Baseball Coaching Digest - The Three Best Slides in Baseball and 3 Coaching Tips For Teaching Each

Baseball Coaching Digest - The Three Best Slides in Baseball and 3 Coaching Tips For Teaching Each
By guest author: Nick Dixon

Baseball sliding is an important skill for baseball players to master. It is every baseball coaches responsibility to teach every player how to slide safely. Every player should know the different kinds of slides and when each type slide is used. This article explains the three safest types of baseball slides and gives coaching points for each.

Sliding is difficult to practice. I can be relatively to easy teach if the coach knows how to properly execute each slide. Until players have a chance execute slides repetitively, they do not gain the confidence they should have to use the slides in a game. The best ways to practice baseball sliding if you do not have a slide practicing mat, is to wet the grass, use nylon cloth or card board on gym floors, or practice sliding in soft loose dirt.

There are a couple of basic safety points that should be remembered when executing all baseball slides. You must start the slide at least four steps from the bag. Sliding late is a commonly cause of ankle and leg injury. Keeping the hands high also prevent injury to hands, fingers and wrist.

Pop-Up or Stand-Up Slide - This slide is the safest and most popular sliding technique. It offers one definite advantage over other slides. The pop-up slide allows runners to advance more easily should an errant throw be made by the defense.

Three coaching points for the stand-up slide:

1. The left leg is bent and is under the right leg. The right leg is extended and it should be slightly bent.
2. The runner slides evenly on both lower cheeks of his rear end or on both back pockets.
3. The runner should adjust the slide path according to the position the fielder has assumed and where the tag glove is likely to be placed. The runner can touch the bag with his foot going directly into the bag or with a hand if the runner slides away from the bag.

Hook Slide - The hook slide is so named because of the "bent or hooked" positions of the legs during the slide and the fact that the bag is "hooked" or tagged with the back foot. The slide can to the right or left of the bag as the play requires.

Three coaching points for the "Hook" slide are:

1. The runner slides on one hip pocket or the other. The body is tilted during the slide. The body should be titled toward the side of the bag on which the slide is being made.
2. The bag is tagged with the back foot.
3. The hook slide is often used by runners attempting to break up a double play. It is also a good slide to use when trying to avoid an awaiting tag by the defender.

Reach-Around or Decoy Slide - The decoy slide is the most difficult to tech, learn, master and practice. It is a slide used when the ball beat the runner to the bag by 5 steps. The decoy slide is used to fool or trick the player making the tag. The sliding runner will fake tagging the bag with one hand and use the other hand to reach around the tag. The decoy is used only as a "last resort" to try avoiding a tag when the runner find himself "dead-to-rights" and sees the ball and tag waiting on him.

Three coaching points for the "Decoy" slide are:

1. The decoy slide must be started earlier than other slides.
2. The decoy slide should be made some distance away from the bag. The distance should allow the runner to reach the bag with both hands. The distance should require the fielder to reach way from the bag to make the tag. This reaching motion gives the runner a spot to avoid and reach around. The secret is to "sucker" the defender with one hand, then withdraw that hand, and reach around the tag with the other hand avoiding a tag and reaching the bag safely.
3. The sliding technique used at the beginning of the slide is the "stand-up" slide.

Note: I intentionally did not list the "head first" slide in this article. It is illegal in most leagues. It is a slide that is considered the most dangerous and risky. It has been the cause of many serious injuries. Coaches should consider the liability risk before teaching it as a method of sliding. I personally recommend to my players that they do not slide head first.

I hope that you found this article useful and informative. Thanks for taking the time to read this article. Have a great day, Nick.

The CoachesBest 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.

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Baseball Coaching Tips - When to Put on a Defensive Shift

Baseball Coaching Tips - When to Put on a Defensive Shift
By guest author: Jim Bain

Baseball players have their "Normal" fielding positions which are designed to provide the greatest amount of area coverage in which one fielder will be able to reach and field a hit baseball. These positions are tried and true from tens of thousands of ball games.

However, these "Normal" positions are just that, Normal. There's nothing set in stone as to not being able to vary the defensive set depending on the situation. Let's look at a few of these situations which could dictate you moving your defense into a shift.

The very first and most used shift involves the corner infielders. Once again depending on the score, the manager must determine if his best bet is to put the odds in his favor as far as the third baseman or first baseman fielding the ball for an out, or increase his odds of not allowing an extra base hit.

With the score close, within 2 or 3 runs of each other, and the game being in the late innings, 6th and 7th of a 7 inning game, 8th and 9th of a 9 inning game, the coach will position his corner infielders very close to the base.

The reasoning for this is quite simple. A ball hit through the infield to the left side of the 3rd baseman or the right side of the first baseman, will result in a base hit, as the outfielder will easily be able to field the ground ball and get it back into the infield, holding the runner at first base.

However, a hard hit ground ball to the right of the third baseman or left of the first baseman, which gets passed the infielder, will most likely result in a double for the hitter, placing him in scoring position. The reason for this huge difference, is a ball hit like this will have a natural spin which will take the baseball in direction towards the foul line and away from the outfielder.

Instead of waiting for the ball to reach him, he will have to go and retrieve the ball which allows the runner more time to reach second base.

