Tips Newsletter .... Coach John Peters Baseball Tips

Tips Newsletter

Newsletter ! Some Of The Best Baseball Tips You'll Find

Coach John Peters--Baseball Tips Newsletter

Tips Newsletter has been added as a page to my Baseballfarming website to post Coach John Peter's, Baseball Newsletters.

Coach Peters publishes such a good array of baseball tips people visiting need access to his valuable information from Baseballfarming.

Coach Peter's has exchanged links of his reality lessons of baseball here in his tips newsletter with us here at Baseballfarming.

In true fairness to Coach John Peter's and in respect for his work I will simply copy and paste for you his Tips Newsletter from time to time just as Coach Peters sends out.

Let,s start with this:

June 17, 2009 Tips Newsletter

Coach John Peter's----Tips Newsletter What I've Learned From Baseball

For All Players Try your best to never come out of a game. Why? There's always someone who thinks he might be better than you. He wants your spot! So keep yourself on the field, and off the bench!

Listen to your body. There is a difference between pain and injury. Sometimes you just have to suck it up and get through it. There will be plenty of time to rest up after the game and certainly after the season!

For All Coaches Write a synopsis of your spring season. Assuming you have finished, this is a great time of year to write a synopsis of your spring season. This should pay big dividends next season.

Recap what you learned this past year or season, what worked, what didn’t. Run a mental “search” of the in-game decisions you made...and the ones you didn’t. Like the old saying about the best move coaches make are the ones that weren't made...the player you didn’t pinch hit for, the pitcher you allowed to work himself out of a jam or two, the temptation you resisted to over-pitch your stud. Be your own coach!

You will always be a better coach next season if you continue to approach it like anything else you have a desire to be good at...with consistency!

So plan for next season by continuing to add a note or a thought here or there from the past or present season. It is amazing how easy it is to become a better coach simply by planning and adding a bit at a time. Just don’t try cramming at the last minute. It only cheats your players and sucks too much enjoyment out of it for you as well. Remember your school days? Cramming didn’t work so well then either.

I Believe: Plan tomorrow...Today! Plan next week...This Week! Plan for next season...This Season!

2009 College World Series It’s College World Series time! It’s a blast to follow it daily. At least watch some of every game or catch some highlights on the 'net. There are plenty of sites if you just search "college world series." This keeps you in the flow of the Series so at least catch the recaps and video clips if you cannot catch the innings themselves.

The eight teams that have made it to Omaha in 2009 are: Arkansas, Arizona State, Cal State Fullerton, LSU, North Carolina, Southern Miss, Texas and Virginia.

The double elimination tourney got underway on Saturday and continues until at least June 23. Visit CWS Omaha for the official bracket, which includes final scores and upcoming match-ups and game times.

What's New In Training

What's New In Training by Coach JP We have begun adding a new wave of great training aids EVERY WEEK and will continue throughout the summer (with items for your ball field coming right behind). Check the Web site each week late Monday or Tuesday for a 1st look and the occasional discount!

New Products Check out our new wiffle baseballs. Wiffle baseballs? Big deal! Well here’s the link and here’s the picture...do you get it?

The bucket package has a tall ball bucket with a padded coaches seat, and 5 dozen wiffles too (that’s 10 minutes of swings non stop!)

Got a pitching machine? Ever notice how top heavy and hard it is to move and maneuver a pitching machine? A baseball guy I met came up with a great idea that will allow you to use your machine so much more effectively.

They’re called Caddy Plus Wheels -- three heavy duty wheels and a foot brake that will allow you to move most any brand of pitching machine through skinny dugout gates, over grass, infield or concrete without taking multiple trips just to start your practice!

Always wanted a pro-type pitching machine? I have yet to find a better brand than our BATA Pitching Machines! Nine years and we finally had a motor failure. One in 9 years.

You’ve never heard of this brand before? All I can tell you is that 13 Big League teams are now using them and the D-Backs purchased a dozen some years back. Believe me, Big League clubs let you know when there’s problems and the word gets around quick. Maybe that’s why so many more pro clubs are now purchasing them!

The BATA 2 throws harder, is lighter and changes location and direction as easy any other you may have heard about...just great stuff! And its wheels last and last.

Special Offer for coaches to give to all their wining (sp) players! Tell 'em, ”I get to go to work, you get to play ball. Wanna trade?”

Free Baseball Tips Newsletter Resources

Coach JP’s Clubhouse Blog Recent posts Quick Baseball Tips for Youth Players & Coaches Your Best Baseball Batting Coach May Be You

Instructional Articles and Drills We currently have over 185 articles covering all aspects of baseball. Coaching Hitting Pitching Defense General Baseball Drills

Baseball Instructors Database If you or a player you know is seeking personalized instruction, please take advantage of our database to find a baseball coach in your area. We are now up to 679 instructors in 43 states!

Did you like this newsletter? You can return the favor by telling your friends, coworkers, classmates and anyone else that you think may enjoy it.

Thank you for your continued support. - Coach JP

BaseballTips.com...Now in our 10th season!

Coach John Peter's----Tips Newsletter What I've Learned From Baseball

1st Base Be the 1st to See the Newest & Most Creative Training Aids!

Check out the slide show on the Baseball Tips home page. New products are being added almost every week!

In general, it takes two hits to score from first base. So think in terms of playing small ball to advance runners, create opportunities to steal, or the more advanced hit and run.

2nd Base Second base is called scoring position for a reason. It takes one hit to score most runners from here...and has the added bonus of eliminating the force or double play and pressures the defense and your opposing coaches further.

3rd Base There are 29 different ways to score from 3rd base! Wow! You just have to attack this base and get yourself there. It puts so much pressure on opposing coaches, pitchers, catchers and infielders that you could steal an extra game or three over the course of a season!

Some Coaches Notes On Baserunning I wish I knew why so little time is spent on baserunning in practice. Maybe there’s just so much to do coaches are less comfortable with their knowledge, and as I said, I don’t know.

But what if it were true that you could actually steal a few extra victories in a season? Would you feel it was important enough to rethink it? I hope, yes. But where would you start...and how would you implement it? Some quick thoughts:

Decide how much time you would dedicate. I think 20 minutes 2-3 practices in a row. Now they can get better, quicker and it becomes a habit for the entire team. Explain to the team about a new weapon they will be using: baserunning! Let players know that all players can help, not just Johnny Fast-Guy. Find the knowledge you need and practice it on yourself. If the boys know this is new and you will be learning together, it takes undo pressure off everyone including you! We will learn as a team! Be prepared for your 2nd practice drills to go 20-30% better than the 1st! Be prepared to get excited (as will your players) as this happens. Make it a part of your practice routine every 2-3 practices to keep 'em sharp. You’ll even come up with more ideas that I PROMISE you’ll “get” as your interest peaks!

