Pitching around a hitter

Baseball people know that there are times when a pitcher is going to pitch around a batter.  One of their best hitters is up, a base is open, etc.  However, the drawback of not giving a batter something to hit is that it contradicts much of what we coaches say to pitchers.  Two of the […]

Keep your head still?

I have told many players and coaches of the importance of keeping your head still in baseball.  In reality, a more realistic way of saying that would be to “keep your head calm.”  Baseball players routinely move their head and eyes while playing baseball.  It’s impossible not to.  Pitchers move their head when they pitch.  […]

Get strikes by throwing strikes

It’s not often that you’ll see a major league umpire have two different strike zones for both pitchers.  Consistency is what got those umpires to that level.  However, you occasionally will see slightly different zones even at that level.  One would think that would be a flaw in the umpire but in reality, it is […]

Battle of the low pitch

  As players get older and reach higher levels of the game, more and more pitches will be thrown towards the bottom of the strike zone.  Successful pitchers at the big league level routinely throw down in the zone with all their pitches.  That’s why they got to that level.  I’ve said before that I […]

Requirements for a bullpen pitcher

Over the course of a pitcher’s career he may be at various times a starter or a reliever.  At the lower levels, relievers are usually the pitchers who are not as talented as the starters.  This is why coaches stress the importance of getting to a high school bullpen as soon as possible.  Usually, the talent […]

Safe … by a yard!

If you have visited my website in the past you probably know why it is called “Baseball By The Yard.”  If you don’t know what it means, the video on the front page will explain it.  That being said, take a look at the following photo. The runner who is about to score is a […]

Common mistakes on Double Relays

During a recent MLB game I was watching, a ball hit to deep right-center required a double-relay for a play at home plate.  The throw to home was never made because the cutoff was botched.  The announcers blamed it on a poor throw by the outfielder but in reality, the trailer on the double-relay team […]

Happily ever after

One of the hardest things when you get to the top is staying there.  Winning a championship as a team or a player getting to the level they’ve always dreamed of can be thrilling but it’s not without challenges.   First of all, a team that becomes a champion is not going to sneak up […]

Work smarter

A while back I wrote a post called Batting cage ribbons where I explained a good drill for hitters when working in a cage.  Another similar option is this drill HERE.  It appears as if some major leaguers are using these drills as well!  Here is an excerpt from an article about the recent success of Orioles hitter […]

It’s not how you start

Readers who are not from the Philadelphia area will not recognize the names on this Top 25 list of high school teams.   The list, if you look at the date, is the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Top 25 baseball teams in the southeastern part of Pennsylvania at the very start of the season.  One team, North […]

No foul balls in BP

One common goal for most coaches is to convince their hitters to use more of the center of the field when they hit.  I tried to promote a left center to right center approach with my hitters.  Using the center of the field as a goal gives a hitter more room for error.  If they […]

A view from the third row

A couple Saturdays ago, I attended a Phillies game.  My seats were incredible.  Third row directly behind the catcher.  And I mean directly.  The pitcher, the catcher, and me were in an exact straight line.  See for yourself. Here are my take-aways from the experience: The other half – those who can afford those seats […]

The two-run window for pitchers

Bases loaded and no outs is a situation that all pitchers will run into
 at some point.  What his mental approach and expectations are will go a 
long way in determining how this situation turns out.  Many pitchers 
make the mistake of thinking their job in this situation is to prevent a single run from
 […]

How NOT to pick someone off

Recently I wrote a post called It can’t even be close.  It was about the 
idea that in certain situations, you don’t want the call to be in the 
umpires’ hands.  In the post I used a photo from the Phillies game I was
 referencing.  Upon further review, it is pretty clear that both teams
 […]

Teaching the open stance

Growing up, I remember watching major league games and seeing quite a few closed stances from hitters.  Mike Schmidt comes to mind.  George Hendrix probably was the most extreme example.  Today, you rarely see that kind of stance.  The open stance is much more the norm in today’s game. The question from coaches is “do […]

Enforcing the informal rules of the game

Maybe I am officially old school now but I cannot believe what my eyes saw during the Phillies-Marlins series.  Actually, it has more to do with what my eyes didn’t see.  Let me set the stage. To date, the Marlins have the worst record in baseball. Their organization has been blasted for getting rid of […]

Changing course

When a pilot takes off at an airport in Philadelphia en route to Los Angeles, they understand that a change in course along the way may be necessary.  Changing wind patterns, storms, and mechanical issues can force a pilot to change course to get to their destination safely.  When this happens, the pilot doesn’t get […]

Hit inside your front foot

Take a look at the following photographs showing four of the best hitters in baseball.  In each photo you will notice that contact with the ball is made when the ball is inside the front foot.   One of the biggest challenges young players (and therefore their coaches) face is jumping or lunging at the […]

It can’t even be close

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of attending a Phillies game.  In the ninth inning, Kyle Kendrick (yes, a pitcher) was put in to pinch run for Jimmy Rollins (bad foot) with no outs and the Brewers up 4-3.  After being sacrificed bunted to second base, Kendrick proceeded to get picked off second base. […]

A strike right out of your hand

Ever notice that some pitchers get a lot of check swings and some do 
not?  This has a lot to do with how the ball looks to the batter shortly 
after leaving the pitcher’s hand.  For some pitchers, especially those
 with good movement on the ball, a pitch leaves the hand looking like a 
strike […]