Why Youth Pitchers Lack Consistency on The Mound

Many youth pitchers lack consistency, both in throwing strikes, giving up runs, and their performance from one day or week to the next. Why does this happen, though, and what can parents and coaches do to help them improve?
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[@DanBlewett]

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[@Brok3nPixelz]

A lot of this is generally applicable to parenting, not just baseball. Good advice.

[@lilt504]

This video is the reason I will buy your books. Please continue. Thx.

[@DanBlewett]

thanks!

[@4Gr8rGood]

Nothing makes me cringe more to hear parents (dads) yelling "just throw strikes" during a game. Clearly no clue and a huge problem with consistency when in their own little minds when this happens.

[@jeves360]

Almost as bad as coaches who yell that.. What do they think the pitcher is trying to do 🤦🏽‍♂️. I coach on a travel team and hear this almost every game from other coaches.

[@WordMadeFlesh777]

It’s almost as bad as, “see the ball, hit the ball”….lol

[@evanescent0311]

Foul ball “ok just straighten it out”. lol.. I’m guilty of all this and I’ve backed off my kid. When I would say “just throw strikes” or similar what I mean is “don’t try to be fancy with changing speeds or worried about runners, focus on the mechanics and fall back on your muscle memory”….. but yah … probably not how it’s received 😂😂 new baseball dad, I’m learning too

[@chrisbalsamo968]

Confidence & repetition are both key and they will take time to improve overtime

[@tmccloudjr13]

Arm care as a kid. I didn’t even know what that was I just threw and threw and threw. Once coaches seen I was picking up speed freshman year they introduced this. Throwing 91-92 senior year. (2011)

[@j.d.aguirre447]

Hi, I'm in complete agreement with you Dan. Thanks for putting good content out. I think these days, parents really put too much pressure on kids. I have been the coach that is overly competitive in the past. Within the last year, adopted a new approach. When my pitcher/defense has a "bad" inning, I say "so what". "Bad" at bat, "so what"..I have been getting positive results and my kids fight harder for me. Anyways, just want to thank you for your content as it has benefited my teams..💪⚾️

[@thomassalvini5380]

You mentioned all the things you would have to re-learn and practice if you were to play in a men’s league now. I did just that this year after not playing for 35 years and it’s been challenging….also a lot of fun. ‘Pitching Isn’t Complicated’ has been an excellent reference book for my ‘comeback’ 😳

[@jegrand]

Where can I get pitching isn’t complicated book? Thanks!

[@multisportmindset]

Practice makes perfect!! Great video.

[@kendryckalvarado]

I love this guy son much I want to buy his book !!

[@DanBlewett]

thanks!

[@rudivanrooijen7611]

There is a lot to say about this subject. I've seen: * little leaguers be very good and consistent but losing that as they go trough their growth spurts/adolescence; * Little leagues be very inconsistent and transitioning into very effective pitchers in the later part of adolescence; * Little leaguers be inconsistent, yet dominate as they were physically ahead through early growth spurts; * And so on. Pitching (as well as hitting) requires such high level of motor skills, hand/eye coordination, agility, mental stability, etc. that people in general will have a tough time being consistent, not just kids.

[@DanBlewett]

yep - all very true. And there are some kids who are just strike-throwers from day one to day last, but those are a big outlier. I fell into the category of very consistent through youth ball, then struggled with command in high school (due to arm problems and mindset problems), then regained all of it again in college and pro ball. Overall, good points, thanks!

[@rudivanrooijen7611]

@@DanBlewett During my 43 years in baseball I have come to the conclusion that baseball generally is a very difficult sport. I heard a professional scout once put it in words very eloquently: "In order to be an average player at the big league level, you have to be a very, very , very good athlete". What I've learned over the years is that kids that do multiple sports develop quicker and to a higher level than those who only work on baseball skills. Kids that improve their general movement skills, coordination, strength and flexibility will experience major benefits from that with regards to playing baseball

[@rickbase833]

All of what you said is so true. My son is 12U and pitches travel and LL. He pitched the second game of a blitz ball tournement in SOCAL this past Sunday and at that age he has so much inputs from coaches and his Dad......that he actually lost track of the need to come to a set before delivering a pitch with runners on and got called for balk twice in the same inning. After that I backed off and tried to go simple with the coaching and let his baseball mind calm down.

[@DanBlewett]

yeah, it's also important to be mindful of what things that are coached in the off-season or even during the week need to be essentially ignored come game time. Some things just are too difficult to think about in a game and will ruin any chance of being relaxed and fluid. Other, very tiny things (like thinking about tempo or a front shoulder) can work even during a game. Most things, though, need to be practiced and then left alone when game time hits.

[@van_dutch]

It's this paralysis by analysis thing that happens. This weekend one of our pitchers had a brain malfunction and pitched from wind up with go ahead runners on base, and that's just one example. The muscle memory part of it is key for sure.

[@rickbase833]

@@van_dutch Good example! My son's travel team frowns on parents giving verbal instructions during games for obvious reasons.......one of the parents was telling his son who was pitching this past weekend to do head fakes with runners on........in my mind I was telling him to hush.....already too much going on.

[@van_dutch]

@@rickbase833 my son is 14U now, and I've just had to come to grips that there are parents who will always do this, even when it's obvious the kid doesn't want the feedback. No doubt I get frustrated when we pay $$$$ for lessons + club team + practices, etc...and he gets out there and has a mental lapse, but that's the life lessons, and why those who have played understand that it's very much a mental game more than anything.

[@DanBlewett]

parents coaching from the bleachers is awful - it should never happen, never helps, and parents need to shut up and let the kids play.

[@rickzech6490]

😅Differences in pitchers’ mounds can be a big adjustment on every field

[@DanBlewett]

also true, but something pitchers always have and always will have to deal with - it's really not an excuse, though it plays some role.

[@MiscThoughts]

Consistency for ND kids is HARD. My 10U son rarely pitches, bombed on the mound Friday with his summer team, and murdered on the mound yesterday with his LL team.

[@DanBlewett]

yeah, and also, baseball isn't the right sport for everyone - this is why sport sampling while kids are young is so important. Even if a kid likes baseball, it still may not be a good fit compared to others. Mental, physical and emotional demands vary widely.

[@keikei3357]

Ironic that the sun is so inconsistent in your video about consistency. I appreciate that you’re at the diamond rather than in your living room nonetheless!

[@DanBlewett]

the camera' auto-exposure is finicky sometimes

[@zachansen8293]

I mean... AAA pitchers aren't consistent. If they were they wouldn't be AAA pitchers. And at lower levels if you're consistent it means you're not throwing hard enough. Or not throwing with enough spin. If you haven't had two TJs before you're 16, are you really a pitcher?

[@DanBlewett]

no, you dont know what you're talking about.