Reading the ball off the bat

On a recent evening, I had the rare chance to watch a high school game.  From where I was sitting in the stands, my viewing angle was such that I could see the batter and a particular fielder in my field of vision at all times.  After a ball was hit to this fielder, something […]

Baseball cliches – Early and often

Clichés have always been a big part of baseball. “We just have to take it one game at a time.” “I just need to throw my game and God willing, everything will work out fine.” “See the ball and hit the ball.” There are a million of these around the game.  All do a good […]

Fingers between the ball and the head

One of the toughest things to teach/fix in the throwing motion is keeping the fingers between the ball and the head when the hands separate in the process of throwing.  Whether the kid is throwing as a pitcher or as a position player, this basic mechanic must be done if the player wants to keep […]

Slump proof a team

You never can totally eliminate slumps as a player or team.  However, if your team is good at the following, you can prevent some of them or at least not allow the slumps to last very long. Throw strikes.  Make sure your pitchers’ #1 priority is throwing strikes.  The three pitch rule is a great […]

You’ve got to be kidding me (Part 2)

So, I’m watching the Phillies game the other night and I have another “You’ve got to be kidding me” moment.  Before I tell you why, take a look at the game’s box score from ESPN.com.   If you just looked at the box score, you’d probably think it was a good game.  A good amount […]

How to warm up without a bullpen

I’ve written a number of posts about the need for all pitchers to warm-up properly before games.  One of the biggest mistakes pitchers make is not warming up correctly.  This is why many pitchers are vulnerable in the first inning of every game they pitch.  Simply put, they are just not 100% from the first […]

Losses go next to the pitcher’s name

If you are a fan of the film Bull Durham, you probably remember the scenes where the catcher, Crash Davis, tells the batter what pitch is coming.  The reason for telling the batter was to get back at the pitcher for shaking off his signs.  Clearly Crash Davis didn’t appreciate the rookie pitcher calling his […]

The power of defeat

The game of baseball is designed to wear you down mentally.  It takes special people to handle all the failure that is inherent in the game.  Special people with grit.  Below is a link to a non-baseball article that is right on the money when it comes to the importance of developing grit in children. […]

Why don’t position players get Tommy John surgery?

It’s an interesting question.  With all the throwing position players do, why don’t they ever need Tommy John surgery?  Of course, I’m making a generalization.  Position players do sometimes get Tommy John surgery but they seem to be very few and far between.  In fact, the only example I know of is LA Dodger shortstop Rafael […]

A catcher’s sign to his coach

One of the many challenges of a coach is handling arguments over balls and strikes.  Any argument can immediately get you ejected so coaches certainly have to tred lightly in that area.  One of the best ways to deal with that is to have your catcher give you a sign when a pitch was absolutely […]

Weekly pitching routine

At the younger levels (up to and including college) the likely pattern a pitcher is going to evolve into is the “once a week” appearance.  Of course, a relief pitcher may throw more than once a week but for starters, once a week is usually pretty standard until they get into pro ball.  The question […]

Check your watch for a better delivery

When young kids start pitching, often you will see them either point their glove or lead elbow at the target before throwing.  This is commonly taught as a way to force the young player to turn sideways before throwing so that he can get more of his body into the throw/pitch when he opens the […]

Seminar – How to throw batting practice

On Friday I posted a short video that gave a tip for throwing better batting practice.  The clip was part of a longer video I did that gives a number of tips for coaches of all ages who would like to become better at one of the most important skills of coaching baseball. I wasn’t […]

Figure eights for batting practice

In my opinion, the toughest two things for most coaches to learn is how to be good at using a fungo bat and throwing batting practice.  Using a fungo bat will have to be another post. Throwing BP is one of the most essential skills for any baseball coach.  Unfortunately, many coaches just don’t have […]

Around the horn

Everyone has seen the “around the horn” throws after an out with nobody on base.  A pet peeve of mine is when teams do not take this basic process seriously.  A good “around the horn” says a lot about the team and how they are coached.  A bad one speaks volumes as well.  The visuals […]

Roy Halladay, slumps, and flailing at the bird

No matter how good you are, slumps up at bat, on the mound, and out on the field are going to occur.  It’s part of the game.  Roy Halladay is currently going through such a time.  Click on the link below to hear his post-game interview.  It’s a gem for anyone who gets into a […]

3 + 1 Rule

I attended my first Phillies game of the year this past Sunday.  It was a 9-8 loss for the Phils.  Here was the scoring line for the game.  One of my daily rituals is to check out all the high school and MLB box scores that appear in my local paper.  If you do this […]

The umpire with the small strike zone

Just like players, every umpire is going to vary with regards to their strike zone.  One umpire may have a huge zone and another has one the size of a postage stamp.    This post is for the guy with the postage stamp zone.  Umpires with a small zone can be very frustrating to pitchers […]

What to say during mound visits

One of my more popular posts ever in terms of readership was one titled Best Mound Conversation Ever.  It’s a true story that still makes me laugh when I think about it.  However, if you are the one who is going to the mound and truly need to get a pitcher on track, reverse psychology […]

Game blocks

The college season is well under way and most high schools have a least a couple games under their belt as well.  For some players, the season has gotten off to a great start.  High averages, a good amount of RBI’s, a couple wins for a pitcher, etc.  Nothing better than starting off the season […]

Seminar – Outfield Drills

The following video is a 45 minute seminar I gave in February in Malvern, PA.  The link to it was sent out to my subscribers a week ago (that’s the benefit of subscribing!).  Now I’m making it available to everyone.  After today it will appear in the VIDEO section as well.  Because of its length, […]

The heel to heel flaw at first base

Here is a little tip for base runners who want a little more balance, quickness, and power when taking their lead off first base.

