Minimizing Head Movement and the Rotational Swing

By Andy Pohl

By minimizing forward linear movement, the hitter is able to keep the upper body still, mainly the head. This allows the hitter to see the pitch better, which in turn, increases his/her ability to make consistent contact. While it is hard enough to hit any moving object, it is much harder to hit that moving object while moving too. Keeping the head still enables the hitter to see the plane of the pitch more accurately. Remember, hitting is sight oriented. No matter how good one's mechanics are, nobody, not even Ted Williams, could hit blindfolded.

The head must stay in the center of body throughout the entire swing. During the load, the head remains in the center of the body, even as the lower body shifts back. Along the same lines, the head stays in the center of the body during the stride, even though weight is shifting back to the front side. During the swing itself, the head remains in the center of the body, even as the player rotates through the baseball. In other words, while the body is moving in a linear and rotational direction, the head remains in the same spot - in the center!

It is essential to understand that from a biomechanical standpoint, maximum power is achieved through rotational movement. In order to achieve maximum power, hitters need to keep their weight back and rotate through the ball, rather than move in a linear motion from the back knee to the front knee and hit the ball off the front foot. With a few exceptions, all of the great hitters today are rotational hitters. At contact point, their head is directly in line with their rear knee. In addition, the belly button is always in front of the chin at contact point, further illustrating the stillness of the head and the rotational approach great hitters take as their hands enter the hitting zone.

Andy Pohl - Co-Founder, DNA Sports

DNA Sports specializes in personalized baseball and softball skill programs, college recruiting education and preparation, and coaching clinics. Learn more: http://www.dnasportsonline.com

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

BatAction Links


---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
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---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
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BatAction Demo Videos on Youtube

Baseball Coaching Digest - Survey Results - The Top 10 Worst Parent Excuses of All Time

By Nick Dixon

The word "excuse" is a bad word to most coaches. A parent excuse is a reason given by a parent to explain or justify their son's poor performance, tardiness, or inappropriate behavior. Coaches really would prefer that someone simply say they were wrong or give a legitimate reason rather than a ridiculous excuse.

If you coach any sport, you are going to hear your share of excuses from parents. Most parents refuse to make excuses. They understand that behavior and actions have consequences.

However, there is that small percentage of parents that are always ready with a reason or excuse for their son's behavior. Some of the worst excuses are those that parents try to use to justify getting their player to practice or a game late. It is no wonder that players use excuses when their parents do so frequently.

The Baseball 2Day Coaching Journal surveyed baseball coaches. One of the questions was "What is the worst excuse you ever heard from a parents? Here are the top 10 worst parent excuses of all time:

#10--- "I can not get my son to any games or practices because I'm pregnant."

#9---- "My son does not like playing 3rd base because he says the balls come to him too fast."

#8----"You should play the 12 year olds the entire game, they have earned that right."

#7----"I could get my son to practice his father had the kid and he did not bring him back on time."

#6----"The game started late (8:00) and it was too late for a kid to be out!

#5----"We did not know that we had a game today."

#4---"I know he did not play well, but he did not get into bed to after midnight. He was watching TV."

#3---"The reason he did not play well was because he ate 3 hotdogs before the game."

#2---"He did not hit the ball because he did not have his new bat. That old bat just does not hit as good."

#1----"I could not get him to practice Saturday, because I had to go to the casino."

Unbelievable as they may sound these excuses were used. I am sure that you have heard some excuses that are just as amazing. Thanks for reading my article. Have a great day! Nick

The Coaches Best Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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

Happy Holidays & Season’s Greetings From Nick

Happy Holidays & Season’s Greetings From Nick



Thank you for being a regular reader of our blog. We are taking some time off for the Holidays. Our post schedule is normally 5 to 6 daily articles posted per week. During the Holidays and until Jan. 4, 2010, or post will not be daily because of Holiday activities. If you are looking for great coaching articles, please consider one of our sites: The BaseballCoachingDigest.com, the YouthBaseballDigest.com or the BaseballParentGuide.com. Have a safe and happy season! Nick Dixon

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Shop CoachesBest.com for your baseball coaching needs including baseball training aids, training videos, and other coaching supplies. Check out the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting machine by SKLZ at HurricaneTrainer.com.

See the “Original” Rotational Hitting Machine at BatAction.com. Are you looking for the perfect trainer to teach proper timing and swing mechanics? You can stop looking and go to HandsBackHitter.com.

Hitting Mechanics - 400 Swings Per Hour

www.Hurricanemachine.com
By Brian Schreder

I recently posted the details about hitting fundamentals (stance, loading, bat speed generation, swing, follow through) and the feedback was pretty consistent. "Great description, but where are the drills to perfect the swing!" Truth be told, the drills we do can be found all over the web. The secret sauce is not in some special new drill, but in organizing the hitting practice to maximize the fundamentally correct swings to develop proper muscle memory.

Before I put together the 60 minutes of drills, let me reiterate that perfect practice makes perfect play. If the players are not swinging with correct fundamentals all they are doing is reinforcing bad muscle memory. Bad muscle memory means there will be "holes" in the swing, which translates into offensive outs and player frustration. Perfect practice creates good muscle memory that means more hard hit balls.

