Advanced Youth Baseball Training Tips & Techniques

Baseball Fielding Drills

2011-11-07T13:15:00.000-08:00

Baseball Fielding Drills
Uploaded by CoachBuford Visit http://www.BaseballTutorials.com to see more online baseball coaching videos.

In this edition, we review some baseball and softball fielding drills you can use with your teams.

========================
Thanks to our sponsors:

Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Baseball Season's Over - Or Is It?

2011-10-10T09:29:00.000-07:00

Baseball Season's Over - Or Is It?
By guest author: Jim Bain

For the players, coaches and rabid fans of youth baseball the season has ended. Thoughts turn to football as the sudden chill in the air begins invoking thoughts of Halloween and Thanksgiving. It's time to forget baseball till next year. Or is it?

The so-called "off season," which is normally classified as the end of the season, is in actuality, the beginning of the next season. Whether the player is on a tee-ball team or advancing to college try-outs, this is the time of year you should begin to improve your skills, mechanically and increase your strength and flexibility. Let's take a quick look at issues which should be addressed during this time period.

A pitcher must have a strong foundation, legs, in order to increase drive off the mound and for endurance. A lot of people believe a pitcher's arm becomes tired the deeper he goes into a game, but in reality, for the most part it's the legs which become fatigued and feel like lead which tires first. This inability to drive off the mound and stay on top of the ball results in a pitcher attempting to over compensate with his arm, which can lead to injury.

A pitcher should adhere to a strenuous training program, which will include a lot of running, leg squats, weight lifting and stretching exercises in order to build up the strength and endurance of the lower foundation. This type of program must progress over a period of time in order to be successful, as a crash course at spring training will do little other than make you sore.

This is time of year a pitcher should concentrate on one, no more than two, specific issues he wants to improve. For instance, he may want to work on developing pin point control of his fastball, or learn to develop his slider with more of a cutting movement.

It's important not to overload a training program. What I mean by that is, a younger pitcher should work on developing pin point control, a mid-aged pitcher may develop a curveball and a high school player, a slider or split finger fastball. You do not set a goal of learning a curveball, a circle change, experiment with a slider and increase velocity. It's impossible to accomplish all of these tasks and you're setting yourself up for failure thinking you can.

As a hitter, the off season is the time to build strength, again in the lower body, the legs and hips. Your regiment should also include lifting weights to increase strength of your arms, especially forearms and your grip. One must remember the adage of "a chain is only as strong as its weakest link." You don't have to have the body of a professional body builder, but your body must be strong in order to utilize the body's entire muscle system to provide speed and power in your swing.

The old saying "use it or lose it," also applies in baseball. The off season should definitely include one, if not more, trips to the batting cage weekly. This is the time to perfect your batting eye, improve your swing, improve your ability to hit to different fields, especially the opposite field and possibly experiment with switch hitting. Muscle memory is important in perfecting our skills and memory comes from constant use.

This is but the tip of the iceberg on matters which need to be addressed in the off season, but I think you get the idea. There is No Off Season in baseball.

Jim Bain, former Minor league baseball player, who since retiring has dedicated his life to teaching baseball to youth, shares his advice on pitching baseball drills on his exciting info packed website: http://www.learn-youth-baseball-coaching.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Bain

==============================
Thanks to our sponsors:

Check us out on Twitter:

Blog4Coaches
Blogs4Coaches.com

Top 10 Best Coaching Tips For Baseball

2011-09-20T09:01:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Best Coaching Tips For Baseball
By guest author: Nick Pezzuto

1. BE ORGANIZED...A good coach must have practice plans, and be thinking in advance as to what is to be accomplished and learned for that days practice. Kids will pick up on an unorganized coach and he will lose respect and focus from his players. Plan a week in advance of each practice and modify each plan according to what you need to get done.

2. DISCIPLINE...No matter who breaks your rules, even your best player, you as the coach must act upon your preset punishment, and reprimand that player accordingly. Play no favorites, as hard as that may seem and you will win the respect and admiration of your team.

3. P.M.A.(POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE)...Situations in baseball can get pretty bad, your not hitting, your pitcher can't throw a strike etc. but you as the coach must remember to find a positive and rally around that point. Maybe your defense is outstanding or you're running the bases well, players need encouragement. Mistakes will undoubtedly happen; it's what you do as a coach during this time that will define your coaching ability. Take a negative, work on it, and put it to your team's advantage.

4. WINNING, IT'S NOT EVERYTHING...Be a teacher of baseball first, then winning will take care of itself if you have prepared the team to play hard and always give their best efforts.

5. TEACH, LEARN & COMMUNICATE...Players at all levels learn by listening and doing. Remember, telling a player to do something, he will forget, but TEACH a player by showing and they remember. When a player does something on their own with your instruction they have a tendency to do it better and remember much more. Here is a simple four word phrase that I and several other coaches use: TEACH, SHOW and DO. Teach them in theory, Show them on the field, have them Do it themselves. Communicating to a player and parent is also key. I have developed and used The Coaches Communication Plan. It is a step by step approach to assist the coach, the parent and the player in better communication and understanding.

6. IMPROVEMENT...Emphasize your teaching and instruction by challenging all your players at any level to improve on their skills. Players want to improve, so as a coach, plan appropriately to accommodate them. This may require you to work on different drills for different players or stay later after a practice is finished. Be prepared to give of yourself and your time for overall team and individual success.

7. BE CARING...Nobody likes the mean and grumpy coach that sits in the corner of the dugout barking out orders. Show the players that you care about them as individuals and that you believe each one is important to the team. Let them know what their roles and responsibilities are to the team. Take time as the coach to talk to players individually, ask them what is going on. Remember coaches, be human. You're not a good coach unless you can relate and understand your players, both on and off the field.

8. BE A GOOD SPORT...Yes winning brings high fives and smiles, but instill in your players how to accept winning as well as losing. Your coaching of baseball will reflect on your players and if they show poor sportsmanship, what does that say about you, their coach!

9. DEALING WITH PARENTS...I included parents in my top ten best baseball coaching tips because they are un-avoidable and setting a precedent early with them will help you as a coach. First, send home a congratulatory letter letting them know their son or daughter made the team. Explain your rules, philosophies, what is expected of them and their kids, put in practice and game schedules and put in a contact number so they can contact you if needed. Unfortunately, nothing will prevent a disgruntled parent from wanting to talk or yell at you for not playing their kid, but at least the letter will let them know first off, where you stand.

10. HAVE FUN...Sometimes as coaches and parents we forget the whole reason we play this great game of baseball. To have Fun. Coaches, you don't have to be a Drill Sergeant to teach baseball. Create a practice environment that is structured, varied and enjoyable. If you're having fun and so are the players, chances are they will learn more, quicker and with less complaints to you or their parents. I am not saying to create a circus atmosphere, but add variety to your regular drills ad stations to keep the level of excitement and fun.

These baseball coaching tips should be in every coach's tool box to be utilized all the time.

Nick Pezzuto or Coach Pezzu as his kids call him is a 16 year veteran baseball coach and a high school business and technology teacher. For more interesting and FREE articles, tips and advice on how to coach and play baseball, go to his website [http://www.all-about-coaching-baseball.com]

Don't forget to sign up for the Free Newsletter, Coaches Corner, packed full of interesting and useful coaching and baseball info.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Pezzuto

=======================
Thanks to our sponsors:

www.BatAction.com

---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here

Youth Baseball - Five Tips to Help You Make The School Team

2011-09-15T11:55:00.000-07:00

Youth Baseball - Five Tips to Help You Make The School Team
By guest author: Jake Wyatt

If you play Little League baseball, you probably know that everyone is accepted to Little League. If you are a serious baseball player, you will most likely want to try out for the school baseball team at some point. You should know that very few Little Leaguers will actually make a school team.

If this is important to you, here are five tips from high school coaches to help you succeed:

1. Keep your grades up. All school teams have minimum grade requirements. You could be the best baseball player in the state, but if you don't have good grades you won't make the team. Pay attention to your studies first, baseball second.

2. Know the game. Study the rule book for your school's district. Be a student of baseball and know the game's history. Know facts about major league players and teams.

3. Persistence is more important than talent. Hang out around the locker rooms. Get to know the players and the coaches at your school. Attend their games and cheer them on. Volunteer to help at the games. Make yourself known. And you must do all this WHILE practicing and improving your own skills.

4. You must practice every day of the year. Hitting practices, tossing practices, working out. Do something every day, even in the dead of winter. Even on Christmas! And keep track of it in a daily diary along with notes about your personal observations so you can see the progress you are making.

5. Always have a positive attitude. Cheer your teammates on. Listen to the coaches. Don't argue. Look enthusiastic all the time. Hustle. A player that has a great attitude will make a team over a better player with a bad attitude.

Making the school baseball team is hard, no matter how long you have played baseball. Following these five tips will dramatically increase your chances of making the team.

In order to be the best possible baseball player, training should happen year-round and be a joint effort between the coach, the player and the parents. Get more free tips to improve baseball performance, reviews of e-products related to baseball, and links to training resources at http://youth-baseball-training.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jake_Wyatt

=======================
Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Baseball Coaching Digest - Trick Play Alert - Fake Time Call by the Batter

2011-09-12T10:05:00.000-07:00

Baseball Coaching Digest - Trick Play Alert - Fake Time Call by the Batter
By guest author: Nick Dixon

This offensive baseball trick play is often used by youth baseball teams to confuse young and inexperienced pitchers and to get balk calls. The ploy uses the inexperience and lack of knowledge of a young pitcher to get a balk call.

Here is how the "Fake Time-Out" play is done:

After the young pitcher begins his pitching motion, the batter simply raises his front hand and acts as if he is asking for time to the pitcher instead of the umpire. The player will in most cases, not say anything, but simply raise the front hand as if calling time. This front hand movement mimics the raining of the back hand to the plate umpire to as for time to be called. The action is done to disrupt the pitchers concentration. The very young pitcher will fall for the "prank" and stop his delivery. If the pitcher stops or alters his normal delivery and pitching motion, it is a balk.

How does a youth baseball coach prevent his young pitcher from falling victim to this trick?

Here are 3 recommended coaching points:

1. Coaches must coach their players to always finish the pitch unless one of the umpires calls time. It is recommended that coaches make sure that youth pitchers know that the only person that can call time out is one of the umpires. If a player, coach or fan yells "time", "stop", or anything abruptly, the pitcher should finish the pitching motion. If it is the opposing team, the umpire will rule verbal obstruction and warn the other team.

2. If the batter steps out of the box, raises his hand or verbally calls time out, the pitcher should not hesitate, stop, or change his delivery. The pitch should be thrown.

3. Make sure that your youth pitcher knows that one of the umpires is the only person that can stop play once the pitching motion has started.

In summary, this trick play does not work well if coaches take the time to inform their players of the rules regarding calling time.

I hope that this article is useful to you and your team.

Good luck til next time, Coach Nick

Make sure to visit the Baseball Coaching Digest Blog for daily articles and post on every aspect of coaching baseball.

Check out the Baseball Coaching Digest Blog for daily articles and post an every aspect of coaching baseball.

Check out the Bat Action Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

======================
Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Four Tips to Improve Youth Baseball Performance

2011-09-08T08:20:00.000-07:00

Four Tips to Improve Youth Baseball Performance
By guest author: Jake Wyatt

Here are two tips to improve batting performance and two tips to improve pitching performance.

BATTING TIP NUMBER ONE: Learn how to judge the pitch.

When kids are just learning how to play baseball, they are taught to swing at all pitches. With a pitching machine or an unskilled pitcher this can work. As pitchers get better, they will stop throwing strikes when they know the hitter is going to be swinging at every pitch. That's when batters need to begin to watch pitchers and learn how to judge pitches. Pitchers try to psyche out hitters, be a hitter that psyches out the pitcher.

BATTING TIP NUMBER TWO: Watch and evaluate your performance.

When you are not able to work with a professional trainer, have someone videotape your batting practice. You can look at your performance in slow motion to evaluate what you did right (when you hit the ball well) and what you did wrong (when you missed).

PITCHING TIP NUMBER ONE: Watch Major League Pitchers.

When watching major league baseball games, play close attention to the form of the pitchers as they wind up and throw. Especially note the movement of their arms, legs and body. If you have a DVR, record games and watch top pitchers over and over and in slow motion. Slowly practice their movements in front of the TV and a mirror until these movements become second nature to you.

PITCHING TIP NUMBER TWO: Train all year long, not just during baseball season.

Being a good pitcher requires work all year. During the teenage years, a boy's body is growing and changing very quickly. Training all year will help you adapt to your body as height and arm length change. When a formerly good pitcher goes through a growth spurt, he may have to relearn pitching with his longer limbs. Also, training all year will help keep the core strong, which is vitally important for good pitching.

In order to be the best baseball player you can be, training should happen year-round and be a joint effort between the coach, the player and the parents. Get more free tips to improve baseball performance, reviews of e-products related to baseball, and links to training resources at http://youth-baseball-training.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jake_Wyatt

=====================
Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

How To Use Baseball Defensive Hands Drills

2011-09-02T04:18:00.000-07:00

Baseball2u.com has defensive trainers at discount prices.

How To Use Baseball Defensive Hands Drills
By Guest Author Jim Bain

The game of baseball is known as "a game of inches," resulting from so many close plays which determine out or safe, fair or foul. Few people realize that many of these close plays are the results of hundreds of hours of practice and drills on the part of the defense.

There are of course many things required to have a good defensive infield, and two of them are "soft" and "quick" hands. This combination of feel and speed allow for quick ball transfer, glove to throwing grip and quick release, ball thrown to target.

Here are two drills which will enhance softer and quicker hands for an infielder.

The quick hands drill; the intent of the drill is to have the players throw the ball around the horn as fast as possible to develop quick reactions necessary to complete double plays, be sure the players realize this.

If possible divide your players into two teams and have them compete against one another. Nothing brings out the 110% effort from each player better than competition. Have each fielder assume his position, including the catcher.

You, as the coach along with your stop watch, position yourself behind the pitcher mound where you have clear sight of all players. Begin the exercise with the catcher throwing to first, first to second and so on. On the second round begin timing the rounds.

Be sure to stress the two thumbs method of catching the ball. The two thumbs method means catching the ball with the glove while holding your throwing hand slightly behind and to the side of the glove as if your thumbs are crossing.

This method allows for a two handed catch if the throw is off line and allows a fast transfer from the glove to the throwing grip because your bare hand is adjacent to your glove. No need to waste time bringing your throwing hand up or over to the glove.

As this drill continues, yell for the player to throw to a different base or home. This will force them to turn their hips and set in order to throw hard, which is imperative for turning quick double plays.

Rest:

Return to practice, drill on actually turning double plays from all bases and situations. Be sure to incorporate the quick throw drill they just completed by verbally pushing and encouraging them.

This is an excellent drill for increasing the speed and accuracy of your infielders in turning a double play.

Soft Hands The soft hand tool is an inexpensive training aid which can greatly increase fielding skills.

To perform this drill you'll need a Soft Hand Tool or Glove and balls, either baseballs, tennis balls or rubber balls.

The huge benefit of this drill is with the usage of the Soft Hand Tool the player has the illusion he is using a glove, but must catch the ball as if fielding bare handed.

Stand 20' away from the fielder and throw him ground balls, which he'll field with the soft hand tool. In order to catch and maintain possession of the ball the player will, for lack of better verbiage, caress the ball.

This method of fielding supports the development of soft hands while fielding the ball. In addition to ground balls throw balls which hop once before reaching the player.

Jim Bain - Former Minor league baseball player, who since retiring has dedicated his life to teaching baseball to youth. Visit his exciting info packed website: http://www.Learn-Youth-Baseball-Coaching.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Bain

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6162800

=================

Thanks to Our Sponsor – Baseball2u.com
BatAction Youth Hitting Machine
BatAction 360
SKLZ Lightning Bolt Pitching Machine
SKLZ Light Bolt PRO Pitching Machine
Joe Mauer PX4 QuickSwing Baseball Trainer
Advanced Skills Tee by Muhl Tech
SKLZ 5 Position Batting Tee
ZipnHit Pro Baseball Swing Trainer
Jugs Small Ball Pitching Machine

Youth Baseball Tips: Load For Successful Hitting

2011-08-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

Baseball Player University Host Jeff Forney says: A hitter must go back to to go forward in the hitting process

================

Thanks to Our Sponsor – Baseball2u.com
BatAction Youth Hitting Machine
BatAction 360
SKLZ Lightning Bolt Pitching Machine
SKLZ Light Bolt PRO Pitching Machine
Joe Mauer PX4 QuickSwing Baseball Trainer
Advanced Skills Tee by Muhl Tech
SKLZ 5 Position Batting Tee
ZipnHit Pro Baseball Swing Trainer
Jugs Small Ball Pitching Machine

Baseball Hitting Tips - Excellent One Liners About Baseball Tips on Hitting

2011-08-30T04:15:00.000-07:00

Baseball Hitting Tips - Excellent One Liners About Baseball Tips on Hitting
By Guest Author Larry Cicchiello

Sometimes you can say a lot with only a few words. The following list of baseball tips on hitting will prove just that point

"Everything goes toward the pitcher."

Your body should be going toward the pitcher and not toward third base if you are a right-handed hitter or toward first base if you are a left-handed hitter. It's a very common baseball hitting problem because it is extremely unnatural to go toward someone who is throwing a baseball in your direction. But, the truly great hitters all do it.

"Outstanding hitters have slow feet and fast hands."

The faster you move your feet around the better the chances are that you will get "sloppy." A steady, balanced foundation is as important to good baseball hitting as it is to building a house. Even if everything above the foundation is perfect, whether it be hitting a baseball or building a house, if the foundation is not perfect it will lead to many problems. And "fast hands" are of the utmost importance when hitting a baseball. It's very frustrating, especially for power pitchers, when a hitter literally just flicks the bat out with very quick hands and hits the ball hard for a hit.

