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Coaching DVDs at Championship Productions
Monday, November 29, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Hitting - Pitching - Catching - Fielding
Welcome to ChampionshipProductions.com - We offer world-class instructional DVDs, videos and books for coaches and athletes!
Baseball DVDs, Videos & Books -- Championship Productions, Inc.
Baseball DVDs, Videos & Books -- Championship Productions, Inc.
Friday, October 22, 2010
How To Make The High School Baseball Team
I received this list from a high school baseball coach and thought it would be a great start to our "How To Make The High School Team" segment.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Persistence is more important than talent
There is a reason that the word STUDENT comes first in student/athletes
Respect the game as much as you want to be respected
Tuck in your shirt
Don't wear your hat backwards
Practice hard because you play the way you practice
It doesn't take any talent to hustle
Be a student in baseball. Learn the game - Study the history of baseball
Help your team win whether you play or not
Keep a daily diary of what you do at practice and keep notes of your observations. This will help you see the progress you have made
Never argue with an umpire
Agree to let your coaches train you
Don't cut class
Maintain the grades that keep you eligible
Set high standards along with knowing the steps to attain them
Don't tell people what you are worth, prove it to them
Your girlfriend is not more important than your career
Your parents love you, but they don't know more than your coach about baseball
Don't let anyone make an excuse for you
Maintain eye contact with all adults when they talk to you. Practice on your friends
It is your coach's opinion of you that counts. He makes out the lineup. Fail to understand this point and you will soon be out of the game
Life is not fair. Regardless of what some people want you to think
Be passionate about your teammates
Love the game
Players are not the only people in the game. There are coaches, trainers, announcers, umpires, broadcasters and writers. All those jobs are honorable professions as well as keeping you young
The only thing that coaches owe you is HONESTY
Body language screams. It never whispers
Balance makes champions. If you focus on hitting and ignore the defensive part of your game you will never be a complete player
Be as diligent on defense as you are on offense
Defense wins more games than offense
Pitching sets the tone
Games are lost not won. Mistakes lead to losses
You can win a league with a few good pitchers. Well developed pitching staffs win the tournaments
Work on your game every day of the year. The guy who beat you out for the starting job did and the team that always beats you
Who you are today is a result of who you were in the past. Fill your past with smart work and good deeds and you will maximize your potential
You don't have to be a great athlete to be a good baseball player
Show off your talent to your current coach and your future coach by doing the following: (ALL THE TIME)
When you jog to warm up finish first.
When you stretch do it best.
When you play catch, throw to a target and hit it every time.
When you play catch, catch the ball or block the bad throw and keep it in front of you every time.
When you are doing a drill, do it perfect, every time.
Go hard all the time. Never walk on a baseball practice field.
As a batter/runner run to first as though it matters that you are safe.
Know the situation on defense and do the right thing.
Baseball reveals character it doesn't build it.
Character means doing the right thing when nobody's watching
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Darrin McComas
Head Baseball Coach
Burroughs High School
Ridgecrest, California
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Persistence is more important than talent
There is a reason that the word STUDENT comes first in student/athletes
Respect the game as much as you want to be respected
Tuck in your shirt
Don't wear your hat backwards
Practice hard because you play the way you practice
It doesn't take any talent to hustle
Be a student in baseball. Learn the game - Study the history of baseball
Help your team win whether you play or not
Keep a daily diary of what you do at practice and keep notes of your observations. This will help you see the progress you have made
Never argue with an umpire
Agree to let your coaches train you
Don't cut class
Maintain the grades that keep you eligible
Set high standards along with knowing the steps to attain them
Don't tell people what you are worth, prove it to them
Your girlfriend is not more important than your career
Your parents love you, but they don't know more than your coach about baseball
Don't let anyone make an excuse for you
Maintain eye contact with all adults when they talk to you. Practice on your friends
It is your coach's opinion of you that counts. He makes out the lineup. Fail to understand this point and you will soon be out of the game
Life is not fair. Regardless of what some people want you to think
Be passionate about your teammates
Love the game
Players are not the only people in the game. There are coaches, trainers, announcers, umpires, broadcasters and writers. All those jobs are honorable professions as well as keeping you young
The only thing that coaches owe you is HONESTY
Body language screams. It never whispers
Balance makes champions. If you focus on hitting and ignore the defensive part of your game you will never be a complete player
Be as diligent on defense as you are on offense
Defense wins more games than offense
Pitching sets the tone
Games are lost not won. Mistakes lead to losses
You can win a league with a few good pitchers. Well developed pitching staffs win the tournaments
Work on your game every day of the year. The guy who beat you out for the starting job did and the team that always beats you
Who you are today is a result of who you were in the past. Fill your past with smart work and good deeds and you will maximize your potential
You don't have to be a great athlete to be a good baseball player
Show off your talent to your current coach and your future coach by doing the following: (ALL THE TIME)
When you jog to warm up finish first.
