BaseballSmith

Get Your Mass Into The Swing

2011-09-21T05:50:00.000-07:00

F=MA

For those of you that remember your middle school science class this formula will ring a bell. For the rest of us here is a quick refresher...

Force Equals Mass Times Acceleration.

In baseball we interchange the term "force" with "power".

If a player wants to hit with more power he either has to increase the "mass" value (without negatively affecting his bat speed..."acceleration") or increase the "acceleration" value (without negatively affecting his ability to hit the ball on the "sweet spot") of his swing.

Check out this video for clarification....

Parents frequently ask me what is the right bat for their player. We can use the formula F=MA to choose a bat.

Or you can always go with the kids' (and manufacturers') method of choosing a bat...Base your decision on the coolest graphics or newest color combinations.

Here is how it works...

If you have a player that is very good at centering the ball on the sweet spot then I would recommend a bat that has a smaller barrel to maximize bat speed.

A good small barrel bat will have much of the weight distributed closer towards the barrel to place the "mass"near the sweet spot. These bats may have a greater weight differential -12 but may feel as heavy as a -10 or -8 because they are top end loaded.

On the other hand if your player would benefit from a slightly larger hitting surface (to maximize "Mass") then I would recommend forfeiting bat speed in order to make better contact. In this case you should opt for a big barrel bat and work on swing mechanics and overall strength to add power (through increasing "acceleration") to their swing.

Over the past ten years or so the big barrel bat has been great for hitters. Because it has offered the best of both worlds...a huge hitting surface with an extremely light weight.

However, recently the dangers associated with a light weight, big barrel bat has prompted leagues and manufacturers to rethink the standards for big barrel bats.

BBCOR is a new designation relating to the exit speed of the ball off of the bat. It stands for Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution...Will stick with BBCOR for now.

When it comes to buying a bat, parents tend to get the biggest bat they can for their kid and hope they grow into it. When bats are north of $200, I understand why parents try to get several years out of a bat.

Certainly, if your kid needs the big barrel bat then I would recommend it for them. However, if you have a kid that is pretty good at making solid contact you may want to consider some of the newer "small barrel" (2 1/4 inch barrel) bats.

Not only will the kid generate more bat speed ("acceleration"), his barrel accuracy will continue to improve.

Many high school leagues use wood bats in the summer. Wood bats require hitters to be very accurate with the barrel to hit the ball on the sweet spot. Wood bats are much less forgiving than the metal bats. Swinging a small barrel bat will make the transition to wood easier for players.

Hopefully, these pointers will give you some confidence the next time you are in the market for a new youth baseball bat.

Please comment with any questions or remarks you have about choosing the right bat for you.

Thanks!

Brandon

You Can Thank Me Later : )

2011-09-08T03:37:00.000-07:00

Nothing earth shattering in today’s post...Just solid coaching for catchers.

I realize that writing to such a small niche in the baseball community about an obscure detail severely limits my audience.

Just remember, I’m doing this for your own good. One day you may be delegated to coaching catchers or have a kid that wants to learn how to catch then this post will come in very handy.

You can thank me later : )

Check out this short video demonstrating the Key Reference Points to the Signal Stance.

Reference Points

Balls of the feet
Feet narrow
Knees in
Sign back towards groin
Glove to the side of shin
Chest and upper torso tall

Next time you are at a game notice the little things that good catchers do to separate themselves from other catchers. You will probably find that they are “clean” when it comes to giving the pitcher signs in a well executed signal stance.

Your comments are always welcome.

Thanks!

Brandon

BBCOR Bats Impact Catchers

2011-09-07T04:38:00.000-07:00

The new BBCOR bats will change the way the game of baseball is played at the amateur levels.

No longer will players be able to hit home runs off the end of the bat or drive balls into the gaps off their handle.

Two obvious changes will occur over the next several years at the amateur levels of baseball. First, pitchers will begin pitching inside much more often. And secondly, teams will play for a single run rather than playing for a big inning (3 or more runs).

In doing so, more teams will utilize the bunt.

In this post/video I want to focus on 3 Keys to fielding bunts from behind the plate.

3 Keys to fielding bunts...

Field the ball on the left side of the ball (except on a “perfect bunt”).
Pick the ball up in the middle of the body using 2 hands if it’s rolling and the bare hand if it is stationary.
Create a throwing lane to 1B (with a drop step) when fielding a bunt close to the 1B line.

If a catcher is able to achieve these three key reference points they will field bunts more successfully.

Please feel free to add your thoughts and opinions about the changes we will see with the advent of the BBCOR bats.

Thanks!

Brandon

Here's Why...

2011-09-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

I love baseball.

Check out this short video of David and I at the Braves game. And don't forget to comment on a memorable time you had at the ball park.

We left Acworth around 2pm to get to Turner Field in time for batting practice. It usually takes us an hour to get to the stadium.

Except this Saturday, the GA vs. Boise State football game was at the Dome. We left in plenty of time to fight through traffic.

Believe it or not...no traffic!

That gave us more than enough time to get something to eat and enter a Publix drawing for a cooler (didn’t win. But got two sweet seat cushions).

We also checked out some vendors and the monuments of Aaron, Spahn and Niekro.

What David was most interested in was getting into the stadium to watch BP.

Once the gates opened, we headed straight for the seats in right center field.

No luck on getting a HR ball while the Braves were hitting.

But everything changed when the Dodgers took BP. Dana Eveland, a pitcher for the Dodgers, flipped David a baseball.

This made David’s day!

You realize (when you have a place of influence in someone else's life) that sometimes the smallest, insignificant events in your day can make a profound impact on the life of another.

Once batting practice ended, we went down to check out where our seats were.

Lower level, row 13...Are you kidding? These seats were way better than where I used watch games from when I played---the bullpen!

BP ended around 6:20pm. We still had about an hour before game time. This gave us a chance to check out Sky Field and the amazing views of the stadium and the Atlanta sky line from atop Turner Field.

David’s next quest was to get his newly acquired baseball signed.

As soon as he saw the Braves players warming up, we hustled down form Sky Field to try to get an autograph.

I don’t know who the Braves player was that signed the ball...but again the fact that he took the time to sign just a couple more autographs made David’s day.

