I call this force application technique, TORQUE, because pitchers have to torque their bodies toward their non-pitching side in the middle of the straight-line driveline. In the following discussion, I explain how the Torque force application technique differs from the general force application technique that I discussed in Chapter 20.

a. Torque Transition

The Torque transition starts with pitchers standing with both feet on the pitching rubber. When pitchers reverse rotate their bodies, they take their acromial line to their non-pitching arm side batters.

1. Training Start Position

Pitchers place their rear foot perpendicular to the pitching rubber. They stand with their bodies also perpendicular to the pitching rubber with their feet spread slightly wider than their shoulders. They have their body weight shifted toward their stride foot.

Pitchers hold their hands below their waists with their arms nearly extended slightly on their non-pitching arm side. To start the pitching motion, pitchers must not raise their hands, but gently move the baseball backward.

2. Vertical Pendulum

Because pitchers stand perpendicular to the pitching rubber, their vertical pendulum start takes their pitching arm laterally. Pitchers must maintain this pendulum pathway relationship to their body throughout their transition.

3. Downward Forearm Head Pat

After their forearm passes their hip, pitchers start to reverse rotate their hips and shoulders until their acromial lines point toward non-pitching arm side batters. This reverse rotation changes the pendulum pathway from perpendicular to the pitching rubber to short of straight toward second base. However, the change in pathway does not mean a change in the relationship to the body.

At the same time, to counter-balance their rock-back weight shift pitchers slightly raise their stride legs. Pitchers must take care not to raise their stride legs any higher than required to counter-balance their weight shift or they will upset the rhythm of their arm action.

4. Elbow Raise

From the downward forearm heat pat position, pitchers raise their elbows upward under their forearms to shoulder height. They must take care to maintain their reverse rotation position with their acromial line pointed at non-pitching arm side batters.

At the same time, pitchers step forward with their stride legs in line with pitching arm side batters. This slightly closed stride requires pitchers to stride toward pitching arm side batters. They should contact the ground with their stride foot slightly turned to the outside on the ball of their foot.

5. Shoulder Lock Leverage

Pitchers lock their upper arms with their rib cages throughout the remainder of the acceleration phases of the pitching motion. They also lock their forearms in the proper position from maximally pronated to maximally supinated for the desired pitch. For example, screwballs require maximally pronated forearms and curves require maximally supinated forearms. At the end of this chapter, I provide my explanations for the proper forearm lock position, driveline and release for the Torque pitches.

b. Torque Upper Arm Acceleration

While pitchers raise their elbows under their forearms to horizontal at shoulder height, they step forward with their stride legs in line with the pitching arm side batter. Until their stride foot contacts the ground, pitchers hold the reverse rotation with their acromial line pointed toward non-pitching arm side batters.

Once their stride foot contacts the ground, pitchers start their rear leg drive off the pitching rubber. As they move their bodies toward their stride foot, they forwardly rotate their hips and shoulders. Pitchers must drive behind their pitches in straight lines toward pitching arm side batters. They must keep their shoulders level.

c. Torque Forearm Acceleration

When pitchers have forwardly rotated their hips and shoulders ninety of the desired one hundred and eighty degrees, they should have moved their bodies forward to beside their stride foot. Throughout, they must keep their forearms horizontal at right angles to their upper arms. With their bodies beside their stride foot, pitcher must torque their bodies toward the non-pitching arm side of home plate. This body torque action redirects their drivelines toward the non-pitching arm side of home plate.

During forearm accelerations, pitchers move their forearms vertically upward and over their upper arm. Pitchers must NEVER permit their forearms to circle outward. I call this movement, 'forearm flyout' and it causes irreparable medial epicondyle damage to the elbow. During forearm acceleration, pitchers must keep their upper arms locked with their rib cages. Pitchers must NEVER permit their upper arms to drop downward or move inward for any pitch.

To accomplish this torque body action, pitchers must stride slightly closed and pivot on the ball of their stride foot. To extend the driveline, pitchers must powerfully push off their stride foot while, at the same time, powerfully accelerating their forearm.

d. Forearm Position, Driveline and Release for Torque Pitches

1. Torque Fastball

Torque fastballs have backward horizontal spin axes angled forwardly toward the non-pitching arm side at about twenty-two and one-half degrees.

a) Torque Fastball Forearm Position

Pitchers must lock their forearms, wrists, hands and fingers at twenty-two and one-half degrees angled toward their non-pitching arm side. Whether gripped across the four seams or the two seams, Torque fastballs have pitching arm side air molecule pressure that cause them to move toward the non-pitching arm side of home plate.

b) Torque Fastball Driveline

The Torque Fastball driveline starts from straight back toward second base to straight forward toward the pitching arm side of home plate. However, when pitchers have moved forward to beside their stride foot, they torque their shoulders to face the middle of home plate. Therefore, pitchers drive Torque fastballs toward the middle of home plate at either knee high for two seam fastballs or chest high for four seam fastballs. This slightly medial force application adds to the spin axis movement to cause Torque fastballs to move toward the non-pitching arm side of home plate.

c) Torque Fastball Release

The Torque Fastball release requires powerful forearm, wrist, hand and finger supinations. When pitchers supinate their forearm, wrist, hand and fingers, they should not completely extend their elbows. Pitchers must keep their upper arms high and outside to protect the olecranon process of their elbow joint from injury. After they release their pitches, pitchers should continue their body rotation such that they can turn their heads toward second base.

