The Art Of Communication: Part 2 Pre-Pitch

In part 2 we will discuss pre-pitch communication. It is vital to your teams success that you communicate things before they happen. We want our players to talk to one another before each new batter. We want our players reminded of what to do before they have to do it. We want a constant stream of communication flowing around a ball club at all times.

I want to give you examples of a few of the the pre-pitch communication that's goes on with our team. I will not cover everything in this post but should hit a few ideas to give the jist. Again what you decide to communicate is your decision but this is what we do.

Before each new batter the catcher will start the communication process by stepping out in front of home plate, with his helmet off, and make his calls. It is extremely important to me that the catcher step out in front of the plate and command the field. Some players will try and half you know what it from behind the plate without capturing every ones attention. Must be a general here!

At this point the catcher will go through whatever calls are necessary for that particular situation. Basically, what he is communicating here is how many outs and what the infield with do with the ball. He may also at this point say some encouraging words or make first and third calls.

Some examples of situational calls may sound like this. Let's say bases are loaded with one out and corners up. Our catcher in this situation would step in front of home plate and say, " One out, pitcher you and me, third base you and me, first base you and me, spin in the middle, on your bellies keep it in!"

While he is communicating his process, the infielders are also communicating their processes. The pitcher, third, and first baseman are communicating, "me and you" back to the catcher and the middle infielders are communicating, "me and you" with each other. Infielders are also communicating with the outfielders at this point reminding them about outs and possibly things such as balls into second or whatever that situation might call for.

Another example would be runners on 1st and 2nd and no outs. The catcher would step out and communicate, "No outs, spin the middle, third base which ever way it takes you, pitcher spin it, on your bellies." On your bellies simply means to get off your feet if necessary and keep ground balls in the infield.

Our infielders would be communicating for example: Our shortstop would be reminding the pitcher that ball back to him to spin the double play at second. A simple you and me call will do the trick. The entire infield will be reminding each other be ready I'll be coming to you. Again we usually will give a you and me call with a thumb and little finger shake between us.

Another example of communication would be anytime a left handed batter comes to their plate. Our catcher and first baseman will tell the pitcher, "Ball right side gotta get over." Because the likely hood that a pitcher will have to cover first goes up with a left handed hitter we remind him to do so. Truth is eventually your entire team will do same and in fact, you'll begin to hear parents making the same calls from the stand. It becomes habit for everyone!

In Conclusion

There is not enough time to go through every situation in baseball but the point remains the same. The more you get your players talking and communicating situations there better they will handle them and make plays. The more of a complete ball player they will become and the more their confidence grows.

This can be accomplished through constant repetition on a daily basis. Set up a practice routines where communication is must and your players will eventually know no other way. I will post a drill later on that we use to accomplish most of our communication habits.

Which Pitching Guru Is The Best

I recently read a comment made about my post on Teaching Youth Players To Throw. The post made reference to me being way off mark. I also mentioned Tom House and how I like Dick Mills philosophy on pitching in my comment. The comment he made was Dick Mills has changed his pitching philosophy over the years and wrecked his sons arm.

I thought rather then comment back I would just write a post. Let me start by saying I am not offended or upset by his comments. I want this blog to be an expression of our ideas and philosophies. I encourage everyone whether you agree or disagree on anything to write a comment. It is how we develop our own beliefs. My response is this.

Over the years I have come to realize a few things that have helped me teach players to be successful. The first and foremost is the fact that all players are different. I believe all players have a natural ability and the key is to use what they have and improve it.

For example, I can remember when the drop and drive was the way everyone should pitch. Then it was tall and fall. One instructor says hold a curveball this way and another instructor says his way. I have heard guys preach about arm angles like everyone should throw from the same slot.

I have researched guys who preach straight arm glove hand while others are adamant about it being bent. Some tell you to pull the glove back and others say take your chest to the glove. I won't but I could go on and on about every single little detail of pitching and all the different philosophies.

My take on the whole thing is this. I don't believe there is one right way. I know some of you are believers in certain systems but to fit every player into one box is easier to teach but not the most effective. I'll say it again I have learned that lesson the hard way.

For the few differences I mentioned above there are pitchers who threw in the major league all-star game using that approach. Pitchers who pitched in world series using different styles. Baseball has become such a buy my system sport it's left the players heads spinning. It has left them confused and screwed up. We are doing them a disservice. Let me explain further.

Players can now play organized ball year round. They play their season, summer ball, fall ball, then spend the winter with their instructor. Sounds like a great way for a kid to really develop. It absolutely is if it is done right. However, very rarely is it done right!

Instead what happens is every coach wants to put his stamp on the player. The poor kid, who wants to please everyone, is left changing his fundamentals and approach every 3 months until he gets to the point where he can't get comfortable. If you think that's not happening and causing problems then you are fooling yourself.

Last point, my friend who played in the big leagues for over 10 years was struggling one day with his hitting. We were talking and he said he couldn't hit the ball the other way. I was dumbfounded. The reason is when he was in high school I was so jealous of the way he could drive the ball into right center.

When I asked him why he couldn't hit he response was, I can't remember how to hit. He had gone from high school, to college, to rookie ball, to single A, AA,AAA, and to the bigs. Every stop a hitting coach teaching his philosophy. I am not implying that any of these coaches were not good baseball guys. Nor am I implying that they weren't experts at teaching hitting. I am just saying change is good but too much change and you aren't comfortable anymore.

A went to a game one day when he was playing the Yankees on Yogi Berra day at Yankee stadium. It was an awesome experience. Yogi Berra came back to the Bronx Zoo after a long absence. Don Larsen threw out the first pitch to Yogi in honor of their perfect game in the World Series.

David Cone pitched for the Yanks that day. He threw a perfect game! Can you imagine being the pitcher that day and throwing a perfect game! What made it even more amazing is that he was able to do it with a drop and drive motion. The so called wrong way at the time. There is no right and wrong way in my mind so long as you hit a few base fundamentals.

Baseball has become about pay money for my new system. They make outrages claims like gain 10-15 MPH on your fastball in two weeks. Parents are so eager to hand over their money to these carnies. I tell you what for just $500 I'll guess your weight and hook you up with the bearded woman.