What we do is set up six different hitting stations around the field and divide the team into six groups (try to keep only two players per group). To get 400 swings in 60 minutes using six stations for one hour allocates 10 minutes per station. The pitching machine station can only provide about 40 swings in the allotted time. This leaves us with 360 swings for 5 stations; therefore, you must average 72 perfect swings per station per player.

Here are some example stations:

1. Overload / Underload practice swings: 5 sets of 10 overload and 10 underload = 100 swings focused on bat speed. Practice swings without a ball develops a good fundamental swing with good balance.

2. Pitch location tee work: 2 sets of 10 inside, 10 middle, and 10 outside = 60 swings focused on hitting location and driving the ball to all fields. Working off a tee adds the element of hitting the ball without ball movement so the batter can focus on another element, in this case driving the ball to all fields. By removing the ball movement a batter can develop good balance and contact point location to be able to hit to all fields.

3. Semicircle soft toss: coach soft tosses 10 balls from the front, 10 from the side, 10 from behind, 10 from the side, and 10 from the front = 50 swings focused on hitting the center of the ball. Coach soft toss adds the element of a slow moving ball with the batter focusing on hitting the center of the ball at the contact point for line drives into the outfield.

4. One handed tee work: 3 sets of 10 front hand only and 10 back hand only = 60 swings focused on hand movement through the hitting zone. The front hand guides the bat through the hitting zone while the back hand provides the power to the swing. This drill isolates the hand movement through the hitting zone.

5. Wiffle ball short toss: 3 sets of 10 inside, 10 middle, and 10 outside = 90 swings focused on putting the whole swing together but with the ball moving at a slower speed than during the game. At a short distance, the coach can locate the pitch at different positions within the strike zone to provide additional batting practice for hitting to all fields.

6. Batting practice off a machine: 40 swings focused on timing the swing. By mixing up machine balls from different manufactures, the ball movement and speed are slightly varied to simulate different pitcher's ball movement. It is very difficult to teach hitting mechanics off a machine, but can be very effective with batter timing.

There is nothing special about this set of stations other than you can get a lot of swings very quickly and isolate the individual hitting mechanics. We will use different station drills throughout the season to provide variety and work on specific skills.

What I want to encourage is that you, as a coach, think about how to maximize the number of swings per practice by sub-dividing the players into smaller groups and use multiple hitting stations. What drills do you know that fall into these broad categories? Okay, switch them in for variety.

Youth-Athlete.org (http://www.youth-athlete.org) provides insights for parents, coaches, and young athletes around the world. Youth-Athlete also provides tournament listings (http://www.youth-athlete.org/tournament), suggestions to parents and coaches that enable a successful season, more on hitting mechanics (http://www.youth-athlete.org/blog/page/Hitting-Mechanics.aspx), and a community for open questions.

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


Shop CoachesBest.com for your baseball coaching needs including baseball training aids, training videos, and other coaching supplies. Check out the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting machine by SKLZ at HurricaneTrainer.com.

See the “Original” Rotational Hitting Machine at BatAction.com. Are you looking for the perfect trainer to teach proper timing and swing mechanics? You can stop looking and go to HandsBackHitter.com.

Players develop incredible abt speed and confidence when they regularly use the Quick Swing Trainer. See it at QuickSwingTrainer.com. See the world’s most advanced batting tee at AdvancedSkillsTee.com.

Are you looking for a great batting cage at discount prices? Are you considering building your own backyard batting cage and training center? If so, you should visit BattingCagesDirect.com now!

Two Myths Concerning Baseball Batting Cages

By: Nick Dixon

Two Batting Cage Myths that are simply not true are (1) A Cage must be long for it to be usable for all ages and (2) A batter must see 75 miles per hour pitches to receive maximum benefit from cage work. Coach Dixon discusses how many buyers are mistaken or misled in buying or building a new baseball batting cage. Two Batting Cage Myths that are simply not true:

1. Batting Cage Myth Number One - A Cage must be long for it to be usable for all ages.

This is simply not true. Players of all ages, even the high school and collegiate levels can benefit from batting practice in cages that are 35 to 50 feet in length. A cage does not have to be 70 feet long for it to beneficial to advanced players. The reason for this is that long-toss, front-toss and various other batting practice drills can be performed at distances under the regular pitching distances. When batters take swings at pitches thrown at 35 feet, the batter is seeing and reacting to pitches that simulate higher speeds at the normal pitching distance. The player must perform the swing with the proper trigger, separate, and load actions. All of these elements of the swing must be done at the same speed, rhythm, and timing as under normal game hitting.

