Within three pitches

Successful pitching at any level is not rocket science.  Get ahead and force them to put the ball into play.   There are very few situations in the game where a strikeout is necessary.  2nd and 3rd and no outs would be an example.  Every other situation calls for the pitcher to force the batter […]

The good and bad of golf during baseball season

There have been several times where I have watched a batter for the first time during a hitting lesson and asked the player, “How long have you played golf?”  The response has always started with a look that said “How did you know I played golf?” and then finished with an actual answer like “a […]

Accelerate the barrel through the zone

One of the hundreds of baseball sayings my dad passed on to me growing up was, “The ball will not jump off the bat by itself.  You have to make it jump off your bat.”  I find myself saying that to many of the hitters I work with these days. Younger kids who are learning […]

Strikeouts are killing baseball

When I was in the Twins organization, I had a teammate who was a power hitter who struck out a lot.  Another teammate was kidding him about his strikeout totals and the power hitter said the following: “An out is an out.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a ground ball, a pop-up, or a strike […]

Baseball has a problem

A friend sent this photo from a game he was watching yesterday.  Yes, “TJ” stands for “Tommy John” surgery.  And this is only one team at one level. Folks, there are serious problems in the game of baseball.  Red flags should be waving and alarm bells should be sounding at every level.

Why don’t more catchers drop a knee?

Being a catcher has to be the most physically demanding job on a baseball field.  Heck, my knees hurt just warming up a pitcher for a few throws.  I can’t imagine squatting down day in and day out over the course of a 162 game schedule. This is why I can’t understand why more catchers […]

Cardinal sins of base running

If you have watched MLB highlights over the past few days then you probably have seen this play from Yadier Molina. The base runner who went to third on the walk broke three (yes, a MLB player committed THREE!!!!) cardinal sins on one single play.  Here they are: The runner rounded a base when a […]

10 reasons to front-toss

There are several ways to practice hitting.  Live BP and hitting off a tee are popular ones.  All have value but in my opinion and all things considered, front-toss is king.  Here are ten reasons why in no particular order. Safety disclaimer: Whenever you front-toss, please use caution and make sure the screen in front […]

Beating a slow pitcher with your feet

Ask any Major Leaguer who they would rather face – a hard throwing guy bringing it 93mph or a soft throwing guy who throws anywhere from 75-86 mph – and I bet well over 85% of them will say “bring on the hard thrower!“ To counter slow pitching, many coaches suggest/demand that their batters move […]

Snap your swings like a boxer

Today’s video tip involves a phrase I have been using with my son recently in order to increase his bat speed.  The phrase is “snap your swings.”  As you will see, it is related to the sport of boxing.

What are your hitting cues?

Every hitter has a unique set of strengths and weaknesses.  Some are great at pulling the ball but not so great at staying back and going the other way.  Others are just the opposite.  The important thing is to know what they are.  If you do then you can better address them in practice and […]

Happy Easter

Have a great holiday everyone!  Good luck if you are playing this weekend!  Family is going on vacation so the next post will be Tuesday! Enjoy the break!

Brandon Phillips’ secret weapons

The past few winters I’ve had the pleasure of working with a major league scout/coach who is very high up in the Cincinnati Reds organization.  On the last clinic day before he had to leave for spring training (and just days before Brandon Phillips was traded to the Braves) I asked him a question about Phillips. […]

The (un)holy alliance between pitchers and catchers (Part 2)

A few months ago I shared a photo that was circulating on social media which appeared to show a “dark substance” on the shin guard of a Major League catcher.  I implied that it was pine tar to help the pitcher.  I’m sure some people were not convinced.  To see that post and the photo, […]

If you can’t play catch, you can’t play baseball

The last part of the Bible is referred to as “The Last Days” and lists seven prophecies that some claim will predict and lead us towards the end of the world.  If my memory serves me, the first prophecy is “No child shall be able to play catch.”  If that is true then we are well on […]

Coaches, be in Code Yellow off the field too

In my last post, I wrote about the topic of mindset and presented four color codes that should guide the thinking of players. These codes were based on the work of Colonel Jeff Cooper as described. Once again, the codes are as follows: White – complete unawareness, not paying attention at all Yellow – attentive, […]

Color Coded Mindsets For Baseball

If you have been in the Marines or are in the gun world, you probably have heard of Colonel Jeff Cooper.  Cooper was considered to be one of the world’s top experts on the use and history of small arms (handguns). Among many of his books was one that introduced a color coding system to teach […]

Confronting bad body language

A player’s bad body language on a field is one of my pet peeves.  Like many coaches, I despise it and do not tolerate it on my teams.  That being said, I also do not jump down a player’s throat when I see it the first time. I tell my students in class that when it […]

Body language matters

A few days ago, the following video clip of a 2016 Geno Auriemma, head coach of the powerhouse UConn women basketball team, press conference surfaced again and has gone virus through social media.  If you have a young player at home or coach young players then they all need to see this video.  It is […]

Just in time learning for new coaches

Entering the coaching world for the first time can be pretty stressful.  You realize very quickly that being in charge of a team is very different from only having to worry about your own performance and growth as a player.  As a coach, you worry about every player’s performance and growth. There is so much […]

Simulated indoor game

Where I am in Pennsylvania, snow blankets the ground and the temperatures are still in the 30-40 degree range.  Not great baseball weather to say the least.  Scrimmages and games are cancelled and players have to make the trek back into the gyms for indoor practices that, although can be productive, are just not the […]

Just “tie your shoes”

This is the last post in a series of recent posts on the importance of creating a routine as a hitter.  The previous posts on the subject are linked here: What is your hitting routine? What are YOUR players doing on deck? A hitter’s routine and muscle memory Why do players choke? Today’s post gives […]

Why do players choke?

Today’s post is in a series of posts dedicated to hitters who can benefit from a routine prior to their at-bats.  The prior three posts related to this topic are linked below.  The final one in the series will be Friday. What is your hitting routine? What are YOUR hitters doing on deck? A hitter’s […]

A hitter’s routine and Muscle Memory

Two of last week’s posts centered around the importance of hitters developing a personalized routine to prepare for at-bats.  If you did not get a chance to see them, you can click on their titles below. What is your hitting routine? What are YOUR players doing on deck? Today’s post sets us up for the […]

Free video with Four-Week Guide for pitchers ends tonight!

Happy Friday! The weather where I am in Pennsylvania looks horrible for the next 10 days or so which obviously makes it tough to develop your players, especially pitchers. My Four-week guide for developing pitchers for game #1 can help!  It’s also $2 off! Get it before 10pm (EST) tonight and I also throw in […]

What are YOUR players doing on deck?

