Framing the Plate -- Details Make a Difference

Some say that framing is "dishonest," akin to a soccer flop. In my view, this is something that is a matter of creating an environment for an umpire to make the right call. It is a matter of playing "wise as a serpent and innocent as a dove." Check out this excellent discussion:

My Mustangs Journey: From #2 to #70

I would like to take this occasion to offer a few thoughts as step down as Varsity Head Coach and look back at 12 years of service to the Mustangs ... It may seem like a lot, but in truth, it's flown.  And I have loved every minute of it.

By the way, I have stepped down before. Yes, I did.

In June 2011, I gave what I called My Charge to Coaches, Parents and Players.  Check it out. I went back and read it, and I think it is still true and applicable today.  So, I won't repeat myself here.

Some of you may not know (in fact, I am sure that a number of you don't, and that is perfectly fine) that I used to wear #2 until 2011.  When I stepped down as Varsity Head Coach after that season, which was also my second son Reagan's last, I was moving on.  We had a fine replacement in place in Terry Blaylock, and I was working through the transition with him.  At that time, the organization retired my #2, so that is why we don't wear it any more.  I was surprised and honored that the board did this for me, but they did.  And I know that bothers some of you Derek Jeter fans and all of you munchkins that were #2 on your little league teams out there, but that's the way it goes. Too bad.

But seriously, I was never big on picking a number.  Actually, I took #2 because it was one of the few XLs that were left.  I grew to like the number, though, because it was a reminder every time I put it on that my interests and desires were second to the team's ... always.  It was a reminder to always put the Mustangs first.

But then a series of events occurred over the summer of 2011 such that Terry couldn't continue as Varsity Head Coach, and so I returned.  I knew that I still had a passion for coaching and for this program. And since #2 had been retired, I took a new number -- #70.  I took the #70 because I wanted to be coaching with an eye toward how I would view the job I had done when I got to be 70-years-old. That is still a ways off, you know? And yes, #70 has reminded me to keep my eye on the future and the long-term impact we are having. And I have tried to keep that perspective through this year, as well.

I want to keep focused on moving forward, always.  Still, I think sometimes we need to look back to understand where we have been and take a look around to see where we are to understand the path forward.  It is in that spirit that I want to share some history, some observations, and some encouragement with you tonight.

But first, I want to address: Why am I stepping down now? You Varsity parents saw up close and personal how I am still energized and love doing this very much.  In fact, when we were on the way home from Florida, my daughter and Mustang Super-Fan Grace said to me, "Man, it is just hard to believe you are not going to coach the Mustangs any more."  And I said, "Yeah, I know."  Then, she asked me why, and I told her that essentially I was stepping down for the same reason that I started -- the needs of our family.  In short, this next year is a critical time in our family (and in particular, with our girls), so I would ask your prayers in that regard.  I need to be available to focus on them, spend time with them, and really I am excited about that prospect.  So, leaving now is bittersweet.  I love this team and this program, but the Lord has made clear that this is a key time for me to make myself available to them.  So, that is what I am going to do. And I really believe in our high school coaches we have in place now, so I can step away and know that the team will be in good hands.

Indeed, to continue to grow and thrive, we need to keep developing new leadership and allowing dads to come along and fill these roles. But I will be around for some help, input and counsel if you need me.  Just let me know.  I will also be working with our coaches and board (and have been) regarding turnover/transition so that all the info, knowledge and contacts I have accumulated through the years are passed on. 

This is a great place for fathers to be involved in homeschooling.  So much of what we do, whether intentionally or not, shuts dads out.  We need for fathers to be involved and engaged, in education and beyond.

As for me, I got started in this enterprise because I wanted to do my part to ensure that our sons had a complete educational experience -- one that included the opportunity to play sports at the highest level they were capable.  But when my oldest Daniel started playing for the Mustangs as a sixth-grader in 2003, I had no intentions whatsoever of being a coach here.  In fact, I didn't even think homeschool baseball was "real baseball" back then. Hard to believe, but true … 

I remember walking up at Barton one day and seeing Daniel out there playing second base, and as I started to watch it began to hit me that all this was really important to him.  The JH Mustangs beat TWCA on that day, and they played pretty well in the process, too (I mean, like a real baseball team). Later that year, Fred Watt asked me to be on the Mustangs board.  The following year, Keith Coneby asked me to be an assistant on the JH team, and I did.  The year after that was my first of two seasons as JH Head Coach.  It is funny looking back how it just grew and grew.  Again, I had no desire at all to be a coach when I got here.  Then, I started helping with my son's team.  Then, somewhere along the way, something very special happened in my life.

What happened was that my life intersected with God's plan, and this work became a ministry and a calling for me.  And in the process I became a coach.  

And just what is a coach?  While a coach must have some authority on a team and knowledge to impart, that is, a coach is really a teacher, one needs something else still to really be a coach.  That is, to be a coach, as a foundational matter, one must care about and seek the welfare of his players.  

I have served the Mustangs since 2003, as a board member, Asst. JH coach, JH Head Coach, Varsity Head Coach, and GM.  I was the first GM when we emerged from the rubble after Fred Watt left a decade ago to form the Falcons really almost in the middle of the night.  When we started the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization officially known as the Montgomery County Christian Homeschool Baseball Association back in 2005, I was the GM.  And we had one team ... a JH team of about 11-12 boys.  We also had 8 HS players whose identities were Mustangs.  So, these young men gave up a season of high school baseball in 2004, so that they could stick together until 2005 when the Mustangs would hopefully have a Varsity program again.  Looking back, those were tenuous days. And those early days remind me to be thankful for the people who have gone before -- many of whom we don't even know -- to create the opportunities we have today.  And, by the way, when I became the Varsity Head Coach in 2007, I was privileged to coach a number of those "magnificent 8" HS Mustangs. 

Today, in spite of our meager beginnings, we have 4 teams with about 40-something players ... and in between we have built a program that is respected far and wide.

