When you get on base your goal, in fact the team’s goal, is to score your run. Whether you can run a little bit or not, awareness is the key! So, let’s agree on some obvious ground rules. The ball will be in the hands of either the Pitcher or the Catcher the majority of […]

When organizing a team to participate in the USA Baseball National Tournament [formerly Junior Olympics], the main purpose, my goal, is that each player, as well the team, leave the tournament realizing the game of baseball is, “An Individual Sport in a Team Concept!” In the later years I started organizing the team made up […]

“I just wanted to see how I stacked up,” are the words most families use to justify why they wasted the money they did for a showcase. Whatever makes you happy, but it is still a waste of money. Doesn’t it make more sense to find out “what YOU are good at, what YOU need work […]

Stealing is a very useful tool in a coach’s arsenal. Done correctly, it can be used to change the momentum of any game. In fact even the slowest runner can steal a base when done at the right time [e.g., big jump, delayed, or on a lazy catcher]. Moving the runner into scoring position or […]

In the military we would count the days until we would return home [e.g., 365 and a wake-up]. A countdown to something we looked forward too, and as you prepare for your first year I believe you should have the same excitement. Prepared and ready to go! Yet too many incoming freshmen start their first […]

For most, playing their last high school game is the first time they realize the baseball clock is ticking. Not just the players, parents go through the same awakening. Reminding their son, sometimes daily, “work hard if you want to play professional baseball!” Every day of the year is an opportunity to get better, that […]

Positional players must recognize, defensively, it is their job to help the pitcher reduce their pitch count. We have all witnessed, or worse, maybe participated in a game where an error on the routine play results in a rally for the other team. I must admit I hate the one where you mentally hear “circus […]

Playing third is about trust, reactions, and lack of emotions covering the routine grounder, backhand, and the bunt. Routine Grounder Trust is the operative word when playing third. Instead of surrounding the baseball your job is to attack it at an angle towards first. Trust, if you are unable to get to it, or it […]

In the last week I witnessed a pitcher in college, a pitcher in high school, and then, a pitcher in the majors lose focus, and sadly, lose the game. As the Daily Intelligencer said in 1985, “[Baseball] is not rocket science and it’s not brain surgery…” The game of baseball is about outs [e.g. 21 […]

The objective of baseball is to score one more run than the other team, which translates into how each player must play their position – making every routine play! The emphasis is the same whether you are playing 7 innings or 9 innings, focusing on the outs [e.g. 21 or 27 per game]. Misplaying a grounder, is […]