Since baseball is a team game played by individuals, I will be the first to say it is OK to be a bit selfish. In the sense of, How A Pitcher Can Be A Good Teammate

YOU’RE DAMN RIGHT I AM GOING TO GO THE DISTANCE AND WIN THIS GAME!!!!

As attitude is everything in the approach, this particular disposition gives your team a chance to win. That is the main obligation as a competitor on the mound. Although, pitching may be viewed as an individual position or you can succeed as a selfish player, let’s look deeper into what it means to being a good teammate as a pitcher. 

I am compelled to write this article based of a Twitter Poll that I recently ran. The question asked was in regards to whether or not the ‘Being a Team Player’ mentality in the Private Instruction/Travel Ball circuit was still relevant. Astoundingly, 71% of the votes said NO. Therefore, here are 9 HUGE Ways How a Pitcher Can Be a Good Teammate. 

 

Baseball people do not differ in their desire to win, they differ in the ‘price’ they are willing to pay in order to have a chance to win

– H.A. Dorfman
The Mental ABC’s of Pitching

 

How A Pitcher Can Be A Good Teammate
1. Wait til the Other 8
are Ready

As the pitcher is position #1 on the field, each play begins when you are ready. Unless you have a jumpy runner on base begging to get out. With having the poll position on defense, comes with accountability. Naturally, the fate of your team in large part revolves around your performance. The reward for this leadership role is that you can be credited with the WIN, or a Save, or a Hold.

In the chronological order of events that go into every play, the first order of business is to make sure that all 8 of your teammates on the field with you are ready and in position before your engage the rubber. This is most important after a play where a lot of people were on the move. Such as a double in the left field corner where the tandem relay was set up on the foul line that turned into a rundown and all 9 players on the field have a place to be…even the pitcher. After chaos has concluded, allow order to restored before attacking the next hitter.

 

How A Pitcher Can Be A Good Teammate
2. The Purpose of
Making Pitches

The goal of pitching is to make pitches to get 3 quick outs each inning and get your team back in the dugout to score runs. Sounds simple, indeed. However, it is not always as easy when your draw it out. Nonetheless, keep this intent in mind each inning. Even during the difficult frames.

 

How A Pitcher Can Be A Good Teammate
3.  Listen to Your Catcher

Your best friend, big brother, body guard, motivator, voice of reason and even spiritual advisor on the field will be your catcher. If you don’t have this connection with your backstop, some serious work has to be done. Listen to what he has to say about working hitters. He has the best seat in the house to pick up on a hitter’s tendencies and knows best what the umpire’s strike zone really is like that day.

A good catcher will be in constant communication with you. From well before your bullpen all the way until you throw your last pitch of the game, and then some. Trust him and his input. Selflessly, a good catcher will wear the brunt of a poor result with you. If you aren’t on the same page from time to time, work it out and find what is best. Sometimes, a catcher’s conviction is all you need to get out of a rut and execute the right pitch.

 

How A Pitcher Can Be A Good Teammate
4. Listen to Your Infielders

Obviously, they have your back. You rely on them to make all the routine plays and even help you out with the occasional spectacular. Therefore, don’t blow them off. Case in point, when they are telling you to hold the runners closer. It is not personal. They need you to give them a chance to turn the double play with fast runners. They have the better view of everything on the base paths. After all, that is a pitcher’s best friend. When a timing play is put on, allow it to develop before you deal. When they give you a non verbal cue for a pick off, accept it. Pitchers will always take an out when they don’t have to throw a pitch.

 

How A Pitcher Can Be A Good Teammate
5. Work Fast

Infielders want to play behind a pitcher who works fast and gets ahead on hitters. This forces hitters to swing the bats and the defense will be more focused and on their toes ready to make plays. The first step is everything in defense. When a pitcher is falling behind to hitters constantly, even the most focused infielder will find his attention drifting. Don’t jeopardize your defense. They are your lifeline.

 

How A Pitcher Can Be A Good Teammate
6. Don’t Show Up
Your Teammates

 

Errors are a part of the game. When a ball gets booted, don’t glare out or make a scene at the guilty party. Focus on making the next pitch. That is all you can control. As poise is not something that can easily be turned off and then back on again in competition. Showing up your defense can get ugly as it can snowball quickly from adding internal pressure on the fielders. When dissention happens on a field, things can go sour rather fast, and carry over to the dugout or clubhouse. Remember, that baseball is a game of both failure and redemption. The guy who made a costly error early could get the big hit late which could give you the W.

 

How A Pitcher Can Be A Good Teammate
7. Innings are Your
Highest Priority

No matter what role you have on a pitching staff, the more innings which your can accumulate, the fresher the next arms will be. Whether you are a starter, middle relief or mop up role, however many innings you can log makes it easier for the manager and the pitchers coming in behind you. It is not just for the current game, the upcoming ones importantly as well.

For example, in a World Series Game 5, the team leading the series 3-1 loses this one 7-2. A bullpen pitcher down in the ranks throws the final 3 innings, keeping the game where it is. Yet still a loss, none of the prime time arms who occupy the late innings had to be touched. With the next day being off for travel, the Go To Relievers will be fresh as they have 2 days off as they attempt to win it all in Game 6. The entire organization owes a huge debt of gratitude to the mop up man from the previous game as he did his job eating innings and put his team in a great position to win. His ring will be just as large, with just as much bling!

 

How A Pitcher Can Be A Good Teammate
8. Down Big Early

On the topic of innings, when a starter gives up a bunch of runs early, it is his duty to grind through it and keep the score where it is. When 5 runs are surrendered in the 1st inning, regardless of earned or unearned, the pitchers goal is now to make it through the 5th inning without allowing anymore to score. There is a lot of game left and the offense has 8-9 more chances to chip away at the deficit. Obviously, it is much harder to catch up when more runs are surrendered in the upcoming innings.

In professional baseball, when games are played every day, if a starter is knocked out before the 3rd inning, the rest of the pitching staff as a whole realizes that the next 3 games will be an absolute grind. There will be a lot of innings to be filled, more pressure on the pitchers to do so, a lesser of chance of winning, all while some roster moves will have to be made to compensate the short bullpen. It is a harsh chain reaction. That’s why pitchers take pride in persevering through early struggles. It is a solid measure of their character on the mound while protecting their teammates livelihood as well.

 

How A Pitcher Can Be A Good Teammate
9. Win as a Team,
Lose as a Team

As losing streaks happen and bad luck is often uncontrollable, this is essential to keep the team morale from crashing and burning. You can’t point the finger directly in a loss. Even when deciding moments in the late innings are a cause for falter. There is the understandable frustration of SCORE SOME RUNS FOR ME! Whether the notion is internal or public, over time, that is justifiable when patterns develop.

Roger Clemens in 2005 won the ERA title with a measly 1.87. Unfortunately, he only registered 13 wins. As 15 of his 32 starts, the Astros scored 2 runs or less for him. Including, 5 No Decisions where the Astros lost 1-0. As the professional he was, he kept his cool. Understanding the importance of innings pitched over wins as he lead the Astros to the World Series. He earned his most notable win during the postseason, pitching 3 scoreless innings of relief on just 2 days rest in the 18 inning marathon clincher in the NLDS.

Over 9 innings and 54 total outs of a game, a loss cannot be pinpointed on just one event. A passed ball, an error, not backing up a base, throwing to the wrong base, getting picked off, missing a sign, not getting the bunt down, running into an out and so on all factor into the outcome of the decision. When you go into battle together, you deal with the result together. Plus, it is more fun to celebrate together.

 

Keep Dominating!!!