Tips From Coach John Peter Coaching The first coaching lesson I ever learned was not to preach winning, but rather teach the ways that winners go about their business. (It came from John Wooden, the UCLA basketball coaching great). Practice how you play! (Stolen from Cal Ripken Jr. - A great source to steal from!) Pitchers After giving up a home run, the first thing a pitcher should do is get on the mound, raise his glove and in a strong voice ask the umpire for a ball. Then go back to work.without emotion. You just cannot afford to let that other team think you are upset! I'd rather see a pitcher throw the wrong pitch wholeheartedly, than throw the right pitch with no confidence. But I will not stand for a pitcher who spends an entire game shaking off his catcher. They must be on the same page. The best pitch in baseball is.STRIKE ONE! Why, because hitters don't like to get in a hole and pitchers have so many more options when they are ahead in the count. Check major league batting averages. The difference in 0-1 and 1-0 is almost 60 points (.222-.280)!

Baseball Bytes
From the book Coaching Baseball Skills & Drills
  Excerpts from Ch. 10, pgs. 157-159

Two Basic Absolutes of Pitching 1.  Throwing Strikes Effective pitchers get ahead of hitters in the count. If the pitcher throws strikes most of the time, the fielders will be more alert and the umpire will subconsciously favor the pitcher on close pitches. If a pitcher consistently falls behind, going to 1-0, 2-0, or 3-1 with the hitter, he is at a disadvantage in several ways. First of all, the pitcher is throwing too many pitches and may tire early. Second, it allows the hitter to examine the pitcher's assortment of pitches more readily. Hitters will be able to wait on their pitch more often, since they assume that the pitcher will have to throw the fastball for strikes eventually. 2.  Get The Leadoff Hitter Out Pitchers who are consistent winners get the leadoff batter out in most innings. If the leadoff hitter gets on base, not only will the pitcher have to work from the stretch but the entire ball club will have to play the inning under added pressure, which may lead to costly mistakes. Pitchers who fall behind in the count and allow leadoff players to get on base are seldom effective. Physical Conditioning For Pitchers More than any other player, a pitcher needs to engage in a complete physical fitness program. Every year, many young pitchers injure their arms just because they failed to realize the value of a conditioning program before and during the season. If pitchers condition themselves properly and use the proper mechanics in their delivery, they will rarely have arm trouble. Pitchers can maintain a superior physical condition by pursuing a fitness program and pitching regularly. They should do most of their running in early spring, followed by a lot of stretching and lighter running once games have started. Since many athletes get bored with running, coaches could have pitchers perform the conditioning drills presented in Appendix B, Baseball Conditioning from the book Coaching Baseball Skills & Drills. Mental Aspects of Pitching Pitching is not all physical. Pitchers' control of their pitches and general effectiveness frequently is directly related to their mental and emotional stability. In order to be successful a pitcher must be able to concentrate on specific targets, basic mechanics, hitters' weaknesses, choice of pitches, execution of pitches, pick-offs and fielding fundamentals. The most effective pitchers are often the ones who can concentrate consistently. By concentrating, pitchers can become more successful and success tends to build confidence, an attribute so important to a pitcher's success. Pitchers are most effective when they believe they can get out any hitter they face. If pitchers aren't confident, they won't challenge hitters properly and generally won't be able to get them out. Self- confidence and a positive self-image are essential for consistent success. In addition to confidence, pitchers should have a strong desire to compete. They should be aggressive and eager to meet a challenge. They should have no thoughts of inferiority, anxiety, or passivity as they go to the mound each inning. Determination, kindled with a strong desire to excel, should characterize a pitcher's total performance. Pitchers should put all their effort into each inning, aware that past success, even though it tends to build confidence, does not guarantee future success. Just like each game, each inning is a new occasion and required the pitcher's total attention.

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Featured Article
There are a number of things a manager and parents can do during the season so as to not burn out, or even possibly injure, a pitcher's arm.....

Pitching Burnout in Baseball by Coach Marty Schupak [article excerpt] During the regular season, managers, coaches and even parents should pay more attention to a player's pitch count rather than the number of innings pitched. Every player is different, but the manager should use some sought of guideline to determine how many pitches are enough for a particular player. A few years ago the American Sports Medicine Institute did a study sending surveys to orthopedic surgeons and coaches around the country. They recommended for 11-12 year-old pitchers a maximum of 68 pitches with two days recovery. This might seem very conservative. The study also stated that conditioning of the arm and entire body can reduce injury. Another issue facing the youth baseball pitcher is dual leagues, or playing for his school and an outside league. It is always a good idea for the manager to make contact with the school coach. Let him know that you understand that the school team is the priority and that you want to be aware of how much the player is pitching. Responsible school coaches should be able to give you the amount of innings and pitch count for a player throughout the season.    Read the full article

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Baseball's Believe It or Not

Babe Ruth the Pitcher: Top Lefty, Series Hero Before he was the greatest hitter and best-known athlete of all-time, Babe Ruth was a dominant left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. From 1915-17, Ruth won 65 games, more than any lefty in the majors. In 1916, the Babe was 23-12 with a 1.75 ERA in 323.2 innings. He followed that performance with a 24-13 record and 2.01 ERA in 326.1 innings in 1917. Ruth was also a star in the World Series long before his 1932 "called shot" in Chicago. He still holds the record for the longest complete game victory in World Series history, when in 1916 he pitched 14 innings to defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers. In 1918 the Babe led the Red Sox to what has been their last championship....with his pitching arm. In the process he set a World Series record of 29 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, a mark that stood for 43 years. After winning 89 games in six seasons with Boston, the Babe was dealt to New York and the rest is history, although Ruth did pitch in five games in his 15 years in New York. His record in those contests: 5-0. Ruth's career pitching line: 94-46 with a 2.28 ERA in 1,221.1 innings.

Baseball Quotes, Wit & Wisdom

Every pitch, perfect or not, is a potential home run.   Preacher Roe Above anything else, I hate to lose.   Jackie Robinson Baseball is the most intellectual game because most of the action goes on in your head.   Henry Kissinger There are only two kinds of managers. Winning managers and ex-managers.   Gil Hodges They can make 250 bats from one good tree. How's that for a statistic, baseball fans?   Andy Rooney

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