Many of the great pitchers of baseball, like Sandy Koufax, Warren Spahn, Juan Marichal, Jim Palmer, and Steve Carlton, have used strong leg kicks and high arm angles, with powerful thrusts off the rubber. Koufax was one of baseball’s great pitchers with the Los Angeles Dodgers, a strikeout artist with low ERA’s and a .732 winning percentage. Forty of his 165 wins were shutouts, four were no-hitters, and one was a perfect game. Sandy became the first major league pitcher ever to post 300 whiffs in three different seasons, setting an all-time strikeout record in 1965 by fanning 382 hitters. He is shown here with teammate Don Drysdale, another outstanding hurler. (Illus. 1).

Superb execution of the basic mechanics which provided excellent rhythm and body coordination enabled Spahn and Early Wynn to throw hard until they were well past the age of 40. Spahn (Series E) is baseball’s all-time top winning left-handed pitcher with 363 victories, while Wynn (Series F) won 300 games during a long and illustrious career with the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox. No undue pressure or strain was placed on their throwing arms because they pitched with their entire bodies. As a result, their pitching careers were free of any serious arm trouble.

This sequence-series of Koufax (Series A) shows how he used the same pitching style from the set position as he did from a wind-up. Stretching both arms overhead, Sandy brings his hands down slowly to the belt. This is the set position with runners on base. The pitcher must come to and hold for at least one full second before throwing to the hitter. Notice that when Sandy’s striding foot touches the ground, his throwing arm is up on top. He now has the necessary body momentum to drive on through.

Tom Seaver, who ranks as one of the greatest pitchers of all time, continues to set career records for strikeouts. He is the only pitcher in major league history to strike out 200 batters for nine seasons in a row. He also holds the major league record for lowest lifetime ERA for pitchers who have worked over 2,000 innings. Tom said, “A big league fastball is a pitch that moves, either up or down, sinking or rising – one of the two.”

Although many pitchers in the 1980s began using a no-windup delivery, Seaver preferred a limited wind-up. “A no-windup motion doesn’t work for me,” said Tom, “because, from a timing standpoint, I could not coordinate all the parts of my body in such a short time. I preferred bringing my hands back in a small pump before reaching into my glove for the ball.”

For many years, Billy Pierce was a stylish southpaw with the Chicago White Sox. Winner of over 200 games during his major league career, Pierce was a 20-game pitcher in both 1956 and 1957. He attributed his speed to a well-coordinated pitching delivery and strength in his arm. “Never try to throw as hard as you can,” advised Pierce. “Usually, your fastball goes straight as a string when you do, and it loses its natural break. Billy is shown here in Illustration 2 lifting both hands high above his head. At the same time, he steps and moves his weight on to his back foot. As he shifts his weight forward, Pierce places his pivot foot parallel to the rubber and pushes off into his delivery.

In 1978, Gaylord Perry became only the third pitcher in major league history to reach the 3,000 career, trailing only Bob Gibson (3,057) and Walter Johnson (3,508) on baseball’s all-time list. In winning 21 games for the San Diego Padres, Perry won the coveted Cy Young Award. He was also a very effective and durable pitcher for the San Francisco Giants and the Texas Rangers. Like all the successful major league pitchers of the 1950s through the 1970s, Perry, a Hall of Fame great with the San Francisco Giants and other teams, began his delivery with the full and traditional style of winding up.

Another Cy Young Award winner, Gibson’s career with the St. Louis Cardinals was filled with some remarkable achievements. His 22-9 record in 1968 was highlighted by an earned run average of 1.12, the best in history. He also led the National League in strikeouts with 268 and shutouts with 13. During the 1968 World Series, Gibson fanned a record 17 hitters. His lifetime career total of 3,057 strike-outs is second only to Walter Johnson.

Don Sutton was one of the National League’s best right-handed pitchers. His mound exploits were a major factor in the success of the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 1970s. During his Hall of Fame career, Sutton compiled a 324-256 record with 3,574 strikeouts and a 3.26 ERA. His career strikeout total is the 7th most in major league history, ahead of Walter Johnson and Bob Gibson.

