THE TRUTH ABOUT WARMING UP Why the Wake-Up, Warm-Up Method Is Key
a way for every single pitcher to be thoroughly warmed up before they go in, but very few ever are, and that’s simply their own choice. Many fear that if a warmup is too extensive, it will wear them out too much to last the entire game. If that’s the case, then the player has a conditioning issue, not a warmup issue. Pitchers can find great warmup routines to mimic from players like Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, Roy Halladay, and Trevor Bauer. But the key is really finding the warmup that thoroughly works for you. No matter what, three versions of a wake-up, warm-up routine are needed.
One of the most frequent mistakes pitchers make is being significantly underprepared for the workload and intensity of pitching at the highest levels of competition. Humans tend to secretly hope that whatever job they’re doing won’t be arduous, complex, or difficult, even though we all know deep down that the worthwhile things always are.
1. The ideal warmup with no time constraints.
When it comes to traditional baseball warmups, this is often the case. Traditional warmups consist of a lap around the field, a quick game of catch, a few dry swings, or some light stretching. But these quaint activities won’t get a pitcher in the right state of preparation. How is any of that useful for throwing a ball 100 mph? That’s why the wake-up, warm-up method is absolutely critical to success. There’s always
2. A shortened version for getting ready to play in 25 minutes. 3. An emergency version for making the absolute most out of a 12–15-minute window. These versions are very useful for pitchers as their roles or situations change. They may need to be an emergency starter at the last minute, deal with rain delays, or be moved into the bullpen. Any way you slice it, having three different versions of wake-up, warm-up method is incredibly valuable.
UPCOMING RANCH EVENTS
THIS MONTH IN BASEBALL HISTORY A Spark in the Night
ELITE PITCHERS BOOT CAMPS: June 5–7 July 17–19 June 19–21 Aug. 7–9 July 3–5 Sept. 5–7
In the midst of the Great Depression, baseball was suffering. Professional baseball clubs were folding left and right, unable to produce the ticket sales needed to fund their continued play. But that all changed on May 2, 1930, when the first-ever professional nighttime game of baseball was hosted in Des Moines for a Western League game. It drew 12,000 spectators at a time when Des Moines was averaging only about 600 fans per game.
SUMMER PROGRAM: Session 1 begins June 1 Session 2 begins June 29 Session 3 begins Aug. 3
For more information, go to TexasBaseballRanch.com/events.
Photo from the Des Moines Register
A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR OATES SPECIALTIES! EQUIPMENT PROVIDER,
The trend took off, and professional facilities across the country began hosting their own night games. They brought lights to their fields, enticed crowds, and found an innovative new way to stay in business during a time of hardship. Minor clubs paved the way for Major League teams, and today, night games have moved into the realm of ritual and tradition. It goes to show that great innovation always emerges when it’s needed most.
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