What is a Pitcher's "Greatest Weapon"?

"It's always nice to have a great fastball, but a pitcher's GREATEST weapon is his confidence!" These words were told to me at a very young age by Jeff "Stubby" Stevens, my mentor and pitching coach growing up. It only took him one time to say these words for it to stick into my mind and until this day I still recite it to player's I work with. Although, every time I saw "Stubby" or talked to him, he usually told me this saying!

But the question is, is what Stubby told me at a young age true? In my opinion, there could never be more of a true statement on so many levels. It is easy for others to argue a kid can be confident and even cocky but not have a lick of talent, velocity, breaking balls, etc. Or reversely, it could be easy for someone to say that a kid has dominating stuff and an unbelievable arm, but guess what, if he has a $.10 cent head then he is practically worthless out on the mound. No matter how you break it down, this statement will always hold true!

It is the true essence of a pitcher's DNA. Confidence! The ability to stand out there like a bulldog and attack hitters, not fear anyone, challenge them with your best stuff, knowing you're better than that batter at that given moment. The ability to stand confidently on the mound and maintain composure no matter what is going on around you. If the fans are screaming how bad you suck, if a guy makes an error behind you, or a bloop hit falls and scores the go ahead run... it always comes back to confidence that the pitcher has in himself to overcome any obstacle and get through the inning.

But it must be clarified to the skeptics who may not buy into this that confidence is a pitcher's greatest weapon. Those who still believe that a dominating fastball or devastating breaking balls or spot on location or flawless mechanics are a pitcher's greatest weapon... Well let me tell you that it is ASSUMED that a pitcher is equipped with good mechanics and good enough stuff to get hitters out. I'm not talking about "throwers" here! A pitcher is someone who is polished with these essential qualities already. Anyone can step on the mound with a fastball or breaking balls and just throw them up there... that is a thrower! We're talking about PITCEHRS here. Pitching is an art. It is the ability to combine mechanics, location, and pitches with the craft of reading hitters and studying each individual batter to identify holes in their swing, etc. That is a pitcher. Now taking a "pitcher" and making him unstoppable is where confidence comes in to play and that is why it is the greatest weapon! Without it, you are left with a gutless guy on the mound who pitches out of fear or isn't aggressive and confident enough to challenge hitters. I want a guy who says to himself, "here you go, hit this!" Make them beat YOU with YOUR best stuff. Do not pitch to their strengths, pitch according to yours!

So it is safe to say that confidence is what takes a pitcher over the edge. After he has all the tangibles in mechanics and pitch selection, he is left with the deciding factor (the X-factor) that can take him to the next level. I'm here to tell you it is confidence. Nothing more, nothing less.