Three ways to do every drill in baseball

I’ll get right to the point by saying that there are only three ways to do any drill in baseball. It doesn’t matter if you are a pitcher, fielder, base runner, or hitter, every drill known to man falls into one or more of the following ways on how to do it: When performing any […]

Win the Free-90 game!

Try this experiment. Look at every box score on a given day (MLB, college, high school, or Little League) and answer this question: How many times did the winning team score an equal number of runs or more runs in one inning than the losing team scored all game? I did this experiment over the […]

New book launch alert!

As any coach knows, getting your players to be in the right place at the right time on defense is more than half the battle. Unfortunately, too many players end up being spectators. On Monday I launch a new book from Baseball By The Yard. It’s called Defensive Positioning In Baseball. (Click the title for […]

Why too many players avoid their mental game

For the past 20 years I have done coaching clinics (in person and now online too) just about every year. Very often several each year. At least once a year I ask a basic question to the coaches who are in attendance. The question is … “There are two sides to baseball – the physical […]

There is no such thing as a bad drill

I am a firm believer that there is no such thing as a bad drill.  “Is this drill good or bad?” is not the best question to ask.  Better questions include: –Is this drill good for ME? or Is this good for the PLAYER in front of me? –Does this drill directly translate to the game? –Does […]

Master the first 20 minutes of practice

Every good coach looks for ideas to better manage their practices. Getting more done in a shorter period of time is something they always strive to do. This is especially true early in the season when a team has so much to cover. On top of that, if you coach in a state like Pennsylvania […]

Coaching clinic sample – Progression Drills

This is the time of year when I start to get requests from organizations looking for speakers at their pre-season coaching clinics. One small benefit of our COVID reality has been the use of virtual meets for these types of clinics. Using them allows me to speak to any organization no matter where they are […]

Situation Checklists – The best resource for coaches I ever created

1,400+ blog posts and close to 300 videos is a heck of a lot of content to create but that is what I have done since I started Baseball By The Yard back in December, 2010.  My goal has always been to provide relevant, practical information for players, coaches, parents, and anyone else who enjoys […]

Do you have a swing coach or a hitting coach?

Private hitting instructors seem to be everywhere these days.  Indoor facilities, YouTube, Twitter, and many other platforms as well and all seem to promote their views on how to hit.  The good news is that players around the world do not need to have personal access to knowledgeable trainers in any area of the game.  All […]

Sometimes good baseball coaching means pulling on the reins

The beginning of February is when a lot of teams start kicking their off-season workouts into gear, if they have not already done so. It’s an exciting time of year when the baseball equipment comes back out and ball meets bat again. Be careful though. Remember the saying, “It’s not how you start, it’s how […]

Communication is overrated

For anyone who has ever seen me coach, the title of this post may seem more than a little hypocritical. That’s because I never shut up once the game starts. I don’t think I’m alone when it comes to coaches who are working with young players. At the younger levels there is a constant need […]

5 Tips for Fall Ball

When I was growing up, there was no such thing as Fall-ball until I started playing in college. For most of my youth, I would get out my soccer ball after my last baseball game of the summer and put away my baseball stuff and not even look at it until around February. Today, Fall-ball […]

Extra work and prescription drills

Back in October, 2016,  I wrote a post called Multivitamin vs Prescription Drills.  I talked about the difference between the two and the importance of not confusing them. Today’s post is another reminder.  If you are a player, never forget that your development is ultimately up to you.  The first priority of coaches (especially head coaches) is to oversee […]

How to know when they are stealing your pitches

Today’s video post will help pitchers, catchers, and coaches determine whether or not the offensive team has been stealing your pitches during at-bats.  There are other signs that something fishy is going on but the one explained in today’s video usually is the best indication that the other batter(s) know what pitch is coming.   […]

On path and On plane. Pretty simple

Give yourself five points if you have ever heard of William of Ockham, the English philosopher and theologian born in the 13th century.  Give yourself another 5 points if you know what “Ockham’s razor” (more often spelled Occam’s razor)  means.  Have any points yet? Occam’s razor is a philosophical principle traced to William of Ockham that has […]

Forget goals. It’s about systems.

A lot of baseball players and coaches have goals but without establishing a system for success, goals are simply a wishlist. Want yourself or your team to improve during the offseason and throughout the regular season?  Start focusing on your systems!   A lot more about this in the future.  Stay tuned! Have a great […]

Players need reps not more games

Imagine this …  your local school informs parents that starting this week there will be three to five math assessments (tests) per week but no days set aside for math instruction.  Just tests.  I’m pretty confident there would be some screaming and yelling at the next school board meeting. This past weekend I drove by a park near me […]

Don’t run him off!

When I teach base running to players, I do not just cover the mechanics, techniques, and the mental side.  I also list and explain all the words and phrases the coaching staff will use to remind base runners of the situation and what is needed from them.  One such phrase is “Don’t run him off.” […]

RUNNER!!