Featured Article

Coach JP Says Here’s a quick article that uses the 2000 World Series as an example of how the best players can screw up on baseball's biggest stage...and how it didn’t need to be. I think coaches assume these guys should know better, so it's not worked on enough at that level either. Read on...

Base Running - Youth Baseball's Tenth Man by Marty Schupak

Anyone who saw the 2000 World Series saw one of the worst exhibitions of base running ever. Especially in game one when the New York Mets literally ran themselves out of a rally which cost them the game, and quite possibly could have changed the whole outcome of the Series.

Who could forget when Timo Perez of the Mets was on first base and, after the batter hit the ball deep to left, slowed down while running between first and second only to be thrown out at home because the ball ended up being in play?

Or how about when Todd Ziele hit a slow grounder to third and didn't run it out because it was in foul territory, only to have the ball kick fair before it reached third. Ziele was thrown out while almost standing in the batter's box.

Then there was Jay Payton hitting a three foot roller in front of home plate and he thought it was foul and stood in the batter's box. The Yankee catcher, Jorge Posada, picked it up and tagged out Payton while holding the runner on second. We also saw Mike Piazza being picked off first base in the same game.

What can we teach our youth baseball players from this? Base running has always been very underrated in baseball. In youth baseball, some coaches (including myself) claim you can get one to three extra runs per game with aggressive smart base running.

One year my team won the league championship and a few months following the season I picked up my score book and after going through it, discovered that my team had been thrown out at home 13 times during the season in the course of 23 games - probably a record that will never be broken. During the season I didn't realize that we were thrown out this much but we must have scored about 25-30 extra runs by being aggressive and smart on the bases.

I've learned over the years that my fastest base runners aren't necessarily the smartest, and the slow base runners can make up for their lack of speed by being smart. But can a team practice smart base running? Are there drills to help even the slowest base runners?

There are....

This is an excerpt. Read the full article online at this link: Base Running, Youth Baseball's 10th Man Want to print this article? It's formatted for printing at Baseball Tips

Coach JP Note On the right side of all our articles, I add various problem solvers that relate to the articles you read. In this base running article, you will find DVDs and books that will get you the great start and plan you need...inexpensive insurance for a better season for you!

Baserunning Help here at Baseball Tips Newsletter

High Percentage Baserunning Stu Southworth's 206-page book details the probability of success for baserunning plays and a complete breakdown of base stealing. Every facet of baserunning is covered and to make sure you understand all scenerios and plays, the book contains 114 vividly illustrated diagrams, charts, and figures.

Target Bases Available in sets of 3 bases, each "Target" base is designed to reduce injuries and teach players to run the bases correctly. They are youth field sized (14" x 14") and fit any posts used at a youth ballfield.

The 59 Minute Baseball Practice Marty Schupak's 34-minute DVD has over 30 easy to follow drills that makes it simple to run a high quality practice for kids in under one hour.

Free Baseball Tips Newsletter Resources

Coach JP’s Clubhouse Blog Recent posts Where Do Great Baseball Players Come From? Quick Baseball Tips for Youth Players & Coaches

Instructional Articles and Drills We currently have over 185 articles covering all aspects of baseball. Coaching Hitting Pitching Defense General Baseball Drills

Did you like this newsletter? You can return the favor by telling your friends, coworkers, classmates and anyone else that you think may enjoy it.

Thank you for your continued support. - Coach JP

BaseballTips.com...Now in our 10th season!

The Baseball Tips

July 12, 2009,Tips Newslertter Featured Article all from Tips Newsletter

Summer Ball Can Be One Big Waste of Time & Sweat! by Coach JP As soon as you play game one, most or all practices go out the window!

And what does that leave you with? Reinforcing what’s good but repeating all that needs improvement in your game.

Why? Because humans tend to go with what’s comfortable and not risk failure…until the better way is engrained by repeated experience (practice). And because your summer team plays to win, as they should!

The pressure to do your best further engrains the good and the bad. After all, who wants to take a chance on something unproven that’s not second nature to them? We are most confident with what’s tried and true…even if it will not make us better…ugh! It Takes A Certain Courage To Risk Failure!

Now the Good News! What if you could compress your practice (or learning time) into just a few, very valuable improvements that you will dedicate yourself to learning to master this summer?

Quality repetitions that are focused and done correctly in short blasts of time. Big stuff that can really reshape your game (and if you are a coach, your team).

Now, you are not adjusting your potentially heavy game schedule. Rather, you are simply finding short periods of focused time…time that will play huge dividends and be in a player's arsenal…FOREVER!

Some Important & Typical Examples:

Hitting the Breaking Ball (curve balls & sliders) Our Personal Pitcher throws wiffleball fastballs AND LH or RH curveballs at 6 swings per minute…meaning 30 looks and swings in just 5 minutes…more if you want 'em! Do this 3 days a week for just 3 weeks and watch your hitter’s confidence soar when they face pitchers who really can throw! How else can you get this experience against a quality LH or RH curveball or slider? Where else can they get the number of swings to get that experience? And once a player ”gets it” a whole world of potential and confidence opens up!

And no, it absolutely does not matter that the ball is smaller or plastic. What matters is that they get the experience of hitting a ball that moves like pitches they see in a game…that’s the big deal!

Hitting OPPO (to the opposite field) – Our NEW 5 Point Batting Tee and any of our 14 catch nets, such as my personal favorite Pro Catch Net, will get players all the experience needed to learn this fine art…and any age player can do it… maybe the younger, the better… and now it can be done inexpensively in a small space at the field or right in your backyard.

Quicken Up Your Hands! What do you call infielders with slow hands and feet? Outfielders! All infielders can catch the ball. It’s transferring the ball to your throwing hand then getting rid of it quickly that makes for the best of these valuable players. Check out our Pro Leather Pancake Training Gloves or our inexpensive Soft Hands version that’s costs so little an entire team purchase is easy to afford!

The Bottom Line Playing too much and practicing too little can hurt as much as it helps. Both are important and time must be found for both. Wasted time and opportunity adds up over the years of a ballplayer's career. So much so, that I’ve been known to ask ex-Pro Players the following question: “Now that you look back on your career, what would you have done differently?” There’s always an interesting answer and there will be at least one for you or your player(s) as well. A ballplayer's years go so quickly so max out anywhere that you can! And when someone posed a similar question to the greatest hitter ever, Ted Williams, his answer was… “I’d have hit more!”

I, for one, am truly humbled just hearing that secondhand.

Never Give Up! Never Give In! --Jim Valvano (Don’t know him? You should look it up!)

