My question is about pitchers routines they pitch a game to day what should they be doing the next 5 days before there next start ?

J.A.Omalley asked:

My question is about pitchers routines, they pitch a game today, what should they be doing the next 5 days before their next start?

Rick answered: Thank you for your question.

What coaches and players do on those days in between is as varied as the individuals themselves.

Some of the decisions are made based on whether the player is strictly a pitcher, or plays a position when he isn't pitching.

Another consideration is how sore or stiff are they the next day. The degree varies player to player, and game to game.

Our pitchers all play a position when they aren't pitching. The day after a start, we have them stretch and go through their form running, then play real light catch, 60 feet and shorter. The idea is to get some of the stiffness out. Some pitchers don't throw on this day at all.

They don't throw any more that day. We take ground balls and fly balls almost on a daily basis, all season. They go out and do that. If any throwing is required, we just have them put the ball in a bucket. No throws!

The second day they go through the team warm ups, which is a series of playing catch at ever increasing distances, from 10' on one knee, out to 150', long toss, then back in to 25' quick catch. They work into all the drills, we monitor their throwing so they don't do much.

The third day is much the same as the second.

The fourth day they throw a tune up bullpen, 25- 30 pitches, along with the team drills we are doing, still limiting their throwing in the drills.

We use the practice drills and situations to get their running in.

When our games start, we are playing 2 to 4 days a week. There are times we have to adjust their workouts, maybe throw their tune up pen after the game that day is over. If we are on the road, we generally throw the tune up pen at home the day before.

Anytime they pitch in practice, we require them to ice after. They also have to ice after every game they pitch.

The biggest adjustment we do is limiting their position throwing during the season, if they are a pitcher. Those throws all add up over the course of the season, so we let them do enough to stay sharp, but not stress the arm.

This has worked in our situation. It comes down to learning your kids, and adjusting what each one does to their individual situation.

Some kids have that proverbial rubber arm, never show any stiffness, bounce back quickly. Others take longer.

Good luck as you go forward!

Yours in baseball,

Rick

** I noticed you live in Binghamton, is that Binghamton, NY? I grew up in Elmira Heights, we moved to Arizona when I was 9.

Had an uncle who was a teacher and eventually the Superintendent of Schools in Vestal.

Rick