Six Pitching Rules To Live By
1. Practice outside of practice - This is essential with any position in any sport. The winners put in the time, losers just show up for practice
2. Repetition - A pitchers mechanics should be the same every pitch. Consistency is the key to success. Consistency comes from repetition which comes from point number one.
3. Mechanics - If points one and two are being done, a pitchers mechanics will continue to refine. When you as a coach have to call time to talk to your pitcher who can't seem to find the strike zone, the first step is not to stress throwing strikes. The first step is to have him focus on his mechanics during each pitch and not worry about balls and strikes. If he focuses on his mechanics and finds a rhythm, the strikes will come.
4. Have a Short Memory- there is not much more to say about this point. You can't change the past, so why worry about it.
5. Focus- A pitcher should always be focused on the next pitch, not the ball that should have been a strike, or the home run he just gave up (see point four). The pitch you aren't focused on will usually have a negative result.
6. Never Show Emotion - Whether the pitcher is happy or mad, never show it on the mound, especially when he is upset. Once the batter and the opposing team realize that the pitcher is upset or frustrated, they own him. They will be more selective in their pitches and force the pitcher to throw good hittable strikes.
Love Your Sport
My last entry about being a great competitor really got me thinking on how true it is that you have to love what you do to be a competitor. I have read so many great articles on great athletes & coaches and when I think back, all of them loved what they did. None of them considered all of their hours of training, watching film or preparing a game plan work at all. I would say that this goes way beyond sports. I challenge you to find a business professional at the top of his or her field that doesn't enjoy what they do.
Unless you coach at the college or professional level, you probably have another career. Take sales for example. Whether you sell insurance, real estate, or televisions, to be the best starts with enjoying what you do and being enthusiastic. You have to be prepared, starting with how you present yourself to practicing your message. Most importantly, you have to enjoy the practicing part.
Here are some comments of some very successful coaches, athletes and other successful people on their love of what they do.
Enjoy.
Babe Ruth
Former Major League Outfielder
The most important thing a young athelete must do is pick the right sport. Not one that they just like a little bit but one they love. Because, if they don't really love their sport, they won't work as hard as they should. Me? I loved to hit.
Walter Cottinham
Canadian Businessman/Manufacturer
Merit begets confidence; confidence begets enthusiasm; enthusiasm conquers the world.
Pancho Gonzalez
Former Professional Tennis Player
To me, there is a cycle in sports; "The more they enjoy it, the more they practice; the more they practice, the more they improve; therefore, they enjoy it more."
Papyrus
Old Egyptian Historical Papers
If you can't get enthusiastic about your work, it's time to get alarmed-something is wrong. Compete with yourself. Set your teeth and dive into the job of breaking your own record. No one keeps his enthusiasm automatically. enthusiasm must be nourished with new actions, new aspirations, new efforts, new vision. It is one's own fault if his enthusiasm is gone; he has failed to feed it. If you want to turn those hours into minutes, renew your enthusiasm.
Be A Great Competitor
Please read and enjoy!
Learning to compete is yet another of the vital pieces to becoming a next-level player. Athletic ability alone gets very few to the top of the pyramid, with the exception of names like Albert Pujols, Joe Mauer, Andrew Jones, Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez-- guys just born with such amazing skill and size. Yet even these high caliber athletes needed to learn to become great competitors... focused and prepared to do battle.
Even Derek Jeter, once viewed as the third best shortstop in the American League (and owner of 4 World Series rings as of this writing), talks about the countless hours of his teen years spent hacking with his SoloHitter Hitting Trainer. You watch how he approaches every at-bat and how hard he competes and you just know that this is how he is wired. It may have started from the head of his dinner table, or a coach, but those who know him say that this guy was always a tough out!
Watching Jeter play, you just have to appreciate how many of the best become their best!
So who & what is a great competitor?
In Practice - He's the guy who knows what he is supposed to do and does it correctly... and not just when coaches are watching. He understands the value of practicing hard & correctly and knows its importance to himself and his team. He practices how he plays!
He challenges himself and is interested in becoming his best... not just better!