Another type of shift utilized is an Over Shift, in which either the second baseman is shifted to behind second base or slightly on the shortstop side of second, or the shortstop is shifted behind second or slightly to the right field side of the base.

The reason for utilizing this shift, as we will see, is actually two fold. This shift is implemented when there is a Pull hitter, with power at the bat. Some hitters are capable of pulling (hitting) any pitch, whether it be outside or not, into a specific field, most likely left or right field.

The extra infielder is placed on the side of the field the hitter will 99% hit the baseball, giving the defense an advantage of fielding the ball for an out instead of a base hit.

Secondly, the shift is also implemented in order to induce the hitter to hit the ball to the open side of the infield, which will be his Non Power side. The team in essence is saying "I'll allow a free base hit in order to prevent a home run or extra base hit."

In a pitcher's duel, this shift and the results it produces, could have game winning or losing implications.

Jim Bain - Former Minor league baseball player, who since retiring has dedicated his life to teaching baseball to youth. Visit his exciting info packed website: http://www.Learn-Youth-Baseball-Coaching.com

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Baseball Coaching Digest - Teach Batters to Use Their New Brain When Batting

Baseball Coaching Digest - Teach Batters to Use Their New Brain When Batting
By guest author: Nick Dixon

To me the hitter's brain is his eyes. If you literally try to think yourself through every at-bat, you are in trouble in today's game. The hitter must let his eye's do his thinking at the plate. I consider the eyes a batter's new brain. They must learn to properly use it. This article discusses several coaching points, tips and details related to this approach to hitting.

Teaching young hitters to swing at what they see, not what they think they see or what they think that they are going to see is one of the most important coaching responsibilities as a youth coach. What I mean about this statement is that players have to step into the box realizing that they "never know" what the pitch will be. They should not guess pitches but rather learn to keep the hands back and see what the pitch is and then react.

Several coaching points come to mind when I discuss this process. Many of these are saying that you should teach or convey to your staff and players. Those points are:

1. Always set yourself up physically to hit the fastball on the outer 3rd of the plate, and adjust to hit the fastball in. Notice, I said "physically" set your stance at the plate. I did not say, "Convince yourself that the next pitch is going to be a "fastball away". The key is getting in a position to hit it and being able to reach. Batters should always be ready to hit the fastball away first and then adjust to the fastball in, curveball away, or pitch on the middle 3rd of the plate. The batter must let his "eyes control his hands". The decision to hit or swing comes from the eyes, not the brain. Therefore, the eyes are the hitter's brain.

2. Always set yourself up physically to hit the fastball and adjust to hit off speed pitches. The batter must be able to hit the soft stuff on the outer 3rd of the plate at all times. The batter should always be ready to hit the fastball, but should keep the hands back, and adjust to hit the off speed pitch. The key here is that to be a confident batter, a batter must have confidence in his "hand or bat speed". He must know and realize that if he keeps his hands back, he can still catch up with the fastball, but if he "leaks or cheats his hands forward", he will be incapable of hitting the away fastball and the way off speed pitch. He must learn to keep his hands back and allow his eyes to do his thinking. He must see a pitches location before he reacts. Assuming a position that allows you to see, react, and hit all pitch locations is the key to hitting success.

3. The hitter should never guess. Guess hitting makes a hitter an easy target that will fall victim to good pitches. Hitting is a process of see and reacting, not guessing and swinging. The hitter must see the pitch location before he swings, not guess a pitches location before he swings. The difference is that when you guess, you start too early. When you guess, you have a tendency to start the swing prematurely. The guess hitter may be able to get it right sometimes, and crush the fastball with power. But, more times than not, he will lunge, jump or get out to quick and strike out or pop the fly ball into the air.

4. The only thing a hitter should know is that you "never know" what the pitch is going to be. The key is to trust you eyes as your brain to allow you to be a "see" hitter and not a "guess" hitter. I know that count awareness can give you the edge as a hitter in many situations. If you are ahead, you are more than likely going to get a fastball. If the pitcher is ahead, you are more than like going to get his best out pitch, which may be a breaking ball. But, more and more in today's game, we are pitching batters backwards. So, the absolute best way to hit is to make batting a "seeing, identifying and reacting process" that allows the swing to be triggered, controlled and executed by the eyes.

I hope that you found this article to be useful and informative. You can find more like it at Baseball Coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, Little League Digest, and the Baseball Parent Guide. I thank you for taking the time to read this article. I wish you and your team the best of luck in the coming season. Have a great day, Nick

The CoachesBest 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.

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Baseball Coaching Digest - Why Baseball Players Are the Most Accountable Athletes in Sports

Baseball Coaching Digest - Why Baseball Players Are the Most Accountable Athletes in Sports
By guest author: Nick Dixon

Baseball players are held to a higher level of accountability than any other athletes in the world. If you compare baseball, football and basketball to see which sport holds the player athlete more responsible for mistakes and errors, you will find that baseball holds players to a higher level of accountability. This article explains my perspective on why baseball players are the most accountable athletes in sports.