The game was tied 1-1 until the Dodgers ended up winning in the 10th 2-1.

During the game we got to see Prado (David’s favorite player), Freeman (my wife’s favorite player), Uggla (hit a bomb) and Matt Diaz.

I know Matt Diaz is not a high profile super-star. But what I really appreciated about him was his effort. Diaz came in to pinch hit, singled up the middle and ran harder than anyone on the field that night.

Venters and Kimbrel got big strikeouts to end the 8th and 9th (fireworks included).

The Dodgers went on to win in the 10th on a sac fly to center scoring Dee Gordon.

It was 5 minutes after midnight Sunday morning when we pulled back into the driveway.

All in all, about 10 hours hanging out with my 11 year old son at the stadium, watching baseball, living the dream....That’s why I love this game!

Please, comment about a memorable experience around baseball.

A special thanks goes out to Philip Alequin with Turner Broadcasting for the great tickets! Also, thanks again to Dana Eveland and the Braves player that signed David’s baseball.

Is it Cheating or Trying?

2011-09-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

Coaches and athletes are always trying to get an edge on the competition.

That "edge" is what drives us to work harder and smarter than the next guy. However, there are rules that govern our actions.

With the recent steroid era (hopefully) coming to an end, we saw how the line of competition had gotten blurred, then moved and then totally disregarded. All in an attempt to gain an edge on the competition.

The video below shows a pick off move to first base that is called the "balk move".

Coaches teach this move to players because they are trying to gain an edge on the competition.

Base runners usually key on the pitcher's heels. If they see the front heel move they break for second...If they see the back heel move they get back to first.

Please comment with your thoughts on this move and the idea of pushing the edge of the envelope of fair competition.

Thanks!

.2 of a Second Changes Everything (for catchers anyway)

2011-08-31T08:28:00.000-07:00

Consider how long .2 of a second is...

For a high school catcher, .2 of a second is the difference between being an average high school player to being a top collegiate or professional prospect.

When a catcher throws down to second base scouts measure his "pop-time".

The stop watch begins when the pitch hits the catcher's mitt and stops when the short stop catches the ball at second base.

An average time for a high school player is around 2.05-2.15

Shaving off .2 of a second will make a huge difference in a catcher's opportunities to play at the next level.

Here is a great technique to improve a catcher's efficiency when throwing to 2B.

Right Foot (jab step, gain ground)
Left Foot (in line to second and behind the plate)
High Exchange (take the ball out of the mitt higher than where it was caught)

Check out this 60 second video to see it in action ( I apologize for the wind noise).

It's kind of crazy to think about the minuscule differences between greatness and mediocrity.

Work on these three, simple steps to become a great catcher!

OUCH!...Gouging at the Ball Park

2011-08-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

It is never my intent to be negative in my blog posts. Unfortunately, this one may come across as such.

I highlight the following scenarios not to complain, rather to find a solution to the exorbitant costs of Travel baseball.

Here are just a few items that need to be changed in the way baseball is organized and run in my community.

Let’s start with tryout fees...$25-$100 per player. Of course, there are some organizations that do not have a tryout fee. Kudos to them!

However, it is comical how the park I coach out of calls their tryouts a “clinic”.

They know it is not a clinic. It is a fundraiser.

Call it what it is and at least let the parents get a tax right off for contributing to a “non-profit” (it’s hard to type that without laughing) entity.

Other parks charge $ fees $ for their tryouts as well. The real kicker here is that most travel teams are only looking for 3-5 players/team. But of course they need to look at 40-50 players at $50/ea. to find their 3-5 players (and not to mention an additional $2,500 to go into the team budget).

I hear of families taking their kid from one tryout to the next thinking they have a chance to make a team. When in reality the coaches already know what position players they are looking for but they will gladly take everyones tryout fee.

Second Item: Gate Fees...At a tournament this year tournament organizers charged $7.00 for kids over 3 years old.

Are you kidding?

The tournament was for 11u teams. You can go to a top tier college game for less than $7.00.

After tryout fees and gate fees there are th tournament fees for competitive baseball...These team fees start at about $400 and go up from there (for a 3 game minimum tournament).

I get it. It takes money for fields, umpires, first aid staff (tournaments should be required to have a professional trainer or EMT on site at all times) and insurance.

Let’s do the math...$400/ team with a $150 gate fee (rather than charging every person $7.00 that comes to the games) times 20 teams. Your total is $11,000 for the weekend.

My question is this:

Is this the best we can do? Eleven grand for a weekend of games in which most teams will play 4 games.

Think about how much per at bat it costs a kid...

The team plays 4 games, 3 AB/ game and there are 12 kids on the team.

The team cost for the tournament was $550. If you divide that number by 12 families you come up with $45.83 for the 4 games.

On average at Bats costs just under $4.00 and go up to about $6.50 EACH!

No wonder their is so much stress on every pitch and every play.

These numbers make Disney Land look like a good deal.

Two other questions:

How did we get to where playing baseball at a competitive level got to be this expensive?

AND MORE IMPORTANTLY...

How can we fix these situations of gouging at the ball park?

Please comment with ideas and discussion points.

Thank you!

Brandon

26.2 Miles of Baseball

2011-08-25T19:08:00.000-07:00

Great day today! Meeting with Jim Weldon from ClubhouseGas and Will Cowan from Kennesaw State University was very productive.

Be on the look out for new videos and written content for coaches, parents and players. We will unveil new practice drills and practice planners.

One lesson, I was reminded of today, is how every significant accomplishment in life is a journey.

My dreams of playing in the Big Leagues are a distant memory.

Unless of course, there is a team that wants to sign a solid .215 hitting catcher that doesn’t throw quite as well as he did 15 years ago, to a one year deal...then I’m your guy!

But when making it to the Major Leagues was a goal of mine, it required a “marathon mentality”.

Perseverance, dedication and commitment are qualities that I learned from my time in the Minor Leagues. Even though, I fell short of making it to the Bigs, I still draw on these traits everyday.

Especially after an exciting day like today.

We came up with grand plans and lofty goals. However, I know that it will be more like a marathon than a sprint to accomplish all that we set out before us.

