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. 

Of Focus and Facial Hair: Relentless Commitment to Approach + Relentless Commitment to Team = Championship Baseball

Post-season MLB baseball brings us the best players in the world playing the greatest game in the world at the very highest level.   

And oftentimes, the post-season teaches us the game while the world watches.  

Yes, the 2013 World Series was also teaching. But were you watching? And studying?

The much-anticipated match-up between the Cardinals and Red Sox brought us the NL's best vs. the AL's  best, the teams that so many wanted to see.  This WS was considered to be a fairly even, and it featured a number of classic games.  

And in the end ... the better team won. Sorry, Cardinals fans.  That is just how it is ... and was.  But the real gold here is found in digging deeper.  Why were the Red Sox the better team?  

In my view, it was their relentless commitment to two things ... their approach and their teammates ... that carried the day.  This comment is meant as no disrespect to the Cardinals, who had a great team and season, but it is merely a recognition that in the end a superior approach and chemistry won out.  

When I was watching pivotal Game 5, I knew ... I just knew ... that the Cards were done.  This was a different team than the 2011 world champions.  Indeed, the Cards were missing two key pieces from that team -- Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman.  And not so coincidently, those two hitters and team leaders reminded me in their approach of the two leaders of the 2013 Red Sox - David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia.  

On Approach ... 

In each game ... every game ... the Red Sox made the Cardinal pitchers throw more pitches as they relentlessly hunted to get a good pitch to hit. What this meant was that Red Sox hitters saw more pitches, and thus got better and more prepared as each game (and the series) continued, all while getting deeper and deeper into the Cardinal bullpen and wearing the opposing pitching staff down.

  
And Pedroia and Ortiz led the way, like they always did.  Indeed, David Ortiz was having a series for the ages, and so the Cards eventually decided to pitch around him and avoid having the big guy beat them.  Ortiz's response?  He stayed within himself and his approach and let the Cardinal pitchers walk him (sometimes on 10-11 pitch AB's that ended in 3-2 walks), thus elevating pitch counts, knowing that eventually the dam would break.  And it did. It broke in pivotal Game 5.  

In Game 5, it was ace vs. ace -- Lester v. Wainwright -- and after about 5 innings Boston's Lester was at 60 pitches and St. Louis's Wainwright was well over 80. The breakout was inevitable, like gravity, especially since this was the second start for both of the series.  

And so it came in the 7th inning, after the Red Sox had worked Wainwright to the point where he exited.  Then, David Ross got the go-ahead single in the 7th, off of what had previously seemed to be an unbeatable Cards' bullpen. (But Boston had seen these guys by now ...) And then, the Red Sox were then in the driver's seat as the series was coming down the stretch. 

On Team ... 

In spring training, the Red Sox showed up prepared to put a horrible 2012 behind them.  How soon we forget, but Boston lost 93 games in 2012.  Yes, they finished last in their division and were one of the worst teams in the AL just a year prior to winning the WS. 

After 2012, the Red Sox took stock and jettisoned three high-paid players who, although talented individuals, were net team negatives overall -- Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, and Adrian Gonzalez.  In return, they added guys like Shane Victorino, Mike Napoli, and Johnny Gomes.  And this was a positive for the Red Sox?  You bet.  It was Gomes' 7th-inning HR that pulled the Red Sox even in the series in Game 4 when things looked bleak. 

Indeed, the players who came to the Red Sox brought a hunger and work ethic ... and a love of the game while embracing the daily grind necessary to be a champion.  The difference was felt immediately. 

Napoli and Gomes even started growing beards in Spring Training.  Others followed, for fun, superstition, or whatever.  But as the team continued to played well, the length of the beards grew.  

To be clear, rather than advocating facial hair for any team (including ours!) I am simply pointing out that the beards were evidence of a commitment to the team and each other.  

After the Game 5 win, the Red Sox went back to Boston and did what they usually did.  On their supposed day off, they practiced.  They were back at the ball yard, taking BP ... together.  I watched the TV reports as a group of about 8-9 players stood around talking, smiling, having fun, working ... comparing notes.  They respected each other and liked being teammates.  So, coming to work was, well, not much like work at all.  It was fun.  And they hit pretty well, too, didn't they?  The AL's best team had its best offense. No surprise.  

