Professional Baseball Instruction’s Pitching Healthy Program – 2025 Season
The PBI Pitching Healthy Program (PHP) will have MORE WORKOUTS, MORE HOURS AND MORE STRENGTH TRAINING BY OUR CERTIFIED STRENGTH COACHES, to insure the best possible off-season training for our athletes.
The PHP program will meet for 2 hours each workout 2 times per week. Our professional coaches have designed the best possible pitching program for today’s athletes. The demands for increased velocity have their place in the development of today’s pitchers, but velocity in and of itself will never win a baseball game.
Command of the fastball is the key to pitching success. We must be consistent throwing our fastballs, both 4 and 2-seam, in the strike zone, to a specific spot in the zone, i.e. inside half/outside half. There is no other way to become a winning pitcher. Fact is all hitters, including current MLB players, cover one half of the plate with their bat better than the other. No hitter covers both sides equally as well. We must learn to throw to both sides of the plate consistently to maximize our successes on the mound.
Consistent fastball location is an indicator that your mechanics are spot on. Once we achieve that, the game becomes much easier and less stressful for pitchers. Our secondary pitch becomes easier to execute, as well as our 3rd pitch, change up, split finger, etc.
Our core beliefs, created from decades of pitching with and for legendary pitchers and pitching coaches, lie in the concept of throwing more often with less exertion. Too many young pitchers (and their dads) believe in resting between weekend tournaments to save their arms. This is a myth that parents, players and their respective coaches need to know about. The more often you throw (with less exertion) will increase arm strength, command and durability in the throwing arm. Game day, you let it rip, but between those games lies the key to healthy, successful pitching preparation. Work off of a mound with lower intensity, focusing on commanding your fastballs.
“Throw more often with less exertion” – Leo Mazzone legendary pitching coach Atlanta Braves. In all of the years that Leo was an MLB pitching coach, he had 2 players that needed Tommy John surgery. That’s over 20 years of service to MLB. This is what PBI and the PHP preach. As disciples of Mazzone and the success that the Braves pitchers had both in winning and staying healthy is how PBI and PHP does it. It’s a proven track record of success and health. Braves starting pitchers went 576 consecutive games without missing a start. That’s Mazzone, that’s PBI.
Why the Pitching Healthy Program
The professional and experienced staff and consulting team at PBI has designed the best pitching program available for today’s pitching athletes. With an epidemic of arm injuries occurring constantly in baseball, we MUST address the reasons why this is happening and AVOID the training methods that contribute to increased probability of injury to our pitchers.
PBI understands the demand for increased velocity in today’s athlete, but it must be done properly in accordance with the athlete’s age and his current physical strength and stability levels. There are several DON’TS when training pitchers. Let us train you in a HEALTHY manner to avoid injury and improve overall pitching skill and ability.
PITCHING HEALTHY. The name says it all !!!!!!!!!!!!!
PROGRAM DETAILS
OVERVIEW: All pitchers will be taught to command their fastball. Each pitcher will work at his individual pace, until he can execute both his fastballs (2 and 4-seam) properly. Once that task is achieved, we go to the secondary pitch, uUsually a breaking ball of some sort, one that best matches his arm slot and natural rotation.
Slider, curveball, sweeper, cutter, etc. are all considered breaking balls. We (player and coach) will determine which breaking ball is best for the pitcher and will offer consistency with confidence. Then we focus on a third pitch, usually a change-up of some sort.
We teach the physics of all the pitches and explain what factors influence the flight of the pitch. There are probably at least 10 different ways to attempt to throw a change-up, once the players understand the physics, we can then decide which grips will work best for each pitcher and the best method to achieve consistency with it, once again pairing the arm angles and look of the individual pitchers fastball as our determining factors.
This has recently been referred to as “tunneling” your pitches. All pitches should look the same coming out of your hand, arm slot, arm speed, with identical body position, for maximum efficacy for each type of pitch. In the old days we called that “repeatability” of your pitches.
We will be using TRACKMAN technology for our pitchers. Unmatched, unparalleled in the METRIC world of baseball analysis.
MENTAL TRAINING: Coach Doug Cinnella will be tapping into the brain and using his mind set program for success that will begin in the mind and flow through the body and into the ball for an airtight, unbeatable thought process every time you’re on the mound. This is the most important part of any pitchers make-up. Confidence, mental toughness and positive expectations every time you pitch. Pitching is an easy task. Don’t make it tougher than it is.
EVALUATION: Each Pitching Healthy athlete will have their current level of overall strength, skill, range of motion (ROM), and upper and lower body stability (how well you control your body during athletic movements) tested. We will determine, through that testing, an individual strength program for each athlete. Goals will be to increase strength, and lower the injury risk factor(s) that are currently present in the athlete. Each athlete will be getting their personalized program sent via text to their phone. All workouts and lifts will be monitored by our certified strength coach Nick Schroeder.
STRENGTH TRAINING: The pitching healthy program will be using the NEW GYM set-up at PBI. All players will receive a personalized workout designed specifically for them as an individual. Our gym will be available to our pitchers throughout length of the pitching healthy program, and at specified times and days during the week. Coach Nick Schroeder will be monitoring all lifting.
PROGRAM ALSO INCLUDES: Pitching mechanic drills, pick-off moves, defensive play – covering first -fielding bunts – covering home on passed balls, teach pitchers how to call their own pitches, tricks used by Major League pitchers and coaches to increase movement and command of their pitches.
THROWING MECHANICS EVALUATION: Coach Steve Hayward will be analyzing all pitchers mechanics and pinpointing weaknesses that need attention. In order to throw with maximum velocity, the mechanics need to be solid. All body direction needs to be on line. What’s the point of throwing hard but not being able to throw a strike?? We solve that problem, quickly, easily, matter-of-factly !!!