BASEBALL LESSON...

Parents and coaches that look at situations with the journey in mind have a much more positive (and meaningful) impact on their kids’ lives.

I have seen too many father son relationships ruined for a lifetime because the dad/coach took a myopic approach to a situation.

The destruction that a dad can inflict in a 30 second tirade could indelibly mark his son’s memory for the rest of his life.

Now Trust me...I’ve messed this one up as bad as any dad could have.

Over time and a lot of positive reinforcement you can make amends and build your son back up. However, avoiding the tirade altogether is the best approach.

I find that when I look at baseball or life as a sprint their is more pressure and more mistakes made.

Remember baseball like life is a game of failure, adjustments and perseverance.

Make it your goal to get the most out of your short time in baseball. Realize the enjoyment of seeing new places, meeting new friends and competing against great teams.

For the most part, kids makes mistakes at the same rate as other kids, but when your outlook is journey minded or the marathon mentality you can ride out the slumps a little better. And more importantly you can appreciate and enjoy the highs associated with baseball.

I know in this ridiculously fast paced world we live in it is counter-culture to discuss “the journey” but I believe it to be the best approach.

Not only is it a great way to view baseball, it is a great way to live life.

Anybody want to run a marathon with me?

"Reset"

2011-08-24T10:13:00.000-07:00

For those of you that are familiar with the Atari 2600...You know the importance of the red "Reset Button" on the game console.

Whenever a game of Astroids or Pac-Man was not going well for me (meaning: I was loosing), I simply hit the reset button.

Of course, this would lead to Wrestle Mania in the family room between my brothers and me. Nonetheless, it was a great way to start the game over.

Today is my "Reset Button" day for the BaseballSmith blog.

From now on, my goal is to share (hopefully) insightful, valuable information to my readers on a more consistent basis.

We should have plenty to share over the next several months...

Annie begins her fall softball season. I have volunteered to help out. Should be FUN!

David is taking the fall season off to get his elbow healthy. I'll let you know how that goes.

Quick Aside (since it has been a while since my last post):

I am no longer the head coach of David's baseball team. He has changed teams. And I will be an assistant coach this season.

IMO, the assistant coach is the best gig in youth baseball. You get to coach the kids without dealing with all the "headaches" of being a head coach. Maybe that is where the term head coach comes from. : )

I am excited about spending the upcoming fall with my family and the teams we are a part of regardless of our role. And I look forward to Resetting the BaseballSmith blog.

Brandon

New Season Is Underway

2010-09-06T17:14:00.000-07:00

Why have bread when you can have a salmon

I have no idea what that means...

We played our first scrimmage went well Sunday afternoon.

If you are wondering why the long delay between posts I will fill you in when I have more time...

Threes

2010-03-26T06:50:00.000-07:00

The team played a great game last night. We had superb pitching performances, solid defense and consistent hitting.

It could have been the "milk-man" uniform we wore last night. The white jersey with white pants that have blue piping down the side. Even though it looks similar to a milk-man or a county jail inmate's garb, I think it looks cool and so do the boys.

Whether you are the head coach, assistant coach or a parent in the stands we all deal with "coaching up" our own kid. As parents we all face similar issues in this area.

Coaching/teaching your kid is full of ups and downs. Some may argue more downs that ups.

Parents just want what is best for our kids.

We want them to do well because they can.
We want them to do well because we know they will enjoy it so much more.
We want them to succeed because we don't want them to endure the pain of failure.

However, coaching /teaching our kids is often received by them as criticism. Our kids get defensive and hurt (at times) when we correct them. I believe that deep down our kids really just want to please us (and play ball).

Last weekend in one of the games I yelled out "Let's go threes" from the third base coaches box.

Weird.

Really weird.

My number in high school was 33 (which happens to be my sons number). When I heard myself say that, it brought back memories of my coach and parents saying that exact phrase.

Has time flown by so fast that I now have my own "threes" that I'm coaching up?

Coach Coen, my high school coach, was the first to call me "threes". Looking back, I can appreciate what a great coach he was. He always expected us to play our best. But he never was degrading or rude in his coaching style. Of course he got angry and intense at times but that is different than just being plain mean.

Coach Coen will never know the impact the life lessons, he taught me over 20 years ago, has had in my life. Or the fact that I use the same lessons he taught me when I coach my players.

I am a big believer in positive affirmation. You will have whatever you say. Telling kids they are great, that they are improving, that you are glad they are on your team really builds kids up. Certainly there are teaching moments that you have to correct kids. Having laid the foundation of positive words in their life helps those times of correction.

Without positive affirmation, coaching points are received as a never ending list of items the kid is struggling with.

Last weekend, from the third base coaches box, I was reminded just how important it is to tell my kids that I am proud of them. And yes, even that I love them.

Telling the Greatest Story Ever Told Through the Greatest Game Ever Played...

There is no better example than this one....It is God himself speaking:

2 Peter 1:17
And he received honor and glory from God the Father when God's glorious, majestic voice called down from heaven, "This is my beloved Son; I am fully pleased with him."

Don't you think Jesus already knew he was pretty good? If anyone could have gone without positive affirmation from his father it was Jesus Christ.

Regardless, of whether or not you believe in Him as the savior of the world, you at least have to give Him credit for being a prominent historical figure. After all, He has two major holidays honoring him. And rather than just having a photo calendar of Himself , the entire way we mark history is relative to when he was born.

Bottom line: His dad spoke words of affirmation into His life in front of other people.

Try it with your own kids. It's kind of weird at first but after a while you will get used to it.

Grown-up Lessons: Part 1

2010-03-22T07:59:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in my last post how proud of the boys I was this weekend.

Friday evening the boys were fired up! The game started at 8:50pm. Some of the excitement and enthusiasm was because they were up past their bedtime playing baseball under the lights. It could have been due to the fact that they caught the vision of them winning the tournament. Whatever it was the boys were ready to go!

At the coaches meeting I won the coin toss and elected to be the home team. Everything was going our way, right up to the point where the other team posted a four spot on us in the top of the first inning. I started to think that maybe electing to be the home team wasn't such a good idea after all.

