Baseball around the clock

Some people argue that people who hit for power use hip rotation and singles hitters tend to slide forward and be more linear.  I disagree completely, I think there is one way to swing a baseball bat that makes people consistently successful.  That way as I have stated before comes down to your back hip opening and driving forward after your front heel hits the ground.  This is obviously a little bit of a simplistic overview of my philosophy.  I will say this, you hit into your front foot, not on it.  What does this mean, it means your front leg should be firm and your hips should power your swing through the zone driving you into your firm front leg.  This link below gives proof to the fact singles hitters and one of the best singles hitters in baseball history uses these exact mechanics.  Notice how his neither his head or chest are even close to being in front of his front foot.  Again this guy is a singles hitters.

http://www.chrisoleary.com/projects/Baseball/Hitting/ProfessionalHitterAnalyses/SwingAnalysis_TonyGwynn_3B_001.html

Now the next link is Albert Pujols, who we all know to be a tremendous power hitter how also hits for average.  Notice the swing mechanics and the hip rotation are the same as Mr. Gywnn’s swing.  The one difference is the amount of tilt Pujols has but that is no big deal.  I want you to look at the positioning of his body during the swing and at contact.

http://www.chrisoleary.com/projects/Baseball/Hitting/RethinkingHitting/Essays/AlbertPujolsSwingAnalysis.html

Both of these hitters use their hips to propel their swing.  The swing plane is not down, the hands do not start the swing, the back shoulder is lower then the front, and this is the way to swing the bat.  For all you kids out there and all you hitting instructors please make sure you are practicing and teaching what you see.

When you are playing catch the name of the game is catch, not chase or pick up, it is catch.  So how do you play catch the right way? First you play often and second you work on throwing the ball to a person.  The person who does not have the ball should give the person throwing the ball a target, this helps concentration and focus.  You should always throw to something, do not just throw it in a general region, look at a target and try to hit that target.  In a game when you have to throw someone out you have to throw to a base and more precisely you have to throw to a person who has to stay close to the base so get used to hitting a target when you are playing catch.

Receiving the ball during catch:

When you are playing catch and you do not have the ball your eyes should always be on your target, this is for safety reasons.  Also when you receive the ball you should always try to catch the ball with two hands and have the ball in between your shoulders.  What does this do?  First, two hands is proper form and second catching the ball between your shoulders makes you move your feet like you will have to do in a game on a throw that isn’t on target and it is makes catching the ball easier because it is right in front of your face.  Obviously if the ball is too high or too far away you will have to adjust but you will still have to move your feet.  Do not play catch with poor form, it creates bad habits.  You always want to be creating good habits and playing catch properly will allow you to do so.  Step and throw to a target and catch the ball with two hands between your shoulders.  Go out and have some fun playing the best game of all time.

The truth shall set you free:

As a player you must be honest with yourself in order to give yourself the best opportunity to play at the college level.  Let your friends and parents tell you how great you are but you must be informed and truthful with yourself.  Why is this so important?  You need to know what schools your abilities fit and you need to search the right schools.  Chances are if you are not the best player on your team in high school you are not going to LSU.  This does not mean you can’t play college baseball it just means you have to be realistic about your ability.  You can dream, set goals, and work hard, but if you simply are not good enough to play at a certain level you have to understand that.  If you want to play at Michigan and the only schools recruiting you or even writing you letters are division three schools or NAIA you may need to reassess your ability.  If you do not know, go ask someone for their opinion.  Make sure it is someone you trust will be honest with you and it should be obvious this person needs to have an understanding of what it takes to play at the college level.

Recruiting services:

Do not waste your money

If you have not heard of these there are people who will charge you an insane amount of money and some even guarantee you a spot on a college team.  Do not fall for this scam.  Yes they may actually get you a spot on a team but there is a good chance you will have little to no interest in playing at that school but as long as they find you a spot they have upheld their end of the deal.  Some people say all we want is a chance to play college ball we do not care where we play.  That is fine but you can do this on your own or with the help of your high school and summer coaches.  You do not need to pay someone $1,500 dollars a year to get recruited.   There are plenty of schools out there, you just have to find one that fits your skill set and if you follow the instructions in this manual you will find a place to play if you are talented enough.

Use your resources:

Ask Coaches and instructors to contact a coach.