When you stretch do it best.
When you play catch, throw to a target and hit it every time.
When you play catch, catch the ball or block the bad throw and keep it in front of you every time.
When you are doing a drill, do it perfect, every time.
Go hard all the time. Never walk on a baseball practice field.
As a batter/runner run to first as though it matters that you are safe.
Know the situation on defense and do the right thing.
Baseball reveals character it doesn't build it.
Character means doing the right thing when nobody's watching
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Darrin McComas
Head Baseball Coach
Burroughs High School
Ridgecrest, California
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
How to Destroy Your Hitting Mechanics – Swing Down on the Ball!
How to Destroy Your Hitting Mechanics – Swing Down on the Ball!
Be sure you watch the videos at the bottoim of the page featuring the swings of some of baseball's best hitters including Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Mickey Mantle.
Be sure you watch the videos at the bottoim of the page featuring the swings of some of baseball's best hitters including Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Mickey Mantle.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Pitching Tips
1. Command The Fastball and stay ahead in the count.
2. Control at least one off-speed pitch.
3. Never allow the hitter to feel comfortable - make him move his feet.
4. Use the current pitch to set up the next pitch, always think at least one pitch ahead.
5. Throw 1st pitch strikes.
6. Vary your hold times with a runner on 1B. This will break his rhythm and foul up his timing.
7. Never give into the hitter when you have him 0- 2. It's forbiddeen to give up a hit on an 0- 2 count! Locate the ball just off the black inside & high or low and a way. Make the hitter fish.
8. There is no such thing as a waste pitch. Use every pitch to set the hitter up for your next pitch.
9. Always pitch ahead in the count.
10. The 1-1 pitch is the most important pitch in baseball. This pitch will either swing the count in favor of the hitter or the pitcher.
2. Control at least one off-speed pitch.
3. Never allow the hitter to feel comfortable - make him move his feet.
4. Use the current pitch to set up the next pitch, always think at least one pitch ahead.
5. Throw 1st pitch strikes.
6. Vary your hold times with a runner on 1B. This will break his rhythm and foul up his timing.
7. Never give into the hitter when you have him 0- 2. It's forbiddeen to give up a hit on an 0- 2 count! Locate the ball just off the black inside & high or low and a way. Make the hitter fish.
8. There is no such thing as a waste pitch. Use every pitch to set the hitter up for your next pitch.
9. Always pitch ahead in the count.
10. The 1-1 pitch is the most important pitch in baseball. This pitch will either swing the count in favor of the hitter or the pitcher.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Baseball Coaching Instruction - The World's #1 Source
Pro Hitter's Workout with Kevin Long, Hitting Coach for the 2009 World Champion New York Yankees. Featuring Alex Rodriquez, 3X American League MVP; 10X Silver Slugger Award Winner; 4X Hank Aaron Award Winner.