July 15, 2009, Coach John Peter's-Tips Newsletter

What I've Learned From Baseball is here in the Tips Newsletter

For Hitters Swing more, but more importantly... Make all your swings good ones. Why? Because it may take 3 good swings to overcome one bad one.

For Pitchers Injuries are more likely to occur when you get tired. I recently attended a Phillies game with one of their orthopedic surgeons who said that innings 4, 5 and 6 are particularly troublesome. I hope you will want to get yourself in better shape to minimize these potential problems.

For Coaches If no one else says it...thank you for continuing to learn. You are helping young people and perhaps saving someone from an injury he/she may carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Featured Article

Coach Pitch Leagues or Machine Pitch Leagues? by Coach JP T Ball is a great concept… see the ball, hit the ball, then run. It’s a great beginning and where a lifelong dream can be born. Nothing wrong with a season or two if it…actually there's a lot that’s right about it!

But then what? Generally a town or league determines between coach pitch or machine pitch…and sometimes even kid pitch, my least favorite for these newbies.

If you have the choice…please choose a pitching machine league for your own children and if you have any say in the decision on a league-wide basis…please influence having the kids batting from a pitching machine.

Here’s some strong reasoning: Machines are more accurate…by a long shot. Especially if you understand which machines to purchase. Dads & coaches just are not as accurate or consistent as a machine designed to do this one thing: pitch a straight ball at a specific speed. This can lead to long breaks in the action and impatient young ones swinging at terrible pitches, influencing bad swing mechanics and the potential of more failure as these bad habits quickly set in.

The 38 MPH “Rainbow Pitch” The reduced pitch speed and arc of a pitch required from a coach's hand tends to be more severe and less game-like than pitches from a pitching machine.

Throwing “aimed” balls (typical pitch velocity of this age group is 38-40 MPH) is like throwing a dart. It is actually a habit we keep an eye on with older pitchers who struggle in the middle of a game. These pitchers try so hard to be accurate that they actually need to be reminded to just throw it, not aim it!

You have probably seen this happen… the pitcher who looks like he is praying for a strike, rather than throwing one. It’s usually followed by the coach walking to the mound to discuss it… then followed by some good pitches… or the end of the day for the player.

Either way, throwing darts is great for the game of darts… but not for pitching a baseball.

The problem with considering Pitching Machine Leagues basically revolves around operating costs of the machines themselves and sometimes, the lack of electricity at the field… and most don’t want to add a power generator if its avoidable…for lots of reasons -- money, noise & smelly kerosene come to mind. (Some machines are lousy in the area of consistency, especially with wet or softer balls… check our suggested Ultimate Pitching Machine and the Zooka ZS740 below if this is a concern to you.)

And Don’t Forget Batting Practice (BP) Once your league owns a few pitching machines for its league games, all your coaches will now be able to get their players tons more swings in practices too! Build Better Hitters for no extra investment!

Plenty of Choices To Overcome The Problem Assuming Pitching Machine Leagues make sense to you, it now becomes a matter of your budget, model choices & convenience.

We Now Carry Over 32 Pitching Machines from $200 to $3,000! Due to the tremendous growth of youth baseball in the last years, some very innovative inventors and manufacturers have seen and addressed the issue of affordable league, team & backyard pitching machines. The problem, as usual, is at what point does inexpensive become junk?

It is my hope that you will consider our advice, so please check out these recommendations whether it’s for your own backyard or your own league, travel baseball club or your town:

Least Expensive:

The Ultimate Pitching Machine – now only $189.95 (reduced from $239)

Unbelievably, our inexpensive Ultimate Pitching Machine may be the most deadly accurate pitching machine we carry! It also overcomes the problem of needing electricity to run it. It has a large powerful spring that the coach “loads” by pushing a lever down with his foot. Velocity easily adjusts for varied age players and it will work for all players through age 13! It throws any size and weight ball from a golf wiffleball to a soccer ball.

It does not use a spinning wheel to propel it so it doesn’t care if the ball is wet or muddy or different from the last one you just pitched!

We have carried it for years and have had 2 returns in all the hundreds we have shipped. It is now approved as the pitching machine of choice by Cal Ripken (Babe Ruth League) Baseball!

The Heater Junior – now only $299.95

This is an entry-level machine. It uses a traditional spinning wheel (tire) to propel any baseball-sized ball, whether it is a light or soft safety-ball or an official game baseball or rubber machine pitch dimple ball.

This 45 MPH model machine has an ABS plastic housing and comes complete with a corkscrew 12 ball automatic feeder that is more appropriate for solo practice and not pitching machine leagues. We have been using a Heater Jr. and its matching outdoor backyard batting cage on one of our lucky test-players for over 2 years and have had no issue with it (a few strings have popped in the cage net…not bad for 4 seasons of Atlanta weather on balls coming off the bat of our strong 13-year old tester!)

The Heater Baseball – now only $399.95 The Heater Softball – now only $399.95

These identical looking machines improve the concept of our Heater Jr. model above. It throws fastballs over 50 MPH and is entirely made of steel for longest lasting use. Even the auto feeder is steel!

At only 30 lbs, it is super easy to get to and from the field and includes a carry handle to free up your second hand for carrying the tripod legs… no wheel barrel required as you see in some of the hundred-pound traditional machines. I have used mine as recently as batting practice last week with 2 of my college pitchers (they still think they can hit… lol). I chose this machine for this workout simply because it was so easy to load into the trunk of my car without risking damage to my back or my trunk. You can use any lightweight or official game leather or rubber dimple baseball (or 11” or 12” softball in our softball-only model). Excellent longevity & price for youth leagues or backyard use!

The Zooka Air Powered Pitching Machine – now only $689.95

Here’s one of the more unusual pitching machines you will find and a real secret for those pitching machine leagues who have discovered it…and a personal favorite of mine! It was designed by a couple of Little League dads who happened to be engineers by trade. Man, they did it right!

Check Out These Features: - a dream for all Machine Pitch Leagues!

Our Zooka ZS 740 is the 1st fully digital baseball pitching machine (no softball version yet). Adjustable from 25-65 MPH & only 35 lbs! One of the best-built machines we have (few moving parts). Uses compressed air so no problems with wet, muddy, lightweight or heavier balls. Perfect for fly ball practice using safety or tennis balls… game balls too! An internal rechargeable battery that will throw up to 500 pitches between charges! Note: leagues should consider the optional $99 external battery to double or triple this capacity!

The Bottom Line Ted Williams was the game's greatest hitter. He may have also been the game's best batting coach. And what was his # 1 rule of good hitting? “You have to find a good pitch to hit!”

Let’s keep these kids in the game from the youngest ages by making sure that they get lots of good pitches to hit. Pitching Machines & Pitching Machine Leagues will pay dividends for many years to come!