But during the last decade, we have experienced trials and undergone struggles of all types ... from the outside, conflicts within our own ranks, some iron sharpening iron, and some just plain ol’ dealing with results and circumstances associated with living in a fallen world.  Any worthy endeavor will ultimately “ruffle some feathers,” so to speak, and we have.  …

Still, in spite of all that, here we are.  Here. We. Are. And let me just put it this way.  As a dad who has seen my sons come through this program, I care deeply about two things: 1) playing baseball with excellence and preparing those who want to do so to play at the next level (I've got one of those who is still playing); and 2) providing an environment that supports the Christian character that our parents are trying to instill in their sons.  That being said, it is thus impossible for me to see why some one who knew better and lived in this neck of the woods would have their son play anywhere other than for the Mustangs.

We have survived on God's grace, love, and grit. We have needed all of the foregoing, too.  And you will, as well. …

Along with way to becoming a quality program, we have had to overcome ourselves in a number of ways, too, and figure out what we wanted to be and whether we were willing to do what was required to be excellent everywhere, including on the field.  Years ago, I had a perplexed dad coach ask me (while apparently lobbying for his son to play more, by the way) whether we were: 1) trying to win games; 2) build character and develop young men; or 3) represent Christ.  "Yes, yes, and yes," is what I told him. …

Yes, striving for excellence in this world will, by definition, always mean we are encountering headwinds, heavy lifting, and hard choices.  Sometimes, it won't be readily apparent to those looking in from the outside what we are doing.  In case you haven't noticed, excellence and doing the hard but right things are the exceptions in a fallen world. But embrace cost of doing the hard but right things.  Because we are not yet done in getting where we can go. It’s not okay just to be okay. 

Indeed, it is going to take a dedication and an ownership that many of you have yet to summon to keep this thing going and growing.  It is going to take a real commitment to market this program for what it can do for not only your sons but also for homeschooled young men in general.  … We need you.  We need action. We make time for the things that are most important to us.  Some of you have the time to get done what needs to be done.  

My sons both told me later in their HS journeys that they did not know what they would have done, or how they would have made it through HS, but for the Mustangs.  This program is going to be vital to the success of your homeschooling endeavor with your sons.  So, as a dad who has been down this road, I would encourage you to get involved and ask Mark, the board, and our coaches how you can serve.

Again, while I am going to avoid repeating what I said in 2011, I do want to emphasize a few things to coaches, parents and players that I believe are important.

Coaches, remember to keep a mindset of personal and player development.  Keep growing.  Do all you can to encourage your players to do the same.  In that regard, as for pitch counts, I sent you the link (Here it is again.).  Please read, live, and learn.  The number is important, but more importantly, the pattern of how the pitches are accumulated (along with the pitchers' preparation as of the game in question) are more important.

To go on the record here (because I know that some won’t read), if a pitcher has thrown more than 100 pitches in less than 7 innings and is under 15 years of age, please look in the dugout to see if the coach is asleep or has left.  It happened to me one time where I lost count.  Mistakes occur. So, correct them and make sure they don’t happen again.  I am very proud that we haven’t had many significant arm issues here at the Varsity level in 10 years. I don’t think we can stop all of these, for sure, but we can help create an environment that helps keep players healthy and developing.  By the way, this has (and will) cost us a few wins along the way, for certain.  But it is worth it.

Parents, with love I say, stay off the field and out of the dugout.  We want to see only red and black uniforms in the dugout during games and immediately after (except for staff).  Period. This is so key to keep respect for our program as a real baseball program.  This also includes board members who are not coaches.  That is not their role. Again, in this and every way, treat this like a real baseball program, because it is. 

Players, come to practice and games.  And then, work your tails off. If you say you have no schedule conflicts before the season, then keep your commitment.  I had a player a while back tell me he missed a tournament game (and we got shelled, too) because "God called him" to do something else after he had told us he was good-to-go before rosters were made. Anyway, I was talking to God, too, about this situation and He didn’t mention anything to me about this conversation.  Remember, we are learning things here that you can't learn anywhere else as part of your education.  There is a reason we play schools.  We are a school team, too. So, value this experience and your team.

And wear your uniform right.  Keep your hat on straight and your shirts tucked in.  Is this hard? Seriously? When the Yankees start taking batting practice with their jerseys untucked or their hats on backwards, then go ahead.  But they don't do this.  Why?  Because the respect the NY Yankees. In God's economy, why would you respect the Yankees more than our team? You are a part of our team.  Respect yourself.  Respect the game.  Respect our traditions, our history, our program, and our team.

To all of us ... Keep an attitude of learning and growing. This is so important.  I am trying to do just this.  Just this week, I was challenged by my friend and fellow coach Ray Boothe and reminded again how I need to improve as a technical teacher of the game.

We need more baseball knowledge in our program.  Players need to be watching, reading, and learning about baseball. Our leaders do, too.  Players, watch as much as your parents will allows. Remember, we have to be harder, smarter, more disciplined, and more efficient. So, be all of that.  Embrace this. Let our challenges make you better.

And parents, please avoid the trap of overpraise of your sons.  They are not “awesome” because they pick up their underwear.  Rather, they are awesome because God made them and loves them.  Now, it is outstanding if they pick up their underwear for a few weeks, months, etc., right?  But when we tell our son that he is the most special, amazing dude/ball player that ever put on spikes, then he is going to have trouble adversity inevitably comes calling.  He will be unable to process failure and deal with it appropriately.  In other words, the game will swamp him eventually.  The solution?  Love your kids unconditionally, separate and apart from their performance.  Be relentlessly positive and praise whenever you can, but also be honest with them about where they are in life and in the game.  This helps to build a solid, mentally strong young man.

