Almost every MLB slugger coils the front knee, cocks his wrists, rotates his upper body before using his arms and hands and finishes on his back toe at contact. Check some of MLB's best hitters.
Monday, 31 December 2012
Wednesday, 26 December 2012
Saturday, 22 December 2012
Thursday, 20 December 2012
Veteran coach Trent Mongero's Winning Baseball for Intermediate to College Level covers everything from advanced mechanics for infield, outfield, pitcher, and catcher play to hitting mechanics and mental toughness strategies. Complete with insider tips for college and MLB prospects, over 100 photographs, and a four-hour instructional DVD, this is the ultimate, one-stop baseball reference
Wednesday, 19 December 2012
Tuesday, 18 December 2012
Saturday, 15 December 2012
Here's another baseball pitching tip... You must be able to speed the bat up and slow the bat down. No two pitches in a given at-bat should be the same speed. A pitcher should always be looking for ways to make the hitter lunge out in front of a pitch (by slowing the ball down) or swing late through the zone (by increasing the relative speed between pitches). This does not mean a pitcher should be less aggressive with his fastball; it merely means that he should not throw every fastball at 100% velocity (indeed, max-effort is a bad thing in the vast majority of cases). There is a sweet spot in any mature pitcher's delivery where he can throw easy strikes with good velocity. This is the base from which all other pitches (both offspeed and the "reaching back for something extra" fastball) are built. Lots of guys in the big leagues throw as hard as Pedro Martinez, but no one else in that class can change speeds like he does. That's why some 95 MPH fastballs get laced, while others blow right past the best hitters in the world. And watching the master of changing speeds (Greg Maddux) throw an 84 MPH fastball right past those best hitters is fun. Learn from the pros and change speeds! Steve Ellis - former Chicago Cub Pitcher
Thursday, 13 December 2012
Wednesday, 12 December 2012
Pitching is the most important aspect of the game! A dominating pitching staff will make the difference in determining a team's success. Practice and mastery of the physical elements of pitching will improve the mechanical skills, but developing the psychological aspects of pitching can improve the overall effectiveness of a pitcher and will improve his concentration which is directly related to control, location, confidence and thus success..
Tuesday, 11 December 2012
Monday, 10 December 2012
According to Coach Jake Boss, Head Baseball Coach at Michigan State University, There are approximately 500 high schools in Michigan with baseball programs. He says each team has an average of 5 seniors resulting in 2500 graduating senior baseball players every year. Meaning the competition to play baseball at the collegiate level is extremely competitive and when you consider recruiting that's done in surrounding states, the competition for a roster spot is even more competitive! The moral: College Coaches look for reasons to cross players off their recruiting lists. Following is a list of things that could affect your recruit ability: 1. Academics - DI & DII schools have only 11.7 baseball scholarships, therefore coaches will not take a chance on student athletes with poor high school academic records. 2. How hard do you play? Do you hustle at all times? Do you run on and off the field between innings? Do you spring to first base even on pop-ups or routine ground balls? 3. Do you have passion for the game? 4. Can you control your emotions when things aren't going well? Do you throw things? Do whine and complain? 5. Do you have self-discipline? 6. Do you pay attention to and have respect for detail? Is your uniform clean and your shirt tucked in at all times? Do you wear your hat correctly? Do you respect your equipment? Appearance can be a big turn-off to coaches. 7. Do you have a positive work ethic? Do you work hard during practice sessions? Do you work out on your own? Do you have an off-season training program? 8. Do show respect for the game officials? 9. Do you play with good sportsmanship and show respect for your competition? You never know whose watching. Scouts and college coaches often show up before game time and just sit in the parking lot to get an idea of how players conduct themselves. They want to see if players have pride in their appearance and wear their uniform properly. Do they seem enthusiastic about playing and getting to the field? You have an opportunity to impress someone every time you step on the field. Make it a positive impression, remember the college and pro guys are looking for reasons to mark you off their list, don't give them one by ignoring the details. Pre-game infield may be the most important part of the day. It gives the coaches an opportunity to evaluate your hustle, throwing arm strength and accuracy and foot work. Outfielders should always throw as hard and as accurate as possible to bases; infielders need to make hard throws so the scouts can evaluate your arm strength. Catchers must throw hard to all bases during infield and between innings. You may not get a single chance to handle the ball or make a play during the game. The shortstop may not get a ground ball the entire game or the catcher may not have to throw out an attempted steal. Outfielders may not have an opportunity to make a throw during the game so display your skills during pre-game. When batting, run everything out full speed. Sprint out of the box even if you hit a one hopper back to the pitcher or a pop up to short. Scouts want to see you run and they will be putting a clock on you every AB. They're not only clocking your foot speed but they will notice if you’re lazy and just jog down the line. A good reason to cross you off their list! Remember the volume of competition to play at the next level is immense! How are you going to separate yourself from the pack? Coach Bob Harris
Sunday, 9 December 2012
Friday, 7 December 2012
Thursday, 6 December 2012
A pitcher must be able to control his thoughts, emotions and actions throughout a game. Pitchers should stick with their routine no matter what happens during the game. They cannot work on things during the game, so they need to be under control and have a clear plan on each pitch. The pitcher should always be in control, since the hitter can only react to the pitch being thrown. The pitcher cannot allow a situation to become a factor of intimidation, but rather an opportunity to pitch with self-control and confidence. Some examples of distractions that can affect a pitcher mentally are: (a) environmental conditions--rain, wind, heat, etc., crowd noise, a poorly maintained mound; (b) game situations such as a batter calling time out, a baserunner who may be a stealing threat, the umpire missing a few pitches, a teammate making a costly error, a poorly-thrown pitch that results in a base hit and/or a trip to the mound by a coach. These situations can affect the pitcher mentally and usually will result in loss of concentration. The pitcher who is prepared to handle these situations has already placed himself in similar situations during practice and masters his own mental approach. The pitcher should always be in control, able to pitch in a variety of situations and under all conditions.
Wednesday, 5 December 2012
With Derek Johnson, Vanderbilt University Associate Head Coach/Pitching Coach; 2004 National Pitching Coach of the Year, 2010 National Assistant Coach of the Year; the 2011 Vanderbilt pitching staff led SEC in ERA and strikeouts. Under Coach Johnson's tutelage, six Vanderbilt pitchers have been drafted in the first round, including David Price who was taken by the Tampa Bay Rays as the first pick of the first round in 2007. How does a pitcher dominate a game from start to finish? In this lecture-style presentation, Derek Johnson provides an arsenal of pitches and strategies to build a game plan for success at any level. Coach Johnson explains the Vanderbilt "Fearless in the Zone" philosophy and its importance for every pitcher on his staff. He teaches you how many pitches you need to master to be dominant at any level, how to build your pitcher's plan around his strengths and when and how to make necessary adjustments.
Tuesday, 4 December 2012
Monday, 3 December 2012
Saturday, 1 December 2012
Our unique resistance bands known as Kinetic BandsTM are used worldwide by athletes of all ages and abilities in many sports as well as healthy minded people who want to get fit, stay healthy, lose weight or burn fat. Kinetic BandsTM are simple to use, very affordable, and are easily incorporated into any training or exercise program. Training with resistance bands decreases the time it takes to get results. Whatever your fitness goal: increased speed; agility; weight loss; endurance; muscle mass, our unique resistance bands help take your training to a higher level.
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