On his Hall of Fame plaque, there is a line stating that “Sutton did not miss a turn in the starting rotation due to injury or illness during his 23-season major league career. In spite of pitching more than 200 innings in 20 different seasons, Sutton never spent a day on the disabled list.”

Sutton is pictured here with the windup technique used by all major league pitchers until the no-windup emerged (Illus. 3). He takes a balanced and relaxed stance, square to the plate. As his hands come up and over the head, he steps back with his left foot. As he steps back, Sutton raises his arms and glove above the head. He then shifts his weight forward as he rotates into the pitch. His first movement is a rocker step, a soft and short step backward at a 45-degree angle with the non-stride foot.

Strong basic mechanics which provide good rhythm and body coordination enabled Wynn, Palmer and Carlton to throw hard throughout their brilliant careers. Carlton and Nolan Ryan surpassed Walter Johnson’s legendary strikeout mark of 3,508.

Although the coach does not want to tamper with a player’s throwing motion, he should realize that pitchers must learn the rudiments of pitching. By executing basic techniques, a pitcher’s delivery will insure: One, the coordination necessary for a good fast ball; two, control of his pitches for successful pitching; and three, a smooth delivery to prevent undue fatigue and strain in the throwing arm.

Shown above, from left to right, are: Billy Pierce, Tom Seaver, Juan Marichal, Sandy Koufax

Major league baseball clubs have found that pitching coaches are worth their weight in gold. From the start of spring training to the end of the season, these coaches are constantly checking their pitchers in action, making certain the basic principles of pitching are being followed. They have found it valuable to observe their pitchers constantly, studying daily the entire delivery to see that the basic points of pitching are being followed and flaws in execution are corrected immediately.

Tom Seaver As shown in Series B, Seaver executes a well-balanced leg kick with good control of his body. His weight is distributed evenly over his right foot as he pivots into the backswing. Tom has the balance necessary for a good thrust forward from the rubber.

Pushing off the rubber, Seaver strides forward with his free left foot, his entire body going into the pitch like an uncoiling spring. By moving his lead foot over, Tom, (Illus. 5), unlocks his hips and gives the arm and upper body the opportunity to shoot through.

Seaver is a prime exponent of the drop-and-drive technique. His left leg bends at the knees, enabling him to place more effort into his thrust. When he drops and bends his right knee, it is only natural for him to drive hard off the rubber.

Seaver’s stride is comfortable and natural. The left knee of his striding leg remains bent to avoid jarring, which might disrupt his control. One of the chief faults of young pitchers is over striding. Seaver has found that when his pitches are high, he is often over striding when the heel of his striding foot hits the ground first. Instead, the entire foot should come down solidly on the ground in a flat-footed fashion, with the toe pointed toward the plate.

As the striding foot hits the ground, Seaver’s pitching arm is ready to come on through. He has to be quick with the top part of his body in order to get the necessary momentum. With his elbow leading the way, Seaver whips his arm with strong wrist action, releasing the ball above and out in front of his right shoulder. The wrist snap takes place with tremendous velocity.

His throwing arm continues on through in a smooth follow through. His eyes are on the target, his back is bent and his weight is evenly distributed with his knees slightly bent. A full sweep of the arm and shoulder and a complete follow through are beneficial to the pitching delivery.

Seaver was the complete pitcher. He had two fast balls, one that rises and another that sinks. Tom had the ability to make his fast ball sink, sail or tail, according to the way he holds the ball. Seaver also had a good slider, a fine curve, and could change up on all of his pitches.

Sandy Koufax (Series C) In the set stance, Koufax has his feet comfortably spread, with the ball and glove resting at the region of the belt. His hands are belt high and as he lifts his lead leg, the hands move up slightly and away from the body. The path of the arm is down, back and up. Sandy keeps the ball in his glove until his leg is lifted high in the air.

As Koufax pushes off the rubber, his pivot foot is parallel to the rubber. Notice his left leg bending at the knee as he executes the drop and drive, enabling him to place more effort into the thrust. In striding forward, Koufax moves his lead foot over to open up the stride and unlocks his hips (Illus. 6).

With his elbow leading the way, Koufax gets his arm up on top and has the necessary momentum to drive on through. Whipping his arm with powerful wrist action, he releases the ball out in front.

