November 2009
48 posts
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To all the parents who are doing it right
I would like to thank all the parents and parent coaches who understand what youth sports are about. I would like to thank you moms and dads alike for harnessing a passions for the game and allowing it to grow in your children and the children you coach. You do more than you will ever realize. You turn kids onto the games instead of turning them away from the game. Coaches and parents who...
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Sir, your 12 year old is not projectable
Little League is a time for kids to play the game for the pure enjoyment and love of baseball. It is a time to for them to learn the game, have fun, and build friendships. Kids should be kids and have a blast playing the game. The emphasis should be on learning and getting better, not winning championships. If you do happen to win a championship as a coach at this level, ask yourself one...
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Baseball and Family
The game of baseball can bring parents and kids together and it allows for quality time. Growing up my Dad was my coach from the time i was four years old until I was nine. He tried to quit a year earlier but all the other coaches seemed to lack the passion for the game so I begged him for one final season and he said yes. You may think that it is normal to want your Dad as a coach, but I bet...
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Baseball is to Complex to be boring
I hear people say baseball is like watching paint dry. People say this because they don’t understand the game or how to watch it. If you are going to the park to look for HR’s and diving plays you would surely be bored, because that is not the game. When those happen it is icing on the cake, but the game is far more complex than that. Kids quit and say it is just boring, and I...
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There is only 1 DH in a line up.
With an abundance of baseball and softball facilities popping up around the country I fear one thing. I fear most people view these as hitting facilities and that is where the problem begins. A true indoor facility should have enough space to work on your entire game. If the indoor facility you attend allows for this it becomes your responsibility to take advantage of it. Kids love to hit, but...
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Baseball season never ends.
For those of you who are seriously committed to the game of baseball and being the best player you can possibly be know that baseball season does not stop because the snow is flying. I love when I get people who want to get one hitting lesson the day before tryouts start to give their kid a tune up. You don’t give your kid a tune up in a 30 minute hitting lesson the day before tryouts, but...
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Note Card Goals
All of us make goals, some of us make goals for a certain GPA, others make goals for a salary, and a few of us make goals about getting to the big leagues.
Just like many other kids in this world I had a dream of playing in the Big Leagues, I announced this goal every opportunity I had, and usually people laughed it off but I was serious. If you have this precise goal I want you to do the...
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No I will not give your 4 year old a Private...
Sometimes in my line of work I run into parents who are a little hard to deal with. For example in the seven years I have been giving private baseball lessons I have been approached to work with a kid under the age of six 10 times. All of us baseball fans know baseball requires very intricate movements in a very precise order. Just to be clear I have done one lesson with a kid under six and I...
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“You can’t sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the...”
– Earl Weaver (via hatsby) (via mightyflynn)
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Picking up Tendencies
As a hitter one way to gain a huge advantage is to pick up on a pitchers tendencies. If you are able to pick them up you will be able to look for certain pitches at certain times and be almost 100% sure you are going to get it. An example of this would be recognizing that every time a certain pitcher threw a first pitch curve ball for a strike he would follow it up with a fast ball. If you were...
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Process Oriented
In the past few posts I have talked about setting goals, and in those posts I have used the term “process oriented”. What I want each player to do is stick to the process, you can not change everyday, you can create a new you all the time. You have to have a goal and stick to it. As mentioned before if you are 0-12 but you have hit 8 missiles right at people you should not change...
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Setting Goals: Position Players
You should set the same type of process oriented goals on defense that you set on offense. This means instead of making a goal to make 5 or fewer errors this season set a goal to be in the right defensive position before each pitch. If you are in the right position defensively it will give you a better chance to make more plays because you will be able to get to more balls under control. Plus...
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Setting Goals: At the Plate
When it comes to setting goals players should learn to not worry about numbers. A player should worry about things they can control. For example instead of setting a goal in high school of hitting .400 set the goal to control the strike zone and not take call third strikes or swing at pitches out of the zone. Instead of setting a goal to hit 10 HR’s, set a goal of jumping on fastballs...
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Don't Be Afraid To Fail
When you walk onto the baseball field you have entered a competitive arena. As you enter this arena you must be thinking of one thing…winning. Get it in your head and set your site on that goal. Doing this will allow you to prepare to win, if you prepare to win you will be playing the game offensively, meaning you will be aggressive at the plate, aggressive on the bases, and aggressive in...
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Don't Believe Your Own Hype
It may sound like a negative statement, but telling kids not to believe their own hype is probably the best advice I or anyone can give them when it comes to baseball. I like to call it “Greatness Syndrome” and it starts from an early age. It usually starts when the kid has proven to be one of the better players on his youth baseball team and usually comes from his or her own...
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Baseball is a series of learned movements
Hitting, throwing, and fielding are all awkward movements which require a lot time to develop through years of practice. The swing is not a natural movement for your body, that is why hitting is so hard, and it is even harder when you do not take the time to practice. There are few people in this world who will ever walk up, grab a bat and swing it correctly the first time. This movement...
