For Joakim, his off-season throwing program typically begins in mid-November, which is roughly 15-20 days after he starts his conditioning program. But because of the lengthened Spring Training and the fact that he didn’t pitch for Ciudad Obregon in Winter ball, Joakim didn’t start his throwing program until December.
For the first week of his throwing program, Joakim sticks to a distance of 90 feet or less. He lobs 30-40 throws to start getting his feel back, and he sticks to that routine for about a week.
As he progresses, Joakim throws from 100 feet to 120 feet. He maintains that distance for 15 days. Once Joakim gets his feel back, he starts stretching his arm with a long-toss program. He throws from the first base foul line to deep center field. After he finishes at his max distance, he returns to shorter throws. On each throw, he walks in closer and closer, while holding the same velocity and effort as he used for his max distance.
Joakim sticks to his long-toss program for a month and a half before he begins his bullpen sessions.
Bullpen sessions
To start his off-season bullpen sessions, Joakim goes behind the mound to a distance of about twice the distance to the plate. His catcher is squatting, a position that helps Joakim prepare for throwing down angle. He throws about 10 pitches from that distance and then starts walking closer to the mound in increments of 10 feet. He keeps inching closer and then gets on top of the mound. For his first session on the mound, he throws 20 pitches consisting of fastball and changeups.
He throws two or three bullpen sessions like that, with two-to-three days of rest in between, depending on how he feels. Between bullpen sessions, he throws on flat ground from the distance of 110 feet. Joakim never pitches from flat ground, where his throwing partner gets down in the catching position. His throwing partner is always standing up. He feels he will lose his release point if he’s pitching on flat ground.
When he works on his pitches on flat ground — he specifically works on his curveball then — he throws the ball from farther than 60 feet, which keep him sharp.
By the end of Spring Training, Joakim’s arm is in shape, and he’s prepared for the season.
