Texas Tech's Fall Workouts Among the Toughest in the Nation

The Texas Tech Red Raiders' fall workouts include conditioning program approiately dubbed the "Character Builder." A lot of these exercises are emphasizing the type of core work and explosiveness training that we have been moving toward around here.

You can see a write up from the Tech website HERE.

And you can watch it here on VIDEO.

So ... what are you doing to build your character and get ready for the season ... today?

G. J. Kinne: Perspective has helped this great young man take off

A lot of what is needed to succeed in sports, or really anything, is perspective. When you realize what you have and what you are doing means ... really means, in the grand scheme of things ... then performance becomes more natural and less of a chore.

"Having to" is a much different feeling than "having an opportunity."

And when you, or some one you care about, gets a whole new lease on life, well, things get put in perspective in literally a heartbeat.

Check out the story of G. J. Kinne HERE.

How do you think our efforts might be affected if we lived and played in light of all our blessings ... both here and in eternity? Let that soak in. And live thankfully and purposefully today.

See you on the field ...

What Will be Necessary to Hear that Stampede Coming?

What will it take to get where we want to go?

It's funny, but every year I hear different opinions on this subject. We all have an idea, whether stated or not. People's expectations start to take root.

Last year, some people thought that simply having 7 seniors would be enough. This year, some think that having few seniors will mean we lack what we need. Some think getting a year older is all that is required ... just do the same stuff, you know, "get your reps." You know me enough to know that I want to do more than simply "get our reps." Repeating something only has value to the extent that the thing being repeated is valuable.

I think that deliberately practicing those things ... with passion, persistence, and purpose ... that we each need to improve is what is required. I would suggest that this approach is needed more than ever before. We are going to have to get after it.

So, what do we need to improve? We've talked about some of those things as a team. But what about each coach and player taking individual ownership of what he needs to do? What about you? That is what the great teams do. Because of a sense of brotherhood and accountability, they do the hard work as individuals necessary to get where the team wants to go. They do it for themselves, but ultimately, they are doing it for each other, as well.

And where does ... or can ... this team go? That is up to each of you. Two years ago, we had no (as in zero) seniors and folks expected a tough rebuilding year; instead, we ended up finishing higher at the HWS than ever before. Last year, with a team loaded with seniors and experience (with 5 of those players now playing in college), we set a lot of new marks and records but still finished behind the 2010 team ... the one with no seniors.

As homeschoolers, we know better than most how artificial characterizations about who we are or what we can do are just that -- artificial. Rather, our experiences and performance are defined by what we do with the time and God-given opportunities we have.

So, what do you need to work on? What is your weakness, or weaknesses that you want to eradicate or turn into a strength?

If you have any questions in this regard, ask me. Email ... text ... call ... whatever. Talk to your team captains. Find out where to be working, and then start chipping away. Do a little bit at a time, and then pretty soon you are a long way down the road.

Let's make a pledge to be as good as we can possibly be in 2012. I promise you that if we all do this -- commit to deliberately work on our weaknesses and lessen them as much as we can during the coming year -- that we will have a very special year around here.

It's a dangerous trap to think that success is the eventual result of simply hanging around or showing up. At some point, each of us has to step up to the plate and compete.

My challenge to you is to start facing those things you know you need to address to fulfill your part of the bargain. That's what I will be doing.

So, be part of the stampede. A stampede starts with one Mustang running as hard as he can ... and then another ... and then another. When they are all running in unison, you can see, hear, and feel the power. It's exciting. And then the energy starts to spread amongst the group. And the running becomes more determined, yet easier.

Let's go.

See you on the field ...

Great Stuff from the World of College Football

Check out the mental game training that Coach Nick Saban is doing at Alabama ...

Here it is: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/andy_staples/11/03/alabama-mental-conditioning-coach/

By the way, they've been working on this since '07 and have a national championship over some team from Austin, I believe, to show for it. Pretty interesting.

I was impressed with the emphasis on communicating clearly and using eye contact. Also, I am reminded that working through distractions is something that can be developed. In other words, we can practice concentration.

See you on the field ...

Time to Break Out the New Bats

As we have been discussing with our players and also with a number of Mustang parents, this season, all high school aluminum or composite bats will be required to be Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution or "BBCOR" certified bats.

Typically, our junior high team will also play per high school (NFHS) rules, so I would advise all of you JH players to be getting BBCOR bats. As a general rule, I think it's a good idea for a JH player to be swinging a drop 3 high school bat sooner rather than later, in any event.

Here is a link that sets out the new bat rule:

http://azbca.org/nfhs-rules/rule-1-3-2-through-5 .

Paragraph (e), which sets out that all bats as of 1/1/12 must be BBCOR certified. That is, the "BBCOR" stamp will be on all approved bats.

The long and short of this change is that the BBCOR bats perform similar to wooden bats, but without breaking, of course.

There was some discussion that this rule was changed for safety reasons. In actuality, it was apparently driven largely by scouts who want to see how guys hit in high school without souped-up aluminum bats. Pretty interesting, huh?

We have adjusted some of our practices and training this fall to be ready. We will be ready when 2/11/12 gets here and we open vs. Northeast Christian. Semper Gumby.

See you on the field ...

WS ... of Phones and the Failure to Ask Questions

So, by now you probably have heard the story of the strange bullpen fiasco that happened in Game 5 of the World Series.

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. Actually, this happens quite a bit. This was certainly one of those times.

The Cardinals were stuck in the 8th inning without their best reliever, closer Jason Motte, available to pitch to the series hottest hitter, Mike Napoli. So ... Napoli, a right-hander, doubled off of Cardinal left-hander Mark Rzepczynski to drive in the go-ahead runs.

The story goes ... Cardinals Manager Tony La Russa calls to the bullpen to get his closer Jason Motte and the bullpen coach hears a different name ... twice.

Okay, let's leave the phone story for what it is. The Cards say that LaRussa tried to get Motte up and warming twice, but the bullpen coach misunderstood.

I want to focus on one of these mistakes and what it might say.

The second time the LaRussa called for Motte to warm up, Lance Lynn got up. Lynn sounds different than Motte, but let's leave that one alone. Here's the real issue: Lynn was unavailable to pitch in Game 5. LaRussa confirmed this after the game. The Cardinals knew this.

To prove the point, Lynn came in (to stall for more time) and intentionally walked the next hitter. He was then removed.

So, here's the obvious question. Why did no one ask LaRussa if they heard right that he was asking for Lynn? What about Lynn himself? What about the bullpen coach? What about a teammate? Some one? Any one? No one wondered? Sure they did. But no one spoke up.

Asking a simple question might have saved the game for the Cards. But we will never know.

I think what you want is a team that has the fortitude and smarts to say, "Is this what you are asking me to do, Skip?" LaRussa has a history of making unconventional moves, so perhaps his guys are used to that. But here, he was asking a pitcher who every one knew was unable to pitch ... to pitch. At least that's what they thought. Was there some one there who could confirm what the instructions really were?

I want our players to be willing to do what we ask, but also willing to ask and make sure they understand what we are asking of them ... and, as much as possible, understand the reason why.

In other words, make sure you understand. Once you do, then let's move forward full speed.

If a team is unwilling or unable to ask a question in such an obvious situation as presented in the Lynn phone fiasco, I think that indicates there may be largers issues/problems afoot.

So, have the courage and leadership to ask the questions you know you need to ask.

And then have the courage to follow through and do what you know needs to be done.

See you on the field ...

Lots to Learn in a Great World Series

I am really enjoying watching this World Series unfold. I am a NL fan, but the Rangers are winning me over with their grit and approach.

We were discussing Quality AB's this fall as our goal of each AB, and one of our players told me that the Rangers have a definition of a Quality AB on their batting cages. You can see the consistent application of a practical mental-game approach that has brought guys like Matt Harrison from obscurity to the starting rotation in the playoffs.

And then we saw last night. The Cards seemed to have broken the Rangers' spirits after a 16-7 rout for the ages when Albert Pujols and Co. made history and seemed to turn the series in St. Louis's direction.

And then the Rangers put their fate in the hands of Derek Holland, a promising young lefty who had struggled through the playoffs with an ERA above 8 ... yes, 8 ... the next night. All Holland did was shut out the Cardinals for 8-2/3 while only giving up two hits to Lance Berkman. The series is now even, 2-2.

Here's a great recap of Holland's and Ron Washington's thinking that set the stage for last night's special WS moment:

http://espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs/2011/story/_/id/7141337/2011-world-series-derek-holland-star-performance-evens-series

So, the night after the Cards looked like they were incapable of being stopped ... a young lefty who had struggled through the post-season shut them down (and nearly out) because he stayed in the moment and remained committed to his approach.