Go to a college game (and many high school) games and you will undoubtedly hear multiple people from the defensive team yell “RUNNER!!” when a runner takes off to steal.  My son’s 11 year old team is just starting to learn this concept.  For them, this is the first year runners can take leads and […]

Fields get bigger and the game changes

You’ve coached your son’s team at the early ages and everything is pretty simple and straight forward.  Then he gets to around 11 or 12 and it seems like the entire game changes. That’s because it does. My son is now 11 and a boatload of changes have now made the game much more complicated […]

How to maximize your warm-ups

I’m not a fan of marathon baseball practices.  Occasionally, a two-hour practice may be needed but usually 90 minutes has been my limit for practice time from the youth levels on up to high school.  It takes a lot of pre-planning but if a coach organizes things efficiently, 90 minutes is all you need. (Note: […]

Helping young hitters get to the load-up position

Today’s video tip is mostly for young hitters who struggle to get to a better load-up position. However, even older hitters can struggle getting there too. In any case, there is a simple tip that can help any hitter get to the proper load-up position in order to get the body into a more powerful […]

The ball travels faster than your glove

When the game gets faster at each higher level, the smaller details of every play become magnified.  Minor flaws in a batter’s swing get exposed.  Missing your release point by a half an inch causes your curveball to hang.  Taking a little too big of a loop around first base causes a runner to be […]

Positive and Negative symptoms

In the area of psychological disorders, you will often see both “positive” and “negative” symptoms from the person suffering from the disorder.  The mistake that people (and students) make about “positive” and “negative” symptoms is that they think of it as “good” symptoms vs “bad” symptoms.  That is incorrect.  You have to think of them […]

Improving the 3-1 play

A ball is hit to the first baseman and the pitcher runs over to cover the bag.  The first baseman flips the ball to the pitcher for a routine out.  Seems pretty easy. Of course, that’s until you actually see teams try to do it in games and in practice.  You’d think it would be […]

How to organize a baseball practice

I’ve had a lot of new subscribers to the site so I don’t want to assume everyone has seen all the resources within the site.  Every year I get many questions regarding how to organize practices for every age group.  Since the season is beginning for most of you, I’d thought I would list some […]

Tilting the tee for better hitting drills

I’m a gigantic fan of tee work.  So are a huge majority of major league hitters so I think I’m in good company.  It’s tough to improve upon something that has worked for so many generations but I may have found an exception. An assistant on my son’s 11u travel team (who is also a […]

Seminar – Foundations of pitching

The following presentation was given at the 2018 North Penn HS Parents and Coaches Baseball Clinic in Lansdale, PA.  The speaker is Coach Kevin Manero – head coach of the North Penn HS Varsity Baseball team.     *To plan for the upcoming season, check out all the eBooks from Baseball By The Yard by […]

Seminar – Building a defensive foundation

  Below is the video of a seminar I gave at this year’s annual youth level coaches and parents clinic at North Penn HS in Lansdale, PA.  It is similar to one I gave there a couple years ago on the same topic.  Some things have been added since.  I hope you find it useful. […]

2018 North Penn Coaching Clinic – Opening address

A week or so ago, I spoke at my high school’s baseball coaching clinic for area youth coaches and parents.  The head coach of North Penn High School – Mr. Kevin Manero – started things off with his views on the state of youth baseball and some valuable tips related to organizing a well-run practice […]

Teaching players to see the game for themselves

A good defensive team does a lot of communicating.  They communicate with teammates before the ball is hit and when the play is ongoing.  They communicate between innings, before and after games, and during practice.  All good stuff. On the other hand, players can sometimes become too dependent on communication. I wrote a post about […]

Balancing development with winning

One of the many challenges that youth level coaches face involves the balance between developing your players and winning games.  Many times the two go hand in hand.  The programs that develop better players tend to win more games. But what do you do when developing your players leads to losses? Here is an example […]

Do the simple things better

I recently was listening to a guy on a podcast who previously was an elite special forces type guy in the Marine Corp.  He gave a story about how his elite unit came across a unit of “grunts” out in the field who were having trouble with their radio equipment.  Apparently, the radio guy in […]

The Fence Drill for hitters

Today’s video tip is a popular drill called the Fence Drill.  As I explain in the video, there are multiple ways to do a Fence Drill.  The video shows how I conduct the drill most of the time. Note: Although I do not mention it in the video, be careful that hitters do not cheat […]

Teaching launch angle is a waste of time

If you work with baseball players below the AA or AAA level (and 99% of baseball coaches do) then there is absolutely no reason whatsoever to use the term “launch angle” in your instruction. Three stories … I grew up watching a lot of Yankees games and loved to watch Don Mattingly hit.  I remember […]

Speak to the track coach yet?

Who would like to improve their overall running speed?   Answer = everyone. Who would like to get better jumps on steals?  Answer = everyone. Who wants to improve their first and second step quickness to improve their range?   Answer = everyone. Who wants to improve their 60 yard times for showcases? Answer = everyone. […]

Stealing on first-move (Part 3)

This is the final post in a three part series on stealing first-move on a left-handed pitcher.  In Part 1, I explained what stealing first-move is and why it can be an effective strategy.  In Part 2, I discussed a variety of things the offensive team needs to be aware of and do in order to be […]

Stealing on first-move (Part 2)

In Part 1 of this series I discussed what stealing first-move means and why it can be a very good option when a left-hander is on the mound.  In Part 2 I wanted to cover some of the little things the offense needs to do in order to increase the chances of the play turning […]

Stealing on first-move (Part 1)

