The focus of this outline is to share information with baseball coaches all across the nation at both the high school and collegiate level in an effort to "pay it forward". That's the mission of Potential Meets Legacy and we believe getting better never stops! I used this philosophy with my pitchers while laying the foundation of a program at Michigan State and with my pitchers at LSU, where we won the 2009 College World Series National Championship. It is my desire that this outline can assist other aspiring summer baseball coaches in shaping their fundamental beliefs. 

Note: Additional comments and explanations must be made during presentation and coaching activities with players! Needs to be tailored to the individual players and teams!

Pitching Game Plan / Execution Goals

Team Vision: Conviction pitching with a plan and attitude to disrupt hitters timing! 

Important Game Goals 

Live Pitch-2-Pitch 

Get leadoff hitter out {5x per 9 innings) 

Get next hitter out after hit or walk occurs {90% of time} 

Pitch in the Clutch – Don’t let runners score when in scoring position 

Be great at holding runners close when needed / Control the running game 

Get to a 1-1 count and execute your best pitch to successfully get to advantage count {70% of time} 

4 Hitter Innings (5x per 9inngs) = Eliminate Big Inning 

No Give Back Runs – ½ inning after we score 

2 or less walks/hbp per game – “No Free Bases” 

4 pitch AB’s – {80% of time} 

Pitch with a fast pace – disrupt hitter’s timing somehow and someway (8 seconds to 15 seconds) 

Eliminate Extra Base Hits {2 per game only} 

WIN LAST THREE INNINGS

Specific game goals, like these above, must be established for the TEAM to understand the important aspects of a pitching philosophy. However, only elite and developed talent will enable a TEAM to accomplish great end-results. By establishing game goals you take large dreams and simplify them into obtainable tasks. The game goals become the end-results of the players defined process. The process is different for each pitcher and based on his ability level, strengths, and weaknesses. Each player must define his specific strengths and weaknesses and its up to the coaching staff to know them. 

Fo a 3-year period at LSU, the above game goals produced the NCAA national champions in 2009, two SEC tournament championships, the second most strikeouts for a team in school history, the nation's top-ranked staff in strikeouts, the best walk to strikeout ratio in the history of LSU program, three all-american pitchers in one season (only time ever accomplished in history of LSU program), the SEC pitcher-of-the-year, a 1st-round draft pick in 2010, and eight pitchers who were drafted and/or went on to pursue professional baseball careers.