The boys battled back in the bottom of the first to get 3 runs back. It was a back and forth battle all game long. I guess the other team was excited about being up past their bedtime also.

Eventually, in the bottom of the 5th inning we went up by 4 runs. We had a runner on third base and our clean up hitter at the plate. There was about 2 minutes left in the game. When the coach on the other team came out of the dugout and motioned "ball game".

The home plate umpire was livid! He was the one to call when the game was over. And according to his watch time was not up and the boys should continue to play.

The opposing coach said "fine" and slowly walked to the mound for an extended visit with his pitcher. He essentially ran the clock out so that his team would not (potentially) give up any more runs.

Now to some of you this "time limit" stuff and "run differential" is foreign to your baseball experience. Basically, in tournaments you are seeded in the elimination round based on your win loss record and run differential during pool play.

What the coach was doing made sense based on tournament strategy. He was conceding victory and trying to prevent more damage to his run differential. I understand, from a strategy point of view, what he was doing. But at the end of the day he simply quit.

It was not a foregone conclusion that my clean up batter was going to hit a "bomb" or for that matter that the runner on third was going to score. But we will never know for sure because the boys were not able to compete to the end of the game.

There was a stark contrast between what my 10 year old boys did that evening compared to the actions of the opposing coach.

I absolutely love the fact that my boys did not quit. Even when they fell behind in the first inning they kept battling all night long.

Finishing is a lesson that I want my team to take from this season. Never give up and finish what you start.

Will it always be easy? Of course not. But you are still expected to finish what you start. I am so proud of the boys because in both of our games Friday night and Saturday afternoon the boys finished strong!

This is one of my favorite sports examples of finishing. It takes about 3:19 seconds but watch what he walks past at about 3:08.

After watching this video, you may be surprised that I also talked to the boys this weekend that "there is no crying in baseball."

Seriously, it's o.k. if you shed a tear over this video...

Telling the Greatest Story Ever Told Through The Greatest Game Ever Played....

This idea of perseverance is found all throughout the Bible.

Hebrews 10:36

"Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised."

We are expected to precede with "patient endurance" all the way to the end!

Finish Strong!

Community Costs

2010-03-20T18:55:00.000-07:00

Our boys have played their two best games of the season this weekend!! I could not be prouder of them. Not because we are winning or because of "clutch plays" but because of the way that they have come together as a team.

There have been many grown-up "achievements" that these 10 year old boys have demonstrated this weekend. And I will fill you in more Monday when I can sit down and decompress from the weekend.

Just to give you an idea of how much time, effort and energy goes into one of these tournaments here is our schedule. We played Friday night at 8:50pm, today at 2:30pm and then we start tomorrow at 9:00am.

The tournament is an hour and 30 minutes from the house and we are there at least 1 hour before game time. It will take four games to win the championship tomorrow.

Every now and then I hear people talk about the expenses related to youth baseball. And they are absolutely founded in the fact that travel ball is expensive. So much so, that when I lost the team bag for a couple of days, I realized that there was over $1,000 in 3 bats and catchers gear.

Fortunately, the bag was taken by mistake and later returned.

The funny thing is that most of my kids have more money in their equipment bag than I had in my '77 Celica GT that I bought when I was in the minor leagues for $375. One window didn't roll up and the other window didn't roll down. But it didn't really matter because only the driver's door opened. However, it did have a racing inspired wooden steering wheel and it cranked every day! Looking back I kind of miss that car.

What's the Return on Investment?

Something has been lost in our email, voice mail, texting, blogging world (blogging's not so bad). But this afternoon after the game we cooked out as a team. Nothing fancy just good ole southern tailgating. The boys played and the parents talked and we all ate.

We experienced "community" firsthand today. I would suggest that one's level of influence or affluence does not determine your wealth but it is the depth of community you are able to share with others that defines your life's value.

I certainly don't consider it time or money spent rather invested. And in today's world is there a better investment than kids, families and baseball?

Investing so much time, effort and money to participate in travel baseball gives us an excuse to share life with other people. Baseball gives us a reason to sit together (for two hours at a time), talk to one another, rally together, help each other through common struggles and celebrate "wins" with each other.

Is it always perfect? Of course not! We are humans. But it is always worth it.

And today Life is Good!

The Greatest Story Ever Told Through the Greatest Game Ever Played

Life is Good when circumstances are good. But I also believe that God is always good! As we move into the Resurrection Sunday time of the year, I can't help but realize a little better why God would send his only Son to die for my sins.

Even if you have never been to a church in your life, you probably have seen John 3:16. You may have seen it posted on a highway sign or at least the guy in the end zone holding up the yellow poster board. But a key scripture that you may have missed (due to religion) is John 3:17.

Jesus did not come to condemn the world he came to save the world.

The reason He paid such a high price (investment) is that He wants to have "community" with me and with you.

It costs my family a lot for "community" and travel baseball. But I would spend every dime again if I had it to do over.

God Spent infinitely more than I could ever imagine to have community with me and with you. And the fact that I know he would do it all over again allows me to say that God is good all the time (regardless of circumstances)!! And that life is good because God is good.

If you don't have a church to go to this Resurrection Season, then I invite you to my church, Journey Church.

Winning the Inning

2010-03-19T06:21:00.000-07:00

It is another beautiful Friday (last day of winter!!), with great expectations for this weekend's tournament.

As my wife and I were talking this morning, she asked about the championship teams I played on in the past and what it was that made them successful.

I know it reminds me of Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days" also but please indulge me for a moment.

I notice two models in MLB. The New York Yankees way...buy the best talent. Which certainly works. The Yankees have won 27 World Series compared to the next most successful team in Majors the St. Louis Cardinals with 10 championships.

Another way of winning championships is the Braves model used in the 1990's of developing talent from within their organization's minor league system.

Although acquiring the talent to win championships may differ...buying vs. developing. I believe there is a common thread that runs through both ways of building championship caliber teams.

In 1991 and '92 I was fortunate enough to play on two championship teams with the Scottsdale A's of the Arizona Rookie League. It's funny how a group of young men worked so hard for a ring. I still have one of the rings (I lost the other). The prize was not the important part (although, I wish I could find that other ring), rather the achievement of winning was most memorable and gratifying.

