Phase 5: Weeks 28 And Beyond | Florida Baseball ARMory | Pitchers

Jaeger/Sullivan Return to Throwing From Tommy John Surgery Manual & Schedule

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Phase 5 (Weeks 28 and Beyond)

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Pitch Count Build-Up

At this point, if you are a Starting Pitcher, you can now continue to follow this format as you Build-Up your pitch count. We would recommend adding 10-15 pitches a Week, which means you could be at approximately 40-60 pitches in 4 additional weeks.

For Relief Pitchers, we’d recommend that you continue to throw off the mound “every third day” until you start getting ramped up for the “season”. At that point – especially for College and Professional Pitchers, who may throw in game situations more often than every third day, you may consider incorporating some “every other day” bull-pen sessions as well. Like everything else we have strongly suggested, be sure and listen to your arm to see what feels right, and make all of these transitions gradually.

Be sure and continue to consult with any of your Coaches that have been integral with your process to this point, and as you continue to add and adapt to your Mound Build-Up.

Transitioning into a 5, 6 or 7 Day Cycle for Starting Pitchers

Please note that with the completion of our Throwing Schedule, and the transition into your “Live Pitch Count Build-Up”, you may now need to alter your cycle based on whether or not you are on a 5, 6, of 7 Day Rotation. Also, as your pitch count increases on your Start Day, this will tend to have an effect on your workload for the rest of your 5, 6, or 7 Day cycle. Though you may find that the basic principles of Light, Medium, and Heavy Days still apply, you will also find additional recommendations for a very specific 5, 6, and 7 Day Cycle below to help you best transition into any of these potentially new cycles (please note that the distances below are based on a 300 feet being a pitchers maximum distance, and thus, gauge these numbers based on your maximum long toss distance).

Relief Pitcher Protocols

For Relief Pitchers transitioning into the season, here is an article that presents a number of ideas to help Relief Pitchers best optimize their routine on game days. One of the major principles that this article illuminates is the importance of “preparing” rather than “saving” your arm for the game:

“Relief Pitcher Protocols”: https://www.abca.org/magazine/magazine/2018-1-January_February/Last_Inning_What_Pitching_Coaches_Probably_Forgot_to_do_This_Fall.aspx

In short, if you are a Relief Pitcher you may actually find that your arm wants to do more throwing (volume) before the game than you are accustomed to because of all of the conditioning that’s been established through this Throwing Schedule. In addition your arm may be a lot more apt to throw more distance simply because it has become accustomed to it. In short, your arm may simply want (need) more throwing than you are accustomed to prior to the game. Traditionally, Relief Pitchers tend to “save their arm for the game”. We believe strongly that your arm will be so durable, and recover so well from day to day that it will tend to want to throw more, rather than less, even on days you may go into the game. Naturally, listen to your arm.

In-Season Protocols – Summary

How you transition from your Return To Throwing Schedule into the “Season” is clearly an important transition. That’s why we’ve included a number of resources – based on a great deal of experience – for both Starting and Relief Pitchers to help you optimize this transition. We strongly believe that these recommendations will help you optimize your Health, Conditioning, Strength, and Recovery as you transition into the “In-Season” mode.

5, 6 & 7 Day Sample Schedules for Starting Pitchers

Note: You’ll notice that on all 3 Cycles, Bull-Pens always occur at least 2 full days after your start. We believe strongly in an extra day of rest, recovery and restoration after your start, and prior to your next Bull-Pen.

5 Day Cycle (Based on approximately 300 feet)

Day 1: Start Day: Long Toss (~ Max Distance, Stretch Out + Pull Down)
Day 2: 120-200 feet (Light/Stretch Out Only)
Day 3: 200-300 feet (Medium/Stretch Out Mainly)
Day 4: Full Long Toss + Pen (Possibly Lighter to Medium Pull Downs/Pen Based On Previous Start Pitch Count/Stage Of Season )
Day 5: 60-150 feet (Stretch Out Only)
Day 6: Start Day

6 Day Cycle (Based on approximately 300 feet)

Day 1: Start Day: Long Toss (~Max Distance Stretch + Pull Down)
Day 2: 120-200 feet (Light/Stretch Out Only)
Day 3: 200-300 feet (Medium/Stretch Out Mainly)
Day 4: Full Long Toss + Pen (Possibly Lighter to Medium Pull Downs/Pen Based On Previous Start Pitch Count/Stage Of Season )
Day 5: 150-225 feet (Light to Medium/Stretch Out Only)
Day 6: 60-180 (Light/Stretch Out Only)
Day 7: Start Day

7 Day Cycle (Based on approximately 300 feet)

Day 1: Start Day: Long Toss (~Max Distance Stretch + Pull Down)
Day 2: 120-200 feet (Light/Stretch Out Only)
Day 3: 200-300 feet (Medium/Stretch Out Mainly)
Day 4: Full Long Toss + Pen (Possibly Lighter to Medium Pull Downs/Pen Based On Previous Start Pitch Count/Stage Of Season )
Day 5: 150-225 feet (Light/Stretch Out Only)
Day 6: 200-300 feet (Medium/Stretch Mainly, Light Pull Downs)
Day 7: 60-150 feet (Light/Stretch Out Only)
Day 8: Start Day

Note: “Stretch Out Only” is suggesting that you only “stretch out the arm” by throwing with Arc, Freedom, Range of Motion and without any type of Pull-Downs.

Note: “Stretch Out Mainly” is suggesting the same as above, except that the distance may end up being greater, and some light to medium pull down’s may be suitable as well. A lot of this is based on a pitcher’s mound workload from the previous pen or game.