I am absolutely sure that baseball players are held at a higher level of accountability than other sports athletes. Why do I feel this way? Have you ever been to a football game and seen a player miss a tackle or block that cost his team dearly? Did the official score "flash" error on the football scoreboard? The answer is no. Have you ever watched a basketball player miss a wild open layup that hurt his team? Did the score keeper or score operator flash "error" on the scoreboard? The answer is no.

On the other hand, as baseball player can bobble a hard hit ground ball and the whole world will soon be notified and an official documentation of the mistake will be made in the scorebook. The scorekeeper will write a big "E" in the scorebook that makes the error officially known. Then the scoreboard operator will also turn on the "error" light on the scoreboard to let every player and spectator in the park know that an error was made.
That is the reason I feel that baseball players are the most accountable athletes in sports.

Maybe other sports consider adding an "Error" light on their scoreboard or writing a big "E" in their scorebook when a player makes a mistake. Then maybe the next time a player fails to execute on a football field or basketball court, they will know what it's like to be held publicly accountable and responsible like a baseball player.

I hope that you enjoyed this article. Thanks for taking the time to read it. Visit the Baseball coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, Little League Digest and Baseball Parent Guide for more baseball articles. Good luck to you and your team, Nick.

The CoachesBest 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

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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: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, 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, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Baseball Hitting Tips - 100 Swings a Day

Baseball Hitting Tips - 100 Swings a Day
By guest author: Tom Read

An old baseball coach use to say after every practice, "go home and swing the bat 100 times each and every day. If you want to hit against the high level of competition we are going to be playing, swing that bat 100 times everyday". What he did not explain to the players was that doing something over and over makes it easier each time. It eventually becomes natural, second nature. So when that fastball comes flying in, and there is a half second to react, and you know where the swing needs to go, the muscle memory takes over and the swing comes naturally.

Hitting off the tee is a great baseball hitting drill. Take a 100 cuts a day off the tee and you will see your batting average start to climb. Another good baseball drill is soft toss. Here the tosser can change the location and the speed of the ball. Again, a 100 cuts a day of soft toss will bring improvement to your swing. The old coach used to tell the players that even if they did not have a tee to use, or no one was around to do soft toss with them, just go out in the yard and swing the bat thru the air. A 100 times a day. Doing this will get you comfortable with your swing. At game time, you want to be confident at the plate, and comfort brings confidence. You have swung that bat so many times, you know it is not going to let you down. You are concentrating on the pitch, not your swing. At just the right moment, you let loose with that same swing you have taken a 100 times a day.

The last thing I want to say is very important. You play like you practice. Before you start swinging a 100 time a day, you need to have found a good batting stance and good mechanics. It will not help you if each one of the 100 swings is different. Each swing needs to be identical. Find that perfect swing for you and practice it a 100 times a day.

Over the last twenty plus years, Tom Read has been a coach, parent, and a fan of organized baseball. He has shared this experience with his sons and many other players on his teams. Many have gone on to play at the college level.

Tom has recently joined with others to start a baseball website offering free baseball drills. To check out these great drills, and other great baseball information and stories, please visit Helpful Baseball Drills. It will be worth your time.

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Baseball Drills - Outfield Drills for Game Day Skills

Baseball Drills - Outfield Drills for Game Day Skills
By guest author: Kenny Buford

There is more to developing outfield skills than just playing catch. Outfielders need baseball drills that will prepare them for conditions they will face on game day. The following outfield drills help players become comfortable with any situation they might encounter during a game.

Sun Drill

For this drill, the players line up facing the sun and take turns catching fly balls from the coach. The players can wear sun glasses, but often the glare is still too much. Outfielders need to get used to using their gloves to block the sun while watching for the ball. Over time, the players will develop an approach for using the glove to see while also preparing for the catch and will feel confident in the outfield on sunny game days.

Fence Drill

This outfield drill teaches players how to correctly go for a catch against the fence. A lot of factors will come into play in this type of situation during a game, like where the ball is, how hard it is hit, and its elevation as it approaches the fence. However, with practice outfielders can become more comfortable going for the fence.

In this drill, the outfielders should start 10 to 15 feet away from the fence. One at a time, the coach throws high fly balls either above or against the fence. The outfielder takes his ready steps and rushes to the fence, keeping his eyes on the ball and his throwing hand outstretched to guide him and protect him from running into the fence. The player then makes the catch, jumping in front of or leaning against the fence.

Line Drive Drill

Line players up in the outfield and have them take turns running the drill. The first outfielder takes his ready step as the coach throws a line drive toward his knees. The player runs directly at the coach, keeping his palms up and his glove in basket form. When he catches the ball, the player shoots his glove up in the air to show the umpire he got it.

Backup Drill

This drill emphasizes communication in the outfield and prepares players to back each other up on fly balls.

For this drill, the players form two lines in the outfield, about 90 feet apart. The coach hits or throws a fly ball between the first two players in each line. The players have to communicate who is going for the catch, making sure not to run into each other while still watching the ball. The player going for the catch should yell "got it" and the other player should respond "take it." The second player should still back up the first player in case the ball gets through.

And if you'd like to see more free baseball drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:

http://www.baseball-tutorials.com/vid/

Kenny Buford is a youth baseball coach, and the owner and publisher of Baseball-Tutorials.com, the web's #1 resource for baseball drills, tips, and practice ideas for youth and high school coaches.