Based on those two seasons, my perspective on winning championships is different than the Yankees model in acquiring talent. Our team only had one "bonus baby". A bonus baby is a kid that gets a huge signing bonus based on his potential. Sometimes they pan out and make it to the Bigs. Most of the time they are a headache to be around. But the do drive pretty sweet cars for 18 year olds.

Our team was made up mostly of guys that were either late round high school picks, 4th year college seniors or free agents from Latin America and did not get big signing bonuses. Basically, we were not in high demand by other clubs.

One game when I was catching, I remember looking out at the fielders and realized that the first baseman, Rob O'Leary and I were the only English speaking players on the field. And O'Leary had his own language of conjugating the same cuss word for nearly every situation. Communciation or backgrounds certainly was not the key to our teams' success.

Side Journey...
In retrospect, the Latin players received very little compensation to play in the minor leagues. But they were much easier to get along with than the "bonus babies". I think it had to do with their "attitude of gratitude" (sounds like the title to a future post).

So Then What Makes a Championship Team?

Without the best players in the league, How then did we win back to back championships?

"Winning the inning"

A motto that both Dickey Scott and Bruce Hines used in their managerial tactics. Basically, no matter what happened, the goal was to win each inning.

I believe this motto was the main ingredient to our success. Even when we gave up a big inning, say 4 or more runs and we were trailing in the game, we would come back and try to win the next inning.

It was evident that when other teams fell behind, they would give up on the entire game because the task of winning the game seemed insurmountable. However, with us all we had to do was win the next inning.

By winning the inning we never gave up. There was always a chance to still achieve "wins" throughout the game (that we may ultimately loose). And with that mentality we ended up winning more often than not. There was a culture of winning surrounding our team. Every little success was a "win".

Baseball is full of failures. Therefore, it is important to develop a culture of winning whenever and wherever you can.

I love baseball because of innings. Every inning is a brand new start. It requires us to put last inning behind us no matter how great or badly we played. Each new inning requires us to press on towards the goal of achievement by making one play at a time.

As it is with youth baseball, it is very easy to ride the emotional roller coaster of good plays and bad plays. "Winning the inning" is a rudder that can stabilize a team and build an environment of winning amidst the failures of baseball.

When individuals and teams buy into the "winning the inning" mentality it has been my experience ("Glory Days") that teams succeed.

One of the most quoted baseball quotes of all times ties in well with this idea...

"It ain't over 'til it's over"

(Yogi Berra)

***By the way Berra played in 14 World Series; 10 "rings"--the most by any player in MLB history!***

Acquiring championship caliber talent may differ but the heart of a champion is found in winning the inning!

Telling the Greatest Story Ever Told Through the Greatest Game Ever Played!
I believe God has the corner on this idea...Every day is a new day and opportunity to be great!

Check out what Lamentations 3:22,23 says:
Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Read more at Blue Letter Bible...

Run Rule Etiquette

2010-03-16T06:59:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday the Yankees traveled to Gainesville to play the Cherokee Reds and the Gainesville Braves in a round robin. The team is really coming together well. Seeing the boys improve their weakenesses and build on their strengths is gratifying as a coach. We went 2-0 this Sunday. But even in a solid day of baseball, I learned a HUGE lesson in coaching.

Both of the coaches of the other teams are super guys. In fact, one of the coaches and I have been friends since the 5th grade. We grew up playing baseball together. My son played on his team a few years ago. Our families get along very well.

As I have stated in other blogs, I am laid back. Simply stated my buddy is not at all laid back. In fact, he is so high energy that he makes a cup of coffee nervous. However, we are both extremely competitive in nature. We just express our intensity differently.

So you get the picture... my players are clicking on all cylinders, I am playing one of my best friends, we are both competitive. Now for the conflict...

The Yankees were winning 12-1 and we were the home team. Rather than stopping the game in the bottom of the 4th inning due to the run rule, we decided to play the bottom half of the inning. The umpires were on our dime so they agreed to let the boys keep playing.

We scored 4 in the bottom of the last inning. But the way we scored the runs almost cost us our friendship.

As the third base coach (with a large lead) I stopped giving the boys the steal sign. However, my boys kept running. I really wasn't prepared to tell them not to run when we are up by a lot of runs I just stopped telling them to run.

In my defense: we had never been in that situation before. Secondly, our team has really worked hard lately on being aggressive on the bases. And thirdly, this is the same Yankees team that gave up 20 runs in an inning. You could make the case that no lead is safe with us.

The double steal in the bottom of the last inning is what sent my buddy over the edge. How do I know this you ask. Well after the game when we were shaking hands my good friend lit into me about sportsmanship and running the score up on him. He made a great case for his argument. I don't know how he got out so many words so fast. It was an awesome display of communication! I think I would have passed out if I said that many words without taking a breath.

Needless to say, he did not invite us to go to the Mexican restaraunt after the game with his family. However, the next day I called my friend and we discussed the situation and I am happy to report we are still friends.

How you handle big leads is a tricky deal in coaching youth baseball. You certainly don't want to demoralize the other team and practice poor sportsmanship. But on the other hand it is hard to coach hustle and intensity to your boys and then ask your players to turn it down when they are experiencing success with it.

What would have been even worse... is for a coach to take the foot off the accelerator and then for the other team to come back and win. How do you explain that to your team at the end of the game?

I know there is an unwritten code of conduct in baseball when it comes to managing large leads. Certain situations have their own "safe lead" threshold. I certainly could have done a better job with it based on the situation Sunday. I am now clearly aware of how to manage those situations.

Bottom line: the teams got to play two games Sunday; And the coach and I are still great friends!

"PICKLE"

2010-03-11T09:46:00.000-08:00

At last night's practice we were working on run downs when one of my ten year old players ask if I had ever heard of the game "pickle".

"Of course I have heard of pickle" I told him. "I have only been playing baseball for 30 something years."

I remember playing pickle for hours on end at my grandparents house in Indiana with my brothers and cousins. This obviously predated the Wii or the x-box but it was a blast playing anyway.

If you have ever seen the movie the Sandlot... there is a great scene when the Jet gets in a run down and the catcher yells with excitement all over his face "PICKLE!!" That's what happened last night at practice.