Something else we all need is courage.  We need men who will stand up and say, “I will be Michael Sam’s friend, yes, I will. But I also would really appreciate it if he wouldn’t be kissing another man on the lips on national television. Thank you very much. And to all of you who say I must accept this to meet your definition of an enlightened citizen in the 21^st Century, please know that I make no similar demand that you accept my faith.  I only ask that you consider that I am sincerely following what I believe God has called me to do and ask that you consider the standards you would seek to impose and the bases (or lack thereof) for those standards.”  God is big enough to do all of this.  

Where has courage gone?   We are so sickeningly PC and scared of being disliked that we make up new words to avoid saying what we are really saying. But what will happen to us if being “nice” or “cool” trumps doing the right thing? What will happen is that we will all ultimately lose our freedom and the way of life that we have held dear.  

And where does courage grow?  It grows a lot of times in young people on the ball field.  There are things taught here that are really difficult to teach in a classroom, in a debate tournament, or in a lab.  It grows in asking young people to do more than they thought they could.  It grows through competitive sports – kids knocking against other kids.  This is a vital part of education. It is ultimately why I got hooked on this coaching gig.  Stepping down off of my soap box now …

My chief emotion tonight is gratitude.  I would like to extend some specific thank you’s ... 

To the people who extended me grace this past year in one of the most difficult times of my life, it means more than I can say here.  I would like to especially thank that group of Varsity parents that made the trek to Florida.  Y’all we so great to me. Thank you.

Looking back, I am grateful to the Conebys, to Brad Andrews and the rest of that initial, intrepid board who stood firm with me in those early difficult days so the Mustangs could move forward to become what we are today.  

Thank you to Dave Preston for teaching me about the mental game and believing in me as a coach before I believed in myself.

Thank you to Rob Prigmore for teaching me how to organize a practice and for teaching me first-and-third defense and more.  “Let’s go, Bob.”

To Ray Boothe, thank you for helping me to be a better coach, and more importantly, a better man.  Most of all, thank you for being my friend.

To Ron Wolforth, thank you for teaching me so much … how to run practice, how to learn and grow as a coach, and really, how to learn to fall in love with learning all over again. 

To Terry Blaylock, thank you for being a great friend, teammate and coach, and for laughing at my “mob” jokes.  You are as fine a teammate as I have served with in my various MOS’s and gigs. Semper Fidelis.

To my girls and Lisa, thank you for caring about the Mustangs.  It meant a lot to the boys, I know.

To all my players and the coaches I have worked alongside, thank you for the great ride, the laughs, the tears, and for the joy we shared. I have been blessed by and learned from you all.  This year’s staff was very special to me, as I said, and men, thank you for exemplifying the best in Mustang coaches.

To Matt, Sheldon, and Pyle, thank you for staying in touch and reaching out to me this past year. It has been an honor to be your coach to all of you knuckleheads.  Again, you now are part of a special fraternity -- my former players.  I have loved and still love my players. So, please stay in touch.  I am here as a resource, mentor, reference, however I can help.

By the way, Alumni Game is going to be late July (7/26, to be exact). See y'all there.  I have hired myself as all-time alumni coach, and I have appointed my old sidekick Coach Terry “Tonto” Blaylock as my assistant.

And finally, thank you to my sons for getting me into the business, so to speak.  I will get too emotional if I say too much, but I am really proud of how they both are such great teammates and have always have given their very best.

I have been privileged to be in a special place and seen some amazing things.  Really, I have seen so many incredible, exciting, fun, and moving things. I have seen my oldest son steal home with two outs in the bottom of the last inning to tie a game and then do his "Hulk" impersonation to the delight of our screaming fans.  I have seen Loy disappear into the photinias along the fence at Grace School to make the best catch I ever saw a JH player make ... and save a game in the process.  

I have seen two Mustangs throw up in the Rut Bus ... okay, only one because the other made it just outside the door. I also saw the Mustangs take down my alma mater (twice) and on another day hit back-to-back HRs against a 4A powerhouse. We have had so many thrilling rallies through the years where the tension finally exploded into joy when we broke that pinata. I could go on and on.  But the best memories are of the people, though.  It has been, and remains, "more than baseball," after all. …

Some of these things are small, and the description of them just doesn't do them justice.  But I will try. I remember when I was the JH coach and Reagan was a little guy (6th-grader) and he was having a great day as we swept both Covenant and TWCA.  But I took him out later in the day and I was interested in seeing his reaction.  He came bouncing into the dugout and sprinted out to warm up the left-fielder.  That is the way he and his brother always were.  In 2009, his brother, mired in a season-long slump in his senior season, came to me and told me that it would be okay with him if he didn’t hit in his final HWS regionals appearance.  I was floored.  And then, in fact, he didn’t get to hit at regionals. But he played flawless SS, and pitched the game of his life (a CG gem over Baton Rouge), and was voted All-Tournament.

One of our players at the Varsity Retreat this year said that being a part of the Mustangs "was the best experience of his life." In a year of personal turmoil and strife, I let those words rattle around my brain … and into my heart … all night.

At our first alumni game four years ago, I heard that one of our former players (who couldn't make the game because he was deployed to Afghanistan) had been shot.  He was fine and recovering, but still, it shook me up.  I felt kind of responsible for this, too, because I had encouraged this hard-headed knucklehead to go into the Marines, and he had proudly texted me the day he signed up.  I had the opportunity to get together with him last year, and he told me of his USMC journey and about what he had seen in Afghanistan. He told me about things that he had seen that he told hardly anyone else.  We shared some precious moments together, and it was a strange and proud moment to be looking at one of my former players who was now relating to me as a man in every sense of the word.  I was so honored to have been there and seen that. That player was Jerrett, by the way, whom we we had nearly lost in my first season as Varsity Head Coach.

And ... in 2010, we played in the Burton tournament (which we won).  We had three one-win victories to get there, too, including 7-6 over Fayetteville in the final.  It was amazing because we were horrible just a week earlier and we had revamped our defense and basically just started the season over in Burton. After the first game, a great 1-0 win over Ganado, I got to give a game ball to my dad’s best friend, David Stinson.  My dad never got to see the Mustangs, though I know he would have loved them.  But I got to honor his friend with that ball.  And he loved that game ball, too.  I have loved giving out game balls.