A safety tip for batting practice

I heard this batting practice idea from the current head coach at Villanova University (Joe Godri) and I think it is a great one for a number of reasons.  It involves moving the shag bucket(s) to a safer location during batting practice.  In the following picture, the red line and star indicate where most teams […]

Spray charts for pitchers

At the high school level and above, charting hitters in the form of “spray charts” is pretty common.  A spray chart is typically created for every hitter an opposing team has.  Each at-bat is recorded and if they put the ball into play, the chart indicates where they hit it and what the result was.  The […]

Batting cage ribbons

As I type this, another snow storm has entered the Philadelphia area.  High school and college coaches are no doubt pulling their hair out over the weather so far this spring.  For today, if they are able to practice at all, it looks like another indoor batting cage day for hitters.  Not ideal but it […]

Feet position in the stretch

Every single Little League game I go to I see at least one pitcher (often every one of them) make a very basic mistake with their feet when they pitch from the stretch.  It involves where the feet end up when they come set after getting the sign from the catcher.  It’s a very easy […]

Drill it out

I heard about this coaching technique at a winter clinic.  The speaker (John Cohen – Mississippi State Univ.) referred to it as “drilling it out of a player.”  Coach long enough and you will undoubtedly have a player that is difficult to talk to.  You give a suggestion that might help with the kid’s swing […]

Stride foot direction

There is a great saying in baseball that goes, “baseball is played from the ground up.”  What that means is that most everything in the game starts with good footwork.  Want to improve your throws?  Set your feet better.  Want to throw more strikes?  Improve your footwork on the mound.   In today’s video tip, […]

Keep your glove under the ball

Today’s video tip involves one of those little mistakes that young infielders often make before they field the ball.  It may not seem like much but every little detail can help a fielder do his job more effectively.  I first show the bad habit and then demonstrate how and why fielders should always keep their […]

Pennsylvania baseball

If any of you have thoughts about moving to Pennsylvania to play baseball, here are a couple photos taken at a local high school practice over the weekend (3-16-2013).  With weather like this, it would stand to reason that baseball players would not be bred in Pennsylvania to the extent that places like Texas, Florida, […]

Glove work on a backhand

Today’s tip is for infielders who want to develop better hands on the backhand play.  It’s a basic tip that I see kids of all levels mess up regularly.  Get the glove work down and backhands will become easier.

When baseball is your identity

For many young kids who play the game from an early age, their lives look like the following graphic.  We’ll call this kid Player A. Even though setbacks occur for them in the game (0 for 4, 3k’s, 2 errors, .240 batting average, cut from the team, etc.) other parts of their life help to […]

Catchers, please stay still

At the major league level, it has become quite the fad to have catchers move to their location late into the pitcher’s delivery.  I can’t stand it.  I hated it as a pitcher and I hate it as a coach.  Although there may be more reason to do this at the higher levels, I still […]

Footwork when covering second base

A reader contacted me and asked about a video I made a while back about middle infield footwork around the bag on steal attempts to second base.  I looked everywhere on my site and could not find it.  Apparently, I put it on my YouTube Channel but not the website.  Here it is.  Sorry if […]

Code words for second base

One of the challenges for base stealers and third base coaches is the fact that middle infielders can hear.   When a base stealer is at second base and wants/needs to steal third base, often he will need the third base coach to give him information on what the middle infielders (especially the shortstop who […]

Goalie Drill for Infielders

Today’s video tip is a good drill for younger players in need of a little competition during practice.  It also has many benefits on the fundamentals side as well for infielders looking to improve their reactions, glove work, and first step quickness.  It’s a good drill to wrap up a practice with and great for […]

I didn’t make the team. Now what?

As I mentioned in a post a few days ago, this week is tryout week for most high schools in Pennsylvania.  For players and parents, the week is filled with gossip and debate as to who is showing well and who might make the JV and varsity rosters.  Of course, it all culminates in the […]

The showcase dance

My name is Coach McCreary and I enjoy watching Dancing With the Stars.  There.  I said it.  Criticize me if you must.  It probably stems from ballroom dance lessons my wife and I took about 10 years ago prior to our wedding.  I reluctantly agreed but actually had a lot of fun doing it.  I […]

Tryout week

For most high schools where I am located (Pennsylvania), this past Monday was the first official day of practice.  That usually means tryouts – by far the worst part of the season as far as I was concerned.  I thought I’d provide a link to all the posts I’ve done concerning tryout for the players, […]

Seminar – Hitting: Bottom up mechanics

This is the last of seven videos from a coaching clinic I participated in at North Penn High School in Lansdale, PA. The clinics were presented to mostly Little League coaches.  The purpose was to pass on a basic foundation of the game to all the coaches.   Today’s seminar is one that I gave […]

Seminar – Hitting: Hands, feet, and stance

This is the sixth of seven videos from a coaching clinic I participated in at North Penn High School in Lansdale, PA. The clinics were presented to mostly Little League coaches.  The purpose was to pass on a basic foundation of the game to all the coaches.  I am posting all of the seminars – […]

Seminar – It all starts with defense (Part 2)

This is the fifth of seven videos from a coaching clinic I participated in at North Penn High School in Lansdale, PA. The clinics were presented to mostly Little League coaches.  The purpose was to pass on a basic foundation of the game to all the coaches.  I am posting all of the seminars – […]

Seminar – It all starts with defense (Part 1)

This is the fourth of seven videos from a coaching clinic I participated in at North Penn High School in Lansdale, PA. The clinics were presented to mostly Little League coaches.  The purpose was to pass on a basic foundation of the game to all the coaches.  I am posting all of the seminars – […]

Seminar – Basics of Pitching (Part 2)

This is the third of seven videos from a coaching clinic I participated in at North Penn High School in Lansdale, PA. The clinics were presented to mostly Little League coaches.  The purpose was to pass on a basic foundation of the game to all the coaches.  I am posting all of the seminars – […]

Seminar – Basics of Pitching (Part 1)

This is the second of seven videos from a coaching clinic I participated in at North Penn High School in Lansdale, PA. The clinics were presented to mostly Little League coaches.  The purpose was to pass on a basic foundation of the game to all the coaches.  I am posting all of the seminars – […]

Seminar – Basics of Catching & throwing

The next seven posts will be videos from a coaching clinic I participated in at North Penn High School in Lansdale, PA. The clinics were presented to mostly Little League coaches.  The purpose was to pass on a basic foundation of the game to all the coaches.  I am posting all of the seminars – […]

