Baseball IQ - The Least Considered Skill

By Chuck R Stewart

Every professional baseball player I have seen has talent. They have the ability to consistently reproduce their skills on the playing field, no matter if it is their ability to run fast, throw hard, hit with power, pitch like a pitching machine or to throw a certain pitch at any point in the count. These skills are the skills that most players strive to excel with every single day at practice. They are the most sought after skills in the game and what scouts typically evaluate when looking at a player. While these skills are important, there are a certain group of players who possess these skills and also have and develop one additional skill - the ability to think during the baseball game and increase your baseball IQ.

Most baseball players have the chance to work on their physical skills every day during the baseball season. They get to take batting practice with a pitching machine until their arms are tired and throw bullpen sessions, most of them work out even harder in the off season at very specific skills. They also have all day to do it because of the salaries that they are paid to play the game. There is an abundance of game repetition and skill coaching for all players and it should make you wonder why some players excel and why others just barely get to be in the league for any length of time. The answer is that the players who get to actually make it far in the game of baseball play with their baseball minds as much as their baseball talent. That is the difference between just playing the game and playing the game at a super high level - your mind.

You can list many players who do have exceptional can't miss talent. I think of players like A-Rod, Ken Griffey Jr, Josh Beckett and Josh Hamilton. They are players who were born to play in the major leagues and they have worked hard to hone their skills to continue to play there - they deserve it. The vast majority of players do not possess skills such as the players listed above. They do not throw 95 or have the ability to hit .325. Instead, they constantly have to get a feel for pitching in order to be able to do things other pitchers cannot do - like throwing multiple pitches for strikes and not being afraid to throw a 3-2 change-up. Hitters need to learn how to take an extra base or to be able to play great defense at multiple positions. These are some of the things that players do to make themselves invaluable on a team. They are things that every player can do to improve their game.

Much like being aggressive, having great physical tools, being intelligent, having great character and being versatile are important for players to become truly great. Having a great baseball IQ can be the difference between being a great player and being a good one who. Physical skills can be improved through hard work. Learning the game takes time, patience and a little bit of studying to be able to advance your baseball IQ. Work hard, play hard and learn the game. It will pay you great rewards in the long run.

Coach Chuck Stewart operates a baseball web site called http://www.PitchingMachines.net offering pitching machines, training aids and coaching/instructional videos along with lots of free coaching content. Coach Chuck has a pitching machine for every skill level and budget. He has coached baseball teams for 8 years and enjoys sharing the love of the game of baseball with his players.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chuck_R_Stewart


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Baseball Coaching Tips - Should You Bunt Or Swing Away?

Hands Back Hitter Baseball Trainer by Swing Buster

By Larry Cicchiello

There are many things to think about when deciding if a team should go for the big inning or bunt and sacrifice an out to advance a runner with a sacrifice bunt.

A lot of it depends on what type of game it is and how late in the game it is.

A lot of it depends on the pitcher that your own team has on the mound. If you have a pitcher who is "mowing them down," a one run lead may be like a five run lead. With a real good pitcher, one run can be considered a big inning. If you have a pitcher who has been struggling, playing for one run may not be in your best interest. The one run that either ties the game up or puts your team ahead may not hold up.

If you have a batter that's followed by two very weak hitters, you might be better off having the player at bat NOT bunt, because of the weaker hitters that follow.

Times You Should Consider Bunting:

• You can bunt at just about any time during a game. A hitter should ALWAYS take a peek at the third baseman. I'm a big believer in taking whatever is given to you on the ball field. If you see a third baseman is playing seven steps behind third base, you should seriously consider a bunt down the third base line. Just try your best to make sure that the third baseman fields the bunt and NOT the pitcher or the catcher.

• Let's say it's late in the game and you have a man on second base with nobody out. If you have a right-handed hitter up who is a dead pull hitter, you might strongly consider having him bunt the runner to third base. He may very well hit a grounder on the left side of the infield which would prevent the runner going to third base with less than two outs.

• If a batter has trouble against a particular pitcher. If your batter is a good hitter but has a terrible past performance against their pitcher, the bunt should be strongly considered.

A tough call is should you sacrifice bunt if you are the visiting team and are trailing by a run in the top of the last inning? (You may be thinking of sacrificing a runner from first to second base or from second base to third base with no outs)

One of many baseball coaching tips is that the "book" says you DON'T play for the tie on the road. That may not be true 100% of the time. If your bullpen is FAR superior to the other team's bullpen, you should not hesitate to play for the tie, even though you're the visiting team.

You should gladly take your chance late in a game that's all tied up if you have a stronger bull pen!.

Larry Cicchiello is the author of several very informative baseball coaching books. All of his editions are included in "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." Larry is unique in that his site offers visitors several FREE TIPS that are straight from his books. Baseball tips on hitting, baseball pitching tips, baseball fielding tips, baseball base running tips, baseball coaching drills and more. Your baseball coaching "help desk" will be open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. Larry invites you to check out his FREE TIPS. You will be FULLY EQUIPPED as a manager, coach, player at any level or a parent who wants to help their child improve or overcome any baseball struggles.

You can visit his website at http://www.larrybaseball.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Cicchiello

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Baseball Pitching Tips - Someone You Better Get to Know Very Quickly

By Larry Cicchiello

If while pitching, you have the very good fortune to have an umpire who is calling strikes on pitches not in the strike zone, don't feel any obligation to throw strikes.

If he is calling them high, why should you bring your pitches down? If he is calling them low, why should you bring your pitches up higher? The same holds true for inside and outside off the plate. Pay close attention early in a ball game to what an umpire IS or is NOT calling strikes and pitch accordingly.