Then there was the final game of 2011 and Matt's walk-off hit to win it, and the special time we shared afterwards with that great team … and the “pad” they gave me. I never got paid, and I wouldn't trade that experience for a million bucks. Funny how things work out that way.

There has been so much.  I have had a front-row seat to so many great and wonderful things in the lives of our players and families.  My prayer is that you slow down and get to take these in and enjoy them as the gifts from the Lord that they are.

Just his past week … I went to Jackson with the Boothes to watch our sons play in the Opening Round of the NAIA playoffs.  It was a great experience on so many levels.  And I saw a number of seniors play their live college games … their last games ever.  It reminded me how that day comes when we all play our last game.  This year, we didn’t even know we had played our last game (because of the rainout in Florida).  So, play like there is no tomorrow.  And what about your lives?  Make the most of every day, because each day and the opportunities it brings are precious.

To me, to understand God's heart and how He wants us to live, I go back to the greatest commandment (what God loves) … to love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, and mind … and love your neighbor as yourself.  And to really get a picture of how God sees our lives, I juxtapose the Greatest Commandment (again, what God loves) with the things God hates in Prov. 6:16-19.  Quick question: Which of the “dirty dozen” are NOT on there?  Oh, well … you can go check later. 

But here is the punch line for me: Life begins when you begin to give yours away. It is a more fulfilling and enjoyable to help others achieve their dreams than to achieve your own.  You parents know this to be true.  I did, sort of.  Now, having been a coach, I see the Father’s heart here even more profoundly, having taken this principle beyond my own children.  What a blessing it has been to get just a glimpse. 

And another key message from God's heart is, I think, is:  Be good stewards.  That is, leave every place better than you found it. Leave your country better than you found it.  Leave your job, your team, your family, every relationship, every person God blesses you to come into contact with … richer for the experience.  Embrace the fulfilling ride of stewardship. 

And in that regard, leave the Mustangs better than you found them.  A lot has gone into getting us to this place. So, build on what we have here.  Leave it better for the next generation of Mustangs and families, and then show them the way.

Players, again, stay in touch.  Families, if I can help you or provide assistance in your baseball journey, in high school or beyond, please stay in touch and let me know. I have learned a lot through this journey and would be happy to share it with you. Please, let me be a resource for you.

As for what I will be doing ... I would like to continue to work with the Kids Camp, and I have some ideas regarding expanding the Mustang Nation into youth baseball, as well.  Also, will be open to helping out with sub-varsity teams going forward.  …

But I am going to be coaching somewhere down the line because somewhere along this journey, as I said, I became a coach.  I have some ideas and plans I am excited about in sharing to teach the game and create an opportunity for young men to grow through it, especially in the inner city.

Wherever I go, though, I will always love the Mustangs and all we have stood and continue to stand for.

See you on the field ... somewhere ... some day ... Until then ...

MtB Always,

Coach Rut

Note:  The top photo at the beginning of this post was taken on April 29, 2010 by Terri Pyle while the Mustangs honored their teammates after a 2-out, 7-run rally to defeat the Belton Chargers, 9-8, in the bottom of the last inning (aka "the Centex Miracle") just outside the home dugout at Field No. 2 at the HWS in Auburndale, FL.  The photo at the end of this post was taken by Martha Lout on May 1, 2014 just outside the home dugout at Field No. 2 at the HWS after the Mustangs rallied past HCYA in a walkoff, 13-12, for their 20th and final win of 2014.  In the process, the Mustangs became the highest finishers of all Houston-Area teams at the HWS for the first time in program history.

Breaking down the difference makers ... R's and S's ... small letters but big deals.

As we have discussed, dominating that hitter-pitcher matchup is key.  In fact, I would estimate that is about 80 percent of the game.  It is certainly where most of the action is.  

But what happens when that matchup is neutralized, either by the opposition's pitching, hitting, or a combination of both?  Then, the game is decided by the balance of what remains of that matchup at the plate, plus or minus the the teams' defense and baserunning. Is there a baseball numbers geek in the house? 

And the interesting thing about it is, in the playoffs, in championship tournaments, as you move up the competitive ladder, the teams arms and bats tend to even out.  So, the "R's" and the "S's" do, in fact, have sway at the end of the day.  

You hear some say "pitching and defense" win championships.  I agree.  But I think, to refine the statement even further, defense and baserunning are often the difference between a team playing pretty good or just okay versus playing at its highest level.  

If you want to be as good as you can be, you gotta remember your "R's" and "S's."  Thinking about these aspects of the game over the years, I see a lot of parallels in the requirements for good defensive play and good baserunning. 

Thinking defense ... remember those "R's": Realize, repeat, routine, and remind." The fulcrum, the base if you will, of our defensive philosophy is that we repeat (communicate) to let our teammates know where the ball is going/coming from, where the play is, and who has taken charge of a particular play.  Communication is key as a beginning building block to good defense.  Then there is the other "R" in the middle -- routine.  Rather than getting on Sportscenter, we focus on making the routine plays.  Get the out in front of you. Unless it is a tying run late/winning run situation, we will always get the routine out.  When we are turning a double play, we apply this concept by focusing on getting that lead runner (often the easiest, most routine part of the play), and then we find, voila, that it is easier to get the second out.  We make the next play, focusing on staying routine.  If we make the routine plays routinely, we are going to have a lot of success.  This defensive philosophy allows us to relax, play well, and sprinkle in some great plays along the way.  

When you couple the foregoing with our knowledge of what to do in first-and-third situations, along with our consistency of hitting cut-offs and relays, we have a good defensive system and team.  It is then just a matter of going out and executing.  And as always, when the routine seems hard ... Remember the ABC's.  But then there are those first and last "Rs." But more on them later ... The most important paragraph of this post is at the end, so keep reading. 