Just get it in the area

Recently I’ve done several videos on double play footwork and drills for both shortstops and second basemen.  Of course, the best footwork out there will not matter so much if the feed to the bag is a horrible one.  Neither second basemen nor shortstops enjoy bad feeds because not only does it make it tougher […]

Shaking off location

How many of you are sick and tired of the three hour baseball game?  I know I am.  There are many things that lengthen the game unnecessarily but one thing that irritates me more than others is all the trips to the mound by the catchers to go over pitch selection.  I mean how difficult […]

Spin move footwork

I must admit, spin move pickoffs were by far my favorite pick-off move as a pitcher.  To be honest, my move to first base was garbage but my move to second base was deadly.  I think more pitchers could increase their success at picking runners off second base if they wanted to and if they […]

In defense of the middle inning closer

Take a look at the following box score I created: Notice anything unusual?  What stands out to some would be the second pitcher (Jones) who threw for only two outs in the third inning.  This is referred to as the “middle-inning closer.”  Using your closer earlier in the game instead of at the end of […]

Picking the ball up

You would think telling a player to pick the ball up would be easy.  However, during the course of a game, we’ve all seen a player screw up this very basic play.  Today’s video tip provides some simple tips for players of all positions who have to pick a ball up.

Best Outfield Drills for Indoors

A few weeks ago I gave a seminar at a Philadelphia area coaches clinic.  The topic was “An indoor/outdoor  approach to developing outfielders.”  I basically explained that in the colder states, the weather early on in the season forces teams to do a lot of practicing indoors.  Pitchers, hitters, fielders, and even base runners can get […]

Receiving high and low pitches

One of the most important jobs for a catcher is receiving the ball correctly so as to help get more strikes called for his pitcher.  Most catchers understand the concept of framing pitches at an early age.  Today’s video post teaches catchers another basic tip that, along with general framing techniques, can get more strike […]

The back knee on backhands

Today’s video shows infielders a little tip that can go a long way in improving their ability to field a ground ball to the backhand side.  It involves the proper placement of their back knee.  Check out the video and see where the back knee should go and why it helps on backhands.

Inward turn pickoff move

Pick-off moves are an under-utilized part of the game.  My feeling is that if I can get an out without having to throw a pitch, I’m going to take it.  Like everything else, though, pickoffs take a lot of practice so that infielders and pitchers get comfortable enough to put plays on themselves based on […]

Winning the Freebie War

I heard the term “Freebie War” from a legendary coach named Pat McMahon.  Coach McMahon is  a frequent speaker at national coaching clinics.  He has coached at many levels with success and currently is heavily involved with the Yankees developmental academies in the Dominican Republic.  I heard him speak at a recent clinic where he […]

Alone time for players

With practices starting up soon in many parts of the country, coaches are well into the process of designing practice routines and schedules for their teams.  At least they should be. If you ever had the pleasure of participating in or watching spring training workouts for pro teams, you may have noticed that very often […]

Take your head to the ball

Throughout baseball, many kids are taught to keep their heads as still as possible.  Unfortunately, when you watch good players play the game, they will often move their head quite a bit.  The concept of “keeping your head still” has more to do with keeping your eyes level and not keeping your head completely still. […]

Quicker pickoffs throws to first base

As pitchers get older, the ability to hold runners closely at first base becomes more important.  Like most other aspects of the game, success is usually found in the little details.  There is a lot going on during a pickoff move to first base.  Timing, footwork, balance, accuracy, and throwing quickness all play large roles […]

Arm-bat angle

Over the years, I have worked with players from the Tee-Ball level all the way up to the professional levels.   No matter what the age or skill level of the player, often small adjustments go a long way.  Today’s video tip is one example of a small adjustment I look for early on when […]

The best infield drill I’ve never done

One of the great things about attending/speaking at coaching clinics is you get to talk to and hear other coaches.  Just when you think you’ve seen everything, a coach will give a tip, a phrase, a technique, or in this case a drill you have never seen before.   Recently I did a post called […]

Pre-Season Checklists

A reader contacted me yesterday and asked for a pre-season checklist I had produced a while back.  He could not find it on my site.  After searching for myself, I realized I had never posted them to my website.  I must have posted it on a baseball forum site and forgot to put it out […]

Fielding options: scoop or funnel

In case anyone is counting, today is my 600th post!  Hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have! As I say at the start of today’s video, I’ve started to see a number of programs teaching fielders to scoop the ball up instead of the traditional funneling-in method.  I’m partial to the funnel […]

The ethics of stealing signs

At a recent coaching clinic, a speaker (Seton Hall University pitching coach Phil Cundari) spoke about how unethical he thought stealing signs were.  He is an impressive coach and worth hearing if you get the chance. Before I give you my point of view, let’s just get this on the table first.  I’ve never met […]

Double Play Two-Tee Drill

Today’s video post is Part 2 of another video post I did recently called the Double Play Tee Drill.  It is specifically for shortstops so they can practice a poorly thrown ball to second base to start a double play.  This is a drill I made up a long time ago after coming across the […]

Infield Knee Drill

Today’s video blog shows a drill that was made famous by Ozzie Smith.  It’s easy and effective but it is often overlooked by coaches and players.  My favorite aspect of the drill is that all it takes is a ball, a wall, and a will to improve.

HATE this pitching drill

All day today I will be attending a coaching clinic in New Jersey that is one of the biggest of its kind in the country.  Many top names in the college and pro baseball coaching world come to give seminars to the several hundred coaches who attend.  I guarantee that I will hear the top […]

Drop step – Hop Step for Outfielders

To improve your range in any position, start by working on your first step quickness to the ball.  Very few plays in baseball will require a straight sprint for more than a couple seconds.  That makes your first step even more important so it is crucial that step one and step two are explosive and […]

Basic tip for outfielders’ hands

A post over a year ago included most of this information but I was recently asked to do a video for it so here it is!

Stan The Man

My condolences go out to Cardinal fans on the passing of Stan “The Man” Musial.  One of the greatest players but more importantly, a great person as well.  With his passing, many news agencies have been showing photographs and footage of his great career.  One thing that always jumps out upon seeing the footage is […]

Blocking v catching

One of the more difficult things to teach young catchers to do is to “block” the pitch that goes into the dirt instead of trying to “catch” the ball in the dirt.  Today’s clip shows the difference between the two and why blocking is better than catching.