The photo to the right was forwarded to me by a good friend who said it was making the rounds on social media.  As you can see, a total of four hitters are currently in their hitting routine.  To see this many hitters involved leads me to think that Clemson demands this of their hitters […]

What is your hitting routine?

Take a pitch. Step out. Adjust the left batting glove. Adjust the right batting glove. Tap the right foot with the bat. Tap the left foot with the bat. Step into the box and dig in with the right foot. Step in and dig in with the left. One slow deep breathe. Ready to hit. […]

FELT goals for baseball success

Baseball is quite possibly the most confidence and esteem crushing sport in existence.  No other sports punishes players for doing everything right.  A batter perfectly approaches a tough slider down and away and smokes a line drive to the opposite field gap.  Since the shift was on, the outfielder takes two steps and catches the […]

A tip to keep the catcher back on sac bunts

Today’s video tip is a higher level one for base runners. It involves a situation where the batter poorly bunts a pitch just in front of home plate.

Make a deposit every game

Go to any book store and you will see tons of books related to financial success.  Each one claims to have the secret formula to reaching your financial dreams.  I’m no financial wizard but I do know the #1 rule when it comes to money.   “Spend less than you make.” My parents taught me […]

Parents and playing time

Ask a coach about dealing with parents and you are likely to get several eye-rolls and a few choice words.  I’m not sure who said it but the best quote about this came from a coach who said “My dream coaching job is at an orphanage.” Of all the issues related to the parent-coach relationship, […]

A small tip for faster sprints

One big problem a lot of young sprinters have is that they cannot get out of their own way. They never allow their body to function at 100% because they use poor running skills that often lead to too much tension. Loosen up that body and the times will come down. Today’s video tip is […]

Do simple better

One of Joe Maddon’s many great sayings is “Do Simple Better.“ Spring Training has begun for pitchers and catchers and do you know what drills they are all doing? Answer: The same ones they did last year.  And the year before that one.  And the year before that. Do the basic fundamentals better and you […]

How to read a hitter’s swing

To play infield at the higher levels requires physical talent but also a lot of awareness.  Look around you and you’ll begin to notice a lot of information that you can use to become a better infielder even before the ball is hit.   Today’s video post involves analyzing a batter’s swing before he even […]

The And-1 mentality

Kyrie Irving takes it down, he’s looking to get it to Lebron.  He dishes it off to Kyle Korver.  Bounce pass to Kevin Love.  Back to Irving.  He get’s it out to Korver at the 3-point line.  Doesn’t have a shot.  Lebron is fighting for position underneath.  Pass over to Irving.  He drives to the […]

Make more mistakes in practice

Practicing is a chance to push yourself to do things better and faster.  It’s also a time to learn and work on new things.  Approach practice with those goals and you can’t help but make mistakes.  It’s the inevitable process of learning and trying new things.  Nobody does everything right the first time. If players […]

You are your best coach

When a player of mine made a mistake on the field, I frequently would ask the following question when he came off the field.   “Do you know what you did wrong?“ For my older players and even some of my little league players, very often the answers were along these lines: “Yeah, I was late […]

What does it mean when a hitter “leaks”?

Today’s post was inspired by a reader who emailed me about his son who is apparently “leaking.”  The reader wasn’t sure what the term meant.  The term is also something I have dealt with recently now that I have started to do some private hitting lessons. Note: if you live near Limerick, PA and have a need […]

Get your 4-week guide for pitchers and a free video

February is now upon us and you know what that means … Baseball season is just a few weeks away! Last year around this time I created an eBook called Off-Season Pitching Guide: A four week plan for developing pitchers for game #1 that takes pitchers through a 4-week throwing and pitching program to get them […]

The two most important priorities of hitting – Part 2

In Part 1, I showed and discussed what I feel is hitting Priority/Procedure #1 (Get your body to maximum athleticism when your stride foot lands).  If you have not yet looked at that post, please do because I also gave some insight into the difference between procedure and technique. Today’s post is (mechanical) Priority #2 […]

The two most important priorities of hitting – Part 1

There are two (mechanical) priorities or procedures that I focus on the most when I teach hitting.  Do these two things and most everything else falls into place.  Fail to do them and it won’t matter how much you learn about all the other stuff. Today’s post is about the first procedure – the body position […]

Do you have Superman Syndrome?

It’s very easy for baseball coaches to get burned out.  Unfortunately, many coaches are their own worst enemy when it comes to having enough of the game.  A big reason for that is “Superman Syndrome.”   Superman Syndrome is a disease that afflicts mostly male coaches.  Symptoms include the following: A need to control the entire pitching […]

How to instantly improve your infield range

When infielders start out in baseball, they mostly get instructed to charge the ball.  You’ll hear tee-ball, coach-pitch, and Little League coaches frequently say “move in on the pitch,” “move to the ball!” or “go get the ball!”  This is all good advice since young infielders who are just starting out have a tendency to […]

How to practice Web Gems

I could watch ESPN’s Web Gems all day long.  Having been an infielder for most of my playing career, I have an enormous respect for what MLB infielders are able to do on seemingly impossible plays.  However, Web Gems are not just for major leaguers.  They can happen at any level and age group.  That […]

Coach hitters like an economist

It has been said that the enemy of the dictator is the economist.  The dictator wants to make all the rules.  They also want everyone to like the rules and to not criticize them. “I make the rules, they will work, and everyone will like them!”   Often it’s the economist who is the only […]

Managing the 1st and 3rd play: A tip for catchers

One of the toughest plays for young teams is the 1st and 3rd play.  The runner on first base steals and if the catcher throws it to second, the runner on third scores.  If the catcher just holds it, you know have two runners in scoring position.  Add a rundown in there and all hell break […]

Who are you chasing?

We’ve all seen many underdog players or teams overachieve.  On the flip side, we’ve also seen many incredibly talented players and teams underachieve.  Both seem to happen so often that there must be a reason. Of course, there is never just one answer but if I had to pick one that stands out the most […]

Get some safety glasses!

Today’s video addresses an important safety warning and tip for baseball players.  I even threw in a blooper clip at the end!  Other related posts about armband exercises are below the video.    

Burn the boats!

Some seniors in college know for sure that pro ball is in their future.  Some know that pro ball is definitely not going to be an option.  This post is for players who are stuck in between.  Some of you who know your military history may know what “burn the boats!” means.  If not, “burn […]

Are you exercising or training?