* Learn to attack the ball no matter where it's pitched
* Create a more efficient swing by eliminating unnecessary movements
* Features hitting insight and demonstrations by Alex Rodriquez
Click link below to view DVD catalog
Coaching DVDs at Championship Productions
* Learn to attack the ball no matter where it's pitched
* Create a more efficient swing by eliminating unnecessary movements
* Features hitting insight and demonstrations by Alex Rodriquez
Click link below to view DVD catalog
Coaching DVDs at Championship Productions
Thursday, August 26, 2010
DESIRE, DETERMINATION, DEDICATION and DISCIPLINE
Following are comments from Nate Barnett, former professional baseball player and current hitting coach. He has the following to say about preparation and work ethic:
"I get the chance to work with dozens and dozens of athletes individually each year. It's truly a rewarding experience much of the time, though at times it can be extremely frustrating to see such talented athletes fail to put in the necessary work to achieve some consistency in their swing. I never have a tough time getting the athletes to work hard when I work with them in the cage. It's when athletes have to motivate themselves to work outside of their practice days when their work habit breaks down."
Nate Barnett is a hitting, pitching, and mental skills coach residing in the Puget Sound area in Washington State. After finishing his professional career in the Seattle Mariners Organization, Nate began coaching athletes on a small scale for a couple years. After two years of coaching high school baseball, he was hired as a hitting coach at a local university to improve the offensive output of the players.
During my own experience I have witnessed numerous players over the years with above average talent during their early years, but fall by the way-side and not reach their true potential as they entered high school. Many players have the mistaken notion that talent alone will carry them to the next level. The facts are, that there are players that are truly DEDICATED and DETERMINED and have the DESIRE to be the best player they can be. They practice on their own and do something almost everyday that will make them a better player.
Often, players with less skill go on to play at higher levels because they have passion for the game and they practice the the four D's: DESIRE, DETERMINATION, DEDICATION and DISCIPLINE! They build upon heir skills through hard work and prepare to succeed!
Coach Bob Harris
Former pro scout
"I get the chance to work with dozens and dozens of athletes individually each year. It's truly a rewarding experience much of the time, though at times it can be extremely frustrating to see such talented athletes fail to put in the necessary work to achieve some consistency in their swing. I never have a tough time getting the athletes to work hard when I work with them in the cage. It's when athletes have to motivate themselves to work outside of their practice days when their work habit breaks down."
Nate Barnett is a hitting, pitching, and mental skills coach residing in the Puget Sound area in Washington State. After finishing his professional career in the Seattle Mariners Organization, Nate began coaching athletes on a small scale for a couple years. After two years of coaching high school baseball, he was hired as a hitting coach at a local university to improve the offensive output of the players.
During my own experience I have witnessed numerous players over the years with above average talent during their early years, but fall by the way-side and not reach their true potential as they entered high school. Many players have the mistaken notion that talent alone will carry them to the next level. The facts are, that there are players that are truly DEDICATED and DETERMINED and have the DESIRE to be the best player they can be. They practice on their own and do something almost everyday that will make them a better player.
Often, players with less skill go on to play at higher levels because they have passion for the game and they practice the the four D's: DESIRE, DETERMINATION, DEDICATION and DISCIPLINE! They build upon heir skills through hard work and prepare to succeed!
Coach Bob Harris
Former pro scout
Monday, August 23, 2010
Pitching Rules
The following rules will enable any pitcher to maximize his potential on the mound:
1. Throw first pitch strikes.
2. Stay ahead in the count.
3. Throw inside.
4. Work to develop an effective change up.
5. Control the running game.
6. Pick runners when going up or coming down in your motion.
7. Get the ball to the plate after your infielders have worked to get runner on 2nd to make a move back to the base.
8. Control your emotions.
9. Always sprint toward the first base line on all balls hit to the right side of the infield. so your in position to revieve a throw from 1st baseman.
10. Pitch at a controlled but rapid pace to keep your defense focused.
1. Throw first pitch strikes.
2. Stay ahead in the count.
3. Throw inside.
4. Work to develop an effective change up.
5. Control the running game.
6. Pick runners when going up or coming down in your motion.
7. Get the ball to the plate after your infielders have worked to get runner on 2nd to make a move back to the base.
8. Control your emotions.
9. Always sprint toward the first base line on all balls hit to the right side of the infield. so your in position to revieve a throw from 1st baseman.
