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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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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 2×4 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.

2×4 and 2×6 boards (8 ft long)

Lay the 2×4 on top of the 2×6 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 2×6.

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. 2×4 – $3.00
2. 2×6 – $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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Many pitching aids and tools advertised out there in the baseball world claim to be the best and only product you will ever need for pitching practice. This statement is only a blatant sales pitch and nothing more. To improve at pitching you must put forth hard work on a daily basis to make practice become a reaction – making the mechanics come natural. Repetition and constant focus are the only ways to make this happen. With that being said a few tools exist to help you become a better pitcher. Most of them can be made yourself and all of the products and tools cost under $20.00. Here are my favorite pitching practice aids and the only ones I would feel comfortable recommending.

• 1-3lb Weights (Age and strength based)
• Resistance Tubing (Cords, tubing, thera-bands, surgical tubing)
• Balance Beam
  
• Weighted Baseballs (4oz, 5oz, 6oz and 10 oz only)
• Small Rag or Towel
• Large Mirror
• Stability Ball (aka. Swiss ball, balance ball)
• Jump Rope

Many of the products described above can be found in local sporting goods store like Sports Authority and Dick’s Sporting Goods. I would recommend 1-2 lb weights for ages 8-13 and 2-3 lb weights for ages 13+. You should never use more than 3lbs for shoulder and cuff exercises. Thera-band or surgical tubing may also be used in place of or in addition to 1-3 lb weights. Soup cans or other common household items can be substituted as well. Weighted baseball velocity training only involves the 4oz, 5oz, 6oz and 10 oz baseballs. These drills should not be done by anyone under 18 years of age and should never be used in any other ways than are described in tutorials on this website.

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