No matter what the rule book says for the strike zone at any level of play, no two umpires are going to call balls and strikes the same. Some have small strike zones and some have very large strike zones.

It's 2009 and I STILL remember an umpire I had in high school back in the year 1968. I simply want to make a point here. Do you want to talk about a pitcher friendly umpire? I noticed very, very early in the game that if a curve ball was within a foot of home plate, he would call it a strike. Also, if it didn't bounce it in the dirt it was high enough for him to call it a strike. I was only 16 years old but I recognized in the first inning how this guy loved any curve ball he saw and was pretty much going to call it a strike if it was anywhere close to the plate. This is one of the many baseball pitching tips that has nothing to do with the actual pitching mechanics and it merely requires a simple observation.

It was easy to have a very successful outing and you probably know what pitch made it a success. You guessed it. Curve balls that were six inches off the outside corner and just barely above being in the dirt. The umpire wasn't intentionally trying to favor anyone or give anyone an unfair advantage. In fact, he was a very nice guy and an honorable man.

But ALWAYS remember, all umpires have different strike zones and you better "get to know your umpire very quickly."

You don't necessarily have to throw strikes to get hitters out. Making good use of this will work to your advantage big time!

Larry Cicchiello is the author of several very informative baseball coaching books. All of his editions are included in "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." Larry is unique in that his site offers visitors several FREE TIPS that are straight from his books. Baseball tips on hitting, baseball pitching tips, baseball fielding tips, baseball base running tips, baseball coaching drills and more. Your baseball coaching "help desk" will be open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. Larry invites you to check out his FREE TIPS. You will be FULLY EQUIPPED as a manager, coach, player at any level or a parent who wants to help their child improve or overcome any baseball struggles. You can visit his website at http://www.larrybaseball.com/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Cicchiello


Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Baseball Pitching Mechanics - How Long is Your Stride?

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By Dan Gazaway

How long should my stride be? That is a question that I get from many coaches, parents and pitchers. Many experts give their opinion of how long a stride should be; some say as long as you are tall, some say longer and some say 75% of your height. The answer is as far as your body will allow you to while maintaining proper pitching mechanics. You don't want to jump to foot strike (loosing balance and posture) just so you can add a foot to your stride. You want to push off the ball of your pivot foot while maintaining a closed posture to foot strike. Don't jeopardize your pitching mechanics at the expense of gaining distance. There is a way to do it right.

Why is a long stride important? There are two reasons why you need a good stride. One is to gather enough momentum to foot strike so your fastball has pop. The most exciting reason is that 1-foot = 3 mph perceived pitching velocity. The closer you are to home plate when you release the ball the better. To the batter's eye the ball appears to be going faster than it really is. So, you are working with distance. Furthermore, when you throw inside, the batter has to react that much quicker to the pitch as well. In order for him to hit the ball on the fat part of the bat, he has to react much quicker to get the bat around. Again, distance helps you as a pitcher.

How do you get a longer stride? Maintaining a proper strength and flexibility pitching workout is important. For example, if your hip flexors aren't conditioned to handle the demands of the workload pitching places on them, it will affect your distance and you will be more prone to injury. To add distance, try a delayed shoulder rotation. Some pitchers gain an extra 6 inches to a foot delaying their shoulder properly. Work on releasing the baseball later; this will also help you gain some pitching velocity.

Dan Gazaway is owner and founder of The Pitching Academy in Utah. He is known as a premiere pitching instructor and is an expert in the area of pitching mechanics. Coach Gazaway also teaches proper pitching grips, pitching workouts and drills.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Gazaway

Major League Hitting Drills

The Baseball 2Day Coaching Journal

By Jack Perconte

Major league hitters have very advanced swing fundamentals, which explain how they made it to the major leagues. However, it is important to note that fundamentals are fundamentals. The drills that are designed for little league players are the same drills that major league players perform. There are numerous baseball hitting drills with the best drills being the ones that address the particular hitter's needs. Every hitter, from the major league player to the little league player, has a weak part of their swing. When this weakness is known, hitting drills can be geared towards addressing those areas. Working on correct fundamentals is a continual process for major league players as it is for youth ballplayers.

When I played major league baseball, the off season was the time where I was more concerned with getting in great shape by gaining quickness and strength. I was not as concerned with timing the ball as much as in season. With this in mind, preseason was spent performing drills on the batting tee and with soft toss drills. The important body parts that major league baseball players want to get in shape are their hands and core muscles, including the stomach and hips. With this in mind here are a few major league hitting drills that ballplayers practice to get their hands and hips in shape.

1. One arm drill - hitters will take swings using only one arm with a lighter bat or by choking up on their regular bat. This drill will force them to use the muscles in their fingers, hands, wrists and forearms so that they develop the strength and quickness necessary to hit major league pitching. It will also help them develop the correct swing fundamentals of each hand separately. It is recommended that players take more swings in this manner with their weaker arm.

2. Another popular major league hitting drill is the self-flip drill. With this drill, players will begin by holding the bat with their lead arm only and flip a ball up in the air with their rear hand. The ball should be flipped no higher than eye level and in the hitting zone, at which time the hitter grabs the bat with both hands and hits the ball. This drill develops quick, strong hands and requires a good fundamental swing to hit line drives.

3. Fast hips can be developed with the quick swing drill. Players will swing five times in a row forward and backward as fast as they can. Players should be sure to finish their swing to the middle of their back before they reverse the bat as fast as they can. This drill can also be done with a partner who flips five balls in a row to the hitter, releasing each ball when hitter returns to hitting position. This drill will also help overall balance, which is another key ingredient to a good baseball swing. (See following drill)

4. Balance beam drill - players stand on a balance beam and take swings at game speed, with the goal of completing the swing while staying on the beam. An example of this drill and of making a usable balance beam can be found in my book, "The Making of a Hitter."