If you are going to pay someone to work with your kid, I am not against that by the way, just make sure he is in it for the right reasons. If they start making big promises stop writing the checks. You want a guy who is there to be honest and teach your kid, not sell his system.

What I like about Dick Mills is his philosophy on keeping it simple and getting away from pitching drills. As far as mechanics go I don't subscribe to one school of thought anymore but rather take what the pitcher brings to me and try to develop it from what he naturally does. If he stays tall fine. If he drops and drives fine. If he is three quarter arm slot fine.

I will simply work to develop base concepts and his mindset. What I totally agree with Mills is the fact that pitching drills have made pitchers robotic. I also agree that some drills are so awkward it retards pitching rather then help it. I believe they are overused and over coached.

I disagree with him on throwing flatground. It is the only pitching drill I will use but I do use it to get comfortable from the wind up and stretch more so then a breakdown drill. Flat ground goes against his belief of explosive movements. I have no scientific research to say why it is effective. I can tell you however, I believe in it. It has worked well for us over the years.

In Conclusion

Every pitching coach out there including Tom House and Dick Mills have changed their philosophies over the years. Some will claim it's the nature of progression while others will say it is to sell a new book. To me I don't know and I don't care. The base concepts will never change!

Also, for every pitching coach out there, there is a pitcher who has a tremendous success and a pitcher that hurt his arm in that system. It all depends on who is telling the story or should I say selling their approach on which they highlight.

I think all the pitching gurus make valid points but to say one way is better then another all depends on who you are working with. Keep the comments coming! I appreciate it!

The Process Of Playing Catch Effectiviely

If you haven't been able to figure it out by now I am a bit of a control freak. But, I am a self admitted control freak. Truth is I am more of a process freak then a control freak. I believe in every ounce of my being that everything has to have a process or things will not get accomplished the way they could.

I stated in earlier posts having processes builds comfort and confidence into players. Again process is simply the way we go about our business. It is little routines we follow for everything we do. It's not focusing on the end result but instead how we got there.

Playing catch is certainly no different. Growing up I used to always say "having a catch" but I played for a coach who thought that was taboo and taught us to say "playing catch". To this day I have to say play catch. That might seem like a bit of useless knowledge but it illustrates how if you do things over and over the same way on a daily basis, they become part of you!

Most teams when they get ready to practice will send their players to the outfield for a stretch and to play catch. Players will throw the ball back and forth talking about Suzy from science class and how pretty she looked today. Although, they are getting the arm stretched some and loosened up it always seemed like a waste of 15 minutes to me.

If we have 15 minutes we do not want to waste it. There is no way to cover every little aspect that we would like to over the course of everyday practice. We might be able to fit in throwing pick-offs one day and maybe relays another but to include everything everyday is very difficult if not impossible.

We are not going to waste 15 minute so we want every throw to have a purpose. We set up our throwing routine with the following process: (I will not cover it in the post but we also throw pick-offs everyday as part of our flatground routine)

Players are broken into three categories. Infielders, outfielders, and catchers. They may all play catch down the outfield line or set-up in various parts of the field.

The first thing all our players must do when playing catch is show their hands to the ball. They will always show both palms to the player throwing to them. The hands will be shown in front of the chest and all players are instructed to hit their partner center mass.

This gives them a clear idea of what they are trying to accomplish. Second, when you are on defense you should always be showing your hands to the ball whether it is a ground ball, double play feed, cut-off, etc... Show your hands to the ball and respect the game for how it is supposed to be played.

Infielders Throwing Process

1. Play catch for 10 throws at a very short distance approximately 30ft.

2. Play quick catch for 10 throws a piece at 45ft. Quick catch is simply catch and throw the ball as quick as possible to your partner 10 times.

What we are looking for here is that the players are learning to move their bodies before they catch ball in order to be quick back out with the throw.

Second, that they are learning to catch with their throwing hand up by the glove so the instant it hits the glove they are pulling it back out. Players will learn to not close the glove very much to make it even quicker.

Third it forces them to make good feeds to one another in order for them to get into that rhythm so they are quick. Repeated repetitions everyday allow them to get extremely good at this critical skill.

3. 5 x Short Relay Throws at 60ft. Short relays is practicing a short relay throw to a partner. Yes we practice relay throws with just two people playing catch. This is how we do it.

First, the player with the ball will turn his back to his partner and hold up his hands like he is receiving a throw from an outfielder. He will then make his appropriate footwork pretending he is receiving the throw and relay it to his partner.

Second, his partner will then work on his footwork as he is receiving an actual relay throw. He will use his footwork, catch the ball, and fake a relay throw. Each player is working on both receiving and throwing a relay throw. It is broken into two parts and allows them to focus on one aspect at a time learning this skill.

I am not going to spend a lot of time in this post talking about how to make relay throws but a short relay throw to us means this: This is a right handed player we are using as an example. He will make a short step to the ball with his right foot as he catches and quickly get it back out.

This is a relay throw from an outfielder to an infielder who is throwing to second or possibly third. It is not a long throw so we want to cut down the distant of the throw from the outfielder by stepping to it and being quick.

4. 5 x Long Relay Throws at 90 ft. Again same as short relay throws as far as what the players are doing with one exception. This is a throw from an outfielder to infielder who has to relay to the plate. It is a longer throw which will require more strength.

The footwork here will be the right foot moves to towards home plate as he catches the ball and the throw will come out a slower because it is a longer throw requiring the player to use his body to help the throw.

5. Finally from here will throw out until the players feel loose or they have run out of time.

Outfield Throwing Process

1. Players will make 10 throws at 30ft showing their hands to the ball and hitting the partner center mass.

2. Play quick catch for 10 throws at 45 ft. This is an important skill for outfielders as well.

3. Ground ball charge play x 5. The outfielders will be approximately 60 to 70 ft apart. One outfielder will roll 5 ground balls to his partner. His partner will treat each of these ground balls as a charge play do or die type situation.

He will practice fielding and throwing imagining he is throwing out a runner at the plate. After 5 reps they switch assignments.

4. Fly ball do or die x 5 at 90 -100 ft. Same drill as before except now the ball is being thrown in the air and the outfielder must get behind it and through it to make a throw back to his partner. After 5 they switch assignments.