This is Part 1 of a three part series on stealing second base using the “first-move” method.  Today I’ll focus on what stealing “first-move” means and why a coach/runner would do it. Up first is What does it mean to steal on first-move? Stealing on a pitcher’s first-move involves a runner who breaks towards second […]

Tip for catchers to help their coach on close pitches

“COME ON, UMP!  WHERE’S THAT PITCH?  LET’S GO!”” Sit close to a field and you will hear a lot of variations of the phrase above.  Quite often, what follows will be the umpire calling time-out, taking his mask off, and telling the coach(es) to pipe down or else they will be watching the rest of […]

How to improve your pitching machine

I’m not a gigantic fan of pitching machines mainly because they are so unrealistic to how a ball is going to be pitched to a batter.  Here is a picture that shows the obvious problem.   No pitch will ever shoot out of a pitcher’s belly button.  The ball will usually be released above and […]

How to rub up a baseball

As a former pitcher, it bothers me every time a sparkling white, brand new baseball is thrown into a game.  If the game balls are my team’s responsibility then they will always be rubbed up.  It’s just habit. Watch today’s video tip to learn the why’s and how’s of correctly rubbing up game balls.

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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) […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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.

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 […]

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 […]

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?

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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.

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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.

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Have you had “The Talk” with your new Ace yet?

All across the country, pitchers who were their team’s 2nd or 3rd starter in 2014 will be jumping up to the role of team “Ace” in just a few weeks.  Usually this is due to the previous year’s 1st and/or 2nd starters’ graduations.   When this occurred on my high school teams, I, along with […]

Five principles of coaching baseball

The video below is a presentation I gave recently to a group of youth baseball coaches.  I was the keynote speaker of the event and therefore focused on some bigger, more general concepts within coaching baseball.  Other coaches during the event passed on the nuts and bolts of mechanics, drills, and practice organization. My part […]

The Super Bowl and outthinking yourself

People all across the country are calling it the worst play call in Super Bowl history.  Of course, I’m talking about the decision to throw the ball on the half yard line with 20 seconds left when you have Marshawn Lynch standing right behind the quarterback. Coach and/or play any sport long enough and you […]

Focusing attention on the hips

Sports have undergone a change in recent years regarding how players stretch.  In my playing days, stretching was of the “static” kind (stretching while the body is at rest) and largely involved stretches that looked like this … Today, trainers and athletes are recognizing the problems with static stretching routines and are replacing them with […]

I’m never recruiting baseball players again!

A great friend and baseball guy is responsible for passing on the two main parts of this post.  The first is an article he forwarded me which includes some quotes from an interview with Kobe Bryant.  Here are some of the key comments by Bryant … “I just think European players are just way more […]

Who is your cornerman?

Every boxer has a cornerman.  The cornerman’s job is to offer instruction and guidance during the bout.  He motivates the boxer to keep going in times of trouble.  He pats the boxer on the back when he thinks it is needed but he’s also willing to give the guy an earful as well.  He doesn’t […]

Are we coaching our kids correctly?

Below is an article that was written for a physical therapy journal. As you will see, it deals with youth sports. I highly recommend spending the time to read it through. The author is not only an accomplished physical therapist in the Philadelphia suburbs but also a very good baseball guy. He agreed to allow […]

Practicing baseball and rehearsing baseball

When people in a play are getting ready for the performance, they don’t say, “I’m going to practice.”  They say, “I’m going to rehearsal.”  Many people would use those two words interchangeably and would see any difference between the two as just purely semantics.  But they would be wrong. Practice is the step by step procedure […]

Do NOT do this on a double play

Stick around long enough and you’ll hear some pretty bad things coming from people in the game.  One of them is brought out in today’s video tip.  It involves something middle infielders are told to do that not only makes it tougher to do their job, it’s unsafe as well.  Watch the video to see […]

Private Instruction: Simple is repeatable

For many players, private instruction has either begun or soon will be.  A gigantic tip for players and parents who are searching for an instructor is to look for instructors who keep things simple.  I have heard many parents talk about baseball instructors and a common complaint from many of them is that the instructor […]

Jab Jab Hook – How to get good players to change

A former big leaguer once told me about an interaction between another major leaguer and a new hitting coach.  On the first day of spring training, the player was hitting off a batting tee and the brand new coach walked up to him and said something like “We are going to have to do a […]

95 Pitching, Outfield, and Base Running Drills

  “Thanks for the drills Coach! Perfect to keep on my clipboard during practice. Will save me lots of time with planning.” That’s an email I got from a reader a few days ago!   This past week subscribers received the latest offer of baseball drills.  The deal includes 40 Pitching Drills that range from basic to […]

Video analysis of Aroldis Chapman

FYI to subscribers:  Check your email!  Yesterday, I sent out an offer that expires on Saturday at midnight!   I get asked all the time if I do private lessons.  Unfortunately, my schedule rarely allows me to get out to do them.  However, I have an idea that might be of interest to you or […]

Why you pay attention to detail when covering first base

When I did PFP (Pitcher’s Fielding Practice) with my guys I made certain that they paid attention to detail and did everything right.  One such detail was making sure they ALWAYS touch the field-side edge of the base with their RIGHT foot to avoid the runner.  No exceptions. I could explain more but the following […]

Coaching great teams

Congratulations go out to the San Francisco Giants and their 2014 World Series Championship.  Bruce Bochy is sure making a name for himself as a manager having won three out of the last five championships.  Right now the accolades are flowing but pretty soon the criticism of “he’s overrated!  Anyone could manage a team with […]

Are you an Infantry player or Special Ops?