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4-6-3: Overhand Toss
This play requires a very awkward body position and one that is not a natural movement, so a lot of practice time is required to get the muscle memory. There are a few different ways of executing this play so I will explain them and let you choose which feels more comfortable.
You will use this play on balls hit to your left. Like the play from short stop you are going to field the ball in the...
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4-6-3 Chest Flip
The chest flip is performed on a ball hit directly at you. This flip is very tricky to teach young players and you will have to practice this often.
Field the ball with the proper footwork moving through it just like you normally would. Once you field the ball you are going to shuffle your feet toward second base to get the momentum you need to make a strong toss. As you shuffle, bring the...
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4-6-3 Underhand Flip Moving toward the bag
Just like shortstop you will use the flip and the overhand toss from second base as well.
We will use two different flips when performing the 4-6-3 double play. One flip is exactly like the flip from short to second.
Underhand Flip: On a ground ball hit to your right you are going to use the momentum you have due to moving to your right to field the ball and continue it after you field and flip...
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6-4-3: Overhand Toss
When the ball is hit to your right side you are going to use a harder throw so the ball can get to the second baseman faster. This is one of the few times I want you to field the ball and plant your feet. You will not move toward the bag on this play.
Moving to your right get the ball to the middle of your body and set up to field it. Now that you have the ball in your glove all you are going...
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Proper outfield technique when a runner is tagging...
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6-4-3: The Flip
We are going to address the double play involving the middle infielders.
The problem: Routine double plays get botched a lot due to a lack of communication and players using the wrong mechanics. Too often players use the overhand toss when they should be using the flip, and even when they do use the flip it looks like they are bowling.
6-4-3: The Ball is hit directly at you or to your left. We...
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Secondary Lead
Now that you have taken your lead from first it is time to get your secondary lead as the pitcher goes to home plate. The tricky part with the secondary is you if you get too far you will have your weight on your back foot when the catcher catches the ball or worse yet if the ball is in the dirt not allowing you to take the extra base. If you don’t get far enough you haven’t given...
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Passion for the Game
When a player is young and playing with his team and they are laughing and enjoying themselves he is building a passion for the game. This passion fuels players at a later time but when they are young it simply keeps them coming back to play each season. Passion starts with the coaches and this is where Little League coaches come in and make a huge impact. If the coach makes practice quick and...
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Leading off from first
Taking your lead is very important, and knowing when and how to do it can save you from getting picked off.
You should always wait for the pitcher to step on the rubber before taking your lead off, if you do this there are certain rules he must follow in order to throw over. After the pitcher gets on the rubber, the baserunner should have his left foot on the bag and they should have their body...
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5 man rotation and pitch counts
Is the five man rotation actually helpful? Do pitch counts help or hurt a teams chance to win?
It is my firm belief that the 5 man rotation does nothing but take starts from good pitchers and give them to guys who should be in the bull pen. The 5 man rotation came about in the early 70’s and since then the average number of starts by a teams #1 pitcher has also dropped. This means your...
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College Baseball...what it takes
There is a lot of speculation out there but most people do not understand the rules of recruiting or what is actually going on. This post will answer some of those questions and if you have any more please let me know.
First of all a coach can not contact you for recruiting purposes before July the summer leading up to your senior year. If you email a coach, they are able to send you camp...
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I do not like giving away outs.
To bunt or not to bunt that is the real question. I am a believer in conserving outs unless my back is totally against the wall. My strategy is to never bunt a runner from 1st to 2nd anytime before the 7th inning. It is about this time when you will realize you have no options left because you have to force a run across and your team simply isn’t hitting enough and you are hoping to...
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Aggressive play is rewarded
Turn singles into double, take the extra base on the ball in the dirt, and every now and then swing for the fences if the situation allows for it.
Aggressive play is what makes the game fun to watch, when you come to the park you want to see players stealing, hustling, and diving whenever they get the chance, it is exhilarating. Players need to learn from an early age to put pressure on the...
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On Field Communication
This is another post for the outfielders. We all know you need to talk, but there is a lot more to talking then just calling a fly ball.
One thing I think is very important is letting the other outfielders know where to go. If you are in right field and there is a ball in the gap that gets down and the center fielder calls it, instead of the stopping on the play or just backing him up you...
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Backing up plays as an outfielder
This post is specifically for the right and left fielders, yes center fielder back up plays but the corners have the most plays to back up.
Nobody on nobody out, the batter hits a basehit to right field. As a left fielder you see this and you should immediatly begin running toward the infield preparing to back up the throw. When you are backing up the throw remember to stay in the outfield...
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Get Over, Pitchers covering 1st base
The batter hits a routine ground ball to first base, everyone knows it is the third out of the inning and they are excited because the pitcher just pitched out a basesloaded jam. As the first baseman fields it going a little to his right he looks up and the pitcher is just watching the play, the runner on third crosses home plate and the batter beats the first baseman to the bag. This is one the...
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This is for the Catchers.
This post is for all the catchers and more importantly is about catching a pop up. I have sure you have seen this messed up, a ball goes up, a kid bust back to the fence only to dive back toward the field.
