Catchers do not need to know who is covering

On a recent video post I mentioned that we all have pet peeves as coaches.  In the video I explained why a shortstop yelling “inside” or “outside” to a first basemen on a 3-6-3 double play irks me.  To see the video, click HERE. Today’s post involves another one of my pet peeves.  This time […]

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 […]

Figure 8 Drill for base running

When baseball players are asked to run at practice, typically it means sprints of various distances before and/or after practice.  Sprints are fine but the drawback is that very rarely will players actually run a sprint beyond 90 feet.  Little Leaguers typically run even shorter distances.  Players of all ages also have to make cuts, […]

Thumbs up, Thumbs down: Simplifying the catching and throwing process

For the past few years I have been helping out with my son’s little league teams.  First of all, God bless the elementary school teachers of the world.  They don’t earn enough money. Working with little kids makes you very aware of the need to simplify things.  It’s true with every aspect of the game […]

More advice for young arms

A little while back I posted a report by a baseball coach and friend of mine, Dr. John Mishock, who warned baseball people about the overuse of young pitchers and why that is harmful from a medical point of view.  To see that original report called Longterm Team Athletic Development: Are we coaching our kids […]

Don’t keep the ball down

Actually, the title of today’s post is a little incomplete.  A better title would have been “Don’t JUST keep the ball down.” Pitchers are told from the day they start pitching to “keep the ball down in the strike zone.”  In general, that is great advice.  At the younger ages – Little League through high […]

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 […]

The common sense of George Brett

When I was a senior in college at Villanova, our spring break took us to the Orlando, FL area for workouts and games.  One of the places we played at several times was the old Boardwalk and Baseball complex which, at the time, was the home of the Kansas City Royals for spring training.  Our […]