The media has been hounding Roger Clemens ever since the steroid scandal was unleashed by Jose Canseco. His book, "Juiced" shed light on the widespread abuse of steroids and other performance enhancing substances around Major League Baseball. Can you really blame the media for grilling Clemens relentlessly? He is the poster child of the most important franchise in major league baseball and a spokesperson against steroids. The worst part is that it seems like everyone knows Clemens was on something besides him. Never before has a major league pitcher peaked near the end of their career. So just how do performance enhancing substances help baseball players?

PEDs and Hitting
Many people around baseball like to make the argument that steroids didn't help Barry Bonds make contact while batting so it wasn't cheating. They are completely wrong and couldn't be any further from the truth. First off, using steroids results in obvious muscle growth. Increased muscle naturally increases a hitter's batspeed. When this happens a major league hitter can track the ball longer in the zone since his increased batspeed allows him to wait longer. Secondly, that same hitter can effectively own the inner half of the plate with increased batspeed. Of course his hand eye coordination hasn't gotten any better, but everything else has. Flares turn into base-hits and warning track contact turns into homeruns - did I mention an increase in footspeed on the base paths. Performance enhancing drugs also allow baseball players to recover faster which is very important over a long season. The talent in baseball at the major league level is so tight that even the smallest of edges can make a huge difference.

PEDs and Pitching
We all probably know by now the harmful long term affects of performance enhancing drugs, but what about the positive short term effects for pitchers? Well for starters, pitchers will see an immediate jump in velocity and stamina over the course of a game and season. They will be able to carry an increased peak velocity deeper into games. Obviously, faster pitches are harder to hit and increased endurance means peak performance at later stages of a baseball game. Pitchers tend to give up most of their runs in late innings when their legs get tired. With performance enhancing drugs like HGH and steroids they can now peak in the later innings. This is a huge advantage since pitching depth can sometimes be limited.

The Overall Picture
Every level you move up in baseball obviously results in higher level talent. The entire minor league system is nothing but a large filtering process, seperating the talented players from the average and below average players. The gap between a superstar and an average player is not as big as you might think. A solid Triple AAA player and big league player have an even smaller gap. Players are constantly searching for that little edge to separate them from the next guy trying to take their spot. Banned substances gave most players that small edge they were looking for.

Widespread Use

Professional sports are obviously extremely competitive by nature. Players began turning to PEDs to seperate themselves from everyone else. When better performance resulted other players took notice and began using banned substances as well.  A "tipping point" resulted when players realized they had to take something just to keep up with the playing field. Players who normally wouldn't touch banned substances found themselves involved because they had to.

The next few years of baseball will be interesting to watch. There has already been a noticeable decline in power numbers like homeruns and slugging percentage. I suspect batting average and most other offensive statistics will catch up soon. As we recently have seen, Manny Ramierez tested positive for an illegal substance - a female fertility drug human chorionic gonadotropin. He was taking it to jump start his natural production of testosterone.

"It could be that a player used it because he used steroids and went cold turkey and needed hCG to get his levels (testosterone) back to normal. I had to use it when I quit steroids cold turkey. I had to go to a doctor to get it and get my levels back." - Jose Canseco

Are people trying to get more clever about masking agents , designer steroids and HGH? It sure would appear that way. The future of baseball's drug problem remains unclear, although I suspect Manny is just the tip of the iceberg of players still using performance enhancing drugs. Players are turning to HGH and other drugs that can escape the drug testing radar.

Unfortunately, the players named in the Mitchel report have ruined the game and probably don't belong in the Hall of Fame. It is completely unfair to the players of older generations with honest careers. Lastly, I have that much more respect for Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Pedro Martinez who had to pitch through some of the most difficult "juiced up" competition in the history of baseball.

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Opinions vary widely when the topic of icing after games comes up. Most amateur baseball players witness pitchers at the major league level icing after a game. Their thoughts go something like this, “if icing is done at the major league level that means all pitchers should ice after games.” Some people claim that icing aids in recovery, mainly because they see professional pitchers on television doing it. In reality icing might be detrimental to arm health, even for major league pitchers.

One major argument against icing is that it can shrink blood vessels with prolonged use. Cold temperatures restrict blood flow throughout the tiny blood vessels in your arm. This is obviously a problem since your arm depends on rapid blood flow to function optimally. Cold temperatures may also cause blood vessels to shrink with long term use. This is also negative since large blood vessels supply the arm with energy during the throwing motion.

Another argument against icing has to do with the body’s natural healing process. After ice is administered, blood flows rapidly to the spot of application – usually the shoulder or elbow. This process occurs until the ice overwhelms the heat in the blood causing flow to slow down. Eventually blood can no longer reach the area affected, which is a bad thing. This disrupts the body’s healing process and slows down natural recovery.