As the season begins, major league baseball players tend to work on timing and vision drills. This is mostly done with correct batting practice habits with flip drills from the coach or regular pitched balls from a batting practice coach. Good hitters will always try to hit the ball where it is pitched in the strike zone and try to watch the ball hit the bat at contact. They will not swing at pitches outside the strike zone. Following are a few more major league hitting drills that also help hitters:

5. Back knee pickup drill - hitters swing and pick up their back knee, allowing it to rotate towards the pitcher with the swing. This drill develops hitters' front side and weight transfer as they will have to keep their front shoulder going towards the ball as their weight transfers. Both of these are necessary for good contact and power.

6. No stride drill - hitters take their regular swing without the initial stride. Many hitters get in trouble when they jump at the ball. This major league hitting drill will allow them to stay back and rotate instead of lunging at the ball. Doing this drill after the previous drill is a good idea.

It is important to note that using a batting tee for taking productive swings is a must for all serious ballplayers. The batting tee is an important device for major league hitting drills as well as for young baseball players. Coaches and hitters should consult instructional manuals or a good hitting coach so they know how to use a batting tee for the best results. All hitting drills can be done on a batting tee and will help groove a perfect baseball swing. Hitting balls solidly and on the line is always the hitter's goal, whether hitting in a game or with hitting drills.

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball hitting lessons advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his parenting blog can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Perconte

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How to Build a Pitching Mound

By Kenny Leones

Creating a pitching mound is more than just arranging the soil to make an elevated area. You need to know the standard specifications when making this kind of project. You also need to use the proper materials. The height of a standard baseball mound is ten ½" and its diameter is eighteen inches.

Remember to get the correct measurements as it will affect the whole set-up. You also need to consider the H20 drainage, maintenance and field equipment since it will affect the performance and condition of your mound. You can ask your friends to help you so that you can construct it faster.

MATERIALS NEEDED IN CONSTRUCTING A MOUND

The materials needed are a 23 inches long and 6 inches wide rubber mat, sand, clay and silt.

TOOLS

The tools needed are wheelbarrow, shovel, rake, roller press, string, stakes and tape measure.

STEPS IN CREATING A PITCHING MOUND

Make sure that your construction area is flat. The interior part is the area where you need to crease a raise portion of land. You should take out the turf after the visual of the field has been created. Decide where you will install the home plate. Install a backstop to prevent any stray baseball pitches. The turf must possess a radius of thirteen feet and the home plate's apex can be utilized.

Build the 2nd base. Use the stakes to mark the area. The base pads should be place in the middle of the 2nd base. Mark the area of pitching rubber. Measure from the 2nd base to the back area of the home plate. The length should be sixty feet by six inches.

Use a pair of tape measure to look for the 1st base and 3rd base. The bases' back corner will be the area where the pair of tapes intersects at a ninety feet mark. Repeat the same process to look for the 3rd base. Overall, the location should a ninety ft. square.

You should not misplace the 2nd base. It should also be properly measured at the middle of the base. The remaining based will also be place in the square. Measure a thirteen ft radius inside the square and cut the turf. Do not change the base area. The cut out portion will be the area where players can slide.

Remember that there are some standard specifications for the baseball mound that you need to follow. It should be eighteen ft. and about ten ft. from the rubber portion toward the plate and about eight feet from the back of the rubber. The plateau above the mound should be five ft. in total width. The height of the set-up should be ten ½ inches. The rubber of the mound should be twenty-four by six inches.

Construct the mound inch by inch. Check if the soil has been properly flattened down as each layer of soil is added. The slope of the mound should be 1 inch beginning about twelve inches from the rubber and towards the mound plate. You can now enjoy playing in your pitching mound.

Please click these links if you want to know more about how to build a pitching mound or how to build a pitching mound in general.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenny_Leones

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Baseball Throwing - Throwing Drills

www.AdvancedSkillsTee.com

By Dick Birmingham

I think an excellent drill for infielders is what I call the Four Corners Drill.

I have stolen drills and I have created some that no one has stolen from me. One drill is called Right, Left, Pick-it-Up and I have used it a lot. It is a great drill.

I got this one from Gene McArtor at the University of Missouri. I have used it for a lot of years and I think it is really excellent.

If my partner and I were on the back side of the corridor and we had a guy at this corridor and a guy at that corridor and this guy throws that ball to me, I want him to throw it right into this center circle. If this guy wants to show his hands that is alright too. I don't think there is anything wrong with that for him to show his hands away from his body, thumb to thumb, then what I want this player to do is to get his feet involved as he is catching the baseball.

To do this, we exaggerate by having you step across with the pivot foot, across the front like that and make a little hop as I if you are catching the ball and throwing. You catch the ball and step across and throw to that circle and he throws to this one and back and we just go around that way. Now, you have to do this with all right-handers. You stick a left-hander in there and it will be one heck of a drill. There is no telling where it will go.

But, this is an excellent drill because it emphasizes some of the things that are basic. You want people catching the ball with both hands, you want that guy throwing into that circle, you want the feet involved and you want a throw with a squared back foot and a closed front shoulder.

I guarantee you if you step across here you can't open that shoulder. You are going to stay closed, until the right time to open it. You are not going to open it prematurely.

Then there are some other variations you can add to this drill if you want to reverse it and circle. There are a lot of things you can do with this drill.