In Games - He is mentally prepared and has a plan for every at-bat and every situation. Because of his great practice habits, he can kick his game plan into gear with little concern for not being prepared. Coaches know they can count on him!
The Ultimate Competitor is the Ultimate Team Player!
- He doesn't care who the hero is!
- He's going to compete to help his team win!
- He wants his teammates to do well!
Players come in all shapes, sizes & personalities...
but successful players all learn the importance of being a great competitor!
The Young Player
Teach & Learn The Love of The Game!
A competitive nature can start at a young age but first a player must learn to love the game. Without that love, he may never get to that point where the rest even matters. This is overwhelmingly most important.
The recent escalation of travel ball, elite teams and tough competition can come with a price of which the currency is these young minds and bodies. There is no more valuable cargo in this or any game. Please know your child(ren) and what makes it fun for them. For coaches, know all your kids (players) and keep it fun!
My own observation is that few 10-year olds are equipped to understand this, maybe half of 11-year olds seem to and most 12-year olds who get the concept are emotionally equipped to do battle and understand the euphoria of winning (as well as the the agony of losing) and what it takes to get there.
This knowledge can come from the head of the dinner table, an older sibling, a teacher or coach, older or other teammates, opposing players... anywhere really. What's more important is that it becomes how a player goes about his business on the field.
It's Just Baseball
One 10-year old may love to play every day and will play 60+ games a year while another may be burned out by age 12 with that sort of schedule. Love the game first and the competitive juices will just kick in when they are supposed to; there is no schedule. Know your player(s) and you will know when to prod and when to back off and let them find it themselves. THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT!
Accept Responsibility- Don't Make Excuses
The same thing goes in business. Our price is too high, she won't buy from a man, they have a better product than we do, I didn't have enough time. Excuses drive me nuts.
Here are some quotes I hope you enjoy from former players and coaches that share the same tolerance with excuses as me. I hope you enjoy.
We tell our players that if they are going to point a finger, to point it at the mirror. The attitude has to be, "If we are not winning, it is my fault"
Chuck Knoll - Former NFL Coach
We don't go for the injury bit or the sick bit. We win or we lose, that's all.
Al McGuire - Former College Basketball Coach, Sports Broadcaster
When a pitcher's throwing a spitball, don't worry, don't complain - just hit the dry side like I do.
Stan Musial - Former Major League Outfielder
This is my favorite. This should the thought of every coach in every sport, and every manager in any business.
Don't get me wrong. I don't like to lose. I think I take a loss as hard as any other coach and a lot harder than I hope my players take it. If we lose, it's my fault. That's my responsibility as the head coach. I don't brood over a game, but I do second-guess myself, analyzing where I made my mistakes. After all, I have more control of the game than the players. I have to prepare them. I have to design the game plan. I run the game from the sidelines. Sure, the players on the field do or don't make the big play, but it's my job to give them the tools to win.
Joe Paterno - Penn State Head Football Coach
Pre-game rituals, superstitions not unique to baseball players
Are you or any of your players superstitious? I found this piece written by Kurtis Larson I thought you might enjoy
Athletic superstitions and pre-game protocol rule the sporting world. From rally caps to unwashed jock straps, athletes go to outrageous lengths to ensure good luck and victory. At any level, pre- and post-game rituals can be as important as one's performance in the game itself. It is the unfounded fear of forgetting these tasks that causes both professionals and amateurs alike to rely on superstitions throughout their playing careers and beyond, some making it a downright obsession.
Some are disturbing, disgusting and startling, but to Hall of Famer Wade Boggs, routine was an obsession. Call it OCD or whatever you will; Boggs had what some would call a pre-game ceremonial odyssey. Consisting of the same pre-game meal that earned him the nickname "Chicken Man," Boggs took the same amount of balls for warmups and began warming up at the exact same minute past the hour for the 2,240 Major League games in which he appeared. Nevermind the fact he carved the Hebrew word "chai" into the batters' box before each plate appearance.
Sure, there are universally fabled superstitions. Some, like never messing up baselines, draining your last shot in warmups and, of course, never speaking of that no-hitter while a pitcher still has the mound are common. But some athletes are absolutely captivated by the possibility of bad luck.