"Short and quick is so much better than long and strong."

I can not overemphasize how being "short to the ball" is a very critical factor and one of the better baseball hitting tips. Being "short" is an absolute necessity and will enable you to catch up to any fastball. I would rather pitch against a baseball hitter with a long and very powerful swing than someone who is "short to the ball" any day!

"Stride and then swing."

They are two separate movements yet quite often weaker hitters will do them at the same time. Watch and you will see this very common baseball hitting problem often. They should happen in rapid succession but they are separate movements that should be done as smoothly as possible.

"Tension is a hitter's worst enemy."

An expression that's been around for decades and is still one of the better baseball tips on hitting. Hitting a baseball effectively is not an easy thing to do. If you tighten up your muscles it is pretty much impossible to be a good baseball hitter. That's one of the reasons some very good hitters will have a little waggle with their bodies or their bats while waiting for the pitch. It's almost impossible to tighten up your muscles when you are moving them. Relax and "let the air out."

"To hit the ball harder, you don't necessarily have to swing harder."

Don't place too much emphasis on how hard you swing the bat. It's a very common baseball hitting problem, especially with younger players.They swing too hard and miss the baseball by a foot. Focus heavily on getting the sweet part of the bat on the ball as often as you can. Trust me, one of the most important baseball tips on hitting is to just get the bat there and watch what happens. Let the bat do 90% of the work for you. Bat manufacturers spend millions of dollars on research to have the ball jump off the bat when hit on the "sweet spot." Nobody will ever notice how hard you did or did not swing at the pitch. What they will notice is your "seed" going up the right-center or left-center field gap!

You CAN improve and overcome any of your baseball weaknesses if you are a player, a coach, or if you are a baseball parent and your child is struggling! Larry Cicchiello has some FREE baseball tips on hitting and FREE baseball pitching tips available at http://www.LarryBaseball.com. Get ready to be raising more than a few eyebrows!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Cicchiello

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3269147

Thanks to Our Sponsor – Baseball2u.com
BatAction Youth Hitting Machine
BatAction 360
SKLZ Lightning Bolt Pitching Machine
SKLZ Light Bolt PRO Pitching Machine
Joe Mauer PX4 QuickSwing Baseball Trainer
Advanced Skills Tee by Muhl Tech
SKLZ 5 Position Batting Tee
ZipnHit Pro Baseball Swing Trainer
Jugs Small Ball Pitching Machine

How To Develop A Balanced Hitting Base For Youth Baseball Players!

2011-08-29T04:31:00.000-07:00

How To Develop A Balanced Hitting Base For Youth Baseball Players!
By Chip Lemin

When I see a youth baseball player shooting line drives all over the field, there are certain things I look for in their swing. The first thing I usually notice will be that the player is balanced during the entire swing. Balance in a baseball swing is something that will deliver consistent results for the hitter. The balance in a baseball swing begins with the stance. The player's weight should be evenly distributed on both feet to start. When the player begins the trigger, or start of the swing, some of the weight will then shift to the back leg. These subtle movements were not always clear to me. I learned most of this from watching our team take hitting instruction from a professional instructor.

Some people will groan about paying someone to help a youth baseball player learn to hit properly. I must say years ago I was not a believer in hitting lessons. I thought I already knew all about hitting. My child has always been able to hit well, mostly due to natural talent luckily. My child was asked to play in a tournament with a travel team. This team used hitting instruction. As I watched how much it helped my child improve, I wanted to know more.

The best baseball swings are usually short and compact with a smooth follow through. Most parents teach their kids to take a long stride. I was guilty of this this. I also let their arms drop down too low, developing a long slow swing. Most of my mistakes were at the tee ball and coach pitch level with my first child. My eyes were opened at these hitting instructions that I had a lot to learn. Taking a wider balanced stance is the beginning of a solid base to hit from. The first thing the instructor did was widen up my kid's stance. This improved the balance right way. It also makes it harder to take a long stride to the ball. I am in favor of hitting instruction as early as the player will accept it. Don't ever force them to go. My child was a little hesitant until watching other kids having fun doing it.

My early ideas about keeping the elbow up, and the long stride, did not lead to a balanced powerful swing. I quickly learned to accept a new way of thinking. The earlier a youth baseball player learns to develop a balanced swing the better. A balanced swing makes it easier to hit to all fields. A balanced swing is much easier to repeat over and over from a good balanced base. The first move to the baseball from the trigger position will be with the hands. This is difficult for young players to learn at first. The are many drills to help instill this important part of the swing. I will share some of them with you soon in an upcoming article.

We have covered the very basics of the balanced hitting base of the swing. Most players will have to widen their stance to at least shoulder with. Some players even a little more may be needed. My child has a wide stance. This helps keep the toes on the ground during the beginning of the swing. If a player is lifting up the toes during the swing, they are shifting their weight improperly. The hands should be held as high as the player feels comfortable with. They should not be buried up against the body either, We are trying to eliminate movement that is not needed in the swing. When there is less movement, it is easier to stay balanced. So go find a quality hitting instructor that both you and your child feel good about. Get some references from others if needed. Go to lessons with an open mind. You will both learn a lot about balance in the baseball swing.

Thanks Coach Chip

Chip Lemin has been a promoter of youth baseball since they started using aluminum bats. That's a long time. I have witnessed many good people get into coaching without solid coaching skills and it is not fun for them or the kids.Today's newer coaches are also being shortchanged on sportsmanship, like there is none. Visit my site to sign up for a insightful, informational, free coaching e-course at http://www.baseballecourse.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chip_Lemin

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/987285

-----------

Build a Better Swing!
Hit for a Higher Average!
Power-up Your Stats!
Visit Hit2win.com Now!
Hit2win.com
The Hit2win.com Mission
Hit2win Baseball Articles
Hit2win.com Baseball Trainer Store
Hit2win DVDs & Books
Hit2win.com Hitting Help Desk

Build a Better Swing!

2011-08-25T04:27:00.000-07:00

Build a Better Swing!
Hit for a Higher Average!
Power-up Your Stats!
Visit Hit2win.com Now!
Hit2win.com
The Hit2win.com Mission
Hit2win Baseball Articles
Hit2win.com Baseball Trainer Store
Hit2win DVDs & Books
Hit2win.com Hitting Help Desk

Here's Some Baseball Thoughts And Quotes For Youth Baseball Coaches And Players

2011-08-24T04:20:00.000-07:00

Here's Some Baseball Thoughts And Quotes For Youth Baseball Coaches And Players
By Guest Author Chip Lemin

Here are baseball thoughts and some quotes that I thought all you youth baseball coaches would appreciate. There are far too many hot dog players and coaches in youth baseball today. I believe we must honor the game baseball by example. Most of it is just common sense and courtesy. I'm not giving you any secret formula to success. Let's behave like mature adults and remember we don't have a team full of future professional baseball players even though others may think otherwise.

Everyone on the team must be willing to trade sweat, effort, and sacrifice for success. When looking at yourself as a player, the critical. There are too many egotists among players today. Egotism is the anesthetic which deadens the pain of stupidity.

Success is costly. You must exchange something solid in yourself for success.

Concentrate on improving your weaknesses. It is more obvious than your strong points.

No player ever becomes a success by giving up. Keep trying.

If your coach criticizes you, it indicates that he is watching you, so appreciate that.

Never alibi. Excuses never win games.

Be confident. Say to yourself, I can I will, I must.

Be a good team player. Encourage your teammates and cooperate with them. They in turn will do the same.

Don't yell at the officials or umpires. They are seldom responsible for your success so don't blame them for your failure.

Your conduct, both on the field and off the field of, is a true test of you as an individual. It reflects your degree of dependability, responsibility, and the extent of your self sacrifice.

Here are some anonymous quotes...

If what you did yesterday still looks big to you, you haven't done much today.

The coach may not always be right, but he's always the coach.

When I won I thought I was lucky, but the harder I work, the luckier I got.

Every athlete has problems, the winners handle theirs.

The player who refuses to be beaten is tough to beat.

Not always a winner but never a loser.

If you know anyone who has always received a fair deal, get a witness- you're seeing a miracle.

Repetition is the mother of education.

I will get ready and perhaps my chance will come.

Enthusiasm is like a coat of paint- it covers up a lot of mistakes.

Little things make big things.

The surest way not to fail is be determined enough to succeed.

The player who does what he pleases is seldom pleased with what he does.

When a winner makes a mistake, he says I was wrong. One loser makes a mistake, he says, it was not my fault.

Hustle! You cannot survive without.

Enthusiasm and action will overcome fear.

The greatest key to success is a good attitude.

If You Think You are good, then why not be better. If you'd think you are better, then be the best.

Winning is not everything, but wanting to win is.

It takes a cool head to win a hot game.

I will leave you with this, it pertains to more than just baseball.

You can never get ahead of someone as long as you are trying to get even with them.

Thanks for your time, I hope these quotes, the ones without quotation marks around them, will help you get through this long winter waiting for baseball season start.

Thanks again, Coach Chip

Hello My name is Chip Lemin. I'm a long time youth baseball coach who loves to promote this great game of youth baseball. Promoting sportsmanship in this game of youth baseball is something that really needs I feel. I have a free course that will give you some solid coaching information along with great help on the inter-personal relationships we must have to be good youth baseball coaches.

Things such as parents, travel baseball, getting parents to help out, how to communicate better to parents and players, just to touch on a few. This course will help to organize practices like an elite coach. How to motivate players and other coaches with your positive attitude. It really is not very hard to be a great coach when you know what to do.Best of all you will learn how to have fun with these great kids that you have the privilege of coaching. Do yourself a favor and check it out, it's free,you will get 1 part every couple of days in your e-mail. Coaching can be fun and rewarding if you have a plan in place first, and you have an idea what you are doing. I would like to help you with that.

Sign up at http://www.baseballecourse.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chip_Lemin

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/842896

==========================

Thanks to our sponsor: Baseball2u.com

Heater Pitching Machines
Cimarron Pitching Machines

Game & Practice Baseballs

Baseball Screens & Nets

Baseball Portable Pitching Mounds

Baseball DVDs
Baseball Hitting DVDs

Baseball Pitching DVDs

Baseball Drills Videos & Books

Youth Baseball Hitting Drills: Load For Successful Hitting

2011-08-23T18:54:00.000-07:00

Baseball Player University Host Jeff Forney says: A hitter must go back to to go forward in the hitting process
==============
Thanks to our sponsors: Advanced Skills Batting Tee

Home - AdvancedSkillsTee.com
AST at Baseball2u.com
Advanced Skills Tee on Ebay
Advanced Skills Tee Reviews
Advanced Skills Tee Product Description
Used By Over 1,200 High Schools and Colleges!

Youth Baseball Coaching Product Spotlight: The Glove Radar

2011-08-22T04:25:00.000-07:00

The Glove Radar™ is a small inexpensive Doppler radar velocity sensor which attaches to a baseball or softball glove to measure the speed of the ball just before it is caught. It is easily attached to, and removed from virtually any ball glove. Clever design results in a small, versatile, low-cost device affordable for youth and senior level teams and individual players.

The Glove Radar™ can aid any player - infielders and outfielders, as well as pitchers and catchers, throwing from any distance. Professional and amateur players can use the Glove Radar™ when warming-up. Young ballplayers will benefit from velocity information when tossing or training, and will have fun using it.

The purpose of Glove Radar™ is to assist in developing players' throwing capabilities by providing a measure of velocity improvement which results from using proper throwing techniques. By learning the proper way to condition, train, warm-up, and throw, players can achieve their best accuracy and velocity performance, while reducing the risks of injury to their arm and body.

The Glove radar can be purchased for just $69.95 at Baseball2u.com.
For more information visit
http://store.baseball2u.com/gloveradar.html

Coaching Youth Baseball - Team Building Ideas

2011-08-18T04:05:00.000-07:00

BatAction.com

Coaching Youth Baseball - Team Building Ideas
By Jake Wyatt

When coaching youth baseball, you often end up with a bunch of boys who may not know each other. Team building is very important to ensure a cohesive team, one where the players support each other rather than compete with each other.

At the first practice, you need to break the ice with the players. Some will be very outgoing, some will be shy. Try to gently get all the boys to introduce themselves and share something simple about why they like to play baseball, or perhaps what position they like to play. This will help you get a feel for the boys as well.

Here are some great ideas to help the boys become a team that plays well together:

1. Have activities outside of practice. One or two pizza parties or hot dog picnics gets the families together and lets the boys get to know each other outside of baseball. Have a few gifts (packs of baseball cards) to hand out for drills that center on knowledge of the sport. During the event, ask questions to generate conversation.

2. Pay particular attention to boys who are not fitting into the team during practice. Figure out ways to gently include them into the practice routines. For instance, if you are doing hitting drills, make this boy catcher for the day. Or put him in charge of counting or measuring. This can be difficult to do without being obvious, but with some thought a good coach can make it happen.

3. Have a rule that during games, the players in the dugout pay attention to the game. They should be making a lot of noise in support of team members who are on the field.

4. Make it clear, in your initial meeting with the boys, that you will not tolerate whining, bullying, or meanness. Point out that in order to win, all the players must support each other. Establish the consequences for unacceptable behavior right away, and stick to it.

5. Have some team-building activities during practices. For instance, have the players stand in a circle and pass the ball around the circle. Time how long it takes. Then ask them to try again and beat their time. Watch them work together to figure out how to go faster.

In coaching youth baseball, if you successfully build a strong team spirit, your team will play better and have more fun during games!

In order to be the best possible baseball player, training should happen year-round and be a joint effort between the coach, the player and the parents. Get more free tips to improve baseball performance, reviews of e-products related to baseball, and links to training resources at http://youth-baseball-training.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jake_Wyatt

==============
Check out our network of baseball blogs:

Blogger (Blogspot) - baseballcoachesdigest
Blogger (Blogspot) - baseballparentguide
Blogger (Blogspot) - baseballhomeworkhelp
Blogger (Blogspot) - batactionbaseballtraining
Blogger (Blogspot) - battingcagebuyingguide
Blogger (Blogspot) - coachesbest
Blogger (Blogspot) - teeballcoachingclinic
Blogger (Blogspot) - hurricanebaseballtrainingmachine
Blogger (Blogspot) - teeballparentsguide
Blogger (Blogspot) - youthbaseballcoachingclinic

Shop Baseball2u.com for your baseball coaching needs including baseball training aids, training videos, and other coaching supplies. Check out the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting machine by SKLZ at HurricaneTrainer.com.

See the “Original” Rotational Hitting Machine at BatAction.com. Are you looking for the perfect trainer to teach proper timing and swing mechanics? You can stop looking and go to HandsBackHitter.com.

Players develop incredible bat speed and confidence when they regularly use the Quick Swing Trainer. See it at QuickSwingTrainer.com. See the world’s most advanced batting tee at AdvancedSkillsTee.com.

Build a better swing. Correct Hitting Flaws. Increase Power & Bat Speed. Visit Hit2win.com now!

Youth Baseball - How to Handle Stress

2011-08-15T18:02:00.000-07:00

If you are not reading the BASEBALL COACHING DIGEST every month, you need to join today! Its free to youth baseball coaches and parents. Click BaseballCoachingDigest.org to join now.

How To Handle Stress
By Jim Bain

The regular youth baseball season is winding down, and except for a few divisions in certain leagues, which are still being hotly contested, you know if your team is headed for the playoffs or not. If you're one of the talented, or lucky teams that are headed into Post-Season play, how well you perform very well may depend on how you handle the stress.

Briefly, and in layman's terms, stress is that anxious feeling you experience before an important event or test, such as a championship game or a college entrance exam. It's that queasy unsettled feeling in your stomach which makes you feel as though you may throw up, or not being able to stop bouncing your foot up and down.

The inability to handle stress can render an athlete totally unable to compete, literally making the player so sick, he's unable to perform. However, on the flip side of this situation, an athlete accustomed to stress and has developed the ability to control it, can channel this anxious energy into a positive thing, which allows him to explode onto the playing field with an abundance of energy and motivation.

So how do we control or learn to channel the anxious energy stress creates? Perhaps we should examine what creates stress first. In my experiences I found Fear, fear of failure, creates most types of stress. For instance, while in pre-game warm ups against a team which is clearly in the wrong division and your team has defeated four times by an accumulated score of 52 - 1, you are loose, humorous and anxious to get the game underway.

However, during the same pre-game warm ups against a known and powerful opponent, or worse yet, an unknown opponent, you are fidgety, somewhat sick to your stomach and constantly scanning the other team attempting to assess their skills.

In the first scenario, there is a calmness created by the complete belief and confidence of not only winning the game, but more importantly, you know you'll perform well. Previous encounters with this team's pitchers have resulted in nothing but your success and there's no reason to believe today will be any different.

The second scenario paints an entirely different picture. The game is very important, an elimination game from the tournament, which your team must win or go home. This added weight of winning means everything, puts nerves which are normally calm, on edge and irritable.

Fear, fear of the unknown and what it can mean directly to you, sends your nerves into a frenzy. Will I be able to hit this pitcher? Will I let a ball go between my legs? Can I steal without being thrown out? These and another hundred questions race through your mind because of your fear of failure. Of course you don't want to let the team down, but what directly happens to you, success or failure, is what spurs stress to an unhealthy level.

Let's exam one method to not only defeat stress, but turn it into an ally.

Fear of failure is created when the mind wonders if the body did everything it could to prepare for this test. For instance, if you had planned on going to the batting cages on two separate days before this game, but stayed with your girlfriend at the swimming pool instead, your mind knows this and knows you're not as prepared as you could be. Because of this there is an increased anxiety of possible failure.

However, if you had gone to the batting cages twice a day for two days prior to the game, and was hitting bullets off the fastest pitching machine available, your mind knows you are prepared. The nervous energy you now experience can be channeled into a positive adrenalin resource which very well may give you that spurt of energy which allows you to catch the line drive, instead of missing it by an inch.