They worked at it.  And respecting each other made the environment easier to do so.  

And now, the team that used to be under the Curse of the Bambino has won more World Series titles than any other MLB team in the last decade ... by doing what they do.  Let's learn from them.

So ... here's to relentlessly committing to doing what we do in 2014. 

See you on the field.  

Off-Season = Prime Time for Developing a Routine for Excellence

One of the individuals who I follow and pay close attention to is mental conditioning coach Brian Cain.  Brian is high-energy, 100% positive, and right on.  He is anything but polyanna, as most good mental game coaches are.  So, I enjoy hearing what he has to say.  What follows is an excerpt from an email I recently received from Brian.  Check it out: 

... The highest earning and performing individuals I coach do some very specific things in the morning as part of their routines built for excellence.
MORNING ROUTINES

• They read from good books each morning.

I suggest a short daily reader (my Daily Dominator Book will be out in July), and I read John Maxwell’s Daily Reader, Sean Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens Reader, and Tony Dungy’s One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge.  Reading these each morning helps me to jumpstart my day and get the right mindset going first thing.  This whole process takes about 5 minutes each morning.

• Make your bed

Chip Kelly, former football coach at The University of Oregon, not with the Philadelphia Eagles, challenged his players to make their bed first thing in the morning.  Making your bed first thing when you get out of it does is three critical things: 1. You show attention to detail 2. You show discipline over yourself 3. You act differently than how you feel.  Cementing these three actions within one minute of waking up will help you to, as Coach Kelly says, Win The Day.

• Wake up 15 minutes earlier

Waking up 15 minutes earlier than you normally do is the ultimate excuse exterminator for morning “excuseitis,” the disease of making excuses.  When you wake up 15 min earlier you will have created the time to implement a morning routine of excellence.  If you don’t have a morning routine of excellence already… what are you waiting for?  Remember, it is the start that stops most people.  Get started with your morning routine of excellence TODAY!

• Books on tape vs. talk radio and music

On your morning commute, trade your talk radio and music for a book on tape.  If you have a 10 min commute each way, you can easily get through a book a week if you are relentless in listening on your way to and from work or the field.  If you were to pick one topic area, let’s say leadership, and listen to a book on leadership in your car each day for an entire year, you would be a World’s leading authority on leadership in a year or two and COMPLETELY change your life.  Pick a topic, pick a book and GET STARTED… The quality of your life depends on it.

• Success hotline – 973-743-4690.

Dr. Rob Gilbert is one of the greatest motivational speakers and sport psychology professors in the world.  His commitment to excellence, teaching and daily discipline is unmatched by anyone in the field.  For almost 8,000 consecutive days, he has left a three minute motivational message on his success hotline at the number above.  I have called this daily since I first heard him speak in 2006 and it has had tremendous positive impact on my life.  I call the success hotline after I read my morning books mentioned above, take notes and apply his teachings in my daily life.  I HIGHLY suggest you do the same.  It will change your life. ...

You can check out Brian's blog here. I highly recommend it.  Flood your mind with constructive thoughts and ideas ... and then act on them.  Build a routine for excellence.  The time to start is now.  Each morning, each day, is precious.  Make it count. 

See you on the field.

So, it's Florida time ... Tme to get pumped up? Time to get ready and take it another level for the "big" games?

No.  

Wait a minute ... are you serious, coach?  Yes, I am.  Please let me explain.  

Players, fans, coaches ... every one ... will be excited (some of us perhaps a little too anxious or excited) when we get to Auburndale to play.  So, actually, it's time to keep it on an even keel and just enjoy the ride.  

In doing this for a number of years, I have watched a number of our teams prepare to go to regional and later World Series competition, and what I have become convinced of is ... you find a process and plan that works during the season and you keep refining it during the season ... and then working it when you get to Florida. You use the same process, and you work it again.  And this ... works. 

So, we joke about "big" games with our players, because we teach them that every game is big.  If you make things too big, it's a good way to play small.  And we want to play big.  So, we play like we practice. Indeed, the mentality we are trying to bring is one of practice ... businesslike but relaxed, purposeful, fun ... getting the job done ... routine.  It's a mistake, in my judgment, to try to change things up now in any event.  A dramatic turn at this point, even if it were warranted, would be impossible and counter-productive.  So, we keep grinding and keeping on.  No rah-rah speeches ... Just get to the field and play. 