5. From here they will throw out until loose or times runs out.

Catcher Throw Process

1. Players will make 10 throws at 30ft to loosen up. Same rules apply show hands hit partner center mass.

2. Play quick for 10 throws at 45ft. We know how important this is for catchers to develop.

3. T-Work x 10 throws at 60 - 90 ft. The catchers will draw or create a T on the ground they are standing on. They squat down so they are sitting on the top of the T and the line running straight down the center of their body. The will work on popping up and getting their body in the right spot using the T as a guideline. They are not receiving a throw before they pop up. They are pretending they just caught the pitch and then pop up from there.

4. Using the same principle as #3 they will make 5 snap throws to first. Obviously the must turn sideways when setting in their crouch before the throw.

5. Using the same principle as #3 they will make 3 throws on an inside pitch to 3rd base and 3 throws on an outside pitch to 3rd base.

6. From here they will throw out until loose or times runs out.

In Conclusion

The idea here is simple. Don't waste time at practice! If you are going to play catch then lets get something out of it. Let's give our players clear ideas to focus on and they will become better players.

We do not have time as coaches to work all of these skills everyday if we try and do it during team time. So work them in during catch time. They are the skills I believe are important to us. You can be creative and use your own philosophy as to how you want to set-it up or what skills you want to practice. Just don't waste that time!

One more thought here. If at times I want to change things up for the catchers and infielders for couple of days I will set up four cones around the infield like they were the four bases. I will set up a set of four at 40ft, 65ft, 90ft, 120ft. Then I will split the players even at all the cones.

Then throwing to their left they must go around the horn 5 times without missing a ball. If there are 3 players to a cone they will keep alternating in order. Once they make it 5 times they will have to do it going to the right.

Once they have completed 40ft, they go to 60ft, and so on until they have completed the challenge as a group. We will use that as our sole warm-up. They will not go to the outfield and flip the ball back and forth without any real direction. It is amazing how good they can be when they are focused on a tasked. Another note here: This is a great teachable moment drill because as players mess up you can instruct them on to how to handle it as a team. I.E. pick up your teammates!

The distances I used were for high school players. It goes without saying (although I am about to) you can adjust them for younger players. Best of Luck!

Teaching Youth Players To Throw

I was watching some youth players playing catch last night. They were probably 8 or 9 years old. As I watched them throw it brought me back to when I was coaching high baseball and I was always shocked at how so many of our players threw the baseball with unsound mechanics.

The three biggest mistakes, that are correctable at the lower levels, are not turning the ball backwards before they throw it, not staying sideways as long as possible, and not finishing with the glove up near the chest. These three areas are going to have everything to do with how hard and accurate players can throw as they mature physically.

By the time these players get to high school they have made so many throws using that same motion it is almost impossible to change it. Trying to change it often does much more harm then good. I have learned that the hard way as well.

I know there is a ton of information out there about throwing and pitching. There are many different approaches available for you to try. Most of these approaches will have the same base philosophy but then they will add their own spin to it.

I caution everyone not to get so caught up in the 900 different ways to teach every single little detail about pitching for instant. It is confusing to players and only makes it harder. Instead, what I believe is to get your players to understand the three base concepts above until they can master those areas. Once they have done that and you want to build from there that is your choice.

As you can tell I am putting throwing and pitching together because it's the same base concepts that are important. I really believe throwing is such an under emphasized skill. Coaches spend time with pitchers but very rarely spend enough time with entire team on throwing the baseball.

We have won State Championships because other teams could not make throws when it counted most. Soon I will write a post called The Process Of Playing Catch Effectively where I will outline what I believe in.

The skill of throwing a baseball must be an emphasis in your program. It allows your defense to play at it's best and your team will develop many more players who will turn into quality pitchers. Let's take a look at three critical skill concepts.

Throwing Skill Concept #1: Turn the ball backwards

Let's use a right hand pitcher as an example. As he breaks his hands and takes his arm back, his hand and the ball should turn backwards. A general rule of thumb here is a right hand pitcher should have the ball pointed at the shortstop and a left hand pitcher at the second baseman.

Having said that's a general rule of thumb I would only check to see that he is getting it turned backwards to at least that far. I would not mess with him if he is turning it back a little more then that. Below is a picture of Pedro Martinez turning the ball back.

If you look at the ball in the picture you will see that it is clearly pointing backwards. Pedro Martinez is very small for a major league pitcher but he has developed great arm speed and throws the ball in the mid 90's in his prime. No doubt god given ability has a lot to do with that but so does a proper throwing motion.

A lot of times this small detail goes unnoticed in young players and will become the way they throw the rest of their lives. They are costing themselves velocity. I have had numerous players during my coaching career who have come to me throwing without turning the ball backwards. They all left still throwing incorrectly because we were unsuccessful in changing it. It is almost impossible to change by the time you are 16,17, and 18 years old!

Throwing Skill Concept #2: Stay sideways as long as you can

The second problem I see with youth players in their throwing mechanics is they open up to soon. The front shoulder and hip fly open way to soon. When this happens it slows down your velocity and puts added stress on the throwing shoulder.

What we would like to have happen is when our hands break (ball is removed from the glove) and we start towards the target we are throwing to, we want to be sideways as long as possible before we rotate. You may of heard of this as late hip rotation.

Stay sideways as long as you can is a much easier for the player to visualize then interpreting late hip rotation. In fact even easier is showing them video and pictures to get the idea. Below is a picture of Greg Maddux who stays sideways as long as anybody.

As you can see the first picture is of Maddux pitching with the Braves. Notice how sideways his body still is as his front foot is about to hit the ground. In the second picture when he is with the Cubs his front foot has already planted in the ground and you can see how sideways his body still is.

This means he will have great late hip rotation maximizing his velocity and minimizing the stress on his arm. Greg Maddux has pitched for a long time and is one of the greatest in the game. One reason he has done so well is his durability. I believe his ability to stay sideways is a major reason why!