Free Baseball Tips Newsletter Resources

Coach JP’s Clubhouse Blog

Recent posts Yankees Release Tim Battle - You Might Be Next! Where Do Great Baseball Players Come From?

Instructional Articles and Drills We currently have over 185 articles covering all aspects of baseball. Coaching Hitting Pitching Defense General Baseball Drills

Did you like this newsletter? You can return the favor by telling your friends, coworkers, classmates and anyone else that you think may enjoy it.

Thank you for your continued support. - Coach JP

BaseballTips.com...Now in our 10th season!

The Baseball Tips Newsletter is a production of: BB Communications, Inc. | 113 Sweetwater Oaks | Peachtree City, GA 30269

July 29, 2009 Coach John Petet's----Tips Newsletter

What I've Learned From Baseball

For All Players Put your mind & your body on vacation! Summer ball over yet? This may be a great time of year to place all your gear in your bag and get it out of your sight. You have to find time to rest your mind as well as your body. Go swimming, take a long bike ride, do something where baseball isn’t your focus. Ever read a book in the summer…that isn’t a baseball biography? Try it!

Big League players who don’t make the All-Star team crave the 3 days off they get during the mid-season All-Star break. They get to spend time with their friends and families, many pitchers gravitate to the golf course, and most just want to do nothing at all but recover. And every year, there are players who have remarkable 2nd halves and make real differences to their very long season. These are guys with fully developed bodies who already understand the grind of playing almost every day. How about you younger guys?

Baseball Is A Grind…for youth players too! I have been watching something called “The Pen,” where a camera crew has been following the bullpen pitchers of the Phillies. Their routines and the day-to- day life is very different than everyday position players. Yet the routines and pressure to perform becomes very hard on these guys…so it surely can take a lot out of our younger players too.

Ryan Howard, the Phils' present 1st baseman and part-time clubhouse funnyman, got some camera time when he suggested the camera crew follow the position players for awhile. He suggested they title that series "The Grind!"

You want an edge to having an even better fall experience this season? How about practicing NOT playing at all for awhile. Even Big Leaguers get 4 months off each year! Remember, it’s a marathon…not a sprint.

For Pitchers Pitchers are made in the off-season! After taking your summer break, decide what things you want to tweak, try or improve. Pick 2 large, specific items to focus on…and stick to it through the fall. You should then be ready and confident enough to show off these new “toys” by spring. Plan to make some batters pay next spring!

For Coaches Look back, then forward. What a great time of year to write a synopsis of your season (assuming you are winding down). This should pay big dividends next season…if you do it now, before important items become forgotten.

Think of all the high and low points, all the decisions you made and learned from and all the times the best move would have been to make no move at all. Coaches constantly preach tweaking and improving to players. So of course, we should be held to an even higher standard…to be the best we can be!

In Specific Recap what you learned, what worked, what didn’t. Run a mental “search” of the in-game decisions you made…and the ones you didn’t, like the player you didn’t pinch hit for, the pitcher you allowed to work himself out of a jam or two, the temptation you resisted to overpitch your stud. Be your own coach!

Here’s A Simple How To… Plan For Next Season. Start a Word document called Baseball 20XX (whatever the next year) and place it on your PC or laptop so you can easily access it for quick additions. Make all the personnel, volunteer and tournament notes you can think of plus any equipment you have been meaning to add. But do it right now so you don’t forget!

I Believe: Plan tomorrow...Today! Plan next week...This Week! Plan for next season...This Season!

August 12, 2009 Coach John Peter's----Tips Newsletter

What I've Learned From Baseball

Base Running Quickness

The fastest player is seldom the best base stealer on your team. This is especially true as the players grow older.

A slightly aggressive, confident lead is far better than a huge, unbalanced lead.

Figure out your optimal 1st base lead. A rule of thumb might be to stretch the player out on the ground with his arm extended to the base. Add this distance and a 1 step lunge as a good guide. Of course you may want to adjust for some pitchers, and runners too.

Clear the hips when taking a lead. In other words, be sure to drop the right leg back so that the toes of the right foot are across and parallel with the heel of the left foot. It’s just quicker and still keeps you balanced for moving left or right.

When stealing, stay low in a balanced athletic position and stay at the same height you will be when taking your first 3-5 steps.

Runners should always stay on the insteps & balls of their feet, keeping the weight off their heels.

Featured Article

How To Determine Your Best Baseball Infielders by Coach JP All positions require certain skills which eventually determine where ballplayers will settle in over their years.

At the younger levels, determining your best infielders may just be your best athletes and sometimes, your biggest kids…the ones who can actually catch and throw the baseball. I recently watched a 9-10 year old game and saw the biggest player on the field playing shortstop. It happens at these ages, but this tends to be short lived.

As kids mature, growth evens out and the true skills, training and experience tends to decide where players may be best suited. Again, with exception, of course.

But What Are The True Attributes of Infielders?

Quick Active Feet – let's call them “educated feet” Quick, Soft Hands – easily working down to up, out to in Instincts – just what you think! Agility – just what you think! How Do You Determine These Qualities? Using the 5 tools that pro scouts use!

(RA) Running Ability (TA) Throwing Ability – Arm Strength (FA) Fielding Ability (HA) Hit for High Average (HP) Hit For Power * Intangibles/ Make Up There is a hierarchy by position. So let’s compare in order by position: First Base – HP, HA, FA, RA, TA Second Base – FA, TA, RA, HA, HP Shortstop – FA, TA, RA, HA, HP Third Base – FA, TA, HP or HA, RA

* Intangibles & Make Up – The more that’s at stake, the more they will look closely. This is where coaches, whether they be high school, college or pro scouts, will dig deeper into who the player actually is. This can become a deal breaker when it is seen that a player is perhaps a poor student, does not appear to be serious about his game, doesn’t seem coachable, is a whiner, not a team guy or maybe has poor practice habits.

Remember players… Coaches and scouts will always catch you, so let them catch you doing things right! They are watching you as soon as you get off the bus or step out of the locker room or the dugout. Make ‘em remember you for all the good that you are!

Remember parents… In high school and college, you will be observed as well. No HS or college coach wants 4 years with an annoying ballplayer…or problem parents either.

Note: I will soon be publishing an article about us parents and the baseball dreams we have for our own kids. I know it can be of help and may assist in opening doors for our own players. Check this link to read this and 200 of our other free articles on baseball and fastpitch instruction: http://baseballtips.com/instruction.html

And finally:

Without quick hands an infielder becomes…an outfielder. Without quick feet an infielder becomes…an outfielder. Without a quick bat an outfielder becomes…cut, retired or worse…maybe a soccer player.