Here are some things to keep in mind as we head for warmer temperatures in the Sunshine State and the World Series: 

1) Routine -- All successful players and teams have these.  We do, too. You fans will recognize what we do in Florida ... ladders, stretching exercises, pregame, etc. For instance, you will note that we will do our in-and-out just like we do before all our other games.  We do this intentionally throughout the year, knowing that there will be no on-the-infield pregame in Fla.  Our pregame warmups will start 50 minutes before game time in Fla, just like we do in all our other games.  We continue to do what we do. Individual players ... work your Saturday game routines.  What a deal! Each day in Florida is like a Saturday (no school) with baseball.  So, work your routines accordingly.  Keep it as much as possible like you do in Texas.  Keep it routine; 

2) Expect and be prepared for it to be warmer in Florida -- We will all recognize what the temperature is, so players, please keep such observations to yourselves.  Note that it will be the same temperature in the other dugout, too.  Note also that it has been cool all over the country this spring (global warming?  Ha ha.), so every one is making the same adjustment.  Drink water ... early and often.  Be proactive in taking care of yourselves. 

3) Eat a good breakfast each day ... Players, this means eat more than sugar and bread.  During the day when we are playing later ... be smart in what and when you eat.  

4) Players, we are there to play baseball.  So, stay off your feet and out of the sun as much as possible when we are not playing.  And get good rest at night.  We will probably encourage lights out for players by 11 p.m. for a.m. games and midnight for afternoon games. 

5) Players, fulfill your contracts.  Parents and fans ... bring the same spirit and police your own.  

6) Remember your P's:  Keep everything in perspective.  Things will seem to go wrong in nearly every game ... even those that ultimately work out right.  But ... if you think this is life-or-death or the end-all-be-all of your life or baseball career, a) you're wrong; and b) you will play tighter than a drum and underperform.  So, keep it routine, focus on the next pitch and play, and play just like practice.  And finally, commit to and work our process or plan -- at the plate (the E's), on the mound (the T's), in the field (the R's), and on the bases (the S's).  If we do these things, we will be just fine; and (this is the really cool part) ....

7) Our players are prepared to play well, without question.  We always have been, and we will be this time, too. So, know this ... be confident, and remember ... please remember because these great times pass so quickly ... to have fun.  

See you on the field in Florida, 

Bunting ... Another cog in the wheel of our offense

So, I figure since TWCA executed two squeeze bunts on us in one inning in our opener Friday -- yes, two squeeze bunts in one inning -- it is time for me to expound upon my expertise in the area of bunting.  Yes, my tongue is firmly in cheek ... not about the two squeezes, but about the rest of it.  

It's interesting because we have made bunting a point of emphasis in the off-season, but TWCA was the team who used the bunt to make a real difference in the game the other night. So, hats off to them. Side note: If we executed our defense in those situations, we would have defended both.  Actually, we would have stopped the first one, and there would have likely been no second attempt.  But we will learn and move forward.  

Still, the squeezes and watching teams in general utilize the bunt has made me think more about our own philosophy and how and when we bunt.  As I have stated before, I believe in the general premise of "Moneyball," that is, that it is unwise to give up precious outs.  Our goal offensively, stated simply, is to have a quality at-bat each time up to the plate -- either by working the count (six or more pitches), hitting the ball hard, or getting on base.  It is simple.  We look for our pitch to hit, and then when we get to two strikes we make our two-strike adjustment. I can understand this approach, and the players can, too.  Plus, this philosophy works at all levels of baseball, too, when a team buys in and executes it up and down the lineup.  

So where/how does bunting fit into our offense?  My view is that every hitter in our lineup is a hitter.  In other words, we are more akin to an AL team in MLB than a NL team.  There are no automatic outs that you may want to use to sacrifice.  On our team, if a player is batting, he can hit.  So, when (if ever) do we sacrifice?  Let's put it this way:  We have a bunt sign.  Unless we have a squeeze on (which we rarely do), we are almost always trying to both move the runner and get the bunter on base.  Make sense?  That is, we want our bunter to square around not quite so early -- probably when the pitcher is delivering the ball -- but we also want him to resist the urge to get in a hurry, too. In high school (really, in college, too), a good bunt -- as opposed to a perfect bunt -- is adequate to get the job done. A bunt placed where at least two fielders can reasonably make the play places pressure on the defense to make the play.  

