Articles – Page 3 – Diamond Prospects

Coaches Corner: Quality At-Bats

Quality At-bats By: Chris Carter-February 9, 2007 One of the biggest problems with helping young hitters is the fact that they do not realize this game is built on failure. In what other profession could a person fail seven times out of ten and still remained employed? Doctor? Teacher? Preacher? Ted Williams even failed 60 percent of the time! Baseball is so unique in the fact that is the only game where the defense always has the ball and if you fail 70 % of the time at the plate, you are considered an All-Star. Over the years, I have used a different idea to teach our kids to deal with the failure that takes place in baseball by focusing more on the number of quality at-bats they have in a game or season rather than the number of hits or their batting average. We have even gone so far as to keep a quality at-bat chart for our team during each game of the season. Over the years, we have determined that if we have fifteen or more quality at-bats, we win the game 91 percent of the time. What is a quality at-bat? Any hard hit line drive or ground ball, situational hitting, walk or hit by pitch. What is a non-quality at bat? A soft ground ball, pop-up, strike out, missed bunt. One of our coaches, Stanley Moss, has developed a chart (see below) that we use to record the outcome of each players time at-bat and the player with the most quality at bats receives the “Q AB Title” belt for the day. It is amazing to watch our players during a game go and check the chart to see where they are and focus on each at-bat regardless of the score of the game. Another interesting fact is that when a player has a high number of quality at-bats, his average is normally reflective of his effort. I have attached the quality at-bat chart that we have come up with, however, you could make one to match the needs for your program as you see fit. Best of luck to all of you this season. It’s not about wins and losses, it’s about building relationships with your kids. About the author: Chris Carter is in his second year as the head coach at Byrnes High School after a successful seven-year stint at Easley. Carter played collegiately as a catcher at Clemson under Bill Wilhelm and Jack Leggett before being a draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in 1993. Name___________ #_____ Pos______ Name___________ #_____ Pos______ Name___________ #_____ Pos______ Name___________ #_____ Pos______ Name___________ #_____ Pos______ Name___________ #_____ Pos______ Name___________ #_____ Pos______ Name___________ #_____ Pos______ Name___________ #_____ Pos______ Name___________ #_____ Pos______ Name___________ #_____ Pos______ Name___________ #_____ Pos______ . Quality At Bats include the following: Base hit, BB, HBP, Sac Bunt or Fly, Hard hit line drive or GB, move runner over to third with 0 outs. 0 = Non-Quality At Bat 1 = Quality At Bat .