2. Torque Curve

Torque curves have forward horizontal spin axes.

a) Torque Curve Forearm Position

Pitchers must maximally supinate their forearms, wrists, hands and fingers.

b) Torque Curve Driveline

The Torque curve driveline starts from straight back toward second base to straight forward toward the pitching arm side of home plate. However, when pitchers have moved forward to beside their stride foot, they torque their shoulders to face the middle of home plate. Therefore, pitchers drive Torque curves toward the middle of home plate chest high. This slightly medial force application adds to the spin axis movement to cause Torque curves to move toward the non-pitching arm side of home plate while they move downward.

c) Torque Curve Release

The Torque Curve release requires powerful shoulder drives and powerful forearm, wrist, hand and finger pronations while pitchers keep their elbow maximally flexed. When pitchers pronate their forearm, wrist, hand and side of their middle fingers, they provide increased horizontal spin axis and horizontal velocity. To protect the olecranon process of their elbow joint from injury, pitchers must keep their elbows high and outside. After they release their pitches, pitchers should continue their body rotation such that they can turn their heads toward second base.

3. Torque Screwball

Torque screwballs have forward horizontal spin axes.

a) Torque Screwball Forearm Position

Pitchers must maximally pronate their forearms, wrists, hands and fingers.

b) Torque Screwball Driveline

The Torque screwball driveline starts from slightly short of second base to straight forward toward the pitching arm side of home plate. However, when pitchers have moved forward to beside their stride foot, they torque their shoulders to face the non-pitching arm side of home plate. Therefore, pitchers drive Torque screwballs toward the non-pitching arm side of home plate at chest high. This medial force application counteracts the spin axis movement to cause Torque screwballs to move toward the non-pitching arm side of home plate while they move downward.

c) Torque Screwball Release

The Torque screwball release requires powerful shoulder drives and powerful forearm, wrist, hand and finger pronations while pitchers keep their elbow maximally flexed. To protect the olecranon process of their elbow joint from injury, pitchers must keep their elbows high and outside. After they release their pitches, pitchers should continue their body rotation such that they can turn their heads toward second base.

4. Torque Sinker

Torque sinkers have forty-five degree downward spiral spin axes angled toward the pitching arm side of home plate.

a) Torque Sinker Forearm Position

Pitchers must lock their forearms, wrists, hands and fingers at forty-five degrees pronated with their fingers at forty-five degrees from vertical. Torque sinkers have non-pitching arm side air molecule pressure that cause them to move toward the pitching arm side of home plate.

b) Torque Sinker Driveline

The Torque Sinker driveline starts from short of second base to straight forward toward the pitching arm corner of home plate. However, when pitchers have moved forward to beside their stride foot, they torque their shoulders to face slightly beyond the non-pitching arm side of home plate. Therefore, pitchers drive Torque screwballs slightly beyond the non-pitching arm side of home plate at thigh high. This medial force application counteracts the spin axis movement to cause Torque sinkers to move toward the non-pitching arm side of home plate while they move downward.

c) Torque Sinker Release

The Torque sinker release requires powerful shoulder drives, elbow extensions and forearm, wrist, hand and finger pronations. After they release their pitches, pitchers should continue their body rotation such that they can turn their heads toward second base.

5. Torque Slider

Torque sliders have forty-five degree downward spiral spin axes angled toward the non-pitching arm side of home plate.

a) Torque Slider Forearm Position

Pitchers must lock their forearms, wrists, hands and fingers at forty-five degrees supinate with their fingers at forty-five degrees from vertical. Torque sliders have pitching arm side air molecule pressure that cause them to move toward the non-pitching arm side of home plate.

b) Torque Slider Driveline

The Torque slider driveline is from short of second base to straight forward toward the pitching arm corner of home plate. To throw sliders, pitchers do not torque their shoulders when they move their bodies beside their stride foot. Pitchers torque their shoulders through release. Pitchers drive Torque sliders at thigh height. Torque sliders move toward the pitching arm side of home plate and downward.

c) Torque Slider Release

The Torque slider release requires powerful shoulder drives, elbow extensions and forearm, wrist, hand and finger supinations. After they release their pitches, pitchers should continue their body rotation such that they can turn their heads toward second base.

Coaching Adult Pitchers