MOST PRECISE, MOST SIMPLE, BEST & SAFEST BASEBALL PITCHING-MECHANICS!
(Republished from January, 2012)
Movement is King---Defeating the Strike Zone in the Mind of the Batter---By Fritz Outman
1
Movement is king. I do not want to deliver any pitch (least of all a fastball) that does not exhibit late (near to the batter), reasonably sharp movement.
I do love a hard fastball...but not devoid of quality movement. Professional hitters are capable of "turning around" and depositing beyond the outfield fence/wall a 100+ mph fastball that exhibits a nearly flat trajectory (little to no downward slope) and that exhibits little or no movement on its flight from the pitcher's hand to the catcher.
Every batter has his own strike zone (the strike zone in his head, in his mind), which strike zone requires that a pitched baseball be located where he, the batter is comfortable offering, swinging, taking a cut at the approaching pitched baseball.
A batter employs his eyes to attempt to track an approaching pitched baseball and his brain to attempt to calculate whether the approaching pitched baseball will or will not be located in his strike zone (the strike zone in his mind).
Quality, near to the batter and sharply breaking movement of the pitched baseball defeats the strike zone in the mind of the batter.
If the brain of the batter calculates that the approaching pitched baseball will not be in his strike zone, then the batter will not offer, will not swing, will not take a cut at the pitch.
However, if quality, near to the batter, sharply breaking movement locates the pitched baseball in the rule book defined strike zone, then you hope that the umpire behind home plate will call the pitch a strike.
However, if quality, near to the batter, sharply breaking movement locates the pitched baseball in the rule book defined strike zone, then you hope that the umpire behind home plate will call the pitch a strike.
If the brain of the batter calculates that the approaching pitched baseball will be in his strike zone, then the batter will offer, will swing, will take a cut at the pitch.
However, if quality, near to the batter, sharply breaking movement locates the pitched baseball other than where the brain of the batter has calculated, the result of the swing executed by the batter will highly likely be short to far short of "squaring the ball up" and driving it somewhere in play.
However, if quality, near to the batter, sharply breaking movement locates the pitched baseball other than where the brain of the batter has calculated, the result of the swing executed by the batter will highly likely be short to far short of "squaring the ball up" and driving it somewhere in play.
2
If you are of the opinion that movement (quality, near to the batter, sharply breaking movement) of the pitched baseball is not “king”, then consider on what hinges the success against batters of every “Knuckle ball” pitcher who ever has or who ever will successfully compete in the sport of baseball.
Given that a “Knuckle ball” is typically delivered in the low 60’s miles per hour range at the major league level, does the success against batters of a “Knuckle ball” pitcher hinge on achieving high velocity of each pitch?
Given that a “Knuckle ball” randomly breaks, moves in manifold directions on its flight to the catcher, does the success against batters of a “Knuckle ball” pitcher hinge on his ability to locate each pitch?
Given that the percentage of “Knuckle balls” delivered to batters by “Knuckle ball” pitchers during the course of a baseball game is typically in the high 90’s, does the success against batters of a “Knuckle ball” pitcher hinge on keeping batters off guard by means of a broad range of pitches in his arsenal?
NO! It is movement (quality, near to the batter, sharply-breaking movement) of each pitched “Knuckle ball” on which hinges the success against batters of every “Knuckle ball” pitcher.
Likewise, the success against batters of every baseball pitcher (“Knuckle ball and non “Knuckle ball”) hinges on movement of the pitched baseball.
There exists is a direct correlation between the amount of physical rotation of the body of the pitcher (Pelvis, Torso, rear pivot-leg) in the direction of the catcher before the baseball is released from the hand of the pitcher and the amount of rotation imparted to the baseball at the point of release of the baseball from the pitching-hand, which greater rotation of the pitched baseball results in more, nearer to the batter and more sharply breaking movement of the pitched baseball.
NOTE: I observed the correlation noted in the above paragraph 38 years ago as of the date of this reprint of this composition (10-14-2019) and I am the original source both of it observation and of its promulgation.
The physical rotation of the body of the pitcher that can be achieved before the baseball is released from the hand of the pitcher in correct execution of Outman MethodologyTM for pitching a baseball on the vertical plane results in more, nearer to the batter and more sharply breaking movement of the pitched baseball in addition to exerting a direct, positive effect on velocity of and command over the pitched baseball.
Velocity is great. I love it. But, movement...quality, near to the batter, sharply breaking movement of the pitched baseball is KING.
It is quality, near to the batter and sharply breaking movement of the approaching pitched baseball (regardless of the pitch type) that defeats the strike zone in the mind of the batter.
And, correctly executed, Outman MethodologyTM for pitching a baseball on the vertical plane consistently produces quality, near to the batter and sharply breaking movement of the pitched baseball in addition to velocity of and command over the pitched baseball.
Likewise, the success against batters of every baseball pitcher (“Knuckle ball and non “Knuckle ball”) hinges on movement of the pitched baseball.
3
There exists is a direct correlation between the amount of physical rotation of the body of the pitcher (Pelvis, Torso, rear pivot-leg) in the direction of the catcher before the baseball is released from the hand of the pitcher and the amount of rotation imparted to the baseball at the point of release of the baseball from the pitching-hand, which greater rotation of the pitched baseball results in more, nearer to the batter and more sharply breaking movement of the pitched baseball.
NOTE: I observed the correlation noted in the above paragraph 38 years ago as of the date of this reprint of this composition (10-14-2019) and I am the original source both of it observation and of its promulgation.
The physical rotation of the body of the pitcher that can be achieved before the baseball is released from the hand of the pitcher in correct execution of Outman MethodologyTM for pitching a baseball on the vertical plane results in more, nearer to the batter and more sharply breaking movement of the pitched baseball in addition to exerting a direct, positive effect on velocity of and command over the pitched baseball.
4
Velocity is great. I love it. But, movement...quality, near to the batter, sharply breaking movement of the pitched baseball is KING.
It is quality, near to the batter and sharply breaking movement of the approaching pitched baseball (regardless of the pitch type) that defeats the strike zone in the mind of the batter.
And, correctly executed, Outman MethodologyTM for pitching a baseball on the vertical plane consistently produces quality, near to the batter and sharply breaking movement of the pitched baseball in addition to velocity of and command over the pitched baseball.
Fritz Outman
Copyright 1-2012
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
MOST PRECISE, MOST SIMPLE, BEST & SAFEST BASEBALL PITCHING-MECHANICS!