Coaches Corner: Developing the high school catcher, Part III

By: Brian Hucks-February 4, 2007 Throwing We work throwing drills everyday, but only throw to bases maybe once a week. You do not need to kill your catcher’s arms to work on throwing. They will be good throwers if they are mechanically sound. Keys: 1. Getting rid of the ball quickly and being accurate gives you the opportunity to throw out runners. 2. Our catchers always throw together during our pre-practice throwing program. They will work “catcher specific” drills during this time, just as our infielders, outfielders and pitchers do. 3. Work the high exchange and transfer of the ball from glove to hand every time you receive a ball. 4. Measure off 60’, 90’, 127’ 3 3/8” and 150’, and mark them where your catchers throw. I put a small black line in the outfield where our catchers perform their throwing drills. They will throw these distances everyday. It is important to train your catchers to throw these distances so they will feel comfortable making all the throws during games. Drills: Pre-practice throwing program 1. One knee (30’)–Throwing knee on the ground working high exchanges with partner. 2. 10 toes (45’)–Standing facing partner, continue working high exchange with partner. 3. Standing jab step (60’)–Incorporate jab step (explained later)-receiver will work high exchange. 4. Jab step from squat (90’)–Work from secondary stance, receiver will work framing drills. 5. Jab step from squat (127’)–Same, receiver will work tags at the plate. 6. Jab step form squat (150’)–Same, receiver will work tags at the plate Footwork to Second Base There are three basic methods that most use. They are the replace, pivot and jab step. All three need to be taught because they all will be used depending upon the location of the pitch. These also need to be done everyday. You cannot make accurate and consistent throws if you have bad feet. 1. Replace–The method most catchers use. However, I hope to convince you there is a better way! In the replace method you basically take your right foot and place it where your left foot is. The problem with this method is you do not gain any ground toward second base and your momentum is going toward third base. This method should only be used when the pitch is off the plate on your glove side. 2. Pivot–You must have an extremely strong arm to use this method. In the pivot method you are going to just pivot on your right foot. 95% of high school catchers do not have the arm strength to do this. This method should only be used when the pitch is off the plate on your arm side 3. Jab–The best method to use. It will take some time to convince your catchers they should do use this method. Most catchers naturally want to step with their left foot as they catch the ball. Whenever they do this it will take three steps to get rid of the ball and that takes too much time! In the jab step you take a six-inch step with your right foot as you are receiving the ball. I tell my catchers it is like a mini crow hop. This allows you to gain ground toward second base and their momentum is also going toward second base. They will be able to make stronger throws and they will be more accurate. The step must only be six inches. If the step is longer, you will take too long to get rid of the ball. You also must emphasize the high exchange because this will allow the shoulders to get lined up toward the target. When I first teach this, most of my catchers leave their chest facing the target and their throws will be short and tail to the right side of the base. They must get their shoulders in alignment and pull violently with their front elbow into their left side to generate arm speed and utilize the entire body rather than just using their arm. Footwork to 3rd Base I teach my catchers to go behind all right-handed hitters. A lot of coaches teach to go in front of right-handed hitter when the pitch is away, but I personally never felt comfortable doing this. I always felt like the hitter was in the way. You also have to take a 45-degree step toward first base to clear a throwing lane and that is very tough. You want to take a reverse step with your right foot while keeping your shoulders in line with third base. The mistake most make is they do not step toward third base with their lead foot because their momentum going toward the third base dugout. This causes them to change their arm angle to a ¾ arm slot and the ball will sail on them. Quickness is even more important at third because the distance of the throw is not a problem. Drills: 1. The pre-practice throwing program is very important. If done correctly, these will work to make a major improvement in their throwing. Again, they need to be coached during this time. I am usually with the catchers while they are throwing. All our position coaches are with their position players during this time. It is also important to have the distances marked off during this time so they are making throws at the correct distance. 2. Line drill–Have your catchers straddle the foul line. They need to get into their secondary stance and, on coaches command, they will work the jab step and make a full arm motion like they are throwing to second base. The foul line gives feedback to the catchers. Their feet should be on the line. 3. Net drill–Have catchers line up ten feet in front of a net. Have a coach or partner flip a ball to them underhanded from about 4–5 feet away and the catchers will work their jab step and throw to the net. This allows them to work …