Later on, you can change it to a shuffle drill where he takes it and just kind of shuffles his feet to throw as opposed to stepping across.

What this helps to fight against is the infielder that fields the ball and he steps behind to throw in that direction.

Now, it doesn't make much sense if you are going to try and throw a guy out over here to field the ball here and step toward the outfield because what happens is he gets his momentum built up in the wrong direction.

That is why it is better to shuffle or even to kind of crow hop or to step across because you are driving at the place to which you are throwing. It puts you in a position of strength as opposed to weakness. You are letting your body work for you as opposed to against you.

I think that is very important.

To learn more baseball throwing tips and get more baseball throwing information to help develop your baseball players visit the Dick Birmingham Sports Championship Baseball Drill Book at http://www.BaseballDrillBook.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dick_Birmingham

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Three Tips For Improving a Pitcher's Control

QuickSwingTrainer.com

By Mike Posey

Are you confident the next pitch will go exactly where you planned? How can you be sure your pitcher will locate the next pitch exactly where you want it? A pitcher with great control can sure make the the coach look good.

A few years ago we had one of our HS pitchers throw a perfect game. Not only did no one reach base (zero hits, zero walks, and zero errors) but he had ten strikeouts. What's even more amazing is that it only took 55 pitches (in a five inning ten run game) and 42 of them were strikes.

So, he must have had a blazing fastball? No, his fastball was in the neighborhood of 82 MPH with a 70 MPH change up. The most impressive feat? Every pitch was exactly where he wanted it to be. He was in complete control at all times. A real thing of beauty to watch and enjoy.

Here are three tips to help your pitcher maximize their control.

1. Good control starts with practicing good mechanics--every day.
Pitchers must practice quality mechanics daily. A secret is to develop a good visual image of how to perform correctly. From a good balance point, properly breaking the hands, a good landing, release, and follow thru. A Tip to help pitchers develop visualization: purchase a full length mirror and have the pitcher practice each day facing the mirror. Balance point, break the hands, release, and follow thru. Practice and visualize.

2. Pitchers must master both sides of the plate with their fastball.

Assuming the pitcher is practicing correct mechanics daily, emphasize that importance of pitching in and away. Many young pitchers today are afraid of pitching in. Teach your pitcher the importance of throwing to the inside half with confidence and accuracy. It will make the pitches away more effective. If you pitcher can not do this consistently with their fastball, don't go to another offspeed pitch until they have mastered the fastball to both sides of the plate.

3. More important than a pitch count is the ratio of strikes.

Pitchers must have feed back of the total percentage of strikes thrown during the game and the total percentage of first strikes thrown to each hitter. Use a pitch count device that will give you these percentages during the game.

Mike Posey "CP"
Expert Baseball Pitching Stats

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Baseball Pitching - Coaching Pitchers to Succeed by Starting With the Basics

Baseball Pitching - Coaching Pitchers to Succeed by Starting With the Basics
By Nick Dixon

The coaching of baseball pitchers does not require a degree in "pitchingtology". There is no such degree to my knowledge. I just made that up. My point here is that coaching baseball pitching is not rocket science. However, having a basic knowledge of the terms and mechanics is a must. Having a commitment to be attentive to details in instruction and and to have frequent quality practice sessions is a good start toward becoming a coach of a successful pitcher at any level.

Here are the 5 basics elements of pitching success:

1. Beginning with the basics and keeping it simple

Let we first say that one of the basic rules on our high school team is that if you make our team, you are going to pitch. Every player participates in pitching workouts until it is determined that player simply can not help us on the mound. Over the years about 75% of our players pitch at least 10 innings during the season. With that said, I want you to know that my philosophy is to keep the terminology simple, the technique simple, and to make the process of pitching as easy as possible to master.

2. Balance is Key

The first thing we want out kids to understand is the importance of balance. Pitchers must learn to achieve and maintain balance from the start to the finish of their delivery. This is done by learning to keep the weight evenly distributed on the balls of the feet. Nothing happens on the heels. Keep head and body movement to a minimum. The head should stay still. This allows the head to stay over the ball of the pivot foot and over the body core or center. Special attention should be directed at eliminating any tendency to lean back, lunge forward, or to arch the back.

3. Knee Lift and Proper Stride Leg Motion

The lifting action of the stride leg should be smooth, straight up, and to a point of perfect balance. Make sure that the leg is not swung. The stride foot should go downward and then out. Many you pitchers want to lead with their hip and this cause major problems. Make sure that the leg action is down and out in smooth path. The stride foot should land on the ball of the foot. The stride should be in a direction with at least part of the foot landing on a straight line toward the catcher. Some pitchers will land more closed and some will land more open. The main point to remember here is consistency. A pitcher must land in the same spot time after time. If the landing spot is all over the place, control problems will be evident.

4. Elbow Dynamics

Much has been written and many studies have been made on the dynamics of the pitching process. To keep it simple, we want the following to occur. When the front foot lands both elbows should be up and even with each other on a direct line. The glove and ball may be above or below the elbow, but both elbows serve to reverse mirror each other. If the front elbow is tucked when the front foot lands, then a problem is evident. Both elbows should be extended away from the body in perfect opposite directions from the body to form a perfect straight line.

5. Late Break of the Hips

What I mean by this term is that we want the weight out and onto the front foot before the hip and trunk rotation occur. This late rotation generates velocity. Early rotation causes the pitcher to throw with all arm and will cause arm problems.

COACHING POINT: Make sure that the pitcher finishes low with the throwing arm finishing outside the stride knee. Many young players want to lock the front leg thus pole vaunting or lifting their body up and over the front foot. The stride leg should bend slightly.