Protecting the bare hand of catchers

If you are a catcher, sooner or later your bare hand is going to be hit with a foul ball.  When that happens, you will very quickly be reminded of how important it is to protect that bare hand when you are receiving pitches during a game.  In today’s video clip, I show a few […]

Double Play Tee Drill

When I was writing for my previous website, I wrote a post called Batting tee drills … that don’t involve hitting.  The first drill I mentioned in the post is one that I love for shortstops. When turning double plays, the faster the shortstop can get to the ball the faster he can get rid […]

Paddle drills

A fielding paddle is a great piece of equipment to practice with for all ages.  Paddles are mostly used to promote good fielding mechanics like using two hands and developing soft hands as well. However, paddles don’t have to be just for fielding ground balls.  Paddle drills can also be done to help bunters, pitchers, […]

Throw at the height you caught it

This is one of those tips that can help take a player to the next level.  When you get older, there are many players who are just as good and just as fast as you are.  So why do some move on and some do not?  Often the answer lies in the little things that […]

Tipping off your pitches

Without knowing it, many pitchers, if you look hard enough, will tell you what they are going to throw.  It could be something they do with their glove and/or their delivery.  It could be a hundred other things as well.  At the higher levels, especially with video analysis, it becomes very hard to prevent the […]

Philly area baseball camps & clinics

If you are in or near the Philadelphia area there are some good clinics for players and coaches that are planned for the next couple months.  I will be attending most of them and will be speaking at three.  Below are the dates, locations, links (if available), and other information about the camps. “Be The […]

Mix your DP turns at second base

As players get older, base runners are going to be more aggressive when they try to break up double plays.  In professional baseball, there will be no mercy shown towards that second baseman or shortstop.  If you are a middle infielder at the higher levels, you can be sure runners are going to come after […]

First basemen throwbacks

From an early age, my father and grandfather taught me that if you look closely, there is a heck of a lot going on in the game that the overwhelming number of people (even players) miss.  Today’s tip is one of them. Occasionally when a player gets on first base you will see the first baseman […]

Chair drills for offense and defense

For a variety of reasons, a chair can be a great tool for players and coaches to learn some basics of baseball.  The video that follows will show some of the ways players on the offensive and defensive side of the ball can use a chair during drill work.  If you are looking for an […]

Fly balls: Squaring your shoulders correctly

When I work with little kids to improve their baseball skills, one of the first things I try to work on is catching the ball while they are moving.  No matter what position they play, they will have to go get the ball and catch while their body is in motion.  Not the easiest thing […]

Stop your glove at the center of your body

This tip is one of those finer points on defense that might not seem like it would be that big of an issue for infielders.  However, when everyone is good at the higher levels, you need every fraction of a second in your favor or the game is going to pass you by.

Tip for backhand footwork

In a previous post, I described the basic footwork of the backhand play.  There I explained when a player would lead with their left foot forward and when they would lead with their right foot forward when backhanding a ground ball.  Today’s video post will show another key detail involved with the feet when a […]

Indoor mats

One of the many challenges with winter workouts is having to do a lot of the work indoors.  To accomplish this effectively and efficiently, coaches have to be organized and a little creative.  One major problem with indoor hitting in a gym is slippery floors.  Many hitting drills, whether using soft toss, short toss, or […]

Goals for the new year

Now is the time many people reflect on the previous year and start planning for the next.  When it comes to goal setting, being specific is very important.  Just saying “I want to get better” isn’t good enough.  In what specific areas?  Once you figure that out, what is your specific plan to address those […]

Common Pitching mistakes

Happy New Year! This past week, I have been reposting a series I did way back at the start of Baseball By The Yard that covers common mistakes players make by position.  New posts will begin again tomorrow.  Hope you enjoyed the holidays! Being someone they are not. The first step for a pitcher who […]

Outfield mistakes

This past week, I have been reposting a series I did way back at the start of Baseball By The Yard that covers common mistakes players make by position.  New posts will begin again on Wednesday, January 2. Originally, I broke up these mistakes into three separate posts, one for each of the three outfield […]

Common third base mistakes

 This week, I have been reposting a series I did way back at the start of Baseball By The Yard that covers common mistakes players make by position.  New posts will begin again on Wednesday, January 2. Next up … common mistakes by third basemen! Playing too shallow. I suppose there may be coaches or […]

Common shortstop mistakes

This week, I have been reposting a series I did way back at the start of Baseball By The Yard that covers common mistakes players make by position.  New posts will begin again on Wednesday, January 2. Next up … common mistakes by shortstops! Charging straight at the ball. This mistake is understandable since that […]

Common mistakes by second basemen

This week, I have been reposting a series I did way back at the start of Baseball By The Yard that covers common mistakes players make by position.  New posts will begin again on Wednesday, January 2. Next up … common mistakes by second basemen! Late getting to the bag.  A second baseman has to […]

Common first base mistakes

Over the next week, I will be reposting a series I did way back at the start of Baseball By The Yard that covers common mistakes players make by position.  New posts will begin again on Wednesday, January 2. Next up … common first base mistakes! Assuming you’re just a hitter.  It is true that […]

Common catching mistakes

Over the next week, I will be reposting a series I did way back at the start of Baseball By The Yard that covers common mistakes players make by position.  New posts will begin again on Wednesday, January 2. First up … common catching mistakes! Too much movement before the pitch.  Ever try throwing a […]

Merry Christmas

Christmas blessings from Baseball By The Yard to all of you and your families!  Wishing the holidays bring you joy, happiness, and a great bullpen! Coach Bob McCreary

$300 for a baseball glove?