If he keeps doing this, we'll come to expect it of him, too.

R-E-S-T Redux

Okay, players ... here it is:

R-E-S-T.

This is our DNA ... who we are ... and how we play on the HS level. Learn it. Live it.

Mental Game Building Blocks & How We Practice

Greetings All,

This fall we are going back over the the fundamentals of the game ... fielding, hitting, throwing, pitching ... along with what I believe is the key force-multiplier in baseball -- the mental game.

In addition, we are teaching our players how we practice, so that they understand our points of emphasis, can embrace them and get better.

Regarding the mental game, here are the core principles that I believe form the basis of all mental game training:

Responsibility -- Each player is responsible for his thoughts and actions. Umpires, opponents, other players, even coaches have no power to give you a poor attitude or make you have a poor performance. You have a choice to make each moment. You can, with God's grace and help, make a difference in your thoughts and actions. You can make an excuse or make a way.

Routine -- Every successful person has routines that work, from the big to the small. We have times for going to bed/getting up, what we eat, how we spend our time, what has to happen each day, etc. On the baseball level, we have how we prepare (especially on game day) to get ourselves mentally ready to play. On a micro-level, we have how we approach each AB, each pitch, each play in the field. A good player has a checklist that he consistently goes through that works for him. Over time, this breeds consistency and confidence. Confidence ultimately grows out of preparation, and routines are a big part of preparation.

Communication -- How we communicate to ourselves and each other is huge. H.A. Dorfman said that he never met a successful person whose mind wasn't "full of positive thoughts." Your thoughts are your communications to yourself. Listen to what you are saying to yourself, including tone of voice. How we communicate to others is key, as well. Telling some one what you want, in a positive way, is the best course, as opposed to "Don't this" or "Don't that." There is a place for restrictions, for sure, but there is also a better way to communicate that. We strive to be positive and clear in what we say. It leads to positive and clear actions.

Focus -- Learning what to focus on (i.e., the baseball, the situation, etc.) and how to focus upon it is critical. There are ways to increase focus during practice and games. Routine certainly helps, but the ABC's that we'll cover are key, as well (building these into your routine will reap huge rewards). Focus is practiced, too, in practice and on your own. It can and does improve, with proper attention.

Task at Hand -- The next pitch or play is where our thoughts are. What just happened, except how it affects the situation and thus provides needed information, is left behind. Keeping the game simple -- "one pitch at a time" -- makes the results we want attainable. Conversely, if our concern is first and foremost with the results -- "get a hit" or "we have to win this game" -- then ironically, the means for getting there is hampered. To be successful in baseball or life, focus on the very next task that God has put in front of you.

Perspective -- This is really the foundation of all our efforts. Starting with the understanding that nothing on the field ultimately defines who I am and that the world will continue turning regardless of the result frees me up to play my best. A healthy perspective, in other words, leads to success on the field. And as we learn to give each pitch and play our attention, then the "big" games are just like practice. And our performance soars on those moments, as a result.

Two Bonus R's ... Relentlessness and Resilience -- These concepts are key, as well, because they sum up a lot of the attitude that results from a good mental approach. If we are relentless in our work, our learning, our effort, then we will find success. It's a matter of time. Let's remember, too, that baseball is a tough game. Line drives get caught; bloopers fall in; umpires miss calls. Being resilient means that we will overcome these obstacles and get stronger. We expect bumps in the road. But we know we can overcome.

As for how we practice, here are the elements that we want to be distinctive about our Mustangs practices:

Athleticism -- Baseball players are athletes. A lot of modern baseball training (particularly at the youth/select levels) ignores this fact. Our practices are designed to both build and reinforce athleticism, particularly the kind required for baseball. You see this in our warmups and in how we work on throwing. We are building explosiveness and quickness. If we spend our time on conditioning (and we will), it will be spent on the conditioning that will make you a better baseball player.

Businesslike -- The practice field is our office. Baseball is on the agenda. That's what we talk about. That's what we do. We show up with a purpose -- individually and as a team -- and we work until our job is done for the day. Thus, we minimize distractions and we seek to make our time profitable. We show up ready to learn and improve. Practice is our meat and potatoes and we take care of so we are ready for desert (the games). We earn the right in practice to do what we do on game day.

Efficiency -- We want our players to be doing something -- learning, being productive, working on getting better -- during the entire practice. That is the goal. When we are teaching or reviewing, we want all players paying attention. We try to work stations and in groups to minimize standing around. We run to where we are going. We make every minute count. We watch while others are being instructed, as well, so that the learning becomes cumulative. Our practice time is valuable, and we act like it.

Game-like -- We come to games with practice faces. We play like we practice, so we make efforts to make practice more game-like. This takes a lot of forms, from live pitching like that we'll see in the games, to timing throws on the IF to simulate a runner, to measuring every bullpen. The key here is objective measurement (as opposed to subjective opinion as to how we are doing). We also look to create artificial stress to simulate game stress. We will be better on game day as a result.

Deliberate -- We work in such a way (always with a plan) to take advantage of and maximize strengths while eliminating/minimizing weaknesses. To do this, we need to be able to self-evalutate and also plan to consistently work on and perfect our approach while also shrinking those areas that are weaknesses.

Team Emphasis -- Our time is limited, so we take advantage of when we are together to focus principally on work that will benefit our team as a whole. We can and are working on our own, particularly on our weaknesses as we move toward turning these into strengths. We want to make sure that our team is on the same page in our approach, our schemes, plays and calls, and that each player understands where he fits in what we are doing.

So, there you have it -- how we think and how we practice, in a nutshell. As I have told the players, we could spend the whole fall talking about each one of the mental game building blocks. It's a process of season- and career-long learning. So, we'll keep at it.

I look forward to seeing you all on the field ...

Mental Game? We don't need no stinkin' mental game. What does this video have to do with the mental game?

We'll talk about it on September 6, when we get going with our fall program. We are excited to get started.

See you on the field ...

Dog Days ... and the Beat Goes on ...

Here in the Mustang Nation, the beat goes on ... literally year-round.

Our JH is wrapping up tournament play for the first time ever. Our first-ever Alumni Game is in the books. And now ...

This month, we will finalize our plans for our fall program. Stay tuned. We begin workouts on Tuesday, 9/6, at 5:30 p.m..

Scheduling for a great 2012 is underway.

I am excited to get going.

See you on the field ...

My Charge to Coaches, Parents, and Players

Here are my final remarks from our End of Year Celebration on June 2 as I stepped off the field for the first time since 2003:

I'd like to leave you all with a few words tonight to encourage you, provoke you to thought and perhaps spur you on in this journey to be the very best homeschool baseball program in the nation.

First, I'd like to speak to my fellow coaches.

To do this job right, you need passion ... when you wake up in the morning ... when you go to bed at night. I want you to work harder than ever before. A lot of things that are not directly-related to your on-the-field work are required to make this go. Embrace these tasks ... scheduling, communicating with players and parents, being an ambassador for the program, etc. They are essential.

Also, to do what we do -- where we compete with less practice time and often with a few more challenges -- you have to be smart and efficient. Each practice and game must be planned. And those plans are part of a larger season plan. Know where you are going. Get and stay organized.

And be a student of the game, an intentional learner. Baseball is filled with guys who have stunted their growth (and their teams', too) because they have yet to take on a learner's mentality. The way you did it when you were a player or a kid is completely irrelevant to what we are doing here. Be open to change, and figure out what works. Keep reevaluating. Know yourself and seek self-improvement.

Remember your conduct before your players. If we as coaches fail, they will do the same thing, in spades.

Do your best and trust your instincts. Remember that there will always be 10-20 percent who will give you a hard time no matter what. I wasted a lot of time worrying about these folks in past years. Then, I figured out I was better off just doing what I believed to be best.

Most of all, love your players. This is the foundation of all good coaching: Care for your players ... all of them ... yes, the ones who get on your nerves, too. Once you care for them and they know it, then real growth begins.

Being a "real" coach has nothing to do with getting paid. Rather, being a real coach has everything to do with taking care of your players. The biggest challenge each year is managing the people.

Everything we do must be about team welfare, rather than a personal agenda. So, be above reproach in dealing with your sons, both in reality and even in appearance. Yes, let there be no hint of favoritism. Do you have people in your life who will tell you hard truths? Find these people.