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Basic Baseball Throwing Mechanics

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How to hold and throw a baseball correctly.

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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, 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, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Little League Baseball Practice Drills - Hitting Practice

Little League Baseball Practice Drills - Hitting Practice
By guest author: Chris Campbell

If you want to get good at anything, it's usually just a question of time. A little persistence, blood, sweat, and tears may help as well. There are a number of motivational quotes I could throw at your here, but let me just use a couple. First quote: "Persistence is omnipotent". Second quote: "Success is a result of one percent inspiration, and 99 percent inspiration". I know I'm paraphrasing somewhat, and I'm not sure exactly who the original author is for those. But, I think Emerson is responsible for the first. Either way, they both apply to many sporting endeavors, and baseball is no exception.

If you or your favorite little league baseball player has the desire, and is willing to put in the time, there no reason for them or you not to become a great baseball player. Of all the roles a player undertakes in the sport of baseball, the most fun packed one has to be hitting. It requires the most focus, concentrating, nerve, timing and skill. It's much more engaging than shagging fly balls, or base running.

It's a good thing, that hitting is so much fun, since that makes hitting practice even more fun, as you get to do it for even longer. With that in mind though, there are good ways to practice, and bad ways to practice. No sense in ingraining bad habits, when a few simple points to keep in mind will make you a big league hitter in no time.

Keep Your Eyes On The Ball

The number one thing to remember in batting practice, is to keep your eye on the ball. And even before the ball is thrown, keep your eyes on the pitcher. Studying the pitcher can reveal clues as to what pitch he'll be throwing next. Knowing you've got a curve ball or change-up, or fast ball, will affect the timing and speed of your swing.

Be A Smart Batter

Know what the count is, and where the other runners on your team are. Know how many are out, and know who's coming up to bat next. It's not just the coaches job to keep track of all these things. A strategic batter is a better batter.

Get A Good Grip On The Bat

The grip on your bat is were your swing starts. Don't tense up too much my holding on too tightly. You need to start of semi-relaxed, and then "load" and tighten up as you swing through the ball. Hand placement is important, and try to line up your middle knuckles from both your right and left hand.

Little League Baseball Drills is a great resource for helping your little leaguer get the most out of his or hers favorite pastime. With a little good training, amateur or even professional ball players will see a dramatic improvement in the way they play.

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Baseball Coaching Digest: 5 Solid Tips for Taking Your Team From Worst to First in Batting Stats

Baseball Coaching Digest: 5 Solid Tips for Taking Your Team From Worst to First in Batting Stats
By guest author: Nick Dixon

There are five things that I recommend baseball coaches do to improve a team's offensive numbers. These are changes that coaches must put into place if they are looking to take their team to a higher level in hitting statistics. This article explains those five things that I suggest that you make a part of your regular team routine.

Your team can become a better hitting team. I am 100% confident that you can be the reason that your team has a better hitting season this year than last season. The number one thing you must remember is the saying, "Stupidity is never more evident than when a coach has his team do the same thing over, and over and over, but expects different results". If you want your team to be better than they have ever been, you have got to plan, coach, instruct, teacher, work, and organize your practices better than you ever have.

Here are three things I recommend for helping a team become a better hitting team:

1. Change Your Attitude - Teams always emulate the attitude of the coach. If you expect the team to hit better and do all of the work and preparations to do so, then the players will expect better results. Make it known that "thing are changing around here". Make it known that you have a new system, a new approach, and a new commitment to getting the job done at the plate. Let the team know that "everything counts". Every practice swing must be performed, reviewed, assessed, and critiqued. Make it known that every fundamental will be given the attention necessary to make the team better. Sub-par practice will not be accepted. We will practice like we play and play like we practice, with a stated purpose and with total focus.

2. Sense of Urgency - Make sure that your team and staff know that improvement is a must. They must realize that last year's or season's numbers were bad for a reason. Those numbers are unacceptable and unexpected this year. And explain to them that the reason for those bad numbers last season was a lack of work, a lack of commitment, and a lack of performance. The players and staff must realize the importance of making improvements. When a coach becomes better at teaching a skill, the team just got better. When a player becomes more knowledgeable on a baseball task, the team just got better. All players and staff must know that they must be committed to doing more than normal to help the team improve. Players and staff should be willing to stay after practice, come in before practice, or find extra time, outside of team practices, to work and improve on fundamentals. A player must know that the team "chain" is no stronger than the "weakest link". If a player is weak at a particular skill, until that player improves, the team will not be as good as possible.

3. Repetition of Quality Swings - Practice repetition for the sake of practice repetition is useless. Swing the bat is useless if the swing is a bad practice swing of less than game speed or game quality. You team needs to have a commitment to numbers and quality if your team's hitting numbers are going to drastically improve. My "rule of thumb" is that I want every player in my program to take at least 300 practice swing a day. Those swings must be purpose driven with no tolerance for "playing around", "goofing off" or "less than perfect execution". I don't care how the swings are performed. They can be off a batting tee, a training machine, live-arm in the batting cage, or simply a soft-toss drill. The key is to take enough swings every day to allow the player's swing to become instinctive, smooth, and as powerful as possible. The more quality swing a player takes, the more confidence that player will have.

