Many youth pitchers try and want to strike everyone out. If you want a recipe for disaster, go ahead and try it. Sandy Koufax said, “I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it.
Do not give away free passes. There is no defense for a base on balls or hit by pitch.
Being a successful pitcher means getting outs. To do that, you must be a smart pitcher. Focus on getting ahead of the hitter. Throwing the first pitch for a strike is extremely important. A hitter with an 0-1 count has a batting average much lower than with a 1-0 count.
Focus on pitching to advantage counts. Get ahead (0-1, 0-2, 1-2) and keep the count in your favor. Throw a strike on 1-1 and swing the at-bat in your favor.
Trust your catcher. Don’t worry about throwing to a hitter. Don’t throw to home plate. Throw to the catcher’s glove. Be a mitt hitter.