Recently I bought a new baseball glove.  That doesn’t sound like a big deal but it’s the first glove I’ve bought since 1990.  I was fortunate that after a season of pro ball under my belt, I received a Rawlings contract which provided me two free gloves of my choosing per year.  Not the million […]

Greater Philadelphia Area Coaches Clinic

For those living in the Philadelphia area, the Greater Philadelphia Area Coaches Clinic at the Grand Slam facility in Malvern will be on February 1 and 2.  I will be presenting a seminar titled “An indoor and outdoor approach to developing outfielders.”  My seminar will be leading off Saturday morning at 9:00am.   I am excited […]

Tip for disciplining your players

I realize this is a baseball blog but I have a coaching tip that relates to something seen recently in the world of college basketball.  My alma mater (Villanova) recently had a big win against cross-town rival St. Joe’s University.  It’s one of those rivalries where both schools feel they can lose all their games […]

The fake shake

I saw this video clip the other day and I thought it would be a good thing to pass along for those who are catchers.  Click on the link below and watch: http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1684493/Strikeout_10.gif You’ll notice that before the catcher gives the sign to the pitcher, he shakes his head a couple times.  The purpose of […]

Best baseball books for gifts

With gift giving season in full swing, I thought I’d put together a list of good baseball books (and 2 CD’s) for players, coaches, and parents.  All the ones listed below are ones I have personally read and found to be valuable.  Of course, there are a ton more out there so look on your own […]

Reading the batter’s swing

One of the many things that separate an average fielder from a great fielder is the ability to read a batter’s swing in order to make predictions on where the ball is likely to be hit.  Of course, this requires the fielder to pay attention to some of the things a lot of players overlook.  […]

Pay attention to your breathing

Ever notice that when you stand in on pitchers who are throwing bullpens that all the pitches coming in look like watermelons?  Hitters often see the ball great out of the pitcher’s hand and clearly track the ball into the catcher’s mitt.  In the batter’s mind, each pitch is often followed by the thought, “I […]

Are you afraid of success?

As a teacher of mostly high school seniors, I will occasionally run into a bright student who really has no interest in graduating.  It can be very frustrating for me and infuriating for the kid’s parents because the student seems to sabotage their own progress at every turn.  I’m sure psychologists can have a field day […]

Soft hands drill for catchers

The off-season and especially spring training can be brutal for catchers.  With all the emphasis on developing pitchers, often it’s the catchers who are left to simply catch bullpen after bullpen.  I’ve written before about the importance of not neglecting your catchers but here is an easy drill that can do a lot to develop […]

Confident signs from catchers

Many high school programs are starting to have their pitchers throw.  Although most of the emphasis of these workouts are on the pitchers, catchers need this time to work on their needs as well. Having worked with many high school catchers in my career, a common problem I’ve tended to see in most of these […]

Teaching toughness

Can you teach toughness?  I think the answer is YES.  I will admit that it is very hard, though.  The reason why I say yes is that the military does it every day.  They routinely turn average kids into warriors.  Warriors with a higher tolerance for pain, better drive, assertiveness, and self-discipline as well. I think […]

Action comes before esteem

One aspect of our American culture that annoys the older generation to no end (Bobby Knight comes to mind), is the insistence among “experts” that self-esteem must be raised to help kids improve and achieve.  Baseball fanatic and columnist George Will wrote about this in an article called How to ruin a child. A number […]

Watching runners tag up

One of the challenges umpires have is watching runners tag up.  They have to watch both the ball being caught and the runner take off at the same time which can be virtually impossible depending on their positioning.  To cope with this, umpires are taught, whenever possible, to get both the runner and the outfielder […]

Reading hops as an infielder

One of the most astonishing stats that I’ve ever seen is one that even most die-hard baseball fans never heard about.  In 1990, Cal Ripken Jr. made a grand total of three errors.  THREE !!!!  He played in every game that year (1,406 innings) and had 680 defensive chances.  I don’t know about you but […]

Promote your program

One overlooked area of many high school baseball programs is marketing.  It’s a fact and somewhat depressing as well that baseball is not as popular as it once was in America for young athletes.  That has caused many good athletes to go away from baseball and give some other sports a try like lacrosse and […]

Video bloopers

In case any of you were interested in creating your own videos, I thought you’d like a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the videos I post on this site.  To say the least, it’s not always smooth sailing.   

Three stages of a sprint

I hope you enjoyed yesterday’s interview with Coach Jay Jones.  If you
didn’t hear it, click HERE.  During the interview, he mentioned three
 stages or parts to a sprint.  He explained it by saying it’s like the gears of a car.  You have to get the most out of each gear before putting it into the […]

Improving foot speed

If speed is so important in baseball, why don’t many players specifically train to make themselves faster?  They spend a lot of time improving handwork and glove work to improve the quickness of their catching and throwing transitions.  They hit the weight room to improve strength, bat speed, and power.  They may run some sprints […]

Website updates

Just wanted to pass on some updates from the Baseball By The Yard website. The comments section of the posts are now working.  Up until now there was a very annoying error message that appeared for those trying to comment on a post.  Please feel free to comment now on any post you wish.  I […]

Best gift for a young player

If you are a player or parent/coach of a player, you are probably hoping the holidays are good to you in the way of baseball.  I’ve always felt that if a player wants to go far in the game, a lot of it will have to do with his work away from the field.  If […]

2B Double Plays Part 4

Today is the last of the four part series on double plays for second basemen.  Often you will see MLB second basemen line up behind the bag on double plays.  This last part explains how they do it and more importantly, why many do it that way. I hope they were useful!   &nbsp

2B Double Plays Part 3

Happy Thanksgiving!! Today it’s backing off the bag and common mistakes second basemen make in the process.

2B Double Plays Part 2

2B Double Plays Part 1

Here is Part 1 of 4 videos on double plays for second baseman.  This part focusses on the footwork of coming across the bag to turn the double play.   NOTE: Coming across the bag is a good option for second basemen when the feeds are coming from a farther distance – deep shortstop and […]

Trout or Cabrera

The Great Political Divide has spread to baseball.  Not between Democrats and Republicans but between people on the field (players and coaches) and Sabermetric people.  If you’ve been following Major League Baseball closely over the past few years, you had to have noticed the increased emphasis on Sabermetric calculations on the worth of players.  A […]

Ideas for interviews?

