Up and In?

Hey everyone, this is great stuff.

I apologize for just getting back to this thread, but like I have said in other posts, it gets pretty busy up here.

There is only one thing that I do not understand Darkone. I do not understand what "running down the hill" means. I have always found those sort of terms to be confusing because one could comprehend them different than their intent. Others that I still have a difficult time understanding (by understanding, I mean taking what I am being told and implementing it into my delivery) include "stay on top of", and "get behind of". This could just be me, but I have always had to feel what someone was talking about. This could be what you were inferring to when you talked about people saying that it was impossible to "take their chest to their glove". It is not easy to understand it, until you feel it. There are few ways that one can describe House's methods so that a young pitcher can implement them into their delivery. I believe that you must be shown how to do such things as "bring your chest to your glove" so that you can feel the difference. Once you can feel the difference, you can repeat it. Once one is able to repeat it, they can begin to form the habit. I have read and been told that it takes at least 2,000 (perfect or as perfect as possible) reps to form a new habit. This is where the "towel drill" comes into play.

My intention is not to doubt what you are saying, it is just that I have never been good with "catchy phrases" that attempt to describe an aspect of the delivery, due to the actual vagueness of them.

I guess that the main point that I am attempting to make is that, there are few (if any) ways that one can describe (over the internet, in a book, and in some instances in person) so that a pitcher can "feel" the needed adjustment. Often, it will be necessary to be shown how to do it. This should be followed by one of the most important things, which is to explain why it is better or worth changing from what the pitcher already does. If a pitcher leaves "the pen" with only the feeling of the new, right way and not with an understanding, he will most likely be unaware of why it is better for him. This being the case, he will probably show up to the park with the same mechanics and same apporach on the hill as he had before.

This has probably been one of my more confusing posts. Meaning that it is difficult to explain how important it is for a pitcher to "feel" what he is being told and then be told why it it that the new way, is the right way. As opposed to a pitching coach/instructor who will use vague statements as mentioned before and expect for the pitcher to comrehend what it is and why it is better.

I hope that this post has helped some who don't understand why it is difficult to understand what Dr. House is saying, as well as how important it is for a pitcher to "feel" what he is being told to do.

If there is any unclarity somewhere in this post, please mention it and I'll do my best to elaborate on or clarify what I was attempting to say.

I hope that everyone back home is doing well. I will do my best to respond on a more regular basis. Have a good one.

 

Hey Up, how's the team looking? Are you ready for the season to start? Do you know yet what the rotation will look like at the start? There are so many quality arms on the staff -- a nice problem for Coach Fox to have.

Can you give us an update on how all the Charlotte guys are doing?

 

Hey everyone! I apologize once again for my delayed response.

Alright, baseball season is finally here, yet there is a tarp and snow on our field. I am just about ready for all of this snow to get up and out of here.

Anyways, everything is goin real well up here. Our team is extremely ready to take the field and put to our pre/off season work to the test, just like all of the teams back home.

Everyone from Charlotte is doing really well. Here are how things are looking now:

-Mark Griffin (Providence) continues to play well. He has done a great job behind the dish all year and has been hitting well.

-Greg Mangum (East Meck) is dirty. Looks to be our lead-off man and potential All-Conference second baseman.

-Mike Daniel (South Meck) continues to display and enhance his tools. He was voted by the team as the "Hardest Working Sophomore" on the team. For me, he is one of the toughest outs on the team and should have a great year as a starter in left.

-Tyler White (East Meck) is doing what he has always done, which is playing solid all around baseball. He has displayed power as well as the ability to hit with two strikes.

-Daniel Bard (Charlotte Christian) looks to be the Saturday starter this weekend versus Seton Hall. He has gained a consistent feel for both his slider and his change, and is a lot of fun to watch.

As far as myself, everything is going really well. It is a lot of fun up here and since throwin my bats away to focus on pitching, I can tell a significant difference across the board, especially with my command.

I hope that helps everyone back home and that some can make it up for a game. Feel free to ask me anything, and I look forward to the high school season and all of the action that it will bring. Best of luck to all and I will do my best to check the board more regularly.

 

Go Wolfpack

haha just playin man... Good luck to you and the Heels

 

Thanks JM.

I am lookin forward to our series with them. I have a feelin I'm gonna have a little bit of deja vu (not sure if that is spelled correctly) back from my games against South Meck. Doesn't get much more fun than that. Thanks again.

 

Yup. Nothin' better than a good ol' rival game. Especially at the talent level that NCSU and UNC are at these days. Good Luck.... but I hope the final score favors the Red team! just playin...