Alright gang, let’s dive into painting corners today. Been struggling lately, felt like every throw was aiming for China instead of the catcher’s mitt. Needed to lock this down.
Why This Bugged Me
Look, throwing hard is fun, right? But lately, man, my throws were all over the shop. Fastballs sailing high and tight when I wanted low and away. Embarrassing. My catcher friend wasn’t happy – had to chase everything. Figured I needed drills, simple stuff anyone can do anywhere.
Getting Started – Stuff You Need
Grabbed my trusty old glove and a bucket of baseballs. Found some stuff around the yard:
- A big ol’ painter’s drop cloth – kinda stiff, but works.
- Gaffer’s tape? Didn’t have any. Used plain old masking tape instead.
- Couple of empty garbage cans, the short kitchen ones.
- My chain link fence as a backstop. Perfect.
Honestly, just use whatever you got lying around. Ain’t rocket science.
Drill Time!
Warmed up the shoulder a bit, just easy tosses. Felt loose? Okay, let’s get precise.
1. The Tape Target Drill
First drill, super simple. Lay the drop cloth flat on the ground against the fence. Took my masking tape, ripped off strips. Made a big rectangle on the cloth – basically the strike zone shape. Taped it good so it wouldn’t blow away.
Stepped back about, I dunno, 10 paces? Felt okay. Started throwing at that taped zone. Goal? Hit inside the box. Focused hard on where my hand was pointing when I released. First few throws? Wham! Straight down the middle, high, missed low. Took maybe 15 throws before I consistently started clipping the edges of that tape box. That felt better. Key takeaway? You gotta see the spot you want the ball to go, before you throw it. Stare it down.
2. The Can-Corners Game
Okay, step two. Put those empty kitchen garbage cans on the drop cloth, placed ’em just inside the top corners of my taped strike zone. One high and inside (where the right-handed batter stands), one high and outside. Stood back in the same spot.
Now the game: Try to knock the cans over. Sounds easy? Ha! First try, smacked the outside can hard – but I was aiming for the inside one! Total miss. Calmed down, focused on each throw. Aim for the inside can. First five tries? Whiffed completely. Sixth throw? Clipped the inside can, didn’t knock it over though. Turns out, you really gotta exaggerate pointing that glove side shoulder towards the spot. Finally knocked both over after maybe 10 throws per can. Fist pump? You betcha.
3. The Soft Toss Spot Hit
Final drill. Needed a hitter, kinda. Got my buddy over. Not pitching, but slow soft-toss. He stood off to the side, tossing me the ball underhand. My job? Stand like I’m batting, but just focus on driving the ball specifically to where he called out. He’d shout “Low and inside!” or “High and away!”
Took the bat back, waited for the slow toss. Harder than it sounds! My brain was yelling “Swing hard!” but my body needed to think “Hit low and inside”. First few swings, totally whiffed or popped it up weak. Had to force myself to watch where the ball was coming and purposely swing the bat path to connect and drive it that direction. Hit a few liners right where he called ’em? Felt amazing. Big lesson: Hitting spots ain’t just for pitchers. You gotta control where you put the ball too.
Wrapping It Up
Honestly? Took a good hour just going through these, focusing on one spot at a time. My arm got tired, shoulder was talking to me. But walking away? Way more confidence. Threw a short bullpen session after, focusing on one corner per pitch. My catcher actually smiled! Said it was the most locked-in he’d seen me. Still gotta practice it consistently, but these drills? Simple, cheap, and they work. Give ’em a shot if you’re spraying the ball. See ya.