Coaches Corner: Pre-game Pet Peeves

By: Austin Alexander – February 4, 2006 Everybody has their own style and thoughts on how to best take a round of pre-game infield/outfield, myself included. After making a living watching high school baseball, I’ve seen my share of pre-games, good and bad. Not to say that I have it all figured out, but I can safely say that too many coaches are living in the Dark Ages. For instance: The pre-game should not be an after-thought, it should be planned. Often times coaches don’t decide to get their team on the field until 15 minutes prior to the first pitch. After two long rounds, the meeting at the plate with umpires and then the announcing of each and every player, the game now begins 12 minutes late and your starting pitcher has not thrown a pitch in 20 minutes…and we wonder why young pitchers struggle out of the gate? It is not a practice, it’s a pre-game! It is a form of preparation that should have some pace to it. When college pre-game schedules are set, generally each team is allotted ten minutes for in and out, or I/O. Seldom does any team even approach the 10-minute mark, and they are usually taking it with at least two players at each position. Most high school pre-games eclipse ten minutes and are operating with half as many players on the field. Outfielders don’t need to make six throws, four is plenty. The ole groundball straight to the centerfielder followed by a throw to second base remains a play that is yet to occur in the history of the game. No coach should ever see the shortstop field his groundball, throw it to first base, then back home as you await the same ball to return. Take five or six baseballs with you, hit it and then move on to the next ball and the next infielder. I once saw an 18-minute round, and then the other team took the field and thought they should have just as much time, ridiculous. Have your best fungo guy on staff hit the lightning round and get out of there. Oh, and please use a fungo bat, not a 33-inch, 30-ounce TPX! Wear numbers! If a college coach or pro scout is in attendance to evaluate a player, it sure helps to know who he is watching. When your team has eight different kinds of t-shirts on, none of which with a number, kids do get overlooked. Put your uniforms on or at least have everyone in the same t-shirt with numbers on the back (Of course this idea only works if the numbers coincide with the roster, which is often not present, but that’s a topic for another day). Don’t talk your team through the pre-game. For instance, directing your players, “Second Base”, “Four”, “Turn two”, “Slow roller”, etc. If your kids don’t know the routine like the ‘back of their hand’, you have not prepared them. If you want to avoid appearing very un-organized, drill your kids in practice on your pre-game routine, then gameday won’t be as sloppy. The Catcher. We all know that the guy feeding us baseballs becomes the most important component to taking a good round. Nothing looks worse than to have some left-handed pitcher standing on the plate taking throws from the outfield. Have a catcher (or two) in full gear working with you to keep the pace going. If you find yourself short-handed, use a JV catcher to assist you on the field or in the bullpen. Additionally, teach them how to tag an incoming runner, you don’t see a lot of “pat” or “sweeps tags” on plays at the dish! If you have a couple of pitchers at your disposal, it never hurts to have one on each side in foul ground taking throws from the corners or to relay arrant throws back to you. The Conclusion I Most high school coaches end their marathon round of infield/outfield by hitting a deep backhand followed by a slow roller. Consequently, each infielder makes a play on the slow roller near the mound or ten feet from homeplate. You will never see this play in the game of baseball. Separate the two. Do your round of deep backhands, then come back to the slow roller, now your infielders are making plays that may actually happen an inning away. The Conclusion II If you are one of those guys who likes to involve the catcher as your grand finale, learn to hit him a pop up, DO NOT throw him a pop up. I’d rather see the catcher not included at the end than to see him tossed a 20-foot dud! My first coaching position was as a 19-year-old legion coach after my freshman year in college. At this time, I didn’t know better either, I threw them up just as high as I could. Joe Miller, who is presently the head coach at Anderson College, once told me after a game, “Son if you are going be a coach, you’ve got to learn to do it right, you’ve got to hit ‘em.” I’ll never forget it. The next day I took a bucket of balls into the outfield and taught myself to be good at it. If you think about the advice he gave me, you could also apply it to everything else you do. If you are going call yourself “Coach”, educate yourself on how to be the best coach you can. And if you are going to take a round of infield/outfield, do it right. While no game is ever won during the pre-game, it does often set the tone for how your team will play. Prepare your boys to be ready from the get-go!