For instance, other notables include Michael Jordan and Mark McGwire. During his time in Chicago, Jordan always wore his blue Tarheel shorts under his Bulls uniform.
Looking at a grimier superstition, Mark McGwire consistently wore the same cup from his high school playing days. Subsequently, the same cup was later stolen, forcing him to find other means of protection. What's more disgusting, the cup itself, or the fact that someone once coveted it?
How about examining this on more of a micro level? Surely student athletes at Drake can't compete with the outrageous activities the professionals above pulled off? Wrong! Is there a reason why so many superstitions deal with athletes' drawers? (For those not up with the times, that equates to underwear.)
Look no farther than the women's soccer team to find an example of this. Sinead Brown (J3) offered up a little pre-game ritual that's not exactly repulsive, but kind of shocking in that I'm not really sure how an individual could come up with it.
"I like to wear underwear that I would normally wear during a certain day of the week," she said. "If there's a game on Sunday, usually Monday's underwear selection is a good fit for the day's game."
Maybe I don't understand this because I'm a guy, but do all women have underwear selected for certain days of the week? I'm lucky if I have clean underwear for all the days of the week.
Moving away from the briefs, other Drake athletes use ritualistic body art to inspire them in intercollegiate competition. Men's soccer player Keith Gorczyca (B3) tattoos himself before every game with inspiring mnemonic devices he focuses on during matches.
"Examples I've used in the past include P.S. for 'play simple,' G.B.G.H. for 'go big or go home' and F.C. for 'f--- Creighton,'" he said. "It's not really superstitious, but it's a pre-game ritual."
While I find Brown's to be disturbing and Gorzcyca's to be somewhat hateful, others display some instances of normalcy. Relays participant Ashley Anklam (AS4) has an array of different superstitions and steps she goes through before running seemingly endless distances.
"Right before the race, I make a cross over over my chest," she said. "I have to tie my shoes exactly the same way, too. First, I make a double knot then tie the ends over that double knot. Then, I make a second double knot on top of the first knots. I also wear exactly the same warm-up suit before every event."
It must be hell to untie those things at the conclusion of a race. But when you're the 2006 Missouri Valley Conference Female Athlete of the Year in cross country, you can pretty much do whatever you want, say whatever you want and tie your boots however you want.
How about some of my own personal superstitions? I can honestly say I set my phone alarm every night at least five times. In my mind, the first four times don't get the job done. This stems from second semester freshman year when I was late to multiple finals because of an alarm malfunction.
Be it here, there or anywhere, superstitions are sometimes bigger than the game itself. What would have happened if Boggs missed a pre-game meal? What if he took 149 ground balls instead of the 150 he took before every game? What if Brown selected Tuesday's undergarments instead of Monday's? These decisions can affect entire seasons, if not entire lives.
Fly balls/Tagging Up
Runners on first; On fly balls to right, you want to go about 1/4 of the way to 2B, on fly balls to center, about 1/3 of the way, on fly balls to left, go about 1/2 of the way. You should be under control and watching the ball so that you can quickly turn and get back in the event the catch is made so that you are not doubled up.
Runners on second; On fly balls that would appear to be catchable, go back to the bag so that you can tag-up. Watch the ball all the way and don't leave too early, or the other team may appeal. On ground balls to the right side, go to third, on ground balls to left side, advance to third on the throw, but make sure he makes the throw first.
Runners on third; On fly balls, go back to the bag so that you can tag-up. Watch the ball all the way and don't leave early. You generally do not want a large primary lead, but you do want a good secondary lead. Your primary and secondary lead should be taken in foul territory, so that if batted ball should hit you, you would not be out and it would merely be a foul ball. Your secondary lead should be a controlled but fast walking lead and should not stop until you see that the catcher has control of the ball. Do not start heading back to the bag until you see that the catcher has control. If the catcher does have control then quickly turn and head back to the bag in FAIR territory. This will prevent the catcher from getting a direct straight throw to the bag, and may result in the ball deflecting off of the runner, allowing him to advance home. If the ball gets by the catcher, your fast walking lead should allow the runner to advance home most of the time.