Proper Preparation is a major key to handling stress. Remember, you can not hide from yourself and you can not lie to yourself.

Jim Bain, former Minor league baseball player, who since retiring has dedicated his life to teaching baseball to youth, shares his advice on pitching baseball drills on his exciting info packed website: http://www.learn-youth-baseball-coaching.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Bain

Baseball Tips on Hitting - Practice is Essential For Your Baseball Hitting Success!

2011-08-09T09:32:00.000-07:00

Baseball Tips on Hitting - Practice is Essential For Your Baseball Hitting Success!
By guest author: Larry Cicchiello

Real good hitters are not born that way. They have worked very hard and spent countless hours to reach that status. There is simply no substitute for hard work and practicing your baseball swing. Are you willing to pay that price?

You've got to go out and hit, hit, hit and then hit some more. Some professional players take 500 swings a day in the off season. It's not by accident or good fortune that some of them bat.330 or hit 45 home runs. Maybe that's why they are professional hitters, because they pay the price and work very hard at it.

Back in the 1970's, I heard about a golfer who just won a major tournament. Do you know what this golfer was doing after the final round of golf? He was practicing for a couple of hours hitting balls out of the sand trap because he had a poor shot out of the trap late in the tournament. Need I say any more? This player won the tournament and was practicing for several hours after his victory!

Good hitters are usually always practicing something. If you've had problems at the plate for a couple of games, it's not a big deal at all and "welcome to the club." Go out to the field or the batting cages the next day and work on the specific pitch and or location that's giving you trouble.

It is very important to practice your swing often. The only way to get good habits is through repetition. Unfortunately, a very common problem is players have a strong tendency to practice what they already do well instead of practicing on the areas that they need work on. Avoid falling into this trap. You will be well rewarded for practicing on areas that you need work on.

Let's say you are a hitter that "eats fastballs for breakfast" but low and away breaking balls give you problems. If you spend 90% of your baseball hitting practice working on hitting the low and away breaking ball, you will become efficient at hitting that pitch also. So now, you have become a very good hitter of both the fastball and the low and away breaking ball. Do you have any idea as to what a problem that presents for opposing pitchers?

You have now become a feared hitter because you no longer have a glaring weakness for a pitcher to exploit. Oh sure, even the great baseball hitters handle some pitches better than other pitches. But the point here is that they do NOT have glaring weaknesses. And it's all because they practice what they do NOT do well at the plate. It took a fabulous M.L.B. hitter two years to learn how to hit a "slider." Do you know how he learned how to hit the "slider?" By spending countless hours of batting practice hitting the "slider."

About five years ago a reporter was interviewing one of the best hitters in M.L.B. She mentioned to him about his God given talent. He very politely told her he's not so sure that he was born with any special talent. She looked at him with a look of puzzlement on her face. He told her that when he was about 12 years old, he and about ten friends decided to practice every day at the ballpark. About a week later, only about five of them were showing up at the ballpark. A week after that, only himself and one friend were showing up.

Maybe that's one of the reasons this player makes about 20 million dollars per year. I'm not implying for a second that if you work hard and practice frequently you have a good chance to sign a contract like that. What I AM implying is that if you work hard you will be rewarded. That I will guarantee.

Are you willing to pay that price?

Larry is the successful author of several very user friendly eBooks and CD's covering 320 topics on playing or coaching excellent baseball. ANY player, coach or parent who wants to help their child will be fully equipped! Check out some FREE baseball tips on hitting and FREE baseball pitching tips at LarryBaseball.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Cicchiello

======================
Thanks to our sponsors:

Baseball2u.com and CoachesBest.com is your online super store for baseball batting cages, pitching machines and protective screens and nets. This fully licensed company has a full time staff to help you from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. You may order securely online or by phone, toll free, at 1-877-431-4487.
Check out these categories that are featured at Baseball2u.com.
Jugs Complete Packages
Batting Cages
60' Portable Batting Cage
55' Portable Batting Cage
70' Portable Batting Cage
Extender Batting Cage 30'
Jugs Pitching Machines
Iron Mike Pitching Machines
BATA Pitching Machines
Heater Pitching Machines
Granada Pitching Machines
Phantom Pitching Machines
…and if you are looking for Youth Training Equipment, Advanced Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, and Pitching & Throwing Trainers, or Portable Mounds, they have those too!
Plus, they have one the internet's largest selections of Baseball Training and Coaching DVDs and Books. Make sure to chweck our their CLEARANCE DEPARTMENT for rock bottom prices on top quality equipment.

Youth Baseball - Youth Baseball Training - Baseball Equipment

2011-08-04T11:27:00.000-07:00

Youth Baseball Training is a must for success in youth baseball today. Baseball Training Equipment for home use is available. This Baseball equipment offers year round baseball swing development and skill improvement. Here is one product that our staff frequently uses in camps, team practice and off-season hitting skill development. We highly recommend this product to you.

This product is available at:

Baseball2u.com

Youth Baseball Series Baserunning and Sliding Video / DVD from BaseballVideos.com

2011-07-18T09:54:00.000-07:00

Youth Baseball Series Baserunning and Sliding Video / DVD from BaseballVideos.com
Uploaded by BaseballVideoscom http://www.baseballvideos.com - Instructional youth baseball training video Youth Baseball Series Baserunning and Sliding DVD with Coach Steve Johnigan: In this instructional baserunning DVD Johnigan explains the importance of good baserunning and proper sliding technique and has drills of good baserunning and proper sliding demonstrated. He starts with home to first base and getting out of the box, running in a straight line, focusing on the front of the base, pumping the arms, turns at bases and the curve, leaning into the turn, and hitting the inside of the base. He also discusses Figure 4, head first and hook slides. 2000. 45 minutes. LD-01233E

This Instructional Baseball Training Video / DVD Is For Sale At BaseballVideos.com

==================
Thanks to our sponsors:

Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

3 Advanced Baseball Coaching Tips for Youth Baseball and Little League Coaches

2011-07-15T08:58:00.000-07:00

I recently attended a baseball clinic and one of the speakers was Coach Gaspard from the University of Alabama. He gave these 3 tips to the high school coaches at the clinic. These tips can be applied at any level including youth baseball, little league baseball, high school baseball and above.

1. DO NOT TURN YOUR HEAD - He made the point that if you want to create a environment of perfect practice equals perfect play, you pay close attention to what is happening. Be observant of every player and every thing happening. Do not allow yourself to be distracted. Seeing, identifying, and correcting is the "purpose of coaching". Your job is to teach and teaching does not happen when tthe coach is not paying attention.

2. DO NOT ACCEPT SUB-PAR EXECUTION - If you want it to happen correctly in the game, you must see that it happens correctly in practice. If you not not set a high standard of excellence from the very beginning, it is hard to do a "restart". Make it known that you expect correct fundamentals, mechanics, and performance from everyone. Create a climate with high standards of practice performance so that your team will be game ready.

3. TEACH and RETEACH - Coach Gaspard recommends that you teach or cover team learning sessions on back-to-back days. On back-to-back days you may want to cover bunt coverages, 1st 3rd offense and defense, and other mental learning.

Other points that he recommended:

1. Put a stopwatch on certain baseball drills and skills practice to add an element of pressure and competition.
2. Use quotes to teach, motivate and to maintain focus on a daily, weekly or season lomh basis.

Unique Baseball Drills

2011-07-14T07:41:00.000-07:00

Unique Baseball Drills
By guest author: Jim Bain

While observing an advanced skill level team practice have you ever noticed a metal folding chair setting somewhere around the dugout, bull pen or other area adjacent to the practice field? If you have, you've probably either noticed it, but it didn't register or raise any questions in your mind, or you just figured it was for a coach to sit and take a break.

Did it ever occur to you that you were looking at a very important training tool? You heard me right... a baseball training aid which is utilized for rather unique and skill specific training.

We teach hitting mechanics in a systematic building block process which includes, but is not limited to the legs, core, hips, shoulders, wrists and starting mechanisms. Sometimes a player will develop a problem, or bad habit, with one or more of these elements which must be corrected.

The use of the metal folding chair, or a similar chair devise, as a coaching tool begins here. For instance:

1. If a player develops a bad habit of opening his hips too soon while swinging, he will either hit an excessive amount of foul balls to his left, if a right handed hitter, or to his right if a left handed hitter, or pull off the ball, which shortens his bat length and prevents him from being able to reach a pitch on the outside of the plate.

In order to correct this problem, it is imperative you remove the legs and hips as part of the swinging process. By having the player sit in the chair, with his ankles wrapped around the front legs, you accomplish this goal. The coach will soft toss a ball to the player and the player will swing, attempting to hit the ball solidly, but will only be able to utilize his core, shoulders and arms.

Repetitive use of this drill will retard the impulse of opening the hips too soon, as the muscle memory of the core will over ride, yet work in conjunction with the hips and legs, resulting in a quick bat and power generated from the entire body.

2. On the defensive side of the coin, the chair is utilized for drills which increases hand speed and fielding ability. Obviously the legs are an integral part of fielding just as they are with hitting, but there are times the legs will get a fielder where he wants to go, to the ball, in time, but a bad hop occurs which tests the fielder's ability to quickly adapt with his hands and glove.

The player will sit in the chair slightly bent over in a semi-fielding position. The coach will position himself about 10 foot away, facing the player and throw tennis or rubber balls at him in various ways.

The reason tennis or rubber are used instead of a regular baseball is they bounce better, can be made to bounce and skid erratically and for safety as the player is restricted in his movement.

The fast paced drill requires the fielder to react quickly with only his glove and upper body, which replicates the identical situation presented by a bad hop. Repetitive use of this drill will increase the players' hand speed and agility.

So next time you're at a practice field, don't just look...actually see what's going on. There's no telling what you might learn.

Jim Bain, former Minor league baseball player, who since retiring has dedicated his life to teaching baseball to youth, shares his advice on hitting baseball drills on his exciting info packed website: http://www.learn-youth-baseball-coaching.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Bain

===================
Thanks to our sponsors:

Baseball2u.com and CoachesBest.com is your online super store for baseball batting cages, pitching machines and protective screens and nets. This fully licensed company has a full time staff to help you from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. You may order securely online or by phone, toll free, at 1-877-431-4487.
Check out these categories that are featured at Baseball2u.com.
Jugs Complete Packages
Batting Cages
60' Portable Batting Cage
55' Portable Batting Cage
70' Portable Batting Cage
Extender Batting Cage 30'
Jugs Pitching Machines
Iron Mike Pitching Machines
BATA Pitching Machines
Heater Pitching Machines
Granada Pitching Machines
Phantom Pitching Machines
…and if you are looking for Youth Training Equipment, Advanced Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, and Pitching & Throwing Trainers, or Portable Mounds, they have those too!
Plus, they have one the internet's largest selections of Baseball Training and Coaching DVDs and Books. Make sure to chweck our their CLEARANCE DEPARTMENT for rock bottom prices on top quality equipment.

Can One Player Carry A Baseball Team?

2011-07-08T12:06:00.000-07:00

BatAction.com

Can One Player Carry A Baseball Team?
By Jim Bain

Anybody who seriously follows baseball, at one time or another, has heard the sports announcers remark something like, "If he gets hot, he can carry the team" or "When he's in the zone he can carry the load for the bullpen" or something similar. Is it possible for one player to carry a team?

In my opinion, yes and no, which probably has you shaking your head and thinking "Surprise, another yes and no answer." Well, for starters, are the sports announcers correct in what they're saying, one man can carry the entire team, and if they are, why are they correct?

Or are they just searching for something to say in order to fill the gap between commercial announcements, which is very difficult to believe, and are just blowing smoke knowing nobody will bother to challenge their statement? Let's look at some possibilities of the scenario and you venture your opinion as to whether the experts are in fact, experts.

As a reality check we must establish a few guidelines which to follow to establish a bit of creditability to this investigation.

1. One player can not hit for the other 8 players.
2. One player can not field for the other 8 players.
3. One player can not throw for the other 8 players.
4. One player can not catch for the other 8 players.

I must say, although we're only scratching the surface of the subject, thus far the sports announcers appear slanted a little towards the stupid side and this entire article seems to be a waste of time, and would be if it were not for one intangible.

One player can greatly affect the Emotional Health of a baseball team. There are many intangibles in baseball, as well as other sports, which exert a direct force, positive or negative on a team. Momentum, the Big MO, as they call it, is an example of such an intangible.

For instance, a team who is experiencing a dry spell of having runners scampering all over the base paths every inning, but fail to ever get the hit to drive them in can be quickly deflated, and for all practical purposes be defeated in the top of the first, by having a bases loaded situation and not be able to score 1 run.

On the other hand, should a player become hot, be in the zone, seeing the ball well, whatever or however you want to say it, drives a bases clearing double into the outfield gap, this changes the Entire Team.

A pitcher, veteran or rookie, who takes the mound and consistently pitches into the late innings, with many complete games and a low ERA, will change the attitude and confidence of the Entire Team when it's his day to pitch.

So can one player carry a team? Absolutely, by instilling confidence and energy into the team which would not be there if his efforts weren't present.

Can one player carry a team? Absolutely not, as it takes team work to win a baseball game at any level of competition.

Perhaps my "yes" and "no" answer makes a little bit more sense now.

Jim Bain, former Minor league baseball player, who since retiring has dedicated his life to teaching baseball to youth, shares his advice on running baseball drills on his exciting info packed website: http://www.learn-youth-baseball-coaching.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Bain

==================

Dustin Pedroia Baseball Training Tips

2011-06-22T07:49:00.000-07:00

Dustin Pedroia Baseball Training Tips

Dustin Pedroia of the Boston Red Sox, provides a baseball training how to, addresing the importance of hard work and the difference between high school and college training. Pedroia: ""I went to Arizona State, and in the fall there, when we weren't playing, it was always, get as strong as you can as fast as you can for the season. I try to take that into professional baseball as well. That's why I train at ABI and get ready for the season, because I feel like it's the best fit for me, and makes me become the better athlete that I can be. I trained in high school too, but it got more advanced when I got to college. I think in high school, you just go in there and any time you can, you just go in there and lift weights any time you can, but once you get to college they have people that prepare you and they have strength coaches where in high school it was just our baseball coach telling us what to do and to lift weights. I think once you get to college, you'll understand that there is a program that you need to be on.""

Jugs Baseball Training Aids

2011-06-16T10:35:00.000-07:00

Jugs Baseball Training Aids
By guest author: Eugene Rischall

Jugs has many different types of baseball training aids that will greatly improve your baseball and softball game. They can be used by adults, high school, and little leagues. Jugs has baseball training aids to help improve hitting, pitching, and fielding.

Jugs baseball pitching machines are very popular. Jugs Softball Pitching Machine has a speed range of as low as 15 mph to 60 mph. Will pitch fastballs, slowpitch, risers, and dropballs. Jugs 101 Baseball Pitching Machine throws 30 mph to as high as 90 mph. Pitch selection and speed are dial-a-pitch. The Combination Pitching Machine throws as low as 20 mph and as high as 104 mph. Throws fastball, curveball, and slider. Jugs also has the Curveball, Super Softball, Jr. Pitching, Lite-Flite, and MVP pitching machines. Whatever your need, Jugs has the right pitching machine for you. Ball feeders for your pitching machine include 18 Ball Baseball, 14 Ball Softball, 18 Ball Baseball-Lite Flite, and 14 Ball Softball-Lite Flite. Types of balls available for your feeders are dimpled, seamed, lite-flite, softie, bulldog, small-ball and pearl.

Accessories are very valuable baseball training aids. Hitting tees are perfect for T-Ball batting practice. The 5-point hitting tee can be used for both baseball and softball. Included is a Tee Drill Book. Jugs has a portable generator to work with your baseball pitching machines. New hitting stick is a 30 inch, 16 oz. bat. Good for eye coordination. Will help you get quick hands and a quick bat. Small-instant protectice screen is 6 ft. high and 4 ft. wide.

Protective screens include quick-snap which are easy to assemble. Has a durable thickness of #4000 twine protection. They include L-shaped pitchers screens, square protective screen for basemen, softball screen, and Jugs lite-flite/slowpitch screen.

Jugs fixed-frame protective screens has double-thick netting of 240 lb.-breaking breaking strength, twisted polyethlene. The L-shaped, softball, square screen w/sock net, square fungo and short toss protective screens all come with a 1 year guarantee.

Netting comes with 4 different breaking strengths, 119lb., 191lb., 381lb,. and 691lb. Backyard , youth leagues, and high school use 119, 191, and 381lb. breaking strength. Colleges use 191, 381, and 691lb. breaking strength. Professional uses 691lb. breaking strength. They are all made with dura-tech netting.

Jugs has batting cage frame sets for all standard size Jugs nets. All sets come with ground sleeves, crossbars, and uprights. Instructions are quick and easy. They are made with industrial-gauge galvanized steel. 5 year guarantee on all Jugs batting cage frames.

Jugs also has different complete packages that are very valuable baseball training aids.

I hope this article will help you when trying to find the right training aid that will improve your baseball and softball game.

Author-Eugene Rischall, Owner, Baseball Training Emporium

[http://www.baseballtrainingemporium.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eugene_Rischall

=======================
Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Baseball - Ball Hitting Tips For Kids

2011-05-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

Baseball - Ball Hitting Tips For Kids
By guest author: Sameep Shah

Like a lot of other things in life you tend to get better at those which you do regularly. It is the same with baseball game and you can get perfect with baseball hitting. Therefore the best baseball hitting advice for kids or anyone can be practice and keep practicing. It is said that Mickey Mantle the professional baseball player is said to swing the bat nearly 100 times in a day left handed and the same when right handed. However, there are some modern day professionals who swing the bat nearly 500 to 1000 times in a day. This is a basic strategy that works for lot of professionals and can also work for you.

There are some tips for helping your kids achieve great baseball hitting techniques. If your child wants to learn and play baseball but they are not the best hitters then you can follow these simple instructions and tips to help your child swing the bat like a professional. The first step to take for a great swing is your stance. This means that you should strain to the player that the stance should be something that is comfortable and not something that looks best for the player of team.