There are many different roles in the military and all are necessary for a fighting force to be at its best.  Infantry and special operations are two of them.  Infantry has been called the “tip of the spear” since they are often the first sent into battle.  They frequently are sent out to search for […]

I hate this vs I don’t want to be here

How do you know when you are burnout and had enough with baseball? It doesn’t matter whether you are a player or a coach, there are some days that will drive you to say “What am I doing?”  I think Crash Davis put it best when he said “F— this F-ing game.  I quit.” after […]

The science of “looking” at the ball

When I work with younger kids I often say “there is a big difference between ‘seeing’ the ball and ‘looking’ at the ball when hitting.” You can “see” the ball out of the corner of your eye but “looking” at the ball means turning your head until your whole face is directed at the ball. […]

Short fungo drill (Part 2)

Way back in March I wrote a post called Short Fungo Drill.  To read that post which provides an explanation of the drill, click HERE.  I also provided a couple reasons why I felt the drill was good for infielders and coaches.  Here are those reasons: It helps the guy with the fungo if he […]

Matching the technique to the player

Let’s say you are a self-defense instructor who needs to teach a class how to get up off the ground fast with their hands in front of their face to protect against another hit.  You explain to the class that they have to get up without using their hands (the hands never touch the ground) so […]

Going with your hunch as a coach

Last week I finished with two posts about the what, how, and when for Hit and Runs and Run and Hits.  I can just hear the beginning coaches saying “How in the world am I supposed to think about all that in a matter of a few seconds and decide?” It’s a good question but […]

What’s the difference between a “hit and run” and a “run and hit”? (Part 2)

In yesterday’s Part 1 post I listed several components and details about the Hit and Run play.  Today it’s the Run and Hit play.  Just like the Hit and Run, the Run and Hit is a strategy that has its own set of pros and cons as well as details that go into the proper execution […]

What’s the difference between a “hit and run” and a “run and hit”? (Part 1)

The “hit and run” and “run and hit” are both good plays depending on a variety of variables.  Who is batting, the score, the outs, the inning, who is running, and who is up next are some of the questions you might want to answer before deciding which play to use or whether you need […]

Baseball folkways vs baseball mores

Every culture has its own set of folkways and mores (pronounced “more-A’s”).  Folkways are the little things like manners, etiquette, and other behaviors that you may be expected to do but really won’t face a formal punishment if you don’t.  You are expected to open doors for women but you are not going to get a […]

Drills to prevent reflexive looks

In my psychology classes, there is an activity I do to teach about reflexes.  I have the students line up with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them.  I give a signal to the last person in line and they lightly squeeze the shoulders of the person in front of […]

Four types of competence for players

I don’t remember if I saw this in a book or heard it from a speaker so if it came from any of you readers out there, I apologize for not giving you credit. The four types of competence are something coaches should be aware of because it gives a person more understanding of what […]

HELP! My fielders don’t communicate!

Ever feel like you are speaking a heck of a lot more than you should be during games?  Ever wonder how to get your players to do more of the speaking for you?  If so, you’re not alone.  Many coaches (me included) grow frustrated at the lack of vocal performance of our players.  If only […]

Baseball Moms

The link below will take you to a blog that I ran into the other day.  The post is quite funny.  I wish I had thought of it.  The descriptions of the “13 Types of Baseball Moms” is pretty much spot-on in my view.  If you spend a lot of time around baseball fields then I’m sure you have seen numerous […]

Awareness pays off for one MLB player

The MLB regular season is fast coming to a close and several teams are battling it out for the last playoff spots.  One such fight is between the Detroit Tigers and the Kansas City Royals.  As I write this, the Tigers have a 1.5 game lead over the Royals in the American League Central Division.  […]

Awareness Game #2

Yesterday, in Part 1 of this three part series, I talked about the importance of being aware of your surroundings both on and off the field.  I also addressed the difficulty of teaching our players how to be more aware.  At the end of the post I offered an Awareness Game that could be played […]

Awareness Game #1

I live in Pennsylvania but a growing number of people are moving to our country’s 51st state – the State of Oblivion.  For a variety of reasons, people seem to be less aware of what is going on around them.  I think the cell phone is the biggest culprit.  Everyday in school, hundreds of teenagers […]

Old school is becoming New School

I’m told it was Bobby Knight who said “I’m so old school that I’m new school.”  Although the Bobby Knights of the coaching world may never come back completely, there does seem to be more and more research coming out that discredits much of what we would consider “New School.”  And that’s a good thing. […]

Baseball and the OODA Loop

September 1st of last week was the anniversary of the start of World War II.  After the war officially ended, a young man by the name of John Boyd enlisted into the Army out of high school and later entered the Air Force after college.  Little did people know that Boyd would go on to […]

Upset at your grounds crew?