Finally, enjoy each day you get to coach. It goes quickly. This is a fantastic opportunity. Remember what a privilege it is to coach the Mustangs and to work with young men. Enjoy each task, no matter how mundane. I honestly did.

If the foregoing sounds daunting, good. You are starting to get it. Starting. I will be here, too, to hold you to the standard. Most of all, I remain here as a resource. Know that you have my full confidence and support.

And now a word to my fellow parents ...

First of all, support our coaches and support our players.

As for coaches, let them, well, coach. That's their job. We all nod in agreement here, but what does this mean? It means that our cheering is just that, cheering, instead of giving hitting instruction before and during AB's, or pitching mechanic reminders ... or calling pitches. I have seen all sorts of foolishness in my eight years of doing this.

Please stay away from the dugouts and off the field immediately before, during and after games. Encourage your sons to come prepared, with water (food between games, when necessary or appropriate). Trust coaches to take care of players, too. No one has ever died from dehydration or hunger while playing for us. If you trust coaches and your young men to act like men and be responsible, you will likely find that they are.

Failing to honor team boundaries harms our reputation as a program, and other coaches have told me so. Also, it hinders your son's ability to bond with the team and gain the most he can from our coaching staffs.

Will coaches make mistakes? Of course, and that makes them just like players and parents. But we know that only those invited into our worlds can share with us on the journey as parents. The same principle applies to coaches. Let the system work, and it will work much better. Besides, just like the busybody who corrects your kid with their own standards and fails to understand what is going on (maybe, just maybe because you know your child and have been wrestling with his/her issues for years), the at-the-field busybody is often wrong, too.

Bottom line: Honor our coaches. If there is an issue, take it up privately and away from the field. If something is bugging you, communicate. That's the biblical model. But do it in a way that values and honors the person you are communicating with. Take a look at Proverbs 6 regarding what God hates. And you know what ... He really could care less who is in our lineup, and He has great days even on the rare occasions when we lose, too.

In short, folks, our sons are truly learning a lot more than baseball.

They are learning how to be part of a team, to be on a mission greater than their personal agenda, and to hang in there and get it done. What our sons need is our support, whether their performance is good or not, and whether they are on the field or not.

Let the petty things roll off your back. Time flies. Who cares who played the most, or batted 3rd rather than 7th? I mean ... seriously? God will work these things out. Enjoy the times with your son that are just flying by. The most special times as an athlete I remember were looking over and seeing my dad. And a lot of times I wasn't in the game. It didn't matter. He taught me that what mattered most was that I was there for my team and he was there for me.

So, value effort and character in your sons, before results. You have a lot to value.

Say thank you ... in word and deed. Build up Mustangs leadership in front of your kids. Find a way to serve that meets the needs of the organization.

And now a word for our players ...

Let me start by encouraging you with these gentle words: Get off your butts and work. Throw, catch, and hit the baseball. Do it again. Be smart about it. Work on your weaknesses, rather than mindless repetitions. Get out and run sprints and build core strength in the off-season.

When we were kids, we left the house when school was out, and we spent the whole summer outside. A lot of those summers were spent playing baseball. Stop wasting your time on the computer, X-Box, fiddling with your phone and such. Trust me, there is a very small market for "world-class thumbs."

While you pray like your working doesn't matter, work like God is not going to answer your prayers. People who work hard and smart create opportunities.

For those going off to college to play ... now, the real work begins. Work harder than ever before, and in a manner worthy of the great opportunity given to you.

Whether you are continuing to play baseball or not, remember where you came from and represent the Mustangs with pride. Always remember the privilege of being a Mustang. Stay in touch with the program. We will need people to beat in future alumni games ...

If you are a current player, I want you to watch baseball ... because you don't watch enough. How do I know? Because I watch you. Come over and watch a game with me. It's fun, but it's anything but mindless. Get your mind engaged and develop the habit of learning always. Learn the expectations of the game and exceed them.

Stay humble and hungry, but grounded. As one of my mentors Ron Wolforth said so well, "Strive to become a person of merit and value that far surpasses your ability to hit, throw, field, or run."

And meanwhile, be a good citizen of the jungle. What do I mean? When we played and one of our teammates did something silly (say, like getting a girlfriend during the season), we'd give him grief until we hounded the poor guy to change. The jungle came alive, in other words. Why? Well, a little bit may have been jealousy. But mostly, we protected our team -- our brotherhood -- from those outside who would threaten our unity and purpose. So, protect your team. Treat each other as brothers. Sometimes that means giving grief. Sometimes it means giving grace.

In short, be the kind of friend and teammate that you would want. You know, tuck your shirt in, straighten your hat, watch your dugout demeanor, fight hard on every pitch and play, and expect those around you to do the same. Play to a standard of excellence ... always.

Because I like them so much, I want to read to you four pieces of advice from Coach Wolforth to his daughter before she left for college. I think they are applicable to you all:

"1. Each day, read something that will inspire or enlighten you. Stay away from the salacious, the banal and the vapid. Stay away from the sewage, garbage and other types of poison or pollution;"

(Note: This next one explains why I leave Kirby alone) "2. Don't argue with fools or malcontents -- whether in person or on the internet -- it is a huge waste of time and others watching from afar can't easily tell the difference between you and the fool." (I love Kirby, as you know, and am just jerking his chain here.);

"3. Be nearly impossible to offend. The world is now full of people who are offended at the drop of a hat for almost any small slight or comment. In fact, victimhood is now a cottage industry in America. Don't join its ranks. It has NO future;" and

"4. Be nearly impossible to be discouraged. Be resilient. Be tenacious. Be persistent. Refuse to be denied. When faced with an obstacle, be obssessed with how you could go over it, around it, under it or smash through it."

In closing, I would offer the following:

Remember that God sees every act, every effort ... so play hard and do the right thing, both on and off the field. It will all come out in the wash. Connect your purpose in life with His and add service to others (which is usually included in His purpose, by definition) and then watch your life take off.
If you have worn our uniform and your last name is something other than Rutledge, please continue to call me coach ... because whether you see me on the field or not, that is what I will remain.

I remain here for you as long as you need me to be. Players, please stay in touch and let me know what is going on in your baseball careers and in your lives. Let me know how I can help.
Most of all, to all of our current and former players, remember that I love you. Thank you for the privilege of being your coach.

MtB Always ...

A Baseball Coach Figures it out ... Why the Mavs are Going to Win

To understand part of the problem with the James Media/PR Empire-Complex, check out the following short email entitled, "The Dallas Mavericks Will Win the 2011 NBA Championship ... Here’s the Two Reasons Why: Mostly LeBron" by Aaron Weintraub (leave it to a baseball coach to figure this stuff out).

There is also some great insight for you players (and non-players) as to the importance of self-awareness and continual, honest evaluation of how you are doing. That's honest evaluation ... the type that is often uncomfortable. Most of us want to hear how wonderful and lovely all we say and do are. However, the real work (and progress) in life begins when we are honest with ourselves and learn to embrace people in our lives going the same direction as we are that will spur us along on this journey.

Learn how to do this, and then you will find God's full potential in your games and lives.

Here is Coach Weintraub:

"First, the Mavs are playing very well, starting with Nowitzki. Dirk is much more mentally tough than he was in 2006. Back then, he pouted after every close call that went against him. Now he focuses on his job and does a great job of reading what is available to him. His teammates understand their roles, too, and they do a good job of getting themselves ready to give their best effort through the high stress and challenges of playing a more talented Heat team in the NBA Finals.

"Second, LeBron doesn’t know how to get himself ready to give his best effort. There are three steps that separate a best effort performance from a lousy performance, assuming that the athlete is trying hard in both. One is to create an ideal state, or get yourself ready both physically and mentally. Two is to know your job in controllable terms, and three is to focus and simply let it happen. It is the first step where LeBron and many others fall short. You see, without awareness, no adjustment is possible. Most athletes don’t know what leads them to play great, other than trying hard. Often, their coaches sense it better than they do and these fine coaches learn to put their players in the positions where they excel. Or, the athletes just play great when they’re comfortable, or juiced, or patient, or whatever it is. Perhaps night games at home lead to an ideal performance state, and that’s good enough for them to have what they consider to be success.

'Here’s what I see with LeBron. He’s in his ideal state when he believes that his team needs him to be their clear leader. When he takes the challenge of defeating his opponents personally and strives to carry his team on his shoulders, he gets explosive. Here’s the problem. He doesn’t know this. Without awareness, no adjustment is possible. He obviously needs to adjust, but his postgame comments after Game 5 make it clear that he doesn’t even know this. “My offense in the fourth quarter is fine.” Huh? No, it’s not.