There are some basic things that you should always remember when you teach your kids the basics in baseball hitting.

1. Keeping the feet shoulder width separately regardless if the child has a closed or open stance. This means the feet should always be apart from shoulder width

2. Place the bat back with your hand where it should be nearly 6 inches away from the ears and make sure you keep your elbows upright so that you can easily handle the high heaters.

3. When you stride away with your front foot make sure it is 5 to 6 inches away, you must also keep your back foot firm in the ground as it helps in gathering power to get a strong a straight swing.

4. When you are striding, you need to keep your eyes entirely focused on the ball all through its way in the box. Then firmly twist your legs and hips when also taking the bat to directly snap into the ball. Make sure you snap the bat consistently when the ball is in the box and also ensure that your child does not up cut the swing over the ball when hitting.

As always keep in the mind that practice makes perfect.

For more information visit Sportscapers University at houston youth baseball - You can also find more information and online training videos to help you improve your skills at katy youth baseball.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sameep_Shah

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2558173

==================
Thanks to our sponsors:

Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Youth Baseball Spring Training - Tips For Off Season Training In Youth Baseball

2011-05-04T12:43:00.000-07:00

Youth Baseball Spring Training - Tips For Off Season Training In Youth Baseball
By guest author: Brian McClure

Baseball practice should not stop when the season is over. There are several things you can do and as a player, and coaches should give these suggestions to the players and parents after the season to help the players next time around. Why? Because the best time to get ready for the next season is during the off season, not just a couple of weeks before the first game. Building hand eye coordination and muscle memory takes time. Here are some tips for youth baseball players to use during the off season.

Knowledge- You may have heard knowledge is power. Its true especially in baseball. Think about game situations and where does each player need to be. If you are a pitcher work on your grip or a new grip. What plays would help improve the team? Watch other players and teams and purchase some DVD's and youth baseball instructional books to help with this.

Batting Stance and Swing- Make sure your grip is right, head is down, shoulders in the right spot. Is your stride too long? Do you swing the bat through the hitting zone correctly? This is something youth baseball players can do in front of a mirror at home to imbed them in young players minds and develop muscle memory. Learn the proper aspects of hitting by using a hitting instructor and videos.

Keep in shape- You don't have to look like a weight lifter but some simple exercises can help develop pitchers arms and endurance. Batters can gain from more power when they hit the ball, and base running(Ah.. something as simple as doing sprints 3 times a week can make you fly around the bases next season. Lets don't forget to eat right while on this subject.

Equipment- How's the bat? Is it still the right size? Is the glove in good shape and still fit. Pitching machines and nets should be in good condition for safety. Even the balls should be in good shape. Pitchers need nice seams on the ball and proper weight. Old water logged balls can also throw a hitters timing off. Plus there's just something about a new baseball!

I am sure coaches and parents and players too can think of some others, but this should get your minds to working. Something I have found effective is sitting down with my son and writing down together what we want to work on. He comes up with some things I overlook. But by all means.. Have some too. Rent some cool baseball movies and play some baseball video games. Baseball is a game after all, and games are meant to be fun.

Author- Brian McClure Want to learn more about helping your child in youth baseball as a parent or coach? http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/

See our complete list of Topics and articles on youth baseball here http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/topics.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_McClure

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/730626

=================
Thanks to our sponsors:

www.BatAction.com

---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here

Baseball Batting Tee - The Advanced Skills Tee - Baseball Trainer

2011-03-30T04:27:00.000-07:00

Four Tips to Improve Youth Baseball Performance

2011-03-08T12:02:00.000-08:00

Four Tips to Improve Youth Baseball Performance
By guest author: Jake Wyatt

Here are two tips to improve batting performance and two tips to improve pitching performance.

BATTING TIP NUMBER ONE: Learn how to judge the pitch.

When kids are just learning how to play baseball, they are taught to swing at all pitches. With a pitching machine or an unskilled pitcher this can work. As pitchers get better, they will stop throwing strikes when they know the hitter is going to be swinging at every pitch. That's when batters need to begin to watch pitchers and learn how to judge pitches. Pitchers try to psyche out hitters, be a hitter that psyches out the pitcher.

BATTING TIP NUMBER TWO: Watch and evaluate your performance.

When you are not able to work with a professional trainer, have someone videotape your batting practice. You can look at your performance in slow motion to evaluate what you did right (when you hit the ball well) and what you did wrong (when you missed).

PITCHING TIP NUMBER ONE: Watch Major League Pitchers.

When watching major league baseball games, play close attention to the form of the pitchers as they wind up and throw. Especially note the movement of their arms, legs and body. If you have a DVR, record games and watch top pitchers over and over and in slow motion. Slowly practice their movements in front of the TV and a mirror until these movements become second nature to you.

PITCHING TIP NUMBER TWO: Train all year long, not just during baseball season.

Being a good pitcher requires work all year. During the teenage years, a boy's body is growing and changing very quickly. Training all year will help you adapt to your body as height and arm length change. When a formerly good pitcher goes through a growth spurt, he may have to relearn pitching with his longer limbs. Also, training all year will help keep the core strong, which is vitally important for good pitching.

In order to be the best baseball player you can be, training should happen year-round and be a joint effort between the coach, the player and the parents. Get more free tips to improve baseball performance, reviews of e-products related to baseball, and links to training resources at http://youth-baseball-training.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jake_Wyatt

===============
Thanks to our sponsors:

Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine Demo Video

Dollar Store Baseball Caps - How to Find Your Best Sellers

2011-03-04T07:45:00.000-08:00

==============
Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Baseball2u.com - Top Quality Baseball Equipment at Discount Prices

2011-02-17T04:32:00.000-08:00

Batting Tips for Little Leaguers

2011-02-16T08:52:00.000-08:00

Batting Tips for Little Leaguers
By guest author: Jeffery A Wise

There aren't too many differences between the batting tips for Little Leaguers and everyone else. But there are a few differences you should know about.

One of the differences is the ability of the players. A seven year old little league player can't do everything a 12 year old player can. The first thing you need to cover are the basics. Like many things in life, building a strong foundation is needed before you can develop other baseball batting skills. Here are the tips you should learn early on.

How to choose the best bat for you
How to hold the bat
How to stand in the batter's box
Where to look
How to stride
How to swing
How to have fun

The last tip is especially important for young players because they need to be able to love baseball. It is the best sport in the world and they should have fun playing it. It's okay to be serious sometimes, but baseball needs to be fun first.

After mastering these tips, older Little League players can then focus on skills that will improve their abilities so that they can excel at the sport and continue playing into their teen and college years. These skills include:

Bunting
Recognizing the difference between a curve ball and a fastball
Hitting the ball to the opposite field
Situational hitting
Trigger mechanism to get the swing going
How to avoid slumps
And more!

Whether you are a coach or a young player, please be patient with the learning process. Skills can't be developed overnight. With enough hard work you can take these Little League batting tips and turn them into Little League batting success.

It's good to watch events like the Little League World Series and the pros because then you will see these tips in action.

Jeffery A Wise invites you to learn more batting tips so that you can become a better hitter and help your team win. Start learning today at our site through articles, blog posts and videos and begin hitting the baseball with confidence.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeffery_A_Wise

====================
Thanks to our sponsors:

Check us out on Twitter:

Blog4Coaches
Blogs4Coaches.com

Top 10 Tips for Stealing Bases in Baseball

2011-02-11T04:11:00.000-08:00

BY: Dustin Peek

In the game of baseball, stealing bases is one of the most exciting plays to be a part of. Strategically, it's one of the riskiest calls for a coach or manger to make. However, when successful, it can give any team a significant scoring advantage. There are many things that a player can do to give himself an advantage when stealing a base. Read on to discover the top 10 tips for stealing bases:

1. Know your opponents - One of the biggest factors that determines the success rate of a baserunner is the talent level of the opposing team. If the opposing team has a pitcher with a slow delivery and a catcher with a weak arm, then the risk of stealing a base should be low. However, if the pitcher has a quick release, and the catcher has a cannon for an arm, then you better think twice before taking that first step toward the next base.

2. Get a good lead - The closer you can get to the next base before the pitch is thrown, the better your chances of beating the throw. However, this has to be balanced so that you are close enough to the current base to avoid a pick-off. The typical lead should be such that you can take one step and slide head first back to the bag. This distance is different depending on each runner and each opposing pitcher.

3. Keep a low stance - You want to keep a balanced and low stance prior to the pitch. Don't lean one way or the other. This allows you to get a better push off for the steal or a quicker return to the bag during a pick-off move.

4. Anticipate the pitch - Statistics show that you have a much better chance of stealing a base against a breaking ball or changeup than a fastball. There are two reasons for this. First, breaking balls and changeups are slower pitches so it increases the time for the ball to reach home plate. Second, breaking balls and changeups are more difficult for a catcher to handle because it interrupts their rhythm and ball exchange. Take a quick look at the catcher's signs to see if you can tell what the next pitch will be. If you can't tell from the signs, try to pick non-fastball counts when attempting a steal.

5. Watch for the trigger - For a right-handed pitcher, watch for his left foot. As soon as he lifts it, make your jump. For a left-handed pitcher, the trigger is much less obvious. One of the only things to look for is his right foot. If a left-handed pitcher's right foot crosses back behind the pitching rubber, then he must go home with the ball.

6. Take a crossover step - Make your first step a crossover step with your left foot. Don't lose time by taking a short first step with your right foot.

7. Stay low at the jump - Ask any track and field sprinter what the most important factor is for winning a race, and he'll tell you that it is the first few fractions of a second when he jumps off of the blocks. This also applies to base stealing. Getting a good jump is much more important than running speed. Stay low and keep your head down during the initial jump. Concentrate on getting to full speed within the first two to three steps.

8. Take a quick peek - After you cross the half-way point, take a quick look back to home plate to make sure that the batter didn't hit a pop fly. The last thing you want to do is be the cause of a double play.

9. Slide away from the tag - Almost all infielders covering second or third base during steal attempts are right handed. In this case, the tag will be applied from the runner's left to right. Always slide on the right side of the bag to give yourself a better chance of avoiding the left-to-right tag.

10. Find the ball after the slide - After safely reaching the next base, quickly find the location of the ball. Errant throws from the catcher are common, and you could take an extra base if the ball finds its way into the outfield.

The above list contains the top 10 tips that you can use to improve your base stealing skills. Use these tips to help your team advance runners and score more runs.

Dustin Peek enjoys helping others learn the skills necessary to dominate on the baseball field. He is a former player and true fan of America's pastime. Learn everything you need to know about baseball, stealing bases, and other baserunning topics at: http://www.baseballskillscenter.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dustin_Peek

=======================

===Advertisement from our sponsor:=====
Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

How To Throw A 4-Seam Fastball

2011-01-30T17:54:00.000-08:00

How To Throw A 4-Seam Fastball
By Bob Kooyenga

A good fastball is the basis for a strong repertoire of pitches. There are different types of fastballs out there and 4-seam fastball is the most simple of them all. The 4-seam fastball have very little, if any movement on it. The 4-seam fastball needs to be located very well because it will not have that movement that many other pitches have. Once you have the grip down, work hard on locating the ball where you want it to go.

Step One: The Index and Middle Fingers

The grip of a 4-seam fastball is very simple. Find one of the horseshoes on the ball. With the closed end on the outside of the ball, your index finger and your middle finger will be on the seam on the closest side of the horseshoe. The tip of your index finger will be on the seam, while the first knuckle of your middle finger will be on the seam. These two fingers should not be touching each other, but should have a small amount of space in between.

Step Two: The Thumb, Ring, and Pinkie

The thumb will be located underneath the ball below where your top fingers are. The seam should be right about where the knuckle is on the thumb. The ring and pinkie finger are to the side of the ball pointing downward. The ball will not be all the way back in your hand. There will be about a fingers worth of space between the ball the rest of your hand.

Delivery

When throwing the fastball, just throw it like you would if you were simply playing catch. There is no need to snap your wrist or torque the ball in any way. The 4-seam fastball needs a simple throw so that it will be a straight pitch instead of a moving pitch. Follow through properly to make sure you get the maximum velocity out of your 4-seam fastball. Finally, remember to work on the location of your fastball to be as effective as possible.

Check out other articles I have written at http://hubpages.com/profile/GBeckhamfan
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_Kooyenga

===============

===Advertisement from our sponsor:=====
Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Baseball Coaching - How to Motivate Your Players to Hustle

2011-01-25T18:59:00.000-08:00

Baseball Coaching - How to Motivate Your Players to Hustle
By Jim Bain

Motivation is defined as the Driving Force to Achieve Goals.

If you're extremely lucky you'll have a player who acts as a spark plug and keeps the team up, but don't forget, even an All-Star player becomes only a team mate if the going gets real rough. In fact it can actually hurt a team in certain circumstances if players become resentful of the spark plug.

That being said, let's get to the Brass Tacks, Team Motivation begins and ends with the Coach. Period. Your team will assume your personality and mental attitude, so be as prepared to teach attitude as you are to instruct hitting.

Spring training is about more than learning physical skills, although it is @ 90% of it, but mental and emotional toughness must also begin to be taught. Getting to know your players is extremely important from all aspects. Watch the reaction of players as they go through their drills. Some players will become angry when they fail, others embarrassed, others take it as a learning experience and go about their business. You must make a mental note of how each player reacts in order to be able to individually motivate him at sometime during the season.

TIPS

You don't want to raise your voice or pump your fist to motivate a player who is already so anxious he's bouncing off the dugout walls. This is when an arm around his shoulder and a softer monotone instruction is required.

"Okay Johnny, listen up. I don't need a home run. Just make contact. OK"

Let's look at what we just did. We calmed Johnny down somewhat with the soft voice. We let him know we didn't expect him to try and overachieve by hitting a home run. We gave him specific directions, make contact. Then reaffirmed it all with an acknowledge question he has to reply to.

A player who has demonstrated passive or emotional feelings, anger, when failing at something requires a different approach.

"Alright now Johnny, this is no different than what you do every practice. In fact I throw faster at batting practice than this pitcher throws. Now go get 'em."

What'd we accomplish? Our voice has more of an authority tone, which means we know what we're talking about and we have confidence he's up to the task. We remind him he's already accomplished hitting baseballs thrown faster than he's about to bat against. A final word of encouragement and a directive to do something.

Addressing and motivating a team is naturally somewhat different than an individual because you're dealing with various styles of motivation at the same time. This is where it's imperative to make the players a team, they are being addressed as a team and will respond as a team.

98% of the time when I went to the pitching mound the entire infield came to the mound. First thing I did was have everyone take a deep breath to somewhat relax, but mainly to give their minds time to slow and prepare to listen.

No matter the reason for the situation, errors, walks or hits I made sure they understood we couldn't change the situation we were in, we could only react to it. Then I would give specific directions and remind them as a "team" they could get out of this jam.
The conversation may go like this.

" Alright, everyone deep breath. (Wait) Ok, we got into this situation as a team and we're getting out of it as a team. I want everyone to come in @ 4 steps. Ground ball...comes home. Fly ball...help one another." Looking at my pitcher "We just need strikes." Glancing at my catcher "Good target now."

As I left the field I always yelled to the outfielders and indicated with my fingers how many outs there were. That not only brought them back to focus but reinforced the "Team" feeling.

There are hundreds of different situations requiring different methods of motivation and 1000s of books, videos and various material with advise on how to handle motivation. Reading or listening to these materials can do nothing but help improve your understanding of how to motivate, but do you really have the time?

The important thing is you're aware motivation is a needed skill in which to successfully coach a baseball team and it's your responsibility, as the coach, to set the tone for the team.

Everyone has their own style and mine may sound quite foreign or unrealistic to you, and that's fine. It worked for me, but another avenue may work much better for you.

I'll close this segment with this comment:

" The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime." Babe Ruth

Jim ( Coach ) Bain is a former Minor League Player and Coach of Youth Baseball for over 10 years. He has drawn from fellow successful coaches' experiences and combined them with his own extensive experience to create a Baseball Teaching Website. The site is packed with 100s of tips, drills, history and instruction on how to play and coach the game of baseball.
http://www.Learn-Youth-Baseball-Coaching.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Bain

Baseball Training Tips for Youth Baseball Teams

2011-01-23T16:39:00.000-08:00

Baseball Coaching Digest - The Magic of the 10 Minute Baseball Drill
One of the main reasons some kids refuse to play baseball is that baseball practice is too boring. One thing that makes it so boring is that many coaches run certain drills too long and do not break their practices into short times periods. This article discusses the "magic of the 10 Minute Baseball Drill" and why many coaches use short time periods and drill variety to minimize boredom during baseball practice.

Youth Baseball Digest - Attention Baseball Coaches - Do Your Homework
This article outlines several ways baseball coaches can improve their coaching abilities during the off-season. Coach It points out several recommended off-season activities and resources that all youth baseball coaches should consider. Many of these activities are free and are available online.

================

Thanks to Our Sponsor:
QuickSwingTrainer.com
QuickSwingMachine.com

Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer
QuickSwingTrainer.com
How Does the Quick Swing Batting Trainer Work?
Joe Mauer Quick Swing Links
Video Demo of the Joe Mauer Quick Swing Baseball Batting Trainer

Learning to Hit the Ball Hard Every Time Baseball Drill

2011-01-21T04:25:00.000-08:00

Learning to Hit the Ball Hard Every Time Baseball Drill
By Jim Bain

Based on physics, the hitting of a round ball, traveling 87 mph and moving up and down... with a round bat is impractical, if not highly unlikely, yet we as baseball players, execute this task on a daily basis during Batting Practice.

We execute the task of making contact with the ball with the bat, but do we consistently hit the ball correctly and hard, an honest answer would be "No."

One of the problems we encounter, unless there is a hitting coach watching and correcting our swing, you have no idea what you're doing right or wrong. The only gauge you have is the end result of the swing. Did you hit a screaming line drive? Great, what did you do right? Did you hit a feeble pop fly in the infield? What did you do wrong?

