In this post we are going to explore my idea that high school baseball teams would benefit greatly by setting up their ball club much like major league managers do. It is my belief that it is important for players to have a defined role on a team.
As coaches we all think to ourselves "yeah our players have roles" and of course they do. But, how often do you train them both mentally and physically to perform their specific role so they are at peak performance? How often do you have conversations with them about their role on the team and what they can do to make the ball club better? Are you able to get players 10-14 to be as excited about their job as 1-9 are?
There is a reason why major league clubs all run the same way. The reason is, it's the most effective way to play the game. They have specific players who have specific jobs. These players train both mentally and physically to be great at their role on the team.
Some players may play 9 innings while others may only have one at bat or pitch to one hitter. They have a clear and defined job description of what they will be asked to do on a daily basis. This preparation allows the players to get comfortable and gain confidence so they can perform at peak performance more often.
Most high school teams do not operate in this fashion. I realize it is high baseball and not the pro's. I also understand you cannot run it exactly the same way because of personnel. In high school more often then not your top pitchers are also some of your better hitters and defensive players.
I know it has been that way for me most of the time. But it doesn't change the concept that if you can fit guys into certain roles and prepare them in that way, your team will be more consistent. There are 5 important concepts I believe strongly can help your ball club if you can work it out.
Concept #1: Setting Up Your Pitching Rotation
It is my belief that you are much better off if you can set-up your pitching rotation in the following way. First you must identify your top 5 pitchers. For the most part 5 pitchers will get you through the entire season. There may be a situation here or there that requires a 6th pitcher but 5 pitchers will handle the load.
After you identify the top 5 you need to narrow that list down to your top 3 pitchers. Obviously, your best pitcher becomes your number 1. Then you must make a decision between the other two players on who will be the number 2 and who will be the closer. Once you have established your number 1, your number 2, and your closer then it's time to choose from the remaining two pitchers who will be the number 3. The fifth pitcher then becomes your fourth starter if needed and a middle relief guy.
I have seen so many teams lose because they don't adopt this philosophy. Their number 1 throws a great game only to be lifted in the 6th or 7th for a guy who is not prepared and blows the lead. I know it is in every teams best interest to always have one of your top pitchers available to come in and close out every game. Especially if that pitcher is trained for that situation.
This pitcher needs to be a guy who practices a great deal from the stretch. Let's face it, a lot of high school pitchers don't feel as comfortable from the stretch as they do the wind-up. So why not have a guy that focuses on that situation. A guy that prepares all season to throw under pressure at the end of games.
This also has another huge side effect. It allows you to get your starters out of the game after 80 - 90 pitches allowing them to stay fresh and healthy at the end of the year. It also saves them innings so they could start more games. Pitchers wear down when they do not get adequate rest. You certainly don't want a tired pitcher heading into the post season.
Concept 2: The Pinch Hitter
I cannot stress enough the importance of having a guy on the bench whose total mindset is to hit late in the game in an important at bat that could decide the game. We all have players on the bench that we will bring into the game to hit if some one is a weak hitter or struggling that day. But how many high school teams have a guy who is totally committed to that role.
What I am talking about is a guy who knows his job is to sit on the bench and study the pitcher. If they have a guy in the pen he is on him too. He is mentally preparing himself for that at bat in the 5th, 6th, or 7th inning that is going to determine the outcome of the game.
As coaches to often we focus on the 1-5 hitters when in reality they need the least amount of help. After all that's why they are batting 1-5. It's 6-10 or 14 that most likely will determine the success of our season. Your 3 hole hitter is hitting .450 with 15 extra base hits and coaches are going around talking about how they coached that kid. Anybody could probably coach that kid and most likely he isn't going to be the deciding factor on how many games you win.
Let me give you an example. I coached a kid who in his sophomore and junior season went 20-2 on the mound. 10-0 in the play-offs and was the winning pitcher in 2 State Championship games. He also hit close to .450 over those two seasons and had 16 home runs. He was awesome!
I could make a video and say I coached this player and I would look like a genius. Everyone would rush out to see what I did for this young man to make him so great. I'll give you the secret for free right now! First I got a pencil, second I wrote his name on the line-up card, third I shook his hand at the end of the game.
I have a lot of self-confidence about my self as a coach but I am not so ego minded that I believe I made that kid a great player. I believe I played a small role in helping him but he was the player he was because him and his dad worked year round on becoming that player. Plus by the time he was in High School he was maturing physically and had a great baseball body.
What I can tell you is we didn't win back to back State Championships those two years simply because of him. He was the lead dog no doubt about it. The other 4 hitters in that top 5 did their job as well. In the end the biggest difference between us and the other teams were 6-14. In fact, our best hitter I have ever seen in a play-off stretch was our 8 hitter. He carried us on his back through the post season that first year.