As mentioned before, make sure that the stride foot is not heeling- out or landing on the heel. This is a flaw that causes jar and control problems. Also make sure that pitchers set up on the pitching rubber in the correct location. We want right-handed pitchers on the right of the rubber and left-handed pitchers on the left. This makes the ball more difficult to pick-up by the batter because of the increase in angle. It gives the pitcher more plate to work with.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

Baseball Coaching Tips - How to Tell If Your Pitcher is Getting Tired

www.QuickSwingTrainer.com

By Larry Cicchiello

Here is a list of some obvious things that anyone involved in baseball coaching should look for.

Keep track of the number of pitches thrown. There isn't anyone on the planet that can give one valid reason as to why baseball coaches at any level of play do not keep a pitch count on their pitchers. In no time at all, you will know for sure at what number of pitches any of your pitchers are starting to run out of gas. It can influence the outcome of the game by leaving the pitcher in the game too long but more importantly it can increase the chance of injury to your pitcher's arm! It's one of the easiest things to do on the ball field. You can pick one person on the team to do it. It can be the manager, coach or a player on the bench. If you are not doing this, you really should start immediately.

Watch to see if the pitcher's elbow is dropping down lower. Watch carefully to see if the pitcher's elbow is starting to drop below the point that it is normally raised to, which is usually about shoulder height. When the elbow starts to drop down low, it's because fatigue has set in and the arm is saying "no" when the pitcher is asking it to elevate. Obviously, this would not apply to side-arm pitchers because their elbow is low already. Aside from a pitch count, which is foolproof, this is a VERY STRONG indicator that a pitcher is getting tired. It also causes a pitcher to "push" the ball instead of throwing the ball. It will make the fast ball and off speed pitches miss high and the curve will flatten out. "Pushing" the ball instead of throwing the ball will also increase the risk of injury to the pitcher.

Is your pitcher taking more time between pitches? Be very observant if your normally fast worker has slowed down the pace considerably and is taking more time between pitches. Occasionally, the opposite can also be true. A normally slow and deliberate pitcher is starting to take less time between pitches. This is because he knows he's tiring and wants to hurry up and get the inning over with.

Watch for a pitcher who stops following through. The more a pitcher tires, the less he follows through and doesn't "finish" his pitches. It's affectionately called "getting lazy." Remember that the follow through protects the arm from coming to a sudden halt. It's not good for your automobile if you're driving 60 m.p.h. and jam on the brakes and it's not healthy for your pitcher's arm accelerating and then coming to an abrupt stop either. When a pitcher stops following through, the risk is not just the quality of the pitch but more importantly, the risk is to injuring his throwing arm.

Watch for any changes in your pitcher's usual mechanics. Watch everything in general. He may be raising his front leg more, he may be raising it less, he may be turning his hips more or less, he may be leaning back more, etc. He may be consciously or sub-consciously changing his mechanics because he is tired. Knowing your pitcher's normal mechanics ahead of time will make it easier for you to recognize a change in his mechanics.

Is your pitcher striding longer than he usually does? This clearly tells you that the pitcher is trying to use his legs more to compensate for his tiring arm.

Observe the pitch selection. He may be throwing more of a certain type of pitch and less of another type of pitch. Watch to see if your pitcher hardly ever throws breaking balls and all of a sudden he's throwing them often. It's quite possible that he's tired and finds the breaking ball easier to throw but of greater concern is the fastball may be hurting his arm when he throws it.

Is the fast ball losing velocity? If you have a power pitcher on the mound and have watched batters swing late for several innings and all of a sudden they are out in front and pulling his fastball, he is running out of gas. You should strongly consider making a pitching change.

Please take these eight guidelines very seriously and put them near the top of your baseball coaching tips. They can determine the outcome of the ball game but the real imporrtant thing here is they will lessen the chance of injury to your pichers.

Larry Cicchiello is the author of the very informative book "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." He is unique in that his site offers visitors several FREE TIPS that are straight from his book. Baseball tips on hitting, baseball pitching tips, baseball fielding tips, baseball base running tips, baseball coaching drills and more. Your baseball "help desk" will be open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year and very user friendly. Larry invites you to check out his FREE TIPS. You will be FULLY EQUIPPED as a manager, coach, player at any level or a parent who wants to help their child improve or overcome any baseball struggles.

You can visit his website at http://www.larrybaseball.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Cicchiello

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Tips on Baseball Pitching Mechanics

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By Alan Karpuch

It is a known fact that it is hard for any pitcher to have three innings. A pitcher needs to give up hits and walks, as well as work with fielders who make errors. If you are a pitcher and wants to improve your skill, it is recommended to ask advice on pitching mechanics. Remember that a lot of problems in pitching are due to poor mechanics.

Pitching mechanics can be hard for a coach to analyze at full velocity. If the basic structure is inconsistent, remember that even if you change one feature, the problem is still there. One of the most important things you need to know which motion is wrong and it is essential to solve the trouble in lack of control.

Every pitcher is required to practice everyday and remember that it is impossible to perfect the skill in just one day. Pitching is like any other sport - it requires practice to be good at it.

It is a fact that it is hard to find a new pitcher that has good pitching mechanics. Pitching needs dedication and hard work and you must take care of yourself completely. It is essential to be in perfect shape and pay attention on your arm and you must work on the right pitching mechanics in order to lessen the risk of arm injury. If you are just starting out, make sure to do a lot of throwing in order to develop arm strength.

Aside from physical strength, you must also develop your mental element of pitching. You must also be tough mentally in order to be a skilled pitcher. This element can be developed eventually and it is necessary to examine your performance every game in order to improve more. Always focus on the game especially on the hitter and face any problem appropriately. Remember that with good pitching mechanics, you can ensure your good health and success.