The main positive focus for proponents of icing is the reduction of inflammation in the arm. For people susceptible to tendonitis and other arm related problems icing may be positive. Just make sure to keep your icing time length reasonable (8-10 minutes). Pitchers in rehabilitation after arm surgery should also consider the use of ice to reduce inflammation at the point of injury.  Pitchers who have hurt their arms during a live game should obviously ice as well.

Much scientific research still needs to be conducted before the baseball world figures out exactly what level of positive or negative effects icing has on the arm. Until then the best option is likely to do absolutely nothing after your pitching appearance until the next day. Let the body’s natural healing process take over until the next morning. Then be prepared for some long distance jogging or exercise on an elliptical bike to get the blood flowing back into your arm. Elliptical exercise machines allow both your legs and arms to pump at the same time. This ensures blood is flowing in your arms as well as your legs.

Why Not Jog or Bike Right After the Game?

The pitching motion is naturally violent due to the forces applied to the arm when throwing a baseball. The throwing motion done repeatedly over the course of a baseball game fatigues muscles like the rotator cuff. Every time a pitcher throws a baseball tiny micro-tears result. This process is the same thing that occurs during weight lifting and other strength training, but the muscles susceptible to injury are much smaller. These muscles need a "cooling off" period to recharge before further physical activity should be done - so does the rest of your body. Although it will usually never hurt you to excercise right after the game, you should consider giving your body a short rest. The pitching motion is already taxing enough on the muscles involved in throwing.

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Stability balls are great for core training and as we all know pitchers must have an exceptionally strong midsection. The core muscles are composed of abdominal, lower back and leg muscles. Most of a pitchers power comes from having a strong core. With that being said, many people find common core exercises like crunches and sit ups taxing on the back and neck . To combat this, stability balls can be used instead of exercises on the hard flat-ground.

Stability balls also offer a wider range of motion and are much more efficient. Not only does the athlete have to execute each core exercise, but they must also maintain proper balance throughout each motion. This engages a wide variety of muscles throughout each exercise. As you very well know, pitching involves a lot of balance, making stability ball exercises a must for serious athletes regardless of what sport they are targeting.

A stability ball is also known as swiss ball, balance ball, birth ball, body ball, ball, fitness ball, gym ball, gymnastic ball, physioball, pilates ball, Pezzi ball, sports ball, Swedish ball and therapy balls - not to be confused with medicine balls which are much smaller and heavier. Stability balls are highly versatile and can be used for non-core exercises as well.

These balls can be purchased at a wide variety of sporting goods stores including Sports Authority and Dick's Sporting Goods. They can also be found for online purchase at Amazon.com and Ebay.  Stability balls range in size and price as well. The stability ball comes in three main sizes of 85cm, 75cm and 65cm. The largest and most recommended 85cm ball ranges in price by manufacturer, but is usually around $35.00-$50.00.

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The mirror is one of the most basic pitching aids available to athletes. Mirrors are great for practice since you can make sure you are in the correct pitching positions at all times. Unlike cameras and video-recorders, mirrors don't require batteries and can be used to practice on your own. You also receive clear and instantaneous feedback with every practice drill you do. Mirrors can be placed on the ground at an angle or mounted on the wall with clips and screws.

The mirror pictured below measures 37 inches wide and 42 inches tall. It has what I would consider the ideal size and dimensions for pitching practice. A slightly smaller mirror would definitely be sufficient for your own use. If this type setup won't work for you try to find a dance studio in your area. Community centers like the YMCA usually have them. Some highschools and colleges also have small rooms with large mirrors in them.

(37inches wide  x 42 inches tall)

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This drill focuses on the proper alignment and positioning at the pitcher's balance point. The balance beam will challenge the athlete to maintain balance over the balls of his feet. However, the drill can also be done on flat-ground depending on comfort level. The balance beam provides instant feedback, since poor balance obviously leads to the athlete falling off the board. The pitcher should hold himself in the balance point for a minimum of 3 seconds each repetition focusing on the checkpoints provided in the pictures below. Repetition times can be increased to challenge the athlete as they improve their balance.

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The balance beam is the best training aid for my own personal practice and lessons for a variety of reasons.  First of all, the beam trains pitchers to use the balls of their feet throughout the delivery. This trains optimal balance and strengthens the leg muscles at the same time. Secondly, the beam gives you instant feedback since it is straight and stationary. Falling off the beam or landing on either side of the beam tells you that something is wrong in your delivery.  Lastly, the beam magnifies every flaw in your delivery. Because of the instant feedback and small margin of error, the pitcher is able to instantly recognize the strengths and weaknesses in his delivery.