"When you’re LeBron, having a feeling that your team needs you to carry them happens often, without any awareness necessary from yourself. Cleveland had nothing else. When Wade gets hurt and misses a few minutes (like in Game 5), you play better. But when Wade is on the court, LeBron strives to be the best “team player” he can be. There’s nothing wrong with that in concept – it just doesn’t lead to him performing the way he’s capable of performing. He’s trying to be a good guy, not the selfish guy he obviously is. ... He would play better if he would get selfish and carry his team, as we all know he can.

"Fortunately for the Mavericks, no one is likely to tell LeBron what he needs to know fast enough for this year. After he fails, he’ll look for answers and probably make great adjustments, but his personal values and judgments will not change over the next few days. Even without LeBron at his best, the Heat are very good, but to beat the Mavericks twice, they would need him in an ideal performance state a majority of the time.

"That’s not going to happen."

-Aaron Weintraub

Up, and Coming ... Here: TCU Baseball

Take a look at this video by TCU Baseball. You'll recognize some familiar themes ... i.e., win this pitch ... and the approach will also resonate.

It's how you gain leverage -- a solid mental approach that values the process of how to compete. You want results? You want wins?

Do (and think) like this:

From Coach Aaron Weintraub ... Attitude is Everything

Received this from Coach Traub. Check it out:

"You have extremely little control over what goes on around you, but total control of how you choose to respond to it. It is in these choices that lay your freedom, your happiness, and your personal power. Choose wisely.

"Attitude is a choice and attitude determines altitude. You perform better when you are aggressive, confident, and having fun. So do you know how to create that specific attitude when your current environment is pulling you in a different direction? Most people sense that attitude comes from within, but they don’t specifically seize all their personal power by realizing that their attitude comes specifically from the direction of their thoughts. What you are focused on causes the quality of your attitude. Therefore, if you learn to develop an optimistic explanatory style, even when faced with adversity, you will have a clear edge over your competition. It’s not easy to remember that messing up is good for you, to change “I’m in a slump” to “I’m overdue,” or to embrace difficult challenges. But hey, if was easy, everyone would do it.

"Here’s your first test… which comes first: successful outcomes or a positive, confident, fun attitude? For many, success does, but for the greatest athletes in the world, their confidence and positive attitude precede and lead to their success. The next time conditions are poor or you just messed up, remember that this is a great opportunity for you to practice employing your personal power by finding a shred of optimism to emphasize in your mind. Then add in some positive body language and don’t be surprised when great outcomes follow."

Walking Off as Winners

Last game ...

Our HWS run had ended up differently than we had expected or hoped. After two dramatic and gritty wins versus good teams (one of whom ultimately finished 6th), we ran into a buzzsaw on Thursday -- losing 5-1 to the Raleigh Warriors (who eventually finished 3rd nationally) and also 7-4 to the perennial powerhouse Atlanta Barons.

Both teams threw their aces at us. Both aces threw gems. We battled, but we fell short. On Friday, we were emotionally drained and flat; we got outplayed in every phase of the game and lost, 7-1, to an HCYA team we had beaten twice previously during the season.

The foregoing left us playing for 7th place in Division II ... really playing for pride on Saturday, May 7, as we sought to finish our season the right way.

The night before, I thought that it would be cool to win our last one in a walk-off, but I wasn't sure my heart could take it. Let't not try that, after all.

So, we drove over as the sun rose and showed up at 7 a.m. for the ungodly 8 a.m. EST start. We had fun on the way over, and our team appeared loose and ready to go vs. Augusta. We had our usual pregame, the 40th such pregame of the season. Last thing I told them: "Remember, we love you."

Before the game started, I walked down the right-field line to collect my thoughts and think about the gameplan. I looked at my card of plays and defensive sets. I wanted to use everything today, if necessary, to get the win. These players deserved this, and I wanted to do everything in my power to make sure it happened. I got a little emotional thinking it would be the last time I would do this with these players.

I was confident we would play well. But then it started.

We played awful. We were behind, 3-0, before we came to bat. It's been a while since we played that poorly for several innings, but we did. I was having troubles of my own, too. Augusta surprised me and threw out one of our guys stealing and another trying to advance to 3rd on a fly ball.

We were throwing balls around, forgetting to cover bags, droppoing pop-ups, running bases like, well, they were trying to upset my stomach ... At the plate, we were trying too hard. We were understanably too emotional on this day. Meanwhile, the Crusaders were playing loose, having fun and building an 8-3 lead in the 5th.

Then, we started to come alive. Ben was pitching well on the hill, and the guys kept battling and piling up good AB's at the plate. Starting in about the 5th inning, we started to look like ourselves and play like the Mustangs. We scored two in the bottom of the 5th, and then three more in the 6th. Meanwhile, our pitching and defense were solid.

A 7th-inning rally fizzled and we went to the 8th. By this time, I had come to grips with the fact that I was going to be okay with however this turned out. Our team had acquitted itself well in battling back and showing pride and heart.

A mini-threat by the Crusaders in the top of the 8th was shut down and we came to bat in the bottom half. Shell led off with a pop fly that fell in between the LF, SS, and 3B. The LF overran the ball, too, and Shell advanced to second. Then, things started to fall into place ...

I went out during a timeout to talk to Shell. I told him he was going to score the winning run and I was going to chase him home. He better get going. He didn't think I could catch him.

Michael had asked me before the inning about bunting if Shell had gotten on. I told him we would probably do that. But with Shell already on second, we conferred during a timeout, and I told him I wanted him to hit. I thought we'd have a rocket to the OF and then all would be well.

But Michael, our #3 hitter and offensive leader for the last 4 years, popped out. I kicked myself, wishing we had bunted there.

Then Foxy came to the plate. He'd had a fabulous year and was looking better and better as this game wore on. John battled with a great AB, taking two close pitches to get the count to 3-1. Then, he hit a ground ball, a high chopper to the left side, and Augusta barely threw him out at 1B. Shell advanced to 3B on the play. Two outs.

Matt then came to the plate. Matt has had a lot of great AB's through the years, and truthfully, he is a great guy to have up there in that situation. He fouled off the first pitch straigh back, but he was under it. Hmmm. C'mon, Matt, I thought. I wondered what he was thinking, but he sure looked locked in.

And then ... ping. The most beautiful humpback liner that I think I have ever seen floated out over second base into CF. I did start after Shell (he beat me to the plate), and we all went over to meet Matt at 1B in the bedlam.

We hugged, we laughed, we experienced the joy that this team is so known for ... one last time.

In forming the line to go across and congratulate the Crusaders, we even hip-bumped. Serious air.

After the game, we all talked and shared ... players, coaches, parents ... for a long time. It seemed that no one wanted it to end. We talked about how much Mustangs baseball has meant to all of us. It was so fitting, though, that it ended that way.

If we hadn't lost three straight, we would have missed this game ... this game that ended a season and 7 seniors Mustang careers in perfect fashion.

And God honored them all in the process. It was a day that all our seniors played the whole game. They all contributed. Jacob had a good day at the plate and on the mound. Ben hit the ball well, was nails on the mound and got the win. Sauce was, well, Sauce. Shell played well at 3B, and he started the winning rally and scored the winning run in our last game. Foxy overcame a tough start to get a big hit and also threw out a Crusader runner late in the game to stop a rally, Reagan was great in the OF and hit an inside-the-park HR. And Matt ...

Well, the Lord tasked Matt with ending this thing on the right note ... with the Mustangs battling, as always, and finishing strong. Matt's hit gave the Mustangs their only lead of the day -- as the game (and season) ended. Just in time ...

It was so fitting, on so many levels. They walked off the winners that they are.

After the game, my head began to hurt as I considered that if we hadn't played so poorly that we would have missed that incredible ending. We will always remember what happened on May 7, but a better performance and it never would have happened. I was reminded of last year's "Centex Miracle."

I walked down to watch the Huntsville-Barons game, which was a dandy (won by Huntsville, 7-6 in 8 inns.). Afterward, I was visiting with Huntsville's Coach Gary Byrd, and we were talking about how our coaching careers had ended in pretty much perfect fashion. Today's finish marked win #100 as a Mustang coach for me.

I told my friend Gary that we were disappointed that we missed Division I, and we thought we had a good chance to compete and win there, but still ... I was unsure that I would trade it for the path we had taken. I was content.

Then, Gary said, "The sovereignty of God is a beautiful thing." I just smiled, and said, "Yes, it is."

For God in His sovereignty has allowed this little ol' baseball team to make a big impact -- on the field, off the field, everywhere.