Alan provides information about Pitching Workouts through his website on Baseball Pitching Mechanics

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Karpuch
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Extraordinary Bat Speed - 2 Best Exercises to Generate Serious Bat Speed!

By Brandon Richey

Once again the best way to increase the mph of your bat speed is to have a smart strength and conditioning program in place. Athleticism is built upon an individual having a powerful core, superior total body strength, and can train their body in a functional system. Check out the following 2 exercises that I have included here to help you with your hitting power!

1. The Double Arm Kettlebell Swing: By now you may be familiar with the ancient kettlebell and understand that this is an ancient strength and conditioning device that has been around for a long time. This device is second to nothing when helping any athlete develop a superior strength and conditioning program for optimal performance. The base lift of the kettlebell is the double arm swing. This single lift is tremendous in that it incorporates hundreds of your muscles at once and will help you to develop tremendous cardiovascular conditioning at the same time. This lift is done by you having to constantly flex and extend at both your hips and knees to build up the necessary momentum to swing the kettlebell from between your legs up to chest height. This is where you develop superior core strength, shoulder power, and total body conditioning to make swinging your bat seem easier than ever.

2. Kettlebell Figure Eights To A Hold: This is a dynamic drill that certainly strengthens your core, hips, and helps with a tremendous amount of trunk rotation which is absolutely necessary when it comes down to swinging that Louisville Slugger. To begin this drill set the kettlebell on the ground between your feet. Pick it up with one arm and flex at your hips and knees to swing or hike it between your legs. As you "hike it" between your legs simply pass the bell off to the other hand. As you grab the bell with the opposite hand bring it around to the outside of your leg at your body's side. As the momentum of the bell brings it to this point simply fire off and extend at your hip and knee and allow the momentum to assist you in swinging the bell across your body. As you swing it across your body simply catch it at your opposite pec (chest muscle) or shoulder. From here simply pass it back through your legs to repeat the process on the other side. This bat speed drill will certainly help you to enhance your hitting power. If you haven't gotten acquainted with kettlebell training then you are only holding back your progress. Remember that anyone can train hard, but only the champions train smart!

To learn more about how to utilize your body, Kettlebells, and to achieve Mind Blowing fitness get your copy of My "Better Than Steroids Ebook" by clicking here: http://www.betterthansteroidsebook.com/www.betterthansteroidsebook.com/Better_Than_Steroids_Ebook.html

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandon_Richey
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Baseball Coaching Strategies - How to Win a National Championship

By Dr Tom Hanson

"The essence of the game of baseball is SELF-ESTEEM vs. FEAR."
Augie Garrido, head coach of 2005 Baseball National Champion Texas University

My pen was flying across my notebook last January when Garrido was spilling the beans on the secrets to his success to a couple thousand coaches at the American Baseball Coaches National Convention.

SELF-ESTEEM vs. FEAR.

That's what it all boils down to for Garrido. He's won national titles before and is one of the winningest coaches in Division I baseball history.

I first met Garrido when Ken Ravizza and I were writing Heads-Up Baseball back in '94 and I've admired him ever since. Extremely bright guy, deeply into the mental game. Now here he was talking to the convention about "How to Win a National Championship" and he only addressed the two main elements: the mental game and recruiting!.

So, let's get Lesson One out of the way: Recruit great players.

I'll focus on what he spent virtually his entire hour on: the mental game.

"The essence of the game is self-esteem vs. fear because baseball is a game that brings out fears," he said.

So the goal of the coach is to build self-esteem and reduce fear. How do you do that?

"Number 1 is your relationship with your players," he said.

Only when you have a trusting, respectful relationship will the players really buy in to what you are saying, and only then will they share information with you that you need to help them perform.

Next, "Remove all thoughts of winning the game - make sure it is not on your mind. Focus on the performance. On each pitch. On one pitch at a time."

Each player should have a pre-game and pre-pitch routine he follows, one that is carefully developed based on some key fundamental principles. This helps reduce fear because fear is about the future, about outcomes, about winning. "Your goal is to free them of pressure: eliminate expectations, support failures. "In fact, encourage failure."

Finally, his basic message to his players is: "Go out and play like you are 12 years old and know you are the baddest player in the state of Texas"

"Baddest" in this context of course means "best" (a wide range of aged people read my articles, so I thought I'd point that out...")

Why 12 years old? He didn't say. But I have a few ideas. Why do you think he said 12?

Ultimately he wanted his players freed up (no fear), focused, and trusting their talents. He had some more jewels on how to do this I may write about later, but I don't want to dilute his message on what I've already mentioned.

So whether you are a coach, a parent or a player, think in terms of "How can I build self-esteem and reduce fear?"

Dr. Tom Hanson helps players, coaches and parents have more fun, perform great, and develop life success skills. Past clients include the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, and many other pro and college teams and individuals. He co-authored the baseball classic "Heads-Up Baseball" and gives away his #1 secret to baseball success at BaseballSuccessSecrets.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr_Tom_Hanson

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The Story of the Very First World Series

By Nathan R Park

The very first World Series was played in 1903 between the Boston American League club (now the Boston Red Sox) and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Although the first world series wasn't played until 1903, there was a previous championship called "The Championship of the United States" and "World's Championship Series", which the winners of the National League and American Association had played from 1884 to 1891. The Series ended when the American Association folded in 1891.

Ban Johnson formed the American League in 1901 to try and take advantage of the National League's cut down from twelve teams down to eight. Ban Johnson and fellow owners raided the senior circuit and signed away many star players. This constant raiding formed the idea of a championship between the National and American Leagues.

