The Foundational Principles of Pitch Sequencing

So many fans think pitching is all about “stuff” – velocity, movement, that nasty slider that got the hitter to chase for a swinging strike three. However, much more is going on to set the hitter up for that down and away slider. This is where pitch sequencing comes into play. Sequencing is simply the strategic order in which pitches are thrown with the intention of keeping the hitter off balance and set up future pitches. Pitching is very much chess, not checkers. Today I’ll be discussing seven main principles that come into play as pitchers and catchers determine the best way to attack a given hitter.

Before I get into each principle, let’s look at the role of each pitch. These are general and somewhat simplified explanations of how to use each pitch in relation to the count – basic ideas a pitcher will understand, and may deviate from, as the situation dictates.

· Fastball: Helps set a baseline for the hitters’ expectations on velocity and location. Fastballs also allow a pitcher to get ahead in, or back into, favorable counts.

· Curveball: Often thrown to disrupt timing and change the hitter’s eye level. Pitch tunneling really comes into play here, especially when this pitch is preceded by a fastball.

· Slider: Most often thrown late in counts, generally two strike counts, to strike hitters out. Giving a hitter an early look at a slider can often be a mistake as it is a pitch that is harder to consistently land in the strike zone.

· Change-Up: Often used the second or third time through the line up as an out pitch. As we’ll discuss later in the article, pitches are perceived by the hitter in relation to one another. It’s often a good idea to establish the fastball first which will allow the change-up to have a stark contrast in velocity movement profile.

Again, these are general ideas and by no means the only way to sequence each pitch type. But they are good rules of thumb by which to construct a sequencing strategy.

 Principle #1: Establish One Corner, Then Move

 A Pitcher may start off an at bat by showing command on one corner of the plate with the intention of later attacking the outside corner. For example, a right-handed pitcher against a right-handed hitter may start off by throwing a fastball on the inner corner of the plate with the idea to follow up with a slider starting on the outside half of the plate breaking away from the hitter. The idea is to force a hitter to guard one corner and then attack the other. Another option would be a right-handed pitcher against a left-handed hitter. The pitcher may start with a change-up starting on the outer half of the plate breaking away from the left-handed hitter and follow that up by throwing a cut fastball up under the hands of the hitter. There are several combinations for this strategy, but I find those examples interesting.

Principle #2: Change Eye Level

Another sequence would be to start with something high in the zone and subsequently attack the lower part of the strike zone or even throw something that breaks below the strike zone or bounces in the dirt. An example might be to start the hitter with a high fastball and follow it up with a slider or change up down in the zone. Another interesting sequence is throwing the high fastball and following it up with a curveball that starts up in the zone just to drop to the lower part of the zone. This is where pitch tunnelling starts to come into the equation. Pitch tunnelling is the idea that two pitches follow the same trajectory most of the way to the plate but deviate as they approach the zone. The high fastball followed by the curveball combination is a great way to utilize pitch tunnelling to keep a hitter off balance. Zack Greinke was masterful at utilizing this sequence, often exaggerating the fastball well above the zone. Changing the eye level of the hitter, while also working both sides of the plate can make a hitter very uncomfortable.

Principle #3: Velocity Laddering

Changing speeds is another strategy that can keep hitters off guard and enhance the power of changing locations within the strike zone – really, they go hand in hand. Ultimately, pitchers will want to have a large enough delta, difference in speeds between pitch types, to keep the hitter off balance. A delta of 8 to 12 mph tends to be ideal between a fastball and change-up to disrupt the hitters timing. A pitcher might start by establishing an at-bat with a fastball or two only to come back with a change-up. This contrast of velocity makes it hard for a hitter to sit on any single pitch.

Principle #4: Spin Mirroring

Spin mirroring describes when two pitches have opposite spin directions (one clockwise, the other counterclockwise) but share the same tunnel before diverging late – one breaks arm-side, the other breaks glove-side. But to the hitter both look identical until they get closer to the plate. Hitters tend to make most of their swing decisions in the first 150 milliseconds after the pitcher releases the ball – long before the ball finishes its break.

Principle #5: Repeat Location, Then Move

A pitcher may also throw at the same location two or three times or with a similar shape and then follow up with a pitch in a new location or with a new shape. To piggy-back off an earlier example, a pitcher may start by throwing two fastballs inside to a hitter and then follow up with that slider down and away. This forces overcommitment and overcorrection by a hitter. The hitter gets comfortable and then the rug is pulled out from under them.

Principle #6: Back-to-Back is a Feature, Not a Mistake

Many casual fans think “Never throw the same pitch twice” – elite pitchers do is consistently. This is the inverse to what we’ve been discussing so far. A pitcher may start by throwing that inside fastball and the hitter is now bracing for the adjustment, say, that slider away. However, you can leverage that expectation against the hitter by following up with another inside fastball, which can often freeze the hitter. Repetition is not predictability – it’s psychological trap-setting.

Principle #7: Make Waste Pitches Useful

Even when a pitcher throws a ball, it should serve a purpose in the sequence. This can reset the hitter’s eye level, test chase willingness, or set up a tunnel for the next pitch. A left hander that throws a fastball outside to a right-handed hitter may follow up by throwing a back-door slider starting off the plate and breaking back onto the outside corner.

Conclusion: Why This All Matters

These principles tend to be universal but not pitch-type specific. Savvy pitchers know when to alter these principles in their favor, based on such factors as inning, score, and base/out situations. Once you start to understand these principles, watching baseball changes forever. Next time you see a strikeout, ask “How did the pitch before make it possible?”