August 26, 2009 Tips Newsletter

Coach John Peter's----Tips Newsletter What I've Learned From Baseball

For Pitchers

Keep it simple…especially for younger pitchers. Teach them to A - Work fast B - Throw strikes C - Keep the ball down

Establish that you will throw over to first base at your first opportunity even if you have little chance of picking the runner off. This will firmly implant the idea in the opposing team's mind for the rest of the game…and even the entire season…if you do it early and often enough.

There are 3 ways to handle a base running threat (with an experienced pitcher): A - Pick him off B - Quick pitch (to cut down on runner’s lead) C - Vary your timing… Hold, hold, hold (when the pitcher is in the set position). This throws off the runner's timing, especially when the pitcher varies this timing between each pitch. A pitcher's most common pitching flaws must be addressed first. Learn to identify and correct them with Coach Bill Thurston’s Common Mechanical Pitching Faults, a great DVD on the subject.

Develop a long toss program. It's for better arm health and overall pitcher's strength and velocity. Not sure how? Check out Alan Jaeger’s Armed & Ready Program and Thrive on Throwing DVD

Worth Repeating… Youth level curveballs may win you a few more games…but if you can teach location up and down, in and out…you will have 4 pitches right there…and learning to throw it at two different speeds gives you 8 pitches. How many more do you need? (Plus we coaches will sleep much better knowing that we will not be tempted to risk injury to anyone’s child!) See our solid and durable outdoor pitching target, The Pitcher's Catcher.

Featured Article

Pitch Counts - Pitch Types - Multiple Appearances Showcases, Multiple Leagues, Year-Round Baseball & Recommendations by Coach JP I have a keen personal interest in the health and well-being of our ballplayers. I do not involve myself too deeply in debates of pitching styles. Rather, I prefer focusing on its absolutes.

Absolutes like items pertaining to potential joint and connecting tissue damage from throwing curveballs and sliders at too young an age.

This also encompasses the frequency in which our kids will bullpen and pitch competitively in given weeks, seasons and over entire calendar years.

Common sense should dictate most direction in these areas to lead coaches and parents alike.

But added knowledge may be what needs to be heard by many of us to help drown out the potential for our own temptations to make bad game-time decisions regarding our player’s health and future well-being.

Do note that as of 2007, pitch count rules and limitations have been implemented in Little League baseball. That alone should tell all of us that we need to be acutely aware of the safety and well-being of our ballplayers, no matter their age or skill level.

Please do NOT be tempted to ride your stud pitcher simply because he is bigger and stronger than some others. It is absolutely NOT a given that he is any less susceptible to injury, no matter the size or strength.

Even at the Big League level, the disabled list has quadrupled since the early 1990s and these are fully developed men. One has to wonder, how many of these players were used and abused during their youth?

This information is placed on our Web site to simply get us all to stop, think and consider if we are all doing the right thing in this area.

I do NOT represent myself or our company as experts in this field and only urge that you learn more on your own.

What's Featured at Baseball Tips

Strike Out Stripps Pitching Program What a batting tee is to hitters, the Strike Out Stripps are to pitchers! In the words of Ohio orthopedic surgeon Dr. Raymond S. Duffett, this pitching program is "a very effective and inexpensive way to learn proper pitching mechanics without undo strain on the shoulder, rotator cuff, and elbow."

CoachDeck Baseball Training Cards Just what every youth coach needs: a deck of cards with 52 drills for youth baseball coaches to use in practices. Hitting, baserunning and defensive drills are written in a concise, easy-to-understand manner on poker-sized cards.

A Final Note

Loving the game is a learned behavior. Make some memories watching good baseball in person and on TV. Younger players always look up (many times literally) to older players on a ballfield.

Older players are often seen through the eyes of younger players as something to (literally) look up to and emulate.

Seeing baseball played correctly trips the trigger on many young players and their coaches and parents. Another great experience on the trail to keep the “want to” in the game is to go to games together as a family or some variation of friends, family and teammates.

Take your younger players to high school ball games, summer American Legion contests or a minor league park…complete with uniforms, of course.

The dream starts at any age, and at any time. So the more young boys exposed to seeing the game played well, the more likely they will want to play it well. As a byproduct, kids even learn a bit more on being a good teammate…more great social skills that go well beyond the game itself.

BTW: Check your local TV listings for the Little League World Series. It’s especially fun when you get to see the same team more than once and begin to recognize and follow some of the players through regional play. Broadcasts can now be seen on almost every cable and satellite network. It’s another one of those places where the game gets in the blood of many youth players…and their entire families too!

Keep up with the action at this link: 2009 Little League World Series schedule and scores

Thanks for reading! --JP & Staff

Free Baseball Tips Resources

September 2, 2009 Tips Newsletter

Coach John Peter's----Tips Newsletter What I've Learned From Baseball

For Pitchers If you are unhappy with your velocity… Find a long toss program that combines rubber tubing exercises you can do in your room or basement.

Fall is a great time of year to begin this…you have an ideal amount of time to REALLY SEE A DIFFERENCE BY SPRING!

Here’s a hint…if you ask a particular coach to help you with this and he prescribes a defined number of feet that you should max out at…be respectful…but I suggest you keep looking. Even among solid coaches, there seems to be a shortage of guys who are up to speed on the few great long toss programs out there. Personally, I recommend my friend Alan Jaeger and his Armed & Ready Program. Check it out and see if it is right for you.

For Hitters Any new season…including an off-season gives you the opportunity to improve…starting with what and how you want to improve. It all starts with finding a time, place and a plan. Read today’s featured article with my thoughts on this subject.

For Infielders Quick hands and quick feet can be taught! There are plenty of big league infielders who are much more efficient than they are gifted. They were taught!

Learning to be mechanically precise can take you a long way. Need help? Here’s a special DVD offer, making it easy to learn from one of college baseball’s premier infield coaches, Jack Leggett, the head coach of Clemson who helped turn Kahlil Greene into one of baseball's best shortstops. Get Free Shipping on any of Coach Leggett’s DVDs, including his complete 3 pack.

Featured Article

An Off-Season Training Plan for Hitters by Coach JP [article excerpt]

Commit to having a plan. With a plan, you have direction. With direction, you get more done in less time and are more apt to get results…which makes you want stick with your plan…and repeat it even more…which gets you better quicker…get it?

But…what do I plan? My summary is to always work on your weak points…but let’s mix the fun stuff in as well. It’s off-season, you know it’s important, but this is supposed to be fun… right!

Here’s a great idea for this time of year: Try to hit at a home training station with a batting tee or (for more fun) with a soft toss machine and get into a batting cage as often as you can during the cold and off-season months.

Better yet…use your plan to decide what to practice & how to accomplish your goals (again…one of your goals is to accomplish more with less time).

It is a game that we are playing…it’s the game you chose, so why not make up your own practice rules!

