By: John Savage (UCLA Head Coach)
1) HIT THE GLOVE (PREFER THE POCKET)
2) THROW THE BALL ON A DOWN ANGLE
3) FIRST 2 OUT OF 3 PITCHES MUST BE GLOVE STRIKES
4) TURN NEGATIVES INTO POSITIVES (NP)
5) HAVE AS GOOD AS STUFF IN STRETCH AS IN WIND-UP
6) CONTROL THE VARIABLES (MECHANICAL, MENTAL, PHYSICAL)
7) MOST IMPORTANT COUNT IN BASEBALL IS 1-1
8 ) BE ABLE TO PITCH ON BOTH SIDES OF PLATE WITH FASTBALL
9) OWN THE CHANGE-UP
10) MUST BE ABLE TO DUPLICATE ALL PITCHES
11) ESTABLISH INNER HALF- IS IN THE AREA OF THE HITTER’S BELT
12) PITCH BACKWARDS (ABILITY)
13) BE GREAT AT PFP!
14) MINIMUM OF 65%-35% STRIKE/BALL RATIO, WE WANT 70-30
15) MUST HAVE FASTBALL ARM SPEED ON CHANGE-UP
16) UNCONTROLLABLE VARIABLES MUST HAVE NO EFFECT
17) TREAT 1-1 COUNT, LIKE 0-0 COUNT
18) GOOD RUNNER GOES FROM FIRST TO SECOND IN 3.4. 1.3 TO PLATE - GIVE CATCHER A CHANCE TO THROW RUNNER OUT
19) AVOID 2 OUT BASE ON BALLS
20) BE EFFICIENT WITH 12-15 PITCHES PER INNING
21) MIND CONTROLS THE BODY, BE STRONG BOTH WAYS
22) STOP THE OPPOSING TEAM AFTER YOUR TEAM SCORES
23) BE AGGRESSIVE AND VERBAL ON ALL BUNT OR INFIELD PLAYS
24) SPEED THE BAT UP, SLOW THE BAT DOWN
25) ALWAYS HAVE A HITTER STAND IN WHEN WORKING IN PEN
26) ALL “GAME CHANGERS” ARE MADE OUT OF THE STRETCH
27) ON PICKS AND PFP - SHORT ARM, ACCURACY, WINDOW
28) MUST BE ABLE TO ELEVATE FASTBALL WHEN AHEAD IN COUNT. EX. SWING MODE IS 1-2
29) WHEN IN A JAM, LOCATE BETTER, NOT THROW HARDER
30) IN CRITICAL SITUATIONS, PITCHERS MUST GO WITH THE PITCHER STRENGTH AGAINST THE HITTER
31) NO LEAD OFF BASE ON BALLS
32) KNOW YOURSELF - NEVER LOSE ON YOUR 3RD OR 4TH PITCH
33) ALWAYS KNOW WHERE YOU ARE IN THE LINE-UP
34) DON’T THROW A 2-2 OR 3-1 PITCH THAT YOU WOULD NOT THROW ON A 3-2 COUNT
35) UP TEMPO, KEEP YOUR DEFENSE READY, TRUST STUFF
36) 6 THINGS A PITCHER MUST BE ABLE TO DO: IN, OUT, FAST, SLOW, UP, DOWN
37) WHENEVER A FASTBALL IS IN ORDER, A CHANGE UP IS IN ORDER
38) 1ST PITCH STRIKES 70%-30%, 1ST PITCH STRIKES RESULT IN OUTS
39) HITS LESS THAN INNINGS PITCHED
40) READ FOUL BALLS TO READ A HITTER’S TIMING
41) MUST THROW SECONDARY PITCHES FOR STRIKES WHEN BEHIND IN THE COUNT
42) BE ABLE TO REPEAT YOUR DELIVERY
43) ADVANTAGE TO HAVE A “SWING & MISS PITCH”, USUALLY A SECONDARY PITCH UNLESS FASTBALL HAS + MOVEMENT
44) BALANCE + DIRECTION = CONSISTENCY
45) STRIKEOUT TO WALK RATIO 3 TO 1.
46) NO MORE THAN 3 PER 9 INNINGS (BB, HBP)
47) BE ABLE TO HAVE AS MUCH COMMAND OUT OF THE ZONE AS IN THE ZONE
48) CHANGE-UPS ARE VERY EFFECTIVE ON THE OPPOSITE-HANDED HITTERS
49) KNOW THE HITTER’S POSITION RELATIVE TO THE PLATE
50) ONLY WAY TO BE CONFIDENT IS TO BE PREPARED