Throwing Skill Concept #3: Glove finishes some where near the chest

As players are throwing the ball the glove hand should be pulled back to their chest. What you will see from a lot of of players is the glove flying out to the side and their arm dangling down as they release the ball. This is a sure sign that they are flying open with their front shoulder.

The picture below of Pedro Martinez shows where the glove should be located when you throw the ball.

You can see Pedro has pulled the glove back into the chest which helps keep him closed and aligned with home plate. One thing you must be aware when teaching young players however, is check to make sure they do not put the glove on their chest during the entire throw. Their glove hand should come out in a normal throwing motion and then pulled back to the chest.

There are different debates here as to whether the glove hand should be extended straight out or kept bent. Again I wouldn't spend my time worrying about it so long as it goes out then back to the chest. Also, Pedro's glove is pinned to his chest. I wouldn't get overly critical about making it pin like his does. Just get the idea and in the vicinity of the chest.

If you watch major league baseball you will see not all the pitchers finish with the glove in the same spot but they do finish somewhere near the chest.

In Conclusion

Throwing is the main skill in baseball. I don't believe it is emphasized or practice enough however. I also believe that is true for all levels not just youth baseball. You can gain a huge advantage over your opponents by not overlooking the skill that most do.

There is very little difference between throwing and pitching the mechanics are very similar. If you can get players to focus and master those three concepts then they have a great chance to be an outstanding thrower whether it is in the field or on the mound.

One final note here. Some of you may be thinking you didn't mention arm swing. Should the players break their hands and go straight back or should they make that long C motion where they take their thumb to their thigh and their fingers to the sky.

I use to coach that long C motion because that is what I was always taught. But then I began researching on my own taping major league pitchers. What I found is some make a long C and some take it straight back. The straight back guys seem to have great control throwing that way.

When Roger Clemens was a younger and dominating for the Red Sox he was a long C motion guy. In the middle of his career he changed to a much shorter take back. He was very successful both ways. So I ask you which is right? I am sure you have an opinion but I challenge you to study for yourself. Not from a book or coaching video where they are selling their point but from your own watching.

Alot of what you believe you will find many major leaguers do not do. Alot of what you think are fundamental truths will be questioned. Don't over coach unnecessary details that confuse and make players uncomfortable. Instead focus on the major points because the rest is mainly style. Best of Luck!

Who Should Call Pitches: The Pitcher/Catcher or The Coach

I recently received a comment about who should call pitches during the game. Should the catcher and pitcher work together or should the coach make the calls. I have to admit this is something I have debated over the years. With exception of two seasons I have always called the pitches. Having said that our best year was one of the season I turned the pitch selection over to the catcher with the pitchers help.

Let's take a moment and go through the positives from both respective sides of the argument!

The Coach Should Call The Pitches Argument:

1) As I coach I kept records of opposing hitters. Both in games we played against them and any game we scouted. If they were 2,3, or 4 year starters then we had every at bat from every year. Each at bat had the following information:

1) What hand pitcher was throwing

2) Where they hit the ball

3) What the count was

4) What pitch they hit

5) Finally, was the pitcher in the stretch or wind-up

From this information we would position fielders and make pitch selections based on previous results. We would also try and balance past information with what we were seeing that day.

2) What I like about this approach is it simplifies the game for the pitcher and catcher. Their focus stays on throwing, catching, and knowing situations so they know where to go with the ball. I don't want extra burden on these players if there is no need. Here's why!

I am a strong believer in keeping things very simple and competing by being assignment sound, technique sound, and out executing the other team. I believe even at the professional levels of baseball, basketball, and football they make it to complicated and it effects their performance. Do a few things and do them extremely well. Ala Vince Lombardi and the Packer Sweep play.

3) You could argue that if we have all this information then the pitcher and catcher could have it as a tool to set-up hitters. Yes they can, but it breaks my philosophy of keeping them focused on a few important components to their success. Plus we might have 2 to 3 different pitchers throw in a game who would all have to be able to learn and process all this information in an extremely short period of time.

The Pitcher/Catcher Should Call The Pitches Argument:

The advantages of the pitcher/catcher calling the game are as follows:

1) He has a good vantage point of where the hitters are in the box in relation the plate. He also has a view of the batters front side. Is he opening up, is he cutting himself off, etc...

2) It allows them to be more of a thinking mans pitcher/catcher. It allows them to think about setting up hitters and thinking 2 pitches a head. Would lead to them learning more about the game.

3) Allowing the pitcher to have final say will mean he will throw the pitch he is most confident in for that pitch. Which is better: Having the pitcher throw the right pitch at the right time with half confidence or throwing maybe not the right pitch but being confident in it?

My Philosophy and Approach

After scrolling up and reading the two sides I realize I wrote more on the coaches side then the pitcher/catcher side. This does not mean I do not think the 3 advantages listed for the pitcher/catcher aren't valid. Truth is they are very valid and none more then answering the question in number 3.

The questions still becomes which is better. There are great arguments for both sides. I think both sides are a sound philosophy and something you could build your pitching program around. But, I have one question I have to ask here. Why do we have to choose?

Let me explain. I have always found both sides to be compelling arguments so I thought to myself is there a way to blend together these two approaches where you could capitalize on the strengths of each. Here's what I believe in.

With the information I keep available I believe I should call the pitches. But I believe I should call them with the help of the pitcher and catcher. Their input from pitch to pitch, batter to batter, and inning to inning is invaluable.

Here's how I believe it should be done. First, I make the pitch selection based on the information I have available. That information does not only include the information I have on the scouting report but the constant feedback I am getting from the pitcher and catcher.

Second, the catcher is taught hand signals which he can relay to me on where the batter is in the box. Mainly, how close he is to the plate because I can see front to back of the box.

Next, you need to talk with the catcher after each inning and get his report on the pitchers stuff. How is the fastball, is the curve ball sharp, is the ball moving, etc... Let's face it pitchers lie so you need an honest catcher.

Third, allow the pitcher to shake you off but under the following rule. If he shakes you then you will call a different pitch. If he shakes and gets the pitch call again then he must throw that pitch.

This allows the pitcher to have some say in pitch selection and gives you the opportunity to answer the question in #3 based on the feel of the game. Don't forget to consult the pitcher on what he is feeling most confident with that day!

