher with a runner on.