A good word from someone the coach knows or trusts can go a long way.  Your high school coach, summer coach, and private instructors are good people to ask for help.  Talk to them and find out if they would be willing to make a call or send an email on your behalf.  Most coaches will do this, the only stipulation they will have is, the school must be one at which they think you are capable of playing at.  These people have reputations and they want to keep them, if they get a reputation for trying to send guys places they do not belong college coaches will stop listening.  Since you trust these people enough them to ask for a favor you should trust them enough to be honest with you.  Also, if you go this route you must follow through and play no matter what happens.  You must remember things will not always be perfect and if you quit it will hurt the reputation of the person that vouched for you.  On one occasion I have had a player quit after we told a coach he would do anything in the world just to play college baseball.  I am now very careful who I put my name on, and if I do vouch for someone I tell the coach the whole story, strengths, weaknesses, grades, and character, I make sure they know what they are getting.

School and Summer baseball:

These are times when coaches can come watch a player play in a live game situation with or without the player knowing they are there.  Showcases can also provide live games but the player always knows people are watching and may be nervous.  During your school season it is tougher for the coach to actually come watch because they are still playing as well.  Unless your team goes deep into the playoffs coaches will see you the most in the summer time.  What can you do to make sure you are getting in front of the right people?  Make sure your summer team goes to the right tournaments.  All teams are not created equal, some teams are put together by high school coaches simply to get players more playing time and help them get better and other teams are for the sole purpose of getting players exposure.  Teams that are looking to provide exposure will usually do a lot of traveling in and out of state.  These teams will go to major tournaments where there is a proven track record of college and pro scouts attending.  Do your research, figure out what teams offer, where they go, how much they cost, and what that cost covers.  Last but not least, check the roster.  Although you want to be on a good team, you also want to make sure you are going to play.  If you are a shortstop and the team you are thinking of playing for has a shortstop that is being recruited by numerous D-1 schools you might be better suited playing somewhere else.  Do not get me wrong competition is good for players but at this point you want the maximum amount of playing time at the position you would like to play.

School ball is important because college coaches talk to high school coaches about their players and other players they have come across.  School ball is a great opportunity to get your name out there with other high school coaches who will share information with each other and college coaches in general conversation.  For example, how many times have you heard about a player from another school but you have never actually watched that player in a game.  This happens with coaches too, but if a college coach gets their interest peaked they will get your schedule and come see you play.  It is just like anything else, if you hear about it enough you have to go find out what it is about.  Always be respectful of opposing coaches and always play hard.  You never know who they know.  During my playing career in high school and college I had numerous coaches tell me they liked my game and if I needed any help, please let them know and they would help in any way they could.

Recruiting tapes:

This is very basic and Easy.

Make a recruiting tape of yourself showcasing your tools.  In your recruiting tape you want to have footage of your swing from the back, the open side, and the front.  You want to include yourself fielding (position specific), throwing and running if possible.  At this point in the game you do not have to be outside, you can make this tape at a facility or a gym.  If you do not have film of yourself running but you want to include your sixty time simply tell the coach on the tape.  Do not and I repeat do not lie or stretch the truth.  Doing this is the fastest way to get a coach upset and you off their radar.  Be honest, after all you have already narrowed down the schools that value your tools.  For catchers make sure the video is from behind you so the coach can see the throw in its entirety.  You want them to know your ball does not tail and you also want them to see how much of an arch your throw has (hopefully none).  This will also allow the coach to put a stopwatch on your throws from their office.  For pitchers make sure you set the camera up behind the catcher, behind the mound, and on your open side.  You want the coach to see the movement of your pitches and your mechanics.  If possible when the camera is behind the catcher get your velocity on tape by using a radar gun.  If you do not have this available, then you should be very honest as to your actual velocity or simply leave it out altogether, if the coach likes what they see, they will find out the rest.  Infielders should show themselves fielding the routine ground ball, the ball to the left, to the right, and slow rollers.  If you are a middle infielder you can show a few double plays as well.  The coach will be looking for footwork and your skills around the bag.  Do not show off in these tapes, do not bare hand a slow roller and make sure you use the inside of your glove to catch the ball when you are turning a double play.  For the outfield you need to have some room.  You may have to go to a field for this because you are mainly going to show off your arm strength and your ability to get to the ball properly.  When throwing from the outfield for a recruiting tape, do it from right field no matter what position you play.  Show yourself throwing to third and home.  Also, film from behind the base you are throwing too.  If you have no way of getting outside (seasonal) then make sure you have enough room to let a few throws go and try to find a radar gun to prove your arm strength, if a coach likes what they see they will watch you play to figure out the rest.  A key to the tape is keeping it short and simple, remember coaches are busy and don’t have time to watch ten minute tapes.  Get them the basics.  5 good swings from each angle, 5-8 fielding frames, 5 throwing frames, and 1 running frame.  Pitchers you will need to show off your full array of pitches.  Film yourself starting with 3-5 fastballs (4 seam), 3-5 two seam fastballs, 5 change ups, and 5 curve balls. If you would like, you can end with 3 more fastballs.  This is plenty for a coach to know what you have to offer.  Remember the tape is not the final judge, it’s just part of your marketing plan.  If the coach likes what they see then they will come to a game.  Also, make sure you let the coach know it is coming.  You will want to email him and ask if he minds if you send in a tape, or email him and let him know it is on its way.  Some tapes will get tossed if the coach has had zero communication with a player previous to getting a tape in the mail.  I have had this happen personally.  Also, a lot of coaches will invite you to a camp after seeing your tape.  If you can make it to the camp you should, remember getting in front of the staff is what you want to do and anytime you can do it you should.

