About Steven Ellis

 

By PAUL TOKARZ | Chicago Tribune

Former pro Steven Ellis CHICAGO — A blink of an eye or a tenth of a second is all the time it takes for a 90-plus mph flaming fastball to cross the plate.

The rotating seam pitcher Steven Ellis generated on a baseball might have been a God-given talent. But ask Ellis and he will tell you that velocity and command stems from countless workouts and drills.

With more than 24 years of baseball experience, Ellis' knowledge of pitching is second to none.

A New Hartford, N.Y., native, Ellis was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 12th round of the Major League Baseball draft in 2000 and was the Chicago Cubs' 18th-round pick in 2001. He was also a Division 1 full-scholarship pitcher at Bradley University of the Missouri Valley Conference, where he garnered numerous accolades.

"Steven Ellis is an excellent pitching resource."
—Mike Sirotka, MLB pitcher

Ellis enjoyed a stellar professional career in the Cubs organization partly because he was able to throw a 93- to 94-mph heater, but he was also able to keep hitters guessing with a knee-crippling changeup. Ellis was named the Rolaids relief pitcher of the year in 2002 with the Lansing Lugnuts, before being sidelined with career-ending shoulder surgery.

As a professional player in 2002, Ellis began The Complete Pitcher Inc. This baseball company, offering educational and instructional products, prompted him to write his first baseball book, The Complete Pitcher's Ultimate Guide to Advanced Pitching Philosophies. To date, it is the No. 1 selling baseball pitching e-book on the Internet.

In 2007, Ellis wrote The Tuff-Cuff Strength and Conditioning Manual for Baseball Pitchers, a year-round training program based on big league workouts. In his two new books, published earlier this year, Ellis reveals more than 200 strategies "to help any pitcher get any hitter out, in any situation," he says.

"I wanted to create a comprehensive pitching resource for coaches, parents and players," Ellis, 29, says.

Ask professional players, college coaches or baseball scouts about The Complete Pitcher, and you will find similar responses referring to the best pitching information source available.

"Ellis is an excellent pitching resource from basic throwing mechanics to preparing advanced pitchers for the next level," says former White Sox pitcher Mike Sirotka.

"Steve has developed a comprehensive resource for pitchers and pitching coaches of all ages," Truman State Univ. head coach Dan Davis adds. "He has the background and experience to help pitchers learn the fundamentals of the game and do it in a healthy way."

Ellis not only works on the pitching mechanics, but he will also advise proper diet and weight training exercises for all his baseball clients.

With many "baseball gurus" out there, it's difficult for parents to choose a legitimate source to lead their sons in the right baseball direction. Ellis' collegiate and professional experiences, along with six years of operating The Complete Pitcher, validate countless testimonials as to why his pitching advice is the best available.


 

My Baseball Pitching Philosophy

Welcome to The Complete Pitcher. Before I tell you about my pitching resources, I want to teach you something I learned in professional baseball.

My name is Steven Ellis. I'm a former pitcher in the Chicago Cubs organization.

The truth is that successful pitching is incredibly rewarding. But there's more to it than throwing a baseball 90 mph — you must know what you're doing. And you've got to work hard practicing the right skills, the right way.

The goal of this website and my instructional materials is to help you better understand pitching — and to make it simple. But YOU have to be willing to put in the time it takes to master the nuances of the position — from developing quality pitching mechanics to building a functionally strong, flexible body and the mental capacity to achieve peak performance. That's how big leaguers prepare to pitch every day.

At the end of each day, ask yourself if you've done everything that you can do to make improvements or learn something new about pitching. If you have and feel good about the work you've put in, then you've done a heck of a job — and you can be proud of yourself. I don't care if you're making $15 million in the major leagues or you get cut from your Little League team. And I don't care if you're a Division 1 pitching coach or a mom who coaches her son from the bleachers. If you approach life like you approach your baseball, you will be successful.

Pitching is fun. Challenging yourself to find out how good you can be is what makes it fun. In the end, that's what life's all about — finding out just how good you can be at whatever it is you love to do.

I love coaching pitchers and teaching pitching to coaches and parents, and I want to see you reach all your goals. If you ever get stuck or have a pitching question, please contact me. I'm here to help you become The Complete Pitcher.

–Former pro Steven Ellis