10. Pitch at a controlled but rapid pace to keep your defense focused.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Baseball Fundamentals - DVD
The Big League Baseball Fundamentals Collectors Edition 7 DVD set is packed with over 6 hours of fundamental baseball instruction presented by the greatest group of MLB All-stars and Hall of Famers ever assembled on an instructional video, sharing their knowledge, unique drills, and teaching you how to play every position from the ground up to Major League level. Invest in your game! Our series isn’t just limited to hitting, pitching and fielding. Complete instruction covering base running, the “Steal”, safe and effective sliding techniques, “Pick-offs”, holding runners and tons of In-field drills, warm-up techniques and for all you coaches, proven, game winning strategy techniques and tips. You’ll hit a Home Run with the “Collectors Edition” set now that we’ve added 4 more DVDs for a total of 7 DVDs! With the addition of Advanced Hitting, Advanced Fielding, Advanced Pitching and Conversations with Mike Schmidt you will have over 3 more hours of fun and entertaining baseball instruction.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The Changeup
Pitchers, the Change up should be a major part of your arsenal! The Changeup must be thrown more often if you want to advance to the next level!
Hitters work almost exclusively on hitting the fastball. When have you ever seen a hitter work on hitting a Changeup? They're in the cage hitting fastballs! Hitters are taught from an early age to look fastball. They go up to the plate looking for a fastball. Believe me, hitters do not want anything to do with a Changeup! Good Changeups are hard for the hitter to detect
The art of pitching is messing with the hitter's timeing. There's no better pitch than a well located Changeup out of the same arm slot and with the same arm speed as your fastball with an 8 - 10 mph differential. You'll usually get the hitter out on his front foot, he'll roll his wrists over and hit a weak ground ball or often merely swing and miss!
Many young pitchers take a fancey to the curve ball at the expense and neglect of developing the Changeup. There's nothing wrong with throwing a curve ball (at the proper age), but is usually results in the Changeup taking a back seat.
The Changeup is more deceptive than the curve ball because it's rotation is similar to the fastball's while the curve ball has downward spin and more easily recognized by experienced hitters and again, hitters look for fast balls and good hitters lay off curve balls untill they get two strikes. Throw the Changeup early in the game. By showing a hitter your Change early in the game, you plant a seed in the hitter's mind and it gives him something else to think about. It's also good to double up on your Changeup, this shows the hitter that you'll throw it any time and you'll even double up on it.
One of the most ideal times to throw the Changeup is on a 3-2 count. Your curve ball will not set up your fastball as well as the Changeup will. A well thrown Changeup is typically more effective than a curve ball or slider because it's more difficult to detect and it's better suited to set up your fastball.
A correctly thrown Changeup is so deceptive to the hitter that if you maintain fastball mechanics, body language and arm action, a hitter will be fooled by an infinite number of straight Changeups!
Remember, the hitter's mind is strongly wired to react to fastballs. If you truly want to dramatically improve your pitching performance, plan on throwing the Changeup more often! Until you come to terms with this concept, you may never realize how good you can be!
By Alan Jaeger
Hitters work almost exclusively on hitting the fastball. When have you ever seen a hitter work on hitting a Changeup? They're in the cage hitting fastballs! Hitters are taught from an early age to look fastball. They go up to the plate looking for a fastball. Believe me, hitters do not want anything to do with a Changeup! Good Changeups are hard for the hitter to detect
The art of pitching is messing with the hitter's timeing. There's no better pitch than a well located Changeup out of the same arm slot and with the same arm speed as your fastball with an 8 - 10 mph differential. You'll usually get the hitter out on his front foot, he'll roll his wrists over and hit a weak ground ball or often merely swing and miss!
Many young pitchers take a fancey to the curve ball at the expense and neglect of developing the Changeup. There's nothing wrong with throwing a curve ball (at the proper age), but is usually results in the Changeup taking a back seat.
The Changeup is more deceptive than the curve ball because it's rotation is similar to the fastball's while the curve ball has downward spin and more easily recognized by experienced hitters and again, hitters look for fast balls and good hitters lay off curve balls untill they get two strikes. Throw the Changeup early in the game. By showing a hitter your Change early in the game, you plant a seed in the hitter's mind and it gives him something else to think about. It's also good to double up on your Changeup, this shows the hitter that you'll throw it any time and you'll even double up on it.
