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A Power pitcher is a pitcher who relies on the velocity of his pitches to succeed. Generally, power pitchers record a high amount of strikeouts. Thus statistics such as strikeouts per 9 innings pitched are common measures of power. An average pitcher strikes out about 5 batters per nine innings while a prototypical power pitcher will set down one or more every inning. The prototypical power pitcher is National Baseball Hall of Fame member, Nolan Ryan, who struck out the most batters in Major League Baseball history and despite also walking the most in history succeeded by recording seven no-hitters and appearing in eight Major League Baseball All-Star Games. Other prominent power pitchers include Hall of Famer Bob Feller who led his league in strikeouts and walks several times.

The old-school thought on power pitching was "throw till you blow." However, multimillion-dollar contracts changed that thinking. Modernly, each and every pitch thrown by a pitcher is counted by a team's staff, with particular attention paid to young power arms. The care which some of the old time power pitcures took with their arms allowed for long careers and further opportunity after they stopped paying.

A power pitcher who succeeds by striking out batters and keeping the ball out of play is different from a control pitcher who succeeds by avoiding surrendering walks. Those who remain successful at power pitching typically have three things going for them. Experts in physics and kinetics have determined that the ability to throw a ball 95 mph is part genetics, part mechanics and part perspiration. While genetics is something a player cannot control, a pitcher can work towards placing their throw sequence in perfect rhythm and in conditioning all parts of their body to support that perfect rhythm. Where other power pitchers wreck their arms, Nolan Ryan's pitching success for 20 years is attributed to his achieving harmony with the three-part of power pitching.

In 2003, the Houston Chronicle listed in-order 1. Nolan Ryan (5,714 strikeouts), 2. Roger Clemens (3,909 strikeouts), 3. Bob Gibson (3,117 strikeouts), 4. Randy Johnson (3,746 strikeouts), and 5. Walter Johnson (3,508 strikeouts) as their pick of the all-time power pitchers. The paper later that year noted that power pitchers again were on the rise in majors.

Notes

1. "Velocity". Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-10.
2. ^ "SCOUTING REPORT". Sportsmogul.com. Sports Mogul Inc. 2006. Retrieved 2007-08-11.
3. King, Jason. (July 25, 1999) Kansas City Star Never-changing Nolan Ryan, one of game's greatest power pitchers, true to Texas roots. Section: Sports; Page K11.
4. "NOLAN RYAN". Nationwide Speakers Bureau, Inc. 2004. Retrieved 2007-08-11.
5. Olds, Rob. "Bob Feller". historicbaseball.com. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
6. ^ Shaw, Bud. (March 21, 1999) Cleveland Plain Dealer. Developing a power pitcher can be a delicate proces. Pitch counts are one way to reduce stress on young arms. Section:Sports; Page 3C.
7. Brown, Tim. (March 7, 2005) Los Angeles Times Life needn't end at 40 for power pitchers , and Clemens, Johnson and others are proving it. Section: Sports; Fitness and Starts; Page 1.
8. ^ Sherrington, Kevin. (August 20, 1989) Dallas Morning News Power pitcher's secret a three-part harmony. Section: Sports day; Page 10B.
9. Houston Chronicle. (March 30, 2003) Baseball 2003 / All-time power pitchers. Section: Special; page 11.
10. Hohlfeld, Neil. (July 22, 2003) Houston Chronicle A call to strong arms / Power pitchers again on the rise in majors. Section: Sports; Page 1.

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