The Baseball Observer - March/ April 2017
"My body jumped when the phone rang in the visitor’s bullpen in Kansas City. My heart sank when the bullpen coach put the phone down and said, “Tewks get up”. It was June 1986. I had lost my spot in the Yankees starting rotation and for the first time in my life was pitching out of the bullpen. It was not a comfortable feeling."
I grabbed my glove and hurried to the mound. The combination of anxiety and adrenaline poured through my body resulting in a rapid fire warm-up as I tried to get loose as fast as I could. I finally slowed down, and then stopped, as I waited to see if Yankees manager Lou Pinella would make a move; he didn’t. As the inning continued my anxiety once again set it and I started to throw again. The bullpen coach told me to stop throwing. The inning ended. I sat down. I had only thrown 20-25 pitches and hadn’t gotten into the game but I was mentally and physically exhausted.
It’s clear the make-up and mindset for starting pitchers is different than relief pitchers. Once on the mound, the pitchers job is to get the hitter out, however, starters and relievers have different mindsets and approaches prior to getting on the mound.
This article will talk about the differences in mindset and routines of a starting pitcher and pitchers in the bullpen.
Starting pitchers:
Starting pitchers have a structured and controlled training program for each day prior to his next start. He knows how much and when to throw, run and lift. The four days in between starts provides the pitcher ample time to prepare for his next opponent. He can use video and advanced scouting reports to develop a game plan for each hitter he will face. Depending on the outcome of the start, the four days in
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Make-up of a starting pitcher verses relief pitcher
by Bob Tewksbury, Ed.M., CC-AASP
Mental Performance Coach with the San Francisco Giants