Clubhouse Gas
Commentator: Ladies and gentlemen now take my for the Braves today’s starting pitcher and 4 times Cy Young award winner Casey Bass.
Casey: Imagine me as a starting pitcher how cool would that be. Forget all the fancy stuff, the change up, the slide with the curve ball. I’ll just throw a fast ball after fast ball, hit after hit and let those kids have all the board. It would be awesome.
Male: Hey Casey hey dad wake up, get in the game. There’s a way to become a coach pitcher next on Clubhouse Gas.
Casey: We’re fortunate enough to be joined by to real life coach pitch superstars what I like to call them Mike and Tim Young, guys thanks for joining me.
Now Mike is going to show us how to be a successful softball coach pitcher and Tim you’re going to work with us on baseball. Before we get started what are the similarities between coach pitch baseball and coach pitch soft ball.
Ken: Well you just have to be consistent about how you deliver it and sometimes we’ve talked about is you have to bring it in on a trajectory. You want to keep it flat so their swinging for basics, not homerun.
Casey: The goal here to teaching a young player how to pick the ball up out of the hand and hit him a live pitch.
Ken: Right, right.
Casey: Alright we’re going to start with softball so you get out of here and we’ll come back to you here in a second. Alright so Mike, take me through what it takes to be a successful coach/pitch softball pitcher.
Ken: Okay, the one thing with softball and coach pitching is you try and get them to hit the ball. So you want to show them the ball as long as possible. You’re not trying to deceive the batter by hiding it behind your body. You also want the ball to come in flat so you’re not lobbing it coming at an arc. It’s coming in flat so it’s easier to hit.
Casey: Now if you’re throwing the ball in a line instead of an arch it’s naturally going to be coming faster.
Ken: You know I try to judge each kid individually so you now the ones you can put a little bit more pace on.
Casey: So you’ve analyzed the faster trajectory, flat ball as the opposed to the arch and the slower pitch and you decided that kids do a better job hitting a faster pitch.
Ken: Yeah, it’s coming in flat so it’s on a straight line as straight as you can possibly throw it. They are able to keep that bat level through the strike zone which seems to work.
Casey: Never did I think coming out to do this interview with you guys that you will be telling me if you’re going to be a successful coach pitch pitcher you need to throw the ball harder. That’s fascinating. We’re going to get back to you and we’re going to do some exhibitions, bring the kids in and let them hit and you show us how it’s done but first I want to Kenny about baseball alright so you standby thanks body. As we’re going to start with you and have you take us through maybe we’ll get. Maybe we’ll have Mike to catch for you and you’ll take us through. We’ll look at a couple of them bringing the kids in and have them hit a little, how about that?
Ken: Great. Alright start with the grip; I got a four-seam-fastball. Do the same thing every time, something I always do is I put the emblem just to the outside of my left hand side and then I work on get momentum going towards home play, start my left hand back, show the batter the ball and then I step and throw.
Casey: Alright show us how it’s done big daddy.
So that’s how hard you throw it.
Ken: You know what I do to some of the kids, but some of the kids like it a little bit softer you it’s easier to regulate the speed. You’re using your full arm motion.
Casey: So full arm motion make sure you’ve got plenty of rhythm and you can repeat it. And you hold the ball the same way every time, take us through it one more time.
Ken: Yeah something a little bit funky I do is I try to keep my left arm out of the equation. I don’t have to worry about how I’m swinging it that’s why I use a catcher’s glove, I lock it in here. So it’s really just my right arm. When I aim, I don’t aim to a spot it’s more like golf for me. I visualize where I’m going to put it.
Casey: Alright one more time for us Ken?
Alright Mike take us through your pre shot routine if you will for the coach pitch softball.
Mike: Okay so the grip I’m using what would be consistent with a four-seam-fastball grip in baseball just so I use the same grip every time. From that I’m not hiding the ball. I’m not leaving it in the glove. I’m exposing it to the bat the whole time so they are able to follow the ball right to the bat. Just stepping forward right down the pipe.
Casey: Strike. Alright I’m going to step back and let you have at it. Shows him the ball and throws it in there for a strike also on the line. Alright now we’re going to turn to the real pros for some help. What’s your name darling?
Ryan: Ryan.
Casey: Ryan, you’re going to help us hit some softballs?
Ryan: Yes.
Casey: Are you excited?
Ryan: Yes.
Casey: What a pretty smile.
And what’s your name buddy/
Cash: Cash.
Casey: Cash you’re going to hit it hard?
Cash: Yes sir.
Casey: Alright Cash, you’re going to hang out right here and we’re going to hit some baseballs and some softballs.
Wow it’s not easy as it looks, this girl broken me. I get to step into it show him the ball and throw it down the ply, it sounds easy. It’s not so easy, it’s tough and I’m getting just drilled. I guess the biggest difference in doing what I’m doing now I’m doing what I’m used to doing is the more they hit me the better I do. The more they hit me the better the pitcher I am, alright so I got that one in my head have I. I got my stuff going. Alright I got my stuff going. Alright this ain’t so bad, this ain’t so bad maybe I’ll be a coach pitcher.
Well today we’ve learned a couple of cool things about becoming a coach pitcher so you now you have no excuse dad, take what you learn here today and get out there in the yard with the kids and throw it around a little bit. Take care of that, we’ll see you right back here tomorrow on Clubhouse Gas. Coming down.
Transcription by:
Scribe4you Transcription Services