The idea of having a hitting coach with you at all times is impractical and without him you limit your batting practice, which is the only way to improve, to some else's schedule.

This Baseball hitting drill solves the problem of needing an extra pair of eyes watching you in order for you to improve your hitting. It's called the Tee-hit.

This drill is a "hitting mechanics specific" drill, which means it's designed to build muscle memory and eye to hand coordination when hitting the ball.

In order to perform this drill you'll need a batting tee, the same type of batting tee Tee-Ball players use, making sure it is adjustable up and down. A good quality whiffle ball bat and a number of whiffle balls, which must be of good quality in order to withstand the punishment, and with holes in it. The ball must have holes in it in order to properly perform this drill.

In order to conserve the time of collecting the batted balls, which is swing time, I suggest hitting into a net. If you're hitting against a solid object, such as the back of the garage or house, be sure to position the hitting tee at least 30' to 40' away from the building to reduce the damage the structure will cause the ball.

Here is how the drill works and why the holes in the ball are so important. Placing the ball on the tee, take your normal batting stance and swing, hitting the ball off the tee.

If you hit the ball correctly, as the ball travels it will create a distinct whooshing sound as the air travels through the holes in the ball. If not hit correctly, although still creating a noise as air passes through the holes, will not be a distinct whooshing sound and the ball will slice, dip, soar or spin when it hit's the ground. Any of these results means you did not hit the ball squarely. Adjust your swing until you are able to hit the ball creating the distinct whooshing sound on a consistent basis.

You are now able to take batting practice alone and still be able to figure out what adjustments you need to make, on your own.

Hello, my name is Jim Bain. I have been a licensed plumber fitter for over 34 years, a strong advocate for Social Justice, as a technical writer for the UAW and a former Minor league baseball player and Coach. Since retirement I have dedicated my life to teaching baseball and have developed a website packed with Baseball information and tips. http://www.Learn-Youth-Baseball-Coaching.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Bain

===========

Thanks to Our Sponsor:
QuickSwingTrainer.com
QuickSwingMachine.com

Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer
QuickSwingTrainer.com
How Does the Quick Swing Batting Trainer Work?
Joe Mauer Quick Swing Links
Video Demo of the Joe Mauer Quick Swing Baseball Batting Trainer

Advanced Skills Tee - Used to Correct Baseball Batting Flaws and to Improve Swing Quality

2011-01-17T19:00:00.000-08:00

Advanced Skills Tee - Used to Correct Baseball Batting Flaws and to Improve Baseball Swing Quality. The built in swing barriers eliminate "dipping" and "casting" during the swing. Product is extremely durable with a brush cup ball holder that is 10 times more durable than rubber. Visit http://www.advancedskillstee.com/ for more infromation. Available at http://www.baseball2u.com/adsktee1.html

Best Way To Become A Better Hitter Fast! Baseball Training Tips

2011-01-16T18:17:00.000-08:00

Best Way To Become A Better Hitter Fast! Baseball Training Tips
By Justin Willman

If you are looking for the best way to become a better hitter fast, this is the article for you to read.

Many people think baseball is an easy game, and hitting is something that anybody can do. This is of course until they step in the batters box with a ball moving at them 98 mph. As you probably know, hitting a baseball is one of the hardest things to do in sports. Not everyone can do it, and if you can do it, it's even harder to do it on a consistent basis. This is why professional players are considered very good if they fail seven times out of 10. That is a whopping 70% of the time. You are basically a Hall of Fame baseball player if you can get a base hit four times out of 10, or have a 40% success rate. So now that you know the statistics, let's get down to business.

First, if you are looking to become a better hitter fast, you need to know the proper fundamentals. I recommend you get a good coach or someone to teach you how to hit properly. If you do not know the fundamentals first, you will not be successful. You must realize and understand how to properly hit a baseball. Once you have this down, you can then start moving on to more advanced things.

The next thing you can do to become a better hitter fast is to simply work hard. Working hard is very, very easy to do, but many people over complicate it, or they simply surpass it. This is seriously one of the secrets to anything you want to accomplish in life. You have to work hard in order to see results. If you are looking at any hitting programs and they are trying to guarantee that you will become some perfect hitter overnight, they are lying to you. In order to see results, it is up to you. You need to work hard.

Now go out and learn the fundamentals, work hard, and you will start to see results.

Justin is a baseball expert, having helped hundreds of people to easy Baseball Success He's recently developed a FULL video course showing you a step by step process for making your hitting easier and more effective. To learn how to seriously develop a great swing, visit, http://www.DynamiteHitting.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Justin_Willman

===============================

Recommended Baseball Sites:
Baseball Coaching Digest
Baseball Coaching Digest - Today's Post
Baseball Coaching Digest: Daily Post Archive
New Articles for Coaches
Baseball Coaching Articles by Coach Nick Dixon
New Baseball Blogs
Videos for Baseball Coaches

YouthBaseballDigest.com
Homepage
Today's Youth Baseball Coaching Feature Article
Videos for Coaches
Blogs & Knols for Baseball Coaches, Players & Parents

BaseballParentGuide.com
Homepage
Baseball Parent Guide: Today's Post
Baseball Articles for Coaches
Baseball Blogs
Teaching Your Child to Hit
Throwing and Pitching Fundamentals
Buying Guide For Baseball Parents
Current Topics and Issues Related to Safety in Baseball

Also:
Check out our network of baseball blogs:

Blogger (Blogspot) - baseballcoachesdigest
Blogger (Blogspot) - baseballparentguide
Blogger (Blogspot) - baseballhomeworkhelp
Blogger (Blogspot) - batactionbaseballtraining
Blogger (Blogspot) - battingcagebuyingguide
Blogger (Blogspot) - coachesbest
Blogger (Blogspot) - teeballcoachingclinic
Blogger (Blogspot) - hurricanebaseballtrainingmachine
Blogger (Blogspot) - teeballparentsguide
Blogger (Blogspot) - youthbaseballcoachingclinic

Understanding Pitching Grips and Knowing What to Throw

2011-01-13T06:13:00.000-08:00

Understanding Pitching Grips and Knowing What to Throw
By Dave Rosene

In youth baseball all grips are straight ball grips. I hesitate to say fastball because the pitches don't travel that fast. Let's just say the grips are preliminarily fastball. The standard way to grip the ball to throw is with the index and middle fingers on top of the ball with the thumb underneath the ball and the ring and little finger bent and supporting the ball on the side. It is allowable if you have players with small hands to let them throw with the ring finger on top. To pitch you can throw the ball with the seam (2-seam) or against the seam (4-seam), and you can hold the ball in a variety of ways depending on the accuracy and velocity of your pitches. With the 2-seam grip you can hold the ball in the neck at the seam's narrowest point, at the horseshoe on the top of the 2-seam, or you can place your fingers across both seams which could cause the ball to sink. With the 4-seam grip you can hold the ball in the middle of the 4-seams, with the horseshoe closest to the middle finger, or with the horseshoe closest to the index finger. Again the grip which you get the best action on the ball is the grip you should use. You can also put your ring and little fingers on top of the ball for a natural changeup. Never on the youth level teach any advanced pitches like the circle changeup, palmball, fork ball, split-finger fast ball, or cut fast ball. Concentrate on having your players master the eventual fast ball and natural changeup grips, the two best pitches in baseball.

Practicing what pitches to throw in different counts is imperative in the growth of young pitchers. The areas of concentration should be pitches to use when pitchers are behind or ahead in the count. Pitchers must work to develop and master a 'go-to' pitch, a pitch you can throw anytime for a strike. When you get behind in the count 2-0, 2-1 or 3-1, you must have that type of pitch to prevent big innings and give your team a chance to win. The hitters will know that you have a strike pitch and will be ready to hit, but if you include great location you will give yourself and the 8 players behind you an opportunity to make a play. When pitchers are ahead in the count 0-2 or 1-2, they should have developed a pitch or control a location that more often than not will put hitters away. You practice that pitch by experimenting with grips, arm angles, spin and hand speed to come up with an 'out' pitch that will control hitters' bat speed, making them more likely to strike out or hit the ball weakly.

Dave Rosene - Co-Founder, DNA Sports

DNA Sports specializes in personalized baseball and softball skill programs, college recruiting education and preparation, and coaching clinics. Learn more: http://www.dnasportsonline.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Rosene

========

===Advertisement from our sponsor:=====
Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Check us out on Twitter:

Blog4Coaches
Blogs4Coaches.com

CES Baseball Training

2011-01-12T16:29:00.001-08:00

Batting Cage Door Kit by Nedco Sports

Mark Johnson - Hitting Mechanics

2010-12-22T17:54:00.000-08:00

===Advertisement from our sponsor:=====
Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Check us out on Twitter:

Blog4Coaches
Blogs4Coaches.com

Gain a Competitive Advantage With Baseball Training Aids

2010-12-22T08:17:00.000-08:00

Shown above are two exciting new baseball products and baseball equipment for 2011. BatAction.com BattingCageDoor.com

Gain a Competitive Advantage With Baseball Training Aids
By Louis Seeley
Are you looking to take your baseball skills to the next level? Do you dream of throwing harder, batting better, and fielding with ease? These are skills that can be learned, honed, and perfected and baseball-training aids can make it possible.

Practice is the key to success in any athletic endeavor, and baseball is no exception.
The old adage "practice makes perfect" may be cliché, but it is true. Unfortunately, many sports, specifically a team sport like baseball, typically require a group of people to practice effectively. Conventional wisdom tells us that effective baseball training requires at least two athletes. Fortunately, this is no longer true as baseball training aids allow athletes to perform effective and efficient training without a partner or team.

Baseball and softball training aids are athletic training tools designed to develop and improve baseball specific skills. There are a variety of different training aids, each designed to perfect a specific area of your game. Each training tool improves skill-specific muscle memory; so effective training with these tools will vastly improve game performance.

Muscle memory is a form of procedural memory that stores the physical mechanics behind a specific task inside the brain. Muscle memory training is a very important part of athletic success. While it is always great to get faster and stronger, an athlete should really focus on getting faster and stronger in a way that is relevant to his or her specific sport or even his or her specific position.

Baseball training aids not only improve strength, conditioning, and hand-eye-coordination, they do so in a way that directly correlates to baseball success. For example, the Swift Stik lightweight training bat allows hitters to practice hundred of swings in one training session without the injury risks of a heavier bat. This type of repetition is the most important factor in building effective muscle memory.

Another training tool, the Arm Strong, improves throwing strength, accuracy and speed by combining light resistance training with a natural throwing motion. The benefits of this type of training are plain to see. In order to see the same results with an outdated training regimen, an athlete would have to spend hours in the gym, followed by hours playing catch and taking batting practice. That's not exactly efficient.

While no training tool can ever replace real-game experience, there is no reason to risk injury and waste time by treating skill and strength conditioning as different types of training. With baseball training aids, all of these necessary training steps can be combined into one simple program.

That's not all. The best part about these types of training tools is the fact that they can be used alone. There are no more excuses to slack off in the off-season. These training tools put success squarely in the hands of the competitor. It is time to gain a competitive edge with professional baseball and softball training aids.

Louis Seeley is an expert in the area of baseball training aids. For more information on top-of-the-line baseball training aids, visit: http://www.pikproducts.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Louis_Seeley

--------------
Thanks to our sponsors:

BatAction.com - The original rotational hitting machine.
HurricaneMachine.com - Derek Jeter Baseball Trainer
AdvancedSkillsTee.com - Worlds most advanced batting tee.
QuickSwingTrainer.com - Joe Mauer Quick Swing Batting Trainer
HandsBackHitter.com - Teaches the perfect swing mechanics.
StayBackTee.com - Advanced Batting Tee for Advanced Hitters
BattingCagesDirect.com - Your best buy in backyard batting cages.
BattingCageDoor.com - NEW PRODUCT! Great for all batting cages! Safe, efficient, & convenient!

Baseball Hitting Instruction - No Hook in the Handpath Swing

2010-12-15T18:15:00.000-08:00

Joe Mauer's Secret to Hitting Success - QuickSwingTrainer.com

2010-12-14T20:14:00.000-08:00

Baseball Batting Drill - 3 Pitch Location Drill - On the Derek Jeter Hurricane Machine

2010-12-06T18:39:00.000-08:00

AdvancedSkillsTee.com - Eliminates and Prevents Baseball Softball Hitting Flaws

2010-12-05T19:21:00.001-08:00

Kids Baseball - Coach the Fundamentals of Throwing and Catching

2010-11-24T12:09:00.000-08:00

Kids Baseball - Coach the Fundamentals of Throwing and Catching
By Kenny Buford

When coaching kids' baseball, an important first step is identifying the mechanical elements of each skill and then using that knowledge to teach the fundamentals of the game. Most beginning players will not know the proper technique for gripping, throwing, and catching the ball. Establishing these skills early will ensure players feel more confident and have fun playing the game.

Proper Grip

Start by teaching how to grip the ball:

For proper grip, the ball should only contact the fingers and thumb, not the palm of the hand. However, because beginning players' hands are often small, they might have to use their whole hand in the grip.
Players should grip the ball across the seams, with their fingers spread over the top of the ball and their thumb positioned on the bottom. Those with big enough hands should use only the index and middle fingers, while those with smaller hands can use three fingers to grip the ball across the top.
As the grip is released, players should focus on keeping the fingers directly behind the ball. Following through with the fingers after the throw will increase the velocity of the ball.

Throwing Fundamentals

Next, coach proper throwing technique for a basic overhand:

Players should begin the throwing motion by taking a step with the foot opposite of the throwing arm. The step should be in the direction they will be throwing.
The front shoulder and hip should be positioned so that they are pointing in the direction of the throw.
The front shoulder should be positioned toward the target, and the rest of the body is turned to the side. The arms should be extended from the body in a T-formation.
As the arm begins the throwing motion, the elbow should be as high as the shoulder and the hand should be higher than the head.
The front foot should now start forward, stepping toward the target.
As the arm continues the throw, the front shoulder and hip should turn so that they face toward the target.
The ball should be released above and in front of the head, snapping the wrist right before the release and pushing through with the fingers directly behind the ball.
Follow through the throw by bending the back slightly forward.

Basic Catching Technique

To coach catching, follow these steps:

Keep arms bent and relaxed, and provide a target for the thrower.
Hold the glove open toward the thrower, keeping the fingers up. If the ball is thrown low, switch to position the fingers down.
Use the bare hand to cover the ball once it is caught in the glove.
After the catch, bring the glove, ball, and throwing hand up to the chest and prepare to throw.

And if you'd like to see more free kids baseball drills and coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:
http://www.baseball-tutorials.com
Kenny Buford is a kids baseball coach, and the owner and publisher of Baseball-Tutorials.com, the web's #1 resource for kids baseball drills, practice ideas, and coaching tips.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenny_Buford

A Business Lesson from Baseball

2010-11-22T08:15:00.000-08:00

A Business Lesson from Baseball
By guest author: Rix Quinn

Few personalities dominated the American scene like basball slugger George Herman "Babe" Ruth. He entered the major leagues as a pitcher, but also won fame with the Boston Red Sox as a powerful hitter.

Since a pitcher can't play every day, somebody recommended Babe be placed in the outfield. This may have been one of baseball's greatest decisions.

Babe was traded to the New York Yankees in 1920, and became a superstar, media personality, and a hero to millions. He played 22 years, compiled a lifetime batting average of .342, and slammed an amazing 714 home runs.

In 1927 he also set a season record for homers with 60. That mark stood until 1961.

Babe was a large, powerful man. When I watch him in old newsreels, it appears he's swinging to hit the home run. He once said, "If I just tried to hit singles, I'd bat .600."

The Babe knew his fame came from power hitting. It's what the fans came to see, and he seldom disappointed them.

One time somebody asked Babe if he ever felt guilty that he made more money than the President of the United States. Asked Babe, "How many home runs did the President hit last year?"

Even back then, Babe symbolized a publicity secret we sometimes forget: recognition often comes to (a) the first to accomplish something, (b) the best at it, or (c) the first one to tell the world about it.

Rix Quinn is a specialist at short writing. His book on the subject, “Words That Stick” is available at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1580085768/qid/

To reach him for consultation, e-mail mailto:rixquinn@charter.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rix_Quinn

=================

Thanks to our sponsors:

Thanks to our Sponsor: Advanced Skills Tee

AdvancedSkillsTee.com
Advanced Skills Tee at Baseball2u.com
Advanced Skills Tee Reviews
Advanced Skills Tee Product Description
Used By Over 1,200 High Schools and Colleges!

Baseball Hitting Practice Is Fun

2010-11-12T08:15:00.000-08:00

Baseball Hitting Practice Is Fun
By guest author: Jeffery A Wise

During my 14 years of baseball, my favorite part of practice was the baseball hitting. For some reason, all my coaches followed the same order for practice: stretching, warming up, fielding drills, running drills, game situation and ending with hitting practice. Because my favorite part of practice was last, it built up anticipation to get me through the other things I didn't care for as much. Here's what I loved so much about hitting practice. You rush up to the plate, take a few deep breaths and the hitting pitcher starts throwing you some balls. Even though it's not a game, the adrenaline is still pumping. You want to get the best hits you can. But here's a question to consider. Should you just start hacking at everything thrown or should you be selective and only hit the good pitches? I think the latter is the better option. You should treat practice like it's a game. If only five out of 50 pitches are good, then you should only hit five pitches. Since this is your own personal time to work on hitting with a live pitcher, here are some tips you should consider.

Bunt the first two balls. One down the third base line and one down the first base line - Really focus on good form. Don't get lazy!
Look for pitches to drive into the outfield.
Hit five balls to left field, five to center field and five to right field - Spreading it out will help you during games especially when you need to hit the ball to a certain part of the field to move a runner over.
Know the strike zone. If the ball is way too high, low, outside or inside, don't swing. Don't swing at bad pitches! It won't do you any good.
Remain confident and be ready to attack each pitch. Let your coaches know that you take batting practice seriously.

