# Baseball side session **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 7, 2017, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-side-session/781636 "2017-03-07T18:54:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bulldogprez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb9ed0/32.png) [@bulldogprez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bulldogprez)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-side-session/781636/1 "2017-03-07T18:54:01Z")
Can someone explain what a BASEBALL PITCHER’S SIDE SESSION is? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-side-session/781636/2 "2017-03-07T18:59:49Z")
It’s just practice during off-day training. Usually comprised of throwing 40 or so pitches in the bullpen with a coach to work on mechanics, location, etc. ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-side-session/781636/3 "2017-03-07T19:00:33Z")
It is when a starting pitcher is working on their pitching in the bullpen - or on the side of the field - in-between starts. It is both for practice and to maintain arm strength. It usually consists of about 30 pitches or so. Pitching puts so much strain on the arm that starting pitchers are limited in their practicing in-between starts. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-side-session/781636/4 "2017-03-08T15:46:37Z")
I always thought it was to prevent their muscles from stiffening. Just enough to warm them up a bit. I don’t think an established pitcher would be practicing, refining his pitches, etc. once the real season begins. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-side-session/781636/5 "2017-03-08T15:54:27Z")
Moved to the Game Room. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-side-session/781636/6 "2017-03-08T16:30:37Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I always thought it was to prevent their muscles from stiffening. Just enough to warm them up a bit. I don’t think an established pitcher would be practicing, refining his pitches, etc. once the real season begins. According to several sources, the side session (or “throwing a bullpen”) is a regular part of a starting pitcher’s routine. It seems to vary from pitcher to pitcher, but it looks like it’s typically either two days after their previous start, or two days before their next scheduled start. > **[USA TODAY - Breaking News and Latest News Today](https://www.usatoday.com/)** > > USA TODAY delivers current national and local news, sports, entertainment, finance, technology, and more through award-winning journalism, photos, and videos. > **[An inside look at a starting pitcher’s five-day routine - The Boston Globe](https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/baseball/2016/03/31/inside-look-starting-pitcher-five-day-routine/Oe7m9jBN4iOJBoeHeHmcRL/story.html)** > > So you think they just take the ball every five days and head to the mound? Think again. [http://web.usabaseball.com/article.jsp?ymd=20160906&content\_id=199824672](http://web.usabaseball.com/article.jsp?ymd=20160906&content_id=199824672)