Pre-Season Checklist

By: Austin Alexander – February 6, 2006 As every spring rolls around, coaches across the country ready their teams for the upcoming season, optimistic about what is right around the corner! Pre-season practice usually begins with endless fungos hit, countless hours inside the cage and fly balls lifted to our outfielders as the pitchers ramp it up in the bullpen. As players begin to cross that line from rusty to ready, and opening day sits two weeks away, any coach worth his salt now begins to ponder, “What else do I need to do to make sure my team is ready when that first bell rings?” We stress fundamentals and repetition, we preach “one day at a time” and “remain focused on our goals” but our report card, our win-loss record, will ultimately prove whether our team was prepared to play. We’ve all been there as that first game of the year closes in; we rack our brain over and again, “What else?” Allow DP to provide you with valuable information I received years ago, you’ve got to start with a checklist. Without a listing of coaching points, you will scramble at the eleventh hour to ensure you’ve covering everything. We’ll work our way around the diamond and provide you with a list that will put your mind at ease when the first pitch is thrown. We’ll start our tour around the infield from the mound. If that area of our team is not a well-oiled machine, the remainder of the product will skew off-track. A few things to consider: Pitchers – Step up his pitch count toward next outing – Make sure he’s faced hitters using all pitches in his arsenal – If you call his pitches, do it during an intra-squad at game speed using the catcher – Has spent ample time in the wind-up AND the stretch (controlling the running game) – Videotape if possible – Pickoffs to 1B, 2B (inside and spin move) and {3-to-1 move for RHP’s} – Has fielded bunts and followed with throws to each base (including plate) – Has fielded come-backers and made throws to 1B, 2B and home – Run-downs between each base following a pick or come-backer – 3-1’s, 4-1’s and 3-6-1’s – Early break (ie. 1st and 3rd) – Backing up bases (3B/plate, distance & understanding of ‘no man’s land’/read) – Pitchouts – Intentional walks – Pop-up responsibility – Covering the plate on a ball to the screen – Make sure he’s practiced his pre-game routine (assuming he has established one) – Review mound presence; dealing with umpires, bad conditions (weather or mound), errors, lack of offensive support, etc. Catchers – Receiving – Block – Block and throw to all three bases – Throwing/footwork to 1B (inside and out), 2B and 3B, on feet and from knees (if you allow it) – Fielding bunts and throwing to 1B, 2B and 3B – Tracking ball to the screen/backstop followed by a throw to the plate – Pop-ups in foul ground (or in front of plate) – Taking throws from every position on the field (including pitcher: 1-2-3 DP), tag play and force-play from infielders/pitcher, tag-plays from outfielders. – If you call his pitches, do it during an intra-squad at game speed; establish this and coorespondence in advance vs when games count, work out kinks now First Baseman – Groundballs to the forehand/backhand-side and dive-play – Footwork on throws from across the infield (including catcher, inside and out) – Taking short-hop throws from across the infield (including catcher, inside and out) – Fielding bunts and throwing to 1B, 2B, 3B and home – Making a throw to 2B following groundballs in front of/behind the bag and a left-hander’s pickoff move – Groundball with infield in followed by a throw to the plate – Pop-ups – Backing up throws on passed ball/wild pitch – 3-1’s, 3-6-3’s Second Baseman – Groundballs to the forehand/backhand-side, dive-play and slow-roller – Groundball with infield in followed by a throw to the plate – Footwork on feeds at second base from P, C, SS, 3B – Pivots at second base on feeds from P, C, SS and 3B – 4-6-3’s (directly at him, forehand side throw, backhand side flip) – 4-3’s (directly at him, forehand/backhand) – 4-3 unassisted DP’s – 4-1’s to forehand side – Pop-ups – Taking throws from the outfield, tag-play Shortstop – Groundballs to the forehand/backhand side, dive-play and slow-roller – Groundball with infield in followed by a throw to the plate – Footwork on feeds at second base from P, C, 1B and 2B – Pivots at second base on feeds from P, C, 1B and 2B – 6-4-3’s (directly at him, backhand side throw, forehand-side flip) – 6-3’s (directly at him, forehand/backhand) – 6-3 unassisted DP’s – Pop-ups – Taking throws from the outfield, tag-play Third Baseman – Groundballs to the forehand/backhand-side, dive-play and slow-roller – Groundball with infield in followed by a throw to the plate – Footwork on feeds from P, C and 1B (bunt) – 5-3’s in and deep (directly at him, forehand/backhand) – 5-4-3’s (directly at him, forehand/backhand) – 5-3 unassisted DP’s – Pop-ups – Taking throws from the outfield, tag-play Outfielders – Flyballs live off the bat – Flyballs fungoed right, left, in, back, soft liners and line drives right at them – Flyballs fungoed on the ground and in the air right, left, in, back, soft liners and line drives right at them followed by a throw to all four bases – Playing the sun – Mis-direction flyballs – Groundballs to the right, left, right at them (no one on/glove drags) – Playing the wall/fence/wind Team Defense – Bunt Defense – Run-downs – 1st and 3rd situations – Cut-offs/Relays – Double-cut/tandem responsibilites – Fly-ball communication – Pick-off plays Team Offense – Baserunning (Leads at each base, stealing bases, stealing/relaying signs) – Bunts (sacrifice, push, drag, slash, squeeze play and safety squeeze) – Hitting, batting practice – Hitting, see live pitching – 1st and 3rd situations – Run-downs – Sliding – Dirt ball reads …