You will be a better hitter and more prepared for games if you follow these baseball hitting practice tips. Have fun but take it seriously. Work hard and be open to learning new ways to be the best you can be.

Jeffery A Wise invites you to learn more about baseball hitting practice so that you can hit a baseball better. Start learning today at our baseball hitting blog and by reading our information and watching our videos.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeffery_A_Wise

====================
Thanks to our sponsors:

Thanks to our Sponsor: Advanced Skills Tee

AdvancedSkillsTee.com
Advanced Skills Tee at Baseball2u.com
Advanced Skills Tee Reviews
Advanced Skills Tee Product Description
Used By Over 1,200 High Schools and Colleges!

Baseball Training Aids

2010-11-06T17:10:00.000-07:00

Baseball Training Aids
By Eugene Rischall

Baseball training aids are a tremendous benefit to ballplayers of all levels. This article will explain different baseball training aids.

Baseball pitching machines are a great baseball hitting aid to help hitters with their timing and focus. There are many types of baseball pitching machines that can throw different types and speeds of pitches. There are many different drills you can do with your pitching machines. Other great baseball hitting aids include batting tees, handheld trainers, hitting machines, and soft toss machines.

Baseball pitching aids include practice pitching mounds, pitching rubbers, silhouette batter, pitchbacks, and backdrops. A silhouette batter is like having a real batter at the plate. A great baseball pitching aid good for pitching location.

Batting cages and backdrops are excellent baseball training aids. There are many different types of batting cages, portable or foldable, with or without hoods and wings. Backdrops come in different sizes, they also come in vinyl or rubber. Training bases and plates are great baseball training aids. Baseball gloves and bats which come in different shapes, sizes, and weight are great for training.

Training booklets and videos are very important for training. They show all the right fundamentals on becoming a better ballplayer. Booklets and videos include all the right hitting techniques, pitching techniques, proper way to field any position, baserunning, coaching, strength and conditioning, tee ball, softball, and little leagues.

There are many different baseball training aids which can be used for training. With the use of the proper training aids, persistence, and hard work, you will be successful.

Author- Eugene Rischall, Owner, Baseball Training Emporium - http://www.baseballtrainingemporium.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eugene_Rischall

===Advertisement from our sponsor:=====
Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Baseball Hitting Tips and Drills for Baseball Coaches & Players

2010-11-03T08:38:00.000-07:00

Baseball Hitting Tips and Drills for Baseball Coaches & Players
Super8Hitting http://www.LearnBaseballHitting.com/lcp. Baseball Hitting Drills for Coaching Baseball. Coach Joe Brockhoff reveals hitting tips for baseball instruction, and how to hit a baseball.

==================
Thanks to our sponsors:

Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer
QuickSwingTrainer.com
How Does the Quick Swing Batting Trainer Work?
Joe Mauer Quick Swing Links
Video Demo of the Joe Mauer Quick Swing Baseball Batting Trainer

Why Baseball Pitching Machines Can Make A Big Difference?

2010-10-30T19:57:00.000-07:00

Why Baseball Pitching Machines Can Make A Big Difference?
By Stewart Wrighter

The pitching machines are some of the best available baseball training aids for any young baseball player. This training in particular helps with perfecting your technique for hitting the ball by exposing you to all types of ball throwing tactics and speeds. Before you go and buy such a tool, you need to know what you should look for to get the best possible deal. You need to check for the following:

1. Pitch speed - Check whether the machine has the right pitching speed you need. Many machines today come with adjustable (manual or automatic) speed. Ensure you buy the one that suits you best or it would money lost.

2. Number of wheels - Check that your favorite machine has the right number of wheels. Once again, if these are less or more, it would be counterproductive for you.

3. Mobility - The machines you choose should be easily movable from one place to another. This is normally a large and bulky machine and you would definitely need it on the pitch ground to practice. So, to avoid too much inconvenience, you need to choose a machine that is highly mobile.

4. Accessories - As any other machine, it is important that you know and have available all the required accessories to optimize its use. Some of the must-have accessories are (1) auto ball feeder, (2) generators, (3) covers and (4) dimpled balls. Each one of these accessories would be a positive factor that contributes to your training.

5. Warranty - Whatever you buy. Ensure that there is appropriate warranty available. You never know what would go wrong and unless you have proper warranty coverage, your investment would be a complete waste.

Why are these machines so much in demand?

Not all batters have the privilege to train with a coach. This means they have to depend upon the availability of their friends to be able to practice and perfect their batting. The pitching machine does away with the need of a coach or even a friend. You could make the necessary programming and practice all day long or as much as would give you satisfaction.

This machine is designed to do everything a regular pitcher does. It can spin the ball, increase or decrease the speed of the ball, it can start with simple throws and work towards complex and complicated pitching so you can master each one aspect of batting.

What accessories you would need most?

The best machine would have auto ball feeder so you do not need someone just to man the machine. Here you can adjust the speed and type of throw so you could keep on practicing until you would be dreaming about it. Choose dimpled balls over any other type available. These balls would ensure that your machine lasts as long as it was designed for.

Automatic pitch selector is also a very good feature on the machine as this would ensure that there is just enough variety in the pitching so the batter would have the best ever practice.

Stewart Wrighter owns and operates a top ranking web site to help people find pitching machines to improve their baseball skills. He offers a large selection of baseball training aids for aspiring baseball players.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stewart_Wrighter
==============

Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine Demo Video

Check out the Hurricane Hitting Machine: Derek Jeter Series:
Hurricane Hitting Machine - Homepage
15 Reasons To Buy a Hurricane Trainer
6 Questions Often Asked By Customers
Message to Parents From Coach Nick
Examples of Hurricane Hitting Drills
The Highly Acclaimed 20-Minute Hurricane Batting Practice Workout
Hurricane Batting Machine Video Clips
Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine

The Best Baseball Glove Brands

2010-10-29T09:20:00.000-07:00

The Best Baseball Glove Brands
bostonsucs The Best Baseball glove Brands.
Very sorry for i otally forgot about nokona and ssk and zett gloves and tps
Wilson.
Rawlings.
Subscribe!

Catching 101 - Baseball Catcher Receiving Drills

2010-10-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

Catching 101 - Baseball Catcher Receiving Drills
Catching101
Catchers from the University of Louisville practicing receiving drills with Coach Xan Barksdale. For more instruction and videos please visit www.catching-101.com

==============
Thanks to our sponsors:

Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer
QuickSwingTrainer.com
How Does the Quick Swing Batting Trainer Work?
Joe Mauer Quick Swing Links
Video Demo of the Joe Mauer Quick Swing Baseball Batting Trainer

Baseball Coaching - Developing a Philosophy

2010-10-25T17:19:00.000-07:00

Baseball Coaching - Developing a Philosophy
By guest author: Kenny Buford

The key to successful baseball coaching is developing a philosophy. A baseball philosophy should encompass your approach to the game, how you want your team to play, and how you want others to perceive your team. If you are able to effectively communicate your philosophy to your team, then everyone - coaches, players, and parents - will be able to work together towards the same goal.

Where to Begin

The first step in developing a baseball philosophy is considering your past experiences. Think back on your growth as a player and a coach and remember who had an impact on you and why you wanted to play. Try to define the style of baseball you like to play.

In baseball coaching, especially when first developing a program, it is important to remember that baseball will not always be the number one priority for your players. Other factors, like family, school, and church, will be - and should be - more important to them. When developing your philosophy, try to use baseball as a way for players to round out their established priorities.

Remember the Past

When looking back at past experiences in baseball, it is important to remember both the good and the bad. What made something a positive or negative experience? How did your coach's interaction with you make you feel? Use these memories to determine how you want to treat your players - or those you have to cut from the team.

Keep in mind that being a successful coach is less about being a good player and more about being a good teacher. Good players can't always explain how they play so well, but a good teacher should be able to explain any skill in a way the players can understand.

Learn from the Present

A good baseball coach is willing to learn from others and adjust to make necessary changes. Use every interaction with other coaches and teams as a means of expanding your understanding of the game. Everyone has a different approach and style, and if you find some new way that works, you should feel free to incorporate it into your coaching. Ask questions and let coaches know that you admire what they are doing.

Look to the Future

The final step in developing a baseball philosophy is setting goals. What do you want to accomplish with your team? A good goal is to get to the point where every player is playing to the best of his ability. This would mean your team is successful, even if you don't have a winning season.

For more youth baseball coaching ideas and practice planning tips, go here to watch a free video:

http://www.baseball-tutorials.com/vid/

Kenny Buford is a youth baseball coach, and the owner and publisher of Baseball-Tutorials.com, the web's #1 resource for youth baseball drills, tips, and practice ideas for coaches.

========================
Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Check out these video demos of some of the most popular baseball training products on today's market. Click below and see the Advanced Skills Tee, Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer, and the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine.

--Video of the Advanced Skills Tee is used by a college hitter during a hitting drill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M30Ti00ZaOk

--Baseball Batting Tee - The Advanced Skills Tee - Baseball Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkvPoPWa7NU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Youth Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dFE150AKDs

--Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer - Demo Tape Shows How the Machine Loads, and Operates During Use. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFwoJ8Vh1nU

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Batting Machine - Baseball Backyard Batting Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtxZk74y1L4

--Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine - The Backyard Basketball Goal for Baseball Players http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJBn9VS9WDI

--Youth Baseball Batting Trainer - Hitting Drill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ0JjILe73k

Baseball Practice - How to Prepare for a Successful Season

2010-10-21T19:22:00.000-07:00

Baseball Practice - How to Prepare for a Successful Season
By Kenny Buford

The key to successful baseball practice -- and a successful season -- is communication. Coaches, players, and parents should all be on the same page regarding the expectations and philosophy of the team.

Communication is Key

Some important issues that should be communicated at the beginning of the season are:

Schedule: players and parents should receive a practice and game calendar as soon as possible so that they can make family and travel plans around it.
Uniform: communicate to players (and parents, depending on age) what you expect them to wear to practice. Games will most likely require uniforms, but if you have any expectations of what players will wear to practice, you need to let them know early.
Practice plan: coaches and players should know what's expected of them during practice and how long each practice is going to last. Each coach should have a clipboard outlining the practice plan for that day, and it would also be beneficial for the plan to be posted so that players can access it as well.
Having all this information available requires a lot of organization and thinking ahead. By knowing your philosophy and approach ahead of time, you can effectively communicate with your team.

Organizing Baseball Practice

When organizing a practice schedule, you should first consider what your goals are for both the short and long term. This will help you determine what to accomplish over the entire season, and you can then break it down into months, weeks, and single practice sessions. Your plan should be flexible to allow change as needed, but having goals will keep your team focused and provide direction for the season.

Any given practice might go something like this:

Begin with stretching while talking about baseball. Players should get their head in the game as soon as practice starts.
Next have the players run to get warmed up.
After running, pair up the players for catch. More advanced players should be paired based on their positions, and beginning players should be paired based on ability level.
Next players should work on drills based on their positions. When teaching drills, coaches should first demonstrate them so that they know players do them correctly, and then have them repeat the drill until it becomes habit.
After drills on the individual, group, and team level, players should have batting practice.
The final part of practice should be running. Running conditioning is most effective if it is somehow related to game play, like exercises to improve base-running technique or even sprinting on or off the field.
For a successful season, practices should be consistent and progressive. Follow the steps above for each practice, knowing ahead of time which skills you would like to focus on. By being organized and communicating your goals to your team, players will come to practice knowing that their hard work is going to pay off!

To learn more coaching tips, go here to watch a free video:

http://www.baseball-tutorials.com/vid/

Kenny Buford is a youth baseball coach, and the owner and publisher of Baseball-Tutorials.com, the web's #1 resource for baseball practice drills, tips, and ideas for youth and high school coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenny_Buford

======================

www.BatAction.com

---BatAction Machine at CoachesBest.com
---BatActionMachine on Ebay.com
---BatAction Machine Video Clips
---BatAction Trainer - 15 Reasons Why You Must Own This Machine
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---If you are looking for BatAction Replacement Balls or Power Bands Click Here

BatAction Demo Videos on Youtube

Little League Baseball Drills - Batting Practice

2010-10-13T09:35:00.000-07:00

Little League Baseball Drills - Batting Practice
By guest author: Chris Campbell

I have heard it said by many an accomplished athlete, that one of the hardest things you can do in professional sports, is to hit a major league fastball. Or any major league pitch for that matter. Just ask Micheal Jordan. He may be a living legend in the world of professional basketball, but he only managed a 202 batting average for the Birmingham Barons (a farm team for the Chicago White Sox). The moral being, it's best to get your little leaguer started early, if they plan on challenging some of the MLB hitting records.

With that in mind, lets consider a few hitting drills that the kids can use to get their bats swinging true, and making contact as soon as possible. One of the best drills you can do with your kids, is simply to grab a bucket of balls, and pitch a few to them every day you can find the time to do so. It's practically impossible, for most kids to get enough batting practice with the team. There's a limited number of pitchers, catchers, and backstops for most little league coaches to work with. It's almost impossible for them to get more then a few minutes hitting each practice. A one on one practice with mom or dad every day or so will really help out.

Now just swinging for the sake of swinging will make you a better hitter, but there are a few simple points you should keep in mind, to maximize the time put in. Don't harp on these items too much, as they can be a bit technical and boring for kids. Try to make it fun for them at the same time.

Choosing The Right Bat

Picking a bat that's appropriate for your child's height and strength can make all the difference. It should feel comfortable for them to hold and swing the bat. If the bat is slowing down their swing too much, it's probably a little too heavy. There is a simple way to test a bat, even before you buy one. Simply have your son or daughter hold the bat by the handle, and hold it straight out to the side, so the bat is parallel to the ground. They should be able to hold the bat steady for at least fifteen seconds. If they can't, or their arms starts to shake, you should try a smaller bat.

Batter Positioning

It's important to know where the batters box is, where home plate is, and where the strike zone is. That way, even little league players, can put themselves in good position to reach any ball that is passing through the strike zone. Even if your in your back yard practicing, you can mock up a plate, and batters box. Just use a can of spray paint on the grass to mark out home plate and a made up batters box. Don't worry, it'll disappear the next time you cut the grass.

Little League Baseball Drills is a great resource for helping your little leaguer get the most out of his or hers favorite pastime. With a little good training, amateur or even professional ball players will see a dramatic improvement in the way they play.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Campbell

==================
Thanks to our sponsors:

=======================================
Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine
=======================================

Derek Jeter Hurricane Machine Training Blog

HurricaneMachine.com - Links

---15 Reasons To Buy a Hurricane Trainer
---6 Questions Often Asked By Customers
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---Hurricane Hitting Machine Drills
---20-Minute Hurricane Batting Practice Workout
---Hurricane Hitting Machine Video Demo Clips

Baseball2u.com has a one of the internet's largest selections of baseball coaching and training dvds

Baseball Positions And Baseball Coaching

2010-10-11T09:39:00.000-07:00

Baseball Positions And Baseball Coaching
By guest author: Chris Moheno

With nine different positions, have you ever thought about all the baseball coaching and baseball drills that goes into each position? There are several, and you will find that positions like the "pitcher" is subject to more training then just pitching the ball. This is why, when children are growing up, they are encouraged to play several different places on the field to interact in all baseball drills and learn all aspects of the game.

Doing so enables young players to get a feel for what is expected from each position and helps coaches figure out where they are best suited to play. As the years progress, the children go from a rotating position type coaching style to playing just a few positions like pitcher, center field, and first base as the game becomes more competitive. By high school age, players have done so much training and been involved in so many games, they could basically teach younger players different drills that they have learned.

Going back to pitchers, they must learn to field the ball coming off the mound, backing up bases when throws are coming from the outfield, and being able to keep base runners at bay to cut down on stolen bases. Catchers must be able to not just "catch" the ball, but keep it in front of them, know how to throw out base runners, and also backup first base whenever necessary. Infielders must learn to execute ground balls to first base, turn two (double plays), and keep the ball in front of them with various techniques.

You get the idea and each position has its own little baseball training secrets that make fielding a whole lot easier. It usually depends on how committed to playing the sport of baseball itself the player is, which translates into more baseball training and focus. High school players can turn into college scholarship players with the right dedication and work ethic, then possibly into a professional athlete where playing a certain position is much more relevant than the younger ages.

However, it all starts with you and how far you want to pursue baseball. Talk with your coaches and see if there are other baseball drills you can be doing or have them help you perfect the ones you are doing now. As you learn, you will not only grow as a player, but will be able to do some baseball coaching yourself to younger generations, whether through charity work or siblings.

Having the abilities to be a great baseball player is definitely part of the pedigree, but having a great understanding of the game and all the tools to play is essential for years to come.

Discover more about Baseball Training on baseballtrainingsecrets.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Moheno

===============
Thanks to our sponsors:

Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer
QuickSwingTrainer.com
How Does the Quick Swing Batting Trainer Work?
Joe Mauer Quick Swing Links
Video Demo of the Joe Mauer Quick Swing Baseball Batting Trainer

Arm Health and Conditioning

2010-10-06T09:04:00.000-07:00

Arm Health and Conditioning
By guest author: Sita Ram

Arm injuries have become a major issue in youth sports. With the development of year-round baseball, travel teams, playing on multiple teams and a complete dedication to baseball specialization, issues caused by repetitive stress are becoming both more prevalent and more severe. With the arrival of Major League Baseball opening day and youth baseball in full swing, examining overall arm health is more important now than ever. That's why I want to share with everybody the teachings of Alan Jaeger and his viewpoint on arm strength and conditioning.

Mr. Jaeger, as a personal trainer and consultant for nearly 20 years, has worked with over 70 professional baseball players, including Barry Zito, Andrew Bailey and Dan Haren, and countless amateur athletes. There are three significant components to the complete Jaeger Program:

1. The Mental Game
2. Yoga
3. Arm Development

Obviously, all three elements are highly interrelated and the ultimate accomplishments in each facet will contribute to the overall success of each athlete in the program. Yet, because of its unique aspects, after touching on Alan's philosophy on the Mental Game and yoga, the focus of this article will be on the Arm Conditioning curriculum.