This was not supposed to be the post for today but I thought I’d pass on an article a good friend sent me.  It will give you a pretty good laugh heading into the weekend. This is for the coaches out there who get frustrated at the lack of concern on the part of many […]

Young players and their eyes

I regularly get questions from first time coaches at the younger levels asking basic questions about the game.  This leads me to wonder if my tips and techniques that I write about and show in my videos are too advanced for these beginners.  If you fall into that category of a novice baseball parent or coach then […]

A warning from Dr. Andrews

Throughout my coaching career I have strongly encouraged my players to NOT play baseball year-round.  Playing other sports makes a player a more well-rounded athlete, often makes them more well-rounded socially as well because they are interacting with other people, and it also gives their baseball muscles (especially arms!) and chance to recover. Repetitive motion […]

Rethinking ice therapy

My father was a public school health/PE teacher for 42 years.  Because of that, since I was little I can remember hearing about RICE.  RICE is an acronym for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.  If you twist an ankle you use RICE to help get you back on the playing field faster.   Or so […]

Games with no coaches

A couple weeks ago I was listening to John Kruk talk during one of the ESPN games.  He mentioned he had a conversation with the head coach of Princeton University who told him that he frequently has Fall games where coaches do nothing but watch.  I’ve done that several times myself with my high school […]

The modern coach

Ever get the feeling that this is how some people want you to coach these days? Tomorrow’s post: Staying home for college

What’s with all the shifts in baseball?

This year seems to be the year of the defensive shifts in Major League Baseball.  There have been a number of articles written about the topic.  Some have gotten into the stats as to whether it actually works.  Others have focussed on which teams do it more often.  My take on it is that it […]

You shouldn’t be getting thrown out of games

A few weeks ago I was chatting with a few higher-ups of a local little league organization.  They were lamenting about the intrusive role of some parents in the organization.  They felt something more needed to be done to temper their behavior during games.  The conversation eventually swung around to umpires and one of them […]

People don’t like to be pushed

If you ask someone in the older generation to describe their best teacher or coach you will often get a response something like this … “He pushed me farther than I thought I could go and never let me take the easy road.  He demanded 100% effort at all times and never accepted any excuses.  Honestly, I couldn’t […]

Why the less talented player starts over you

Go to any bar in America and you are bound to come across someone who played high school baseball.   If the guy was not a starter, the #1 reason given will be “because the coach hated me.”  Now go to any coaches convention and survey all the coaches to see what their reasons were for playing one kid over another.  […]

Playing behind the runner at first base

Here are my situations when playing behind the runner at first base is either the right move or at least a possibility:   A runner on second or second and third as well.  This is one of the few absolutes in baseball.  DO NOT have your first baseman hold the runner on when there is […]

Assessing a rough season

As the high school/community season ends and the summer season starts, it’s important to assess how things have gone so far and decide how to precede the rest of the way.  Hopefully things have gone well up until now.  If that’s the case, keep doing what you are doing!  If not, you really should do […]

Coach of the Year

In my area (Philadelphia), high school playoffs have begun so for most teams, their seasons are either over or soon will be.  In my local and regional newspapers, all-league selections are starting to appear from the various public and private leagues.  Soon, various Coach of the Year awards will be handed out as well. During […]

Teach it to learn it

For you teachers out there, you know very well that the quickest way to learn something is to have to teach it.  That’s because to teach it effectively you have to know the material inside and out.  You also have to know different ways of explaining it in case you get the dreaded question “I […]

How to talk to reporters

About a week ago I was flipping through the sports channels and came across a story about a AA closer who throws it up there around 100mph.  During the course of the interview he basically said the following:  (paraphrased, but not much) “I don’t have to throw my hardest to put it past hitters.” “When […]

You better learn how to laugh

Ever think that this might be the team you are coaching? We’ve all been there.  Young players at all levels will drive you nuts.  How many of you CAN’T say that the following things happened in one of your games: You scratch and claw to get back into the game only to have your pitcher walk […]

Young arms – overuse and specialization

There has been quite a debate raging in the game of baseball as to what is causing all the arm injuries. Before going any farther, look at the following photo and consider this scenario.  You are 16 years old and at a showcase.  Every coach you’ve ever had has tried to convince you that location is more […]

Two out close plays at first base

Here’s the situation … runner on second base with two outs.  A ball is hit to an infielder who bobbles it and throws to first base.  The play at first will be a bang-bang play. If the runner is out, it’s inning over.  If the runner is safe, there is a very good chance the […]

Keep the batter off second base

In yesterday’s post I described a strategy geared towards outfielders to avoid giving up extra base hits late in the game when your team is ahead by just a run or two.  Today’s post is another common strategy also geared towards outfielders.  This strategy is to make sure the opposing team has a harder time […]

Nothing over your head

If you watch coaches in the dugout late in the game when the game is close, you may see a coach whose team is winning wave his hand up and down behind his head.  This is the universal sign for outfielders that means “play deeper and don’t let any ball go over your head.”  Here […]

Pinch on passed balls at home plate

Today’s post is a tip for middle infielders and for coaches who are looking for another one of those little things to pass on to their players.  It involves a passed ball or wild pitch that goes to the backstop when there is a runner on third base and at least one other at 1st […]

You are working too hard

When I first started teaching about 20 years ago, a department chairperson who observed my teaching said she liked my style and methods but felt I was working too hard.  I didn’t quite know how to take that.  I thought working hard was the point.  When she said it again after another observation, I told […]