Last Practice in the books ...

I enjoyed our time on the field yesterday as we had our last practice of 2011. It was a a productive day as we went over our calls and defensive sets. We worked bullpens and we pitch/hit live. We closed with some competitive 3-2 drill, which ended up being pretty hilarious. One team (I think it was "Team Awesome") was doing leg kicks like the Rockettes to heckle the opposing pitcher.

However, "Team Better than Awesome" took the win for hitting a ball past CF Matt B.. I told them that would pretty much guarantee the win if they made Matt run to the fence. It was the last pitch, too. Perfect.

I wondered what some of our parents who came up as practice was ending might have thought. Has coach gone mad? Or madder .... It looked pretty crazy, but there is/was a method to it.

Here goes: As crazy as it looked, we were competing. Live hitters. Live pitchers. And fielding. Granted, we had some crazy positions out there. But on this last day of practice, the players positioned themselves. Really, I think they are just trying to make me look good, but that is another story.

But we were also doing something else. We were having fun. This is real important. Fun is incapable of being forced. It happens as a by-product of doing something you enjoy ... and it gets even better when you do it with people you enjoy.

Plus, we are ready. Our real work in preparation is now done.

After practice, we talked about the week ahead. I told them what I know. They are as prepared -- not moreso -- than any team they will face next week. Preparation breeds confidence.

This next week, we'll focus on a couple of acronyms that are important to us -- R-E-S-T and
J-O-Y. The first one is how we manage our thoughts; it's how we approach the game ... our DNA, if you will. The second -- JOY -- is how we manage our emotions ("Just like practice" ... "One pitch at a time" ... "Yippee" ... like our last practice.

The Importance of the Two-Strike Approach

I was talking to a fellow coach the other day, and I told him there are three books that form the foundation of my coaching philosophy: the Bible, "The Mental Game of Baseball," by H.A. Dorfman, and "Moneyball," by Michael Lewis (author of "Blindside," by the way).

"Moneyball" is so profound on so many levels (and parents, you have to wade through Billy Beane's antics and language in the book, so approach with caution). It really challenged me to look at the game -- in particular offense and statistics -- in a fundamentally different way.

One of the principal ideas in "Moneyball" is how the Oakland A's approached offense. They consistently looked for their pitch; they were patient. When they got it, they attacked and they hit it hard. They wore out opposing pitching staffs by running up pitch counts. They utilized this philosophy in the early 2000's to notch back-to-back 100-win seasons with a shoestring budget and small payroll. I was intrigued. As we play so much in a tournament format, running up the opposition's pitch count seemed to be the baseball equivalent of a map to buried treasure.

So, we changed our approach around here after I read "Moneyball." One of the things that I initially adopted from the book, however, that I have since changed is the absence of a two-strike approach. The A's preached looking for one's pitch all the way through an AB, even on two strikes. The rationale was simple: It made more sense to take a borderline pitch than to weakly put it in play and have a MLB defense almost always make a play.

But high school defenses are different than MLB defenses (insert "duh."). And high school games have six fewer outs (at least). And high school umpires are different than MLB umpires, with wider and more variable strike zones. In short, it pays more on a lot of levels to put the ball in play with two strikes in high school than to take your chances on a borderline strike three call.

My opinion is that a lot of misjudgments about high school baseball are made because of the failure to differentiate between how the game is played at various levels. Certain plays, for instance, work great at the JH level. But in high school, things change. And they change more still as the competition gets tougher up the ladder.

We encourage all of our hitters to work a good two-strike approach. This involves both a mechanical adjustment (to enable them to cover the whole strike zone, plus 2-3 inches, with a quicker stroke) and a mental one (our pitch is now the strike zone, plus 2-3 inches). Also, we need a fighting mentality with two strikes. We are battling to win the AB.

Our approach is that we allow the hitters to determine their own particular mechanical adjustment. Some choke up, others shorten loads, step lighter, etc. It's an individual choice, from our perspective. But it is important that the hitter make some adjustment to be able to handle all pitches with two strikes, more than simply "his" pitches.

Clearly, a two-strike adjustment will help us win a lot of battles with pitchers and create more offense with two strikes. It also give a hitter another tool in the "toolbox" when he may be struggling. For instance, I have found that using the two-strike approach is a good way to make contact and get it going at the plate.

But it does something even more profound ... A good two-strike approach makes a hitter more confident in hunting his pitch earlier in the count. Why? Because he has no fear of going to two strikes. He knows he can/will have success there, too. So, the good two-strike approach at the back end of an AB makes a hitter better earlier in the count, as well.

It all works together.

"Bounce" & the Talent Myth

Two great, thought-provoking books that have really challenged my thinking are "Talent is Overrated" by Geoff Colvin and "Bounce" by Matthew Syed. Both approach the mystery of success and talent and reach a similar conclusion -- talent is, indeed, overrated.

Both books contain the evolutionary theories and beliefs of the authors but I would recommend you filter through this part and get to the larger (and I believe true and biblical) message -- that we are responsible for our actions and lives. With God's help and our obedience, our supposed limits are much less than we previously imagined.

Sure, there are elements of opportunity and also talent itself (certain folks are simply unsuited to be, say, an NBA center), but the larger point of the books remains. You are capable of much more than you realize, so get to it.

Here are some insights/quotes from "Bounce" that I found noteworthy:

Expertise (created through practice) leads to instinct.

The "child prodigy" myth is just that -- a myth. And yes, that includes Mozart, whose father was a master teacher and was working with Mozart at a very early age.

"Mere experience, if it is not matched by deep concentration, does not translate into excellence."

"Research across domains shows that it is only by working at what you can't do that you turn into the expert you want to become."

Making mistakes can lead to mastery if you are being stretched and learning in the process.

Training with superior players increases learning.

Why the smart get smarter and the good get better: " ... the very process of building knowledge transforms the hardware in which the knowledge is stored and operated."

A good practice is one that stretches your limitations each time.

Creative innovation also results from the rigors of purposeful practice.

Good practice also contains feedback that communicates what is going right/wrong.

Those who believe that intelligence/performance are transformed by practice have a growth mind-set. Those who labor under the talent myth stall and stagnate in the face of difficulties.

Michael Jordan: "Mental toughness and heart are a lot stronger than some of the physical advantages you might have."

"Praising children's intelligence [or talent] harms their motivation, and it harms their performance."

" ... [T]each others to see challenges as learning opportunities rather than threats."

In competition, fear causes athletes to worry about results and an overemphasis on mechanics that leads to tightening up.

Go back to perspective. Value what really matters, as opposed to the particular result/outcome. Then the result becomes much easier to attain.

Good routines are a key part of excellent performance.

Those who truly excel are able to get past both triumphs and failures sooner. It takes maturity and a healthy perspective to keep driving on.

The brain is more involved in perception than the eyes.

Attention is a resource with "severe capacity limitations," but experts "create more bandwidth" by automating a number of tasks.

It takes about 10,000 hours of purposeful practice (individual work on specific areas of need) to reach world-class status at a particular craft.

Bottom line: The number one factor that is present in, and distinguishes top performers from their counterparts, is the amount of time they practice on their own.

"It is practice [on your own], rather than talent, that holds the key to success."

Maybe some of these high-caliber performers can be homeschoolers?

"Experts are People, too"

I received the following recently from Coach Ron Wolforth. Take a look, let it soak in ... do some thinking perhaps about the "experts" in and around your life. There are a lot of these in the baseball world, you know, and they are certain that if you just fix this one thing, hold your elbow just so, do it exactly as they did, pay them by the hour, of course, well, you know the rest ... I've told a number of you my thoughts regarding our over-reliance upon instructors and "professionals." Well, fasten your seat belts (Coach is blunt, okay?) and check this out:

"'Life support turned off and expected to die, teen makes remarkable recovery

'NEW ZEALAND -- Kimberly McNeill, 18, was expected to die following a serious car accident she was in last December, but she shocked doctors when she made a remarkable recovery and was able to leave the hospital Monday.

"'A team of doctors forecasted the New Zealand teen would never survive her injuries and took her off life support against her family's wishes.

"'Kimberly crashed not far from her home in late December. Her parents, both acupuncturists, would not accept that their daughter could die.

"'It was doctors at Auckland City Hospital who switched off Kimberly's life support machine 15 days after being transferred to their hospital.

"'Kimberly defied all the odds when she not only was able to return home this week, two months after her wreck, but she was walking and talking.