PBI will also be using proven methods of arm strengthening that increase velocity without the risky movements today’s pitchers are being taught. Too many young players are performing extremely risky throwing drills to increase velocity. It’s a terrible mess out there. Let PBI get you on track in a responsible way that will keep you healthy. Can’t play if you’re not on the field. We keep you on the field.
CLICK HERE for our current brochure.
Pitching Healthy Program 2024/2025
Two workouts per week (Wednesday & Saturday). Pick Group # you wish to be in.| PROGRAM # | DAY | DATE | TIME | REGISTER |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHP - Group 1 | Wednesday | December 4, 11, 18, January 8, 15, 22, 29, February 5, 12, 19, 26, March 5, 12 | 7:00 - 9:00 PM | REGISTER ONLINE |
| PHP - Group 1 | Saturday | December 7, 14, 21, January 4, 11, 18, 25, February 1, 8, 15, 22, March 1, 8 | 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM | REGISTER ONLINE |
| PHP - Group 2 | Wednesday | December 4, 11, 18, January 8, 15, 22, 29, February 5, 12, 19, 26, March 5, 12 | 8:30 - 10:30 PM | REGISTER ONLINE |
| PHP - Group 2 | Saturday | December 7, 14, 21, January 4, 11, 18, 25, February 1, 8, 15, 22, March 1, 8 | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM | REGISTER ONLINE |
| Description | Price | Length |
|---|---|---|
| High School Pitching Healthy Program 1 Dec/Jan/Feb | $1999.99 | 2 x week Dec Jan, Feb, Mar |
PBI’s PITCHING HEALTHY STAFF
DOUG CINNELLA
Currently scouting for the Cincinnati Reds. Veteran of 9 professional seasons. Participated in Major League spring training with both the N.Y. Mets (1993) and the N.Y. Yankees (1995). Doug has pitched over 1,000 career innings as a professional with an ERA of 3.17. Selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 3rd round of the 1986 Major League draft, he was the 97th player picked in the nation! Voted the NY-Penn League MVP in 1986. Doug established a NY-Penn League record in 1986 by pitching 2 no-hitters, a record which still stands today. After being traded to the Montreal Expos in 1988, Doug made the 1988 Florida State League All-Star team. He was also chosen as the Topps Player of the Month for May 1988. His manager while playing for the Expos was Felipe Alou. Doug credits much of his coaching techniques to Felipe. After becoming a free agent in 1990, Doug signed with the N.Y. Mets. He played as a player/coach in Double-A with the Mets until he was promoted to AAA Tidewater. Played in Tidewater for 2 seasons. Played college ball at Seton Hall, was selected as New Jersey’s college MVP for 1984. Holds SHU pitching record for most strikeouts in a game (17 in 7 innings). Doug played high school baseball for Paramus where he was an All-League, All-County and All-State player. Doug also serves as fellow-PBI coach Jeff Remo’s pitching coach at Mahwah High School.
STEVE HAYWARD
Steve attended St Joseph’s Regional High School in Montvale where he played football and baseball. In his junior year he was voted most valuable player of the football state championship and the Bergen County Baseball Tournament. After high school, he accepted a full baseball scholarship to Seton Hall University. In 1992 Steve pitched for the Cape Cod League Champion Chatham A’s. In 1993, Steve was selected as a 1st Team All-Big East pitcher, 1st Team All-State Pitcher and was drafted by the Boston Red Sox. After pitching professionally for 5 seasons, he joined Professional Baseball Instruction and has been training youth, college and professional pitchers for over 15 years. Steve was the pitching coach at St Joe’s High School for 13 years and was the head coach at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey for 2 seasons. He is an expert on biomechanics and throwing arm injuries. Steve, along with current New York Yankees team physician Christopher Ahmad has lectured and educated doctors, physical therapists, athletic trainers and coaches of those very topics. Steve has been rehabilitating players from various throwing arm injuries and surgeries for the past 10 years. He is also an associate for the Mid-Atlantic Regional scout for the Tampa Bay Rays.
DR. CHRISTOPHER AHMAD
Christopher S. Ahmad, MD, specializes in shoulder instability and labral tears, rotator cuff pathology, ACL injuries, Tommy John surgery, and advanced arthroscopic surgical techniques for sports-related injuries of the knee, shoulder and elbow. He is the Head Team Physician for the New York Yankees and a member of the Major League Baseball Team Physicians Association. He is also Head Team Physician for the 17 varsity teams fielded by the City College of New York as well as for several high schools in Manhattan and New Jersey. In addition, Dr. Ahmad serves as a consultant to local metropolitan gymnastics and swim teams.A recipient of several awards for outstanding research in the field of Sports Medicine, Dr. Ahmad conducts ongoing research in the areas of biomechanics of the elbow, ACL injury prevention and screening, and surgical techniques for rotator cuff repair.
LEO MAZZONE – Major League Advisor
The Atlanta Braves dominated the National League throughout the 90s and early 2000’s because of their pitching – in fact, we may never again see a trio of starters like Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine, all of whom are now members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
But who coached them? Who taught them? Who maintained this exquisite piece of machinery that led to 14 division titles, four ERA titles, seven Cy Young Awards and nine 20-win seasons?
Our very own Leo Mazzone, who served as the Braves’ pitching coach from 1979-2005 and worked with the Baltimore Orioles from 2006-2007. Mazzone is currently a color commentator on Fox and a co-host on “The Rude Awakening” morning show on Atlanta’s WCNN-AM.
More importantly, Mazzone shares his experiences from his days working with “The Big Three” at PBI, where young pitchers learn from the man behind the curtain. There’s no substitute for experience, and Mazzone has a lifetime to draw upon.