2. Batting Cage Myth Number Two - A batter must see 75 miles per hour pitches to receive maximum benefit.

Most hitters at all levels of play including high school, college, and pros would rather see and hit live arm pitches at 45 miles per hour at 30 feet than pitches thrown by a machine at 75 miles per hour. Live-arm batting practice is batting practice thrown by a person not a machine. We must remember that advanced batters benefit most from seeing pitches thrown by a person. The batter must pick-up the pitcher arm-slot, the pitcher release point and time the speed of the pitch thrown. When a person is throwing batting practice the speed and location of every pitch can be changed. It is also a fact that many people are not adept at throwing strikes at longer distances. However, most people can throw an accurate pitch for a strike from 30and 40 feet distances. The batter gets more work in because more pitches are hittable. Not as much time and effort is wasted by with bad pitches out of the strike zone. The shorter distance makes the workout more efficient.

What does this all mean to you as a buyer?

You do not have to buy a 70 feet long cage with an expensive pitching machine to get incredible benefits from owning a batting cage. The 70 foot long batting cage is great for team or institutions because it can be divided into two 35 feet mini batting cages that allow two batters to work at a time. So there is a benefit to owning a longer cage if you are buying it for a school or team use. But, for the average home user, a 45 to 55 feet cage is suitable for all drills, batting practice, and applications that you will need for your player to be successful through the high school level. In my opinion, many people become discouraged from buying a cage because they feel they must buy a 70 feet cage with a $2000 pitching machine. They feel they must spend $3000 to $5000. This is not true. You can get all the practice they need by buying a net and frame with an investment under $800. If at some time later you decide to purchase a machine, you can always do so. I think it is important to realize that the system you buy will be used for a variety of batting drills. The function of the net is safety, ball containment, and practice efficiency. The batting net is no better than the parent or coach that dedicates time for its use. If you use it, you will experience incredible results. It will be a wise investment. Kids can not use the cage without parental or adult supervision and participation.

Shop CoachesBest.com for your baseball coaching needs including baseball training aids, training videos, and other coaching supplies. Check out the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting machine by SKLZ at HurricaneTrainer.com.

See the “Original” Rotational Hitting Machine at BatAction.com. Are you looking for the perfect trainer to teach proper timing and swing mechanics? You can stop looking and go to HandsBackHitter.com.

Players develop incredible bat speed and confidence when they regularly use the Quick Swing Trainer. See it at QuickSwingTrainer.com. See the world’s most advanced batting tee at AdvancedSkillsTee.com.

Are you looking for a great batting cage at discount prices? Are you considering building your own backyard batting cage and training center? If so, you should visit BattingCagesDirect.com now!


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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clKxAYojbg8

The BatAction Hitting Machine and the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine are two of the absolute best batting trainers available today. This compact and self-contained hitting machines allow players to take full speed batting practice swings in indoors or outdoors with little space required. The high speed ball movement drills that these machines feature is known for developing incredible batting skill, bat speed and batter confidence.

Good to Great Athletes - Where Many Hang Up

By Nate Barnett
During a conversation with a youth baseball coach the other day, he was telling me about his team and how they were struggling to get better. This team had over a 70% plus winning percentage the past two years. The kids are used to winning. And there in lies the potential problem that prevents so many talented players and teams from becoming truly great players or teams.

I told the coach I had a couple ideas as to why this was occurring with his group of guys. Many athletes (especially under the age of 16) who are physically talented and mature earlier than others have a relatively easy time competing. They win a lot, hit a bunch of home runs, and steal bases at will. This comfortability and ease of winning doesn't necessarily do any favors for these good athletes. If they find themselves at the top of the league in numerous statistical categories, what incentive is there for them to work harder and learn different skills? The solution is a mindset shift of competing against oneself.

When I was in college I broke the home run record for my school. The next year my goal was to beat my own record. In order to accomplish this, I needed to modify and improve in a few different areas at the plate. This required more attention to baseball hitting drills and pitch selection. I broke my previous record by three home runs my junior year. I used this same mentality for my senior season. I had room to learn I wanted to beat myself once again to prove I hadn't reached a plateau. This competition with myself kept me working hard in the off season and I was able to avoid any complacency that sometimes strikes good athletes. If you're wondering if my work paid off and I was able to increase my home run totals, I did. I was able to put up eight more home runs than my junior year. Always work hard, good things will come to the athletes who do.

Nate Barnett is owner of the The Pitching Academy, a pitching information website designed to improve your on the mound performance as a pitcher. The Pitching Academy contains information, products, training, free articles, and more on baseball drills, pitching, and much more.

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


BatAction Links


---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here

BatAction Demo Videos on Youtube

Hurricane Hitting Machine Baseball Batting Trainer

The Hurricane Batting Machine is one of the absolute best baseball trainers ever. This amazing baseball batting practice machine produces incredible batting skill, bat speed and power. Endorsde by Derek Jeter and made by SKLZ.

Baseball Tips on Hitting - A Bizarre Method But it Will Improve Your Batting Average!

By Larry Cicchiello

If you are not one of the stronger hitters, you really should give this a try. By my own admission, it is a little "bizarre" but is definitely worth an attempt. What you should attempt to do is to hit every pitch at the pitcher's belt buckle. And no, I haven't lost my mind. There is a good chance that it will improve your batting average and I'll explain why. Try to do this on every pitch, no matter what type of pitch it is or where the pitch is located.