The atmosphere of Practice quickly changed from a learning/teaching environment of working on run downs to an impromptu party game.

Watching the boys work together in a game that was all their own taught me how much enthusiasm they could have for baseball. As a coach or parent, if I make practices so intense that there are not times to break free and let the ten year old's act their age, then I have done the boys and the game of baseball a disservice.

Each year when I talk to coaches I often hear them tell me their goals for the season...

Teach the fundamentals of the game...
Have fun...
Be a positive role model...

It is the second one that I want to hone in on... "have fun"

My mental response is:

"Have fun??? The game is already fun. It is up to you to keep the game fun for the kids."

The filter between my brain and mouth never allows me audibly say what I think.

Of course there needs to be constructive, orderly parts to practice but you also need to allow for the improptu "pickle" game in your practices (and in life in general).

Last night reminded me just how fun baseball really is!

Tournament Wrap-up

2010-03-10T07:11:00.000-08:00

The tournament ended in a great semi-final game against the EC Outlaws. We went into extra innings and both teams played exceptionally well. We lost by one run which eliminated us from the tournament.

As I look back on the final game, I realize how important "team" really is in baseball. No one ever single handedly wins or looses a game. There are plays that stand out as being extraordinarily good and bad. But it is never one person that wins or looses a game.

There are countless plays, decisions and calls that impact the game in one way or another.

For instance, when I sent a runner home with no outs in the first inning and he got thrown out that was a bad decision on my part that greatly impacted the game. Because it was not the final out or the winning run, some people may not even remember it. Not only did I commit a "cardinal sin" in baseball by making the first or third out at the plate but that play caused the kid who got thrown out to loose his composure and confidence for a couple innings.

If you have been around team sports for any length of time you may have heard the speech..."The name on the front of the jersey is more important than the name on the back of the jersey".

With the parents and players all gathered around, I attempted my best rendition of the speech. I sincerely believe in the team concept. So much so that "commitment" is a cornerstone on which we are building this team. I want players and parents to know that I am committed to them regardless of circumstances. Remember, circumstances are always subject to change. "Team" and "commitment" are great life lessons for all of us to study.

My wife pointed out that even at 10 years old you have to re-train kids to buy into the team concept. Sometimes coaches preach "team" but in post game speeches they berate individual players for poor performances.

Learning from mistakes is something you have to do. However, in order to grow as a team, your players, coaches and parents must buy into "the one for all and all for one" mindset.

We have a great group of parents, players and coaches that are committed not only to the well being of their kid but to the overall well being of the TEAM. As this commitment to one another grows, it will only strengthen our team.

I am excited to see what our boys can accomplish when they are clicking on all cylinders as a team!!

Three Games in One Day; Gotta Love 10u Baseball

2010-03-06T18:37:00.000-08:00

What a day!!

The boys played well in the first two games today. But they played their best game of the season in the third game!

Our third game was an elimination game which if we won would allow us to advance to Sunday's play. This was our first time to make it to Sunday.

Great pitching, amazing defense and timely hitting were all keys to the win. The competition in 10u baseball has been very impressive this season. It is encouraging to see the skill level that these kids are able to achieve.

One area that was quite a bit behind the skills development of the 10 year old's was the umpiring. Most people would describe me as being laid back in my approach to coaching (and life in general). Rather than arguing calls, I like to overcome bad calls.

Ever since I got married 14 years ago, I have kind of adopted a non-confrontational approach to "stuff". Umpires are human and they make mistakes. So my usual approach is to let a bad call go and battle through the adversity.

But this afternoon was different for some reason. I lost it. For the first time in my baseball life, I got ejected from the game.

When umpires punish the kids by "tightening the strike zone" just because a coach asks for an explanation to a call then you know you have ill-qualified, arrogant umpiring.

On the drive back from the park (1hr 15min.) I had plenty of time to ponder my actions. A couple questions that I had to answer...Am I becoming a "cry baby" coach?... Have I put my interests in front of my teams?...Even if they were (a series of) bad calls, did I damage my influence as a mentor by arguing with the umpire?

I came to the conclusion that it is o.k. to get fired up at injustice. Now the word "injustice" is probably too strong for a 10u baseball game. But the idea that someone mistreating my boys really got me riled up. And I don't think that is wrong at all.

But the bigger question, from tody, is why don't I get as fired for real life injustice that is much more important than a 10u ball game? Investment. I have more invested in my kids on the ball field than I do in other "real life" situations.

Today taught me that it is ok to be angry at injustice. However, the biggest realization is that there are injustices everyday in other people's lives that I need to be more aware of and more invested in.

My investment in others lives (situations) is the only way that I will get passionate about standing up and defending people that need defending the most.

A scripture keeps coming to mind...Jam 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Here is a second thing I will have to battle through tomorrow...1 Corinthians 13 describes love as:... "It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."

Quite honestly, the "keeping no records of wrong" will be a bit of a challenge tomorrow. But I think I can do it.

Go YANKEES!!

Friday: Quote Day

2010-03-05T06:10:00.000-08:00

Today is FRIDAY!!!

The beautiful, baseball filled weekend is almost here. My hope is to get your day (and weekend) off to a great start by sharing some quotes from two of baseball's most colorful characters.

Baseball is full of poignant, effective and just plain funny quotes.

It is only fitting that we start with arguably one of the most quoted baseball figures of all time, Yogi Berra.

"I never blame myself when I'm not hitting. I just blame the bat and if it keeps up, I change bats. After all, if I know it isn't my fault that I'm not hitting, how can I get mad at myself?"

"I think Little League is wonderful. It keeps the kids out of the house."

"You can observe a lot just by watching."

"Take it with a grin of salt."

"I'm a lucky guy and I'm happy to be with the Yankees. And I want to thank everyone for making this night necessary."

Babe Ruth is another one of my favorites...

"I won't be happy until we have every boy in America between the ages of six and sixteen wearing a glove and swinging a bat."

"The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime."

For these and many more quotes check out baseball-almanac

Have a Great Weekend & Play Ball!

Outlook- -Not MS Outlook

2010-03-04T05:26:00.000-08:00

"Your outlook is determined by who you are looking out for".--Bill Winston

When I heard that, I immediately thought of baseball (of course).

