_
While steroids and HGH have unfortunately become fairly prominent in high school and college clubhouses, another more acceptable drug seems to be in every dugout in baseball. I have heard on a few occasions that well-meaning coaches have actually recommended it to their players - even at the lower youth levels - with hopes of it enhancing their performance.
Most pitchers would agree that having a clear head and a slow heartbeat contribute to a heightened level of concentration and an ability to "slow the game down" mentally. Pitching is much more like golf than playing linebacker, and anything a coach can do to remove tension can only help a pitcher compete with more success.
The following side-effects have been attributed to caffeine by many health professionals. Imagine getting a scouting report on a pitcher with some of these qualities attached to a pitcher's composure and/or current state of health:
poor concentration
nervousness
dizziness
headache
increased heart rate
anxiety
upset stomach
irregular heartbeat
irritability
elevated blood pressure
agitation
heartburn
diarrhea
nutritional deficiencies
insomnia
fatigue
depression
*This list is a collection of side-effects from several different sources. Wikipedia has some great information and several links to reputable sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine
