More “Scap Load” video. It is very obvious in this clip as you can see the back elbow poking out due to a “Scap Load”. I talked to a few more hitters today regarding the “Scap Load” and had success using the analogy of pulling a bow back. It is the same muscle that pulls the bow back that should pull the bat back. This is such an important step for a hitter and can be taught and learned in a very simple fashion. Perform the “Scap Load” during the forward stride portion of the swing. As always, please direct your questions or videos to samflamont@yahoo.com.

Today I worked with a 9 year old switch hitter and was surprised at the athleticism the kid displayed, but I am always cautious about getting into very detailed points, or hitting lingo with kids this age, due to confusion. The kid had an issue of being to aggressive with his hands and it was in part because he didn’t use a “Scap Load” and in part he didn’t use enough rotation, but I thought the earlier was causing the latter, because without a “Scap Load” your hands have too much freedom, and tend to take over the swing. The “Scap Load” actually blocks your hands from moving forward without rotation by pulling them back. This is not a bat rap, although some may think it is, is surely is not. For those of you that are curios about what a “Scap Load” is, and what it looks like, the video above shows a big league hitter performing the movement perfectly. Watch the back side of the hitters and look for the back elbow to poke out behind them (away from the catcher). This is the move, and it keeps the hands back and the front shoulder closed. Please note, the elbow is not just poking back, it is being pulled back by the “Scap Load”, I haven’t always taught this move, and never mention it to guys who already do it, but in this case it made a huge difference. I told the kid to pull is should back, I did not say “Scap Load”. Anyway, it was huge success, and we are going to continue building his swing.

The “Scap Load” is like doing a one arm DB row standing straight up, and Scap is short for Scapula, the muscle directly below your clavicle. The move is a simple pull with the scapula. You can see it in every high level swing.

I am going to post a video on the Scap Load with a demonstration. If you have any questions on how the Scap Load can make you a better hitter please email me @ samflamont@yahoo.com

Swing Mechanics are the most over talked about topic in baseball. Everyone has an opinion and everyone is right. My question is, how much do the mechanics matter if you do not prepare yourself, or understand what an approach is?

I have played with some of the sweetest swings I have ever seen, and I have also watched those swings fail, because the hitter only had mechanics. Remember hitting mechanics only provide you the best opportunity to have success if you have a good approach, understand what the pitcher is doing, know his tendencies, know what each of his pitches do, know the situation (where are the runners, how many outs, what inning is it, will this team let you beat them), know his out pitch.

Many things will determine what the pitcher is going to do, and yes some teams will not let certain players on the other team beat them, therefore you have to understand they are going to try and make you chase up, out, down, off speed, etc. Swing Mechanics go right out the window if you have no idea of the above things, and they even go sooner, if you do not have plate discipline.

So how important are the Mechanics? Not important enough to spend the amount of time that is spent talking about them, and not important enough to spend the amount of money some people spend to perfect them. They are an aspect of hitting, one little aspect, that seems to get all the attention.

Hitters with less than perfect hitting mechanics will have more success than players with a perfect swing if they can do all the above, or even just most of the above.

I am going to continue this conversation at: www.fullwindup.com
Phil, the creator of the site has asked me to write a series on hitting for him, and this is the first of the series. I hope you will join the conversation.

Brad Mumma, a former teammate, pro pitcher, and friend of mine wrote this for the blog. I hope you enjoy.