Right now, higher level baseball players should be in the middle of their winter workout routines.   (On a side note … if you have not yet picked up a copy of my latest eBook involving tips for Off-Season routines and workouts for players and coaches, follow the link below this post!) Unfortunately, many players […]

Get your pitching grip early

There are tons of different pitching grips out there.  I highly recommend that pitchers tinker with as many as possible to see which ones work best for them.  However, once you find the ones that fit you, be sure to perfect the timing involves with regards to when the grip should be locked in.  Today’s […]

Two things you cannot teach

Baseball By The Yard was designed to teach the game of baseball to as many people as possible. Unfortunately, there are two major concepts that lead to success in baseball that cannot be taught. They are ENERGY and ATTITUDE. Both of them can be encouraged, rewarded, and cultivated but nobody can “teach” an athlete (or […]

How to throw a safe curve ball

Oh, boy. I can envision, with fingers shaking, people hitting the ALL-CAPS button to send off some hate-mail over the title of this one. Breeeeeeeeeeeeathe. Today’s video tip shows a type of curve ball that I was taught in high school that does not require the pitcher to do some of the things that can lead […]

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

As this year winds down, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of you readers and supporters of Baseball By The Yard.  Six years ago I created this website to get what I knew about the game out of my head so as to help players, coaches, and parents learn more about the […]

Off-Season eBook now available!

You may have noticed a new ad in the upper-right side of my website.  It is a new eBook I created specifically for Off-Season workouts.  Subscribers to the site have known about this eBook for about a week now (that’s a benefit of being a subscriber!) and now I am making it available to everyone. […]

Get better through observation

When Tiger Woods was a young child and being watched by his father, he would often be put in a high-chair so dad could practice his golf swing.  For safety reasons, Tiger’s dad didn’t want little Tiger to be walking around while dad was swinging a golf club.  The high-chair kept him safe.  It may have […]

A note for subscribers

A reminder to subscribers to check their email! Friday is the last day to get a bonus video with the new eBook I created on Off-Season Workouts for players and coaches!  After Friday, 8pm (EST), the bonus video goes away and I make just the eBook available to everyone on the website. If you are […]

Pickoffs: Inward turn vs Spin Move

Today’s video tip is a reply to a comment from someone who watched a previous video on the “Inward turn” pickoff move from pitchers.  Here was the comment … “just step off and snap throw, its faster and not a balk.” Both types of pickoff moves have value but each one only works in certain […]

2017 Pitch count rules – a warning

If you are into sharing posts, this may be a good one. Over the past couple years there has been a lot of debate about the growing number of serious arm injuries at the younger levels.  Of course, most of the debates center on two issues: 1) What is causing them to occur and 2) […]

Support Baseball By The Yard this holiday season!

Hi everyone! It’s holiday shopping season and if you are like me, you hate going to the stores and standing in lines. That’s why more and more of my shopping is done online so I can have it delivered right to my door. Well, now you can do that and help support Baseball By The […]

It’s assessment time!

Early winter is a great time to assess your game. You have a spring, summer, and maybe a fall season under your belt so you should have a lot of information to sort through.  January is typically the time many baseball players and coaches start to gear up for the next year of baseball.  To […]

A common mistake on double plays

Here is a picture I found which shows a second baseman about to turn a double play.  Notice his mistake? If you are not sure, look at this Chase Utley photo doing the same thing.  See the difference? The young player up top will waste precious time after catching the ball.  That is because he […]

Election day: Winners win

Well, it’s election day in America. I stay away from politics on this baseball site but today’s post adds a little to make a point.  After reading, I think you’ll see the connection to winning in baseball both as a player and a team. From scandals and corruption to vulgar language and bad jokes, both […]

Happy Halloween!

Get your halloween freak on!

Comedian’s take on Little League

Thought you would like this.  Comedian Brian Regan about his time in Little League baseball. Enjoy!

The (un)holy alliance between pitchers and catchers

Here is a picture of Indians catcher Roberto Perez that was making the rounds on social media.  I added the red circle to focus your attention to the topic of discussion. Notice the dark brown spot on the throwing side shin guard?  What do you imagine that is?  If you said “pine tar” you would […]

The 2nd balance point for pitchers

Ask most pitchers and coaches “What is a pitcher’s balance point?” and you typically will get back something like “it’s the point when a pitcher gets all his weight back on his rear leg before going forward to throw the pitch.”  And they would be correct. Next ask them “What is the pitcher’s 2nd balance point?” and […]

Hitting Drills: Multivitamins vs Prescriptions

When it comes to baseball drills, it’s important to know the difference between multi-vitamins and prescription medications. Multi-vitamins are for general maintenance and prescription medications are for specific ailments. Baseball drills work the same way. Hitting drills like tee work, soft-toss, and short toss fall into the category of hitting multi-vitamins. They are for general […]

Wild Card game: Something you may have missed

In the top of the 4th inning of the Wild Card game between the Giants and the Mets, Giants outfielder Denard Span attempted to steal second base.  Replays seemed to clearly indicate that Span was safe on the play.  However, he was called out and after reviewing the replay, MLB officials in New York upheld […]

In the news …

Below are two things I saw in the sports section of the Philadelphia Inquirer yesterday. Here is the first.  It seems as if Captain Obvious has struck again! I guess tomorrow’s headline might be “Playoff teams focused on scoring more runs than the other team.” Here is the second. This is more proof that just because […]

When does a decoy become dirty?

Last week the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Washington Nationals had a blench-clearing skirmish after the Pirates third baseman (Jung-ho Kang) decoyed Bryce Harper on a play at third base. Here is the video.  The decoy or “deke” occurs at the 21 second mark. UPDATE: The video below is apparently not working for most people.  I […]

Hitters are stupid

Hitters are stupid … … but they get significantly smarter as the count turns in their favor! The game of baseball has forever favored pitchers.  If it favored hitters, all fences would be 300 feet.  There wouldn’t be 9 players on defense either. I could go on but the point is that the way baseball […]

Should a batter keep his back elbow up?

Today’s video is about the controversy over the back elbow of hitters.  It’s a longer video because there are multiple layers to this debate.  As you will see, I don’t believe the problem is with the elbow itself. Feel free to give me your thoughts in the comment section.

Principled drills

There are two different types of drills that we coaches tend to run our players through during practice. The first involves picking a position-based skill that needs to be worked on and designing a drill to target the skill. An example might be underhand feeds by the shortstop on double plays with the second baseman. […]

What is the proper arm path for pitchers?