Like I said, this defensive stuff is big and can even cost you the World Series. 

Sorry, Cardinals fans.  I think there is an "R," or lack thereof, in there somewhere that might have some bearing on that play. 

As you know, I am a bit of a stickler/fanatic/whatever when it comes to the "lost art" of running the bases.  It is funny, because it really isn't art.  It is just a matter of paying attention, caring, and desiring to become a complete ballplayer.  How you run the bases tells us all a lot.  How a team runs them does, too.  

We expect effort and attention out there.  No excuses.  No exceptions.  

Go back, read, and review ... 


A few items keep popping up as a need for emphasis.  First, trust the process.  Know our "Go" signs and, well, go ... and without hesitation.  When a passed ball gets by ... go, for instance.  We will call you back, if need be.  Next, we need to be looking for opportunities to take that next base.  If you are a trailing runner and the runner in front of you is tagging, for instance, you are always going, too, unless we pull you back.  If we are not going, we at least bluff.  Listen for your coach to confirm the "Go" and motor. If the "Go" is not confirmed or you are pulled back, again, at least bluff. 

Think next base.  Pick up the ball. Get your eyes on the ball when it is in flight. Be proactive. A missed cutoff on the way home is a "go" sign, for instance, applying the two principles discussed in this paragraph. 

Also, we have to work our leads ... I think "stretch leads" is an "S."  Leads don't happen by magic.  We need to be working these whether we are stealing or not.  This could be the difference in a safe vs. out call at the next base, and that could be the difference in the game. 

Thinking along the lines of next base, if we are on second are moving on a ground ball where there is going to be a play at first base, we are thinking that we are coming home unless and until we are stopped by the third-base coach.  

You know, just because players are playing at a higher, even the highest, levels doesn't mean they are good baserunners. Indeed, we have some seen some crazy incompetence on the bases already in this 2014 MLB season, such as Josh Hamilton sliding into first base when not avoiding a tag (and ending up on the DL for 6-8 weeks) and another player failing to run out a pop and getting tagged out by the catcher.  Doing stuff like that ... hurts my stomach. 

And then there was this guy a few years back:

You think ol' Ruben was paying attention and knew what he was going to do when the ball was put in play?

So, let's boil it down to what really makes a good baserunner, and then we will connect it to what makes your best defensive players and teams.  The most important "S's" are the first and last -- "Situation" and "Say it Again."  That means, have our mental ticker in the field at all times with the situation (outs, where are the runners, score, inning, what I am going to do when the ball comes to me) and this is the last thing that goes through our heads before the ball is pitched and put in play.  In the outfield, we really need to coach ourselves to keep that ticker going, and sometimes find creative ways to stay engaged and watch the ball all the way until contact. This is so key for tracking the ball.  Know where it is, and know what you will do with it (and why) when it comes your way. 

Likewise, on the bases, the first "R" -- Realizing the Situation -- is connected to the last -- Remind yourself of the situation.  A good baserunner needs to be constantly coaching himself with the ticker running ... how many outs, where are the runners, what am I going to do on a grounder (to the right/left side), what do I do if it is hit in the air, etc.  Think about the situation and what signs might be coming.  

So, here it is ... here is the final, most important paragraph, the bottom line, if you will:  The first "R" and "S" and the last ones tell us that being engaged in the game, and knowing the situation, knowing where the ball is at all times, knowing what we are going to do when the ball is put in play, is the most important and foundational aspect of playing good defense and being a good baserunner.  Any one who cares about playing the game right and is paying attention can do this.  That is great news, people. So, do it.  It can make the difference to get you and your team where you want to go.  

See you on the field, 

Tribute to my main man, Ray ...

Here it is ...

Happy Easter, every one.

Crossing our "T's" ... Breaking Down our Pitching Approach

"Just throw strikes ... don't lose 'em ... you can't walk people," etc., etc.  Here we go again, right?  But the real question is ... how do you do this?

Because the truth is, like hitting, pitching a baseball is difficult.  And improving as a pitcher requires plain hard work.  The time we spend on the mound is the result, the reward, if you will, of a lot of time and banging on our craft. But too often, pitchers want one-step-presto-magic solutions to their ills.  The truth is, that the road to being a good pitcher is paved with lots of hard work, sweat, trial and error, and most of all, throwing the baseball ... over and over ... and over again.  

Throw More. Prepare More.

We simply need to throw more, as in a lot more ... and outside of games. You know that guy who seems like he can "throw every day?"  Well, that guy probably throws about every day. Yet, American youth baseball in general (and select baseball in particular) has emphasized games for games sake over good old preparation, and, as a result, our pitchers are failing to grow and develop while pitching beyond their preparation. This explains, in large part, the simultaneous increase of pitching injuries while pitch counts and even types of pitches are being regulated more all the time. 

In my view, what is needed is more throwing and preparation to pitch in games rather than simply more restrictions.  However, I am hardly saying that pitch counts are irrelevant at all. Indeed, we track them carefully, but we pay more attention to how a specific count is accumulated (along with the specific pitcher's preparation for that workload) rather than the total number of pitches.

Mechanics: Learn from the Dominicans

Regarding mechanics, let's make this simple because of the following obvious observation: Each of our pitchers are different. On our staff this year, the mechanics of each pitcher is very different. So, who is right?  I guess it depends on which pitching coach you ask.   

But some common themes in good mechanics jump out, such as rhythm and tempo, and also the upper body following the lower/half and core in a synced, explosive movement.  And if you see your ideal mechanical movement begin to break down, often a mental stresser will be related.  So, self-evaluate.  Know yourself and your ideal movement pattern.  And when something changes, first know what may have triggered it.  And then, correct it.  Learn to be your own pitching coach.  After all, it is your arm; it is your pitching career.  