Here’s some examples & ideas: Divide everything you do into 10 swings with a purpose.

Round 1 – Begin with hitting to the opposite field…count your successes…out of 10 (this simulates driving in runners on base)

Round 2 – Take 10 swings up the middle – just for focusing on a target…count your successes…out of 10

Rounds 3, 4, etc. Make it up… play games best out of 10. Some examples: * Hitting a long fly ball to score a runner from 3B (how many runs can you drive in… out of 10) * # of hard hit balls… out of 10 * # of ground balls… out of 10 * # of sac bunts… out of 10 * # of clean base hits… all out of 10 swings Read the rest of the article

What's Featured at Baseball Tips

Now through September 18, get Free Shipping on any of Clemson Coach Jack Leggett’s infield drills DVDs!

Fundamentals & Drills for Fielding Ground Balls Coach Leggett demonstrates the important fundamentals needed to field ground balls along with the drills to teach them. In addition, Leggett demonstrates common fielding flaws and the measures taken to correct them.

Drills To Improve Infielders Coach Leggett demonstrates more than 25 drills he uses to develop infielders in his national power NCAA program. The drills focus on three key areas: the hands, the feet and throwing arm.

Team Drills to Improve Infield Play Coach Leggett demonstrates more than 15 team and group drills he uses to improve infield play and practice efficiency. Areas covered include ground balls, bunt offense and defense, game situations, pitcher's fielding practice, tagging, and unassisted double plays, plus an excellent drill that combines batting and infield practice.

Free Baseball Tips Resources

Coach JP’s Clubhouse Blog Recent posts Little League World Series - Don’t Miss It! Baseball & Fastpitch Quickness - Get Quick or Get Gone

Instructional Articles and Drills We currently have over 185 articles covering all aspects of baseball. Coaching Hitting Pitching Defense General Baseball Drills

Did you like this newsletter? You can return the favor by telling your friends, coworkers, classmates and anyone else that you think may enjoy it.

Thank you for your continued support. - Coach JP

September 23, 2009 Tips Newsletter

Coach John Peter's----Tips Newsletter What I've Learned From Baseball

For Coaches, Dads & Players We all get too busy…it's just part of 21st century culture. This breeds cutting corners; trying to save some precious minutes to get through our days…hopefully I’m writing this without sounding like I’m scolding anyone out there. BUT…

Our Last Issue… Did you read it? If you got too busy and didn’t read last week's issue or perhaps you scanned it briefly before hitting delete, I really hope to convince you to reread it. Yep, it’s that important and will save you a lot of your limited time.

Baseball Improvement Happens Quickest Using Building Blocks! I reread our last issue so I could build on it without leaving out any important steps and realized that its points are so important that implementing the recommendations in that issue is the most logical way to help you.

Lather, Rinse & Repeat So, please do yourself a favor and read or reread that issue and do take it to heart! It's strong stuff. Let’s keep it simple and avoid the temptation to move on to new stuff until and unless you are assured your lowest row of building blocks is strong enough!

So, here’s the link: www.baseballtips.com/newsletter/sep1609.html

For Hitters Learn the mental side. The Batting Average is Satan! Why should we allow it to determine our success as hitters when we can do everything right in 4 at-bats and have nothing to show for it?

This was absolutely stolen from my buddy, Blue Jays scout and now an on-field batting coach, Steve Springer. You really should have a copy of his audio CD called Quality At Bats. It is great brain food for serious hitters, say age 12 and up!

Remember…you cannot control getting a hit…you can only control hitting the ball hard somewhere! See a new and inexpensive tool to help you consistently hit the ball on the Sweet Spot.

For Pitchers Improve your delivery for more velocity and control. Any age player can gain more velocity and control simply by cleaning up his mechanics and delivery. Don’t know how? You aren’t alone. Try our inexpensive Strikeout Stripps designed by my friend and former Major League pitcher, Jack Kucek.

For Coaches Learn to hit better infield this year. Got a fungo bat? Try our unbelievably easy to swing and very light Coaches War Club.

Featured Article

Fall Baseball - A Great Time To Really Coach! by Coach JP [article excerpt]

Fall baseball is the time when teaching and learning, hopefully in a fun environment, may fight the demons of your competitive side. We like to say that it is fall ball so we are not going to win at all costs, BUT it is hard not trotting out your stud pitchers at every opportunity...especially if you have history with some of your competition! The risk of looking like a weenie or your team getting crushed can be overwhelming!

Well coach, here's a few thoughts to keep you on the straight and narrow and possibly allow you to retain some of your dignity (and your won-loss record).

1st - You Need To Have The Reality-Check Preseason Meeting! You have dads in the stands (and players, dependant on age) who are just as competitive as you. Your goals for this fall season must be outlined in an initial meeting with parents and players (this is two separate meetings for some teams).

You must be abundantly clear regarding your thoughts on winning, which I would always encourage. Even the younger players know that winning is simply more fun. But it is the playing well and with marked improvement between the first game to the end of the season that are the real barometers of a fall season's success!

Read the rest of the article

Tools That Will Help You Improve Your Game!

For Coaches [to hit better infield] Coach's War Club Fungo Bat Made of wood and weighing just 19 ounces, Baseball Tips' very own "Coach's War Club" is unbelievably easy to swing. Specifically designed for infield/outfield practice and pre-game drills, our fungo bat will improve your accuracy and how long you can hit before tiring.

For Hitters [to learn about the mental side of hitting] Quality at Bats "The batting average is Satan! Why should we allow it to determine our success as hitters when we can do everything right in 4 at-bats and have nothing to show for it," says Blue Jays scout and batting coach Steve Springer. You really should have a copy of his audio CD, called Quality At Bats, that teaches players about the mental side of hitting. It's great brain food for serious hitters!

For Pitchers [to improve their delivery for more velocity & control] Strike Out Stripps Pitching Program What a batting tee is to hitters, the Strike Out Stripps are to pitchers! In the words of Ohio orthopedic surgeon Dr. Raymond S. Duffett, this pitching program is "a very effective and inexpensive way to learn proper pitching mechanics without undo strain on the shoulder, rotator cuff, and elbow."

Free Baseball Tips Resources

Coach JP’s Clubhouse Blog Recent posts Baseball & Fastpitch Quickness - Get Quick or Get Gone Playing Baseball At A High Level – A Lot To Do With Having Fun

Instructional Articles and Drills We currently have over 200 articles covering all aspects of baseball. Coaching Hitting Pitching Defense General Baseball Drills

October 14, 2009 Tips Newsletter

Coach John Peter's----Tips Newsletter What I've Learned From Baseball

Great Ways to Make Fall Baseball Really Count (and some easy solutions too!)

