Tips From Coach John Peter Coaching Develop and play for the big inning. Why? Because in 65% of all wins, the winning team scores more in one inning than the losing team scores during the entire game! You just can't count on scoring in every inning. Pitching The change up is the 2nd pitch a pitcher should add to his arsenal. Why? Because successful pitching is the destruction of a hitter's timing. Hitting Have an objective before walking into any cage. Why? Because the idea of most pitching machine batting practice should be to work on something specific. You are doing it right when you can hit 7 out of 10 pitches where you want. Until then.keep working at it.

Baseball Bytes
From the book Coaching Baseball Skills & Drills
  Excerpt from Chapter 1, pg. 54

Getting Out of Slumps There is no definitive solution for getting out of a hitting slump, but the points listed below can help to correct most hitting problems. 1.   Analyze the tracking system. Before making any mechanical adjustments, the hitter should analyze the quality of his tracking system. Total concentration on the ball is necessary along with a strong positive attitude. If the hitter dwells on mechanical problems or the possibility of failure during a plate appearance, the ability to concentrate on the ball will decrease and lead to inconsistent contact. The most important hitting fundamental is to keep the mind and eyes concentrating on the ball. IMPORTANT: Do not listen to anyone or think while trying to attack the ball. 2.   Swing at pitches that can be hit effectively. Some hitters fall into slumps because they start swinging at pitches that are not in the strike zone. The hitter must be disciplined enough to swing only at pitches that can be hit effectively. 3.   Change bats. Occasionally a change of weight, length, or balance of a bat helps to improve a hitter's timing. 4.   Adjust the stance. A wider stance may eliminate head movement and lunging and result in better timing. Use the hitter's triangle better. 5.   Hit the ball up the middle. By trying to hit the ball back through the pitcher's mound, the hitter is less likely to pull the eyes away from the ball, and will wait longer on the pitch. 6.   Meet the ball. Try to get the best part of the bat on the ball. "Throw" the bat down at the ball quickly with the hands. Watch the ball, hit the bat and try to stay on top of the ball. 7.   Confidence. In the midst of failure, a hitter must believe that he is an effective hitter, capable of hitting any pitch. 8.   Analyze fundamentals. A hitter should be able to diagnose fundamental mistakes by taking an inventory of the body positions and their relationship to the swing. Mistakes such as dropping the hands or back elbow, lifting the front shoulder, overstriding, or turning the stride knee too soon can all lead to pulling the head out, dropping under the ball, and failure to track the ball properly. By simulating on a daily basis hundreds of properly executed swing in front of a mirror and a personal stride zone, hitters will maintain and reinforce effective hitting habits. Such a training procedure will help prevent or eliminate many hitting slumps. Coaches should insist that their players pursue this type of program away from formal team practice in order to increase good habits and enhance muscle memory. Send this page to a friend   Coaching Baseball Skills & Drills A great book for anybody involved in youth baseball. You'll learn in-depth aspects of hitting, defense, and planning, plus baseball-oriented conditioning drills and a team practice chart. Topics covered include numerous baseball techniques and fundamentals and many coaching competencies. 264 pages, includes over 600 illustrations "I firmly believe that the ideas and drills presented in this book will benefit both players and coaches alike."   - Woody Williams, St. Louis Cardinals Characteristics Needed to Become an Effective Hitter From the book Coaching Baseball Skills & Drills   Excerpt from Chapter 1, pgs. 54-55 1.  Confidence - awareness of one's cultivated talents. 2.  Poise - being able to perform under pressure. 3.  Aggressiveness - wanting to attack the ball. 4.  Self-control and discipline - being able to wait for an appropriate pitch. 5.  Desire to excel - keeping one's individual goals high. 6.  Alertness - being able to identify the speed and spin of pitches. 7.  Enthusiasm - always being ready to perform with maximum effort. 8.  Observant - able to notice movements in the pitcher's motion which tip off different pitches. 9.  Positive outlook - able to keep discouragement to a minimum. 10.  Competitiveness - able to accept a challenge on every pitch. 11.  Consistency - able to fulfill the responsibility of a steady performer. Coaching Combo - Newsletter Special: $49.95 Save $7 Off Retail & Shipping Coaching Baseball Skills & Drills by Bragg Stockton 264 pages, includes over 600 illustrations Practice Organization by Pete Caliendo 70 minutes & 50 drills "This is the perfect combination of instruction and drills for coaches of all levels, and it makes a great Father's Day present!"   - Coach JP