One of the most ideal times to throw the Changeup is on a 3-2 count. Your curve ball will not set up your fastball as well as the Changeup will. A well thrown Changeup is typically more effective than a curve ball or slider because it's more difficult to detect and it's better suited to set up your fastball.
A correctly thrown Changeup is so deceptive to the hitter that if you maintain fastball mechanics, body language and arm action, a hitter will be fooled by an infinite number of straight Changeups!
Remember, the hitter's mind is strongly wired to react to fastballs. If you truly want to dramatically improve your pitching performance, plan on throwing the Changeup more often! Until you come to terms with this concept, you may never realize how good you can be!
By Alan Jaeger
Monday, August 2, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Core Power For Baseball Players
Is time running out for you to impress the scouts and get that
elusive full scholarship? If you've got 14 weeks...it's not too late! The Major League Insider Training System will get you ready... guaranteed!
Confused about HOW you should be training? Don't be. Learn
step by step exactly how to train for baseball from those on the
Inside of the game. Every day of workouts is spelled out for you!
Learn how to improve your jump and running speed on the basepaths with a 4 simple drills to help you avoid getting caught stealing and never again kill a potential rally
Click Here!
elusive full scholarship? If you've got 14 weeks...it's not too late! The Major League Insider Training System will get you ready... guaranteed!
Confused about HOW you should be training? Don't be. Learn
step by step exactly how to train for baseball from those on the
Inside of the game. Every day of workouts is spelled out for you!
Learn how to improve your jump and running speed on the basepaths with a 4 simple drills to help you avoid getting caught stealing and never again kill a potential rally
Click Here!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Core Power
"Who Else Wants to be the Most
POWERFUL & EXPLOSIVE Baseball Player on the Field After Just 3 Workouts?
...And do this right ON THE FIELD using bats, balls and bands!
Core Power for Baseball will have you hitting the baseball harder, throwing faster, increasing bat speed, improving quickness & reaction and have teammates, parents & coaches asking what you are doing.
POWERFUL & EXPLOSIVE Baseball Player on the Field After Just 3 Workouts?
...And do this right ON THE FIELD using bats, balls and bands!
Core Power for Baseball will have you hitting the baseball harder, throwing faster, increasing bat speed, improving quickness & reaction and have teammates, parents & coaches asking what you are doing.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Pitching's 3 R'S
Realize the basic premise that the pitcher has the advantage. This is the foundation for a successful pitcher. Hitting a baseball is said to be the hardest thing to do in all of sport. The pitcher needs to remember that. "If the swing by a right-hand batter is seven milliseconds (.007) too late, the squarely hit ball will sail foul past first base." - Robert Adair, a Yale physicist who has studied the science of baseball, referring to a 90mph fastball.
Recognize when you, as the pitcher, lose your focus. How do you avoid a big inning? You avoid it by recognizing that you have been taken out of your game and only then can you adjust and refocus to the task at hand. Many pitching plans include some avoidance of "the big inning". It is easy to talk about, but after one of these "big innings" takes place, the pitcher usually only understands it when reflecting back on it after the game and on the chaos that surrounded him while it was going on. The pitcher needs a thought-stopping cue from himself to help recognize that he has lost his focus. It is important to do this so he can pitch in the present and not in the past. The thought stopping cue could be as simple as "STOP", or "play in the now".
Refocus to the task at hand. Once the pitcher "snaps out of it" and concentrates on the present, then he can pitch to his potential and win the situation. The pitcher who analyzes and frets on how all those guys got on base will not be able to refocus into the present to do the job. A routine or mental cue can help with focus. The pitcher needs to let it flow and let the right side of the brain take over. He can only do this if the mind in clear and free of distracting thoughts. Here is an example of how a pitcher can get back into the now by letting his left brain guide him and set his right brain up for the actual pitch. Use the dirt circle of the mound as the positive / negative ground. Whenever he catches himself being negative he goes into the grass. At that time, he can tell himself anything he wants, he can worry about all the runners, the errors and walks that got them there, whatever he wants. However, the second he gets back onto the dirt he is positive and ready to get the next guy out! A routine like this combined with some proper breathing can get the pitcher to stay in a positive, non-distracting mode. Hopefully he spends most of his time in the dirt and stays in the now.