Why say we will always throw what the coach says regardless of how the pitcher feels. Why say the pitcher is always right and can throw whatever he feels most confident with. Why not have the ability to allow that particular moment in the game to decide which you think is best.

I really think this is the best approach to having a system that allows you to be successful. It allows input from all the important parties and still allows the coach to be in control of the decision making. This might mean he decides to make the decision or he decides to allow the pitcher to make the decision.

In Conclusion

I have been a coach who has called every pitch in a season and not allowed the pitchers to throw anything but what I called. I have coached seasons where I left the pitch selection up to the pitcher and catcher. Truth is I have been fortunate enough to be successful both ways.

However, I don't feel completely satisfied either way. I feel I should call the pitches and allow the pitcher a chance to shake. Truth is in most cases I will send in a different pitch if he shakes. If I do not then I coach him to take that as a sign that he must get committed to that pitch before he throws it.

It could work the other way as well. You could allow the pitcher to call the game and have signs where you can call a pitch when you wanted to. I don't like that approach as much but it's not to say it isn't a sound philosophy.

I look forward to hearing your comments and ideas!

Effectively Using Video During Baseball Season

The following post has to do with in-season coaching not out of season coaching:

Using video to teach players can be an invauble resource for both players and coaches. It is one of my favorite tools and I have used it quite extensively in my coaching career. However, I caution coaches to use it in the right way. I unfortunately had to learn the hard way. Sometimes as coaches we can be so motivated, hard working, and well meaning that we actually do more harm then good!

I have effectively used video to make players better. I believe I have also used video ineffectively and made them worse. Players are visual learners and in fact most of us learn better if we can see someone do it either live or on video. The message the teacher is trying to convey is much easier for the player to understand. It just seems to make more sense that way. It really isn't that hard to mimic someone else if we have a clear picture in our minds of what we are trying to do.

Although, I read and research alot of information on learning it nevers really hits home with me until I experiment myself to see what philosophy I believe in. Almost every belief I have has come from reading and researching all the information out there I can find then trying out different ways and seeing what works best. If you can find a book where one author says one thing then you will definetly find another book by an author who says the opposite. They always have solid research and information that sells their point.

If you are like me and you read 5 different books on the subject you will come up with 3 or 4 different philosophies. They all sound great. They all make perfect sense. But which one do you follow? Which one should you use? My best answer is, I don't know! Instead what I do is read all of it and then try it out. If what I am doing first is working then I stay with it. If it isn't, I go onto the next one. I will continue this cycle until I get what I want. The funny part is you often find the answers your looking for when you think there is nothing left to do.

Let me give you an example of how I came up with my philosophy on the use of video tape. Our season in 2005 was a magical year for us. We accomplished every goal we had set for ourselves. We finished the year number 1, won a state championship, won the diamond classic tournament, I mean life was good. I was so proud of what our ball club accomplished. We were a good team but routinely beat teams who were as good as us and better.

It would be great if I could say the entire year was sunshine and rainbows but it wasn't. In fact, early in the season we were not playing well. Our pitchers in particular were not throwing up to their capabilities. I couldn't figure out why. I had taught them every phase of pitching and we drilled on an everyday basis. I had two TV's set up in the locker room each hooked up with a vcr. I had tape of them side by side from a week ago to today. I had tape from last year, comparing it and breaking down each component of pitching.

We would look at how to improve each flaw. They were hard workers would stay late and watch film to improve their mechanics. I had pictures of major leaguers at certain points in their delivery hung around the room. I showed them books and read from them. I mean every pitcher on our staff could have given a clinic on pitching including technique, drills, grips, pitch selection, and video analysis. I mean these kids were smart and well informed.

Yet, we couldn't get anybody out. We were inconsistent in throwing strikes and spent the majority of the time throwing from behind in the count. If we didn't walk them, they would mash it. It was the most frustrating time of my coaching career. For the first time I didn't feel confident I had an answer to fix the problem. I was so upset I called the pitchers over one day and reamed them about not doing their jobs. That I had nothing left to teach them or rep them on. I was so frustrated I even thought for a minute that they just didn't care!

After I calmed down I knew that wasn't the truth but I was angry at myself for not being able to identify the problem and fix it. I went home and poured through every book I owned and that's a pretty big bookshelf. I found absolutely nothing to help us. I mean I was already doing all the things that I had picked up from different coaches I respected. Guys I believed were much smarter then me. I fell asleep still conflicted about the answer.

The next day I drug myself into school. I mean I had the look of a beaten man. I went into my 2nd period class and totally didn't want to be there. I saw two students in the back of the gym fooling around and dancing. Normally I would have jumped right on them but I just didn't have the energy so instead I just sat quietly waiting for them to finish so we could start class. Usually, the peer pressure from the class to stop will do the trick.

I watched the first student do some fancy dance from an MTV video. It was really good and it was complicated as hell. The other student with him, without trying to sound to mean, was dumber then a box of rocks. I had him in health class the year before and he was a terrible student who was lucky to pull a D in my class. Within 5 minutes this student memorized the entire dance. This kid couldn't memorize a simple defintion in class and he memorized this complicated dance in less then 5 minutes. I mean it was so good the entire class was just watching the two of them put on a show. I spent most of the period in aw!

I sat in my office after class thinking how did some 13 year kid just teach another 13 year old, who is not very smart so I thought, this skill? I went to practice that day thinking about the two of them. When I got to practice I decided to make three changes with our pitchers.

First, I called them over and told them we were done doing anymore pitching drills. Second, I told them we were going to pitch and play with tempo. I wanted them to stand on the mound, get the ball back from the catcher, and almost imediately throw the next pitch. I spoke with our catcher about getting the ball back quickly and I turned the pitch calling over to him so we could get the sign to the pitcher quicker. It helped that I had complete confidence in my catcher.

Third, I stopped all video watching except I went back and got a film of a stud pitcher we had two years before. I put it in the VCR and would let it roll. No comments, no corections, just let the video roll. I just wanted them to get a visual picture in their mind of a pitcher with good mechanics having sucess.

The pitchers knew the kid on the tape and knew how good he was. Fundamentally he was very sound and they like to watch him throw. So they would watch the film and joke about how nasty he was. We never said a word about technique just watched him throw.