4. Improving Knowledge - To improve quality of play, improved knowledge must take place first. Player must know what a good swing looks like. They must know what makes a stance a good stance. They must know and be able to identify good and bad hitting mechanics and fundamentals. They must hear the correct words and terminology when it comes to instruction, teaching, and practice. A coach must do his homework when it comes to learning the fundamentals of playing and coaching the game. Read books, articles, and everything else that you can get your hands on. Visit the Baseball Coaching Digest, the Youth Baseball Digest or the Baseball Today Coaching Journal to access free drills, tips, and coaching articles. Watch videos on YouTube of batting drills and coaching tips.

5. Truth and Consequences - Never lie to your team. Tell them honestly when a drill is good and tell them when a drill is bad. Have a consequence for poor drill performance. I try to keep my drills and instruction periods short at no than 10 to 15 minutes. But, if a drill is done sloppy or poorly, I have told my team that I reserve the right to always to have the team do a drill over or do a "start over". I want my players to know that we have a commitment to quality not quantity.

I hope that you found this article to be informative and useful. You may read more articles like it at the Baseball Coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, and the Baseball Parent Guide. Thanks for reading this article. I wish you and your team the best of luck in the coming season. Have a great day, Nick.

The Baseball2u.com Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. Available now for just $119.95 + S&H.

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. Dixon coaches at Boaz High in Boaz Alabama. Dixon is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association and Alabama Baseball Coaches Association.

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 considered an expert in baseball training and skills development. Dixon also serves as an active consultant to baseball equipment companies and other sports product inventors.

Dixon is also a contributing writer for the Baseball Coaching Digest, the baseball Coaching Digest Blog, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Youth Baseball Digest Blog, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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

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How To Improve Your Baseball Vision And Hand-Eye Coordination (Part 1)

How To Improve Your Baseball Vision And Hand-Eye Coordination (Part 1)
Uploaded by BaseballVision http://www.baseballvisionprogram.com/ -- Chris McKnight and Harvey Ratner teamed up to produce a DVD which helps baseball hitters improve their hand eye coordination through unique sports vision training drills. Chris and Harvey's techniques will help you improve your baseball vision and hand eye coordination using simple drills which have increased the batting averages of players from high school all the way to the pros.

Chris is the manager of the 2009 independent professional baseball Texarkana Gunslingers team, and he has also authored numerous articles that have appeared in "Scholastic Coach" "Coach and Athletic Director" and the American Baseball Coaches Association "Coaching Digest".

Go to the website to find out more about how Chris' information can help you improve your vision for sports.

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Baseball Hitting Drill Twist

Baseball Hitting Drill Twist
By guest author: Jeffery A Wise

Baseball hitting drills are necessary for players to develop and tweak their skills. Without drills, you cannot be a great player. Recently I discovered a great drill that was demonstrated by a coach on YouTube that I had to share with others. It is easy, fun and will benefit any player who wants to be a better hitter.

This specific drill is a new twist on the soft toss hitting drill. It can improve your hitting in several areas, including bat speed. This element of hitting is very important because it generates how hard you hit the ball and how far the balls fly. What player doesn't want to hit more home runs?

What you need for this drill is someone who is willing to toss you some baseballs, whether it is a coach, a teammate or a parent. For this drill, this person should kneel on the ground several feet in front of the batter. They can also sit on a chair to do this if kneeling is uncomfortable. They should toss the balls with an underhand pitch to the batter.

What makes this drill different from the typical soft toss drill is that the person tosses three balls in a row without taking a break. Of course, the batter should have enough time to reset, but the next ball should come immediately after that. After three balls, allow the batter to rest for a minute before throwing three more. Continue to do this pattern multiple times until the batter is tired.

This baseball hitting drill is very fast, but it will help players in several ways. Since the batter must reposition so quickly, it helps them practice balancing their body. The quickness also forces the batter to generate quick bat speed, making balls fly farther. The batter has to react swiftly, which makes him more focused as if he's in the middle of a game. Finally, it helps the batter have a good whip action with the bat in the fingers instead of the palms of the hands.

This baseball hitting drill is sure to help any player become a better hitter. The more you practice it, the better results you will see, on and off the field. Of course, there are many great drills for hitting, but give this one a try to see what you think. You may even find that it creates more results than other hitting drills.

Remember that the reason to practice your baseball hitting is so that you can get better and doing a baseball hitting drill will give you skills and talent to become the baseball player you want to be. Find out why you should look into quality Cheap Baseball Bats that are comfortable in your hands which could help you out in a big way.

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

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Youth Baseball-Coach Pitch Fundamentals

Youth Baseball-Coach Pitch Fundamentals
Uploaded by ClubHouseGas On http://ClubHouseGas.com Casey learns the art of coach pitch for baseball and softball. Also check-out http://YouthSportTravel.com

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Baseball Coaching Digest - The Magic of the 10 Minute Baseball Drill

Baseball Coaching Digest - The Magic of the 10 Minute Baseball Drill
By guest author: Nick Dixon


One of the main reasons some kids refuse to play baseball is that baseball practice is too boring. One thing that makes it so boring is that many coaches run certain drills too long and do not break their practices into short times periods.