Every pitcher needs a plan. There is not one pitcher in the history of baseball that has gone through his career, let alone a season, or even a game, without adversity. No matter how good a pitcher is he will face dilemmas in games that he needs to have a plan for. It is too easy to say, "Be a bulldog, go get them". Sure successful pitchers have bulldog characteristics and competitive success models built in that they do not even know about, but there is no need to analyze that. It is the pitcher's past experiences, successes, and failures that have given him those built in characteristics. It is the future challenges that the pitcher will face as he progresses to higher levels of competition in his career that he needs the above to help advance his success rate.
Rick Harig
Copyright 2009
Cognitive Advantage Program
http://21f176o14grna0a7o-k4r0n7c.hop.clickbank.net/
Recognize when you, as the pitcher, lose your focus. How do you avoid a big inning? You avoid it by recognizing that you have been taken out of your game and only then can you adjust and refocus to the task at hand. Many pitching plans include some avoidance of "the big inning". It is easy to talk about, but after one of these "big innings" takes place, the pitcher usually only understands it when reflecting back on it after the game and on the chaos that surrounded him while it was going on. The pitcher needs a thought-stopping cue from himself to help recognize that he has lost his focus. It is important to do this so he can pitch in the present and not in the past. The thought stopping cue could be as simple as "STOP", or "play in the now".
Refocus to the task at hand. Once the pitcher "snaps out of it" and concentrates on the present, then he can pitch to his potential and win the situation. The pitcher who analyzes and frets on how all those guys got on base will not be able to refocus into the present to do the job. A routine or mental cue can help with focus. The pitcher needs to let it flow and let the right side of the brain take over. He can only do this if the mind in clear and free of distracting thoughts. Here is an example of how a pitcher can get back into the now by letting his left brain guide him and set his right brain up for the actual pitch. Use the dirt circle of the mound as the positive / negative ground. Whenever he catches himself being negative he goes into the grass. At that time, he can tell himself anything he wants, he can worry about all the runners, the errors and walks that got them there, whatever he wants. However, the second he gets back onto the dirt he is positive and ready to get the next guy out! A routine like this combined with some proper breathing can get the pitcher to stay in a positive, non-distracting mode. Hopefully he spends most of his time in the dirt and stays in the now.
Every pitcher needs a plan. There is not one pitcher in the history of baseball that has gone through his career, let alone a season, or even a game, without adversity. No matter how good a pitcher is he will face dilemmas in games that he needs to have a plan for. It is too easy to say, "Be a bulldog, go get them". Sure successful pitchers have bulldog characteristics and competitive success models built in that they do not even know about, but there is no need to analyze that. It is the pitcher's past experiences, successes, and failures that have given him those built in characteristics. It is the future challenges that the pitcher will face as he progresses to higher levels of competition in his career that he needs the above to help advance his success rate.
Rick Harig
Copyright 2009
Cognitive Advantage Program
http://21f176o14grna0a7o-k4r0n7c.hop.clickbank.net/
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Pitchers - Work Fast
Taking little time between pitches can help a pitcher in several ways and mainly helps him be more effective:
1. First and extremely important, pitchers who work fast usually have a better defense playing behind them. Fielders relax and lose their focus and mental and physical readiness when a pitcher takes his time between pitches. Fielders are more alert when playing behind a fast-working pitcher.
2. Umpires tend to call more strikes on border-line pitches when a fast-working pitcher is on the mound.
3. Usually, when a successful pitcher is working fast, it has a hypnotic effect on the oppossing team. Before the opposing team's hitters figure out what's going on, it's late in the game and usually to late to recover.
4. When the pitcher works fast, hitters have trouble getting ready to hit, it makes them uncomfortable and they tend to get upset.
5. A fast-working pitcher allows his team to get off the field in a shorter length of time and this can help everyone on the team.