We want our pitchers to be free, fluid, and athletic. You have heard all the stories of shortstops with arm troubles, right?  No?  Well, that is because, well, they throw free and athletically ... and in rhythm.  And they throw a lot, too.  Wait ... maybe we need to limit those throws.  Or maybe not ... 

So, imagine for a moment that you were born in the Dominican and no well-meaning do-gooder had impacted your good sense and tried to get you to pitch "by the numbers."  You would just be explosive. And you would probably find that you threw harder, and eventually with better command, too.  Amazing how it works that way. 

And note that, while we are trying to develop explosiveness, let's run sprints rather than poles.  (This gets back to preparation.) Kenyans are great distance runners.  Dominicans are great pitchers. If you want to run distance, do what the Kenyans do. If you want to be a great pitcher, do what the Dominicans do.  Train to be able to repeat short, explosive movements with a short recovery time in between, i.e., like we are baseball pitchers.  

And always, always remember to stretch dynamically and work up a sweat before throwing. We warm up to throw, rather than the other way around.  And when you are finished throwing for the day, stretch and run more sprints.  The day after a pitching outing, sprint hard to stretch and get the lactic acid out of stressed muscles. 

Keep stretching to develop flexibility, all the way down to your ankles ... yes, your ankles.  A loose, fluid athlete is an athlete who can throw more and better. 

Approach and Game Plan

To understand what we are trying to do on the mound, start here: Tempo and targeting are the brick-and-mortar of our pitching approach.  They are so critical.  Tempo encompasses both the time it takes us to get the ball to the plate and also the time between pitches.  Both elements of a pitcher's ideal tempo must be known and mastered by each pitcher.  Each player and pitcher has a unique internal clock that tells him the time that his body is synced up to throw.  So, we try to find the fast edge of that zone and stay there.  We also want to be moving as quickly between pitches as our personal tempo allows.  This allows us to stay on schedule, think the most appropriate amount (which is not too much, for sure), and it also keeps our defense ready and engaged. 

When runners are on, we zero in on our tempo to the plate.  We want to be quick to the plate, without throwing "ahead of" ourselves.  But with runners on, we also want to utilize tempo (here, the time between pitches) as as a weapon to confuse runners, too, that is, by varying it and keeping that runner from picking up a pattern to the plate.  As pitchers get better at this and establish more command, they can also vary their delivery to both increase and decrease tempo to the plate as the situation dictates. 

So, know your personal tempo.  Experiment when throwing by varying it to find out your zone.  Understand when you might be varying tempo, and why.  Do you rush (or slow down) when you are stressed?  If you recognize this, then take a moment to address it. All of this starts again with self-awareness. 

And remember that third "T": Make sure you are targeting consistently and with each pitch.  The habits built in our throwing program of acquiring a target before each throw are meant to be taken to the mound.  Each pitcher may target differently (i.e., in how/when he looks at where he is throwing), but each pitcher must consistently utilize his targeting methodology, both in the bullpen and on the mound. 

Regarding game plan, I want to see our starting pitcher and catcher before each game to go over the specific game plan for that day's opponent.  At the most fundamental level, though, our game plan always starts with the three-pitch approach.  That is, after three pitches we want the hitter to be on, out, or we want the count to be 1-2.  Why? The idea here is that an aggressive approach puts the hitter on the defensive.  And when we get that hitter to two strikes, our goal with a two-strike pitch is either to get him out or to throw a pitch that gets him set up to be out on the next pitch. 

To execute the three-pitch approach, our pitchers need to know what we are looking for: good, rather than perfect, pitches. Avoid the feeling of needing to throw a perfect pitch.  Remember, the pitcher always has the advantage.  Even a meatball can be missed or hit right at some one.  A good low strike in the middle of the plate is a good pitch.  Sure, it is great to paint corners, but the feeling of "needing to" be on the edges of the strike zone to survive puts the pitcher on the defensive.  And the party on the defensive in a confrontation usually loses.      

Remember that our goal as a pitcher is to make it difficult or impossible for the hitter to get a barrel match on our pitches.  The hitter is looking for rhythm and flow.  So, we give him neither.  And  in this regard, remember Perry Husband's concept of "effective velocity."  That is, the movement of a pitch from one part of the plate to another changes the "effective" velocity of the next pitch because the hitter must be slower/quicker to get barrel match in different hitting zones.  In general, the high pitch is effectively 4 MPH faster than the low pitch (due to the relative ease of dropping the barrel of the bat on a low pitch) and an inside pitch is effectively 4 MPH faster than an outside pitch.  Thus, simply by taking the same pitch from low-and-away to up-and-in a pitcher has effectively made that pitch about 8 MPH faster to a hitter.  That is significant.  Add in additional velocity change on the particular pitch and you can see what a weapon this is.  

Effective Velocity further demonstrates the importance of command and the need to develop it.  And command is "magically" developed by ... throwing a lot ... and to a target ... with measured results and progression. 

Also, remember the power of changing eye levels.  Again, we are trying to upset the hitter's goal to get in flow, get his timing down, get "locked in," and then get barrel match.  The combination of changing speeds, location, and eye level (with command) is a "Bermuda Triangle" for hitters.  Add a plus-FB and it becomes a "Black Hole" for hitters.

And ... remember the art of pitching backwards.  When facing "dead red" hitters who lock in on the fastball, unless you have got a plus fastball that you can command (remembering that excellent pitching starts with FB command), it is time to make the hitters react to you and play to your strength.  So, we pitch backwards, meaning that we throw breaking balls in fastball counts, and vice versa.  So, often the only FB a particular hitter might see under this approach is with two strikes.  And we often will utilize the FB in this scenario like we would the breaking ball ... off the plate where it can't be hit well.  You will often find that the aggressive FB hitter, so excited to see a FB, will chase in this scenario.   

