Retention in Action: Redesigning Pitcher Prep to Stick on the Field

Too often, coaches approach advance meetings by focusing solely on the lineup for the day, excited by the sheer volume of information at their disposal. They dive into developing a detailed game plan, pouring time and effort into preparation. However, when it comes to presenting this plan to their players, they frequently overwhelm them with information, much of which gets lost in the shuffle. The approach can sometimes feel like throwing a bunch of information at the wall to see what sticks, assuming players will somehow absorb and recall it all when needed. There’s also an assumption that players, due to their situational awareness and high-level abilities, can compartmentalize vast amounts of data into neat mental bins for each hitter, ready to access at a moment’s notice.

Cognitive science tells us a different story. Studies on working memory and information retention show that overloading the brain with too much information at once leads to cognitive bottlenecks. These bottlenecks reduce a person’s ability to recall and effectively use information under pressure. Players are not exempt from these limitations simply because of their skill level or game experience. Instead, the human brain is naturally wired to prioritize simplicity and clarity, especially in high-stakes environments where decisions must be made quickly and adjusted on the fly.

Understanding how the brain processes and retains information helps us design more effective advance meetings. By acknowledging these cognitive limitations, coaches can adapt their approach to ensure pitchers are equipped to execute the game plan without mental overload. To make advance meetings more effective, it’s critical to design them with an understanding of working memory — the brain’s capacity to temporarily hold and manipulate information. Our brains can only hold and process a small amount of information at once, which is why it’s important to prioritize key points in pitcher meetings. Overloading it with excessive data leads to confusion and forgetfulness, particularly in high-pressure situations. Most studies have shown that people only have the ability to hold 7–10 things in their mind at a given time.

To optimize working memory, coaches should prioritize the most essential details and present them in a clear, organized manner. Repetition should be used strategically to reinforce key points without causing redundancy or fatigue. Additionally, connecting new insights to players’ existing knowledge can help them better integrate and recall information when it matters most.

With an understanding of working memory and its limitations, the next step is to streamline the information we provide. Instead of overwhelming players with exhaustive data, the focus should be on delivering concise, actionable insights that players can easily retain and apply. The goal isn’t to provide players with every possible piece of information but to deliver concise, actionable insights that stick. By respecting the limitations of working memory and tailoring the message accordingly, coaches can ensure that players walk away with a sharper understanding of the game plan and the confidence to execute it effectively on the field.

Coaches often feel compelled to address every hitter in the opposing lineup or focus on the five or six most impactful players. While selecting key matchups is essential to narrow a pitcher’s focus, the presentation of this information deserves more thoughtful consideration. Our ultimate goal as coaches is to equip players to execute successfully on the field. This means keeping game plans simple and clear during pitcher meetings.

Some argue that the strategy should center on the pitcher, breaking down how their specific pitches will perform against particular hitters. This approach provides the pitcher with a unified game plan, helping them understand their strengths in context. It’s a sound strategy that emphasizes clarity and builds confidence, allowing pitchers to lean on their abilities rather than being overwhelmed by situational complexity.

Framing the game plan in this way shifts the focus to principles of play rather than attempting to tailor a unique approach for every single hitter. Instead of trying to counteract each hitter’s weaknesses individually, pitchers are encouraged to rely on their own strengths and develop a consistent strategy that can adapt to different situations. This builds trust in their arsenal and reinforces a repeatable mindset for attacking hitters, no matter the lineup.

To further streamline this approach, it’s essential to tie key game plan details to core principles that remain relevant throughout the game. This kind of planning is common in sports like football, where coaches focus on broad concepts rather than overwhelming players with specific details. For example, they might emphasize ideas like “keep the quarterback in the pocket” or “make them beat us with the pass.” In baseball, a similar approach can be just as effective. It could be something as straightforward as “get ahead with breaking pitches” or another core concept that directs players’ limited focus toward areas most likely to impact the game. This allows pitchers to focus on what truly matters, simplifying their decision-making process.

One effective strategy for preparing pitchers is to focus on broader categories of hitters, such as left-handed or right-handed batters, or grouping them by aggressive versus more passive hitters. By chunking the lineup into manageable groups, pitchers can simplify their decision-making process and prioritize strategies that align with their strengths.

This approach reduces cognitive overload by shifting the emphasis away from intricate details and flipping between arbitary players in the lineup rather than categories that are more easily followed. It encourages pitchers to internalize their repertoire, think critically about how it plays against broader hitter profiles, and approach each at-bat with clarity and confidence. By avoiding information overload, coaches empower pitchers to execute with decisiveness, using a framework that fosters adaptability while maintaining mental focus under pressure.

Ultimately, this strategy is about striking a balance between preparation and simplicity. By encouraging pitchers to trust their strengths and focus on executing a clear, repeatable game plan tailored to broader principles, coaches can help their players perform with greater confidence and consistency on the field.

On the other hand, many coaches focus their meetings around the lineup as a whole, detailing how to approach the nine batters the pitcher will face that day. While this strategy has merit, it risks overloading players’ memory and retention. For this approach to work, the information must be presented in a straightforward, uniform format that remains consistent from day to day. Meetings should highlight one or two key goals for each hitter while leaving room for discussions and questions, fostering a collaborative environment. If you were redesigning Pitchers meetings from jump street you would probably avoid this type of situation as it isn’t anywhere close to being the ideal setup for pitchers memories.

Avoiding information overload is critical. Think about how many details you can hold in your mind at once — likely only a handful. Watching a video, for example, you might leave with three to five key points you can recall later. That’s the target for pitcher meetings: creating a focused and actionable message about what the pitcher needs to do to succeed. Overloading players with details, like attempting to cover every hitter in depth, is akin to overfilling a bucket — it spills over, and the excess becomes useless.

One powerful way to reinforce retention and focus is by ending meetings with a specific goal. This could be tailored to the pitcher or tied to broader situations the team/player wants to prioritize or avoid. These goals provide a framework for post-game reflection, allowing coaches and players to assess how well the game plan translated to the field. For instance, if the meeting emphasized using splitters in high-leverage situations, the after-action review (AAR) could analyze whether that strategy was followed and how effective it was. This follow-up sends the message that these goals matter and builds accountability into the process.

Here’s how to simplify your meetings in three steps:

• Prioritize: Narrow the game plan to 3–5 key action points — one or two core principles for each pitcher.
• Chunk: Instead of breaking down every hitter, group them by type (aggressive vs. passive, left-handed vs. right-handed) and focus on general approaches for those categories.
• Repetition: Reinforce these key points in every meeting, but always with fresh emphasis, so they stick in the player’s mind without causing fatigue.”

Rewriting pitcher meetings starts with a single shift in mindset: less is more. Rather than flooding pitchers with an endless sea of details, simplify the focus. A few, clear action points will make all the difference. So, the next time you’re planning an advance meeting, ask yourself: How can I make this more actionable, more memorable, and more effective for my pitchers? It’s time to step away from information overload and give your pitchers the clarity they need to succeed.