I know I got a little of topic about the pinch hitter but this all plays into the fact that the pinch hitter could be the guy who determines your season. If you haven't prepare a hitter for that job then you are not playing at peak performance.
Concept #3: Defensive Replacements
Again this goes to the same idea that I have said in the first two concepts. If you have a weak defensive player you had better prepare a player behind him you can use late in games with a lead. If not you are tempting fate and eventually will get burned.
Same premise here. Give the player a role. Talk to him about it. Let him train all season so he gets comfortable with entering the game late when all the pressure is mounting. Just firing a player out there because he is a good defensive player without mentally getting him right is just too risky for me.
Concept #4: The Pinch Runner
I will not spend much time here. Instead, I will only make the point that we all have them and use them but how much time do you spend coaching that player for that role. I know I am being repetitive here but this guy is going to be on the base paths when it counts most. Don't leave it to chance.
Concept #5: The Pinch Bunter
This is a concept that is always overlooked. Sure we have guys on the bench that we believe are decent bunters and in the heat of the game will throw them in there in a big spot to bunt. But how well do we prepare them mentally to handle that role??? Do we have a guy that throughout the year we are trying to find an at bat every game where he can get a bunt down? Probably not but we will throw him in there in the top of the 7th in a State Championship game and expect him to get it down.
In Conclusion
There are two main ideas I like about managing your high school team like the major leagues. One, it allows players to have a clear idea of what they will have to do during a game. This allows them to fully prepare for their job. It allows them to learn to control their emotions so they can play at peak performance more often.
Second, it allows more players to be involved in the outcome of the game. The more players who will be involved in the final outcome of the game, the more players you will have preparing in practice. All players practice but not all players prepare. The more players who are involved the better your practices will be. There is not a coach alive who doesn't understand your team plays the way they practice! Best of luck!
As coaches we all think to ourselves "yeah our players have roles" and of course they do. But, how often do you train them both mentally and physically to perform their specific role so they are at peak performance? How often do you have conversations with them about their role on the team and what they can do to make the ball club better? Are you able to get players 10-14 to be as excited about their job as 1-9 are?
There is a reason why major league clubs all run the same way. The reason is, it's the most effective way to play the game. They have specific players who have specific jobs. These players train both mentally and physically to be great at their role on the team.
Some players may play 9 innings while others may only have one at bat or pitch to one hitter. They have a clear and defined job description of what they will be asked to do on a daily basis. This preparation allows the players to get comfortable and gain confidence so they can perform at peak performance more often.
Most high school teams do not operate in this fashion. I realize it is high baseball and not the pro's. I also understand you cannot run it exactly the same way because of personnel. In high school more often then not your top pitchers are also some of your better hitters and defensive players.
I know it has been that way for me most of the time. But it doesn't change the concept that if you can fit guys into certain roles and prepare them in that way, your team will be more consistent. There are 5 important concepts I believe strongly can help your ball club if you can work it out.
Concept #1: Setting Up Your Pitching Rotation
It is my belief that you are much better off if you can set-up your pitching rotation in the following way. First you must identify your top 5 pitchers. For the most part 5 pitchers will get you through the entire season. There may be a situation here or there that requires a 6th pitcher but 5 pitchers will handle the load.
After you identify the top 5 you need to narrow that list down to your top 3 pitchers. Obviously, your best pitcher becomes your number 1. Then you must make a decision between the other two players on who will be the number 2 and who will be the closer. Once you have established your number 1, your number 2, and your closer then it's time to choose from the remaining two pitchers who will be the number 3. The fifth pitcher then becomes your fourth starter if needed and a middle relief guy.
I have seen so many teams lose because they don't adopt this philosophy. Their number 1 throws a great game only to be lifted in the 6th or 7th for a guy who is not prepared and blows the lead. I know it is in every teams best interest to always have one of your top pitchers available to come in and close out every game. Especially if that pitcher is trained for that situation.
This pitcher needs to be a guy who practices a great deal from the stretch. Let's face it, a lot of high school pitchers don't feel as comfortable from the stretch as they do the wind-up. So why not have a guy that focuses on that situation. A guy that prepares all season to throw under pressure at the end of games.
This also has another huge side effect. It allows you to get your starters out of the game after 80 - 90 pitches allowing them to stay fresh and healthy at the end of the year. It also saves them innings so they could start more games. Pitchers wear down when they do not get adequate rest. You certainly don't want a tired pitcher heading into the post season.
Concept 2: The Pinch Hitter
I cannot stress enough the importance of having a guy on the bench whose total mindset is to hit late in the game in an important at bat that could decide the game. We all have players on the bench that we will bring into the game to hit if some one is a weak hitter or struggling that day. But how many high school teams have a guy who is totally committed to that role.
