Pitcher

The pitcher is a player and / or a position in baseball and softball sports. The pitcher is often referred to in English as a thrower. While his team field team, he is normally in the middle of the infield on the pitcher's mound, a 30 cm high hill, and throws from there to the respective batter the batting side, and the behind squatting catcher his own team, the balls to. A good pitcher is characterized by hard -to-hit rolls. ( - Throw the most widely used, changeup, curveball, slider, knuckleball eg Fastball ) is used to make the throws harder predictable to the batter using several different throwing techniques come.

The pitcher is the most specialized position of the baseball game. Since he is in constant use, it must be normally replaced at least once during the game and plays - especially in the U.S. professional leagues with their many encounters - often each of four or five game ever. Some pitchers specialize even further for the game opening ( Starting Pitcher ), middle game ( reliever or setup man) or final phase ( Closer ).

The goal of the pitcher is to Hitter "throw off" ( to get hitters out). This can be done by the strikeout, through the fly-out, or - as a third possibility - through the Ground Out. Is indispensable to the good preparation before the game, that means scout the opposing team in order to analyze their strengths and weaknesses. The basic strategy is to disrupt the timing of the hitters. To do this, switches the speed, and the aim of the pitch ("change speed and locations "). The repertoire of a pitcher (also called Stuff ) should in addition to the fastball and slow offspeed pitches (eg, the changeup, palm ball and the knuckleball ) included, equally important are Breaking Balls ( eg slider, cutter, splitter, curveball ) so balls that change their direction of flight greatly. This allows the hitter to not fixate on a pitch ( "to keep the hitter honest "). It is very important here is that the union movement and the throws are as long as possible indistinguishable to the hitter. The movement should therefore be done as late as possible. Generally, it is considered risky to pitch up in the strike zone, because the hitter can hit these balls on. It is also considered safer to pitch outside ( the so-called outer edge of the strike zone ) so the hitter away, but this is highly dependent on the particular hitter.

Because most pitchers are poor hitters because of their concentration on litter training, it is since the 1960s in some leagues - including the German Bundesliga, the American League, and also international matches - allowing the pitcher in the attack completely exposed and instead a tenth player, the designated hitter, beats. This puts it out in defense. Other leagues - especially the National League and many recreational leagues - but do not allow this. In matches between teams from two leagues that regulate this differently, the rule applies to the home team. For the pitcher, there is in most cases a separate warm-up area, called the Bullpen.

Throwing motion

The union movement has become very specialized over time: In the first picture you can see the High Leg Kick to prepare the ground covering stride, practically like a start-up. A real start-up is not allowed, one foot must always be in contact with the pitcher's plate, a rectangle of hard rubber in the ground, remain. In the second picture you can see how the pitcher executes his ground covering stride. The legs stand on a line that lies in throwing direction. In the third picture you can see the main part of the throwing motion. The lower body to rotate parallel to the home plate, the hand is extremely reduced, and then with a double spin movement ( shoulder and elbow as the axis ) to fast forward. This creates extreme loads for the shoulder and elbow. The turning in the hip is not to be underestimated. In the fourth picture you can see how the body reverberates. Important for the union is the movement of the wrist and the point where the ball is released (release point).

Types of pitchers

In the early days of baseball, it was common that the launching pitcher performed all litters: Cy Young, for example, graduated 749 complete games. The more specialized the position, the more types of pitchers emerged that complemented each other:

• Start End Pitcher open the game and are usually the best pitcher of the team. They are expected, at least halt the enemy offensive until the 5th inning. Usually a team has five to six -starting pitcher. The Ace Pitcher is considered the best -starting pitcher of the team and is allowed to play at the prestigious " Opening Day " ( first round of the new season).
• Relief pitchers are Einwechselwerfer, replacing the starting pitcher. From them is usually not expected to play more than three innings, so often replace several reliever. The Middle relief pitcher replaces the starting pitcher from the 5th inning and throws usually for two to three innings.
• The long relief pitcher replaces a starting pitcher who has many early hits allowed. Since the long reliever is needed in crisis situations, it is also fireman ( dt: Fireman) called.
• The setup pitcher throws after the middle or long relief pitcher, usually in the 7th and 8th inning.
• The closing pitcher usually comes with a guide in the 8th or 9th inning and to secure the victory with a save. It is unusual for closing pitcher but still wanted at a residue.
• The Left -handed specialist (English: Left-handed specialist ) is a left-handed pitcher who is particularly effective against left-handed batter. He is also " LOOGY " ( Lefty One-Out GuY dt: A Left-Handed -out person ) because he will usually provide an out exactly what he is immediately exchange against another relief pitcher.