The first two things tempo and pitching drills are for another post but the third(video) was based on the fact that our pitchers had become to technical, to robotic, and to critical of themselves. The video was a big part of that. They wanted to be perfect and pretty but truth is that's not what I believe in as a coach. I want feel, tempo, timing, and rythym. Breaking down the video so much was defeating what I wanted. It wasn't the players fault it was mine. To me pitching is an art not a science!

After watching those two boys in class I began remembering the dance class I had to take in college. I had to learn a dance called the Dublaska(I know this is spelled wrong) Polka. I was given a book with pictures and the steps. I tried hard to learn that dance but I just didn't get it. The teacher would explain to me the steps and would break it down into small parts for me to learn.

I was awful! I just didn't get it! Finally, she gave me a copy of the dance perform on stage by some traveling dance company. I watched the tape every night before bed and honestly didn't even practice that much, I just watched it over and over. When it came time for me to perfrom the dance I did pretty well. I just mimiced what I watched over and over on the tape. I wanted our players to do the same thing so to speak.

I didn't want every pitcher trying to copy the same guy however, so I taped major league pitchers who I thought they were most like. I just rolled the tapes and would tell certain pitchers you throw alot like this guy I want you to watch him.

Point here is we went on to have the best season I ever coached and the pitching staff ended the year with the lowest ERA of any staff I had ever coached. The funny thing here is they were not the most talented pitching staff I had worked with. The reason we were so successful was all because I shut up!

The pitchers had a good idea of the right mechanics and getting all those thoughts out of the head was the difference. I took it a step further and wouldn't even tell the pitchers who was throwing that day. They would look at the line-up 30 minutes before the game to see if there name was on there. I didn't want them having all night and all day to start filling their heads with technical nonsense. They checked the list and if they were pitching they immediately went out and went through their pregame process. They didn't have a lot of opportunity to sit around and think.

In Conclusion

Alot of you might be thinking a lot of those ideas are a little to extreme. I want you to know I agree with you. I do not go that extreme when I coach. It was good for that year but although it is what a lot of my philosophy is, is not totally what I do now.

First, I do teach pitchers the proper mechanics of pitching but I do not go overboard picking apart every little detail. Instead, I will check a few critcal points in the delivery from time to time. I will not make any change unless it is absolutely neccessary or something very small.

I will use a pitching drill but truth is, it is not a breakdown drill but rather based more on feel and rythym then technique. I want them to get comfortable with their delivery and grips. I want them to focus more on location then technique.

Also, I will show them film of themselves pitching but I am very careful to limit how much they watch and what the emphasis is on. In most cases I will only show them if they are struggling and not getting what we are trying to do. If all else has failed I will go back to it. If they are throwing well I will not show them.

I believe whole heartedly that players are better able to mimic other players then to learn through constant instructions. I think it is in their advantage if you can put together tape of a player who is similar to them and make suggestions as they watch it. You will begin to see them naturally evolve into what you want.

An arguement someone may make about this, is the fact that what players think they are doing and what they actually do are two different things. If you are thinking that I completely agree with you. That's why I am saying put a visual picture in their head and not repeated instructions. They have a much better chance to imitate that video in their head then to listen to our commands.

The video is an invaulble teaching tool and you need to use it to your advantage. Just be smart enough to realize when your pitchers are becoming to mechanical and remember a pitcher with rythym and feel has a better chance to be successful. Be careful to coach but not overcoach or you will learn the hard way like I did. I was fortunate enough that two knuckleheads in my class taught me a valuable lesson!

The final note here is I am talking about in season practice. If I were working with a player out of season. I would show them more film and break it down for them. I might do a couple of pitching drills to help get them in the right spots. If they are out of season and being very technical and a little robotic that's fine. They are not throwing to hitters and compromising their success. However, if we are within a month of the season I am not going to fill his head with 10 different things to work on. If so he is headed for self-destruction. Best of luck!

Building Trust In Your Baseball Team

Building trust in your baseball team is the number one fundamental skill any quality program must have in my opinion. Without trust your program will never reach it's full potential. You can teach throwing, hitting, and catching till the cows come home but, if you haven't built trust in your program you are never going to sustain consistency. Without trust, adversity will rip your ball club apart at every seam.

On the flip side, once trust is instill in your program you will be able to handle the bad times in your season. You will have the power to play a bad stretch of baseball (which happens to everyone) and have a team that will continue to play hard. A team that will not start pointing fingers and making excuses.

Instead, you will find young kids showing character well beyond their years. They will stay together. They will believe in each other and the program. The will know that the ship will right itself. This belief is what actually makes or breaks your season. It is not just about having good players.

Most teams play a schedule that consists of a few teams that they are better then and a few teams they are not as talented as. But the majority of the schedule is against opponents that are very similar in ability. Trust is what separates those teams over the course of a season.

Trust is also what allows you to beat better ball clubs who don't possess the necessary resolve it takes to compete everyday. When things get tough and it's late in the game players are either going to trust in what they are doing or they are not. The more the pressure builds the more it will show. What do you want your players thinking?

Obviously, this is a very important mindset to me as a coach. It is the first thing I talk about on the first day of practice. I make sure that we are talking and working on it everyday throughout the season. I believe it is what we did best in our program but we didn't leave it to chance. We lived it everyday!

What is TRUST?

To me TRUST as it relates to a baseball teams is broken down into 3 areas:

1) Player to Player
2) Player To Coach
3) Coach to Player

Building these 3 trust areas is critical to a programs success. They are all areas which you can teach and give opportunities to your guys to grow as a player, teammate, and person.

Most people hear the word trust and they think about if you can tell someone a secret and they won't tell anyone. Or their boyfriend or girlfriend won't cheat on them. Part of our trust definition is exactly that, but it does go much deeper.

Trust to us also means that we trust you will be there everyday. You are not going to miss practice. You are not going to get in trouble off the field. That you are going to pay attention to the details when coach is talking. Bottom line that you are going to handle your responsibility like a professional and we don't ever have to worry about you.

I am like most coaches. I have a few rules and truth is they are the same rules that every coach probably uses.