I fully expect some criticism over this video because I think my views are in the minority.  So all you keyboard warriors get your fingers ready! Today’s video explains two things from my point of view: How most kids are taught a proper arm path. What I think a proper arm path should look like. […]

Tips for the showcase circuit

It’s showcase season! The Fall is when many high school players hit the showcase circuit in the attempts to woo a college or pro scout into giving up some money.  If you are already a selfish, “me only” player then you may stop reading and move on to another activity.  You won’t learn anything new […]

Another option for catchers when blocking

Today’s video tip is another option for catchers concerning what to do with their throwing hand/arm while blocking.  Getting hit on the throwing hand/arm on balls in the dirt are not much fun.  Typically, catchers are taught to hide the hand behind the glove to protect it. Here’s another option I am seeing more and […]

Donaldson and Trout talk hitting

Watch both of these videos.  It’s the closest you will get to pornography for hitting coaches. The first is Josh Donaldson and the second is Mike Trout.  If you don’t have a lot of time at the moment, go to the 5:25 point of the Josh Donaldson one and watch the rest later. Now it’s […]

Tuesday is the day!

Hi everyone!  Just a heads-up that new posts will be starting Tuesday, September 6th!  I hope everyone had a great finish to the summer!  As always, if anyone has any topics you’d like me to cover in written or video form, shoot me an email at BaseballByTheYard@gmail.com.

Thanks and have a great summer!

Hi everyone! Baseball season is now over for me so a break is now in order!  I’m taking August off when it comes to new posts on the site.  Thanks to all those who are avid readers and supporters of the site.  Your comments, emails, Likes, and Re-Tweets keep me going! Have a great rest […]

How to teach soft hands on defense

Having infielders who have nice, soft hands on ground balls can feel like a gift from heaven.  The question is, can you teach a player to have soft hands?  I’m sure there is a huge genetic component to all this but I believe there are things you can teach an infielder to help develop softer […]

Mind your BEE’s

For the last couple years I have coached my young son’s 8u/9u travel baseball team at the end of his rec seasons.  That age group brings many challenges but one of the toughest is trying to get them to move on from the game’s inevitable adversities and stay positive.  Easier said than done because if […]

The cost of college baseball

The article linked below has been circulating online recently and I thought I would post it as well.  It’s alarming to me to hear how much money families are spending on AAU / Elite teams over many years only to receive a few pennies when their player gets to college.   Friends have asked me […]

Don’t EVER make this mistake!

Turn the volume off on your computer (so you can’t hear the announcers) and click on the following link for a short MLB video clip.  What is the mistake the 3rd baseman makes?   http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/21753540/v914605983/arisf-crawford-singles-when-lamb-loses-ball-in-sun If you don’t notice the mistake right away, watch it again and stop it at the 00:15 mark.   See it […]

Wherever it takes you

Today’s video tip is for 3rd basemen and involves a popular phrase you will here coaches say when there are bases loaded or runners on 1st and 2nd.

Aggressive through the ball

Some phrases in baseball cover many different aspects of the game.  “Aggressive through the ball” is one of them.  Today’s video explains several ways it applies to baseball players.

Know where the gloves are

Here’s a quick tip for helping your team get on the field faster after batting. Keep all the gloves, hats, sunglasses, etc. in one spot in the dugout Nothing slows a team of defenders down faster when it comes to getting on the field than players who for some reason forget where all their stuff […]

How to keep a hitter’s front side from flying open

One of the biggest mistakes hitters make at all levels is opening the front side up too soon on the swing.  Here are several phrases, all of which describe basically the same thing: “stepping in the bucket” “flying off the ball” “pulling your hip out” “pulling your head off the ball” “rotating away from the […]

Go back before you go forward

There are a ton of great sayings in baseball.  Some are specific to one area of the game and some transfer to many/all areas of the baseball.  Today’s video explains one that benefits virtually every area of the game.

A base running drill I bet you never did

I’m a firm believer that if you expect players to do something in a game, you had better practice it beforehand.  If a player screws something up that we never practiced then I consider it my fault not his.   Today’s video tip is a drill I’d bet rarely ever gets practiced.  As you will see, […]

Different position = different ready position

Here is a great picture I found online that shows three different position players in three different ready positions on the pitch. Third base.  Because the distance to the batter is shorter as a third baseman, a grounder has a better chance of getting to you more quickly.  Add the fact that batters tend to […]

Nervous feet

One of my new sayings this season is “nervous feet.”  Every now and then I will yell out between pitches, “nervous feet out there!”  By that I mean keep your feet moving and don’t let your body become still and lazy on defense.  Infielders who move their feet a lot (thus the term nervous feet) […]

Three pitching stats you need to be keeping

Traditional pitching statistics (hits, runs, earned runs, strikeouts, etc.) can be very misleading and often do not get to the bottom of why a pitcher succeeds or struggles during an outing.  Take earned runs for instance.  If a player gives up 10 runs and only 3 earned runs, does that mean the pitcher’s defense was […]

Need a summer camp?

FYI to any of you in the Philadelphia suburbs who are looking for a baseball camp from June 27-30 for your 8-12 year old … My camp that I run with a scout and former high school and college coach is still accepting players.  Click on the link below for more information!  Let me know […]

Warm up within 8

One of the challenges of being a relief pitcher is knowing how much to throw on any given day.  If you are not sure you will be throwing in a given game, how much do you throw before the game to get loose? Do you just play catch?  Do you throw a full bullpen session […]

Can you relate?

How my vegetable garden would look if I didn’t coach baseball or run a website … How it actually looks at the moment … (yes, this is my actual garden) Can you relate?

Fly balls in a twilight sky

Now that summer weather is approaching, more night games will begin to be played around the country.  Growing up, there were only a couple fields near me that had lights so playing at night was always quite a treat.  In fact, it wasn’t until I was in professional baseball that I routinely played games under […]

The running lane rule

The job of runners while running to first base is to stay within the two lines that go from half way down the line to the bag at first.  I took the picture on the right at my son’s practice last night.  Can you see the problem with this rule? If the base is completely in […]

What’s the best thing I can do for my player?

… get him something to throw into!  A rebounder, a wall, or anything else you can buy/build. The screen in the video is from Burbank Sport Nets and is the best throwing screen you can buy.  Period.  Here is the link: https://burbanksportnets.com/product_display/28  

Blow on the ball to break a slump

Slumps happen in all areas of the game.  Pitchers, fielders, and certainly hitters go through times where things just aren’t right.  It can be frustrating because, mechanically speaking, everything appears normal.  Slumps can definitely be mechanical but often it’s not.  Sometimes it just comes down to breathing. Today’s video tip explains how this can happen and […]

Brain teaser

Quick and without Googling it … give me a scenario where a triple play can happen without the ball touching a defensive player!     5-10-16 UPDATE:  Here is one way it could be done … Runners on 1st and 2nd or bases loaded.  Less than two outs.  Infield pop up.  Infield fly is declared and […]

Give your pitchers a baseball

How many times have you told a pitcher to go warm-up and the pitcher walks around in search of a good baseball?  What’s it like when the pitcher on the mound is struggling and you need a relief pitcher to be ready NOW! and he wastes time looking for a ball?  I don’t know about you but […]

We’re good, Sir.