The big question may be that if this works, why don't all of the weaker hitters try it. That's a very fair question and the answer is quite simple. First of all, they can't try it because they don't know about it. Another reason is egos, that's why! Too many baseball hitters want to clobber everything and are in love with the long ball. Not all hitters possess great power and some of them are not willing to face that fact.

I completely enjoy watching a terrific power hitter hit a bomb. But I also thoroughly enjoy a hitter who stays within his limits, does not over swing and just makes decent contact and hits for a high batting average.

Too many baseball hitters would rather hit bombs over the fences or into the gaps. They should really do a reality check. By trying to hit the ball toward the pitcher's belt buckle, even though you are aiming up the middle, you will also hit to all fields because you won't always hit the ball straight up the middle. By aiming for the pitcher's belt buckle, it will force the hitter to watch the pitch carefully and there is a very good chance that his baseball hitting mechanics will improve. It's identical to why some outstanding professional hitters take batting practice with a smaller bat than they use in a live game. Their reasoning is that with the smaller bat it encourages them to have better baseball hitting mechanics or they may not even hit the ball at all. Please note that I said outstanding professional hitters.

Another added plus is that by aiming for the pitcher's belt buckle, you will not be trying to "do too much" with your baseball swing. A very common baseball hitting problem is that hitters have way too much going on. It's referred to as the swing "being too busy."

A player who is struggling at the plate should at least give this an attempt to get back on the right track! The expression "sometimes less is more" definitely applies here.

Hopefully, it will be very helpful to some and they will overcome any baseball hitting struggles.

Larry is the president of Larwenty Online Enterprises Inc and is also the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." If you are a baseball player or baseball coach at any level of play, or a parent who wants to help your child improve, you will be fully equipped! His baseball website offers several FREE baseball tips from his very informative and very fairly priced eBooks.

Larry's baseball website is http://www.larrybaseball.com/

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



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Speed Kills in Baseball

AdvancedSkillsTee.com

By Brian Moran

3 STEPS to STEP UP YOUR SPEED

Ever wonder why the first thing you do at a pro tryout is run the 60 yard dash? Because you can't play at the next level running a 7.9.

Well, unless you hit the ball 500 feet.

Cut to the Chase (no pun intended)

Use this off-season...whether it's cold or warm in your area...

* Find a Hill (a steep one)(20 min)...The first few strides are crucial. Running up a slight hill (about 30 degrees) helps to develop power and acceleration. Keep the distances short (10-15 yards) and allow extra rest between sets and reps.

o 10 sprints - forward
o 10 sprints - backward
o 10 sprints - side shuffle

* Stretch - 2x day (15 min) My flexibility was the one thing holding me back that I didn't become aware of until college, where I trained with a former Olympic sprinter. We worked on my flexibility, lengthened my stride, and improved technique. My 60-time dropped from 6.65 to a 6.45 in 3 months...stretch.

o Hamstring Stretches
o Calf Stretches
o Glute Stretches
o Quad Strecthes

* Running Form Drills

o High Stepping - run in place, 15 sec sets, raising your knees to 90 degrees. Repeat 3-5 sets. This increases your running form and lengthens your stride.
o Army Walk - walk in a straight line, raising your leg straight out (unbent) and touching the tip of your toe with your opposite hand. Lengthens stride and improves flexibility. (walk for 30 feet = 1 set | 3-5 sets)

More at http://www.trainbaseball.com

Brian Moran
Train Baseball
http://www.trainbaseball.com

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

Shop CoachesBest.com for your baseball coaching needs including baseball training aids, training videos, and other coaching supplies. Check out the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting machine by SKLZ at HurricaneTrainer.com.

See the “Original” Rotational Hitting Machine at BatAction.com. Are you looking for the perfect trainer to teach proper timing and swing mechanics? You can stop looking and go to HandsBackHitter.com.

Players develop incredible bat speed and confidence when they regularly use the Quick Swing Trainer. See it at QuickSwingTrainer.com. See the world’s most advanced batting tee at AdvancedSkillsTee.com.

Are you looking for a great batting cage at discount prices? Are you considering building your own backyard batting cage and training center? If so, you should visit BattingCagesDirect.com now!
Blogs for Baseball Coaches Links:
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Baseball Batting Machines - The Backyard Basketball Goal For Baseball Players

One of my pet peeves in life is that there are many hundred thousands of future high school baseball players that will spend millions of hours of their spare time shooting basketball today. They will go out into their own backyard and spend hours and hours shooting games of “Horse” or playing “Pick-up” basketball.

Why does this bother me? The reason is that I know that these players could be having just as much fun and entertainment swinging a baseball bat if they had the right batting machine at home. They could be building skills in the game of baseball that will benefit them greatly when they compete for a spot on their high school team later.

Backyard batting machines such as the BatAction Hitting Machine and the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine are the “Backyard Basketball Goal” for the Future Baseball Prospect. The future baseball prospect “lives” to swing the bat like the future basketball prospect “lives” to shoot the hoop.

Here are my 5 reasons the Batting Machine is like a Backyard Basketball Goal:

1. It is pure fun to hit. It offers a variety of fun and entertaining games and batting drills that kids love to play. The batting machine makes your backyard the most popular backyard in the neighborhood.