In the next few weeks I will be doing a few podcast style interviews with a local scout, a professional manager, and a person who is very knowledgeable about NCAA Clearinghouse regulations and college admissions.  I want to make sure I ask questions that are of interest and value to my readers.  If there is […]

Getting pitchers ready for the season

The other day I received a great question from a reader.  Because many coaches deal with this issue, I asked permission to use the question and my response in a post.  The reader was willing so here it is! Reader: I wanted to know if you have any advice on how to transition our pitchers […]

Stool drill for fielding

If you are a Phillies fan, you probably saw a number of photos like the one to the right showing second baseman Chase Utley rehabbing from his recurring knee issues.  He missed a number of games early this past season but that didn’t stop him from working out to keep himself sharp while decreasing the […]

Indoor long-tossing

One of the goals of baseball players, especially pitchers, is to build arm strength during the off-season months.  In my opinion, one of the best ways to do that is a good long-tossing program.  A while back I interviewed a guy named Alan Jaeger (www.JaegerSports.com) who has become somewhat of a guru for long-tossing.  If […]

Base stealing – tennis ball drill

Here is a drill that can be easily done indoors during these colder months.  It’s a drill that focusses on a base runner’s starts when attempting to steal.  Good base stealers get good jumps and this drill teaches and improves this very basic need for runners. To do the drill, have a runner get a […]

Being a one percent-er

This past campaign season, much was made of the 1% of people at the top of the economic ladder.  One mistake many of their critics make is having the belief that the 1% got to where they are by accident.  Surely some have inherited their fortunes from their ancestors but most got there based on […]

Use your voice to focus the mind

How many of you can listen to someone talk and be thinking of something totally different than what the person is talking about?  If you are a guy, you better have your hand up because I think men are hard wired to do this.  Now … While you are talking about something, how many of […]

Election 2012

People are waking up today to find that the President of the United States has been re-elected in this year’s Presidential race.  On one side there will be cheers and the other tears.  Such is life. As a social studies teacher, I follow politics fairly closely.  What always amazes me is how many people on […]

Coach them everyday

I had lunch with a friend of mine yesterday who was a very accomplished coach in a sport other than baseball.  He said when it came to practice, he had a slogan he adhered to.  It was, “every player, every day.”  What he meant by that was he would make it a point to coach […]

How and Why

There is a quote that I like which says, “The person who knows HOW will always have a job.  The person who knows WHY will be his boss.” It’s a good quote for the business community but in my opinion, it also has a coaching angle. This time of year players and their parents usually […]

Don’t neglect your catchers

Here’s a YouTube video I came across that shows some Yankee catchers working out in Spring Training.  It’s a long video so click through it to get the idea of the two drills.  Here are a couple comments to think about as you watch. 1. Hitting balls into the dirt for a blocking drill is […]

Hurricane Sandy

No game today! My parent’s house is the second roof down on the right.  This photo was taken on the morning before the storm landed.  Will be checking it out this weekend. Cross your fingers for us!

Don’t forget the mental side

With Hurricane Sandy rolling through and colder temperatures settling in, it looks like most of the Fall programs in my area are all but finished.  Thus begins the official off-season for most baseball players.  With all the focus normally placed on the physical side of the game this time of year, I wanted to remind […]

World Champion SF Giants

“When pitching is your strength, you want a good defense,” SF Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “That shows up every day. … Hitting sometimes, it comes and goes. But as long as you can stay in more games, the better chance you have of winning them, and that’s how we play.” AMEN !!

Tunnel and cone drill

The winter months are approaching rapidly.  Ultimately, that means lots of swings using indoor batting tunnels.  These tunnels are terrific to use but can lead to boredom if players just take the same old swing over and over.  Of course, for many hitters, this repetitive swing is exactly what they need to develop muscle memory. […]

Baseball “acculturation”

In my high school sociology classes, we recently discussed the concept
 of acculturation.  By definition, acculturation is when a culture
 identifies aspects (common behaviors, values, beliefs, etc.) of their
 culture that are holding them back in terms of success and replaces them 
with behaviors that will allow them to succeed.  Often, those new
 behaviors adopted […]

Footwork on backhands

If you look closely at photos of infielders who are backhanding a ground 
ball, you’ll probably notice some differences in footwork.  Which 
footwork the fielder chooses has to do with the type of groundball that
 was hit.  Was it hit hard but fairly close to you or was it hit with 
average speed but farther […]

The downside of benching a player

The baseball world was in a tizzy a week ago when Yankees manager Joe
 Girardi benched Alex Rodriguez and Curtis Granderson due to poor hitting
 performances in the playoffs.  Both players seemed to take it well … at 
least on the surface.  Inside, I’m sure both players were mad as hell.
  Players like that are […]

Organize a college night

A great idea for high school coaches this time of year is to organize a
 college baseball night at your school for players and parents.  Tap into
 your college contacts and get some coaches (D1, D2, D3, and junior/community colleges) to come and speak about their level of 
ball, how they recruit, scholarship info, and […]

Own the recruiting process

Last week, I wrote three posts (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) that centered on the theme of how to
 choose a college.  In one, I mentioned that very few high school players 
are fortunate enough to have college recruiters come to them.  For some
 lucky studs, the recruiting process is as simple as sitting […]

Choosing a college – Part 3

No matter how good of a player you are and no matter how many colleges
 come knocking on your door, you still have the difficult job of
 selecting the right school for you.  This is usually not an easy
 decision to make.  However, with the right priorities in order, the 
process can become a little […]

Choosing a college – Part 2

Where in the world is Kutztown? Actually Kutztown is a small D2 state school about an hour and a half northwest of Philadelphia.  It’s also where Giants pitcher Ryan Vogelsong attended.  Based on his performance the other night (as well as the last two seasons for that matter) you’d probably think he turned pro directly […]

Choosing a college – Part 1

** NOTE:  I found out late yesterday that the links I provided in yesterday’s post were not working.  Sorry for the mistake on my end.  They are now working.  You can access yesterday’s post again by clicking HERE.   Many senior high school baseball players in the country are winding down 
their college selections for […]

Master of the slow roller

During the Yankees/Tigers playoff game the other night, two versions of a
 shortstop throwing on the run was seen.  Derek Jeter successfully
 executed the play on a slow, choppy grounder but the Tigers shortstop (Jhonny Peralta) was not able to on a similar grounder the following inning.  Jeter was
 able to complete the play because […]

