Pitcher In-Season Management
Introduction
The off-season is a key part of developing a strong, durable arm that is prepared for the upcoming season. This includes evaluating your shutdown or deload period, on-ramping, velocity development, and bullpen progressions. There are several different strategies for managing the off-season but they all should include an evaluation of athlete’s goals, previous workload, projected workload, projected role, and long term development.
As season approaches, the shift in throwing focus and training should adjust to managing heavy and low workload days. With more in-game stressors, high volume days, and all of the in-season variables that come into play, it is key to have structured routines in place to best manage your body and arm.
We will explain this more in detail below:
Adjust focus in pre-throw routine
Increase volume of pre-throw mobility and activations.
Plyocare routines adjusted to an in-season focus.
Drills can maintain focus on arm swing and upper trunk movement patterns while adding 1-2 drills with full delivery on medium-heavy throwing days.
Weight Training and Nutrition
Side Bullpens
Examples of Managing Plyo Workload in Season
Example 1: Heavy Day
Reverse Throws 1x10 4LB, 2LB
Upward Toss 1x10 2LB
Pivot Picks 1x5 2LB, 1x5-10 1LB
Walk Aways 1x3 1LB, 1x3 7oz
Step Backs 1x3 7oz, 1x3 5oz
Example 2: Medium Day
Reverse Throws 1x10 4LB, 2LB
Upward Toss 1x10 2LB
Pivot Picks 1x10 1LB
Split Stance Throws 1x3 1LB, 1x3 7oz
Walking Wind-Ups 1x3 7oz, 1x3 5oz
Example 3: Heavy Day
Reverse Throws 1x10 4LB, 2LB
Upward Toss 1x10 2LB
Pivot Picks 1x10 1LB
Walk Aways 1x3 1LB, 1x3 7oz
Quick Picks 1x2 7oz, 1x2 5oz
Normal Mound Delivery 1x2 7oz, 1x2 5oz
Example 4: Light Day
Reverse Throws 2x10 4LB, 2LB
Upward Toss 2x10 2LB
Pivot Picks 2x10 1LB
Manage your workload around heavy days
Athletes will have their highest demand days during the season with pitching in games, bullpens, higher stress due to game factors, and those that manage playing multiple positions and pitching.
It is key to manage your recovery days around your heavy days. Rest and Active Rest are key. This means moving your body around but managing stress and adding more dynamic mobility and arm care based routines to improve recovery.
Do not ignore soreness and tightness. Take care of the things that need to be taken care of before it gets worse. This requires creating routines and communicating with staff to manage workloads.
It can be hard to manage the spring schedule with games, practices, playing multiple positions, role flexibility, and playing time. The aspects that you can control include communication with staff, sleep, nutrition, attention to detail in your craft, and being proactive with your throwing program routines.
Weight Room Focus
The weight room modalities can go in several different directions depending on time, what is available, and your workload.
Some of the key points we want to hit on are as follows:
Continue to train in the weight room 2-4x a week.
Do not add new lifts or make big adjustments to your plan.
Limit extra grip and rotator cuff exercises around the main lifts.
Lower volume of workload in the weight room.
Keep movement quality the focus. Technique, as always, is key.
Proper nutrition around your training.
Depending on your factors mentioned above, the important piece is you should continue to train with an adjusted focus on volume/intensity but keeping quality movement and stress management to continue building strength and functional movements.
You can get stronger in season. The focus should continue to be building strength through quality movements and controlled workloads.
Arm Care and Mobility Focus
Arm care exercises in-season are important but need to be managed with the volume of throwing and recovery time. Let the body recover through stress management and rest. The point of arm care is not to add more stress to the arm but to help the arm recover without losing strength and mobility. During the off-season, we are building workload and arm conditioning which typically has more post-throwing arm care than in-season.
The takeaway here is to continue challenge upper trunk and shoulder mobility without overdosing the workload via more “arm care”. At times, athletes can be doing too much arm care which doesn’t allow the body to naturally recover in the areas being most stressed in season. More “arm care” exercises on heavy days, less on light days.
Some key exercises we keep in our in-season arm care programming are jaeger bands, rebounders, pullaparts, and thoracic and t-spine mobility.
Overall, continuing to do your mobility drills is more important than adding more mobility drills during the season. With added stress, we must continue to execute proper mobility exercises. This doesn’t mean you should add more just to add more. Focal points will be different based on the athlete but for most we want to attack hip, low back, shoulder, and upper back mobility in your daily work. You can find several exercises on our free youtube channel.