With the bases empty, however, Koufax used a full and traditional pitching wind-up. Standing square to home plate, Sandy raises his hands to a position above and behind his head as he places his pivot foot parallel to the rubber.

Koufax used a high leg kick from his stretch position. However, he did not lose his balance and still had his eyes on the target. By bending his front knee on the stride, Koufax gave his body the opportunity to come through with power. This knee action also takes the herky-jerky motion out of the delivery.

Like Marichal, Sandy was an overhand pitcher with an exceptionally high arm angle. Notice that his throwing arm is straightened out at the release of the ball, with the wrist giving maximum action. Koufax’s pitching momentum, particularly his arm and shoulder, continues on through and down.

Juan Marichal (Series D) Swinging both arms backward, Marichal goes into a rocking motion, bringing both arms high above and to the side of his head. His pivot foot is turned parallel to the rubber as he starts his famous leg kick.

Marichal is pictured here beginning his pitching delivery with a full and traditional style of winding up. (Illus. 7). His left leg is swung high into the air and out to the side. Most pitchers, in kicking the leg, will bend the knee to form a right angle with the lower part of the leg. However, Marichal bends his knee very little, merely swinging his leg up into a high arc the height of his chest.

The remarkable feature of Marichal’s kick is that as a right-handed pitcher, he did not tilt his body backward to a large extent, nor did he drop his back shoulder noticeably. Juan did not bend his body back any farther than the pitcher using a more compact style. By keeping his body in a vertical plane, he has excellent balance. His body is under control at all times.

Marichal’s leg action bends and pivots his body backward, and as he strides forward with his free foot, his entire body goes into the pitch like an uncoiling spring, giving maximum power and drive. At the time of the backward bend and pivot, Marichal keeps his eyes on the target by looking over his front shoulder.

Juan did an excellent job of hiding the ball. He showed more of his back than any pitcher in baseball, a distraction which provided important deception to his delivery. There was tremendous motion and body movement in his delivery which had a sort of whirling effect upon the hitter.

Like Koufax, Marichal threw directly over-hand. The ball appeared to be coming down from the sky. The high kick of his leg, followed by a powerful push-off from the rubber, gave Marichal the motion and momentum which made him an imposing sight to the hitter. Hitters had difficulty picking up the ball because Juan appeared to be throwing out of his left knee.

Warren Spahn (Series E) Spahn, a great southpaw with the Milwaukee Braves, demonstrates below the type of timing necessary for proper pitching rhythm. His delivery was smooth and deceptive. Spahn was a prime example of a master pitcher. He was able to pitch with control. He made the pitch when he had to make it, whether it was low outside or high inside. He took something off the ball when he wanted to and gave it “that little extra” when he was in trouble.

“Hitting is timing,” said Spahn, “and by changing speeds on the hitter, you try to disrupt his timing which is the most important element in hitting. The biggest factor with the curve is getting the ball down. The higher a pitcher lets the ball go, the more chance he has of hanging it.” Pictured here, Spahn, using the full traditional wind-up, has lifted his hands and arms above his head (Illus. 8).

Spahn had four basic pitches: a fast ball that sailed upward as it nears the plate; a curve that breaks to his right; a screwball that breaks left; and a slider. Spahn emphasized the need for a pitcher to vary the speeds of his curve ball. The curve-change, whereby the pitcher takes something off his pitch, is a great pitching asset.

“The most important factor in any pitch is being able to control it,” said Spahn. “Many pitchers get into trouble with pitches that they cannot get over the plate. Home plate is 17 inches wide, but I ignored the middle 12 inches.” In 1952, when he began to lose the “stuff” on his fastball, Spahn acquired new pitches to compliment his fading fastball, including a wicked screwball.”

Kicking his right leg high in the air, Spahn keeps the ball in his glove until the thrust is ready to begin. Keeping the ball in the glove a little longer gives the pitching arm time to get in position to come on through. When the glove goes, the striding foot goes.

Hiding the ball behind his kicking leg, Spahn keeps his eye on the target. He used the drop and drive technique in which he lowers his body into a better thrust position. Then he strides toward the plate low and fast. He steps straight forward with his lead foot, eliminating any possibility of throwing across his body. The upper part of his body comes through with speed. With the elbow leading the way, the pitching arm and shoulder are on top.