In addition, we will certainly utilize the bunt to get a base hit.  We will do this with some frequency.  But when we do so, again, we want to try to work to show it only during the delivery and slow down a bit with the emphasis on laying down a good bunt. We want it away from the plate and the mound, where two fielders could arguably field it. 

As for squeezes, my own view is that (absent having the ideal personnel at the plate and on third base) a squeeze in high school is usually too high of a risk for the potential reward.  Why?  I accidentally discovered a few years ago that a safety squeeze is just about as effective in terms of scoring. And we have on many occasions executed a safety squeeze without risking the runner breaking from third.  Again, a good bunt puts pressure on a high school defense, especially those who are changing bunt coverages often and moving a lot of players when the ball is put in play.  

So, essentially, we are working on utilizing the bunt to both generate base hits and move runners.  We are rarely only trying to sacrifice -- although we might do (and have done) this very thing in a specific situation -- and we doing the foregoing within the context of trying to rack up quality at-bats and get on base.  

See you on the field,  

How the Tide Keeps Rolling ...

The guy in the picture celebrating with all the Alabama football players is no football player.

He is Trevor Moawad, a guy who Coach Nick Saban has had hanging around his program since 2007.  The results speak for themselves.

So, who is the little guy in the white windbreaker?  He is a mental game coach.  Alabama is one of the few programs who has a full-time mental game coach.  Moawad also consults for Jimbo Fisher's Florida State team, and they are doing pretty well of late, too.

But wait a minute ... Nick Saban, the Prince of College Football Darkness, is a mental game guy? Can I be serious? Absolutely. He is one of the best.

Coach Saban is a true student and teacher of the mental game, and you can see it in the way he (and his team) talk and prepare as they approach "big" games.  For instance, they are all about process ... as opposed to obsessing over results. As I listened to A.J. McCarron in the days before the BCS Championship Game against Notre Dame, he talked about how the Tide's focus was on themselves and their respective jobs.  He said that they needed to focus on the task-at-hand, as opposed to worrying about what the opponent might do.  I would say they did pretty well in that regard.

How important is the mental game training and coaching that the Tide is doing overall to their success?  Well, their schemes and execution are pretty good ... to say the least. But Defensive Coordinator Kirby Smart says that the mindset of players is most important to their success.

More and more, when you scour the sports landscape to find great performers, you find that they are almost without exception intentionally developing a winning mindset. This is more than platitudes, too.  There are specific thought patterns and things to do in this regard. 

For instance, in many ways the fulcrum of a winning mindset is a good plan and routine.  A good plan is how a team (and individual players) order their thoughts to give them the best chance of success.  A routine is how players consistently behave -- on a macro (i.e., a day) and micro (i.e., games, pitches and plays) level to execute the plan. 

When watching the pregame of the BCS National Championship Game, I noticed that some Notre Dame players were warming up and on the field hours before game time.  Meanwhile, Alabama rolled up at the same time that they always do ... following their normal routine.  It is a little thing, but I knew Notre Dame was in trouble.  Sure, Alabama was better. But the key here is that they played better, too.  They got the most of what they had by following their routine and executing their plan.  They had practiced a winning mindset all year long, and it showed.  Meanwhile, Notre Dame was tight, and when things started to go badly, it got ugly.  Alabama, though, stayed on task until the end.     


It was instructive to watch.  These things happen intentionally. 

As the the crux of the daily grind of mental game preparedness is plan and routine, we are going to master both this season.  Our plan starts with R-E-S-T.  Players, memorize it.  Let it soak into your DNA and affect your game in every facet.  We will have team routines, too.  But to get where we can go, our players will be required to establish -- and execute -- their own routines. We are going back to basics to make our routines work to serve our plans this season.

Next time, we'll talk about some of the great things happening with TCU baseball along the same lines.  

See you on the field ...