"'The accident nearly claimed her life. Her father James McNeill said, 'To have her home so early is another outstanding milestone ... Kimberly has a long way to go but the sky's the limit.'
McNeill said both he and Kimberly's mother, Jackie Kiddle, would not accept the doctors' prognosis. Instead they drew on specialist acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners for support during the critical period when life support was withdrawn.'

"#1. This is what happens when we acquiesce most or all of our responsibility to think and decide to 'EXPERTS'. If you don't think this is our future in the USA ... I believe you are naive. That's what many elitists already believe should be the role of the EXPERT...to decide things for us silly, stupid, uneducated NON experts. This should rarely happen in my opinion. Experts should be used as our counselors ... not our rulers.

"#2. Exactly who is an EXPERT? In a Socialist society like New Zealand...an expert is ANYONE the government claims is an expert. I absolutely and completely reject such a notion. In my opinion, #1. I choose my expert(s). #2. I choose what part of the expert's advice I wish to follow and what advice I reject. #3. Then I'm held accountable for that decision.

"#3. Experts are people too. Very, very few people in the world ... are as expert as I am in pitching, yet I honestly don't view myself as an 'expert'. I know many people who know half as much as I do ... who are absolutely certain they know twice as much and relish in being an 'expert' disseminating their advice as if it were Gospel from the good Lord. They aren't cautious or hesitant what so ever about the possible fallibility of their thoughts or ideas. Some are even incredibly bright and capable and really have done their homework ... and then ... because they THOUGHT it ... it therefore must be correct. These people are possibly the MOST dangerous.
Don't believe me? I take my lead here from one of the premier cancer specialists in the world today ... Bernie Seigel. Here is what Dr. Seigel suggests you do if a doctor tells you or a loved one that a particular patient has X months to live.

"You tell the Doctor that you are going to make him a wager. If said patient passes away within twice the estimated time this doctor said the patient had remaining ... you will make a significant contribution to a charity of his choice. If the patient lasts one day longer than twice his prediction, the doctor will pay $100,000 to a charity of the patient's choice.

"Dr. Seigel says that NO doctor will EVER take that wager ... even with doubling the amount of time he said the patient has left. DOUBLING the amount of time! Yet they are so certain of it that they actually pass this information on to you as if it is TRUTH?

"Really? That is true unbridled arrogance.

"These experts in New Zealand made that same assumption regarding the young woman. So much so that they actually decided to turn her life support OFF ... Yet they couldn't have possibly been more wrong regarding the most important question this young woman will EVER face.

"What if that was YOUR daughter, son, husband or wife?

"Sarah Palin gets brutalized by the Left in this country regarding her take on so called 'death panels'. I'm not a big fan of Palin, but on this topic she is a lot closer than most believe she is. This NZ group truly acted as a 'death panel' for this young girl. They decided. They were wrong even when they were absolutely CERTAIN they were right.

"Please don't write me and tell me what happened in NZ would NEVER happen in the USA. Arrogance and experts deciding what's best for others knows no borders nor political affiliation...and I believe its pure evil and tyranny.

"What will happen to the group that blew this decision? Will the group be reprimanded? Disbanded? Decertified?

"You already know what will happen. Nothing. It will be glossed over as 'just one of those things that was unexplainable'. They just didn't see this coming. I would contend that these 'experts' should NEVER be dictating into areas where 'some things are unexplainable and things occur that they just couldn't see coming. Either THEY are not the right experts for this situation or NO expert can decide definitively in this specific case.

"#4. There is only ONE expert in what's REALLY important in YOUR life ... YOU. Don't let 'experts' run your life.

"Ask Lawrence Peter Berra. As a young man 'Yogi' worried his parents because of his obsession with a sport called baseball. They pleaded with him to be practical and to get an education and a real job. Finally Yogi went to a tryout in his home town of St. Louis and was told by Branch Ricky, considered at the time to be the preeminent judge of baseball talent in the MLB at the time, that he wasn't Major League material. His parents were relieved. Finally Yogi could now concentrate on getting and keeping a new job.

"Yogi had a different idea. Yogi proudly proclaimed, 'Mr. Ricky really doesn't know the real me. I know that because he didn't pick me."

"Which may possibly be the very first of many famous 'Yogisms'.

"The only expert Yogi considered listening to about matters so important ... was Yogi.

"But don't be too hard on experts ... experts are people too."

There is a lot there to ponder about what Coach Wolforth has said above. I am reminded of how some have said we have no chance here at the Mustangs because we lack "experts," no paid coaches, no staff instructors, no baseball "academy," etc., blah, blah, blah. Funny, but I think one of the things that has helped us is teaching players how to train and coach themselves on a number of levels. But, you be the judge.

Of course, there is a time and a place to seek help and additional guidance. I have my thoughts on this as it applies to baseball, but I am no "expert," if you know what I mean.

And as Coach Wolforth points out, the most important person to be making decisions about the direction of your life is you. You players, of course, are to do this within the confines of the authority of your parents and the Lord Himself. But you get the point.

Be responsible for your thoughts and actions. Make ways rather than excuses. And then see how far God can take you.

Pay Attention ...

Coach Wolforth recently challenged us all to "pay attention.' It sounds trite and trivial, but how much do you really pay attention? We are all so distracted by cell phones, texting, TVs in every restaurant, etc. There are distractions everywhere. And then we hunt more down.

But, to be excellent ... you must pay attention. Here are 10 ... or 11 ... things (a non-exhaustive list, for sure) to pay attention to on the baseball field:

1) Pay attention to where the baseball is going and where you want it to go. Are you really acquiring a target with every throw? Are you getting a target each time? If so, guess what? Bad throws while warming up will be rare. Bad throws during a game will be cut down dramatically, as well. Pay attention to whether each throw hits the target. Count makes and misses. Do this for 10 minutes and compare to how you have been throwing. Add following your throws and see what happens.

Likewise, are you paying attention to the baseball when you are hitting? Pay attention with your eyes. Be conscious with good broad- to fine-focus. Practice paying attention and do this every time you hit, whether in practice or in a game.

2) Pay attention to what is happening during BP. What are you trying to do? Are you working on your two-strike approach? Pay attention to whether it is working and why. Did you hit the ball hard where it wants to go? Know every time. Pay attention. Did you look for your pitch and find it in count cage? Know the answer to this.

3) Pay attention when you are in the dugout. Pay attention to the opposing pitcher's patterns, both with pitches and moves to first. Can you pick up an opposing sign or trend? Yes, you can, if you pay attention. Eyes and ears on the field, and pay attention.

4) Pay attention to any coach or player when they are communicating on the field. If some one is communicating info, then they believe it is important. Rather than daydreaming or thinking about what you want to say, pay attention. Learn something. Always be paying attention and learning.

5) Pay attention while others are getting instruction (it's like free correction, but less painful), and also pay attention while others are playing to learn from what they do well or otherwise.

6) Pay attention to game situations (realize and remind; situation and say it again) and hammer these into your brain like a news ticker. Decide what you will/can do before the play starts and be ready. Like acquiring the target when throwing, this technique is proven to dramatically reduce mistakes.

7) Pay attention to what the opponent is doing while you are on the field. Many clues are contained as to what is coming, if you will only look. See an OF who looks strangely out of position? There may be a pickoff play coming. Is an infielder shading in a different place than previously? It might be a clue as to what type of pitch is coming.

8) Pay attention to how your performance and AB's go. Get in the habit of reviewing your mound and plate performances intelligently. For instance, with your at-bats, ask: What was I trying to do? What went right/wrong? What do I want to do next time? Do this every time. Pay attention, and know what to pay attention to.

9) Pay attention to signs, and make it part of your routine and habit to get the sign early and often. This is a simple decision to make; and

10) Pay attention to your routine and preparation ... what works? Pay attention to find whatever clues or common denominators you can between good and bad performance, i.e., food, sleep, pregame exercises and warm-up, self-talk, everything. Pay attention.

Okay, here's a bonus:

11) Pay attention to the emotional state of yourself (and others) during competition. When you sense you are getting too amped, bring it on down. Conversely, if the game is "out of hand" and you sense the feeling that you or your teammates might be relaxing a bit too much, then amp it up. Stay at a proper focus and emotional level at all times, regardless of the situation. Pay attention and make the appropriate adjustment.

Know what is happening and why. You can. Just ...

Pay attention.

Will Smith's Words of Wisdom

I always like Will Smith, but wow ... this is good stuff. I got this from Coach Aaron Weintraub, a great mental game teacher. Great stuff. This thinking + your faith in Christ = God is going to do big things.