A couple years ago I was watching a baseball tonight where they interviewed Stephen Strasburg who had just been selected #1 overall in the draft and was one of the most prolific prospects of all time. He was cycling through his pitches and explaining them and showing the grips. He said, I throw this slurve thing and I said to myself, oh no, he is going to get hurt once he faces the increased innings and workload that a pro pitcher faces. Unfortunately I was right and hopefully he’ll be the pitcher we’re all expecting him to be.
I ask every player who says they throw a slider how does it spin and can you show me? Most of the answers I get are wrong. I really didn’t know the answer until Rick Langford, the greatest pitching coach I ever had, challenged our entire staff of pitchers for the Dunedin Blue Jays. Now this is a high-A minor league team so you would expect we had the answer. No one knew. After his explanation I’ve never looked at this pitch and thought dangerous. This pitch has a black eye and everyone thinks it is so devastating on your arm. But the truth is the incorrect way of throwing any pitch will get you hurt, especially when you are talking about breaking pitches.
The answer is all in the spin. Most uninformed players and coaches, like I was before, think a slider is a sideways curveball or that it spins like a globe. That slurve is somewhere in between a 12-6 curve spin and the straight sideways globe spin. The correct spin of a slider is identical to the spin of the spiral of a football. You’re probably saying how can I make a baseball spin the spiral of a football? If you make both sweet spots on the ball (the sweet spot is the channel where the seams come close together) the points of the football you will be looking at the horseshoe with the opening facing towards you. Going along and slightly across the seam that makes up the side of the horseshoe you will be pulling the seam down to create the “spiral.” It is often taught to supinate (come under the ball like you are turning a door knob) the wrist at this point, this will get you hurt. It is possible to do this by pulling the seam straight down. At first, you will most likely see a little movement and the spiral pointing upward like a pass sailing over a receivers head. As you work on the pitch and learn to pull down and extend at the same time you will notice the spiral pointing straight at the catcher and eventually down towards the catchers feet for optimal movement.
The final point about this pitch is that it is a power pitch. It is to be thrown hard. Pitchers often like the break on pitch and try to make the break bigger, this is where you will probably change the way you are throwing and you could be hurt. It is also where most pitchers supinate their wrist. If you want a bigger break, then learn to throw a curveball.

Notice the word State that is the back point
of the football. As you go towards home
with front point of the football facing the
catcher you will pull the seam down. The
back of your hand should never face the
ground coming under the ball or you should
not twist like you are opening a door knob.
This can be accomplished safely.
The Truth about the Slider

A couple years ago I was watching a baseball tonight where they interviewed Stephen Strasburg who had just been selected #1 overall in the draft and was one of the most prolific prospects of all time. He was cycling through his pitches and explaining them and showing the grips. He said, I throw this slurve thing and I said to myself, oh no, he is going to get hurt once he faces the increased innings and workload that a pro pitcher faces. Unfortunately I was right and hopefully he’ll be the pitcher we’re all expecting him to be.
I ask every player who says they throw a slider how does it spin and can you show me? Most of the answers I get are wrong. I really didn’t know the answer until Rick Langford, the greatest pitching coach I ever had, challenged our entire staff of pitchers for the Dunedin Blue Jays. Now this is a high-A minor league team so you would expect we had the answer. No one knew. After his explanation I’ve never looked at this pitch and thought dangerous. This pitch has a black eye and everyone thinks it is so devastating on your arm. But the truth is the incorrect way of throwing any pitch will get you hurt, especially when you are talking about breaking pitches.
The answer is all in the spin. Most uninformed players and coaches, like I was before, think a slider is a sideways curveball or that it spins like a globe. That slurve is somewhere in between a 12-6 curve spin and the straight sideways globe spin. The correct spin of a slider is identical to the spin of the spiral of a football. You’re probably saying how can I make a baseball spin the spiral of a football? If you make both sweet spots on the ball (the sweet spot is the channel where the seams come close together) the points of the football you will be looking at the horseshoe with the opening facing towards you. Going along and slightly across the seam that makes up the side of the horseshoe you will be pulling the seam down to create the “spiral.” It is often taught to supinate (come under the ball like you are turning a door knob) the wrist at this point, this will get you hurt. It is possible to do this by pulling the seam straight down. At first, you will most likely see a little movement and the spiral pointing upward like a pass sailing over a receivers head. As you work on the pitch and learn to pull down and extend at the same time you will notice the spiral pointing straight at the catcher and eventually down towards the catchers feet for optimal movement.
The final point about this pitch is that it is a power pitch. It is to be thrown hard. Pitchers often like the break on pitch and try to make the break bigger, this is where you will probably change the way you are throwing and you could be hurt. It is also where most pitchers supinate their wrist. If you want a bigger break, then learn to throw a curveball.