Importance of Sleep and Nutrition
There isn’t a better way to attack your recovery than to get enough rest and nutrition. You can find all of the information that you need online about its importance or strategies to improve it. The easiest way to put it is make sure you get enough sleep, hydrate, and eat well. If you want to improve it, track it.
This isn’t the flashy or informational part of the blog that most come to PRP for but is the easiest to manage if you commit to it. Those that truly want to impact performance, be prepared and minimize risk for injury will do their best to let their bodies recover.
While simple, this component of managing your body cannot be overlooked.
Side Bullpens
For pitchers, managing your pitch workload and weekly preparation is key. One of these kep aspects is throwing your “side” bullpen in between starts or relief outings. The main point of a side bullpen is to get back on the slope and spend time on your craft.
These are going to be a “heavy” day so making sure you map these out in between outings is key. Typically, day 3 (day 1 being day after outing) is a good time to throw your side as you prepare for next start.
In-Season Side Bullpens:
Side bullpens should be 20-25 pitches at a submaximal intensity. Having a radar gun or technology for these is a good idea to gage your intensity and provide feedback. These should be below in-game velocities if you are able to track.
Take advantage of every opportunity on the mound to focus on something you need to improve upon. This could be certain pitches or mechanical adjustments.
Sides should be thrown 2 days before your next outing if possible. Three days works as well if you are on a 6-7 day rotation.
Strike percentage should be very high in your side bullpens. Get confident pounding the zone. If you want to be good at throwing strikes, you must practice doing so.
Manage your Pitch Counts
All pitches count. Plain and simple. The best way to be available, healthy, and reliable is to manage your workloads by monitoring your high intent days with those in between.
Every single pitcher prepares differently for the season. Teams, facilities, and programs all use different protocols for off-season prep. As you approach the season, pitch counts in bullpens and throwing intensities should have you ready to compete in games. Games add a stress factor due to game management, time spent hot and cold, and adrenaline. We strongly recommend that all, no matter the off-season prep, follow a gradual build up in pitch counts per outing.
Again, all schools and programs will be different based on schedules, weather, roster construction, and competition.
We will base our example below on a 16y/o athlete who sits 82-84 and has built up to 60 pitches in bullpens prior to season.
Outing #1 = 50 pitches, 6 days rest, side on day #3
Outing #2 = 60-70 pitches, 6 days rest, side on day #3
Outing #3 = 80-90 pitches, 6 days rest, side on day #3
Outing #4 = 90-100 pitches, 6 days rest, side on day #3
Outing #5 and further can continue to follow pitch count guidelines of max 120. Personally, we recommend HS athletes not break 110 pitches at any point. Given the amount of extra stress factors with classes, playing multiple positions, daily practices, lack of recovery protocols for most schools, and developing physical frames, this is a recommendation that comes from a belief that has the long-term picture being most valued.
Important factors for pitch count should include:
Age
Physical make up
Quality of delivery
Velocity and velocity fluctuation
Recovery time between outings
Amount of “stressful” pitches (long ABs, RISP, runners on base)
The understanding that their best and most important baseball is ahead of them.
Why lower volume in game than what you have prepared for in bullpens?
Game stresses are higher and time in between innings is an uncontrollable variable. Long wait times, colder temperatures, and higher stress innings can tax all systems more than in bullpen settings. We strongly recommend building up in bullpens to a higher volume than your first outing.
Relief Pitchers and/or Short Outings
Pitch counts are 1 way to monitor workload and stress management. Relief outings or those changing roles within their rotation need to be monitored closely. Shorter outings don’t necessarily mean less overall stress. The pre-outing preparation may not be as organized or lengthened for relievers, most of these outings require high stress situations in game, and often on short rest.
Relief pitchers should have at least 1 off day if they get hot twice. This could be hot in the bullpen then hot for 1 inning in a game on the same day. If they throw 2 innings or more, they should have 1-2 off days.
Position players who also pitch must be closely monitored. Daily throwing workloads are always higher, high stress throws can come with minimal warm-up, and these players seldomly get off days after they pitch. While difficult to put specifics on given every case is different, we must value the importance of rest days for two-way players. The body needs time to recover. There will always be more stress on two-way players with focus on the offensive and defensive side without even pitching.
While the short term may feel easy to grind through, the long term is often affected when these players don’t get into a normal routine of high intent and recovery days.
Closing
Every season, game, inning, and pitch is important. The goal is not to create policies or restrictions on what athletes are allowed to do. The goal is to create a system that allows athletes to consistently progress in their skill sets and maintain health.
Player development is built off gaining experience and keeping health. These must be the priorities with all training goals and in-season workloads.
Players who are committed to their training between outings, recovery protocols, and managing their workloads will be the most likely to maintain health throughout the season.