Like many guys, I am fascinated by military special forces.  If I see a book about them, I pick it up.  If one is interviewed in a podcast, I download and listen.  It may be the training.  Maybe it’s the mental toughness. Every time I read or listen I pick up something new that I […]

What does a pitcher do with his back foot?

Today’s video tip explains what a pitcher should do with his back foot after throwing a pitch.  You will see lots of variations of this especially at the younger levels.  In the video, I demonstrate some of the common mistakes pitchers make and what pitchers should do to finish correctly in order to get the most […]

Pitchers: Don’t bend both knees at the same time

Today’s video tip is for pitchers who want to better utilize the height that they have.  Taller pitchers have an advantage when they are on an elevated mound and throwing properly.  Today’s tip prevents a pitcher from “collapsing” on their back leg and allows them to more effectively throw on a downward plane to the batter. […]

Do you recruit or investigate?

As a Villanova alum, I’m sure you can understand why I’ve had a very good week.  If any of you have seen those YouTube clips of Nova fans going ballistic on the last shot then you now pretty much know how I reacted in my living room. Villanova basketball coach Jay Wright has had a good […]

Opening Day Quiz

This week kicked off the MLB season.  As always, one of my favorite columnists (George Will) had his annual quiz to mark the date.  Below is a link to the quiz.  Hopefully you will fare better than I did!  Have a great weekend and best of luck in any of your games! http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/will040216.php3    

Good hitters get into good counts

Ever notice that the best hitters always seem to be hitting in 1-0, 2-1, and 2-0 counts?  Obviously, that’s not always the case but there is a lot of truth to the saying that “good hitters get into good counts” more often than poor hitters. Good hitters are called “good hitters” in part because of […]

How NOT to be Chase Utley’d at second base

Today’s video post is a two-part (33 minute) seminar related to the infamous Chase Utley slide at second base during last year’s NLCS between the Dodgers and the Mets.  Part 1 deals with the ways a slide can become dirty.  Part 2 demonstrates a variety of ways middle infielders can protect themselves so they do not become […]

Tryouts and The Voice

Baseball tryouts are a difficult time of year for all involved.  Coaches are elated that the season is starting but also dread having to tell young ball players that they cannot be on the team.  Egos are bruised and feelings are hurt.   I think it is hardest for the parents.  This is especially true […]

Relay vs Redirect

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  With a name like McCreary, I had to do a post! One of the many things you need to teach young players as they get older is that there are very few (if any) absolutes in baseball.  There are so many examples of this but today I’ll deal with one of […]

Improving a pitcher’s knee kick

The human arm is not the strongest part of your body.   That’s why there are so many arm injuries in baseball.  It’s not really designed for the stress we give it when we throw overhand.  Because of that, pitchers must use their mid-section (just above the knees to the chest) where our strongest muscles […]

Getting hitters off their back foot (part 2)

Back in February I posted a video about how to get batters off their back foot.  If you have not seen that video, click HERE.  After posting the video, a viewer posted a comment asking if tire chocks could be used.  I have to admit that I didn’t know what “tire chocks” were so I […]

A new season starts

Baseball where I am (Pennsylvania) starts today at the high school level.  I wish all of you a productive season with good calls and a tremendous bullpen! Below is a prayer I found that was apparently tweaked for coaches.   Best of luck everyone!   BUILD ME AN ATHLETE, who will be strong enough to […]

The glove goes near the hip

I recently saw this photo online and it highlights a mistake I often see with young pitchers.  I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before but it is worth mentioning again. There are several things I’m a stickler for making young pitchers do.  One of the most important in my opinion is making sure they finish the […]

Seminar – Foundations of Catching and Throwing

The following is a seminar I recently gave on the basic movements associated with catching and throwing.  The audience was a group of little league coaches.   If you are in the Philadelphia area and would like me to appear at your coaching clinic, contact me at BaseballByTheYard@gmail.com and I’ll see what I can do.

You find what you look for – A short story

A couple years back I wrote a short story called The Stubborn Hitter where the old groundskeeper teaches the young hitter a lesson.  To read it, click HERE.  Today’s post is the second installment.  It’s an old story, only this time with a baseball twist. One hot summer day, the league’s old groundskeeper was out […]

The Throwing X Drill

When I work with a young thrower (below high school), I usually focus a lot of attention on smoothing up the throwing path of their arm.  Watch a major leaguer throw on TV and it won’t look like they are putting a lot of effort into their throws.  When the radar screen says 95 mph, your mind […]

eBook: A 4-week guide to preparing pitchers

A couple weeks ago I launched a course/seminar called Game Charts: The ultimate coaching tool for baseball coaches.  Subscribers who purchased the seminar in the first week also got a free bonus eBook called Off-Season Pitching Guide: A four-week plan for developing pitchers for game #1. I received a lot of great feedback about both […]

Getting hitters off their back foot

Today’s video tip is actually two versions of a drill that could be used to help hitters address a common mistake.  I see this more often in little kids but it doesn’t mean older players can’t benefit from it either.  The mistake involves never getting their weight off their back foot when they swing “Rotational” […]

Seminar: Game Charts – The ultimate teaching tool for baseball coaches

I’m proud to announce my latest project called Game Charts: The ultimate teaching tool for baseball coaches!  If you are a subscriber, you had first access to this seminar all last week (I added a bonus for them also … that’s why you should be a member!). Here is the introduction to the seminar which […]

To the fence drill for outfielders (Part 2)

Part 1 of this topic was covered HERE.  I basically covered the concept of getting to the proper side of the ball before you touch it. In today’s video tip, I cover the process after picking the ball up.  Too often outfielders waste time trying to make a powerful throw back to the infield when […]

You do NOT run a question mark to first base

When I do coaching clinics, one of the more humorous things I will do is ask a question like the following… “Raise your hand if, as a young player, you were told to get your back elbow up higher when you hit?”  All the hands naturally go up.  Including mine.  The crowd gets a laugh when […]

Infield positioning on the pitch

As I’ve said about 300 times on this site … “As you get older, the game gets faster.”   If you are an infielder and you position yourself in one spot for right handed hitters and one spot for left handed hitters, the game is going to pass you by.  I showed this picture from the […]

Reversing the shoulders

FYI: Important email coming today for subscribers!  If not a subscriber, use the Subscribe box on the right column seen on every page. There are certain movements in the game that are transferable.  By that I mean similar body movements are done by all baseball players.  If you want to quicken the pace of a […]

Pinching the middle for middle infielders – Part 2

Today’s video tip is Part 2 of the very important responsibility for middle infielders when there are runners on base.  To see Part 1, click HERE. Today’s tip focuses on a common mistake made AFTER this responsibility is over and how to correct it.