The Mental Game. As previously discussed, baseball is the ultimate "spotlight sport" (Pressure in Youth Sports, May 2005) and creates tremendous stress on young kids. As players continue to develop and mature, they are separated less by physical differences and more on mental differences. The ability to stay focused during their preparation and throughout the game is the missing link between having potential and realizing potential. To maximize performance, Jaeger emphasizes meditation, breathing and visualization. These calming techniques work to simplify the game and can be transferred, through breathing, from practice into game situations thereby enhancing focus and performance.

Yoga. Yoga provides the bridge between mental preparation and game performance by coordinating breathing, flexibility, balance, strength and endurance. Alan notes that "if a player wants to maximize their arm strength, then they also need to build strength in their lower back and core muscle groups that are all a critical part of the kinetic chain." The core of Yoga is proper breathing, allowing increased concentration and focus, which provides the connection between physical and mental well being. The increased physical conditioning, along with better oxygenation, will help in injury prevention. In addition to the obvious strength and flexibility benefits, Jaeger also believes that properly incorporating yoga into the program will add at least 3 MPH to a pitcher's fastball since a relaxed muscle is obviously quicker and more efficient.

Pros Learning New Yoga Techniques from Alan

Arm Strength and Conditioning. A cornerstone of the Jaeger Program is the idiom that players shouldn't be throwing to warm-up, but should instead be warming-up to throw. Arm strength is a key element of any complete player and is just as important to work on as hitting or fielding. Unfortunately, most players, especially kids, neglect their arms. The goal of the Jaeger Program is to have players "thrive on throwing" by following a strength and conditioning agenda designed to build a strong base in the off-season and to establish a maintenance program in season by using a series of arm circles, J-Bands, mechanics, and a committed long toss plan.

Arm Circles. Arm circles must be completed properly before there can even be a thought of picking up a baseball. General physiology now requires a dynamic warm-up before any type of static stretching can take place. A set of arm circles is the first exercise that is done to warm up the smaller muscles in the shoulder to maximize the benefits of the J-Bands. Essentially, arm circles consist of 16-20 revolutions in progressively larger rotations, from very small, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and then full circles. This should be done both forward and backward to build flexibility, balance, strength and stamina in the rotator cuff muscle group.

J-Bands. Exercises with surgical tubing (J-Bands) are an important part of preparing for long tossing. Originally made popular by the renowned orthopedist, Dr. Frank Jobe, J-Band exercises are a series of strength, conditioning, and flexibility movements designed to isolate the specific muscles in the arm, back and shoulder that are used while throwing. The purpose of these exercises is to rehabilitate, develop and prepare the arm before any throwing takes place.

Long Toss. There are two main phases to this part of the program:

1) stretching out; and
2) pull-downs.

While stretching out, the goal is to "massage" the arm as you move further away from your throwing partner. This is done by listening to the muscles and throwing as far as your arm allows. Rather than straight baseball throws, each repetition should be made up in the air and allowing the arm to make a full range of motion. As distance is added, throws should be with proper mechanics and using a "crow-hop" to reduce any stress on the arm. As each player opens-up, the muscles begin to lengthen. It may take a few weeks to build up a solid base and substantially increase distance, but that is the goal of this part of the exercise. During the pull-down phase, you'll throw on a line as you move back toward your partner about 10 feet each toss. This will help generate arm speed, strength, and acceleration through the release point. Doing this program regularly will certainly help any players arm health and strength. Alan Jaeger states that "arm health is about being proactive, being really smart about a few things, including using proper mechanics and what you're trying to accomplish with long toss".

Pros Focus on Alan Jaeger's J-Band Workout

Throwing so much (a solid long toss session may take 45 minutes or longer) seems to contradict much of the current philosophy relating to repetitive stress arm injuries. Yet, Jaeger contends that properly conditioning the arm by throwing is preventative, not causational. If a proper base is built in the offseason and maintained, a player can consistently throw. However, Alan also acknowledges that it is imperative to understand the variables related to pitch counts and the suggested American Sports Medicine Institute ("ASMI") recovery periods, which among other things, recommend no overhand throwing at all for 2-3 months a year. Perhaps most importantly, Jaeger states that kids need to try to be more aware and that they should not be throwing on sore or fatigued arms.

The training program should be done frequently. While throwing off a mound is contingent on pitch counts and recovery, for the most part, everybody should simply throw at least five times each week, but at least three times each week if they want to develop their arms. While it may take 3-6 weeks to get into shape and build the base, after that it is okay to throw almost every day. Jaeger explains it this way: "runners want to run, bowlers want to bowl, the muscles want to work and the more a player throws the better they will feel".

Alan's message to kids is that if they're truly committed to finding out how good they can be and care about the game, then they have to be proactive in some of the more neglected parts of baseball. While each player has to hit and take grounders, the truly successful players are the ones that work hard at the more subtle parts of the game. Kids need to know, if they want a future in baseball that they can't play if they can't throw so they need to learn how to take care of their arm. Also, they cannot ignore the mental part of the game, which becomes even more important as they get older. So, they need to learn about breathing and mental conditioning. Given the busy schedules that all kids have, make the mental game a priority, even if it's only for five minutes a day.

Coaches and parents have to be more aware as well as begin to understand that all sports performances should be evaluated on the "process" rather than the "results". This will allow for a healthier mental approach to baseball. The bottom line is that today's players have a tremendous amount of information on how to improve and stay healthier. The Jaeger Program is a great example of how kids can stay healthy, improve arm strength and begin to truly excel through mental conditioning and yoga. Needless to say, other than a glove and a bat, the most important baseball-throwing arm conditioning equipment belonging in your baseball bag is the J-Bands.

Http://www.sportskids.com

sitaram has been actively involved in coaching youth sports for many years. Focused primarily on coaching and teaching baseball, football and basketball, Kaiserman has served on the Board of Directors for the Beverly Hills Little League, the Beverly Hills Basketball League and the Rancho Park Advisory Board. After graduating from UCLA, Ken obtained his JD/MBA from USC. He practiced law at the prestigious, Houston based, law firm of Fulbright & Jaworski before founding the biggest sports products for kids website for SportsKids.com. SportsKids is a leading website focusing on sports for kids and their families featuring coaching tips, a Sports Camp Directory, Youth League Sponsorship Program, featuring uniform sales and free youth league websites, sports games and the biggest store for sports products for kids where there are more than 250,000 sporting goods products including all types Fan Gear, and all major league beddings for all teams.

================
Thanks to our sponsors:

=======================================
Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine
=======================================

Derek Jeter Hurricane Machine Training Blog

HurricaneMachine.com - Links

---15 Reasons To Buy a Hurricane Trainer
---6 Questions Often Asked By Customers
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---Hurricane Hitting Machine Drills
---20-Minute Hurricane Batting Practice Workout
---Hurricane Hitting Machine Video Demo Clips

Baseball2u.com has a one of the internet's largest selections of baseball coaching and training dvds

Baseball Pitching : Chair Drill Instruction - Reach and Back leg strength

2010-10-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

Baseball Pitching : Chair Drill Instruction - Reach and Back leg strength
myosource
http://www.myosource.com/baseball.htm
http://www.myosource.com/apps/photos/...

Pitching Instructor Rob Jackson. General Manager Mac-N Seitz Baseball Training facility.
The Chair drills works on Reach, Back Leg Strength
Finish and Flex the Knee
Reach over Front Foot
Avoid Flat Fastball
head on the ball
power and drive
downward angle
make your ball more lively
Do not lose velocity
how to pitch
how to train for pitching
how to perfrom the chair drill
mac-n-seitz baseball and softball
kansas city missouri
overland park kansas

==================
Thanks to our sponsors:

Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer
QuickSwingTrainer.com
How Does the Quick Swing Batting Trainer Work?
Joe Mauer Quick Swing Links
Video Demo of the Joe Mauer Quick Swing Baseball Batting Trainer

Jugs Small Ball Pitching Machine

Rawlings Baseball Pants - The Best Designer Pants

2010-09-29T10:58:00.000-07:00

Rawlings Baseball Pants - The Best Designer Pants
By guest author: Reba C. Geoghegan

Baseball pants have to be chosen with care. You just cannot select anything. These pants have to be comfortable and easy to manage. They must also fit you well so that you are able to play the games with the best possible style.

Rawlings baseball pants are among the best set of designer pants available today. These pants are very comfortable, and make you feel at the top of your game. You can wash these easily even if you have had a tough game, and maintain them for further use. They are available for people of all ages. No matter whether you are a teenager playing for your school, a college student, or a family person, you will find a pair that is made especially for you. These pants are the most preferred ones for all those who love style, and like to combine fashion with sports.

They are available in plenty of colours and designs. You can thus pick the pants that look extremely good on you. You need to take care though while you are selecting them. Don't get carried away with what your friends are wearing, or size. While you play the game, it is your comfort that matters, and nothing else. Nothing spoils a game worse than a badly fitting pair of pants.

They are among the most preferred brand of pants for everyone today. You can see many people wearing this brand, because of the comfort level and style that it brings to you. With the help of a new pair of Rawlings baseball pants, you will be ensuring that your game is totally unaffected by what you are wearing, and you can be at your best. You can roll on the ground, run haywire, and even bend and fall in the strangest positions.

You can read more information before you buy rawlings baseball pants, and read exclusive reviews mizuno baseball pants from my websites.

===============
Thanks to our sponsors:

Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer
QuickSwingTrainer.com
How Does the Quick Swing Batting Trainer Work?
Joe Mauer Quick Swing Links
Video Demo of the Joe Mauer Quick Swing Baseball Batting Trainer

Youth Baseball Practice When No Field Is Available

2010-09-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

Youth Baseball Practice When No Field Is Available
By guest author: Marty Schupak

How many times do we as coaches call for a practice, meet the team at the field, only to find one team practicing and two other teams waiting to practice. When I first started coaching, this dilemma always seemed to happen to me. I would feel sought of helpless and once even took everyone to another field with my two coaches only to find the same situation there. I made up my mind to be prepared and plan two practices. One for a field and one without a field. The biggest difference is, having a few soft covered balls available and some planned drills for a hard service.

When there is no field available our practices are usually in a parking lot.There are certain things you can and cannot do. Obviously no sliding. Regular batting practice with even soft covered balls is difficult in a parking lot.You can set up some great bunting competition games. We would divide the team in half, set up two cones and each team goes through the batting order and sees how many can bunt between the cones.

The main idea is to be creative and safety precautions are also a priority. You can have a lot of different base running drills and throwing drills. Some of my best practices have taken place in parking lots and backyards. Don't call off practice just because someone is using the field. Come prepared and have a few extra props.

Marty Schupak has coached youth baseball for 18 years and is the creator of "The 59 Minute Baseball Practice", "Backyard Baseball Drills" and author of the popular book, "Youth Baseball Drills".

http://www.YouthSportsClub.com

Marty Schupak has coached youth baseball for 18 years and is the creator of "The 59 Minute Baseball Practice", "Backyard Baseball Drills" and author of the popular book, "Youth Baseball Drills". He is also President of the Youth Sports Club, a group dedicated to making sports practices and games more enjoyable for kids.

==============

Thanks to our sponsors:

Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer
QuickSwingTrainer.com
How Does the Quick Swing Batting Trainer Work?
Joe Mauer Quick Swing Links
Video Demo of the Joe Mauer Quick Swing Baseball Batting Trainer

Jugs Small Ball Pitching Machine

Baseball Training Aids & Pitching Machines From BestSportsDirect.com

2010-09-24T10:08:00.000-07:00

Baseball Training Aids & Pitching Machines From BestSportsDirect.com
theblindjogger
http://bestsportsdirect.com Highlights some of BestSportsDirect.com best selling most usable baseball practice trainers, pitching machines, batting cages and hitting tools. 1 888 852 4550 order on line or by phone. Best Sports Direct is also a large ebay powerselling store. Keyword any product name. EBAY STORE LINK http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Best-Spor...

================
Thanks to our sponsors:

XtenderBattingCages.com
Xtender Batting Cages For Home & Youth Baseball
Heater Combo Pitching Machine & Xtender Batting Cage Package
Heater Pitching Machines

Uses For Lightning Bolt Pitching Machine

2010-09-22T10:36:00.001-07:00

Forearm and Grip Training For Baseball

2010-09-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

Forearm and Grip Training For Baseball
By guest author: Mike Posey

It recently occurred to me how often young baseball players fail to train their lower arms and hands for baseball. I was recently discussing this with an expert, former National Grip Champion Jedd Johnson, and how important strong hands and forearms are in baseball. Jedd was also a baseball player in college and helped me understand how grip and forearm training relates to baseball, My hope is to help young players perform better and prevent arm injuries by adding some simple grip and forearm training to our routines..

Much of the skills of baseball require the use of the hands - swinging the bat, throwing the ball, catching the ball, applying the tag. Also, the hands can be injured during high impact situations such as diving for balls, collisions at home, leaping for a home run ball, sliding into a base, and getting the hand stepped on. In order to perform well at the skills and to be as resilient against injury in these impact situations, the hands, wrists, fingers, thumbs and forearms must be properly trained.

Bat speed starts from the legs and core, of course, but the grip comes in a split second later. With strong hands, we can have a faster bat path through zone, stronger force through contact, and a better follow through.

One item concerning the hands that is often overlooked is the role of the last two fingers (pinky and ring finger) in the control and direction of the bat. When we gear up our swing for a fastball and then notice it is a curve or a slider, we have to make micro-adjustments in order to make contact. This kind of bat control is actually done with the weakest two fingers on our hands - the last two - the pinky and ring finger. Unfortunately, nobody spends any time training these fingers so hitters have a hard time making that adjustment.

In relation to injuries, grip training is beneficial in two ways. First off, the tendons and muscles become stronger, and thus can take more force during impact without becoming strained and without causing misalignment of the bones in the wrist - when the tiny bones in the wrist get out of alignment, they can cause some nasty aggravating pain that last a long time, so prevention is the key here.

A second way grip and forearm training keeps you in the game, instead of on the disabled list is because stronger muscles will recover from injuries quicker. Hand, wrist, forearm, and even elbow injuries can be avoided or when there is an injury help you heal sooner.

================
Thanks to our sponsors:

Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer
QuickSwingTrainer.com
How Does the Quick Swing Batting Trainer Work?
Joe Mauer Quick Swing Links
Video Demo of the Joe Mauer Quick Swing Baseball Batting Trainer

Jugs Small Ball Pitching Machine

Baseball Drills for Youth Teams

2010-09-17T09:40:00.000-07:00

Baseball Drills for Youth Teams
By guest author: Kenny Buford

Baseball is a game of skill and power that is unlike any other game today. Baseball has subtly to it that is often lost in other team sports such as basketball and football. So when people come together to play this game they need to be ready for any eventuality no matter how unlikely it maybe. That is why baseball drills are so important. Practicing these different scenarios keeps players from being unprepared for what may happen during a game which is very important. Here are a few drills that teach players both the fundamentals and some of the more important drills that can help teams with their weaknesses.

A good drill for all around practice is ironically called the "All Around" drill. This is an excellent baseball drill to teach kids to stop the ball and how to throw in and out of field. It starts with lining up players in groups of three to four at first base, right field, and third base. Each group has a different job, the first base players try to run from first base to third without being tagged and then must slide into third base. As the player runs a coach throws a ball to the right field players. This gives them an opportunity to practice stopping the ball. Then the right fielder throws the ball low to the third base players. The third base players then need to and tag the player that ran. It's a slightly complicated drill but a good one for those that want to make sure that players are familiar with the basics of field play. Read more.

=================
Thanks to our sponsors:

Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer
QuickSwingTrainer.com
How Does the Quick Swing Batting Trainer Work?
Joe Mauer Quick Swing Links
Video Demo of the Joe Mauer Quick Swing Baseball Batting Trainer

Baseball Hitting Stick

2010-09-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

Baseball Hitting Stick
Skillbuilder1
The Baseball Hitting Stick is great for batting practice. Lightweight and portable, the Baseball Hitting Stick is great for travel leagues. Use before the baseball game for warm-ups. Get it at www.skillbuilder.com

============
Thanks to our sponsors:

Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer
QuickSwingTrainer.com
How Does the Quick Swing Batting Trainer Work?
Joe Mauer Quick Swing Links
Video Demo of the Joe Mauer Quick Swing Baseball Batting Trainer

Jugs Small Ball Pitching Machine

Heater Backyard Pitching Machine-FREE Auto Feeder!

2010-09-10T08:50:00.001-07:00

Heater Backyard Pitching Machine-FREE Auto Feeder!
Baseballtips
The Heater Brand Backyard Baseball Pitching Machine will help make your ball players quicker plus it is lightweight, durable, portable & affordable. The Heater Baseball Pitching Machine has a motor speed 20 to 50+ mph and will throw leather baseballs and machine pitch dimple balls. It's great for teams on the move and on a tight budget. It uses an air filled tire which increases accuracy and speed and is easy on your pitching machine balls too!

Click the link below If you need the fastpitch softball version
http://softball-tips.com/heater.html

The Heater Backyard Baseball Pitching Machine is available at:
http://baseballtips.com/heater.html

===========
Thanks to our sponsors:

XtenderBattingCages.com
Xtender Batting Cages For Home & Youth Baseball
Heater Combo Pitching Machine & Xtender Batting Cage Package
Heater Pitching Machines

Baseball Pitching : How to Throw a Slider

2010-09-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

Baseball Pitching : How to Throw a Slider
expertvillage
Mechanics have a big role in throwing a slider in baseball. Strike out batters with a wicked slider with tips from a former major league baseball pitcher in this free video on baseball.