Early Wynn (Series F) Along with such greats as Warren Spahn, Robin Roberts and Whitey Ford, Wynn is one of the great pitchers of the 1940s through the early ‘60s who typify well-coordinated pitching deliveries. At age 39, “Gus” won 22 games and the Cy Young Award as the major league pitcher of the year.

Wynn demonstrates below the pitching motion that has made him one of the mound greats of all time. “A good fastball comes off the end of a smooth delivery, a coordinated action of the entire body,” said Wynn.

“Many pitchers tend to rush out with the lower part of their bodies,” said Wynn. “Their stride is too quick. By slowing down the stride, they give their throwing arm a chance to get through, at the right instant. By slowing down the stride, they give their throwing arm a chance to get through, at the right instant. By keeping the ball in the glove longer, the pitcher holds up the thrust of the lower part of his body. When the glove goes, the foot goes. By opening up the stride and unlocking the hips, the arm and upper body is able to shoot through.” (Illus. 9)

He displays very good control of his body. He has the balance necessary for a good push-off forward. His glove hand proves effective in distracting the hitter. He flicks it in the batter’s line of vision.

Pushing off the rubber, Wynn strides forward, unlocking his hips and pointing his lead foot at the hitter. As the striding foot hits the ground, his pitching arm is ready to come on through. The weight of the body moves smoothly forward onto his front leg.

The throwing arm is away from his body so he can bring the ball back and throw it in one continuous motion. The elbow comes through first, followed by the forward thrust-like action of the arm and wrist. His arm is fully extended as he releases the ball out in front.

Gaylord Perry (Series G) Gaylord, a Hall of Fame great, pitched in the major leagues from the mid-1960s through the ‘70s. For over 22 years with eight different teams, Gaylord piled up achievements that put him among the top all-time 20 in wins, strikeouts, and shut-outs.

Perry fooled hitters and umpires for 22 years. An admired proponent of the spitball, he contended that he rarely threw it. Playing mind games with hitters through an array of rituals on the mound was part of Perry’s arsenal. He was a master of psychological warfare, creating fear of his dreaded spitball but his sinker became much harder to hit. For years, Gaylord was criticized for doctoring the ball – using grease, jellies, Vaseline, etc.

“A good fast ball comes off the end of a smooth delivery, a coordinated action of the entire body,” said Gaylord. As he winds up below, Perry pivots his right foot, turning it parallel to the rubber. Exposing his rear to the hitter, he hides the ball completely. Perry holds up the thrust of the lower part of his body by keeping the ball in his glove longer.

Pushing off the rubber, he strides forward, unlocking his hips and pointing his lead foot at the hitter. As the striding foot hits the ground, Perry’s pitching arm is ready to come on through (Illus. 10).

Keeping his arm loose, Perry snaps it forward like a whip as he makes his throw. The wrist is laid back as the elbow leads the way. The wrist snap takes place with tremendous velocity. His arm continues on through as he finished in a good fielding position. He has to be quick with the top part of the body in order to get the necessary momentum.

Billy Pierce (Series H) A stylish southpaw with the Chicago White Sox, Billy Pierce used a wind-up which included a strong pumping action. He brings his glove and ball to a position above his head, giving him free body movement (Illus.11). Billy raises his hands and lead leg simultaneously, which helped keep his weight back and reduces the chances of rushing. He kicks his striding leg out toward the plate, and he uses a powerful thrust-off from the rubber.

Pierce’s lead leg is bent, and he lands on a bent lead leg. He uses a braced striding foot to provide the leverage needed to bring his body forward. Billy follows through with his shoulder and arm, getting his whole body into the pitch. Although not a big man, Pierce’s well-coordinated delivery generated a live fast ball.

When asked where he liked to keep his fast ball, Pierce said, “Well, different hitters, different hitters, different places – some are high ball hitters, and you have to keep your pitches down. Young pitchers will find it best to throw the ball around the belt, and it will rise up in the letters and be a good pitch.”