An Overview Fall ball is just different. There are few major events that matter and in general, it is best used to have some fun, learn a few things and perhaps see some new and maybe better competition.

Have that fun but have a goal to finish the season by being better at something you will continue to work on next spring, when it really counts! You can’t just assume you will get better because you played a short fall schedule of games and had a few practices (generally fall ball consists of way too few practices compared with the number of games you will play). Without goals you have little purpose, so always, always find a purpose…you are putting a lot of time into this game so make more of it count and you will still have as much fun, maybe even more!

A Hint! Work On Your Weak Points! It's something you will need to plan, because it seldom comes naturally to ballplayers. Being human, we all like to work on what we are good at…because it's fun to excel.

For Hitters Work on quickness and batspeed! Think about it, the #1 pitch for most pitchers is their fastball. If you add quickness, you can wait a millisecond longer to catch up with a good fastball that may have been overmatching you in the past.

If you add batspeed, perhaps through some added strength, you can hit the ball harder and perhaps fight off fastballs where you might have previously been fooled into a bad swing. See our Bratts Training Bats for overload strength training.

If you add batspeed from developing quick-twitch muscles, you can control the bat and the strike zone too. Here's something that will help: our lightweight Swift Stick Underload Training Bats.

Swing more, but more importantly, make all your swings good ones. Why? Because it may take 3 good swings to overcome one bad one!

For Position Players Work on quickness and handspeed! Ever notice how a good 2nd baseman can speed up a double play? How? Great footwork, and a good quick release of the baseball are two of the more important qualities that you just can’t live without if you are to continue to compete. It’s learned behavior for most players!

Our pro leather Pancake Glove is perfect for your bat bag. The glove teaches moving to the ball, quick transfer of the ball to the throwing hand while forcing players to use proper 2-handed catching techniques by not allowing them to close the glove around the ball, a slow process that may lead you directly to the outfield! For team use or those on a budget, we have an inexpensive version of the Pancake Glove called The Soft Hands Training Glove. It teaches the same lessons and additionally each can be used for either right-hand or left-handed players but cannot be expected to last as long as leather (do expect to get more than your monies worth…I don’t offer you junk, just grades of better & best!)

How about shortstops? They get to play that position because they get to balls others don’t, they tend to have stronger throws and maybe take better routes to each of the different ground balls that come their way…and it starts with improved footwork and handling of the baseball. The best infielder gets to play here. It is critical that any player who wants to remain at shortstop must look for and always want to improve…it takes work and it takes desire!

Ever see our Power Gloves? They look and feel like batting gloves with the fingers cut out so you can use them while throwing across the infield, in long toss, bullpen sessions and hitting too! There are adjustable weights you slide into slots on the back of the hand so you will use all muscles and connecting tissue in the order you normally would, so it is true sport-specific baseball training!

For Coaches Strength and quickness can truly be affected in practice. Do any drill in 20 minute segments, involving as many players at a time as possible. Let them compete with and against each other and time whatever drills you can. You raise the level of the competition and they will pay you back in good play, pressure they will apply to opponents and more spirited play evolving from less boredom.

Some Misc. Hints:

Develop your favorite drills and make them part of your routine, not just when you think of doing it that day. Plan to succeed! Start all drills at half-speed, then three-quarters speed, then on to game speed (for older players, you can even go beyond game speed -- it helps develop acute focus). Strengthen and lengthen arms regularly by learning a good long toss program. But you must learn to teach this correctly and coach them into doing it right. My favorite is still Alan Jaeger's Thrive on Throwing Program that includes the skills you can easily learn with the best rubber tubing bands I’ve seen. Time everything you can and let 'em know if and how much they improve. They’re kids, they like to compete!

Finally If no one else says it…thank you for continuing to learn. You are helping young people and perhaps saving someone from an injury he/she may carry with them for the rest of their lives, not to mention the future influence you may be affecting!

Tools That Will Help You Improve Your Game!

Edge Power Weighted Gloves A variable weighted glove designed to increase your hitting power and throwing strength, the Edge Glove can be worn during warm ups, in the batting cage and during practice. Although they look and feel like regular batting gloves, they are designed to improve baseball-specific strength through the addition of adjustable weights that you slide into slots on the back of the glove.

Bratt's Weighted Training Bats The time-tested tool in overload hitting strength training, the Bratt's Bat has been used in the on-deck circle at Major League ballparks since 1977. Its unique design distributes the weight along the entire bat, so it doesn't swing itself like other weighted products (donut) do. The Bratt's Bat develops dynamic strength, which to a hitter means quickness and power...and added distance to batted balls. That's a big reason why over 250 Major Leaguers train with it.

Pancake Training Glove Designed for the serious infielder who wants to improve his skills in quick transfer and two-handed techniques, the 31" Pancake Glove will not allow players to close the glove around the ball, thereby enforcing the correct field & catch position.

Baseball Quotes, Wit & Wisdom

Insight worth repeating from recent playoff games in the major leagues. "The fun part is I was just thinking base hit. Hit the ball hard somewhere. And it went to the seats." - Yankees third basement Alex Rodriguez, after hitting a game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Twins

"Right now I think it's important to get upset about the game that got away...Turn the page too quickly means you don't care." - Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, after his team gave up two runs following a two out error in the bottom of the ninth to lose at Los Angeles

"Obviously, there's more excitement with a playoff game but it's still 60 feet, 6 inches to the plate and it's the same strike zone." - Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee, following his postseason debut, a 5-1 complete game victory over the Rockies

"The season doesn't wind down. It just comes to a crashing halt." - Red Sox manager Terry Francona, after his team gave up three runs in the ninth inning to be eliminated by the Angels

Free Baseball Tips Resources

Coach JP’s Clubhouse Blog Recent posts Baseball & Fastpitch Quickness - Get Quick or Get Gone Playing Baseball At A High Level – A Lot To Do With Having Fun

Instructional Articles and Drills We currently have over 200 articles covering all aspects of baseball. Coaching Hitting Pitching Defense General Baseball Drills

Did you like this newsletter? You can return the favor by telling your friends, coworkers, classmates and anyone else that you think may enjoy it.

Thank you for your continued support. - Coach JP

BaseballTips.com...Now in our 10th season

February 17, 2010 Tips Newsletter

Coach John Peter's What I've Learned From Baseball

For Hitters Prepare your swing for the new season. Start with dry swings (without a ball): 5-10 slow, deliberate swings at ½ speed, then ¾ speed, then game speed. Repeat the same with a batting tee, then with soft toss, then front toss from short distance if you can. Limit batting off live pitching for now!

For Pitchers & Throwers Arms are the 1st item you need to get into baseball shape. A sore arm can really set you back…or worse. Throw easy and make sure your arms are stretched and covered, especially in colder climates. Common sense will take you a long way in avoiding pain and injury to your throwing arm and shoulder.