1. Be on time

2. Make eye contact

3. Maximum effort

4. Represent our team on and off the field in a positive manner

5. Take care of business in the classroom: Both behavior and schoolwork

Nothing earth shattering here with the rules. A big part of our trust package relates around these rules. The difference between programs is not the rules they have but rather the enforcement of these rules. I always wanted our players to do those five things not because they were rules, but because it was the right way to do things.

Rules are made to be broken so maybe we would all be better using the "Law of Attraction" and calling them "Rights" instead. I didn't want them thinking, "don't do this because it is against the rules and I will get in trouble." I wanted them thinking, "do this because it's the right way to do it!"

Teaching kids is more effective in the long run then punishing kids but sometimes the line between the two is blurry. Always work to teach them the right approach to the game and life. But when all else fails disciplining your players to help ingrain the right way is a must!

The Rules For Building The 3 Trust Areas

Rule #1: Talk A Good Game

I believe the first stage of building anything starts with talk. I know the old saying, "Talk is cheap." I actually say that quite a bit when I am coaching. But, if you are going to build something you need to have a clear picture of what it is you want build.

More importantly then that, you have to be able to be a wordsmith and paint a picture for your players. They need to understand, just as well as you do, what you want to build and how you will go about building it. Just throwing out a coaching cliche like, "We have to trust one another!" won't get it done.

You need to explain to them how trust helps them as a player and a team. How trusting yourself will allow you to reach peak performance and then teach them how to do. How trust builds confidence and allows you to overcome adversity and win games when your down.

Rule #2: Same Rules

Once, you have painted that picture of what you are building you need to back it up. If players are going to trust you and one another, then they all must follow the same set of rules. Whether it is a starter or the last kid on the bench the same rules apply.

If you are gonna bust an average player for not running out a pop up then you better be busting your star for the same thing! If you bench your 9 hitter because he was a problem in school then you better bench your number 1 pitcher if he does the same thing.

If you allow players to follow different rules then you are creating a situation where players will begin to build animosity towards you and more importantly one another. Clicks will then begin to form and your season is lost! Trust is formed when everything in your program is consistent.

Rule #3: Know The Game

If you want to build trust between players and coaches then you need to know the game. You have to be able to speak confidently and have answers for everything. You have to be a coach that the players respect(whether they like you or not) because you are in control. Even when you don't have answers you need to seem like you've got it all figured out.

You are organized. You understand techniques and team play. You can motivate and keep everyone going in the same direction. You have a infrastructure inside the program that the players lean on. If the players have confidence in you as a coach their trust level goes way up. If not, they have no trust in the team.

Rule #4: Live It Everyday

Come up with ideas that foster the idea of trust. I am not talking about a guy falling backwards with another playing catching him. Their are a lot of trust game ideas like that. I am not saying they don't work, I just don't think it has any lasting effect and plus I really don't think they work!

I have always used the same 3 tools because they have always worked for me. These are actual physical ideas that they live every day. Be creative here! I am sure there are a lot of cool ideas you can come up with to hammer home the point of trust.

The first thing I always do is come up with a saying that I think is important for the team that season. Not something general like Play Hard. Something specific for that team. Once I have decided what the saying will be, I will break it down to three letters.

For example: One season we used the letters S.S.B. which stood for Steadiness in Small Bites. I felt it was important that season to take that attitude so that's what I used. Another year I used O.N.E. which stood for Ownership Not Excuses. It has to be a message that you want to hammer home to that years team.

In 2002 we won a State Championship. In 2003 we returned almost every member of the 02 team. My biggest fear was that success would go to our head and we would lose sight of what got us a state championship. That season I used the letters A.M.F. which stood for Assumption is the Mother of all Failure. I wanted a daily reminder to them to not assume anything.

Once I settle on the saying and the letters I would tell the team what it meant and why it was important. Then they would be instructed that no one outside of our program was allowed to know what the letters meant until our season was over. These letters were special to us and I wanted them to trust each other that no one would give them away.

I guess it is like a little secret society type deal but our kids took pride in it. I took these letters and put them on the back of a T-shirt that every player wore under their uniforms. When we took infield and outfield we took the field in those T-Shirts. Everywhere we went on a daily basis our players were being asked what the letters stood for. Our players had to tell them we can't tell you it's for us.

Every player on our team was asked over and over. Opposing players, coaches, umpires, fans, and the media. Our local paper wrote stories about it. The kids were not allowed to tell parents, relatives, girlfriends, nobody! It grew into such a special thing for these players. Everyone would spend all season trying to guess what they were.

I went to scout a rival team and a number of my players were at the game as well. While their team was playing on the field against another school their student section sitting in the bleachers began chanting the letters on the back of our shirts across the field. None of our players had the shirt on. They knew what the initials were and they weren't even players!

The first year I did this at the high school level was 2002. We had just won the State Championship. We ran out piled up on the mound, received the trophy, talked to the media, hugged and kissed family, I mean it took some time. Finally when I gathered all my stuff and walk out behind the dugout towards the bus there was all of our fans, players parents, and family. I mean a crowd of people who weren't about to let me leave until I told them what the letters stood for since our season was over. The cool thing is we won 4 State Championships in 5 years and every year the fans and media waited for me to come out and tell them.

The second thing I will do is write every players name down on a 3 x 5 card and put it in their locker. I tell them this is your name. Then I put a box by the door they walk out to head to the field. On the box are the words "check your name at the door".

This done because I teach them you must set aside your ego and play for the team. This is a way to physically remind them of this concept everyday. However, this is also another trust building exercise. The reason being they must all put their name in the box and they must all pick them up after practice and put them back into their locker.

If at the end of the night when I close up any names are left in the box the team will run. I don't mean a little running I mean a lot. Something they absolutely do not want to do. Here's why. You go out and practice for three hours or more. Your tired when you come in, maybe your in a hurry that day and you run out and forget your name. So the next day we run and run and run.

Here's what begins to happen however. Players begin checking the box before they leave to see if any player has left his name tag in there. If a player has left and their name tag is still in the box the other players would take it and put it in their locker for them. They always did this so I wouldn't know. I knew! And it is exactly what I wanted. Players looking out for one another and building trust.