How to market yourself:

Let your actions do the talking.

Now that you know what schools value your tools, you have to make sure the coach sees your skill set in order to determine if you are a good fit for their program.  How do you do this? You have to play, but more importantly you have to play in front of them.  Showcases and camps are a great way to do this.  You can get information on the schools website or with an email to the coach.  This email will simply ask the coach to give you their camp schedule.  Again, save this email as a draft so you can send it to each coach without having to retype it.  I urge against a form letter that is sent to all the coaches at one time simply because it could end up in their spam box.  Send one at a time.  I know this takes longer, but we are talking about your dreams so it is worth the extra time.  Once you get all the schedules from the coaches, figure out which ones you can attend and make up an itinerary.  Once you get to the showcase it is time to shine, you have to let your actions do the talking.  Also, introduce yourself to the coach when you get there.  Do this by yourself, do not introduce yourself with a friend or a parent at this point in time, you want them to focus on you.  Let them know your name and tell them you emailed them in the past and you appreciated getting a response.  Doing this shows confidence and by making sure you thank the coach you are showing you are respectful and appreciative.  This can go a long way with a coach and if nothing else they can now put a name with a face.  Do not forget this step.

Questionnaires:

Personal Information

Some coaches will send you a questionnaire in the mail and others will have you go their site and fill one out electronically.  These are helpful for the coach to get a brief overview of a player and will help you make initial contact with a coach if you do not find their email.  You can go to a school’s website and fill out a questionnaire without being prompted to do so.  I would recommend you do this.  The goal is to gain information and if you fill out a questionnaire the coach might send you back an email with their camp dates on it, thus cutting down on one step you have to take.  Remember you are trying to make contact with the coach and get in front of them.  Any step you can take that will help with this process is a good one.  Let’s go back to the email.  If you do find the coach’s email online make sure you use it only to gain information that you need.  Unless you are prompted by the coach do not flood his inbox with email after email, this will only serve to hurt your cause.  You want him to see your name, get the information you want, and then get in front of him to showcase your ability.

What you can you do to help the recruiting process:

Getting the information you need.

Assuming you possess some of the tools we talked about in the previous chapter you are now going to go to work marketing them.  Remember you do not have to possess all five tools, only a small percentage of players in the history of the big leagues possess them.  What you have to do is figure out your strengths (be honest with yourself) and then figure out which programs value those strengths.  This is actually not that hard to do, a simple email will get you some valuable information.  You can find most coach’s email on the schools website.  Their email is usually on the baseball page in the athletic section of the website.  If it is not directly on the page check the coach’s bio.  Keep your email short and concise in order to prompt a return with the answers you are looking for.  Check the sample email below.

“Coach Johnson, my name is Joe Smith, and I am looking at schools in which I fit in academically and that value the tools in which I possess on the field.  I was wondering what your schools academic standards are in relation to GPA, SAT, and ACT, I am also wondering what physical tools you value most in a player.  I appreciate your time as I know you are busy, and I look forward to hearing from you.  Thank you, Joe Smith.”

You should save this email as a draft so you can use it for every coach you want to email.  Obviously do not forget to change the coach’s name.  When you get emails back and you see schools that value what you have to offer you can start to further market yourself to the schools that fit your skill set.  One of my players got in contact with the University of Florida using this strategy.  He sent an email and received a very prompt response and the coach was very detailed in telling the player what he looked for.  Also, if a coach does not get back to you right away or even at all do not get discouraged some coaches may be very busy or simply do not return any unsolicited emails, that is OK just keep trying.