6. The faster a pitcher can get his defense off the field, the sooner they can start scoring runs.
Don't confuse working fast with rushing. When the pitcher works fast he uses his regular delivery, he just takes less time between pitches. When receiving the ball back from the catcher, the pitcher should quickly check his fielders and any base runners, get his sign and make the pitch.
Examples of Major League pitchers who work fast include: Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants, Andy Pettitte, New York Yankees, Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers and Mariano Rivera, Yankees, to name a few.
Bob Harris
Former Pro Scout
1. First and extremely important, pitchers who work fast usually have a better defense playing behind them. Fielders relax and lose their focus and mental and physical readiness when a pitcher takes his time between pitches. Fielders are more alert when playing behind a fast-working pitcher.
2. Umpires tend to call more strikes on border-line pitches when a fast-working pitcher is on the mound.
3. Usually, when a successful pitcher is working fast, it has a hypnotic effect on the oppossing team. Before the opposing team's hitters figure out what's going on, it's late in the game and usually to late to recover.
4. When the pitcher works fast, hitters have trouble getting ready to hit, it makes them uncomfortable and they tend to get upset.
5. A fast-working pitcher allows his team to get off the field in a shorter length of time and this can help everyone on the team.
6. The faster a pitcher can get his defense off the field, the sooner they can start scoring runs.
Don't confuse working fast with rushing. When the pitcher works fast he uses his regular delivery, he just takes less time between pitches. When receiving the ball back from the catcher, the pitcher should quickly check his fielders and any base runners, get his sign and make the pitch.
Examples of Major League pitchers who work fast include: Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants, Andy Pettitte, New York Yankees, Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers and Mariano Rivera, Yankees, to name a few.
Bob Harris
Former Pro Scout
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Rotational Hitting
MORE FROM MIKE EPSTEIN
This article is reprinted from http://www.Baseball-Excellence.com
The following is another passage from one of our 2004 Newsletters. It is from an outstanding interview with Mike Epstein, arguably the premier hitting instructor in the country today.
BOB: The three core aspects of hitting are:
Keeping the hands inside the ball
Matching the plane of the swing to the plane of the pitch
Hips lead the hands
Could you say a few words about each?
MIKE: Staying inside the ball means the hands follow the rotating body around its axis. A linear hitter who never rotates cannot stay inside the ball. So many coaches are teaching linear hitting and yet keep telling their kids to stay inside the ball but they get frustrated because hitters physically cannot. In order for staying inside the ball to happen correctly that back elbow has to slot. If your hands come away from your body you will cause them to drag. You don't want drag. I know you have seen the figure skater example; in order to slow down, the skater brings his hands away from his body as he spins.
BOB: You know keeping that elbow slotted makes it easy for a coach to see. If the elbow is not slotted close to the body it means the hands are casting out.
MIKE: That's exactly right. The laws of physics govern our universe. A far as physics are concerned everything is equal and opposite. Torque is equal and opposite. That's why rotational hitters have comprised baseballs most dominant hitters down through the years because what they do enables them to do more than a linear hitter. So if everything is equal and opposite when the back elbow is down there is only one place the front elbow can work and that's up. If the body is in that position then you are automatically going to sit back on the axis because that induces your body to stay behind the ball. There are college coaches out there and some have come up with a harness that forces the hitter to keep that front elbow down. Now think abut this; if your lead elbow stays down then your back elbow comes up. And if it's up where is it going to go when it fires? It's going to go out. It has to- the laws of physics. Sometimes I don't think people really think these things through. I feel bad about this. If people would just understand the concept of staying inside the ball you would realize that the lead elbow has to work up if you are going to stay inside the ball.
If you are going to stay inside the ball the lead elbow has to work up. And that automatically leads into staying on the plane of the pitch.The third core movement is hips lead the hands. And what's important about that is generating torque separating the upper and lower half. This is the lynchpin effect of the whole kinetic chain; transfer of kinetic energy. Kinetic energy always works up in the swing. Therefore it all starts in the feet and the trigger is when you drop your heel. Dropping the front heel triggers the hips. People tell me that I am the only one that has said the swing is triggered when that front heel drops. Once that heel drops the energy starts in your feet and it starts to rotate, starts to unravel because your hips are opening. The top half is still going back but when that linkage between the upper and lower half tighten the lower half starts to decelerate and the upper half starts to accelerate because they are being yanked forward by the tremendous mass (muscles) of the legs rotating open. This yanks the hands through.