2. It is always ready for action. When the player gets bored at home, the machine is readily available.

3. There is not set-up required. To shoot basketball, all you need is a basketball. To hit the batting machine, all you need is a bat.

4. There is no energy required. The batting machine is fully self-contained. It operates off its on energy source. It uses the energy of the bat’s contact to propel the ball for the next swing.

5. A player can shoot basketball solo. The player can hit the batting machine without having to have a second person also. The “Streak” hitting game is comparable to shooting “Horse”. Players can play the “Streak” game alone.

So you can see why I call the batting machine, the backyard basketball goal for hitters. The two batting machine that are most poplar today are the BatAction Hitting Machine by Nedco Sports and the Derek Jeter Hurricane Machine by SKLZ.

You can see the batting machines described in theis article at BatAction.com and HurricaneMachine.com

Nick Dixon is the host for BaseballCoachingDigest.com, the YouthBaseballDigest.com, and BaseballParentGuide.com.

Check Out the Baseball Dealz Ebay Super Store

Buy Top Quality Baseball Training Equipment at Ebay Discount Prices at the BaseballDealz Ebay Super Store.

Free Youth Baseball Drills - 3 Great Ways to Improve the Youth!

By KC Andrus

Youth baseball is a deep tradition, certainly in the American culture, and has always filled kids and parents live's with an amazing get away from the redundancy of normal life, as well as a way to channel children's energy (and hopefully wear them out, right parents? *wink* *wink*). But whether you're a parent, coach or player these six simple, free youth baseball drills are sure to get you and you're team going in the right direction, which is having fun, of course...and winning:

1. The first difficult transition in a baseball player's life is making the jump from tee ball to coach pitch (or machine pitch) whatever the case may be. A drill that makes this transition easier is to get a big, nerf soccer ball and have them hit that for a while just to get the feel of hitting a moving ball.

2. Baseball Ready Position Drill- this drill is great to teach kids the value of being in "ready position" when the ball is delivered to the plate. Have the infielder's line up at shortstop for ground ball practice just like normal, but BEFORE you hit them a ground ball make sure they get in a good athletic position so they can get a good jump on the ball.

3. Double Leg Kick Drill- This drill is for when the youngster's start pitching. Have the child stand in the outfield and pitch from the stretch the same as he would off the mound. But when he gets to his leg kick and his leg reaches it's highest point have him pause briefly, and then put his leg back down and leg kick again. This makes sure the pitcher is keeping his weight back and using his momentum toward the plate.

There are so many more great, free youth baseball drills. that will help your children improve and reach their true potential. It is wonderful for children to improve, and it is highly likely that the better they get the more fun they will have. It's just natural. Make sure to gather all the resources you can. The following site is one that I like a lot:

free youth baseball drills.

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

Websites for Baseball Coaches:

The American Baseball Directory is the ultimate baseball-links and baseball websites directory. ABD is one of the internet's largest and most complete listings of baseball links including baseball coaching links, baseball training links, baseball teams website links, baseball assciations website links, and baseball reference websites.
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The Baseball Today Coaching Journal is one of the internet's most popular baseball coaching resource sites. We have articles on baseball coaching, basebal training, and baseball fundamentals.
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We have directories of youth baseball, little league baseball, high school baseball, college baseball and major league baseball. BaseballWebGuide.com is proud to be one of the web's largest and most complete directories of baseball websites. Whether you are baseball coach, player or parent, we have the category of baseball websites you need.
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Baseball training bats are a vital part of every team's batting practice routine. Training-Bats.com features top quality baseball training bats with product information and descriptions

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


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!

BatAction Hitting Machine being used to practice "Switch Hitting" skills

The video shows the BatAction Hitting Machine being used to practice "Switch Hitting" skills. The video shows a young and college age batter taking swings. The BatAction Machine is well known and respected as a backyard and team training machine. The BatAction is 100% Guaranteed to Improve batting skill and bat speed. Regular BatAction workouts have been known to increase batting averages from 100 to 300 points. It is recommended that players do the "20 Minute" BatAction batting practice workout at least 3 times a week.



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3 Absolutes to Develop Arm Strength and Accuracy For Baseball

By Jack Perconte

Throwing a baseball with accuracy and speed is obviously a necessity for ballplayers to continue to move up the baseball ladder. It is almost incomprehensible that kids who are fourteen years old and in high school are expected to play at the same distances that major league baseball players do, but that is the case. High school dimensions are the same ninety feet between the bases and sixty feet between home and the pitcher's mound. Those are formidable distances for players, especially for those who have not had their growth spurt yet. The good news is that players can improve their arm strength and accuracy with good mechanics and practice. Players who want to improve their throwing should adhere to the following fundamentals and practice until perfecting them. It is also necessary to throw (correctly) for anywhere between six and nine months out of the year. Generally, as kids get closer to high school, more throwing is advised with at least a couple of days a week of quality throwing. Getting the proper amount of rest between throwing sessions is also important.