Billy believes that, “The more you can pitch and gain coordination and strength in your arm, the quicker your fast ball will be.” He was asked where he liked to keep his fast ball. Billy answered, “Well, different hitters, different places – some are high ball hitters, and you have to keep it down.”

“A good change-up can be a valuable asset to a pitcher,” said Pierce. “When the hitter is set for a fastball, a change-up will likely cause him to place his weight on his front foot too soon.”

Pierce strongly believes a pitcher must change speeds on his pitches in order to win consistently. “He must have either a change-up or a breaking ball that he is able to throw for strikes when he is behind,” said Billy. “Off-speed pitching can be very effective in disrupting a hitter’s timing.”

Bob Gibson (Series I) “Pitching success is getting strikes – as fast and often as possible,” said Bob. “In general, I throw the fast ball, but I had good results with the slider, particularly as a game moves into the later innings.”

“A pitcher had better be in control of his pitches,” said Gibson. “Concentration is the real key to putting the ball where you want it. To achieve your goal of better control, first get a good bead on your target. Many pitchers focus on the catcher’s glove. From the wind-up, through the delivery and follow through, glue your eyes to your target. Pick out a spot and fire away. To get good momentum, shove off the rubber forcefully to get your whole body into the pitch.” (Illus. 12)

Raising his arms high in his big traditional windup, Gibson places the ball well up in his glove with the back of the glove facing the hitter. This action conceals the ball so that the batter cannot see the grip and know what is coming.

Gibson is a good example of a pitcher who works fast with his upper half. He is extra-fast from the waist on up. Bob does not have much of a leg kick, but he starts immediately driving at the hitter. His three-quarter delivery is exceptionally quick, and he gets out in front on every pitch he makes.

The leg lift of Gibson has the proper balance necessary for good control. He kicks his leg into the stride as the pivot foot pushes off the rubber. Striding toward the plate, he makes contact with the ground in a flat-footed fashion. Gibson steps forward with his lead foot, eliminating any possibility of throwing across his body.

Whipping the ball with powerful wrist snap, his arm and shoulder continue on down in a smooth follow through.

Don Sutton (Series J) Sutton, a Hall of Fame pitching great, was a remarkably consistent starter for the Los Angeles Dodgers who pitched 23 years in the majors. The only right-handed pitchers to have played since the 1920's and to have won more career games than Sutton (324-256) are Roger Clemens and Greg Maddox.

In the stretch position pictured below, Sutton is bent at the waist, with both hands holding the ball out in front. He has both feet on the pitching rubber. He holds his hands at the region of the belt. His weight is equally distributed on both feet. As he pivots into the back swing, Sutton has a well-balanced leg kick, with good control of his body. He keeps the ball hidden behind his body and covered by the glove at all times. His glove hand proves effective in distracting the hitter. He flicks it in the batter’s line of vision.

As he begins his delivery, Don pivots on the ball of his right foot as he hides the ball behind his head. Pushing off the rubber, Sutton strides forward, unlocking his hips and pointing his lead foot at the hitter. As the striding foot hits the ground, Don’s pitching arm is ready to come on through. The throwing arm is away from his body so he can bring the ball back and throw.

By getting his throwing arm up on top before the striding foot hits the ground, Sutton now has the opportunity to shoot through – to whip the arm through. Sutton steps almost straight ahead with his left foot, providing a free and easy motion. His arm and body continue on through as Don puts something extra on his pitch. (Illus. 13). Sutton’s follow-through often leaves him in a poor fielding position, but he adjusts quickly and is usually ready to field his position.

For Sutton, getting motivated to pitch was never a problem. “I never needed anybody to motivate me,” said Don. “The greatest compliment I ever got in my whole career came from Walter Alston, my manager with the Dodgers. When he was retiring, he gave me a copy of his book, “The Complete Baseball Handbook,” and wrote inside the cover: ‘To Don – When it’s on the line, I want you to have the ball.’ That’s all a pitcher can hope for,” said Sutton.

Walter Alston, my co-author, wrote in our book: “In pitching, the name of the game is getting the ball over the plate with good stuff on it. When I think of the pitching game, I think first of proper mechanics and control. Lack of control is generally the result of poor mechanics.” How can a young pitcher master control? There is only one solution: practice and more practice.