Addition by subtraction

In my neck of the woods (Philadelphia area) there has been a lot of talk recently about the Eagles outright releasing wide receiver Desean Jackson.  Critics of the move have focused on a number of things but the big one tends to be that they (the Eagles) got rid of a highly talented player and […]

Mr. and Mrs. Parent

Here’s a quick tip that can avoid some problems down the road – don’t call parents by their first names. Inevitably, when you coach a team, you will know some of the kids’ parents better than others.  You may know them outside of baseball.  You may have grown up with them.  You may have coached their other […]

Getting a ton of infield reps – Part 2

In Part 1 I explained how to get a bunch of reps pretty quickly for your infielders.  I usually did it at the start of practices but it could certainly be done anytime you see fit.  Today I’ll show how this basic concept can be expanded into a full-blown infield activity that  works on a ton […]

Getting a ton of infield reps – Part 1

When I ran outdoor high school practices, virtually every one started with defensive reps.  I felt our ability to hit largely depended who was pitching against us but if we worked hard at the footwork and fundamentals to fielding then that side of the ball would/should remain consistently good. The way I started involved rapid […]

Practice in uniform

At my high school, us teachers have to chaperone two events during the school year as per our contract.  This year I am chaperoning the senior prom again which counts as my two because of the amount of time involved.  To many, spending most of a Saturday night with about 1,000 teenagers seems like torture. […]

Baseball and Wall Street

When it comes to investing, some people are long-term investors.  They continually put money in the market and don’t worry so much about the daily, weekly, or even yearly ups and downs and just focus on where they want to be in 20-40 years down the road.  When looking at the following picture, long-term investors focus […]

Breaking down Anatomy of a Pitch

In yesterday’s post I provided a link to a piece on the ESPN/MLB website called Anatomy of a Pitch.  If you have not been through the short videos of the Diamondback pitchers involved, I hope you do.  It’s tremendous. When I watched the videos and listened to the pitchers talk, a number of things jumped […]

Poor weather practices

I remember playing a AA game way back in 1992 in Huntsville, AL.  It was early April and it was very cold in Huntsville.  The temperature was in the mid-40’s around game time.  After spending a month in spring training in warm temperatures, that series in Huntsville was not a picnic. I remember seeing teammates […]

Give signs early and often

Last week I posted a video for coaches about the do’s and don’ts of giving signs at third base.  If you have not seen it, you can click HERE or go to the VIDEOS page and see it there.   Another tip when giving signs is to give all your signs early and often.  By […]

Some Do’s and Don’ts of giving signs at third base

All third base coaches are going to have their own methods for giving signs.  This post is not meant to tell anyone what their signs should and should not be.  That’s up to each and every coach.  This video post is meant to pass on some do’s and don’ts I either learned the hard way […]

Giving signs after pickoffs

Picture this … A coach gives a sign to a runner at first base to steal on the next pitch.  The pitcher comes set and goes to first with a pickoff attempt.  The runner flinches towards second initially but then gets back to the bag safely.  Of course, everyone now knows he was stealing.  What […]

Hey coaches, show some hustle

  I don’t think there is a baseball coach on the planet who would say they didn’t care if their players hustled.  But how many of those coaches show some hustle of their own?  Sadly, I don’t see much.  I get sick to my stomach when I see young players walk onto a baseball field. […]

Let them know in advance

Today’s post is a tip for third base coaches.  I recently filmed a short video about the do’s and don’ts for third base coaches when giving signs to players (this should be posted within a week or so).  One thing I didn’t mention is that sometimes there will be no need to give a sign […]

Level of mastery

I’ve always felt that if a player will be expected to do something in a game then it’s up to me as a coach to make sure he does it in practice.  In reality though, that’s still not enough.  On top of that, I need to make sure he masters it in practice. During times […]

Double your batting practice productivity

One major challenge in practice is how to move everyone through a batting practice session smoothly and quickly so you don’t have one guy hitting and everyone else just standing around.  There are several ways to address this and often it involves doing your BP in a batting cage off the field so that the […]

Short fungo drill

I have to admit that watching a coach who cannot hit with a fungo is pretty comical.  It’s something that takes some coordination and quite a bit of practice so I don’t mean to imply that it’s easy and should be mastered by everyone.     If you find yourself among the fungo-challenged then there […]

Repost: Pre-season checklists

About this time last year I posted a set of checklists for coaches so that they can better plan their practices at the start of the season.  It was a very popular post in terms of readership so I thought I would re-post them for new readers who may not have seen them.  Each list […]

Take two aspirin and …

One of the many challenges of being a teacher is dealing with the common question “I don’t get it.”  The challenge involves quickly coming up with another explanation, another analogy, a different phrase or set of words, etc. that the student can relate to in order to get them to understand the content.  Saying “Sorry, […]

Dugout cards: Helping batters improve their approach

Here are a few situations that I guarantee will get your coaching blood pressure up: A hard thrower enters the game for the other team and proceeds to throw every warm-up pitch high and out of the strike zone.  Your first batter swings and misses at the first pitch that is at his shoulders. A […]

Tryouts: Know what an eight looks like

For most high school programs (all in Pennsylvania), tryouts are not too far away.  Programs all have their own way of evaluating players.  Having multiple coaches involved helps in terms of management but one challenge with using multiple coaches is that not every one of them evaluates players the same way.  Two coaches can see […]

How to make a batting tee

To see plans and Part 2 of this post, click HERE. A reader recently sent me an idea for homemade batting tees that he uses quite successfully at the high school level.  With his permission I am posting his comments along with the photos he sent me.  It appears as if his tees are well […]

Do your players all make the same mistake?