The two leagues finally called a truce in the winter of 1902. The following August, Barney Dreyfuss, owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates challenged the Boston American League Club to an eleven game Championship Series but instead agreed to a best-of-nine championship The first three games were played in Boston, the next four in Pittsburgh, and the remaining two in Boston.

Some in-game action saw Sam Leever, pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates injuring his shoulder while trap-shooting. His teammate Deacon Phillippe had to stand in and pitch five complete games for Pittsburgh. He even set a Series record by striking out ten Boston batters, but that record was later broke, as Dinneen struck out eleven Pittsburgh batters in Game 2!

The Boston Americans came back behind to win the final four games. The end result for the 1903 Series, Boston won the first World Series five games to three, winning the last four.

Barney Dreyfuss, owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates added his share of the gate receipts to the players' share. This meant that the losing team's players actually finished with a larger individual share than the winning team!

The very first World Series was a voluntary arrangement between the two clubs, and so a World Series in 1904 did not take place.

The success of the first World Series proved the newly formed American League could beat the best of the National League, increasing the demand for future Series'. And so in 1905, the World Series was made into a formal compulsory annual event.

There is much to learn about baseball. Visit Major League Baseball Brainiac - an excellent source for baseball history, facts and information.

For more information about the first World Series, check out the Baseball Brainiac page The First World Series.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nathan_R_Park

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Baseball Pitching - Coaching Pitchers to Succeed by Starting With the Basics

By Nick Dixon

The coaching of baseball pitchers does not require a degree in "pitchingtology". There is no such degree to my knowledge. I just made that up. My point here is that coaching baseball pitching is not rocket science. However, having a basic knowledge of the terms and mechanics is a must. Having a commitment to be attentive to details in instruction and and to have frequent quality practice sessions is a good start toward becoming a coach of a successful pitcher at any level.

Here are the 5 basics elements of pitching success:

1. Beginning with the basics and keeping it simple

Let we first say that one of the basic rules on our high school team is that if you make our team, you are going to pitch. Every player participates in pitching workouts until it is determined that player simply can not help us on the mound. Over the years about 75% of our players pitch at least 10 innings during the season. With that said, I want you to know that my philosophy is to keep the terminology simple, the technique simple, and to make the process of pitching as easy as possible to master.

2. Balance is Key

The first thing we want out kids to understand is the importance of balance. Pitchers must learn to achieve and maintain balance from the start to the finish of their delivery. This is done by learning to keep the weight evenly distributed on the balls of the feet. Nothing happens on the heels. Keep head and body movement to a minimum. The head should stay still. This allows the head to stay over the ball of the pivot foot and over the body core or center. Special attention should be directed at eliminating any tendency to lean back, lunge forward, or to arch the back.

3. Knee Lift and Proper Stride Leg Motion

The lifting action of the stride leg should be smooth, straight up, and to a point of perfect balance. Make sure that the leg is not swung. The stride foot should go downward and then out. Many you pitchers want to lead with their hip and this cause major problems. Make sure that the leg action is down and out in smooth path. The stride foot should land on the ball of the foot. The stride should be in a direction with at least part of the foot landing on a straight line toward the catcher. Some pitchers will land more closed and some will land more open. The main point to remember here is consistency. A pitcher must land in the same spot time after time. If the landing spot is all over the place, control problems will be evident.

4. Elbow Dynamics

Much has been written and many studies have been made on the dynamics of the pitching process. To keep it simple, we want the following to occur. When the front foot lands both elbows should be up and even with each other on a direct line. The glove and ball may be above or below the elbow, but both elbows serve to reverse mirror each other. If the front elbow is tucked when the front foot lands, then a problem is evident. Both elbows should be extended away from the body in perfect opposite directions from the body to form a perfect straight line.

5. Late Break of the Hips

What I mean by this term is that we want the weight out and onto the front foot before the hip and trunk rotation occur. This late rotation generates velocity. Early rotation causes the pitcher to throw with all arm and will cause arm problems.

COACHING POINT: Make sure that the pitcher finishes low with the throwing arm finishing outside the stride knee. Many young players want to lock the front leg thus pole vaunting or lifting their body up and over the front foot. The stride leg should bend slightly.

As mentioned before, make sure that the stride foot is not heeling- out or landing on the heel. This is a flaw that causes jar and control problems. Also make sure that pitchers set up on the pitching rubber in the correct location. We want right-handed pitchers on the right of the rubber and left-handed pitchers on the left. This makes the ball more difficult to pick-up by the batter because of the increase in angle. It gives the pitcher more plate to work with.

Check out the Bat Action Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

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Baseball Pitching Mind Games

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By Jack D. Elliott

Confidence in your Baseball Pitching can be a very fickle business. Some days you can feel like you are rolling along fine. Then, suddenly one bad thing happens. Then, another happens, and then another. Then, things really start to snowball. Other times you may feel that you can do no wrong. In this state, everything happens very easily for you and, you are able to do just about whatever you want. You are in what athletes call "the zone".

