Swing down to the ball

Over the past several years of running this website, I have received a lot of very positive comments about my posts and videos.  In fact, just about all of them have been positive and I’m truly grateful for those who pass along their “thank you’s” and “well done’s.”  Some comments have not been so pleasant. […]

Avoid the habit of the double-tap

A bad habit many young infielders get into is the double-tap. I wrote about this habit a while back and thought I’d make a video of it too.  The consequences of the habit vary depending on the infield position played but all players should work to avoid it. Infielders should always practice the most efficient […]

Do you have a pickoff mindset?

As a former shortstop, I could never understand why pitchers were not interested in trying to pick runners off.  Here I am around second base with a runner that is drifting off the bag too much and the pitcher either ignored it or just stepped off the rubber when I broke to the bag.  I […]

Little League Practice Templates

Over the past month or so, a good friend and I did a few coaching clinics for Little League coaches.  One of our big priorities for the clinics was to pass on the importance of organizing good practices.  To help them do this, we created practice templates for practices involving four age groups that range […]

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 […]

How to tag a runner who is a dead out

I’ve done a written post and a video on how to properly tag runners coming into bases.  I even did an important, more lengthy video on preparing for collisions at home plate as a catcher.  But what happens when the ball beats the runner to a bag by a lot?  Then what do you do? […]

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 […]