For Coaches Here's the 1st of many awesome, quick baseball drills & tips that we will be providing for you on a weekly basis this year.

RELAY DRILL For Outfielders Foot and glove positioning

Line them up: Divide players into 2 or 3 lines, spread out so it would take long throw to reach nearest player.

Show players how they should receive throws.

Begin throwing relays from one end of line to other, and then back.

Key Point: Explain that throws should always be to player's glove side.

Make it a Game: Race between lines, down and back. Rotate after each round.

This drill is one of 52 found in each pack of our CoachDeck Baseball Training Cards. The drills in each CoachDeck were designed by professional coaches to be performed by players from ages 6-16.

February 3, 2010 Tips Newsletter

Coach John Peter's What I've Learned From Baseball

For Hitters It's a New Season - Some Smart Ideas To Get You Ahead JP note: Pitchers tend to be ahead of hitters early each season so focus on improving your basics! Overload Training - Yes, we want to get our swing mechanics right from day 1!

Start slow - ½ speed swings, followed by ¾ speed then on to game speed... off the batting tee than progressing to soft toss drills and even front toss.

Figure 5-10 swings in each speed and at each station keeping in mind how you feel, your age and strength. Dry swings (swinging without a ball) and perhaps in front of a full length mirror is also a great idea and can be done at home too! More quality swings... more positive results!

Adding Strength & Power Think in terms of using a "heavier than game training" bat or weighted training gloves to begin building your power and strength from the fingers through the entire core of the body. It fulfills the qualification of my favorite training aids in that it doesn't ask the player to do more (that comes from the heart), rather, it just asks the player to adjust a training aid with what he is committed to anyway.

For Pitchers & Throwers Be Careful & Do Everything Completely Correct! Good repeatable mechanics, arm action, arm slot and a repeatable delivery is a great goal, especially early in the season.

From Last Weeks Issue and Worth Repeating: "Don't concern yourself with velocity, movement or distance. Go slow and be deliberate AND from shorter distances. You cannot expect to hit that tiny pocket of the catcher's mitt or hitting the 1st baseman head- high this early so get your mechanics and throwing motion down perfectly... the rest will come!"

To Improve A Repeatable Delivery: Check out our inexpensive Strikeout Strippz! They make perfect sense and any dad and player can help themselves right at home with this well-thought-out pitchers tool... developed by former Big League Pitcher Jack Kucek whose own son is now a rifle armed college catcher who's clean mechanics have helped him to also being groomed as a late inning college pitcher. (Jacks free instructional dvd is included and awesome).

For Coaches Here's another one of many awesome, quick baseball drills & tips that we will be providing for you on a weekly basis this year.

BEAT 'EM HOME for Baserunning Baserunning on fly-balls

Line them up: One catcher, one 3rd baseman. Remainder take turns running at 3rd or playing left field.

Coach hits fly ball to left fielder. Runner at 3rd gets off base a few steps as ball is in air.

If ball is caught, runner re-touches base and goes home. Ball not caught, runner goes straight home.

Fielder throws home, trying to get runner out.

Make it a Game: Keep track of runs scored and outs made.

This drill is one of 52 found in each pack of our CoachDeck Baseball Training Cards. The drills in each CoachDeck were designed by professional coaches to be performed by players from ages 6-16.

March 17, 2010 Tips Newsletter

Don't miss an issue! Add baseballtips@gmail.com to your address book. If you enjoy this newsletter, please don't forget to Tell A Friend.

What I've Learned From Baseball

For Hitters You’re going to take batting practice anyway…so why not make yourself focus more…while you swing.

A Training Bat Should Always Be Close By. Click to learn more about the following problems and their solutions:

Add underload training quickness with our Skinny SwiftStick w/ extra wiffle balls Add strength and longer fly balls with our Bratt’s overloaded training bats Train yourself to hit more balls right on the screws with our Sweetspot Bats

For Pitchers Important enough to repeat from last weeks issue:

Your most important pitches thrown in a game are those with runners on base. So… do yourself a huge favor and throw at least half of your bullpen and warm up pitches from the stretch position… then focus on improving what it takes to be as confident and comfortable from the stretch as you are from your full wind up.

Btw: Please take a look at the video in the top left corner of the Radar Pitching Trainer page. This new item does so much for pitchers; I think you need to see it for yourself to see if it is worth your cash!

You can read more about it here.

For Coaches Here's another one of many awesome, quick baseball drills & tips that we will be providing for you on a weekly basis this year.

STEP BACK Arm strength, throwing accuracy, catching Outfield

Line them up: 2 lines, side-by-side in outfield, with partners 10 yard apart. On coach's command, players simultaneously throw to partner. Partner return the throw. Each team successfully making both throws and catches take 1 step apart. Teams that missed sit down. Continue on, spreading farther apart, until only one pair remains. Key Point: All players must have properly warmed up arms prior to this drill. Make it a Game: Switch partners and play again. This drill is one of 52 found in each pack of our CoachDeck Baseball Training Cards. The drills in each CoachDeck were designed by professional coaches to be performed by players from ages 6-16.

Look What's New SAF T Soft Baseballs

They’re not just for the little guys

These practice baseballs are great for indoor or outdoor batting practice and infield drills though the original intent was to help relieve the fear and reduce the damage of hard game baseballs. They are actual size and weight but are a bit softer inside and out.

You will need 1 dz for infield practice and 2-5 dozen for your hitters.

I really recommend using SAF T Soft Balls for teaching players how to duck or get hit with minimal pain or injury.

Pitcher's Radar Training Target See The Video First in the top left corner of the Pitcher's Radar Training Target page.

My favorite training aids combine lessons and improvement just by using it…and my favorite - favorites add a fun-factor that makes em come back and want to be 1st next time!

You gotta check our New Radar Pitchers Trainer for pitchers of ANY AGE as well as for your position players.

It's a large yet lightweight heavy canvas pitching target with the strikezone divided into 9 areas. Pitchers improve their delivery, accuracy & focus while competing with themselves or by keeping separate "scores" for 2 pitchers at the same time!

The doppler radar unit (think accurate digital radar gun) and large lighted readout then accurately tells you the speed of the pitch & whether it was a ball or a strike.

It will track balls and strikes, strikeouts, walks and outs plus your pitch count!

This Is Big: It is tough enough to handle 90 mph fastballs, it runs for 80 hours on 4 d cell batteries and even folds flat so it take little space to store it or carry it to the ballpark for team practice! Learn more about our New Radar Pitching Target by clicking here!

Don't Forget to check out the video in the top left corner of the Pitcher's Radar Training Target page. You really gotta see this!