Pitching Equipment

By Steven Ellis, former Chicago Cubs pitching pro

A baseball pitcher needs to have certain pitching equipment in order to do is job successfully. He needs to have certain things that an ordinary baseball player might not necessarily have or need.

The first and most important thing a pitcher needs is a good glove. A pitching glove should be between 11 ½" and 12" in length. This size glove will be big enough to hide the ball in, yet small enough and light enough to not get in the way. Keep in mind that some leagues restrict pitchers to mono-colored gloves, and most leagues prohibit pitchers from having white markings or leather on their gloves. Keep this in mind when shopping for a glove.

Baseball pitchers need to have a good pair of cleats. Having a good pair of cleats will ensure you can get a good grip on the mound and be able to push off the rubber with as much force as possible. Cleats come in two varieties: metal and molded rubber. If your league allows it, I recommend using metal cleats so you can dig out the mound and mold it to your liking. Also, rubber cleats don't offer the same traction that metal cleats provide, and you may find yourself slipping.

The glove side cleat of a pitcher takes a beating throughout the season. Each pitch, the toe of this foot is slammed into the ground on the follow through. After a while, the leather on the toe will tear leaving the foot exposed and the cleat will be useless. To solve this problem, I recommend purchasing Tuff Toe. Tuff Toe is a rubbery substance that is applied to the toe of the shoe. When dry, Tuff Toe is a very hard plastic that bonds to the shoe's leather. This extra layer does a great job of protecting the pitching toe.

These three items are some of the most important things a pitcher can possess. They are an important factor in a pitcher's game, and no pitcher should be without these items.

If you'd like to receive more of my best tips and techniques to throw harder with better control while reducing the risk of injury, I invite you to subscribe to my free baseball pitching tips here: www.pitchingtips.com/free

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