3 Absolutes of Throwing for Speed and Accuracy

1. Direction - most kids know how to stand at home plate so having them go to their hitting position before throwing should come easy. This complete turn of the body will point the front shoulder directly at the target with feet parallel to each other. Without this correct set-up position, the thrower's ability to reach maximum speed and accuracy are already compromised. A noted with hitting position, a complete ninety degree turn of the thrower's foot of the same side as his throwing arm is necessary to get to correct starting position.

2. Direction 2 - Players must step directly at the target. Without this direct step the thrower's hips will not function correctly causing a lack of accuracy and power. The length of the step will be determined by the distance of the throw and will come naturally, with the key being the direction. Drawing a direct line from the lead foot towards the target or setting down a couple of objects for the player to step in between are good practice drills to reinforce the correct step. An indirect step is the most common area of break down in a player's throwing fundamentals.

3. Follow through - it is necessary that throwers allow their arm to travel the complete path so the body can alleviate some of the stress of the arm action on the shoulder and to prevent aiming the ball. This is done by the players throwing arm finishing at his opposite side hip, thigh or knee and by having his rear leg come up and forward as they throw. Like hitting, this weight transfer puts power into the throw.

Sounds simple enough but like anything, "The difference between doing something totally correct and almost correct, is the difference between success and failure." (Author of quote is unknown.) Long distance throwing can also develop arm strength but the 3 above fundamentals must be followed for "long toss" to be beneficial.

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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Baseball Game Speed - The Best Speed Training Workouts For Baseball!

By Brandon Richey

Baseball game speed is a necessity. Speed training workouts for baseball have to be a necessity in order to be competitive on the field of play. Whether you are trying to beat out a throw for a base hit or you are trying to chase down a fly ball, speed is a necessary trait to have for that moment.

In order to develop true baseball speed you must have a well designed baseball fitness program. Your personal fitness and strength program should include kettlebell lifting and resisted speed and agility training in order to optimally develop your game. The only way to develop speed is to train for it by increasing your total body strength and overall reaction time. Kettlebell training is great for developing both your total strength, as well as, helping you to develop power with certain lifts that can be designed to achieve an explosive quality which is necessary for running speed, acceleration, and deceleration. Speed and agility drills for baseball such as resisted harness runs, plyometrics, and hurdle drills are also great for improving your athletic performance. The key to being successful in developing game day speed is to incorporate these methods of strength and conditioning into your personal fitness program.

If you have not yet gotten acquainted with the ancient kettlebell then you are truly missing out. Well designed strength and conditioning programs are the key for developing any serious athlete for optimal competition. The ancient kettlebell has molded the world's finest athletic bodies and strongmen for over three centuries. In other words, it works! Remember that anybody can train hard, but only 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

You will become one of my Free Elite Members if you make your "Better Than Steroids" purchase, but to just become one of my Elite Members and receive my free Newsletter just go to http://www.efandps.com/www.efandps.com/Brandons_Members_Newsletter.html

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

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Baseball Pitching Tips - Checkpoints Are Mandatory For All Pitchers!

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By Larry Cicchiello

Checkpoints are something that every baseball pitcher should do before every pitch in order for him to be the most effective!

Usually, baseball pitchers have about three or four. They will vary from pitcher to pitcher. Checkpoints are very simply mental reminders that a pitcher gives to himself before every pitch.

Some Common Checkpoints That Pitchers Use:


Step toward your catcher's target.
Keep the front shoulder closed when driving toward the plate so you don't "fly open."
Throw the ball and don't overthrow the ball.
Don't rock left and right and keep everything straight during the windup and delivery of the pitch.
Remember not to tilt the head and to keep it straight.
Remember to "stay back on the rubber" if you have a tendency to get your body ahead of your throwing arm and it causes you to rush when throwing.
Keep the windup slow if you have a tendency to rush and it causes pitching problems for you.
Get the legs involved in the pitch to share the work load.
Stay "on top" of your pitches or they will flatten out and be much more hittable.
Turn the hip enough when pivoting.
Raise the throwing elbow up to shoulder height or you will "push" the ball and not throw it.
Break the hands apart early so you don't have to rush the throwing arm.
Raise the front knee to at least waist height.
The list can go on and on. (And it almost did.)

As an individual baseball pitcher, you have to decide what the three or four things are that should be your personal checkpoints. Only you will know what these things are that you should do, or should not do to pitch the most effectively.

Think of them before you throw every pitch!

It's not nearly as complicated as one might think. Simply think of an abbreviated form because it is not like you have to think of thirty, forty or fifty words before every pitch.

A typical checkpoint list may be staying back on the rubber, front shoulder closed and point the landing foot to the catcher's target. A more logical and abbreviated version would be "stay back, closed and foot." It takes about one second at the most.

Spending this valuable one second will help you tremendously as a baseball pitcher!

Larry is the president of Larwenty Online Enterprises Inc. He is also the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." If you are a baseball player or baseball coach at any level of play, or a parent who wants to help your child improve, you will be fully equipped! His baseball website offers several FREE baseball tips from his very informative and very fairly priced eBooks.

Larry's baseball website is http://www.larrybaseball.com/

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

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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 Tips - Don't Ever Be Intimidated by Any Hitter!