Pinching the middle for middle infielders – Part 1

Today’s video tip is about the VERY IMPORTANT and MANDATORY responsibility of both middle infielders whenever there are runners on base. It’s one of the many things a well-coached team will do without being told.

Do you practice your purpose pitches?

Ever notice how many young pitchers have no idea how to throw a pitchout?  If you want to see something funny (or sad depending on your perspective), have your pitchers do a drill where every pitch is a pitchout to the catcher.  Then sit back and watch the absurdity.  You’ll be amazed how many pitchers […]

What is your unfair advantage?

When I was 12 years old, I remember pitching in a game with the winning run on third base with the game all tied up.  There were less than two outs and if the runner scored, the other team would win in walk off fashion.  I decided to go from the wind-up thinking that if the […]

Updates for 2016

Happy New Year everyone!  I wish you all health and happiness … and a great bullpen … in 2016!  I am planning some changes and wanted to let all of you know about some of them. I am in the process of creating numerous full length video seminars on many areas of the game.  It is something […]

Happy Holidays 2015

Happy Holidays to you and your families! Coach Bob McCreary FYI: New posts will begin again on Monday, January 4th!

Are you tipping off your pitches?

I saw the following photo on ESPN.com the other day and thought I would use it as a reminder of something I have talked about in the past.  Here is the photo. Ask experienced hitters at the major league level and I guarantee that they will say that every pitcher tips off their pitches in some […]

How to decoy runners on overthrows

Today’s video tip is for more advanced infielders.  It’s advanced because, as you will see, the player will have to fight their instincts and that is not something you learn to do overnight.

Make the throws easy for the pitcher

“Seriously?  You can’t make an accurate 50 foot throw to the pitcher?” I’ve never actually said that to a catcher … but I’ve darn well thought it!  And don’t lie.  I know you have too. As a coach, the last thing you want to be concerned about is will your catcher make good throws back […]

Add some problem solving to your drills

“I am so sick and tired of my players not being able to think for themselves.  They sit back and just wait for me to tell them what to do all the time.” Sound familiar? I’m sure it does.  Every coach deals with that dilemma.  So how can a coach address it rather than just […]

How to play catch – Sticking your catches

Today’s video tip a another little thing that can go a long way in helping young players develop proper catching and throwing mechanics.  Sticking your catches promotes strong hands and helps to prevent a player from being at the mercy of the ball.  It’s great for young kids and even advanced catchers. HERE is the more […]

How to throw a better 2-strike breaking pitch

This is Part 2 of the “throwing more strikes with your breaking ball” series.  This one deals with throwing them when you have an 0-2 or 1-2 count.  If you did not see Part 1: How to throw more strikes with your breaking pitches, click HERE. Too often pitchers (and I mean all pitchers at all […]

How to throw more strikes with your breaking pitches

A big problem with pitchers as they get into the higher levels is an inability to throw strikes with their breaking pitches.  From Little League through even the high school level, pitchers can get away with not being very good at commanding their curveballs and sliders.  This is because the hitters are usually not that […]

Wake up, families

I saw two articles yesterday when I checked my social media accounts.  One was an article about how we are training young baseball players all wrong.  The article said that pro scouts look for 90+mph throwers and if we are not training pitchers to throw 90+, it is basically a waste of time.  Ditto with regards […]

Happy Thanksgiving!

  I hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends!  See you back here for another new post on Monday!  

To the Fence Drill for outfielders

After the holidays is usually the start to the indoor workout season for teams in the colder regions.  When that happens, it’s usually outfielder work that gets screwed over do to the limits on space.  But it doesn’t have to be that way. Today’s video tip is the outfielder’s footwork of approaching a ball that […]

Should you teach young outfielders to step back on all fly balls?

As I explain in today’s video post, a lot of youth coaches teach their outfielders to take a step back every time a ball is hit in the air towards them.  The reason is a sound one – Prevent extra bases even if you have to give up a few more singles in exchange. As […]

FYI’s and Resources page

I just wanted to use today’s post to give all of you a heads-up about a few things that are happening at BaseballByTheYard.com. The response to the Winter Seminar Survey has been great!  Thanks so much for all the comments and suggestions.  I hope to have several of the seminars made and ready to go […]

Quadrant Hitting – Part 2

When you are formulating a game plan for your at-bat … Do you pick the quadrant you are best at hitting or do you pick the quadrant where you think the pitcher will throw it?  That’s the question I ended Part 1 with.  If you need to read Part 1 to get an idea of what […]

Quadrant hitting – Part 1

Say what you want about Alex Rodriguez’s personal decisions over his career but you have to give him credit for his knowledge of hitting.  I don’t know about you but I loved listening to him as one of the playoff announcers. There were many great insights he made but one stood out because it reminded me […]

Would your best player do this?

Have you taken the Winter Seminar Survey yet?  It’s only two questions.  Click HERE.  I’d love to get your input! Now back to today’s post! Take a look at this screenshot of a situation from Game 4 of this year’s World Series.  Lorenzo Cain at bat.  Pause here and look at everything.   Got the […]

The Winter Seminar Survey

Wintertime means baseball seminars!  I have a bunch of titles in mind to produce but I’d like to get your input.  Could you please take a two-question survey for me?  I’d love to have your input about topics you’d like me to cover.  Basic, Intermediate, or Advanced.  Any area of the game.  Doesn’t matter.  Tell […]

Batter’s interference

Boy, there are so many things to write about concerning this year’s World Series. I’ll be writing about several but today’s is about something you don’t see very often.  And not because it rarely happens. To leadoff Game 4, Alcides Escobar singled and attempted to steal second base on a two-strike count to Ben Zobrist.  Zobrist swung […]

How to throw the ball back to the pitcher

Ever have catchers specifically do a drill that just requires them to throw the ball back to the pitcher correctly?  Probably not.  That’s because we just assume they should just know how to do it.   Most older kids just figure out how to get the ball back on their own through trial & error […]

World Series Game 5 insights

The Royals are World Champs!  Unfortunately, because of a bet, I have to make my son’s bed for a week. Clearly the better team won.  If you are a fan of baseball then watching the Royals was a pleasure.  They did everything right.  The Mets? … not so much. Like the previous World Series posts, […]

World Series insights – Game 3 & 4

BONUS SUNDAY POST! These insights from Game 3 and 4 of the current World Series between the Mets and the Royals are in no particular order.  Once again, I provide links to posts and videos I’ve previously done that expand on these ideas.  Enjoy! Game 3: The Met’s catcher made a big mistake and let […]

Happy Halloween 2015!

