Adjusting from flat ground to a mound

#1

Hey, I’m new at LTP :D.

I’m a Junior in highschool and I picked up a baseball and started pitching since I was a Freshmen. I’m a bit late but I felt I wasn’t ready if I were to try out the year before. I’ve never pitched off a mound before and my parents never really took notice of my interest in baseball. I’ve asked my dad to bring me to a mound somewhere but he hasn’t tried I guess.

Anyways, I haven’t pitched the past few weeks but before then I had good control of my fastball, a good fast breaking curveball (In my opinion), slider, splitter, and an on and off 3 finger changeup. I’ve been working with the lower part of the plate and I’m able to hit my spots very well on flat ground.

I want to try out for the baseball team at my school in February and I’m curious, would I be able to adjust quickly when I step up on the mound to try out? What else? And how different was your experience stepping up and pitching on a mound for the first time. I’m just afraid that when I try out, it’ll look like I never pitched in my life.

#2

In my opinion, pitching off a mound is easier. I feel like I can really come downhill. I also get a farther stride, so my control is better. You should be fine. i would recommend getting on a mound several times before tryouts just so you can get a feel for them. Good luck!

#3

If possible, show up early and ask to warm up on the mound. Or you can just go to a local batting cage and see if they have a mound that you can use.

Throwing off a mound should increase your velocity, and just generally make everything flow easier.

#4

I’ll push my dad to bring me to a mound somewhere. Thanks, Jimster. You’ve built up my confidence. I still have around 2 months to prepare so I think I’m in good shape. I’m not good at batting though so I could work on that too.

I don’t think I can show up early either Johnny, reason being, tryouts begin right after school I’ve noticed.

#5

No problem! If you don’t get the chance to pitch off the mound before tryouts, warm up before you pitch extra long and get a good feel for the mound. But it should be hard adjustment to make.

#6

Let me begin by saying, Good luck to you in your tryout.

You really need to try and get on a mound before February. You must know that you are behind the curve, so the best chance of making the team is to show up prepared as possible. While the transition to the mound might not be that difficult, there is a significant difference, especially when it comes to balance.

I would also try to start hitting as much as possible, you never know, you may find your groove by February.

Again best of luck.

#7

shouldn’t be hard sorry for that typo

I agree with type.

Force your dad to take you to a mound! I would also recommend recording yourself so you can perfect your mechanics as much as possible before then.

Good Luck!

#8

beck,

how competitive is your HS team? It would be extremely unusual in my neck of the woods for a first time pitcher to pick up the ball as junior and make the HS team as a pitcher. Even more unusual for the pitcher to have never trained off a mound until a few weeks b4 the tryout. I dont want to dissuade you either, but you need to start working your tail off now. I would suggest you get some feedback from some of the returning pitchers to gauge where you stand in relation to them. Go to an indoor site, pitch off a mound, tape your mechanics, and get recorded on a radar gun.

#9

[quote=“Rolan Nyan”]beck,

how competitive is your HS team? It would be extremely unusual in my neck of the woods for a first time pitcher to pick up the ball as junior and make the HS team as a pitcher. Even more unusual for the pitcher to have never trained off a mound until a few weeks b4 the tryout. I dont want to dissuade you either, but you need to start working your tail off now. I would suggest you get some feedback from some of the returning pitchers to gauge where you stand in relation to them. Go to an indoor site, pitch off a mound, tape your mechanics, and get recorded on a radar gun.[/quote]

I’m unsure how competitive they are. I know whenever I listen to the announcements every now and then, it would always be a high scoring game like 15-5, around that area. I don’t know like anyone on the baseball team. I would always have gym with the soccer people and wrestling. I actually am working my tail off. I’m gaining muscle more than I ever have before, I’ve been stretching almost everyday since I was a sophmore, etc etc. I believe I have pretty good mechanics. I’ve studied videos as much as I can about pitching. I believe I’m ready even with the lack of experience. I’ve learned a lot and I’ve changed my mechanics the past two off seasons (When it gets cold).

I only know one person on the baseball team, I barely talk to him but he is one of the good pitchers on the team, or so I’ve heard. He’s not the type of guy I would hang out with though. He’s that hunting looking guy :confused: and I’m on Christmas break.

I do infact have a radar gun though, unfortunately I don’t know where it is. It’s the Bushnell one. I only used it once but I believe it’s off…it showed my velocity in the mid 60s and I know for a fact I don’t throw that slow. That was early this year though after throwing for the 3rd or 4th time after taking almost a 3 month rest.

By the way, can you give me some advice as to what a place would be called that would contain indoor mounds/batting cages? I live in Georgia and I don’t know where I would start to figure out where one would be.

Thanks for the feedback everyone as well!

#10

Beckket,
You really need to do some more homework. Find out about the team you plan to try out for. If you make the team, these are guys you will be spending lots of time with. To not know anything about the team or the current players is going to be really difficult to step onto that team. Not impossible, just difficult.

Also, you obviously have internet access. In 2 minutes I searched “batting cages in Georgia”, and found, www.battingcagefinder.com. This site lists 3 pages of batting cages and hitting facilities across Georgia.

Try posting video of your mechanics on this site for real feedback.

#11

I am not sure if your post is a level, but here goes:

1- You could have watched one of the teams games to get an idea of how you compared to the pitchers on the team.

2- The HS season ends in May. That gave you about 7 months to get on a mound when nobody was using it. I am sure they do have baseball
mounds in Georgia that are often not being used.

3- a 3 month rest from throwing was probably not the best idea for an inexperienced pitcher.

4- You could probably google “indoor baseball facilities in Georgia” to find an indoor baseball facility in Georgia…