By Larry Cicchiello

There is no reason on earth why a pitcher should ever be intimidated by any batter! I don't care how good or how great a baseball hitter he is. My thought process is that first of all, it comes down to simple math.

Even the great baseball hitters make outs more often than they get hits. So if I'm facing a hitter that has an average of.400, that means 6 out of 10 official at bats I will win the battle. If I'm a slightly better than average pitcher, that means that I probably will get him out about 7 out of 10 times or possibly even a little more often.

Several advantages the pitcher has over the hitter:


The pitcher knows what type of pitch is being thrown and the hitter does not.
The pitcher knows the speed of the pitch and the hitter does not.
The pitcher knows where he wants to locate the pitch and the batter does not.
Last but not least, the pitcher is standing on "the hill" and is throwing a very hard baseball in the batter's general direction.

As a baseball pitcher, there is no logical reason whatsoever to feel any intimidation.

On the other hand, if a pitcher has a batter intimidated, part of the job is done before the first pitch is even thrown!

It is a pitcher's job to make the batter uncomfortable at the plate. I am NOT implying that a pitcher should throw at a batter! What I am saying is that I strongly believe there is nothing illegal or immoral about throwing a pitch six inches or so off the inside corner of the plate.

The batter's box is six inches away from the plate, right? I have every moral and legal right to throw into what I call that "neutral area." And if my pitch goes an inch or so beyond that neutral area, I won't lose any sleep over it.

Once again, I have no intention of hitting the batter with the baseball.

If I see a great hitter get up to the plate and he is just dying to clobber me, I would not hesitate to work him "low and away" with my pitches and occasionally throw the fastball six inches or so off the inside corner of the plate.

The following short story is strictly for your benefit and not mine. Back in the late 1960's, when I was about 15 years old, I used to occasionally pitch against a fabulous hitter named Jimmy.

Jimmy was a feared hitter, strong as an ox, and it was only fitting that he was a catcher. I swear that when he came up to bat I could see smoke coming out of his ears and he was a very aggressive baseball hitter.

Every time we played his team and I was pitching, I would give him my "calling card" by throwing a fast ball inside off the plate, by about six inches or so. Just a friendly reminder to not get too comfortable up there and a reminder that I'm throwing a very hard baseball in his direction.

Once again, I want to emphasize that this is NOT to be confused with throwing at a batter, which is morally and legally wrong. I had a great deal of success in my showdowns with Jimmy and it was not a coincidence.

If I wasn't intimidated by Jimmy, a truly great hitter, I don't want you to ever be intimidated by any batter either!

Larry is the president of Larwenty Online Enterprises Inc. and also the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." If you are a baseball player or are involved in baseball coaching at any level of play or a parent who wants to help your child improve, you will be fully equipped! His baseball website offers several FREE baseball tips from his very informative and very fairly priced eBooks.

Larry's baseball website is http://www.larrybaseball.com/

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

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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 Performance Training - Why Every Baseball Player Should Hill Sprint

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By Tim Kauppinen

Serious ball players are always looking for ways to get an edge on the competition – to gain an advantage. It's why you spend so much time researching methods of training that will make you faster and stronger – without taking too much time to get results.

That's why I believe that running hill sprints (which includes running bleachers and stairs) is a must for any baseball player looking to be the best.

This is because hill sprints provide a number of benefits to the baseball player. Here are the Top 5:

1. Hill Sprints Provide the Perfect Combination of Strength and Speed Training.

It's like lifting weights and sprinting at the same time. The hill gives resistance to your sprints, making them more difficult while being shorter in distance and duration. Including hill sprints in your training program can bring great results in as little as 15 minutes 1 or 2 times per week.

This training can help you develop great strength and power in your hips – the key to hitting farther, pitching harder and throwing longer.

2. Hill Sprints Build Stamina.

Endurance is something that every baseball player needs to keep consistency in your play in the later innings – but it is a special kind of endurance. If you want to perform at your peak, then long, slow distance types of cardio just won't work. When is the last time you had to jog around the ball field at 60% of your max heart rate for 30 minutes straight? Instead, your endurance training needs to mimic the demands of your sport. Those needs being – short bouts of intense exertion alternated with periods of lower intensity movements.

Hill sprints provide just this type of interval training. They will take your heart and lungs to intensities far greater than those found in jogging or traditional types of endurance training. Your body will become used to reaching these higher levels, and recovering quickly in between the "sprints." Not only that, with hill sprints, you will be able to spend much more time training at that high intensity than if you try to "go hard" at a steady state.

More and more scientific studies are showing that VO2 Max (the traditional measure of aerobic endurance) is improved as much – or more- by using high intensity exercise like hill sprinting. (And you can gain these benefits in incredibly short workouts). This endurance is due to the sprints upgrading your oxygen intake system with new capillaries, developing stronger heart and lung tissue, adding more energy producing mitochondria and increasing your tolerance to lactic acid buildup.

Without this endurance, your body will become fatigued as the game goes on (especially if it goes into extra innings). Fatigue can lead to a decrease in performance and the loss of your form and technique. Being tired can also lead to a lack of focus, which can kill your batting average or your pitching consistency (not to mention lead to costly errors).

