{"podcast":{"title":"The Pure Athlete Podcast","slug":"the-pure-athlete-podcast-5760819","podcast_index_feed_id":5760819,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/the-pure-athlete-podcast/","website_url":"https://www.pureathlete.com/episodes","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/1bca8cea-3fed-412d-abcd-d34f57be733c/kXqhX2vG2sSEorkqGaT7qjou.jpeg","author":"Jeff Francoeur","episode_count":192,"summary":"Former MLB player Jeff Francoeur and PA co-founders Britt Lee and Brad Williams interview well-known pro/college athletes, coaches, and topical experts to gain insight into the world of youth sports, in order to equip and inspire young athletes, parents, and coaches to successfully navigate their sports journeys. For more info, visit www.pureathleteinc.com","last_synced_at":"2026-06-30T20:19:59.489179+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-pure-athlete-podcast-5760819"},"episode":{"title":"168. How Great Pitchers Are Made: Inside the Mind of Pitching Ninja Rob Friedman","slug":"168-how-great-pitchers-are-made-inside-the-mind-of-pitching-ninja-rob-friedman","published_at":"2026-04-21T09:15:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-pure-athlete-podcast-5760819/168-how-great-pitchers-are-made-inside-the-mind-of-pitching-ninja-rob-friedman","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-pure-athlete-podcast-5760819","url":"https://www.pureathlete.com/episodes/ep-153-pitching-ninja","audio_url":"https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/episodes.captivate.fm/episode/21804ccb-5f97-4595-9ca8-387c93fa9b42.mp3","summary":"What does it really take to develop an elite pitcher—and are we getting it wrong with today’s youth athletes? In this episode, we sit down with Rob Friedman—better known as the creator of Pitching Ninja—to break down the evolution of pitching, the science behind velocity, and the biggest mistakes parents and coaches make with young players. From coaching his own son to a college career at Georgia Tech baseball to building one of the most trusted platforms in baseball, Rob shares insights that every parent, coach, and player needs to hear. We dive into: Why velocity is dominating the game—and the risks that come with it The truth about early specialization and “pitcher-only” kids How to choose the right pitching coach (and red flags to avoid) When kids should start tracking velocity and throwing breaking pitches The mindset and habits that separate good pitchers from great ones Rob also gives practical advice for parents navigating today’s high-pressure youth sports environment, including pitch counts, injury prevention, and how to keep the game fun while still pushing for growth. Whether your child is just starting out or chasing the next level, this episode is packed with real-world wisdom to help you develop athletes the right way. Resources Mentioned: Unhittable by Rob Friedman","meta_description":"What does it really take to develop an elite pitcher—and are we getting it wrong with today’s youth athletes? In this episode, we sit down with Rob Friedm…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2217,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-pure-athlete-podcast-5760819/episodes/168-how-great-pitchers-are-made-inside-the-mind-of-pitching-ninja-rob-friedman/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-pure-athlete-podcast-5760819/168-how-great-pitchers-are-made-inside-the-mind-of-pitching-ninja-rob-friedman.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}