Many other reasons exist for the beam being my top training aid recommendation. The beam trains pitchers to take their body in a straight line towards home plate while at the same time training lateral balance. Its practical value like versatility and cost effectiveness also make it appealing. Using the balance beam with my other pitching drills enabled me to achieve maximum efficiency and get the most out of my body. With all of the hype on the balance beam you may now be wondering what its weaknesses are?

The main downside to the balance beam is the fact that you can't drive with your lower half during your motion. Since the board is flat and can slip, pitchers tend to develop a lazy lower half leg drive when using the balance beam exclusively. To counteract this, make sure you focus on a few of the lower half pitching drills listed on this site. The second and relatively minor weakness of the balance beam is the inability to use it to practice in the windup position. This is a minor flaw since the "step back" and "pivot" are the only steps missing when throwing out of the stretch. Below is a typical balance beam and mirror pitching practice station.

Using the mirror balance beam combination is the best setup for mechanical practice.

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Building a 2x4 balance beam is fairly simple. First you will need a 2X6 and a 2X4 which you can pick up from any lumber yard, like Lowe's or Home Depot.  Try to find some straight boards so the board doesn't move during drills. They normally come in 8 foot lengths, which will be sufficient for pitchers of all heights. Take the 2X4 and center it on top of the 2X6, both pieces are laying flat.  Then nail the 2X4 into the 2X6 and you will have a small balance beam. If you plan to use the 2X4 inside you may wish to glue something on the bottom side like carpeting or rubber pieces. If you will be using the board outside tie plates can secured to the bottom of the board to dig into the ground and prevent slipping.

2x4 and 2x6 boards (8 ft long)

Lay the 2x4 on top of the 2x6 board

Center the board measuring each margin area. The should be one inch on each side.

Put two nails (2.5-2.75 inch nails) about 4-6 inches from the end of the board on each side as shown above.

If you plan to use the beam outside screw in "tie plates" to the bottom of the 2x6.

If you wish put 2 extra tie plates in the middle of the board. The finished product should look like this. Now when we flip the board over the tie plates should dig into the ground for extra stability. Remember, if you plan on using the board in your basement or driveway, you should use rubber support on the bottom of the board to prevent slipping. The balance beam is used for a variety of pitching drills and is my absolute favorite pitching aid.

Items Needed

1. 2x4 - $3.00
2. 2x6 - $4.50
3. Tie Plates x 4 - $4.00
4. Screws x 8 (3.75 inch) - $2.00
5. Nails  x 5 (2.5 inch) - $1.50

Total Cost - $15.00

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The number one culprit of lost velocity and control in young pitchers is "rushing" . This occurs when the pitcher moves to quickly toward home plate, before his arm is ready to throw. I believe the single biggest factor for increasing the velocity and command of a young pitcher is having them learn to keep their weight back. Nearly all of the pitchers weight should be set on the backside leg until the "weight transfer" occurs. Looking at the picture below you can see what having weight back means.

The same holds true for other sports like boxing. Boxers are masters of keeping their weight back and then exploding into a punch. Instead of leaking forward and losing all of the weight associated with your hips, stay back and explode at weight transfer position. Remember that you aren't throwing the baseball until your lead leg has landed.

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Verbal Series of Checkpoints

1. Take the sign
2. Step Back
3. Pivot
4. Leg up (balance point)
5. Break (weight back)
6. Turn
7. Finish
8. Follow Through

Take the sign

Step Back

Pivot

Leg Up (balance point)

Break (hand break & weight back)

Turn (rotate weight and torso)

Finish

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Toss and Balance – 20x Daily

Out of both the windup and stretch get to a balance point and hold for a count of 3 seconds. Focus on chin over your belt with leg raised at waist level - splitting your body in half. Lead side glove should be closed with elbow directed at the target. Ball will be thrown to the pitcher where he will hold for a 3 count. He catches the ball with his throwing arm (not his glove) and gathers his hands together once the ball is caught and again hold for a count of three. Optionally, the pitcher may throw to a partner after the last step described above. This drill is used mainly to help the pitcher get a sense of keeping his weight back. It also helps them feel a proper balance point.

Start out of the windup or stretch as you would in a game.

Get to your balance point and hold for a count of 3 seconds. Your partner should not throw you the baseball until you show you can balance and are in the correct position. Your lifted knee should be a minimum of waist level.

After holding for a count of three your partner should flip your a baseball to your throwing hand. Do not use your glove to catch the ball.

After catching the baseball bring your throwing arm in a slow motion back to your glove.

Hold the baseball in your glove for another 3 second count. Then you may either drop your leg down or throw the baseball to a target. Keep in mind early handbreak and proper arm path.

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