If hitting is timing, then pitching is disrupting timing. There is no better way to do that than to be unpredictable as a pitcher.<\/p>\n
Hitters are taught to look for fastballs in particular counts–0-0, 1-0, 2-0, 2-1, 3-1, 3-2. They sit back and look for a pitcher’s fastball. If they have any doubt what type of pitch is coming–they lose a little bit of confidence. That can be just enough to get him off his game.<\/p>\n
Throwing breaking balls and change ups in these hitter’s counts is called ‘pitching backwards’ and it is a very important for a young pitcher to eventually develop this skill in order to get to college because that’s when hitters will really make you pay for your mistakes.<\/p>\n
At the lower levels, it’s really not as important to pitch backwards as it is to get ahead in the count. Throwing quality strikes is enough to win at that level. There are a few advanced hitters that you may be forced to pitch backwards to in order to fool them, but not every team has a player like this.<\/p>\n