There is a fourth core movement as well and that's starting on time. All the great hitters started on time. But that's not a part of mechanics that is just something that should be common sense.
But that's why those core movements are so important.
A. They follow the laws of biomechanics.
B. They enable the hitter to have much more leverage and quickness in his swing because he is able to keep his hands inside the ball.
C. It increases the area upon which his bat swing can act on the plane of the pitch because he is aligned with it.
This article is reprinted from http://www.Baseball-Excellence.com
The following is another passage from one of our 2004 Newsletters. It is from an outstanding interview with Mike Epstein, arguably the premier hitting instructor in the country today.
BOB: The three core aspects of hitting are:
Keeping the hands inside the ball
Matching the plane of the swing to the plane of the pitch
Hips lead the hands
Could you say a few words about each?
MIKE: Staying inside the ball means the hands follow the rotating body around its axis. A linear hitter who never rotates cannot stay inside the ball. So many coaches are teaching linear hitting and yet keep telling their kids to stay inside the ball but they get frustrated because hitters physically cannot. In order for staying inside the ball to happen correctly that back elbow has to slot. If your hands come away from your body you will cause them to drag. You don't want drag. I know you have seen the figure skater example; in order to slow down, the skater brings his hands away from his body as he spins.
BOB: You know keeping that elbow slotted makes it easy for a coach to see. If the elbow is not slotted close to the body it means the hands are casting out.
MIKE: That's exactly right. The laws of physics govern our universe. A far as physics are concerned everything is equal and opposite. Torque is equal and opposite. That's why rotational hitters have comprised baseballs most dominant hitters down through the years because what they do enables them to do more than a linear hitter. So if everything is equal and opposite when the back elbow is down there is only one place the front elbow can work and that's up. If the body is in that position then you are automatically going to sit back on the axis because that induces your body to stay behind the ball. There are college coaches out there and some have come up with a harness that forces the hitter to keep that front elbow down. Now think abut this; if your lead elbow stays down then your back elbow comes up. And if it's up where is it going to go when it fires? It's going to go out. It has to- the laws of physics. Sometimes I don't think people really think these things through. I feel bad about this. If people would just understand the concept of staying inside the ball you would realize that the lead elbow has to work up if you are going to stay inside the ball.
If you are going to stay inside the ball the lead elbow has to work up. And that automatically leads into staying on the plane of the pitch.The third core movement is hips lead the hands. And what's important about that is generating torque separating the upper and lower half. This is the lynchpin effect of the whole kinetic chain; transfer of kinetic energy. Kinetic energy always works up in the swing. Therefore it all starts in the feet and the trigger is when you drop your heel. Dropping the front heel triggers the hips. People tell me that I am the only one that has said the swing is triggered when that front heel drops. Once that heel drops the energy starts in your feet and it starts to rotate, starts to unravel because your hips are opening. The top half is still going back but when that linkage between the upper and lower half tighten the lower half starts to decelerate and the upper half starts to accelerate because they are being yanked forward by the tremendous mass (muscles) of the legs rotating open. This yanks the hands through.
There is a fourth core movement as well and that's starting on time. All the great hitters started on time. But that's not a part of mechanics that is just something that should be common sense.
But that's why those core movements are so important.
A. They follow the laws of biomechanics.
B. They enable the hitter to have much more leverage and quickness in his swing because he is able to keep his hands inside the ball.
C. It increases the area upon which his bat swing can act on the plane of the pitch because he is aligned with it.
Hitting For Power
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... And take all the frustration, difficulty, and headache out of YOUR practice time with this EXPLOSIVE informative 'Hitting Tips' package!"
Just Revealed! New Techniques In Understanding The 7 Deadly Misconceptions About Hitting, Learning How To Overcome Them With An Easy-To-Use Proven System, And How YOU Can Put It To Work For You.
Click Here!
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