The Space Shuttle and off-season habits

I saw the Space Shuttle the other day being towed down a street in Los Angeles on the way to its new home in a museum.  It reminded me of a statistic I read somewhere.   Did you know that Space Shuttles lose 80% of their fuel on takeoff?  It’s a neat bit of trivia but […]

Optimism of baseball

In the last couple days, we’ve seen some remarkable playoff games that
 have come down to the wire.  Specifically, the A’s and the Yankees, just 
the other night, both won in walk-off fashion to the delight of their 
hometown fans and, I’m sure, to the executives of Major League Baseball.
  The Nationals won with a […]

We just want to get the call right

There aren’t many statements that get me more worked up then the title of this post.  It’s a common one that umpires love to use as a cure-all way of getting a coach off their back.  Here’s an example you often see.  A play at first where the throw takes the first baseman off the […]

High & Hard, Slow & Low

This is another post in the area of “Pitching is not rocket science” category.  In a recent MLB playoff game, announcer Jim Kaat used the title of this post numerous times to explain how to pitch Miguel Cabrera.  He advocated hard stuff up and on the inner half of the plate and slow stuff low […]

Lights won’t always be green

I’m sure there are players and coaches who are doing some soul searching these days after their long seasons of baseball.  Players who hit .210 and pitchers with an ERA over 6.00 are probably wondering if this sport is really for them.  Coaches who spent a tough year with entitled athletes, critical parents, and maybe […]

The business of private instruction

Private instruction in baseball has exploded over the past 20 years. In a ten mile radius of my home, around 10 different sites have popped up that cater in some way to private baseball instruction. When you add various AAU teams and fall-ball programs, the amount of instruction available to players who want to improve […]

Weekend posts

Hi everybody! Due to weekend commitments with the family, I will only be doing posts Monday – Friday for a while. Have a great weekend! Coach McCreary

You’ve got to be kidding me

Click HERE for an unbelievable video clip (about 10 seconds long) It’s a little tough to see but the video clip shows a Brewers runner on third base who took his eyes off the ball.  Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee just lobs it over and picks him off. I’m not sure when this play occurred but […]

Avoid a line drive to the mouth

Here’s the situation … bases loaded, two outs, full count.  Runners are all off at the start of the pitch.  The runner on third base is charging home on the pitch which, of course, could very well be hit directly at him.  Nothing would ruin your day more quickly than being that guy coming down […]

Help! My best player is seeing a private instructor!

Recently, I received an email from a friend who is facing the ever more common challenge of their players participating in private lessons during the off-season.  I used the word “challenge” instead of “problem” because I believe off-season programs have done wonders for some players.  I wish they existed when I was a kid!  However, […]

A story about athleticism

In yesterday’s post, I mentioned how scouts like the idea of athletes playing multiple sports.  Although this is a baseball site, I have an example of what I’m talking about from the sport of football.  If you are a football fan, you probably know the name Howie Long.  The Hall of Fame player for the […]

Advantages of other sports

Some challenging questions arise this time of year for baseball players.  Some are as follows: Should I continue/start playing other sports in the off-season? Should I play baseball year-round? Will I make the team in the spring if I’m not playing fall ball with the high school players. Should I get private lessons to improve […]

Saturday radio

I appeared again on Silvio Canto’s radio program last night.  We talked about the current MLB standing, our thoughts on league MVP’s, Cy Youngs, and managers of the year.  Click below to hear the show.   Listen to internet radio with Silvio Canto Jr on Blog Talk Radio

Hey Jared Weaver, it will never work

Time: 1992.   Place: Little League field, Simi Valley, CA Probable Conversation: Youth coach and a 10 year old Jared Weaver “Look Jared, I see your pitching mechanics and we’ve got to change some things.  You’ve got a great arm but you lean back on your delivery which is going to throw everything out of […]

Get out of their ears

A few days ago I took my daughter (7 yrs old) to her soccer practice at an area elementary school.  Next to the school is a nice Little League complex that has about five fields.  I took a walk over to see the action since the lights were on and it appeared players were practicing.  […]

About you v concern you

Every person in this world is going to hear criticism.  In the world of baseball, players and coaches often get it from all directions.  Other players, other coaches, fans, parents, reporters, etc. all are quick to criticize others.  Like it or not, it is the nature of sports. Some people are not affected at all […]

Seasons of Strength

This time of year, baseball players should start planning out their off-season workout programs.  Of course, every player is going to differ in terms of experience with all this as well as differ in their overall needs.  I came across a podcast in which a fitness expert was interviewed.  His name is Shawn Phillips.  In […]

Pleasing the masses

On every sports team in the world, you will probably find the following dynamic:  a couple players will worship the ground the coach walks on, a couple will hate the coach’s guts no matter what he does, and the majority won’t really care either way.  I think it was Davey Johnson who said something like […]

Rounding bases

There is a saying in baseball that goes “never round a base with the ball in the infield.”  It’s a general rule that good base runners live by so that the ball cannot be thrown behind them as they round a bag.  I believe runners should take that rule a step farther.  “Don’t round the […]

Starting up!

Hi folks.  Just a heads up to tell you that the posts will be starting up again on Monday, September 24.  Hope all is well.  As always, if you have any questions or ideas for posts, send them along!   Coach McCreary

See you soon!

Hello everyone! With summer coming to a close and school starting up soon, I will need to take a break from posting for a little while.  I hope you are enjoying the posts and are finding them useful.   As you might have seen in my bio, I have been fortunate to have been surrounded […]

Breaking up a double play

One of the many jobs of a first base coach is to tell every runner at first base to “break up a double play” if there are less than two outs.  How it is done depends on what level the player finds himself on but the main idea is that going hard to second base […]

Disney World USA

Just got back from a week at Disney World in Florida.  I don’t know which is tougher:  hitting a Justin Verlander fastball or corralling three little kids at Disney for a week.  I need a vacation from my vacation.

Track the ball all the way

Here is the video form of a post I first wrote about and explained HERE.