Coaches Corner: Developing Catchers, Part II

By: Brian Hucks-January 21, 2007 Receiving The most important skill a catcher needs is to be a skilled receiver. I was working a camp with Landon Powell and he told the kids he catches 100–125 pitches a game and he only has to throw maybe once or twice a game. Makes sense! Tell your catchers to keep their nose behind the ball! It forces them to look the ball into the mitt and catch the ball within their body. Most umpires are more likely to give you the call if the ball is received this way. You also want to be strong and “stick” the ball where you receive it. Do not jerk balls into the zone! You want to get 3–4 inches off each corner of the plate and at the top and bottom of the zone. If the ball is obviously out of the zone catch it and throw it back to the pitcher! Hand position: 1) Inside pitch–Thumb up and glove inside the elbow. 2) Outside pitch–Thumb down. 3) Low pitch–Don’t turn the mitt over unless you have to in order to catch the ball. You usually will not get a call if the mitt is turned over. 4) High pitch–Thumb parallel to the ground. Always catch, the outside of the ball and slightly roll your wrist when you receive the ball. Stick the pitch when you receive it and have quiet movement. Good catchers are like chefs, presentation is everything! Drills: Receiving drills should be done everyday. On all drills, work all pitches and emphasize keeping the nose behind the ball and see it into the hand or mitt. Also try to emulate game speed. Partners are very important. Make each other better. Do not brother-in-law in these drills. Also work primary and secondary stances in drills. 1. Whiffle balls without glove–partner should be about 20 feet away and work all pitches. Partners should put some velocity behind the ball. Catchers should try to catch the ball with their index finger, middle finger and thumb. 2. Baseballs with glove–stand about 30 feet away and work tough pitches. 3. Receive from pitching machine if available. I like to use the Iron Mike and have the catchers move closer to the machine with each new set. Adjust the catcher’s position to work on trouble pitches. 4. Bullpens–Very important time because you learn your pitchers and develop a relationship with them. Also, listen to the instruction the pitching coach is giving the pitcher so the catcher will know what corrections the pitcher needs to make during games. Make catchers accountable for passed balls! Blocking As long as my catchers do a good job in games, we will only block two to three times per week. I use Incrediballs unless they give me reason to test their courage. If I am not pleased with their effort then I will throw to them and find out who wants to keep the ball from getting behind them. Blocking is generally “want to.” They either want to keep the ball in front of them or they don’t. Keys: 1. Get your throwing hand behind the glove. This serves to protect the hand and also turns your shoulders in so the ball stays in front of you. 2. Do not catch the ball! Most catchers revert back to their infield days and will not leave the glove on the ground. 3. Recognize your pitchers spin so you will know how the ball will react when it hits the dirt. 4. Drive your shoulders up the lines on balls to the left and right so the ball will funnel back toward the plate after you block it. 5. When working breaking balls, let them know it is coming. They will have this information in the game. Also work different breaking balls. Balls react differently depending on the type of rotation. Drills: 1. Hand/Glove Drill–A drill I do to work on getting the throwing hand behind the glove. When I move my hands they move theirs and get in the appropriate hand position. 2. Dry blocking–I point down, right, or left and the catchers all move in the appropriate direction and show proper blocking technique. 3. Blocking–Partner should be 40–45 feet away. This is important because you need to make it as game-like as possible. If you get too close then they do not have time to read the angle of the ball. 4. Block and recover–Work on retrieving the ball after blocking and get into position to throw a runner moving up a base. 5. Combination drill–Work receiving and blocking in the same drill so catchers have to recognize the angle of the pitch and react accordingly. Hands down the best drill! 6. Bullpens–They should not block all balls in the bullpen. Tell them for the next ten pitches I want you to block every ball in the dirt. If there are none, then go the next ten. You do not want to beat them up, but they need to block balls at game speed and they need to build the confidence of the pitchers that they can work low and know the ball will not be at the backstop. About the author: Brian Hucks is entering his eighth season as the head baseball coach at Brookland-Cayce. He is a 1991 graduate of Lexington High School. Hucks attended the University of South Carolina after stops at Anderson Junior College and Campbell University. He was a three-year letterman in baseball at USC as well as a tri-captain his senior year. Hucks graduated from USC in 1996 with a B.S. degree in physical education. He was drafted in the 31st round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Cincinnati Reds where he played in the minor league system through 1997. He has one State Championship (2000) under his belt and is well-respected in his profession. To view Part I, click here. For more on Brian Hucks, click here. .

