The Chuck-It hitting drill

With 4 inches of snow arriving this past weekend, I guess it’s time to mention some good indoor drills! (Click “YouTube” in the bottom right to expand the view as needed)

Video: How to throw a four seamer

A while back I wrote a post on this but I’ve received a question or two since on the topic. (Click on “YouTube” in the bottom, right corner to widen the view as needed)

Outfielders: knowing the pitch

One of the advantages infielders have is the fact that they usually can know or find out what pitch is about to be thrown to the batter.  Attentive infielders look at every sign from the catcher to the pitcher in order to get a better idea where the batter may be more likely to hit […]

How to approach a ground ball

Some of my more popular posts in terms of readership have been those involving the footwork of infielders on ground balls.  Today’s video post provides a visual of the basic procedures involved with approaching a ground ball correctly and efficiently. (Click on “YouTube” at the bottom right of the screen to widen the view as […]

Concentration grids

Many players suffer from a poor ability to concentrate.  Concentration is quite a broad term.  It is obviously tied to the concept of focus.  I’ve done a number of posts about focus and what causes players to be distracted away from the thoughts and activities that truly matter on the field.  The point of this […]

Finding the seams as an infielder

This little trick seems to amaze young kids whenever I do camps and clinics.  It seems impossible but with practice, you’ll do it every time.  It’s still such a habit with me that anytime someone tosses me ball, even a tennis ball, I automatically feel for the seams.  Old habits don’t die! Click on “YouTube” […]

Another option from the stretch position

One reason why the stretch position can be tough for pitchers is that most only use two types of deliveries to home plate:  the full leg kick and the slide step.  Today’s video post shows pitchers a third option that incorporates the positive aspects of both of those deliveries without the drawbacks. Click on “YouTube” […]

Third baseman’s bunt positioning

The idea for this post came during the first game of the World Series the other night between the Cardinals and the Rangers.  Chris Carpenter was batting and was attempting to bunt a runner to second base.  The situation was captured in a quick shot from a camera that must have been located at the […]

How to film hitters

I recently did a video post on How to film pitchers.  Here is the version for those of you who film hitters. (Click “YouTube” in the bottom, right corner and expand the view as needed)

Staying on top of the ball – Pitching

This is part 2 of “Staying on top of the ball.” This one deals with the concept as it relates to pitching.To watch it in a larger view, click “YouTube” at the bottom right on the screen.  You can then expand the view from there.

Stay on top of the ball – Hitting

Today’s video post answers a question I received from a reader.  The question was what does it mean for a hitter to “stay on top of the ball?”  Staying on top on the ball, in my opinion, is one of the most important concepts of hitting.  I hope I explain it well enough.  Tomorrow will […]

Stealing signs – Part 3: How to prevent your signs from being stolen

In the major leagues, every time a team gets caught or is even suspected of stealing signs from a catcher, there is always debate as to the ethics and morality of doing so.  For these posts, I will avoid the pros and cons of the controversy and simply stick to the ways teams typically get […]

Stealing signs – Part 2: How to know if your signs are being stolen.

In the major leagues, every time a team gets caught or is even suspected of stealing signs from a catcher, there is always debate as to the ethics and morality of doing so.  For these posts, I will avoid the pros and cons of the controversy and simply stick to the ways teams typically get […]

Stealing signs – Part 1: How teams get them and give them

Disclaimer:  In the major leagues, every time a team gets caught or is even suspected of stealing signs from a catcher, there is always debate as to the ethics and morality of doing so.  For these posts, I will avoid the controversy and simply stick to the ways teams typically get them and give them […]

Video post: How to tag

A while back I did a written post on tagging runners.  I received some questions since so I thought I would do a video post on the tagging portion.  Future video clips will deal with the footwork.  To read the post, click HERE.  If you want to make the view bigger, click “YouTube” in the […]

The importance of the shutdown inning

There is nothing more demoralizing then scoring a few runs in an inning and then giving up the same amount or more when the opposing team bats in their next turn.  Your team is riding high with an emotional lift and then seems to hand that “lift” right over to the other team.  Keeping or […]

The proper way to film pitchers

I produced another video post for today which hopefully will help parents and coaches get more out of their videotaping.  This one is for filming pitchers.  I’m in the process of doing a similar presentation for hitting.  In the near future, I will be doing some that will show some very basic things to look […]

Keeping the bat in the hitting zone

Where do outfielders’ hands go?

This position is what you want outfielders to avoid in their pre-pitch set up. Ask any little league infielder where their hands go before the pitch and he’ll very likely give the correct answer.  “Down near the ground and out front.”  If he can’t say it, he’ll at least show you.  But how about if you […]

The one flaw of Roy Halladay

Roy Halladay had one flaw this season.  For some reason the first inning and more specifically the first batter in the first inning was a problem for him.  In his 34 starts in 2011, the first batter he faced reached base 17 times.  That’s 50%!  In most cases, Halladay responded with his usual toughness and […]

Force the home plate ump to commit

I never understood why a batter would complain to a home plate umpire in the first inning about balls and strikes.  How can you do that when you don’t even know what his strike zone is yet?  A former coach taught me to take a different approach.   Being smart about how you communicate with […]

How to hit a 100mph fastball

Justin Verlander is a no-brainer for this year’s AL Cy Young award.  His stats for the regular season were ridiculous.  He won 24 games, threw 251 innings, and had 250 strikeouts with only 57 walks.  Batters hit a measly .192 against him as well.  But did you know he gave up 24 homeruns this year? Verlander, along with a couple other major […]

The basics of a hitting stride

The season is a marathon …

… and the playoffs are a sprint.Going into the playoffs, the best teams in baseball were the Phillies and the Yankees.  Both were built to be successful over the course of 162 games and their records proved that they were.  But playoffs are different.  The 5 game playoff series is a sprint.  It’s just not […]

Feel = Experience + Information

Much of what a baseball manager does during the course of a game is based on “feel.”  Some people may interpret that as just guessing or acting on impulse.  They would be wrong.  As the title of the post says, feel is the combination of experience and information.  Here’s an example: A manager decides to […]

Sometimes all you have is yourself

AJ Burnett of the Yankees has had a tough year.  His stats for the month of August were horrendous.  His month of September, although a bit better, was no box of chocolates either.  Pretty much everyone associated with the Yankees – his manager, probably a good deal of teammates, certainly Yankee fans, and the New […]

Infielders and their elbows

One technique that infielders follow on just about every play they make is to keep their elbows fairly close and facing down.  Doing so allows the hands to extend farther out in front of them on ground balls.  It also does the same on double plays when the shortstop or second baseman is receiving the […]

Remind them to "Hit the cutoff man!"

Raise your hand if you are sick of watching major league outfielders miss the cutoff man on throws to home plate.  I know I am.  Hitting the cutoff man is one of those finer points that should be easy for major league outfielders to accomplish.  They certainly have the arm strength and accuracy to get […]

Watching Roy Halladay

If you are a fan of good baseball, you have to be in heaven every time Roy Halliday takes the mound.  If I had to point to one guy young pitchers should pay close attention to, it’s him.  There is so much to say about his competitiveness, the movement he gets on his pitches, and […]

Teaching little kids how to catch a baseball

Video post: How to break in and train your glove

Here is the first of (hopefully) many video posts.It’s comes from a coaching clinic I did last winter for area coaches from Tee-Ball up to about middle school age. Do you like the video post concept? Are there any posts I’ve written that you’d like to see in video form? As always, add comments below […]