Proper steps to take when the ball goes up. I am going to assume you know where the ball is. When the ball goes up you should immediately turn your back to the field and face the backstop. ...
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Squish the bug? I want to hit not kill bugs
I will say it, you do not squish any bugs when you hit. Although your foot may rotate it is your back hip driving open and forward that is causing it to do so. If you think about squishing the bug you will turn on your back too much causing your swing to turn out of the zone. The back foot does not have any part in the swing accept following what the back hip does. You will see many pictures...
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Tuck in your jersey and turn your hat around
Anyone who knows me knows I am a hat backwards guy. I like the bill out of my face, accept when I get to the baseball field.
For those of you who dream of playing college baseball I tell you this, when you step out of your car at the baseball field you should look professional. What this means is your hat should be on straight, your jersey tucked in, and you should have tennis shoes or cleats...
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Baseball/Softball-Same Swing
It is an absolute fact that the baseball and softball swing are exactly the same swing. Well it is if the hitter isn’t trying to slap the ball while they are running out of the box. A good softball swing should look no different than a good baseball swing. The hitter should have a load, a stride, and serious back hip drive that gets the elbow down and in and on the correct path to the...
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Drop your back shoulder, it is the correct way to...
If your coach tells you are dropping your back shoulder I ask you to tell him/her, “coach I know my back shoulder is dropping, I am doing that because it is the correct way to swing. Please don’t really say that, but it is a true statement
I hear everyone out there telling me I am stupid and that is OK because that may be true, but on this topic I am correct. As your foot comes down...
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Get your Back elbow up?
This is a statement I hear all the time when it comes to youth baseball, and I must say I am very much indifferent when it comes to this topic. My only problem with the statement is it usually comes from a parent or coach who thinks this is the remedy for the players swing issues. The great back elbow debate goes on and on, and people say well Albert Pujols does it or Chipper Jones does it. To...
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Approach part 2: Watch and Learn
This situation and names are made up.
John is the number 2 hitter for his team. John is a left handed hitter and he has an approach and he sticks with it. John’s approach is to jump on the fast ball early in the count because he knows the pitcher wants to use it to get ahead of him. John thinks about this at breakfast, while he brushes his teeth, and at night while he is laying in bed. ...
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Running doesn't teach a kid how to field a...
Go run a lap, you hear this all the time at youth practices, the problem is coaches are not using these laps as warm ups they are using them as teaching methods.
Here is how it goes: coach hits ground ball, kid misses ground ball, coach says something along the line of “do it again”…coach hits another ground ball, kid misses said ground ball, coach says “you gotta make...
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Get your foot down on time, not early
Getting your foot down is important because until your front foot comes down and more precisely your front heel you can not launch. Hitters land with their toe first and then the heel hits, at this point the back hip fires starting the hands by getting them into the slot.
Please remember while you read this that when I say your foot, I mean when your heel hits the ground
When I work with...
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Batting Practice (tee work part 2)
I spent the last post telling you the importance of the tee, this post is about how to effectively use the tee.
First thing first, when you are using the tee always stare out at the pitcher. I know he is not actually there but this will allow you to keep a set up that is consistent. So set up, look at the pitcher, and then start your swing. If you set up by looking at the ball your head will...
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Batting Practice (tee work part 1)
Would you try to bench press 275lbs without warming up? I hope you said no, and if you didn’t I guess this post is not for you, because we are going to talk about the importance of tee work. The tee is the single most important tool a hitter has at their disposal and it is used for warming up as well as making adjustments.
I know you think this is boring and you just want to jump in the...
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Everyone Can Hustle
This is an old adage in baseball and I assume other sports as well, but it is a true statement, and one too many players forget. It does not matter if you are the superstar or the defensive replacement, you can bust your butt every time you get a chance, and you should because the game deserves it.
Hustle separates the people from the pack, the superstars should hustle to set an example and the...
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Play Ball (make baseball fun)
Bring back the front yard games of catch with dad, stick ball games in the street, and kids all over the neighborhood playing baseball. The problem with the baseball today is everything is structured and geared toward getting a kid a scholarship or getting him notice by pro scouts. This means kids get rushed from basketball practice, to open gym, and then to their private hitting lesson on a...
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Plate approach
What’s your approach? do you have one? do you know what it is?
Put simply an approach is what pitch a hitter is looking for going into each at bat. Your approach can change with situations, counts, and even the pitcher. To keep things simple we are going to talk about your approach with nobody on and nobody out, because this is when you get to dictate your exact approach, you don’t...
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Fielding the routine groundball
Making the routine plays will set you apart from the competition. I know this sounds stupid but I see players do it wrong everyday.
I am going to focus on the first three steps and the last two. If you start properly your rhythm and timing will be good but your last two steps are the most important on the routine ground ball.
Work around the ball: no matter your position if you go straight...
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Resource topic # 1 (hitting instructor)
In this post I am going to talk about the hitting instructor as a resource. Also, without mentioning them I will put pitching and fielding instructors into this catergory, assuming they are different people but the same basic resource: individual instructor.
The one on one lesson is a very sticky topic, but is a resource that I believe has a role in the game, just not as big a role as most...