Happy Halloween 2015! The Year of the (Baseball) Shark Attack!

2015 World Series insights – Game 1 & 2

It looks like the Royals will make fast work of the Mets unless New York can turn that momentum around in a hurry.  Here is a list of some of the things I noticed from Game 1 and Game 2.  I also linked to previous posts and videos where I discussed or demonstrated that topic. […]

How to quicken your tags as an infielder

Baseball is a game of inches.  Anytime we can do something a few inches faster, we have a better chance of keeping up with the speed of the game. Today’s video tip is for infielders who want to quicken up their tags at the bases.

Give your 3rd base coach a chance (part 2)

Scoring from first base on a base hit is no easy task.  Royals fans were quite happy when Lorenzo Cain did just that to help get his team to the World Series.  As soon as I saw him score I thought of a post I had written back in June, 2012. I’ve said many times […]

Finish like a pitcher

One of the biggest things I have to teach young pitchers is how to finish like a pitcher.  When I say “finish like a pitcher,” I mean this … Glove tucked near the hip Throwing hand “hides” under the glove Throwing arm side hip and shoulder are pointing at the target Head up and eyes […]

Who said you have to be fast to be a good base runner?

Very few things make my baseball heart go pitter-patter more than great base running.  Take game five of the AL Division Series between the Blue Jays and the Rangers as an example.  Most of the attention went to Bautista and his bat-flipping homer in the 7th inning but there was a play earlier in the […]

1-6-3 bagwork for shortstops

Today’s video tip shows how a shortstop turns a double play at second base on 1-6-3 or 2-6-3 plays.  Because the feed from the pitcher or catcher is coming from a different angle than say, a second baseman or first baseman, his footwork at the bag needs to be different. Early in the video, a previous video […]

New posts coming soon!

Hi everyone!  I hope your summer and early fall were good ones.  Just wanted to give you a heads-up that new posts (written and video) will be starting up again on Monday, October 20th. I missed doing them and I hope you missed reading/watching them! See you Monday! Coach McCreary

Summer update

Hello everyone!  I hope all of you are enjoying your summer! For a lot of you, baseball is over and you are now getting some much needed R & R.  I know I am!  Because of that, I will be taking a break from posting for the next couple weeks. If you are new to […]

Don’t let a slow pitcher slow your bat down

One of things I’ve seen a lot of with young hitters is that when they face a slow pitcher, their bats slow down along with it.  This, of course, is a big mistake. Like many hitters, I always hated hitting off slow pitchers.  Bring that 92 mph any day of the week. That soft lefty […]

Old batting glove smell

  You know you are a ball player when your old batting gloves smell like heaven and your mother wants to throw them out.   If that smell could be bottled in a cologne, a ball player would wear it!   True?

Use all the pitching height you have

Scouts love tall pitchers.  Go to any MLB team website and check out the heights of all their pitchers.  My hometown Phillies don’t have a pitcher under 6’1″ and have eight pitchers over 6’3″.  A tall pitcher who does a good job of throwing downhill is very tough to hit.  Just ask anyone who has […]

Tommy John article

Hello everyone!  I hope all of you have great plans for the Fourth of July weekend!  Today’s post is another article written by a friend and coach who is also in the medical profession.  This one is on the Tommy John surgery epidemic.  I hope you like it! Have a great weekend and if you […]

Stay in your pitching lane

It is said that the stadium could be burning to the ground and some players wouldn’t even know because of their laser focus.  A batter locks in on a pitcher and nothing else is able to distract them.  Pitchers do it too.  50,000 fans can be screaming like crazy and the entire pitcher’s world is […]

Baseball Dads – Part 3

Comment, like, or share if this is true …

Baseball dads – Part 2

No disrespect to all the baseball moms out there but … only a dad would have thought of this!

Baseball sayings from baseball dads

My father was by far the biggest influence on my baseball career.  I’m sure a lot of people can say the same thing.  I’m sure there is a cave drawing somewhere showing a cave-dad having a stone catch with his son.  He probably grunted “keep your elbow up!” too. My dad had a saying for practically […]

Another catching tip to get more strikes

The primary job for any catcher is to help pitchers get more strikes.  A catcher who is terrific at receiving is pure joy to throw to every game.  Today’s video tip is one of many tricks good catchers use to help get more strikes for the guy on the bump.

Still looking for summer camps?

Just an FYI if you are in the Philly suburbs … A good friend and I are running our 2nd summer baseball camp at the Central Perk Little League complex in Schwenksville, PA.  You probably know my background but my friend (Coach Rich Coletta) is another former high school and college coach who also coached […]

Traits of a good catcher

I’ve been watching a lot of the MLB Draft commentary on TV and a common theme when discussions turn to catchers is that everyone wants a good catcher.  It’s been said many times that the fastest way to the major leagues is to be a good catcher.  I’m not sure if the stats match that […]

Change your sights for more strikes

There aren’t many things worse than being on the mound throwing ball after ball and having no idea how to fix yourself.  Contrary to what a lot of catches think, yelling “Throw strikes!” isn’t helping.  Do you really think he is trying to throw balls? Today’s tip involves a quick and simple adjustment every pitcher […]

Do shortstops open up on double play feeds?

Today’s video tip is the answer to a question I received from a reader.  He asked if shortstops should open up their left leg on double play feeds to better clear their hips.  Here is what I have to say about that …

How to move away from an outfielder when called off

Today’s video tip is another one of those little things that most people watching will never even notice.  It involves infielders and outfielders on short fly balls when both go for it.  We’ve all seen both players stop and the ball bounce between them.  Today’s tip is meant to prevent that mistake.

In the neighborhood

It is extremely rare that a Major League umpire will call a runner safe at second base on a double play when the middle infielder is “in the neighborhood.”  What “in the neighborhood” means is that the fielder who turns the double play may not actually touch the bag at second but he is close […]

Video: Thumbs up, thumbs down

A few posts ago I wrote about the simple way to teach young players the proper catching and throwing procedure.  I received a request to turn it into a video.  Here it is!  To see the written explanation, click HERE.