This article discusses the "magic of the 10 Minute Baseball Drill" and why many coaches use short time periods and drill variety to minimize boredom during baseball practice.

Why the 10 Minute Baseball Drill is Needed?

Baseball coaches and players are notorious for having short attention spans.

I have learned that I must keep our baseball drills short for two reasons. The first reason is that some of my players have short attention spans and after 10 or 15 minutes they lose interest and become bored. The second reason is that I have a short attention span and I too get bored with a drill that runs on and on without a break or change in activity.

What makes a 10 Minute Drill in Baseball a perfect drill?

I feel that three things make the 10 Minutes the perfect amount of time for a baseball drill:

1. The drill can be performed with total concentration. The kids have no trouble staying on task or focused for 10 minutes. The retention of mental skills also increases when the drill is interesting and action driven.

2. The short drill emphasizes quality not quantity. Our kids know and value the worth of a rep well done. They know when a drill has run too long. They know when a drill's value begins to diminish. They know that I would rather that they practice a skill for 10 minutes with a high level of performance quality and a true sense of urgency for rep success.

3. Total focus - Kids are more motivated to hustle, concentrate and perform a task when they know that the task will be limited to 10 minutes if the effort is adequate and the performance level is acceptable.

4. High Level of Excitement - Players of all ages can get excited about any drill or task if it is presented correctly. Coaches should show a high level of interest and excitement. A strong emphasis on why a drill is done will add to players understanding and raise their interest level.

The 4 Keys to running an effective 10 Minute Baseball drill:

1. Organization is vital to the success of the drill. It is a must to have a written practice schedule with time slots designated and allocated for each drill to be done that day. Each coach on the staff should have a copy of that schedule.

2. Player instruction in the details of the drill is important. The first time that you do it, you may have to spend a considerable amount of time explaining, demonstrating, and setting the drill up. After the first time, the players should get more and more efficient and comfortable with the drill and be able to get a lot of reps in the allotted 10 minutes.

3. Equipment must be ready to go. There can be no time used to set-up equipment or move machines, nets, and such. It is recommended that all needed equipment be prepared and arranged before practice or by other staff while the previous drill is being done elsewhere.

4. Get in a Routine - It is a good thing to establish a regular practice routine that you follow each day. You should always start with s stretch and warm-up period that is routine. Then everyday you should follow the same basic scrip as to the subject and direction of your practice. For example, you may wish to start with 2 offensive drills, and then do 2 defensive drills and alternate then until you have covered everything you have in the practice plan for that day.

At our daily practice, after warm-ups and stretches, the first thing that is done is a catchers/infielders drill that allows catchers to throw to the bases and infielders to practice catching and tags. Then we normally go into PFPs or Practice Fielding Practice. My point here is that we follow a routine that the kids know. They start each drill on their own and flow from drill to drill without wasting time.

We normally end our practice every day with one of about 4 bunting drills we use. That drill is intense and it is 10 minutes like all of our other drills.

In closing, let me make one point absolutely clear. I will deviate from the 10 minute drill schedule if the drill is sloppy or poorly done. If I have to, I will restart the clock, and make the team start the drill over. If I have to run a drill twice to get the level of performance that I expect, I will. The number focus in every drill is quality. That quality includes performing every rep at an acceptable level or standard. My kids know that I do and will start a drill, or even a practice over, if things are done poorly, sloppy, and without the right focus or energy level.

I hope that you found this article to be informative and helpful. You may find many other articles like it at Baseball Coaching Digest and the Baseball Coaching Digest Blog. Thanks for reading my articles. Have a great day, Nick.

The Baseball2u.com 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

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Unspoken Professional Courtesy In Baseball

Unspoken Professional Courtesy In Baseball
By Jim Bain

When you think of "Professional Courtesies," especially unspoken ones, you may immediately think about how Japanese bow to one another, or not interrupting the Boss, even when they're totally wrong. The list would go on and on if you thought about it hard enough, but most likely it'd be geared towards the business world. Did you know Baseball also has unspoken professional courtesies which are displayed between baseball people.

One such unspoken courtesy exists between a catcher and the plate umpire. Should a foul tip or a wild pitch hit the umpire, acutely injuring him for an instance, the catcher will ask for time, usually from a base umpire if possible, and take a trip to the mound to confer with his pitcher.

The catcher has no pearls of wisdom to discuss with the pitcher, he is just professionally delaying the game in order to allow the umpire to overcome the stinger he took from the baseball. The diversion the catcher creates by going to the mound allows the umpire to save face and not delay the game due to his own injury time out and doesn't make him appear to be a wimp.

Another unspoken courtesy is between the pitcher and the batter who follows him in the line-up. If the pitcher makes an out, especially if he had to run to first base, and definitely if there are now 2 outs, the next batter will intentionally take more time going to the batters box and delaying before getting in it and getting set.

The purpose? The pitcher is paid to pitch and to that end he devotes every bit of energy he can during the game. Unlike fielders who make an out, take the field after 3 outs and rest and wait until play begins again, the pitcher immediately goes to work.

