Geoff Freeborn - Sidearm Nation
Throwing Sidearm: How To Make Your Average Fastball Look Elite
Founder of Sidearmnation.com, Geoff Freeborn is a Canadian-born pitcher who rescued his career by switching to sidearm throwing. Geoff went from back of the bullpen to the All-Star team, and went on to extend his professional career for several more seasons. Geoff is now the pitching coach at the University of Calgary and travels North America with his popular Sidearm Nation pitching camps.
Summary and Action Plan below
SESSION SUMMARY
Geoff didn’t start dropping down until he was down to his last chance in Indy ball, and instantly his shoulder, which had always given him trouble, felt better. The first day of being a sidearmer he got an appearance - got 3 up 3 down in the 8th inning and got his first professional win. From there he went on to being named as a second half all star.
2 major factors are involved in side arm pitching: Becoming good at throwing sidearm, and then DECIDING to become a sidearm pitcher.
Becoming a sidearm pitcher is almost always a last resort. Guys who weren’t going to pitch much in HS or college and then just takes off.
Someone who is a bullpen guy who isn’t getting many innings should really take a look at throwing sidearm. Results will dictate whether a change should be made. If you have a 1.00 ERA, then keep doing what you’re doing! But if you aren’t going anywhere and the results aren’t there...may be good to take a look.
Finding a way to be unique can be very valuable. There are pitchers who were never the “big man” on campus who decided to drop down and carved a niche out of getting left handed hitters out...and they play in the Major Leagues for years. So being unique in general, especially with the side arm throwing slot, can be a great way to be unique and valuable for an otherwise ordinary player.
You can mix in different arm slots from time to time, it can be very effective - but for young pitchers you want to make sure you’re throwing ONE arm slot properly before we start playing with others.
Most guys *feel* like they’ve dropped down lower than they really have, so you have to really feel your way through the proper arm slot for you.
The big advantages for becoming a sidearmer is movement and deception. At the end of the day, hitters just aren’t used to seeing sidearm/submarine pitchers.
For most guys velocity will drop a couple of miles of hour. However, 86 from a sidearm angle is more of like a 91 from over the top. So the radar gun is a poor judge of how a hitter responds to a pitching coming from a lower arm angle.
The number one piece of advice for someone beginning with sidearm is to fully take the plunge on the arm angle. If you still think you can get guys out over the top and you’re not *really* wanting to stay sidearm...then it will never work.
Once you get proper feel for the “frisbee” slider it can almost be unhittable. Developing two sliders - the get me over and the wipeout. If you’re a righty throwing to a lefty, you almost always have to have your best slider or else it’s going to be a hanger.
Geoff would sometimes drop down a little more on his changeup - which he called cheating a little bit - just to add to the effectiveness to the pitch.
Sidearm throwing should be easier on the body. However if you’re just using your arm to drop down, as opposed to bending the waist to get your arm where it there, will cause some strain on the elbow.
ACTION PLAN
Perhaps there is nothing to do right now if you aren't ready to make that switch. But, if you want to drop down or if someone asks you to drop down...give it a chance and have fun with it. It can revamp a career.
Whenever a coach is filling out his roster the last spot or two almost ALWAYS come down to players who are mostly the same, so they look for unique aspects - guys who can play multiple positions, pinch runners - that sort of thing. So throwing sidearm could be your unique advantage.