Exploring the Mystery of Pitch Counts

My knowledge on this subject is drawn largely from the excellent work and research of Ron Wolforth and his staff at the Texas Baseball Ranch.

I have modified what Coach Wolforth has suggested only slightly in how I deal with pitchers who have gone over 30 pitches in an inning (allowing them to continue only if it is the first inning and the pitcher has demonstrated the ability to work through such struggles at the current level of competition).

My background as a baseball player is as a position player (1B/OF) and a hitter. So, I have come to the table on the subject of pitching from a different perspective, and in some ways, without what I view as the baggage of a lifetime of shifting views on trends in pitching.

Pitch counts are a strange and mysterious subject. They are treated as gospel, but few seem to understand them. There are "magic" numbers, such as 100 for a game that some will argue are never to be exceeded. No explanation is given for this magical line never to cross; it's just there, you see.

Still others argue that pitchers at various portions of a season are clearly only ready to throw 40, 50, 60, etc. pitches. How do they know this? Unless it's a knowledge of the demonstrated preparation of a specific pitcher at that point in the season, truly it's hard to tell.

I believe there are a couple of concepts that are really central to understanding the issue of pitch counts: 1) First and foremost, how much a pitcher throws on his own and in practice is crucial to developing the arm strength to throw longer and deeper into games; and 2) how a pitch count is accumulated is more important than what a pitcher's total count is.

To put these two concepts together, to know whether a pitcher is gassed after throwing 100 pitches, you need to know how much work he has put in -- practice and game work -- during a particular season and also how many innings he has thrown during the game at issue. For instance, assuming we are at least at mid-season, a pitcher who has gone 7 innings and thrown 100 pitches has really not extended himself such that he is at any real risk of injury. A well-conditioned pitcher can throw 12-15 pitches per inning for quite a long time, given the fact that he is resting and recovering while his teammates are batting.

Take for instance the "scandal" caused by University of Texas pitcher Austin Wood, who threw 169 pitches in a relief outing in a 2009 NCAA regional game (the longest game in NCAA history, a 25-inning UT 3-2 win over Boston College). Wood came on in relief with a runner on second in the seventh inning, and then ... he pitched the next 12 1/3 innings before he gave up his first hit, a single in the bottom of the 19th. He struck out 14, walked four and gave up two hits in 13 innings. Making Wood’s performance even more impressive was that the game was on the line in every inning. And all of this came after he pitched two innings the night before in a 3-1 victory over Army.

Austin Wood was able to do what he did (and his arm stayed attached to his body as he and the Horns went on to the CWS) because he was conditioned and also because he pitched efficiently through his night ... and early morning ... of work. He averaged about 13 pitches per inning. So, what a lot of people in the pitching world thought was scandal was no scandal. If a pitcher is at 15 or under pitches per inning, with much conditioning at all he can pitch a good long while. Remember, the pitcher is resting between innings. With warmups, the infielders are nearly throwing as much.

Most coaches, especially summer coaches, pay very little attention to anything but the total pitch count (and then, even the total is often monitored haphazardly). Neglecting how a total is accumulated is a mistake. What Ron's research has shown (and my experience has confirmed) is that if a pitcher throws 20 or more pitches in an inning, he is laboring in that inning such as to increase stress on his arm and body and decrease his effectiveness. If he follows such an inning with another 20-pitch inning, it is probably time for the pitcher to come out of the game. I have followed this formula and found it to be sound over the years.

Coach Wolforth also suggests removing any pitcher following any inning in which he throws 30 or more pitches in an inning, based on the fact that the pitcher is tired and now more susceptible to injury. I have followed this rule with the one exception noted above; that is, if we are dealing with a pitcher who has shown the ability to recover from jams at the current level of competition then I will allow him to continue if and only if the 30-pitch inning occurs in the first inning that he pitches.

On the Mustangs, we track a pitcher's per-inning count to see how he is trending. If a pitchers count-per-inning starts to creep up then that is a factor indicating that his work for the day may be done. But to me, this part is art. The foregoing 20- and 30-pitch markers, however, are science (or rules in my book), and I adhere to them as such.

I use these rules as markers and extend our pitchers total counts out as we move through the season. As for the total counts, that is based upon the pitcher's experience, work history, and demonstrated effectiveness during a particular game.

And of course, pitch counts are only part of a story as to whether a pitcher continues. For instance, if your count is down but your fielders are dodging bb's with every pitch, well, you get the picture.

For those of you playing elsewhere during the fall and summer, I think it's important that you know this information and see how other coaches are handling pitching staffs. In the end, we want to be getting better each practice and game, but we also want to keep our arms and bodies healthy for the longterm.

See you on the field,

One Mind ... One Heart ... One Mission

We've talked about the mind and our mission.

At the retreat, we laid out what "one heart" means. And, as we set out on our journey this week, let's keep this in mind:

O -- One. One team, one coaching staff, one mission. We speak with one voice and we move toward our goal as one.

N -- No whining or excuses. You can make an excuse or a way. Your choice.

E -- Every player has value. This is so critical. Each player, whether on the field or off, is valuable. Equating value with playing time or positions in the field violates our heartbeat in a fundamental way.


H -- Hustle everywhere, doing everything. By doing so, we communicate respect for the game and the time and efforts of those around us, and we let our teammates (and opponents) know that we are excited and ready to play.

E -- Every task has value. Each thing we do, whether in practice or a game, is to be done to the best of our ability. You never know when the most important play of a day or game will be. Treat each task as valuable, and you will be ready.

A -- Attentive always ... at practice, in the dugout, on the field. We bring a ready mindset to all that we do, and the baseball field is our place of business ... a fun one, but a place of business nonetheless. We make all of our action, thoughts and words purposeful.

R -- Ready to do whatever is asked. A team full of ready teammates is a team ready to succeed.

T -- Team. We finish where we started. Everything we do is for our team and its welfare.

As we have discussed, maintaining "one heart" is the key ingredient to getting where we want to go.

See you on the field,

“The Mental Keys to Hitting” by H. A. Dorfman

I just finished the last in a great trilogy of mental game books by the father of the modern “mental game,” H. A. Dorfman. The Mental Keys to Hitting is an excellent book, and it is also a short and easy read. Dorfman describes key, foundational concepts in readable language.

What I especially enjoyed was finding this book – which has been out since 2000 – so neatly merged the concepts of Moneyball by Michael Lewis and The Mental Game of Baseball by Dorfman. I had thought that the concepts were compatible, and indeed supported each other. Well, voila, Dorfman writes this in his book.

Get this: Players, I highly recommend you read this book. What follows are my notes … Cliff Notes, if you will … of some key takeaway/excerpts/quotesparaphrases and such:

“The highest reward for a person’s toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it.” -- John Ruskin, English writer/sociologist 1859

“First and foremost, SEE THE BALL!” (Remember the third "E").

Harold Baines, when asked how many times he had felt comfortable when he failed to see the ball well: “Never.”

“Want to see the ball better? Think ball.” My note: And use broad to fine focus, per the hitting chapter in The Mental Game.

“Use every at-bat to your purpose, instead of allowing it to use you.”

Agressivness under control …

“You’ve got to have the mentality that you are going to make somebody pay when you’re at bat.” – Mo Vaughn, 2000 Angels

Dorfman praises the Oakland A’s approach (featured in Moneyball). It’s been called Oakland’s ‘whacking and walking’ philosophy by Dorfman. “I tell hitters they start a car’s movement by using the gas pedal first. That’s aggressiveness. A hitter’s first thought before going to the plate should be about making good, solid contact. He anticipates a pitch he can hit and is ready for it when he sees it. He does not anticipate taking a pitch, because then, seeing a pitch in the hitting zone, he’ll be surprised by it. Aggressiveness is his operative approach.”

“Hacking is not a philosophy.”

“Oakland has always valued the base-on-balls … and was greatly concerned with on-base percentage as one important indicator of a hitter’s effectiveness. My appeal to a few reluctant players was that a walk helped their batting average. An undisciplined at-bat usually resulted in an out – and their average went down. A walk avoided that out, got them on base for the team – and kept the average from going down. This philosophy still prevails throughout the organization. Minor leaguers are taught to be patient – as well as aggressive.”

“Aggressiveness and patience … is the balanced approach of all good hitters. And of successful teams.”

Being able to take the ball the other way when required is a good indicator of “staying within oneself.”

An idea when a hitter senses he is losing control is to focus on taking the ball the other way. “You’ll track the ball longer and deeper into the hitting zone; you’ll stay back longer; it will help relax your swing – the bat will get through the hitting zone quicker.”