Expert: John Riedling
Contact: www.nlprospects.com
Bio: John Riedling played professional baseball for 13 years, including five years in the major leagues. He pitched for the Cincinnati Reds and the Florida Marlins.
Filmmaker: Tim Brown

============
Thanks to our sponsors:

Joe Mauer Quick Swing Trainer
QuickSwingTrainer.com
How Does the Quick Swing Batting Trainer Work?
Joe Mauer Quick Swing Links
Video Demo of the Joe Mauer Quick Swing Baseball Batting Trainer

Jugs Small Ball Pitching Machine

Baseball Training Aids Can Be Costly

2010-09-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

Baseball Training Aids Can Be Costly
By guest author: Joseph Harrison Jr

Baseball training aids can be costly and not assist the player being taught the game. This is because a lot of people attempt to make money off America's game because it is so popular. Everyone involved in the game should remember that a lot coaches and training aids are there to make money and do not have enough experience to teach the game of baseball.

The most important part of coaching is to know the basics of throwing, pitching, catching and hitting. When these basics are overlooked, the performance of the player suffers and a lot of money is wasted on inappropriate instruction. Each position on the field has different techniques that have to be considered and taught.

Beginning players need to know the basic techniques and master those techniques before moving on to advanced skills. Spending a lot of money on personal coaching or training aids that does not improve the performance of the player on the field will only frustrate the player.

Even if the coach has played on the highest levels of baseball, it does not mean that they have mastered the art of teaching the game to others. When someone spends a lot of money on something, then they expect to see the results. This includes personnel coaching.

It is important for the coach or training equipment to be qualified to teach baseball. This is easily done with research or inquiring from others who have used the coach or equipment before. When it comes to money for lessons, then individuals should pay attention to the value they will get from the expense. Read more.

===========
Thanks to our sponsors:

SoftballrUs.com/FastpitchSoftballSupply.com is the ultimate online fastpitch softball online store. SoftballrUs.com has Batting Trainers,Pitching Training, Training Bats,Defensive Training Equipment,Coaching DVDs & Books, Softball Pitching Machines, Softball Complete Net & Frame Batting Cage Packages, Batting Cage Nets, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, and BatAction Hitting Machines, and much, much more. Visit Softballrus.com now!

Baseball Drills For Youth - Baseball Throwing Drills

2010-09-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

Baseball Drills For Youth - Baseball Throwing Drills
By guest author: Peter S. Smith

Youth baseball tends to be a serious sport, so the young ones are required to master some basic skills before entering the field. There are quite a lot of baseball drills that parents can teach their kids even when they can hardly keep a ball in their hands. It is known that if any progress and performance is to be expected, the training should start early ( nobody who's ever been any good at baseball started playing in high school).

So, what are the best baseball drills for kids? Well, the first and most important thing is playing catch. Even if this sounds boring, it's a very important step and a proper technique needs to be learned. Batting cages are perfect for practice, no matter if it's throwing or pitching. Let's talk a bit about throwing and pitching.

The proper throwing technique is this: the child should always fully stretch his or her arm when throwing, and the arm should always be warm. When throwing the ball, it's important that the glove shoulders point straight to the target. Also, the child will want to step toward the target when throwing the ball, and always follow trough. The arms should be bent at the elbow and up above the shoulder when throwing the ball.

Playing catch and practicing throwing should be done daily and it's best if you just have a bucket of balls ready and watch your child how he or she throws at the batting cage. This way, you will be able to correct his or hers position. That's it for this first part of baseball drills for youth. In the next part you'll find tips on batting - the proper technique.

===========
Thanks to our sponsors:

Thanks to our Sponsor: Advanced Skills Tee

AdvancedSkillsTee.com
Advanced Skills Tee at Baseball2u.com
Advanced Skills Tee Reviews
Advanced Skills Tee Product Description
Used By Over 1,200 High Schools and Colleges!

Youth Baseball Coaching Rules and Regulations

2010-08-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

Youth Baseball Coaching Rules and Regulations
By guest author: John Nowly

When you get the job as a new coach, it is important that you meet the league director. You might have already met the league director as he or she may have been the person that hired you. If this is not the case, I recommend you set up a meeting as soon as possible to review several things.

Get your notebook handy, as I will give you a list of some questions to ask them.

First, you should ask: May I get the final copy of the league rules and a game schedule if available? It is obviously important to get a finished copy as soon as possible, as this will be a blueprint for your calendar.

Second, you should ask: Will I have any assistant coaches? Do you know where I can find a couple?

Next I suggest you ask, What fields will we be playing at?

And, Do we have a block of time available for baseball practice and which diamonds?

The next question should be, What type of equipment do we have available?
Finally, inquire about special days that the team needs to get together. These days will probably include a picture day, uniform day and end of year tournament.

With this information in hand, you have the basis for some advanced planning and organization. I have found that being organized will help with everything you do for the coming season. I recommend you buy a spiral notebook or create a ring binder for the coming season. Notebooks tend to be easier to carry around and write on, while binders have the sleeves for handouts, schedules and other things. Either way you go, it is important to have one of the two. Read more.

=============
Thanks to our sponsors:

XtenderBattingCages.com
Xtender Batting Cages For Home & Youth Baseball
Heater Combo Pitching Machine & Xtender Batting Cage Package
Heater Pitching Machines

Baseball Training For Power Hitting

2010-08-25T08:56:00.000-07:00

Baseball Training For Power Hitting
By guest author: Vic Read

Watching a 5' 8", 160 pound shortstop hit a 400 foot bomb is always amazing. Sure, the 6' 4", 235 pound first baseman has the natural strength to put the ball out of the yard, but how does the smaller player do it? What does he possess to produce such power? And how do some larger players consistently hit for distance, while others just have the occasional home run?

The three main components to hitting the baseball consistently and for distance are:

1. Proper mechanics - feet comfortably spread apart, hands back, and a smooth transfer from load to swing.
2. Good eye-hand coordination - seeing the ball all the way in and watching the ball hit the bat.
3. Good bat speed - the faster the bat, the faster the ball flies out.

Each one of these components can be improved upon by every baseball player.

1. Proper Mechanics - Watch some major league games and check out the different styles of batting stance. Then grab a bat and see what is most comfortable for you. Being tense at the plate cuts down on your reaction time. And when that fastball is coming in, you have to be relaxed and ready to release the perfect swing. Once you have found a stance you like, go hit off the tee and then take some cuts at a batting cage and continue to refine your mechanics. Once you like your stance, then do some research and learn about loading up, staying back on the ball and swinging thru the pitch.

2. Good eye-hand coordination - soft toss, which is hitting a ball into a net when tossed by someone from a short distance, is a good tool to work on and improve your eye-hand coordination. Have the person toss the ball at different angles and different locations. Start off with slow tosses, and then increase the speed. Read more.

=============
Thanks to our sponsors:

=======================================
Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine
=======================================

Derek Jeter Hurricane Machine Training Blog

HurricaneMachine.com - Links

---15 Reasons To Buy a Hurricane Trainer
---6 Questions Often Asked By Customers
---Message to Parents From Coach Nick
---Hurricane Hitting Machine Drills
---20-Minute Hurricane Batting Practice Workout
---Hurricane Hitting Machine Video Demo Clips

Baseball2u.com has a one of the internet's largest selections of baseball coaching and training dvds

Top 5 Baseball Drills to Improve Your Baseball Game

2010-08-23T09:20:00.000-07:00

Top 5 Baseball Drills to Improve Your Baseball Game
By guest author: Kendra L Fagan

Open professional baseball tryouts are designed to help scouts determine the physical talents and abilities of aspiring baseball players.

Though many of the drills that young MLB hopefuls are put through might seem random. This is because different drills are put to people to test their skills level. While one person trying out might have a killer pitch and he knows it, a scout might want to see what the person's skill level is with other types of baseball maneuvers.

Scouts look for speed, arm strength, glove skills, and hitting skills and overall mechanics. The tryouts are grueling and not like any version of American Idol you've seen. There is no "nice" judge. Instead, baseball scouts simply call out the names of those they like. The rest of the players go home, and many of theme eventually give up on their dream.

But not unlike any talent-based industry, hearing "no" is just part of the game. It is up to you and your trainers to make sure you are getting all the necessary drills and skill-building exercise to take you to your goal of becoming a professional baseball player.

I have compiled some of the best drills for cross-skill development that will give you a leg up in the competition and hopefully win you the interest of a baseball scout. Read more.

==========
Thanks to our sponsors:

XtenderBattingCages.com
Xtender Batting Cages For Home & Youth Baseball
Heater Combo Pitching Machine & Xtender Batting Cage Package
Heater Pitching Machines

Baseball Training Aids - Finding the Best Ones

2010-08-20T08:22:00.000-07:00

Baseball Training Aids - Finding the Best Ones
By guest author: Jack D. Elliott

All baseball players want to have a quicker bat, throw harder, or run faster. Many Baseball Training Aids sell this vision to baseball players tempting them to by their new product. However, the training aids do not always deliver what they promise. This can not only be frustrating to the young baseball players, but it can also be counterproductive. In some cases, it can even hurt the performance of an aspiring ball player. For this reason, to help combat the proliferation of bad products and to promote the good baseball training aids, I have put together this list of things you should review before buying:

Reputation of the Company or Sponsor

If the company is an established company in the baseball world that has been selling products for a number of years, they are far more likely to put out legitimate and solid products. The reason for this is their reputation as a company is dependent on how customers feel about their product offerings. If they have been in the competitive baseball equipment market for a number of years, odds are they have done this the right way. This essentially means you can be more trusting of their products and you should give a more critical review to new companies offering unproven products.

Look at the performance information that is included

Most baseball training aids will include some type of empirical evidence to show why their training aid is such a great product. If the product fails to include this type of information, this is a sign right away that something may be amiss. Another thing you should look at is to think critically over the source and meaning of the information provided. Essentially, you are trying to determine if the study or numbers are valid. Questions you should think about are what other factors might have caused this spike in performance that is unrelated to the product or who is putting their name behind this product. Often times, the best products will be getting a vote of confidence from former baseball players and coaches. Just a general endorsement by some guy in some town is not enough. What you are looking for is "recognized experts" who are giving their approval. Don't settle for anything less. Read more.

============
Thanks to our sponsors:

XtenderBattingCages.com
Xtender Batting Cages For Home & Youth Baseball
Heater Combo Pitching Machine & Xtender Batting Cage Package
Heater Pitching Machines

The Importance of a Good Baseball Weight Training Program

2010-08-18T08:45:00.000-07:00

The Importance of a Good Baseball Weight Training Program
By guest author: Ron Wrigley

Serious baseball players understand the importance of starting a baseball weight training program during the off-season. Sure, they could spend the off-season reliving the wins and losses of the past season, but that does nothing to improve their game. A smart program will only improve a player's skills.

In recent years, there has been much buzz about famous baseball athletes who performed well and then were found to be using steroids and other harmful substances to increase their performance. Instead of participating in these illegal practices, it is important to know how to train properly so that you can be the best in the sport.

Baseball players mostly use the core muscles in the body: those located in the stomach and the back. Some of the key elements in the sport are power and the ability to be quick. Major league teams have recognized that a players ability to bring these elements into the game relies heavily on their weight training. Most of these teams have incorporated weight training rooms and fitness centers in their stadiums, as well as trainers who are professionals at coaching sports competitors. Read more.

============
Thanks to our sponsors:

Thanks to our Sponsor: Advanced Skills Tee

AdvancedSkillsTee.com
Advanced Skills Tee at Baseball2u.com
Advanced Skills Tee Reviews
Advanced Skills Tee Product Description
Used By Over 1,200 High Schools and Colleges!

Backyard Baseball Drills

2010-08-17T08:58:00.001-07:00

Backyard Baseball Drills
LNersesian
The Youth Sports Club is a leading producer of sports instructional videos and DVDs. Produced by Coach Marty Schupak, This video has been called "the most creative sports instructional video ever made." Coach Schupak takes household items and puts them to use as props for baseball drills. Instead of spending $200.00 for a baseball hitting net, coach Schupak shows how to make something equivalent for under $20.00. Other items such as cinder blocks, bricks, a bathroom plunger and believe or not, a dozen eggs make "Backyard Baseball Drills" a true baseball lover's delight. Great practice ideas that kids and adults will love. For more information on how to purchase any of these titles, visit: www.youthsportsclub.com

===========
Thanks to our sponsors:

BattingCagesDirect.com
XtenderbattingCages.com

Suggested links:

RottenSports.com
RottenCoaches.com
Blog4Coaches.com
WildSportsVideos,.com
BaseballCoachingDigest.com
YouthBaseballDigest.com
LittleLeagueDigest.com
SoftballBloopers.com
FunnyBaseballVideo.com
BaseballBloopersandBlunders.com
New Articles for Coaches
Baseball Coaching Articles by Coach Nick Dixon
New Baseball Blogs
Videos for Baseball Coaches

YouthBaseballDigest.com
Homepage
Today's Youth Baseball Coaching Feature Article
Videos for Coaches
Blogs & Knols for Baseball Coaches, Players & Parents

BaseballParentGuide.com
Homepage
Baseball Parent Guide: Today's Post
Baseball Articles for Coaches
Baseball Blogs
Teaching Your Child to Hit
Throwing and Pitching Fundamentals
Buying Guide For Baseball Parents
Current Topics and Issues Related to Safety in Baseball

Also:
Check out our network of baseball blogs:

Blogger (Blogspot) - baseballcoachesdigest
Blogger (Blogspot) - baseballparentguide
Blogger (Blogspot) - baseballhomeworkhelp
Blogger (Blogspot) - batactionbaseballtraining
Blogger (Blogspot) - battingcagebuyingguide
Blogger (Blogspot) - coachesbest
Blogger (Blogspot) - teeballcoachingclinic
Blogger (Blogspot) - hurricanebaseballtrainingmachine
Blogger (Blogspot) - teeballparentsguide
Blogger (Blogspot) - youthbaseballcoachingclinic

Shop CoachesBest.com for your baseball coaching needs including baseball training aids, training videos, and other coaching supplies. Check out the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting machine by SKLZ at HurricaneTrainer.com.

See the “Original” Rotational Hitting Machine at BatAction.com. Are you looking for the perfect trainer to teach proper timing and swing mechanics? You can stop looking and go to BatAction.com.

Short-Hop Drill

2010-08-13T08:36:00.000-07:00

Short-Hop Drill
yourcoachB
Great infield drill. Most coaches at higher levels have this in their bag of tricks. It is a great way for your infielders to spend the few minutes before stretch each practice. Working on the hands. Hope the explanation helps you understand why and how to implement this into your practice schedule

==========
Thanks to our sponsors:

XtenderBattingCages.com
Xtender Batting Cages For Home & Youth Baseball
Heater Combo Pitching Machine & Xtender Batting Cage Package
Heater Pitching Machines

Great Baseball Hitting Drills - Using Release Zones, Picking Up Pitcher Release

2010-08-12T07:51:00.000-07:00

Great Baseball Hitting Drills - Using Release Zones, Picking Up Pitcher Release
By Guest Author Joe Brockoff

Coaches frequently ask how do we improve a player's ability to pick up the ball immediately at release point. To better understand how to do this, we first need to understand release zones. There are three pitching release zones:

Three-quarter release (most common): right hander-10 o'clock, lefthander-2 o'clock.
Overhand release: right hander-11 o'clock, left hander-1 o'clock.
Side arm release: right-hander-9 o'clock, left hander-3 o'clock.

After release, the ball enters trajectory, which is diagonally down. It is at this time that the hitter is completing his stride and deciding the projected location of the pitch in contact. When he is striding, he is deciding. Therefore, we need to separate the time of release from the time of trajectory, in order to give this the batter's full concentration.

Try these proven drills (we call "skull sessions") to improve a hitter's ability to pick up the ball at release point:

Needed: pitcher, batter, and netting.

1. Pitcher stands three feet in front of a net (could be the net of a batting cage).
2. Batter is on the other side of the net facing the pitcher, as if in his stance at home plate.
3. He will not take a swing.
4. Several batters can observe at the same time.

Drill:

1. Pitcher winds up and pitches the ball.
2. Ball will hit the net immediately.
3. Batter, protected by the net, concentrating solely on release, draws an imaginary circle around the release zone, and expects the ball to come out of that zone each time (zone is different for each type of pitcher).

Pitcher throws the following:

1. 10 fast balls. - Batter observes release zone. - Ball will dive down after release.
2. 10 breaking balls. - Batter observes release zone. - Balls will have a little hump after release.
3. 10 mix of both fastballs and breaking balls. - Batter identifies each from release.

After the pitcher throws from three feet, he can vary the distance up to six feet.

Hitters will be amazed at how much better they will see release with just one session. Do this drill frequently to continue to emphasize this process, and with a variety of different pitchers.

Coach Joe Brockoff, a Division I Head Baseball Coach for Tulane University for more than 19 years, and former minor league player for the New York Yankees, has sent 45 baseball players to the pros and coached thousands of college level and youth players using his proven Super 8 Baseball Hitting System. Coach Brockoff's unique drills, tips, and techniques have increased many players' batting average by more than 200 points.

As a coach committed to continuous improvement, Coach shares his proven baseball drills, tips, and techniques here so that you will, in turn, inspire and motivate young players to improve their game. To learn more about Coach's techniques, and to watch his free instructional videos, visit the Super 8 Baseball Hitting System at http://www.learnbaseballhitting.com or check out some of his videos at http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Learn-Rotational-Hitting-323080216

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Brockoff

--------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to our sponsor:
Advanced Skills Tee
==================================

Thanks to our Sponsor: Advanced Skills Tee

AdvancedSkillsTee.com
Advanced Skills Tee at Baseball2u.com
Advanced Skills Tee Reviews
Advanced Skills Tee Product Description
Used By Over 1,200 High Schools and Colleges!

Thanks to our sponsor:

===Advertisement from our sponsor:=====
Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Check us out on Twitter:

Blog4Coaches
Blogs4Coaches.com