February 18, 2012
Two things are certain: we love our children dearly, and there are no perfect parents. We each have our own strengths and weaknesses. That is what makes the world go ‘round. As with most parents, I believe our youth should dream BIG and then strive diligently towards their goals with every ounce of heart, mind, and spirit. Thus, this blog is not about squashing a player’s dream to one day play college or professional baseball.
This blog, however, is written for parents who may be misguided and subsequently ”banking” on their child obtaining a division one baseball scholarship or signing professionally for millions of dollars out of high school just because they are an above average recreational, travel ball, or high school baseball player. Now that we have that clear…have you ever been at the ball park watching a talented player for his age and pondered…”what are the odds of a high school player actually receiving a full division one scholarship or getting drafted out of high school one day?”
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February 9, 2012
Most baseball experts believe that offense wins games…but pitching and defense win Championships! However, if we take a hard look at the emphasis placed on amateur skill development and corresponding practices, it is evident that coaches, parents, and players typically neglect or ignore the championship equation. In fact, at the youth level, high school level, and in some cases the college level…the championship priorities are exactly reversed. It seems a premium is placed on hitting practice or B.P., and pitching development is mixed in when possible. Specific defensive improvement is usually an afterthought other than taking ground balls during patting practice.
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January 19, 2012
I just recently returned home from Anaheim, California where I attended the annual ABCA (American Baseball Coaches Association) National Conference. I was one of approximately 6,000 coaches from the MLB ranks to the high school ranks there to share ideas and learn more about our great game. Of the many topics discussed, there was one that seemed to resonate continuously throughout presentations and general conversations among coaches over the four days of the event. The simple fact is, higher level coaches are concerned with the current trends at the youth levels, and no one seems quite sure how to reverse them, address them, or even slow them down.
Concerns range from over zealous parents, to inadequate coaching at the youth levels, to everyone gets a trophy. However, the greatest concern was the overwhelming emphasis that is placed on the number of games kids are playing, (rather than practicing more) in order to develop the fundamental skills needed to eventually play the game successfully at the higher levels. It seems that an attempt has been made on the behalf of parents to accelerate the development of their children at the game of baseball through total number of games played, and the result has actually been the contrary. For instance, travel baseball has grown from something that was only considered in the summer at the high school varsity level, to the current state where travel ball teams are being formed at the Tee Ball level, and they play 40-100 games throughout the year. On the surface, playing an abundance of games does not appear to be a bad thing. How can playing so many baseball games be detrimental? However, if we dig a little deeper, we can begin to see why this trend is quickly deteriorating overall player development.
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December 14, 2011
Words Can Confuse
Coaches often use terminology or catch phrases to help players better understand the hitting process. The problem is some coaches mistakenly misuse terminology and/or the player has no idea what the phrases actually mean. Either of these can be a deadly combination! One example of a confusing catch phrase is “keep your hands inside the ball.” When uttered, the probability is the hitter is thinking “what in the heck does that mean?”
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December 5, 2011
Myth: Great players just step to the plate and hope to hit the ball hard enough or far enough where it cannot be caught by the defense.
Secret: Baseball is a strategic game. The object is to move runners around the bases any way possible to score runs. Great hitters step to the plate with a specific plan of attack to help their team score runs. They possess superior bat control that allows them to execute and achieve a desired result.
“Sell Out” To Your Plan
The naive hitter steps to the plate and hopes to get lucky by swinging away at the pitch and getting on base. They do not have a strategy, and they are unable to make the needed adjustments to help them win the batter vs. pitcher battle. On the other hand, a great hitter understands that baseball is a game of percentages and looks to gain every advantage to stack the odds in his favor. When he steps to the plate, he does so with a specific game plan that he commits to even if it does not get immediate results.
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November 28, 2011
Diagnostics
As we progress through baseball as coaches or parents, we often encounter hitters who have flaws that need to be addressed. The eventual goal of players is to understand hitting mechanics well enough to sense what they are doing wrong without the advice of a coach or parent. Of course, this may take many years for even the most dedicated player to accomplish. In the meantime, the player must be able to count on the coach and/or parents to find his flaws and provide correct advice on how to fix the problem.
The first challenge is to be able to correctly identify what the hitter is doing wrong. Videotape the hitter so you can go back and watch the tape in slow motion or frame-by-frame to identify flaws (based on correct hitting mechanics as discussed in Chapters 1 and on the accompanyingDVD). The swing happens quickly, and there are many body parts moving at once, so it becomes difficult to determine what is going wrong without the assistance of video. The second challenge, once the problems are diagnosed, is to avoid overwhelming a hitter with too many things to fix at once. Give the hitter one or possibly two flaws (if they are small) to work on at one time. Once one weakness is fixed, move to the next weakness that needs to be addressed. Start with big problems and work toward smaller issues with the swing.
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November 20, 2011
Most hitters agree that it would be a big advantage to be able to make a 95 MPH fastball appear as thought it were a 88 MPH fastball. But everyone knows it is impossible to slow down a thrown ball…or is it? Let us take a look at a concept that many consider fit for a science-fiction movie rather than the game of baseball in order to see what is possible and what is myth. After further review, one will not only conclude that the process of creating the perception of a slower pitch is possible…but necessary in order to hit the best pitching in the world!
In addition to the seven physical ways of slowing down a pitch (last week’s blog), there are also four specific mental skills a batter should possess to create the perception of a slower pitch. Therefore, after reading, studying, and implementing this weeks information, players can develop a combination of physical and mental skills needed to achieve improved level of success!
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November 15, 2011
Myth: Good hitters naturally track the ball from the pitcher’s hand to the plate.
Secret: Pitch recognition is a skill. Like most other skills, the ability to quickly see the ball and determine the type of pitch being thrown can be improved by learning correct techniques and implementing them during practice and games until it becomes second nature.
Identify The Pitch Quickly or Else????
A ninety-mile-per-hour fastball travels from the pitcher’s hand to the plate in a little more than four-tenths of a second (a slow blink of the eye). In that fraction of time, a hitter must quickly focus both eyes on the ball, determine the type of pitch, calculate the speed of the ball, and determine if it is a ball or a strike. With the remaining time, the batter must decide to swing or “take” (watch) the pitch and then act on that decision.
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October 25, 2011
For my first official blog, I want to discuss a long regarded truth in baseball…The fact that running through first base is faster than diving head first into the bag. This topic tends to stir up emotion from “old school” baseball traditionalists, as well as, “modern” players and fans, alike. I challenge you to wipe your mind clean of any preconceived ideas, one way or another, and lets apply some good ole fashioned logic to help us determine which way is truly the fastest way to get to first base.
First, let’s get a few things straight. One, I’m not debating which method of arrival is the safest. Obviously running through the bag is safer. Secondly, there are certain instances where diving into first is necessary such as to avoid the tag of the first baseman receiving an errant throw. With these facts in place…Let’s dive deeper into the issue at hand and find out, once and for all, if sliding head first into first base is the fastest route.
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