The challenge for every pitcher is to try to get most of his starts into this zone range. One reason pitchers have difficulty getting into or remaining in the zone is due to a lack of concentration. A pitcher can improve his concentration during a game by following this simple ritual:


Block out Background Noise: Before every batter, make a point to block out all the background noise and to focus your attention only on the catcher's mitt. You do not want to be thinking about the fans, the backstop, the umpire, the batter, or anything else. All your focus is on the catcher's mitt.
State, "Focus on the glove": You should let any thoughts that come into your head pass right through. Do not try to think about those thoughts, just let them pass. Your focus remains on the glove and it is a good idea to even state this mantra under your breath, "focus on glove" or some similar type expression.
If Difficulty Focusing, Re-Focus Again: If you are still having difficulty focusing, consider bringing down the bill of your baseball cap to make even more of a tunnel for your eyes to follow to the catcher's mitt. Also, feel free to restart this process again and again until you feel you have reached the desired state.
Begin Your Pitching: Once you feel you have blocked out the background news, you should begin your pitching.

If you would like to see an example of this exercise, go rent the movie, "For The Love Of The Game". In this movie, Kevin Costner's character goes through this type of ritual when he uses the phrase, "Clear the mechanism" before pitching to the batter. Ultimately, you would like to get to a point where you have this level of concentration.

A second challenge some pitchers have is confidence in their pitching when a mistake is made. A smart pitcher must recognize that mistakes will happen. He could throw a hanging curveball that gets hit for a double to the wall or maybe the second basemen boots an easy grounder. Regardless of how frustrating this might be, a good pitcher must have a short term memory for these errors. Much like a quarterback who just threw an interception, he must immediately forget that error and move onto the next pitch. This type of short-term amnesia ensures the error doesn't get you twice by dwelling on it with the next batter. Here is a basic thinking ritual that can be performed to help with these situations:


Breathe In and Exhale After the Error: Take one deep breath and then exhale deeply. This will help you address the situation constructively.
State, "Oh, well. Nobody's Perfect": After you exhale, state under your breath, "Oh, well. Nobody's perfect." This step will help you compartmentalize the error.
Perform Focusing Ritual: Finally, start going back into the focusing ritual mentioned above. This will allow you to shift your focus away from the error and direct it toward a ritual that you have practiced again and again.

This type of thinking ritual is good because it gives you a ready-made response for a stressful situation. It allows you to address the problem right away and compartmentalize it. Once you are able to do this, it is much easier to turn your attention to the next batter. As you advance in your baseball pitching career, you will begin to notice your success in baseball pitching tends to focus more on how you handle these situations more than any other aspect of your game.

Jack Elliott, is a former player and fan of the game. To read more tips and techniques like the ones in this article, please click here: http://www.baseballtrainingtechniques.com/Baseball-Pitching/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_D._Elliott

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Is Sportsmanship Dead?

By Jerry Kreber

Like our society, sportsmanship has really changed over the last 20 years. Today, high school athletes have many different factors that affect the way they look at treating opponents, officials, and team members. These new variables have led athletes down a dangerous path toward negativity and unconstructiveness. Not only does this develop a sense of pessimism toward athletics, but overall bad feelings about today’s younger athletes.

Advanced technology was helped shaped the way athletes treat each other. The Internet has played a large role in how students communicate. Now, chat rooms and websites offer high school students a chance to interact with one another. When used appropriately, these can be very productive in helping students develop relationships. Often, this is not a popular approach in using updated technology. Instead, many high school athletes tend to visit websites that allow negative information to be posted by members of the site. Usually, these sites do not require members to use their real names. So, athletes have a free rein to banter back and forth with absolutely no accountability for their words. Frequently, this practice has resulted in verbal or physical altercations on and off the playing field.

Parenting attitudes and actions have helped instigate increased bad behavior of high school athletes. Being a poor role model is one way parents have assisted in the influx of negative sportsmanship. For example, during a 2004 high school basketball game in Pennsylvania where a parent body slammed a referee for ejecting his wife from the game for using obscenities. These kinds of incidents have helped high school athletes view violence as an acceptable reaction to unfavorable outcomes. Behavior like this has been highly publicized in the media, causing many organizations to become advocates for better parent behavior. In fact, the International Institute of Sports for the last 16 years has promoted a National Sportsmanship Day. Many famous athletes have jumped on board like Lance Armstrong, Chris Spielman, and Jennie Finch.

Practicing a team concept is another element of sportsmanship that has deteriorated in high school athletics. Today’s players seem to have a very selfish outlook on athletic involvement. This type of attitude has trickled down from professional players through the college ranks. Now, today’s best players often find themselves on the worst teams because their attitude is not conducive with creating a winning environment. This trend provides evidence that often players put their individual wants against vital team needs. In previous athletic environments this type of attitude was not accepted in sports.

In conclusion, today’s athletes must fight off many distractions to practice proper sportsmanship. Athletes may even face peer pressure from teammates not to be a good sport during and after competition. To help remediate this increasing problem, coaches must provide proper instruction on the importance of good sportsmanship. Also, they must send a clear message that bad sportsmanship will not be tolerated within their athletic problem. By using this deterrent, coaches can hedge off embarrassing behavior of athletes in practice and game situations.

Coach Gerald Kreber played baseball at Briar Cliff College and Graceland University from 1995-1999. After playing, he served as an assistant baseball coach at Omaha Central High School from 2001-2006. In 2005, Kreber was hired as an Associate Scout for the Cleveland Indians Baseball Club. Mr. Kreber has been published in the Baseball Coaches Association’s From the Dugout, American Baseball Coaches Coaching Digest, College Baseball Newspaper (CBN), and Tom House’s National Pitching Association (NPA). Moreover, in the winter of 2007, Kreber’s work will be published in Tom House new pitching book. He has also served as a pitching moderator on Steve Ellis’s Complete Pitcher website, and provided baseball instructional material to many other Internet websites. In 2005, Mr. Kreber created his own website http://www.baseballideas.blogspot.com His website offers free baseball instruction, research, and training tips to coaches looking for different ways to maximize player development.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jerry_Kreber



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