So, what pitch do you throw?  Good question.  My view is that (after factoring the game plan for a particular team), I want our pitcher to throw the pitch that he can throw with conviction in this situation.  I believe that a good pitch thrown with conviction is better than a "perfectly-called" pitch thrown without conviction. Some days (or even sometimes in a certain game) a certain pitch doesn't feel right.  All of the foregoing (combined with my preference for pitchers learning the game and how to be their own pitching coaches) explains why I don't call pitches.  It's art. And the guy on the mound has the brush. 

Personal Growth and Development

Know your strengths and weaknesses.  If your strength is not the plus-FB, then your strength by necessity needs to be some other pitch.  That, along with command work for all pitches, needs to be the focus of work in-season.  Work CB long-toss (throwing a curveball or your off-speed pitch of choice at 90-120 feet), for instance.  Also, talk with other pitchers who have mastered (or are farther along than you) a curve ball, change up, etc.  Look at how they are gripping the ball.  Ask them about throwing it.  Experiment. Be a learner.  This is what great pitching staffs do.  They get better together. 

And in the off-season, keep working, developing, long-tossing, and adding velocity while making adjustments on other secondary pitches, as well. 

As with hitting, playing defense, or even running the bases, remember the ABC's to stay in control when "yellow-light" moments arise.  It can be a hard game. In this regard, the pitcher much keep focused on the fourth, critical "T" -- task-at-hand.  When the mitt seems small, life out there is hard, the umpire seems to have joined the other side, or when it seems like even your own teammates have turned against you and are unable to make a simple play, this is the time when you can become better and even get on the road to being very good, or even great.  View these challenges in such a manner. 

Finally, avoid instructors and pitching coaches just for the sake of having one.  Be a good and informed consumer of such services. And as I have mentioned above, learn to be your own coach.  

With the foregoing said, there are some excellent resources and coaches out there who can provide insight and direction.  Personally, I highly recommend Ron Wolforth at the Texas Baseball Ranch in Montgomery.  Coach Wolforth has greatly influence me and my approach to pitching, and I have learned/borrowed a lot of what is here from him. Shoot me a text or an email to discuss instructors and pitching coaches further. 

Finally, the best book on pitching approach that I know of is "The Mental ABC's of Pitching," by the late, great H. A. Dorfman.  It is a great and easy read and will help you understand the approach and art of pitching better. 

Keep at it.  The grind is worth it.   

See you on the field.  

Breaking Down our Hitting Approach

You put the bat on the ball.  Simple, right?  You put the round bat on the round ball ... squarely, and as it is heading at you upwards of 80 mph and with movement. Got it.

"Be aggressive." Keep your eyes on the ball ... swing level.  "Don't strike out."  Ahhh ...  all those things we have heard a thousand times over rattle in and out of our brains, but what do they mean?  And are they really helpful? 

I have found in coaching hitters over the past decade that much of the mechanical is ... mechanical.  That is the simple stuff, really.  That is where people tend to spend their time.  But where the real difference is made is in approach. 

But let's first take a brief look at mechanics.  

Mechanically, we are looking for a few simple markers in our swings: 1) short to the ball (swing as compact as possible); 2) minimizing movement, especially of the head; and 3) a free and athletic swing with lower-body explosion.    

Especially during the season, we want to keep mechanical adjustments minimal to avoid remaking our swings.  The time for big adjustments is the off-season.  With our team, we have sound enough mechanics that no such major adjustments are required. So, tweak instead.  One thing that I have coached hitters to do in order to generate solid contact when we are missing (both topping and popping) is to widen our stance.  This will both reduce movement and also make taking our bat directly (the shortest path) to the ball more natural.  There are other techniques to reduce movement and shorten the path to the ball, but this is the most effective one I have seen in-season. 

Really, though, we need to master our approach.  You may remember the "E's." 

Let's back up first, though, and remember the power of routines, both on a macro level (how are you getting prepared each game to hit well ... re: rest, getting ready, doing the things that make you ready to come to the park ready to play) and on a micro level (how to you get ready for each AB, when do you start, what are you doing in the hole, on deck, at the plate, etc?  Are you studying the pitcher? What are you saying to yourself at each stage?)

Note:  If you are flooding your head with a bunch of information, especially mechanical, when you are at the plate, you are asking for trouble.  Full head = slow hands.  You need to be on auto-pilot essentially at the plate.  The last time you are thinking about mechanics is the on-deck circle where you are providing yourself with short, simple mechanical reminders, at most.  When we are at the plate, we are on auto-pilot.  This is why routines and habits/patterns built in practice are so critical. 

As a hitter, you need to know what pitch you are looking for when you head to the plate.  Have a plan.  "Expect your pitch and hit it where it wants to go."  Most hitters who are lost at the plate either have no/little routine or no/little plan, or both.  They remake themselves from AB to AB.  They ride the highs of success and the long valleys of slumps.  And as they move up the competitive ladder, the valleys get longer and deeper.  Eventually, they don't come back up.  

So, be different.  Have a plan.  Know what you are looking for.  See it. Expect it.  Be aggressive, but with a defined plan.  Our approach is controlled and smart aggressiveness.

This is so critical to understand:  Our approach is hardly passive. That is, we are swinging until we are not.  We are thinking we are going to see our pitch (noting that many pitches will be balls, and more still may be hittable, or even strikes, but not what we are looking to hit).  Read the chapter on hitting in "The Mental Game of Baseball."  See how Al Oliver expected to see his pitch.  As a result of his approach, he saw it more.  And he hit it.  That is what we are trying to replicate. 

Having a great plan and knowing what we are looking for, we will take some strikes that are not the pitch we are looking to hit. No worries.  This is part of our plan, and while the opposing team's pitch count goes higher and higher (and the pitcher weakens and we get to their bullpen) we are seeing more pitches, and getting better and better.  

And then when we get to two strikes, we will be great two-strike hitters.  Having a great two-strike approach gives us more confidence to selectively and relentlessly work our plan.  

Generally, we are looking fastball before we get to two strikes and we are looking for a pitch in a location where we like it.  If we get a hanging breaking ball in that zone that we can hit with authority, then we are going to hit that, as well.  But generally, we are looking FB and we have an idea where we want to see it. 

