Beacon BallieldDimensionsGuide-2024-WEB - Flipbook - Page 43
ON-FIELD HOW-TO
Setting the Pitching Rubber |
S T E P - B Y- S T E P
There are 4 key parameters that have to be right — elevation, distance, levelness, and square.
■
Rubber
twisted
Rubber
twisted
1/4"
1/2"
When a half inch becomes two feet.
A pitching rubber
twisted as little as
a half inch skews
the home plate
centerline by
more than
2 ½ feet.
Ever stood on a pitching mound and noticed the rubber was twisted? While most might think
that it is not a big deal, ask a pitcher, a pitching coach, or a trainer how even a minor twist can
have major effects on a pitcher’s mechanics.
A pitching rubber that is just slightly turned by ¼" on a Major League mound will move the
centerline off-center from home plate by 1.15°, or 14½". A rubber that is twisted just a little more
to a ½" will throw the centerline off by 2.39°, or more than 2 ½ feet! That messes with a pitcher’s
mechanics and increases wear on their arm as they work to compensate for the misalignment.
The apex of home plate is the benchmark of a ballfield. Everything is laid out based on its
placement. The pitching mound and its rubber are equally critical for a pitcher.
Centerline off by:
Centerline off by:
1' 2 ½"
2' 6¼"
(continued on next page)
BeaconAthletics.com
|
DuraEdge.com
43
