Circle of Life.....as a Starter

So, yesterday was my second start....But before I comment on that I want to take you through the 5 day schedule of a starter.

Day 1: The day after your start is the most important one in the recovery process. This day consists of a 25-30 minute run to flush out all the soreness in your arm. In college, this is a day to rest your arm, but in pro ball you only have 4 days to recover so long toss is in order. Then, during batting practice, you are on pig tail (the guy who picks up all the ball that the shaggers throw in). Also, during BP the pitching coach will usually stand with you to go over your outing and talk about things you did well and things you can do better next time. Your work is done well before the game starts and during the game you're usually just trying to keep your eyes open.

Day 2: The second day is your day for adjustments. The running is a little less strenuous, 10 three-quarter poles (which is really pretty easy). Long toss again, and then you throw a bullpen. This bullpen is crucial because, unlike in college where you have 2 bullpens a week, a 5 day rotation only allows for one bullpen. So, make sure to make your adjustments today or you can create bad habits in a hurry. Once again, your work is done before the game begins.

Day 3: This is the lightest day for a starting pitcher. Running is quick and painless, 8 half poles and 2 sets of pickups. Long toss again (the Phillies believe in long toss everyday) but you can temper your effort based on how good your arm feels that day. But, on day 3 you are not only a baseball player, you are also a scout. During the game, the two days before you pitch you have to watch the game from the stands and chart. On this day you get the velocity chart and the radar gun (by far the easier of the two charts). I actually really enjoy getting to see the game from this perspective. Its hard to get the whole picture from the dugout, but from this view you get to see it all.

  My view from our home stands on Wednesday 

The velocity chart

Day 4: The day before your start. Once again easy running, just 9 sprints. Long toss and some flat ground to spin your pitches. And another day of scouting. This time you get the difficult task of recording every pitching stat that you can think of. Not as fun to watch the game with this chart in your hands. Although the second time I did it was much easier than the first, so maybe there is just a little learning curve.

My view at Auburn 

The game chart

Day 5: Your start day! 

So.....yesterday I felt a lot better with my performance than the last game. I made a couple of bad pitches that hurt me but other than that I felt like I executed a lot better. I did a good job of pitching out of jams and preventing the other team from getting many extra opportunities. While I will never be completely satisfied with an outing, especially one in which I give up a run, I feel that the progress I made from the last start to this one is promising. If I can continue to improve and execute the way that I did yesterday I think I will be very successful.