Your Goals vs. Others’ Expectations … You’ve got eyes; the ball doesn’t.

Set goals for yourself each day in BP or in games … i.e., disciplined BP, seeing the ball well, having a purpose for every BP round, reminding yourself of mechanical cues in the on-deck circle, stepping out of box and coaching yourself during an AB, being mentally ready for every pitch, establishing your strike zone (the pitch you want to hit) through discipline, being an aggressive hitter under control … (add your own)

Self-coaching: Only the player can decide to implement information into behavior.

Thinking takes place outside the batter’s box, rather than in it. In the box, look for the ball and be easy.

Instead of guessing, track the ball … Use your eyes … broad to fine focus.

Practice coaching yourself as to what you want to do in BP. Talk to yourself about what you want to do as a hitter, both in practice and in games.

Focus on the result (“I gotta get a hit … or drive in this run), as opposed to your approach (i.e., look for your pitch, see the ball, broad- to find-focus) and you will swing indiscriminately.

Learning to do this right is a process. Be patient with yourself. Use good tones in self-talk, as well.

“’See the ball.’ This is the most functional and appropriate replacement thought a hitter will ever have in the batter’s box. Remember it; use it; value it.”

“When you wish to change a thought, replace it with one that serves and directs you in a positive way.”

Concentration exercises: Do them.

“Step out of the frame, and it’s easier to see the picture.”

If a hitter’s focus is too broad or scattered, “think small … think ball.”

Talking in terms of “fault” or making excuses indicates a poor perspective.

“Work, rather than worry, when results are not ‘going for you.’ Focus on your approach, rather than catastrophic declarations or imaginings.”

“Cy Young lost 316 games and they named an award after him.”

Cultivate the “important ability to accept failure [of a bad at-bat] and categorize it as a one-time thing.”

“A 1-4 day – or an 0-5 day – won’t cause the breakdown. The hitter’s interpretation of the day will. It’s essential to see the ball well, but first see your world, the game, and yourself clearly, accurately, objectively. By doing so you can then assess your at-bats with intelligence, and make the necessary adjustments. As a bonus, your perspective will allow your talent to be free to express itself.”

Self-doubt promotes a sense of urgency.

“Know how to evaluate at-bats. Ask yourself: ‘Did I see the ball well?’ ‘Did I hit it hard?’ ‘Did I execute what I wanted to do?’ If not – make adjustments based on understanding, rather than a negative reaction. Know what you want to do during your next at-bat. Then trust your talent and put your last at-bat in your history book as a useful lesson.”

Trust yourself, rather than fearing consequences.

“To attribute the outcome of at-bats to compulsive or superstitious acts is to avoid responsibility.”

“Have a purpose for everything you do in batting practice.”

Preparation cycle has 7 phases (know them): 1) Dugout; 2) On-Deck Circle; 3) En route to batter’s box; 4) Out of the box (before stepping in); 5) in the box; 6) Out of the box between pitches; and 7) Back in the dugout after the AB (What was I trying to do? What went right/wrong? What do I want to do next time?)

Stay focused on task, rather than results or consequences.

Find the proper individual level of excitement/edge to compete. We are looking for a balance of heat and light.

Remember the power of the deep breath. Use it to relax.

Movement of any kind reduces tension. Be conscious of the techniques for helping to produce a relaxed state.

A healthy perspective is the best assurance of a relaxed state of mind -- and muscle. You want to be intense without being intense. How you see the ball is, in fact, influenced by how you see the world.

How you react is within your control. What happens to you ... no.

Numbers never come to a player who is focusing on them.

After a bad (non-quality) at-bat, ask: 1) What was I trying to do? 2) What went wrong? 3) What do I want to do next time?

"Confidence comes to those who fight through their self-doubt, rather than giving in to it."

Confidence: "You must work on it, not wait for it."

Preparation and self-coaching are key to confidence. Confident hitters take control, rather than being at the mercy of fate.

Play with enthusiasm and joy.

How to develop a confident attitude ... Understand: Confidence ebbs and flows ... Self-doubt is normal, but exceptional people refuse to give in to it ... Life-threatening consequences will not result from bad AB's ... Approach and response are more important than results ... Your behavior goals are more important than the expectations of others ... Responsibility encourages confidence; excuses encourage cowardice ... Taking risks will stretch you; being careful or fearful will limit you ... Coaching yourself with positive self-talk works ... Rather than worrying about the pitcher, focusing on what you want to do works ... Acting confident develops an attitude of confidence.

Adversity -- If you survive it, it is good for you.

To become a "clutch hitter," treat each AB as valuable. The task of hitting is significant, rather than urgent. A good routine is part of your job as a hitter.

A good AB is a Quality AB.

Inappropriate self-talk produces a sense of urgency. However, when a hitter feels that what he wants to do is easy, he relaxes.

Re: mechanics, you'll have no chance of seeing the ball if you are worried about mechanics in the box.

Pursue patience rather than passion at the plate.

The Yankees won three championships with this philosophy (also ours, btw): Work the count. Look for your pitch. Don't try to do too much (hit it where it wants to go).

Speaking of "dire" consequences ... do or die ... now or never ... I "gotta" ... I "must" ... or else ... This creates an atmosphere of pressure and is counter-productive.

See "pressure" as an opportunity or exciting challenge.

Real pressure is when you are 7-years-old and don't have enough to eat.

You are only in a "slump" if you allow yourself to be. Focus on a good approach, and voila, you are having good AB's.

Be relentless -- uncompromising and unyielding in the pursuit of consistently effective behavior.

Think about solutions, rather than problems.

Trust, rather than try. Think about that. It sounds counter-intuitive, but a lot of hitters press when the best thing to do is relax and trust their approach and preparation.

"Believe in your preparation; believe in your approach; trust your talent. By doing so, you give yourself the best chance to succeed."

"One man with a belief is worth 99 with an opinion."

And finally ...

"Believing is more perceptive than seeing."

There's lots of great stuff here. Review it, learn it, and apply it to your work as a hitter. You have the opportunity and the means to get better ... today. Let's get to it.

See you on the field.

Advice from Ron Wolforth re: "Poison"

Here are some words of wisdom from Coach Ron Wolforth of the Texas Baseball Ranch.

"I often tell my children and my athletes...just because you can do something or you can say something...it doesn't mean you SHOULD do something or say something.

"Wisdom, judgment and constraint are closely related.

"Apparently to MTV...wisdom, judgment and constraint pale in significance to ratings. Recently they have produced a youth drama called 'Skins'...which ...MTV purports is a valid and accurate depiction of what is occurring in youth 14-18 Americana.

"Normally I would never watch any show on MTV but last week on the O'Reilly factor they had mentioned how irresponsible this show was...and while I was sitting in a hotel room in Baton Rouge Louisiana this weekend getting ready to speak...I saw it advertised for later that night...and I stayed up and watched it for 15 minutes...that's all I could stand.

"It is salacious and indecent. It has no redeeming qualities. It was pure junk...and in my 15 minute segment it had none of the apparent racy sex scenes. Of that at least I can be thankful.

"But what it did have was a scene of drug overdose...a stolen SUV and an automobile accident in which the vehicle was totaled but everyone walked away. How nice. EVERY adult in this drama was like Charlie Brown's teacher...you remember....WA...WA...WA Wa-wa.

"Why bring this up in our baseball segment? Because poison is absolutely everywhere. I COULD eat mud at the bottom of a chicken coop...but I don't think that's a good idea.

"I could have a Scotch and a Hershey bar for breakfast every morning...but I don't think that's a good idea.

"Poison comes in many forms...what we breathe...eat...drink...

"It can come through our skin...

"And a lot of the poison comes through our eyes and ears into our brains.

"The books we read...the music we listen to...the movies and TV shows we watch...and our interaction between our friends, family and teammates.

"I often ask our guys if it'd be OK to put just a little poison in their OJ at breakfast....not enough to make them sick...just a little smidge of poison...would that be OK?

"When they universally say No...I ask WHY?...it's just a little poison...they almost always say...no...that a little poison over a long time can be really bad.

"I agree 100%.

"My advice is to watch VERY closely for any poison...coming from ANYWHERE...but especially from supposedly innocuous TV shows, music on the radio or the ramblings and actions of your best buds.

"They say it is hard to soar like an eagle when you are surrounded by turkeys...I believe that's absolutely correct.

"Stay away from poison...and stay away from idiocy...even if they've been your best bud since 2nd grade.

"I remind you wisdom, judgment and constraint are closely related...

"Just because you can do something doesn't necessarily mean you should."