“Ball to the ear” myth

Part 2: Pitching tip to get the ball out

Part 1: Pitching tip to get the ball out

Video: The best bunting drill

This drill for bunting was another one done in written form previously.  I received some requests for a video so here it is.

Outfielders: Step in to catch

This video post was also explained in written form a while back.

Hands inside the baseball

I believe the concept of “keeping your hands inside the ball” is one of the most important aspects of successful hitting.  In this video I explain what it means and provide four reasons why it’s so important.

Finding the seams (Part 2)

In a previous video post linked HERE, I promised to do another video on what specifically each finger on the throwing hand does in order to get the proper grip on the ball as an infielder.  Today’s post shows how it is done.

Curse of the little things

When you are obsessed with the finer points of baseball, it sometimes makes it difficult to watch a game.  The other night I took my five year old son on a “guy’s night out” to watch an American Legion state tournament game.  My son was wide eyed and attentive.  He watched the game like any […]

“Calm”

The last relaxation technique of this series involves what some people would consider a little bit of meditation.  To look at the previous three posts on helping players relax in the moment are HERE, HERE, and HERE.  Like the other techniques mentioned in this series, this one can be adjusted for lengthy sessions on down […]

A good sigh

This is the second post in a series dedicated to helping players relax in the moment.  The previous posts on the subject are HERE and HERE. Another breathing technique that can help a player relax in the moment is a good “sigh” on the exhale.  To do this one, a player breathes in normally through […]

Three part breathing

In yesterday’s post, I explained how athletes need to develop the ability to relax and withdraw either temporarily or completely depending on the situation.  Today’s post starts a series of posts dedicated to techniques that can help athletes accomplish all this. In stressful situations, whether they know it or not, most people’s breathing undergoes some […]

Relax and withdraw

For an athlete to be at his best, he will need to develop the ability to relax and withdraw from his environment completely as well as temporarily.      Although John Kruk once said “I’m not an athlete, I’m a ballplayer”, baseball players certainly need it too.  The ability to withdraw from all the distractions […]

Congratulations to Coach Manero

Congratulations to Coach Kevin Manero, a good friend of mine who was recently inducted into the Pennsylvania American Legion Hall of Fame.  If you have been an avid visitor to Baseball By The Yard you have heard this name before.  He was my only guest post writer so far with a fantastic article on the […]

Should you swing at the first pitch?

In yesterday’s post, I gave some statistics that, in my mind at least, add to the importance of throwing a first pitch strike even more.  Today’s post concerns a question that is still debated at every level today.  Should a batter swing at the first pitch?  Apparently, Ted Williams believed that there were a lot […]

More reasons to throw strike one

For over a century now, coaches have been telling their pitchers that “the best pitch in baseball is strike one.”  Still, many pitchers struggle to lay that first one over the plate.  Connected to all this is the debate that still surrounds baseball about whether or not a hitter should swing at the first pitch. […]

Starting slow and early

This title comes from the mouth of Jose Bautista of the Blue Jays.  In his own words, the video explains what “start slow and early” means and how that concept transformed his career.

To hug the line or not?

Most Old School coaches will have their third baseman and first baseman hug the line late in the game if they are winning by a run or, as might be the case in the photo,  the runner on first is the tying or winning run. “Hugging the line” means moving the position player (1st or […]

Josh Hamilton is human after all

The story of Josh Hamilton and his rise to stardom is a remarkable story that still inspires me whenever I see him play.  But Josh is struggling at the plate these days.  After receiving Player of the Month honors for May and June, his production has dropped considerably.  Nobody is as frustrated as he is […]

Bunting and Managing the front shoulder

Pacing your energy

In the past, I’ve written other posts about the importance of getting to the starting pitcher as early as possible.  I stated that pitchers are often at their most vulnerable in the first inning.  One reason for this is the fact that the adrenaline at the start of the competition can cause a pitcher to […]

Music and the mind

Last night I took my kids to a local American Legion playoff game.  Prior to the game starting, the National Anthem was played.   It’s been a long time since I’ve played in a game where the National Anthem was played/sung (15 years?).  However, my body still has the same reaction.  I start to sway […]

The realities of being traded

Over the past few years, there have been multiple changes in my teaching profession.  Being a public school teacher today is very different than it was when I started almost 20 years ago.  Curriculum changes, teaching methods, accountability measures, work load, special education, and many other things have radically changed the teaching profession.  That being […]

Developing one swing

How many of you as a kid pretended you were your favorite major leaguer by copying his stance and signature swing?  All of us have.  The reason we were able to copy their swing was because we saw the same swing every time they walked up to the plate.  The point is, they had one […]

Good advice from Ivan Rodriguez

I had the pleasure of playing against Ivan Rodriguez in the minor leagues.  Even though it was only a couple spring training games, it was clear to everyone who saw him as a 19 year old that he was going to be a star.  During pre-game infield/outfield, the entire field just stopped to watch him […]

Video: Run with your glove down

Hitting to the three hole

Hang with ’em

John Papelbon had a tough blown save last night that if you didn’t watch the game, you’d think he just pitched poorly.  The Phillies closer entered the game to pitch the ninth with the Phillies winning 3-1.  He gave up 4 hits that led to the Dodgers tying the game, sending it to extra innings. […]

A tip for off-speed pitches

Base-hit bunting for left handers

Base-hit bunting can be a great weapon for any hitter in a line-up.  This is especially true for left handed hitters because they have the built in advantage of being a few feet closer to first base.  The video below shows the three basic footwork methods left handers can use during a base-hit bunt.

When you bat after the pitcher

At the levels below pro ball, you may find the pitcher batting anywhere in the line-up.  On many high school teams and even some college teams, the pitcher may be one of the best hitters on the team and often is located in the center of the batting line-up.  Of course, at the pro level, […]

Uphill and downhill throwing

This video explains one of the most common problems I see in young pitchers.

Infield – Outfield Communication

Catching around the ball

Today’s video is for middle infielders who want to speed up their transition for catching to throwing.

Throws from LF at second base

Today’s video clip answers a question from a reader.  Send your questions to baseballbytheyard@gmail.com and maybe you’ll get a video made just for you too!

« Previous Page — Next Page »