What I am talking about is a guy who knows his job is to sit on the bench and study the pitcher. If they have a guy in the pen he is on him too. He is mentally preparing himself for that at bat in the 5th, 6th, or 7th inning that is going to determine the outcome of the game.
As coaches to often we focus on the 1-5 hitters when in reality they need the least amount of help. After all that's why they are batting 1-5. It's 6-10 or 14 that most likely will determine the success of our season. Your 3 hole hitter is hitting .450 with 15 extra base hits and coaches are going around talking about how they coached that kid. Anybody could probably coach that kid and most likely he isn't going to be the deciding factor on how many games you win.
Let me give you an example. I coached a kid who in his sophomore and junior season went 20-2 on the mound. 10-0 in the play-offs and was the winning pitcher in 2 State Championship games. He also hit close to .450 over those two seasons and had 16 home runs. He was awesome!
I could make a video and say I coached this player and I would look like a genius. Everyone would rush out to see what I did for this young man to make him so great. I'll give you the secret for free right now! First I got a pencil, second I wrote his name on the line-up card, third I shook his hand at the end of the game.
I have a lot of self-confidence about my self as a coach but I am not so ego minded that I believe I made that kid a great player. I believe I played a small role in helping him but he was the player he was because him and his dad worked year round on becoming that player. Plus by the time he was in High School he was maturing physically and had a great baseball body.
What I can tell you is we didn't win back to back State Championships those two years simply because of him. He was the lead dog no doubt about it. The other 4 hitters in that top 5 did their job as well. In the end the biggest difference between us and the other teams were 6-14. In fact, our best hitter I have ever seen in a play-off stretch was our 8 hitter. He carried us on his back through the post season that first year.
I know I got a little of topic about the pinch hitter but this all plays into the fact that the pinch hitter could be the guy who determines your season. If you haven't prepare a hitter for that job then you are not playing at peak performance.
Concept #3: Defensive Replacements
Again this goes to the same idea that I have said in the first two concepts. If you have a weak defensive player you had better prepare a player behind him you can use late in games with a lead. If not you are tempting fate and eventually will get burned.
Same premise here. Give the player a role. Talk to him about it. Let him train all season so he gets comfortable with entering the game late when all the pressure is mounting. Just firing a player out there because he is a good defensive player without mentally getting him right is just too risky for me.
Concept #4: The Pinch Runner
I will not spend much time here. Instead, I will only make the point that we all have them and use them but how much time do you spend coaching that player for that role. I know I am being repetitive here but this guy is going to be on the base paths when it counts most. Don't leave it to chance.
Concept #5: The Pinch Bunter
This is a concept that is always overlooked. Sure we have guys on the bench that we believe are decent bunters and in the heat of the game will throw them in there in a big spot to bunt. But how well do we prepare them mentally to handle that role??? Do we have a guy that throughout the year we are trying to find an at bat every game where he can get a bunt down? Probably not but we will throw him in there in the top of the 7th in a State Championship game and expect him to get it down.
In Conclusion
There are two main ideas I like about managing your high school team like the major leagues. One, it allows players to have a clear idea of what they will have to do during a game. This allows them to fully prepare for their job. It allows them to learn to control their emotions so they can play at peak performance more often.
Second, it allows more players to be involved in the outcome of the game. The more players who will be involved in the final outcome of the game, the more players you will have preparing in practice. All players practice but not all players prepare. The more players who are involved the better your practices will be. There is not a coach alive who doesn't understand your team plays the way they practice! Best of luck!
I like alot of what i have read here, good site!Many high school coaches are also way too involved in the process, my son's hs coach calls the pitches throughout the entire game. i can't stress how much i hate this philosophy. My son is a pretty good pitcher and pitches with good instincts. He is the # 2 starter and at least half the game he does'nt agree with the pitch selection. It does not allow these kids to think for themselves and does a great disservice toward future development.
ReplyDeletevery true, same here. the pitchers see things the coach doesn't from batter to batter, adjustments a batter makes and then a pitch call the pitcher is not comfortable with or confident in. very important sometimes. and the cathcer too sees things. they are high school pitchers you know...not pros...and it would also be ideal if the coach had good assistants to help him execute all of the above ideas. great ideas, but you do need support staff....we sure don't...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments fellas. I have to both agree and disagree with you at the same time. I know very wishy washy response. Rather then write a lengthy response on my opinion of calling pitches I will write a post on here in the next day or so about my philosophy. I would love to hear back from guys. Thanks for the positive response on the blog. I am no computer technician so I am still finding my way. Please keep checking back!
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