Yes I know taking out the name tag saves your own backside but to the player who left it your a godsend. We ran one time and haven't run since. Players began focusing on these little details and trust was building. I listened to a conversation between two players who didn't know I was there. The first player said "did you know you forgot to put your name tag back in your locker." The second player said "yes". The first player responded "you must have been worried!" The second player said, "Nah, I knew someone would get it for me". That's the trust factor I was looking for!

The final thing I believe in is disciplining everyone for one players mistakes. If we have a player let's say who gets in trouble in school we all run for it. I do this for a specific reason. One, it puts pressure on the players to think of the team before themselves because their mistakes affect everyone.

Think about it this way. If I mess up and have to run that's one thing. But, if I mess up and everyone has to run for it that's another. I need to think about my choices and how they affect the team. I mean that's the exact attitude you are trying to build on the field.

It is not the only thing I am trying to build with it however. I have run teams quite a bit when needed because of players breaking rules or because the team's effort is sub par. The attitude and atmosphere I am trying to build is different then most however.

I put the team through the ringer so to speak and so the team begins to build trust with another by not messing up number 1. But also I want our players to back the player who messed up. I will always tell the players your out here running you mind as well make it as enjoyable as you can. There is no point in being mad because it isn't going to change the fact that you are running.

I am easily angered but once you have paid your debt we move forward no grudges. I wanted the players to stay together and trust everyone had each others back even if it was against me. I didn't want them falling apart at the seams because something bad happened. If it happens in practice it will show up on the field. If you know the teams got your back then you can make a mistake during the game and bounce right back. Your team will trust each other and handle adversity. That's what champions are made from.

In Conclusion

Trust is the foundation from which all successful programs are build on. You must as a coach take time everyday to work on it. Even if it is just a little thing here or there. Constantly teach it and come up with creative ways to illustrate your message. If you can build a team that trusts you will be successful.

Why High School and Youth Baseball Coaches Have A Bigger Impact On Success Then Any Other Sport!

I want my first post on this site to be something that helps get us motivated to "Get After It!" To build players and teams that play to their potential! I believe a baseball coach has more of an influence on the teams overall play then any other coach has in any other sport.

If you are a baseball coach then this has to immediately get you excited about the job you do. There are so many ways we can get ahead of the other teams if we will take advantage of our opportunities. If you can't get excited about that concept then your in the wrong sport!

I know football, basketball, soccer coaches etc... who read this are gonna argue differently. I have coach basketball and football for a long time and I am not trying to imply that coaches don't make a difference in those sports. The fact is coaches make a difference in every sport. My point is in baseball you have the opportunity to affect your team a little more then other sports. Here are 3 reasons why!

Reason # 1
Baseball is not a game based on athleticism. The more athletic you are certainly helps your ability to play the game but it is not the number one most important thing a player or team has to have in order to play well. In football and basketball let's say, the bigger, stronger, and faster teams almost always win. Yes, I know fundamental skill is extremely important in the outcome but those sports feature the athletic players.

In baseball, fundamental skill and knowledge of the game out weigh physical athletic ability. Since you can coach fundamentals and teach them the finer points of the game, you have a bigger influence on the outcome. This allows you to compete against teams that have far superior athletes.

Baseball is a game where the most talented teams get beat more often then you will see in other sports. It's a game where you have to show up everyday and play the game the right way or you get beat. Because you play more games then most sports it is hard not to have days where you lose your focus and get beat by a lesser team.



Reason #2
As a baseball coach you can not put your best 9 on the field everyday. You have to pick and choose when to play your best team. In football your best quarterback throws the ball in every game(barring injury of course). In baseball you must choose when and where to throw your pitchers.

Coaches have difficult decisions deciding who will throw when and how many innings to best use their staff within the framework of the pitching rules. With bad weather and invitational tournaments this only complicates the entire decision making process. In the other sports for the most part you always put your best on the field.

Baseball games are usually predicated on the pitching match-ups. If the top team throws their number 3 pitcher and the third place team throws their number 1, then odds of the lesser team winning goes way up. This again goes back to the idea that better teams get beat more often in baseball then any other sport. Coaches choice of pitching match-ups is critical to a teams success.

Reason #3
Baseball is such a specialized sport that few coaches take advantage of teaching all the little things that determine the outcomes of games. Every position on the field has it's own skill set and techniques. Some players are starters and some off the bench. They must be handled differently as far as their approach to the game.

Think of it this way. Playing right field is different then playing left field. Playing third is different then playing second. Being a starting pitcher and being a short relief guy are two completely different mindsets. This is true of every position on the field.

I know some of you are thinking right now that is true of all sports. My response, Absolutely! Here is the difference however. In football you have anywhere from 4 to 8 paid coaches. Each assigned a different position to teach the players. In basketball you do not need many coaches because you only play a few players.

In baseball, you are lucky, at least where I live to have two paid varsity coaches. At my school we have one varsity, one JV, and freshman coach on staff. We have been lucky to have a few people volunteer who know the game to help us out. My first year as a Head Coach in 1998 I was the only coach. In 1999 I coached a Junior College team by myself.

Most baseball teams do not have a full staff of coaches. If a head coach can be creative in how he will train his players he can gain a huge advantages over his competition. In college you have infielders, outfielders, catchers, and pitchers. That's what they work on everyday. It is much easier to design practice that way.

In High School and at the youth levels it doesn't work that way. Your pitcher is also your shortstop. Your second baseman plays right when a certain pitcher throws. You understand the point I am trying to make here. Designing a practice plan that takes all these factors into consideration is nearly impossible.

Because of these factors most teams are never prepared to play at their full potential. I am not pointing fingers here because I have sent teams on the field that could have been prepared better. Each year I experiment and research to find every way in which I can out prepare my competition.

In Conclusion

All coaches in all sports have a huge impact on both the players and the outcomes of the games. I believe very strongly that high school and youth baseball coaches can affect outcomes with greater influence then any other sport. Because of the nature of the job, a lot of important information for the players go overlooked. At some point in a big game this is usually where the downfall begins. To me coaching baseball is an exciting and challenging job where I feel I can make the biggest difference if I can prepare my team correctly!