1-6-3 footwork for shortstops

There are some mistakes that you only see at the lower levels.  Other you see at every level from Little League on up to the major leagues.  Today’s video tip involves a mistake shortstops make at every level. On 1-6-3 and 2-6-3 double plays, shortstops have to keep the ball in front of them.  An explanation […]

The ball is not getting past me

There are a lot of plays in baseball when catching the ball is just not going to happen.  On a steal attempt, the catcher  makes a bad throw and short hops the shortstop or second baseman.  A rocket is hit down to the third baseman.  A line drive is hit just in front of the outfielder. […]

Throw to the center of the plate

Tired of long games?  Sick of seeing pitchers nibble the corners and end up 2-0 to every batter?  If so, tell your catchers to set up right down the middle and knee high on every pitch until there are two strikes.  0-2 and 1-2, move to the corners.  If the count gets to 2-2, move […]

Two outs, two strikes – on the swing

Ever see a guy try to score from second base on a base hit and get thrown out by about six inches at home plate?  Of course you have.  Baseball is a game of inches and turn on any game on TV and you’ll see several plays where an inch one way or the other could […]

90 feet at a time

Below is a link to a great read about Mike Napoli of the Red Sox and the pride he takes in base running.  It’s so nice to see a major leaguer take such pride in things that 99% of the stadium never notices.   There is not a lot of glamour to good base running […]

12u USA Baseball workout

Just a heads up for those in the Philadelphia area …  I will be helping to run a 12u camp for USA Baseball at the end of May.  These camps are where USA Baseball learns about players who might make up their future national teams.  If you or anyone else you know has a player who […]

Catchers do not need to know who is covering

On a recent video post I mentioned that we all have pet peeves as coaches.  In the video I explained why a shortstop yelling “inside” or “outside” to a first basemen on a 3-6-3 double play irks me.  To see the video, click HERE. Today’s post involves another one of my pet peeves.  This time […]

Everyone has a plan …

“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth” – Mike Tyson Take a quick look at these two video clips.  The first is one of Derek Jeter’s most memorable plays.  The second link is a recent play by Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis. Click HERE for Freddy Galvis’ play Both plays have one thing […]

Figure 8 Drill for base running

When baseball players are asked to run at practice, typically it means sprints of various distances before and/or after practice.  Sprints are fine but the drawback is that very rarely will players actually run a sprint beyond 90 feet.  Little Leaguers typically run even shorter distances.  Players of all ages also have to make cuts, […]

Thumbs up, Thumbs down: Simplifying the catching and throwing process

For the past few years I have been helping out with my son’s little league teams.  First of all, God bless the elementary school teachers of the world.  They don’t earn enough money. Working with little kids makes you very aware of the need to simplify things.  It’s true with every aspect of the game […]

More advice for young arms

A little while back I posted a report by a baseball coach and friend of mine, Dr. John Mishock, who warned baseball people about the overuse of young pitchers and why that is harmful from a medical point of view.  To see that original report called Longterm Team Athletic Development: Are we coaching our kids […]

Don’t keep the ball down

Actually, the title of today’s post is a little incomplete.  A better title would have been “Don’t JUST keep the ball down.” Pitchers are told from the day they start pitching to “keep the ball down in the strike zone.”  In general, that is great advice.  At the younger ages – Little League through high […]

A quiz and a book for the ages

I have always been fond of reading George Will’s political columns.  He also happens to be an avid baseball fan.  Some were even hoping he would be the new baseball commissioner after Bud Selig stepped down.  His latest column to bring in the new MLB season was a trivia quiz.  To take the quiz, click […]

You’ve got to be kidding me (Part 5)

Update: I have been told by a few people that this was an initiation thing by veteran players and not the idea of this particular rookie.  I stand corrected.  (Between you and me … it still doesn’t belong on a field. Maybe I’m just getting old and grouchy.  Maybe I’ve just lost touch with the […]

The common sense of George Brett

When I was a senior in college at Villanova, our spring break took us to the Orlando, FL area for workouts and games.  One of the places we played at several times was the old Boardwalk and Baseball complex which, at the time, was the home of the Kansas City Royals for spring training.  Our […]

How to prevent infield / outfield collisions

If you have watched enough baseball games I’m sure you have witnessed or seen on TV at least one ugly collision between an infielder going back for a fly ball and an outfielder coming in on it.  It probably looked something like this … No matter what you do, collisions are going to happen between […]

Are you asking yourself the right questions?

  When players self-analyze, they often limit themselves to a few basic questions like … How many batters did I strikeout? What is my batting average? How many HR’s/RBI’s do I have? What’s my Win-Loss record? Unfortunately, most players do not mentally travel past those questions. For a player to more accurately gauge how well […]

The SeamTrak app

My friend Xan Barksdale over at Catching-101.com has come up with quite a nifty web app for hitters.  It’s called SeamTrak and it enables hitters to practice seeing the spin of the ball right out of a pitcher’s hand. Obviously, recognizing the pitch quickly is one of the best skills a batter can have.  But […]

How to throw more strikes – visual tips

Is there anything worse than watching a pitcher throw out of the strike zone over and over again?  Aside from yelling something stupid like “Throw strikes!“, are there any quick ways to get the kid back on track so that everyone can move on with their lives in less than three hours?  The answer is […]

How batters tip off that they are bunting

Today’s video tip shows two ways that batters will often unintentionally let you know that they are about to either sacrifice or base-hit bunt.  The tips are for primarily 1st and 3rd basemen since they are the ones who will be charging but it is also for anyone else (coaches, catchers, pitchers, etc.) on the […]

Why won’t he talk to me? Advice for baseball moms

How many of you baseball moms out there have experienced something like the following … Your son comes home from a game.  It is obvious that he is upset.  Maybe an 0-4 with three strikeouts.  Maybe got pulled from the mound in the 1st inning.  Maybe a crucial base running mistake in the last inning.  Who […]

3-6-3 play: Inside or Outside?

Every coach has his pet-peeves.  I have mine.  On my list is when first basemen and/or shortstops yell “Inside!” or “Outside!” on throws to second base on a 3-6-3 double play. Today’s video tip explains what that means and why yelling anything is totally unnecessary.

Spring is just around the corner

Why is it that Fall and Winter are right on time every single year but Spring seems to take forever?  I admit that I might be a little jaded though since I just plowed 8 inches of snow off my driveway. I sure hope all you readers in the warmer climates appreciate what you have. […]

How to make a batting tee (Part 2)

When it comes to total number of views, the most popular post on this website is the one I wrote back on January 29, 2014.  It was called How to make a batting tee.   If you have the money, my pick for the best basic batting tee is the Tanner Tee.  It is the […]

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