1) Study the batters on the opposing team. Are they really aggressive and swing at the first pitch? If so, start them with a breaking pitch if you have one, if not, try and hit the corners. If they take the first pitch, throw your best control pitch to throw a strike and get ahead of the count.
2) If the opposing coach yells “lay off the high pitch” or “lay off the low stuff”, they’re telling you that these batters have a weakness for swinging at these pitches. That’s exactly where you should pitch them. The coach wouldn’t still be yelling at them if they still didn’t swing at them.
3) If you don’t know the umpire, check immediately if he calls high pitches, low pitches, corners, etc. You have to work the area that he gives you.
4) If you start the game and your control is bad or a pitch isn’t working, get a catcher and work on it when your team comes into hit.
5) If you are playing in the outfield and the pitcher suddenly gets in trouble and you may have to come in to relieve her, and you haven’t warmed up, swing your arm as if you were pitching to get loose. The few pitches you get when you relieve someone isn’t enough to get you warm.
6) Go to your best pitch when you get into trouble. Why take a chance with your 2nd and 3rd or 4th best pitches?
7) If you don’t throw breaking pitches, be sure to practice a lot on hitting the corners and develop some type of off-speed pitch.
8) Check to see if your catcher knows how to “frame” a pitch.
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