Baseball is a team sport that is made up of individual accomplishments. The batter facing the pitcher is a one on one battle until the ball is hit. A shortstop fielding a ground ball is on his own when fielding the hard grounder. But it takes the team dynamic of throwing to the first baseman to record the out.

Baseball blends the talents and abilities of individuals into the team concept like no other sport. Relying so heavily on the individual players is why it is easy for players to sometimes loose focus on the team and merely concentrate on the individual.

Numbers and statistics are a nostalgic part of the game. They are a way in which we can compare players from generations past to current superstars. Individual accomplishments are a huge part of the game. However, numbers can become an obstacle to our "outlook" or perception when they become to inwardly focused.

Quick side journey...
The numbers were never very kind to me as a player. In fact, one season my goal going into spring training was to hit my weight. The season before I had caught a lot of grief from my teamates because my batting average (.183) was less than my weight (225 lbs.) a lot less. Knowing that I struggled offensively, my approach was to report to spring training at 205 lbs. I thought I might have a chance if I met in the middle.

BTW-That season I did end up with a higher batting average than my weight but it was due to an injury that limited my number of at bats.

Being a dad/coach my outlook is somewhat divided. On one hand, I have to look out for the well being and development of my kid. After all, that is why I do this. On the other hand, I have to look out for the over all well being of an entire team. Blending these two perspectives is where the challenge arises not just for coaches but for parents as well.

My goal as a coach this season is to learn how to balance the role of coach within the context of dad. We all want our kids to be great at whatever it is they do. At the same time, I think it is vitally important to use baseball to teach the importance of the "team". I firmly believe that the only way to win a championship is to win it as a team. You have to learn to look out for your teammates in good times and in bad.

Looking out for the well being of others before yourself is a valuable life lesson that baseball teaches.

Telling the Greatest Story Ever Told Through the Greatest Game Ever Played

BTW- The Bible teaches this life lesson also...If you study the Bible then you have to check this passage out Philippians 2:1-11. It is exactly what I want to teach my kids about "outlook".

Remember "your outlook is determined by who you are looking out for".

Have a Great Day!

Pitch Count???

2010-03-03T10:51:00.000-08:00

Baseball tournaments have been going on for the past several weeks here in the Atlanta area. And it is always about this time when coaches and parents are concerned about "pitch counts".

There are two reasons why it is important to consider the number of pitches thrown in a game by your players (especially early in the season).

Pitcher's arms or mechanics are not in mid-season form (yet)
Competition sometimes clouds a player's and coach's judgment

Early in the season, before the pitcher has many innings on his arm, it is going to feel better than it actually is. Simply asking how the arm feels is not the best way to determine if the pitcher should continue to throw or not.

Early in the year, I like to limit a pitcher to approximately 25 pitches a day. If they need to throw on consecutive days then I would limit day two to less than 20 pitches.

As the player builds up arm strength, they can gradually add to their pitch count. However, once the pitcher gets into the 40 and above threshold then it is important for them to have at least 24 hours to recover.

It is very easy as a coach to leave a kid in one batter too long because you are in the heat of battle and you really want to win.

Now, there is nothing wrong with winning. In fact it is great fun. I ask my kids if they have more fun winning or loosing and of course they answer "winning". "O.K." I reply "let's go have some fun" (meaning let's go win).

However, when a pitcher gets near his pre-determined pitch limit and you want him to face "one more" batter or try to finish the inning the 25 pitch "pitch count" can easily jump to a 40 or 45 pitch "pitch count".

It is always best to set the limits ahead of time and do your best to stick to them during the game.

Coaches often ask if the warm up pitches count towards the pitch count. Great question.Generally speaking when you see pitch count guidelines they are referring to "pitches thrown in competition" (game pitches).

The link below is a great resource to answer more questions related to pitch counts, pitch types, rest and showcases.

USA Baseball Medical & Safety Advisory Committee Guidelines: May 2006

Baseball conditioning drills and proper pitching mechanics are another great way to get the arm in shape early in the season and avoid injury throughout the season.

Here is a simple drill to help players finish the pitch and follow through.

1. Start with your foot on the bucket

2. Begin the delivery by bringing the foot off the bucket and downward.

3. Stride Foot gets close to the ground while not touching the ground...pitchers weight is over the back foot.

4.Stride out to your normal stride length...approximately 80-100% of your height depending on your flexibility.

5. Throw the pitch...have your back leg finish high over the top of the bucket.

6. When players don't finish high they "kick the bucket"

7. Follow through with the throwing elbow near the opposite knee.

I hope this information is helpful in preparing your pitchers for a safe, successful season!!

126 Year Old MLB Record is Broken By 10u East Cobb Yankees

2010-02-28T06:19:00.000-08:00

In considering the events that transpired in last's night's game against the EC Rays, I realized that my boys (EC Yankees) broke a Major League Baseball record that was set by the Detroit Wolverines back in 1883.

What amazing feat did we accomplish last night in the bitter cold??? We allowed 20 runs in a single inning. The 1883 Wolverines only gave up 18 to the White Stockings. We were ahead ahead 9-0 in the 4th, when the Rays exploded to hang a 20 spot on us.

Now as a coach, how do you get something positive out of an error and walk infested inning? Simple, understand that the greatest players on the planet make errors, walk batters and just flat out stink sometimes.

I want my kids to know the difference between the guys who make errors, strike out and walk batters that at age 36 are selling insurance (that's what I do) compared to guys that I played with that make errors, strike out and walk batters that now make $6 million a year.....

Confidence- I believer confidence in spite of the circumstance is a determining factor to greatness.

One attribute I would like my kids to have as ball players is that they carry themselves with confidence regardless of the situation.

Great hitters go through prolonged batting slumps, great teams give up big innings (from time to time). Amidst the difficulties of a slump or loosing streak, baseball players MUST conduct themselves with a high level of confidence. Otherwise, you stay in those slumps even longer. This takes building up your mental toughness.

I love what Yogi Berra said..."Baseball is 90% mental the other half is physical."

Remaining confident during a bad inning is an example of how mentally challenging this game is.