Does He Have What It Takes?
This blog isn't just about coaching drills. Young players, even ones with that rare raw talent, won't go anywhere without a coach to teach and guide them. Whether it's baseball, football, basketball, or any sport, it's more than just the right drills you run in practice. It's teaching bigger things like attitude, passion, desire and hard work, as well as the fundamentals. That's why you see quotes on this blog. Quotes from people who have been there, proven themselves.
Any person, that doesn't have a passion for what they do, even outside of sports, will never be the best at what they do.
Quotes For Tonight
No matter how good you are, you're going to lose one-third of your games. No matter how bad you are you're going to win one-third of your games. It's the other third that makes the difference.
~Tommy Lasorda
During my 18 years I came to bat almost 10,000 times. I struck out about 1,700 times and walked maybe 1,800 times. You figure a ballplayer will average about 500 at bats a season. That means I played seven years without ever hitting the ball. ~
Mickey Mantle, 1970
Effective Base Coaching
Here are four characteristics of effective base coaches:
Communicate Clearly. Good base coaches are effective communicators. This must be true in spite of the fact that base coaches speak in "code" to maintain the element of surprise. Establish a language known only to your team. Use it consistently. Review your language and base running policies regularly with players during practice.
Have a corresponding set of hand signals. Verbal commands can be drowned out by noise from the stands or the defense. Hand signals are often more effective and discrete.
Ingrain the meaning of each verbal cue and hand signal during "chalk talk" sessions, scrimmages, and base running drills in practice.
Be Animated & Loud. Good base coaches are easily seen and heard by runners and batters. Base runners must be able to see the third base coach clearly in between glances at the fielders and the ball. Use exaggerated arm and hand gestures. For example, the third base coach can kneel or crouch down when instructing the runner to slide on a close play.
Make Snap Decisions. Be ready to react to the unexpected-- passed balls, wild pitches, catcher's rifling the ball to a base after the pitch, a bobbled ground ball in the outfield. Your brain must process information with computer-like quickness.
For example, when the batter launches a double into the gap with a runner on first base, the third base coach must consider all the following factors as part of his decision whether to send the runner home:
Base runner's foot speed,Here are two tips to improve your decision-making:
Outfielder's arm strength,
Relay man's arm strength,
Score,
Inning,
Number of outs,
Which batter is on deck.
a) Pre-pitch planning. Rehearse the possibilities in your mind before they happen. Anticipate the other team's moves. Warn the runner if you suspect a particular defensive play.
b) When unexpected plays do occur, go with your gut. Have the courage to make the wrong call. You will find you are usually right when you follow your first instinct.
Encourage Aggressive Play. A good base coach realizes his capacity to set the tone for the offense. Players feed off the base coach's aggressive calls. When the coach shows confidence in the player's ability to execute, it boosts their confidence. Calling an aggressive base running game from the coach's box can spark a rally.
Take high percentage risks. When the game situation permits, force the defense to make a perfect play in order to tag the runner out. Pressure the defense into committing errors.
Some X's and O's:
The first base coach is responsible for all base runners from the time they exit the batter's box until they commit themselves to second base. Once a runner leaves first base, the third base coach assumes responsibility for the runner until he leaves third to score.
The third base coach must maneuver himself directly into the runner's line of sight. Remember to remain well into foul territory at all times and avoid making contact with any runner while the ball is in play.
On a base hit with runners at first and second, the third base coach must give verbal commands and hand signals to both runners. If the coach sends the first runner home, he then must pick up the trail runner and tell him whether to stay at second base or advance to third.
Who is responsible to coach runners once they leave third base and try to score? The on-deck batter. Base coaches should teach all offensive players the basic principles described above so that, as on-deck batters, they can stand behind the plate and help their teammates score safely.
Effective base coaches can influence the outcome of many plays throughout a game. Though their contributions are not always apparent, base coaches are critical to a team's ability to generate runs.
Luck
Different times, different cultures, two entirely different people, but the same message.
Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.
-Coach Darrel Royal 
I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.
-Thomas Jefferson 