Our two strike approach involves a mechanical adjustment (we each do one thing ... or two ... to enable us to be shorter and quicker to the ball).  We do this because we need to be able to react quicker to both get to a fastball and to wait out a breaking ball longer.  "Our pitch" is now the strike zone plus 2 inches or so.  So, we need to be quicker and have more plate coverage.  

This leads us to the whole question of what kind of pitch we are looking for.  As noted above, before we get to two strikes, we are looking FB.  But now, with two strikes, we need to be able to handle the breaking ball.  But, we start by looking FB and then we can react to the breaking ball.  The reason we do this is because we can't look off-speed and then react to the FB.  There is no time.  

And where do we look with two strikes?  Our buddy, former pro player and instructor-extraordinaire Kevin Castleberry, likes to look right down the middle and react to each side of the plate.  I think that is about as close in as you want to get.  A good plan is to look middle-away and react in.  Like you can react breaking ball when looking fast ball, you can also pull your arms in when looking away.  But the design of your body makes doing the reverse difficult, like it is when looking for a low pitch and then trying to hit a high fastball.  

So ... with two strikes, look middle to away, lock in with your mechanical adjustment and eyes ... and battle.  

And remember, you can use the two-strike adjustment to break out of struggles.  When all else fails, go back to good eye patterns.  Two-strike approach plus good eye patterns is a powerful combination. If you are struggling, go here. 

As for "eye patterns," if this phrase still raises question marks for you, then you know why you may be struggling at the plate.  When we say "eye patterns," it means we are concentrating on our broad-to-fine focus on every pitch ... and this starts in practice.  We pick a broad focus spot before every pitch is thrown, and then we lock in on the ball at release point (fine focus) to the point of contact, and bam!!  This is the most important "E" there is.  The eyes are the key to hitting.  If you are not hitting the way you want to be, this is most likely the place to start.  Do. This. Every. Pitch. 

And ... remember your ABC's.  This can be critical.  Build in good actions, breathing, and thoughts into your routine. Watch the great hitters.  They all have a consistent breathing routine.  And they are self-coaching short, positive statements during the AB (i.e., "line drive up the middle," "down through the ball," "see the ball, hit the ball, etc.).  Find something that works for you. 

For further reading and info, check out "Mental Game of Baseball," of course, by H.A. Dorfman.  Also, Dorfman also wrote "The Mental Game of Hitting," which I think is perhaps the best book ever written on hitting approach; this book also marries up some of the great concepts from "Moneyball," which is a compelling read, as well.  

See you on the field, 

A Great Day ...

It was a great day ... and a great weekend,

I had the opportunity, really the privilege, to attend the funeral and memorial for a close friend's father in Lancaster, PA on January 25. 

As you can tell by the picture, the military ceremony for this WW2 veteran was cold ... but it was beautiful, too.  

I learned about this man's life and was humbled by his journey.  Like a lot of young Americans, Jim or "Pops," as he was known to his family, entered the military as a teenager.  In fact, he was only 20 years old when WW2 ended. 

Pops landed in France shortly after D-Day.  Then, as part of the 8th Infantry Division under Gen. Patton, he and his fellow soldiers fought their way across Europe.  He fought in the Ardennes Forest, in the Battle of Bastogne, and then in the Battle of the Bulge.  He was in Berlin when it fell. 

He was part of the very first unit of Americans to liberate the Buchenwald concentration camp.  Many years later, he recounted how the experience was life-changing.  

He learned to cherish life as a young man. Only six of Pops' batallion of 122 returned from the war without being wounded or killed. 

After the war, he came back home to build a life and raise a family.  He was a man who loved to work ... he was always building, repairing, helping neighbors, seemingly always doing something, spending time with his family, and going to church.  My friend told stories about being dragged to church his whole childhood. 

Pops had become a Christian in 1949.  In fact, he recalled the exact date some 65 years later.  In a beautiful memorial tribute, my friend said his father was best defined as an "American soldier and a Christian."  

After the memorial service, I had the privilege to spend the afternoon with the family, looking at heirlooms, WW2 memorabilia, and telling stories. It was a great day.  

In getting to know Pops' family, including grandchildren, sons-in-law, great-grandchildren, etc., there were kids everywhere, it hit me ... Pops had left an amazing legacy of faith and service to the nation that reflected how he saw the world and had lived his life. His beautiful family is full of great and uplifting people.    

What a legacy. It challenged me to take stock, to examine the legacy that I am building and will someday leave. Our time here is brief. 

Interestingly, the family had almost no knowledge at all of Pops' faithful and heroic service during the war until about 15 years ago when a family friend interviewed Pops (on videotape) and preserved the historical record for posterity.  This reminded me how a lot of time we see some one in a chapter or stage of their life (i.e., an elderly person) and have no idea where they have been or who they really are. You never know who you might meet. 

Today, when we see the various blustering athletes, recording artists, famous types and such talk smack about their assorted accomplishments, their conduct often stands in such stark contrast to the quiet heroes in our lives ... heroes on whose shoulders we stand. 

In his memorial tribute, my friend told of how in Pops' last days he maintained an upbeat and positive outlook in the midst of tremendous pain and the certain knowledge that his time on this earth was drawing to a close.  Pops continued to do little acts of kindness, like making sure that the nurses taking care of him got donuts ... and he always was polite and said "thank you" to those who were doing their job in taking care of him.  Little things are often big things, and how we do them can let others know what we think of the "big" things in life. 

On the day he died, Pops told my friend that each day since he came to faith in Christ in 1949 had been a great day and today ... the day he was leaving this life ... was a great day, too.  

Wow. What a perspective. What an eternal perspective.  

So, I had a great day with Pops' family celebrating his life on Jan. 25, 2014.  

And he has reminded me that today, too, is a great day. 

See you on the field soon.