Losing Confidence in half the plate


I’ve discussed this a little in the “Why not down and in thread”, but for basically a year I haven’t thrown many 2 seamers in to righties. I’ve just stayed away with the 4 seam, and every now and then I’d come in with a 2 seam. Then with lefties up, I’d do the opposite. Now this seems fine but my pitching instructor, Dave Rodriguez, who I highly regard and knows pitching very well, has told me, when I saw him for lessons ( right before the start of the season in 2004 and 2005, when I was 11 and 12) to primarily use the 2 seam and throw it most of the time and always keep the ball knee high, since he made me a ground ball pitcher and that works well because I don’t throw very hard ( 5’, 83 pounds, and I get up to the mid fifties). So, has the game changed now in the year I haven’t seen him, where I need to keep the ball away, and I can’t come down and in, but rather waist high when I throw in, and I should use the 4 seam primarily? I don’t want to contradict what he thought me. I’d really appreciate some help because this is really bothering me.


I think you need to look at what you are saying. I don’t know Mr. Rodriquez and I’m sure he is a good coach (Well anyway I’d give him the benefit of the doubt). As a pitcher you use your arsenal of pitches to get guys out. So to use the axiom “a pitchers job is to throw strikes” isn’t really true is it? Nope, the majority of swinging strikeouts happen with balls out of the zone. In the same way you are not contradicting anything if you use a low and inside pitch for a purpose (May even strike someone out…who knows). Consider a sequence where you set the guy up with a diet of outside stuff and then after he is looking out you bring it in. Pitching is never an absolute art, you cannot give away anything or you will not have success. Use your spots, be tactical and above all be confident.
good luck