The delay the batter gives him is intended to afford him time to rest a bit, get a drink of water and refocus his mind back to his pitching duties. Unless the hitter takes an extraordinary amount of extra time, the umpire will not force play to begin realizing what is actually going on.

In baseball there are times and situations which accidentally blends professional courtesy with superstition, which ball players are notoriously guilty of being. One such issue is mentioning or talking about a pitcher in the process of throwing a perfect game. It just isn't done! Not on the field and especially not in the dugout, whether the pitcher is in the dugout or on the field.

I suppose the professional courtesy part would be not wanting to add any additional stress on the pitcher by informing him he was currently throwing a perfect game. Does anyone really think the pitcher has no idea he's pitching a perfect game? I hope not.

Then, the real menace displays itself, superstition, the fear that the baseball gods will hear what's going on and go out of their way to prevent a perfect game.

So the next time you notice something just a little bit out of the ordinary happening on the baseball diamond, check it out to see if an unspoken professional courtesy is being performed.

Jim Bain, former Minor league baseball player, who since retiring has dedicated his life to teaching baseball to youth, shares his advice on pitching baseball drills on his exciting info packed website: http://www.learn-youth-baseball-coaching.com

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Baseball Coaching Digest: The Perils of Defensive Assumption in Baseball Action

Baseball Coaching Digest: The Perils of Defensive Assumption in Baseball Action
By guest author: Nick Dixon

Assuming or taking for granted certain things when your team is playing defense can lead to costly mistakes and could lead to a loss. This article outlines three things that coaches and players should never assume when you are playing defense.

Assuming Every Player Knows the Number of Outs

This is the most common mental mistake a team or coach makes. They have a player that does not know how many out there are. I have witnessed in many different forms. Several times I have seen catchers think that there were three outs and the inning was over, so they rolled the ball toward the pitcher and allowed an alert runner on third score on a mental error.

I have seen an outfielder think that there were two outs when he caught a fly ball hit shallow into center field. He assumed that there were two out when he caught what he thought was the third out. He relaxes after the catch only to realize that the runner at third base has just tagged up and scored.

Making such mental mistakes can be prevented if the middle infielders relay and communicate the number of outs to the outfielders and other players after each out is made. It should be a standard procedure that every player on the team show at least one teammate the sign for the current number of outs after each out is made.

Assuming Everybody Knows the Bunt Coverage

Assuming everyone in the infield knows what the bunt situation is and the coverage that is on at the time can lead to a costly mistake. We have all seen it happen. The first baseman charges the bunt. The pitcher bounces off to the third base side and the catcher bounces out perfectly. The catcher calls the first base man off the ball, fields it, and comes up throwing to first. However, the second baseman was napping and did not get there to field the throw. The second baseman had what we call a "brain fart". He was not mentally alert and in the game. Therefore, it is important that the catcher call time, step out in front of the plate, and signal the bunt coverage that has been called for the situation.

Coaches must not assume that every player is alert. The key is communication between coaches and players. The coach must talk to his catcher and middle infielders constantly to make sure that they are in the game. Players should be taught to talk the game between pitches and communicate the situation, likely plays by the offense, and whose "got the bag" between pitches.

Assuming a play will or will not be made
Wrong assumptions can lead to devastating results when a team is on defense. A player should always hustle to a ball or to the correct position when the ball is hit or put into play. It can be costly for an outfielder to relax on a ball in the gap because he thinks the other outfielder is going to make the play. Not getting over to back up a fellow outfielder can cost a team valuable bases and even a run, if the ball is miss-played, missed or is a base it that gets by an outfielder.

Outfielders should always hustle, talk, and communicate when the ball is hit. Even if the other outfielder calls the ball, the outfielder should hustle over the back up on the play.

Outfielders should always back up throws as if the throw is going to be missed. Defensive players should never assume a catch. Catchers should sprint to back up throws at first base when there are not runners on. Just when the catcher assumes a ball will be caught, rather than missed, the first baseman will let the tying run get to second base with a miss-played short hop. If the catcher hustles to back-up on the play as he should, the runner does not advance to second base.

I hope that you found this article to be informative. I appreciate you taking the time to read it. For more articles like it, visit the Baseball Coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, and the Baseball Parent Guide websites and blogs. Good luck to you and your team.
Have a great day, Nick.

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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. Dixon coaches at Boaz High in Boaz Alabama. Dixon is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association and Alabama Baseball Coaches Association.

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 considered an expert in baseball training and skills development. Dixon also serves as an active consultant to baseball equipment companies and other sports product inventors.

Dixon is also a contributing writer for the Baseball Coaching Digest, the baseball Coaching Digest Blog, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Youth Baseball Digest Blog, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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

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Baseball - First & Third Double Steal Defensive Strategy

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Baseball - First & Third Double Steal Defensive Strategy
By Nick Dixon

The "First and Third Double Steal" situation is when the batting team has a base runner at first base and a base runner at third base. Often times the offensive teams will put on a base running play to attempt and confuse, fool, or trick the defensive team into making a mistake that will cost them a run.

Before a team can defend this situation, you must know all variations of plays that an offensive team can employ. The two most common plays used by the offensive team in this situation are, 1) Early break by the first base runner off first to attempt to get in a run down to distract the defense long enough for the 3rd base runner to score. 2) Straight steal of 2nd by the first base runner. If the catcher throws down, the 3rd base runner will go home.

