How to Teach the Submarine-Style Wind-up

Reverse directions with the ball and come forward through the bottom part of the windmill circle (the downswing) to delivery, just like it was the last half of your normal windmill circle. Keep a bend in the elbow, around 45 degrees or so, as you bring the ball behind you.

The secret to this is to start your quick forward step AS you are bringing the ball up behind you, that way the timing for the landing and ball release are the same as your normal pitch with the full windmill wind up.

This will be thrown as a step style pitch and not with a big push off like a leap and drag pitcher normally has.

When you bring the ball up behind to the highest point just behind and above the back of your head, the ball should be in front of the hand and facing toward the batter. Your wrist and the ball will look just like the periscope of a submarine, except for the bend in the elbow.

Now, all of this must be done as quickly as possible for the greatest “stunning” effect on the batter. So, to speed it up even more, here is what we are going to do to give you an idea of how fast this must be done.

With no ball or glove, clap your hands one time as fast as you can, going from the pitcher’s position with both hands at your side. Bring the glove hand over to the right side (assuming a right-handed pitcher) and clap your hands near the point where your front right pants pocket would be. Do this a few times as quickly as you can possibly do it. Then, do the exact same thing while you take a quick forward step with your stride foot.

Now, practice the same thing with the glove on and the ball in your throwing hand. Bring the glove over to the throwing hand side and pop the ball in and out just as quickly as possible (just like you were clapping your hands together) and bring the ball back behind you to the 12:30 position and throw a fast pitch from that point. Do all of this AS you are starting to take a quick forward step. All of the arm motions start at the same time as the forward step starts.

This pitch actually starts when you take the call, when you have both hands at your side. The rule books allow you to simulate presenting the ball by touching the glove with the ball as it passes by, with no pause at all.

The rule books also state that you must have both feet on the rubber when you separate your hands. This is why you must touch the ball to the inside of the glove instantly as you start the pitch AND as you are starting your forward step. It must be done very, VERY quickly.

For a pitcher who normally throws with a double pump wind up, this is an awesome tactic because the batters will be just standing there waiting to see the rest of your full normal wind up.

I have taught this to pitchers in 15 minutes, between games at their tournaments, and they have gotten twice their normal amount of strike outs in their game.

Some pitchers will only use this a handful of times in their games as a secret weapon, when they need it the most to stun a batter. The most successful pitchers will use this at least once on every batter to make sure they stay totally unpredictable to the batter. Once the other team DOES see you use it, they will never know which wind up you will use.

Batters are trained to react to a pitcher who uses ONLY ONE pitching style variation. Why would you want to pitch to them EXACTLY as they have been trained to hit?