Want to stay fresh and win in the 9th inning (and beyond)? Hill sprint.

3. Hill Sprints Increase Your Speed and Explosiveness.

Let's face it. Speed kills. Whether it's for stealing bases or chasing down a fly ball, speed development is key to your success - and hill sprints can help you get there.

Hill training promotes two important factors of your speed: hip strength and quickness.

First, when you run hill sprints, you will immediately feel the difference in your hips – especially your quads and glutes. Improving these "pushing" muscles in your legs will help get you up to full speed faster – greatly improving your chances of making it to the next base or covering ground to make a play.

Secondly, hill sprints can improve your quickness. Sprinting up hill forces you to shorten your stride slightly. This shorter stride forces you increase the turnover of those strides – making you run faster. Faster feet also translate into a lightning-quick first step – a great asset to have in any ballgame.

4. Hill Sprints Improve Your Mental Toughness

Besides all of the physical benefits of hill sprinting, they also promote mental toughness and goal-setting.

Looking up at the hill can be daunting when you are fatigued and nearing the end of your sprint session. By using the hill as a metaphor, you can see the importance of having a goal (the top of the hill), taking the steps necessary to reach it (one step at a time up the hill), and celebrating your success when they reach that goal (just like you'll celebrate after winning your next big game). Looking back down the hill after your workout, you can feel the satisfaction of accomplishing something that may have seemed an impossible obstacle.

With all of these benefits for you as a ball player, adding hill sprints to your training program should go to the top of your To Do List. It's no coincidence that Ichiro Suzuki and other baseball greats include hills and stairs in their off-season training.

Make yourself stronger, faster, better conditioned, injury resistant and mentally tough with this "old school" training. You and your fans will be glad you did. The opposing team won't be quite as happy…

Tim Alan Kauppinen, or Coach K, has over 20 years experience as an athlete and coach. He has worked with athletes of all ages and abilities in track and field, basketball, speed training and strength and conditioning after graduating from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a coaching emphasis. This has given him the privilege and the opportunity to coach athletes who have become conference champions, state champions and Division I college players. Coach K is the author of the Uphill Fitness Training, Ultimate Insider Speed Training Secrets and Iron Shins programs. He also publishes a FREE daily training email newsletter.

Tim can be contacted through his website at
http://www.makesyoufast.com/power_hill_sprint.html

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

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Advanced Hitting Drills

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By Jack Perconte

There are numerous hitting drills and all have specific purposes. Good hitting drills address a specific area of a hitter's fundamentals. When hitters have practiced basic hitting drills for a time they may be ready for more advance hitting drills. Additionally, these drills can serve to break up the monotony of performing the same drills over and over.

Some drills will actually address a few different fundamental areas at the same time, making them even more valuable. One such drill is the back knee pickup drill that I have written about before. This drill where the hitter swings, picks up the back foot and allows the knee to rotate towards the pitcher is a good multi-use drill that works on using the front side and keeping a firm front side without collapsing the lower half on the swing. It also serves to have hitters transfer their weight and maintain leverage through their swing. This is only a drill and is not the way a hitter will hit in a game, but a drill that reinforces the correct fundamentals for hitters who have specific hitting deficiencies. This drill helps hitters who "step out" with their stride and for those who open their hips or front shoulder too early.

Other advanced hitting drills include the following:

1. The self flip drill is very valuable for advanced hitters. It will force hitters to develop quick hands and strong forearms. To perform this drill the hitter will hold the ball with their top hand as their lower hand grips the bat. The hitter flips the ball up no higher than eye level into the hitting zone. At this time, the hitter will grab the bat with both hands and hit the ball. Obviously, the goal is to hit line drives and in the direction of where the ball was flipped, (middle, inside or outside). Hitters will notice that very quick hands are necessary to hit the ball consistently solid.

2. Another advanced hitting drill is to have the hitter stand a foot or so away from a net, where the hitter is facing away from the net. The goal is to swing and miss the net with the bat going forward, but to hit the net slightly on the follow through with the bat. This drill will reinforce a compact swing and "staying back" at the same time. Hitters should keep their head in throughout the entire swing and not pull their front shoulder out in order to hit the net on the follow through. Once again, this is another drill for advanced hitters only. This drill can be done with a ball on the batting tee or with flip drills for even better results.

3. The two ball flip drill is another advanced hitting drill that is very good for teaching hitters to wait on the ball and to develop a quick, compact swing. Hitters will need the assistance of a coach to flip balls from behind a protective screen for this drill. The coach will hold two balls in the same hand at once and flip the balls into the hitting zone. When the ball approaches the hitter, the coach yells out which ball they want the hitter to hit, either high/low, or even inside/ outside. Obviously, because the hitter does not know which ball to hit until the last moment, they cannot cheat with their swing too early or they will hit the wrong one or miss altogether.

These are a few advanced hitting drills that will help advanced hitters. Many more like these are contained in my hitting book.

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 - and one of his videos can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsIt0TIsHmQ
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Perconte






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