Notice the word State that is the back point
of the football. As you go towards home
with front point of the football facing the
catcher you will pull the seam down. The
back of your hand should never face the
ground coming under the ball or you should
not twist like you are opening a door knob.
This can be accomplished safely.

If you are looking for new posts, I will be doing the majority of my writing at:

http://www.michiganprospectheadquarters.com/apps/blog

Although I may still write over here occasionally, the above link will be where you can find me most of the time.

Thanks for reading, I appreciate you taking the time to stop by, and I hope you enjoy the new location as well.

I know everyone is busy, but spend 7:33 watching this video and you will be happy you did.

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/good-sports/201202/still-scarred-two-wars-american-hero-daniel-rodriquez-chases-his-football-dr

If you are a High School or Junior College baseball player, or even a parent to a child who fits that category you should check out www.michiganprospectheadquarters.com

Michigan Prospect Headquarters puts athletes in front of college coaches, to showcase their ability and work directly with the coaches that could eventually be recruiting them.

I always here people say “I would rather be lucky than good”, and I always thought those were people who do not like to compete, but instead have things handed to them.

Luck is not a chance happening, as the saying goes “luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”. The big difference between the two is the latter acknowledges the fact that you have to put the work in, if you want to have success.

When I was at GRCC I was the back up 3rd baseman my freshman year, and I wasn’t sure how much time I was going to get. Then one day the 3rd baseman went down with an ankle injury, and my opportunity had come. Up to this point, I spent 1-2 hours per day lifting, stretching, and running on my own. Also, we had practice, so I was getting work in then as well. When the day came at Indiana Tech, I went 5-7 with two HRs and two 2Bs. Was I lucky? No, I was ready to play, because I got myself ready to play. After that, the other kid moved to 1st and I started every game at 3rd base.

At Western Michigan University, the same thing happened to me, except I was the 4th outfielder, back up 3rd baseman, and back up 1st baseman. A friend of mine and starting center fielder went down with, an ankle injury. In that time, I ended up starting in center for a little over a week. I played so well that when he returned, I stayed in the line up and moved to left field. Again, I put all the hours in during practice, and worked out, and took swings on my own. I was not lucky, I was ready to pounce on an opportunity when it arose, and that is exactly what I did.

The point here, is to never get discouraged when you are not the starter. I see too many kids stop working hard, and almost give up, and then when their number is called they are not ready and they fail. Why? Because they were not prepared, plain and simple.

Prepare yourself everyday.

I was always prepared.

my mental game was always sharp.

I gave myself the best possible chance to win.

I played every out of every game.

I was up when it mattered, and I failed.

my failure only motivated me to be better.

nobody ever worked harder than me.

If you can say all of the above, you will always be able to hold your head high. These characteristics create champions. Champions do not always win, but champions are always ready to go, and are never afraid to compete. Champions love the fact that failure is always an option, because they know the other side of failure is the sweetest taste in the world.

I’m tired

I can’t reach

My arm hurts

I sprained my thumb (Ronnie Lott once had a finger amputated to play in a game)

I don’t have time

My body hurts

I’m to old

I can’t wake up that early (you actually just don’t want to)

I don’t have time after work (But you have time to watch 3 hours of T.V.)

I don’t have enough money (last time I checked going outside was free)

I am afraid to workout in a gym (Go in your basement, Living room, or run outside)

It’s too cold

It’s too hot

It’s too nice to go to the gym

These are just some of the excuses I have heard, and a few I have even made myself at one time or another. The sooner you stop making excuses, the sooner you will start reaching your full potential.

Excuses keep you from becoming great