Every team must have a "First & Third Double Steal" defensive plan. Most teams have at least 3 or more defensive plays that they can call and execute to counter the offensive team's actions.

The 4 most common defensive plays for defending the "Double Steal" situation are:


Throw to 2nd base by the catcher with a read and cut action by a middle infielder. The catcher will throw down as usual. The 2nd baseman or shortstop, depending on whether a right-handed or left-handed batter is batting, will come early and get into a position to execute a cut of the throw and a quick throw to home plate if the 3rd base runner attempts to steal home. Most times the cut man will sneak a peek to read the 3rd base runners action or the 3rd baseman will make a loud "CUT!" call to let the middle infielder know to cut the ball because the 3rd base runner to going home. If no cut call is made, the middle infielder will let the ball go through to get the out at 2nd.
A middle infielder comes early and fakes a cut to hold the runner at 3rd base while the runner is tagged out at 2nd base.
The catcher will make a quick throw to the pitcher that will immediately checks the runner at 3rd to try and pick the runner off or get him out while attempting to steal home.
The catcher will make a full-arm fake to 2nd base and then makes a snap throw to 3rd in an attempt to catch the 3rd base off the bag far enough to get an out.

Coaching Points:


If a tag is made at 2nd base, the middle infielder must make a swipe tag and come up checking the runner at third. Sometimes the runner at third will make a late decision to break for home when he sees a play being made on the runner at 2nd base.
When the catcher executes the full arm fake and throw to 3rd, he must come out in front of the plate a step or two to make sure that the throw will clear the runner.
If a throw is going to be made to 2nd, sometimes you can hold a runner at third by having the pitcher fake a cut.
When the middle infielder is faking a cut at 2nd, make sure that he comes early enough to clear the throwing lane. This allows the other infielder a clear view of the bad and will not block his vision during the throw.
Remember, when a fake cut call is made at 2nd, you must have the center fielder backing up the throw at 2nd because both infielders are in the box without a back up at 2nd.

I hope that you find this article useful. Have great day, Nick.

There are other calls and variations that I will cover in later articles.

Visit the Baseball Coaching Digest Blog for daily post and articles on every aspect of coaching baseball. The Baseball Coaching Digest Blog. 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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Advanced Hitting Drills

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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9 Top Baseball Superstitions

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9 Top Baseball Superstitions
By John Kochanski

The game of baseball has a long history of superstition. I'm sure you've heard about the curse of the Bambino, players refusing to shave and pre-game routines. Pitchers are known to be the most superstitious of all baseball players. So much so, that the non-pitchers think they are all crazy.
The funny thing about baseball superstition is they can arise at anytime based on good or bad game experience.

Baseball superstitions are fascinating and is embedded deep in baseball folklore. Here are my nine top baseball superstitions. I'm using nine to go with that "superstition" theme - shake a leg!

The Top 9 Baseball Superstitions

1. Not Stepping on the foul line when going on or coming off the field

Pitchers and managers are always very cautious not to touch that foul line.

2. Eating the same food before every game

Wade Boggs, who played for the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees was infamous for eating chicken before ever game.

3. Leaving the Pitcher Alone and Not talking about a No-hitter

This is one of the superstitions that almost every baseball player adheres to. The last thing any player wants to do is jinx his pitcher when he has a No-hitter going. The superstition goes - if you talk about it the no-hitter will be broken.

4. Lucky Bat or Glove

Some players must have there lucky bat and/or glove in order to be successful (in their mind). But what happens when they break their lucky bat?

5. Sign of the cross/pointing up to the heavens

You see it everyday. Players pointing up to the sky to give thanks and players making the sign of the cross before getting in the batter's box.

6.Tapping the bat on Plate

It seems every player does this. I guess it's similar to knocking on wood!

7. Sitting in the same place in the dugout

You may not have heard about this one but it is very, very common. If you watch you're favorite Major League baseball team over the course of the season you will notice that players tend to sit in a specific area in the dugout with the same group of guys.

8. Not Shaving

Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees has make this famous. Earlier in the 2008 season Jason did not shave for a couple of days and then had a big day at the plate. So much so that he grew a mustache. Believe it or not he went on an incredible hitting streak for weeks to come. It became such the rage with fans and media that the Yankee front office actually promoted it with a mustached Jason Giambi Bobble Head Doll day. This is a classic.

9. Going to the Same Restaurant or Eatery Before Every Playoff Game

In the fourth game of the 1998 world series, Jim Leyritz of the New York Yankees hit a three run homer walkoff homerun off Mark Wohlers of the Atlanta Braves. That homerun changed the momentum of the series and it le to the Yankees winning the World Series. After hitting that home run, Jim returned to the same restaurant he had eaten in the day he hit the three run homer. It worked! - the Yankees went on to win four of the next five world championships.

So there you have it, the top nine baseball superstitions that make baseball what it is. The next time you're watching a game and your team needs a few runs to win the game ... Put on your rally caps and become part of the mystique of baseball - maybe your team will win - "Knock Wood"

Baseball Superstition

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

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