| As a baseball pitcher, one of the more important | | | | filling up this dangerous hole. It makes no sense at |
| baseball tips on pitching is that you should never | | | | all to twist an ankle or possibly getting an injury |
| be bashful about inspecting or fixing a mound | | | | even more severe. |
| yourself before you even throw a warm up pitch. | | | | I asked my father what I should tell the umpire if |
| Two very important areas are where your | | | | he says something like, "come on, we have to |
| landing foot will hit the ground and the pitching | | | | get this game going." He told me to very politely |
| rubber area. | | | | tell the umpire that this hole should not be there |
| Don't hesitate to fill up a hole that quite often is | | | | and I'm concerned about breaking my ankle. I |
| present where most pitchers land with their | | | | must have delayed ball games on about a dozen |
| landing foot. I've seen this landing spot sometimes | | | | occasions and not once did an umpire ever say a |
| a foot deep and that is unsafe. And your pitch | | | | word to me because they all knew that this hole |
| quality will suffer also. You can easily get injured | | | | should not be present if the mound was properly |
| landing into this unsafe, deep hole. | | | | maintained. |
| The area that I have the biggest problem with is | | | | Don't hesitate to make sure the mound is safe |
| those deep holes just in front of the rubber | | | | and don't let anybody rush you when your are |
| where your pivot foot moves. Unfortunately, | | | | doing your maintenance. Don't allow anyone talk |
| they are very common at amateur levels of play. | | | | you out of it. The more intelligent umpires will be |
| They are very dangerous and risk injury to the | | | | in total agreement with you and may actually join |
| pitcher's foot and also to his arm. Many baseball | | | | you while you fill up the hole, as was the case |
| pitchers have injured their throwing arms by | | | | with me several times. |
| releasing a ball awkwardly and these deep holes in | | | | You are not entitled to a pitcher's mound that is |
| front of the pitching rubber are encouraging just | | | | perfect like professional levels of play. On the |
| that to happen. | | | | other hand, you are very much entitled to a |
| When I was about ten years old, my father | | | | pitcher's mound that is safe and will not inhibit |
| taught me how to deal with this hole that is right | | | | your pitching. Baseball pitching is tough enough on |
| smack in front of the pitching rubber and does | | | | a pitcher's throwing arm and don't allow yourself |
| not belong there. He taught me to fill up the hole | | | | to be put at an even higher risk of injury. |
| myself, using my feet to move the dirt from | | | | Baseball pitching tips require clever use of the |
| other areas of the mound. Sometimes if the | | | | mind and the body so don't ever hesitate or let |
| mound is too hard you can't do this. It didn't | | | | anyone stop you from making your workplace |
| happen often, but occasionally I would hold up the | | | | safe! |
| baseball game, spending close to five full minutes | | | | |