If you are a teacher, put your teaching hat on for a moment.  If you are not, put yourself back in that high school desk.  A test is given and the scores are typical.  A couple students didn’t study and did horribly.  A few rock stars got close to 100% and everyone else fell somewhere […]

When – Then

Take a look at the following questions and see which one gets your attention a bit quicker. If a fire should ever occur in your house then what are you going to do? When the fire starts tomorrow in your house then what are you going to do? I bet it’s the second one.  Why? […]

The four D’s of defense – Part 2

In yesterday’s post I briefly touched on the four D’s of defense – Deter, Detect, Delay, and Defend – as described by many people in the personal and home defense industry.  I then applied those concepts to baseball.  Today I’d like to focus more attention on the last D because it is something a lot […]

The four D’s of defense – Part 1

If you listen to personal or home defense experts, you will probably hear about the four D’s of defense.  They are Deter, Detect, Delay, and Defend.  In Part 1 of this post I will quickly address all four.  In Part 2 I will expand on the last one in more detail. As a baseball player […]

Check for athleticism with a medicine ball

The other day I wrote a post about the importance of being athletic.  To read the post, click HERE. A reader asked in the comment section how a coach could drill for the things I mentioned in the post.  Below is my response.  I figured my response could be of benefit to everyone. Hi Coach […]

Baseball By Bruce Lee

“Advanced skills are the basics mastered.”  – Bruce Lee There are no gimmicks in baseball.  Everything we know about the game probably originated in the first 50 years of the sport.  I mean, how many ways can you really hold a curve ball? As the saying goes…  “If you want to learn something new, read […]

College Baseball Information Night

A few high school coaches in my area who compete against each other during the season have created a Fall league for their teams as well.  The league has run for a few years now with a lot of success.  Another thing they have organized is a “Baseball College Night” so the players and their families […]

What was with the hoodies?

NOTE: Yesterday, I sent out to subscribers the free eBook called Stuck Inside: A baseball coach’s guide to running KILLER indoor practices.  If you are a subscriber and didn’t see the email, be sure to check your spam folders.  Sometimes email accounts put it there. Happy Thanksgiving Week everyone!   This was a post I […]

Knowledge vs Judgement

Let’s face it.  Teenagers can be tough to work with.  Most parents of teenagers struggle to deal with one or maybe two.  Coaching 15-25 isn’t always a box of chocolates either.  On that note, try being a high school teacher who has to deal with over 100 per day.  Every school day.  I love it […]

Five great baseball apps

With the emergence of technology like smart phones, iPads, and other devices, coaches are starting to see the time saving advantages and versatility of using them.  To be honest, even though there are hundreds of thousands (maybe millions) of apps for these devices, I have been less than blown over by the amount produced for […]

The biggest mistake baseball coaches make

In the field of psychology there is a concept called the “curse of knowledge.”  The curse of knowledge is the mistaken assumption that others share our expertise and will behave as we would in the same situation.  In my opinion, the curse of knowledge and the assumptions that go with it result in the biggest […]

What is your baseball IQ?

Last year I read a book called Intangibles by a guy named Geoff Miller.  He is a sports psychologist who has worked with a few major league teams including the Pittsburg Pirates and the Atlanta Braves.  His approach to working with players is very down to earth and his writing is along those same lines. […]

Post-game self evaluation sheet

One of the many challenges a coach faces is how to get players to focus on the statistics that really matter.  For a hitter, it is easy to put your attention on a batting average but “hits” can be deceiving.  Was the pitcher good?  Would a good infielder/outfielder have caught the ball instead?  Was it a […]

Hitters don’t stay on top of the ball

Stand near many hitting coaches and third base coaches at the upper levels and you will hear a common phrase.  The phrase is some variation of “get on top of the ball” or “Come-on Big Papi, get on top of one here.” Some may see a problem with this because batters never really do get […]

Leave him alone

Good coaching is a balance between hands-off and hands-on.  If you are too hands-on, players don’t develop the skills needed to recognize information in real-time and adapt on the fly.  They are so used to being told what to do that when they need to think on their own, they can’t.  If a coach is […]

Product review: The ProX Batting Tee

I have not done many product reviews but here is one I have to share.  My friends at ProX Tee sent me a batting tee to review last season.  After trying it out myself with a few swings, I lent it to a good friend of mine, Coach Kevin Manero who is the head coach […]

Coaching the modern player

St. Louis Cardinal manager Mike Matheny once said that when he was growing up, he was told that “the coach is right even when they are wrong.”  Although I was not told that quote, I learned the same principle growing up as well.  You respect authority because, well … just because.  The “modern day player” […]

What a pencil can teach a coach

Learning from a pencil has been around for quite a while.  Of course, the same principles would apply to coaches and baseball coaches alike.  Here they are if you have never seen them.   Learning from a pencil 1. Everything you do leaves a mark.  As a coach, never forget that your interaction with your […]