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Order online in our secure shopping cart or call me toll free at 1-800-487-7432 (9-6 EST). The Zooka 720 Youth Model - New for 2003 Throw Real Baseballs With Compressed Air - No Cords Needed! Recommended for ages 5 to 12 and perfect for machine-pitch leagues, the new Zooka youth pitching machine has an adjustable speed of 10 to 50 mph and can throw real baseballs, dimple balls, tennis balls, and most safety balls up to 130 feet. Smaller than the adult model, the 720 comes standard with a shorter steel tripod. The lower pitch release results in a flatter ball trajectory which is easier for young players to hit. Coach JP:   The Zooka doesn't need any plug-in cords! Instead, it uses compressed air and an internal battery. All the operator has to do is roll a ball into the front of the Zooka and the machine detects the ball, pumps up to pressure, beeps and flashes a pitch alert, throws the ball, and displays the speed. Quality at Bats CD  - $24.95 Want to Be a Better Hitter? Want An Edge? Everyone says baseball is 90% mental...Then why do we work on it less than 10% of the time? After 14 season in professional baseball, Steve Springer's breakthrough CD has helped players learn the most important part of hitting: the mental side. Collegiate Baseball: "This CD should be required listening material for all players." Reed Johnson, Blue Jays: "If you're serious about baseball, get this CD!" Practice Organization Video  - $29.95   (Limited Availability) Showcasing 50 Drills Pete Caliendo's tape will assist you in making your baseball practices organized and fun. Regardless of limited space, minimal equipment or a shortage of coaches, this proven program will help you get the most out of your practices. Learn how to coach the fundamentals of hitting, fielding, throwing, base running & more. Ron Santo: "This video is a must for every coach and parents library. Coach Caliendo's drills and instruction are among the best I've seen." Coach JP: The Practice Organization video is also available in a great money-saving combo with the Coaching Baseball Skills & Drills book.

Featured Article
One of the most important areas of offensive baseball is the ability to make good contact with two strikes. Read this article to learn the mental and physical adjustments needed when dealing with the two-strike situation.

Effective Two-Strike Hitting by Coach Sam Piraro (San Jose State) [article excerpt] Putting the ball in play has so many possibilities. Keep the strikeouts down to find a correlation with run production. The difference between ten strikeouts and six strikeouts in a contest is huge! The difference with those four contacts can result in any of the following: Advanced runners Forced errors Bloop hits Bad hops/lost in the sun Frustrated pitcher    Read the full article

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Baseball's History

Hall of Fame Acceptance Speech: Ted Williams Full text version Cooperstown, July 25, 1966 "I guess every player thinks about going into the Hall of Fame. Now that the moment has come for me I find it difficult to say what is really in my heart. But I know it is the greatest thrill of my life. I received two hundred and eighty-odd votes from the writers. I know I didn't have 280 odd friends among the writers. I know they voted for me because they felt in their minds and in their hearts that I rated it, and I want to say to them: Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Today I am thinking about a lot of things. I am thinking about my playground director in San Diego, Rodney Luscomb, my high school coach, Wos Caldwell, and my managers, who had so much patience with me--fellows like Frank Shellenback, Donie Bush, Joe Cronin, and Joe McCarthy. I am thinking of Eddie Collins, who had so much faith in me--and to be in the Hall with him particularly, as well as those other great players, is a great honor. I'm sorry Eddie isn't here today. I'm thinking of Tom Yawkey. I have always said it: Tom Yawkey is the greatest owner in baseball. I was lucky to have played on the club he owned, and I'm grateful to him for being here today. But I'd not be leveling if I left it at that. Ballplayers are not born great. They're not born great hitters or pitchers or managers, and luck isn't a big factor. No one has come up with a substitute for hard work. I've never met a great player who didn't have to work harder at learning to play ball than anything else he ever did. To me it was the greatest fun I ever had, which probably explains why today I feel both humility and pride, because God let me play the game and learn to be good at it. The other day Willie Mays hit his 522nd homerun. He has gone past me, and he's pushing, and I say to him, 'go get 'em Willie.' Baseball gives every American boy a chance to excel. Not just to be as good as anybody else, but to be better. This is the nature of man and the name of the game. I hope some day Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson will be voted into the Hall of Fame as symbols of the great Negro players who are not here only because they weren't given the chance. As time goes on I'll be thinking baseball, teaching baseball, and arguing for baseball to keep it right on top of American sports, just as it is in Japan, Mexico, Venezuela, and other Latin American and South American countries. I know Casey feels the same way. . . . I also know I'll lose a dear friend if I don't stop talking. I'm eating into his time, and that is unforgivable. So in closing, I am greatful and know how lucky I was to have been born an American and had the chance to play the game I love, the greatest game." Footnotes: Ted Williams was the only player inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1966, when he received 282 of 302 votes (93.4%). Casey Stengel was the only other member of the Class of '66, voted in by the Veterans committee. Negro League legend Satchel Paige was inducted into the Hall in 1971, Josh Gibson the following year. Eddie Collins was general manager of the Red Sox from 1933-47 and was elected to the Hall of Fame as a player in 1939.

Baseball Quotes, Wit & Wisdom

I would rather beat the Yankees regularly than pitch a no-hit game.   Bob Feller Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist.   Bob Uecker Losing steaks are funny. If you lose at the beginning, you got off to a bad start. If you lose in the middle of the season, you're in a slump. If you lose at the end of the season, you're choking.   Gene Mauch

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