You often hear "There is a right way to play this game..."

I think one part of that "right way" is that if the scoreboard was turned off and someone stopped in during the course of the game, they should not be able to tell by your body language if you are winning by 10 or loosing by 10 (or even 20).

I want my kids to be confident regardless of their circumstances.

Circumstances are always subject to change. However, one's character is the filter that processes circumstances. I never want circumstances to define the character of my team. If I believe we are great (and I do) then I will believe that when we are up by 9 or when we give up 20 in an inning.

Taking a defeat like this early in the season can be a building block to our success later in the season if we do not allow circumstances to define our character (confidence).

Season Opener

2010-02-27T05:24:00.000-08:00

Our season opener started at 8:15pm last night. It was cold but bearable. We played the team that my son and another player played for last year (and I was the assistant coach). Sometimes in youth sports there is drama with parents and coaches which causes people to leave and start new teams. This is not one of those situations. We parted on great terms and as friends.

Now for the game...

Baseball has a way of rewarding the insignificant details of hustle if you look past the obvious highlights of hitting a home run or making a diving play at shortstop.

My high school coach would tell us "It's the little things that make you big" and "If you take care of the little things the little things will take care of themselves."

Last night one of my hitters was working a tough at bat. He didn't swing at a pretty good pitch early in the count and then with two strikes he swings at a high pitch out of the zone and fouled it off.

While he fought off a few more pitches the runner on 2nd takes off for third and steals the base safely.

No big deal, right?

The very next pitch the batter hits a ground ball just past the pitcher and the run scores with the hitter getting an RBI.

Due to the fact that the hitter remained composed during his at bat and the base runner was hustling we were able to turn an insignificant ground ball into a run.

Defensively you have to have heads up players that can do the little things (like catch and throw).

The other team crushed a ball to the center field fence. The center fielder throws to his cut off man but the throw to the plate is a little late but accurate.

Our catcher realizes that he is not going to get the out at the plate so he takes two steps up to cut the ball off and fires to third to get the out. Even though the other team scored a run, we did a nice job of catching and throwing which enabled us to get an out at third.

Both teams played well considering the cold temperatures and we came out on top last night. It was a great way to start the season

Today we have a game at 2:30pm the warmest part of the day!! If you can't tell I am ready for the cold temps to go away.

Baseball Practice Planner

2010-02-25T07:16:00.000-08:00

Last night's practice went GREAT!!

My "twin engines" were back and the team was flying all over the field. The "twin engines" are a set of twins on the team that have two settings...they are either off or the are operating at full speed. I love the energy and enthusiasm that being at "full speed" adds to a situation.

Our park has a limited amount of field space for practice so having a practice plan beforehand is the best way to optimize our opportunities on the field. I like to utilize as many dads to facilitate drill stations as possible.

Here is how we set it up last night:

Stretch/Throw (10 Minutes)

Phase I Fielding Repetitions (20 Minutes)
Group One

5 players
3 started in RF
2 started half way between the 3 in RF and the coach that was hitting balls from the LF foul line
The player in RF would have to field the ball and throw to the cut-off man (player in CF)
After they they threw to the cut off man they would go to the back of the line in CF
The cut-off man would throw the ball into the coach and proceed to the end of the line in RF

Group Two

5 Players one at each infield position (w/ 2 players at one position)
One coach on the 3rd base line hitting balls to the first and second baseman (alternating)
One coach on the 1st base line hitting balls to the SS and 3rd baseman (alternating)

We ran these groups for 10 minutes. Then the OF group came into their INF postions and the INF group moved into the OF station.

Phase II Game situations with a runner on 1B (20 Minutes)

Coach hit balls to various players and each player reacted according to their role/responsibility
Base runners reacted to the ball
Changed players after 15 minutes

Phase III Specific plays (15 Minutes)

Implemented bunt coverages
Basic- Get the out at first
Wheel- Get the out at 3rd

Phase IV Base running (5 Minutes)

Runners worked on going 1st to 3rd
Picking up 3rd base coach before they get to 2nd
Rounding 2nd properly

The remaining 5 minutes--water breaks; change over

Having a plan is the best way to optimize your practice time on the field. If you are in need of a sample practice plan I hope this was helpful.

Blueprint for Baseball is an e-book that has many more coaching ideas that I have accumulated over the years. Follow this link for more information on Blueprint for baseball and other helpful information on coaching youth baseball.

Tonight we are hitting in the batting cages for an hour and fifteen minutes.

I will let you know how this evening practice goes on the next post!

First Day of Baseball Practice

2010-02-24T11:14:00.001-08:00

Even though it is a chilly 41 degrees out, the sun is shining and we have our first field practice of the season today at 5:30!! I love living in the south.

As a former professional player and a baseball instructor since 1991 "Consulting" teams has been relatively easy. Being the head coach of my 10 year old's travel baseball team is were the rubber really meets the road.

This blog is to shed some light on my experiences as a dad, husband and a coach as it relates to the experiences of youth baseball.

Our team has adopted many of the same ideas that I have implemented with other teams over the years...Novel ideas like:

Positive and clear communication works great
Getting better at baseball is a process that takes time
Winning is more fun than loosing so let's have fun
Some of life's hardest lessons can be easily taught on the field if coaches are intentional

Our goals for the season are pretty straight forward

Keep the game fun for the kids (they are 10)
Emphasize hit the ball, catch the ball, throw the ball
Play every play to the end
Run hard, Play hard

Playing baseball tournaments presents several interesting dynamics

...Pool play games don't really matter
...Elimination games win at all cost

Our goal is to teach the importance of always doing your best. Although winning is not the only thing nor is it the most important thing, I do believe that winning is habitual. It is difficult to turn effort on and off. I really hope my boys bring a desire and an effort to each game that will provide them with an opportunity to win the game.

Here is a Hitting Drill that has been very effective to get my kids to keep their eye on the ball and to increase their bat speed.

Baseball---
---Telling the Greatest Story Ever Told Through the Greatest Game Ever Played

One of my favorite verses to share with my team is found in 1 Corinthians 9 verses 24-27

²⁴Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

²⁵Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. ²⁶Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. ²⁷No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Run(Play) to win everyday!