Joe Maddon’s stages of a ball player

I’m a huge fan of Joe Maddon, the current manager of the Tampa Bay Rays.  If you need to know how to manage the modern professional athlete, just study him. During a Rays game I was watching, the announcer listed the stages of a pro ball player as described by Joe Maddon.  Even though he applied […]

Find out if they are bunting – Part 2

In yesterday’s post I gave a quick tip for defensive teams to see if the other team was bunting.  Today’s post is a tip for the offensive team when their batter tips his hand on the bunt. The tip is simply to give another set of signs after the pickoff throw.  If the batter shows bunt […]

Find out if they are bunting

It’s the last inning and the score is tied.  The lead-off batter gets on first base.  If the following batter is not a good hitter, what will happen next is pretty clear cut – a sacrifice bunt.  But what if the next batter is a pretty good hitter.  Will he bunt or swing away?  Knowing […]

The Long Hop Drill

Most coaches and infielders have heard of and probably participated in a short hop drill.  In a short hop drill, two or more players stand in fielding position roughly 10-15 feet apart and toss short hops at other players.  It can be done bare-handed or with a glove, with baseballs or bouncy balls, and/or can involve […]

Saving baseballs

A while back I wrote a three part post about the various Cardinal Sins of Baseball.  The other day I identified another:  Throwing out baseballs.  I was walking around in a park during one of my son’s soccer practices and saw a couple baseballs in a trash can next to one of the baseball fields.  I shook […]

The coaching attitude

In the world of science there is a phrase called “the scientific attitude” which has three components: curiosity, skepticism, and humility.  Here is what they mean for scientists: Curiosity – Always having a passion to explore in order to learn something new.  As John Wooden said, “what matters most is what you learn after you […]

Training captains

Scenario #1: Congratulations kid!  You were selected by your teammates to be the team captain.  I expect you to be a good one.  Good luck.” Scenario #2:  “Congratulations kid!  You were selected by your teammates to be the team captain.  I expect you to be a good one so I am going to send you […]

The command bullpen: Fixing a wild thrower

Every coach has dealt with a kid who just struggles to throw the ball over the plate.  Some of those kids, based on their mechanics, velocity, etc., are just shifted to other positions and promptly labeled “not a pitcher.”  But some kids show extreme promise with regard to their throwing ability.  These are the players […]

The stat I’d like to see

Baseball has to be a mathematicians dream.  No sport even comes close to the amount of numbers compiled and analyzed by baseball fans and commentators.  Add the new Sabermetrics to the mix and it’s practically nirvana for number geeks. However, there is one stat that I haven’t seen yet.  I don’t follow all the new […]

The wipe off sign

My three older sisters were not into sports and didn’t know much about baseball.  However, for some reason, all were fascinated by coaches signs.  When they watched a game, they loved watching coaches flash signs to the players and always wanted to know what my signs were for my players.  When I told them a […]

Improve your hitting by playing catch

I don’t care how good of an athlete you are, if you do not see the ball out of the pitcher’s hand, you are not going to be a good hitter.  The pitch occurs in a fraction of a second and if you miss any of it, especially the beginning, you’re done.  Therefore, any drill […]

You’ve got to be kidding me (Part 3)

Here is another episode of “You got to be kidding me.” My family and I recently attended a AA game in Reading, PA.  I actually caught a foul ball (!) but that’s not why this post is being written.  Here’s the story. Every time I go to a minor league game I check who the […]

The bases loaded walk

You are pitching.  It’s early in the game or ahead by a few runs late in the game. You have the bases loaded and the other team’s best hitter at the plate.  You are behind in the count.  What do you do?   I say pitch around him. Young pitchers grow up hearing the importance […]

A few good Cardinals

What every team needs is a few (actually a lot of) Cardinals.  As in St. Louis Cardinals.  I had a chance to watch a few Cardinals games over the past week and to say the least, they are a pleasure to watch.  They move runners over.  They put the ball in play.  They bunt.  They […]

How to be still – The National Anthem

The following video is all you need to know about what is expected during the National Anthem.  It’s also an example of a coach paying attention to the details.  The success at Vanderbilt is no accident. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jILUdcca5nI&feature=youtube_gdata_player Tomorrow’s Post:  You have to be pretty darn good

How to be still – The baseball knee

Yesterday’s post was about getting players to move faster on and around the field at all times.  It not only makes your team look great, it gives them the message that the game requires a faster pace.   However, there are times when players need to be still.  A lot of baseball meetings occur pre […]

There is no walking in baseball

Is anyone else aggravated by how many players walk on, off, and around the baseball field?  To me it’s like nails on a chalkboard.  Every summer I usually help out at a couple camps that have kids between about 8 and 15 years old.  One of the toughest things to teach the campers early on […]

The toughest outfielder

Probably the toughest job for a third base coach is deciding when to send the runner home and when to hold him at third base.  I’ve done a couple written posts on that topic and even created a video or two as well.   This past winter I spoke at a coaching clinic where the […]

Let me try that again

One of the biggest challenges a coach faces is figuring out how to create game-like pressure in practice.  We all know there are players who perform well in practice but seem to become an entirely different player once the game starts.  However it’s done, amping up the pressure during parts of your practice can be […]

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