Purpose
Pitchers work on opening their front foot properly on their stride step.
Drill Setup
- Pitcher’s line up next to a fence.
How it Works
- Player puts one hand on the fence for balance.
- He puts his weight on the inside of his back foot and lifts his front foot, with the foot closed and toes pointed to the side.
- He traces a semi-circle in the dirt using the toes of his front foot, ending with the toes pointed forward (toward home plate).
Coaching Tips
- On stride step, pitcher should be staying “closed, closed, closed” and then open the foot at the last second. The rest of the body stays closed.
- Jerking the stride foot open too soon will throw off the pitcher’s angle to the plate.