Coaches Corner: Developing Catchers

By: Brian Hucks-January 10, 2007 There are two things that I believe in reference to the catching position: 1) You cannot win a championship without an outstanding catcher and 2) Outstanding catchers are born, not developed. With that being said, I do believe you can develop a very good high school catcher with the correct information and the right coach. As high school coaches, we are not afforded the luxury of being able to recruit to fill needs. One of the best pieces of advice I received as a coach came from Coach Steve Boyd in my first year in the profession working as the receiver’s coach at York High School. I was, as most young coaches do, complaining about several players that we were going to war with. Coach Boyd looked me square in the eyes and said, “They are ours, and they are all we have!” I never forgot those words and understood that it is my job to get those players ready to play and contribute! It is our job to take what we have and get those players prepared to play. The problem we face as high school coaches is that most are limited with regards to the number of coaches we have, and most have never been a catcher. Therefore, most do not know how to develop that position. That is no excuse, however, for you to send your catchers to the bullpen and tell them to block 100 balls and receive 100 balls without supervision. You would not send your infielders out and tell tem to field 100 ground balls while you are working with the catchers! In this article I will outline what I look for in a catcher, and the drills that will develop a good catcher. What to look for in a catcher 1. Most important-Baseball IQ. Your catcher is involved in more aspects of the game than any other player on the field. They are responsible for directing traffic, communicating which base to throw to on bunts, lining up cut-off men, communicating which base to throw to on balls in the outfield, talking to pitchers to save your visits, serving as psychologists (because we all know pitchers are head cases), letting the coaches know when the pitcher is out of gas, developing a relationship with the umpire so we may get a few calls later in the game, etc. If your catcher does not understand the game, then he needs to be moved to another position! 2. Athleticism-The days of the big kid playing catcher are over. Catchers do not need to be fast, but they better have great feet. Our catchers will jump rope everyday to improve their feet. 3. Toughness-It takes a special person to be a catcher. Most do not have the “want to” to do what it takes to be a great catcher. It is no fun for most to strap on the gear on those 100-degree days in Columbia. For the good ones it is a badge of honor. 4. “IT” factor-Your catcher must have the “IT” factor. You can’t describe it, but you know if someone has it. I have had catchers that were text book in drills, but during games in key situations there would be a passed ball, or they would try to pick a ball in the dirt instead of blocking it. 5. Great Hands-Good catchers must be great receivers. They make borderline pitches appear to be strikes. A good catcher can get 10-15 calls a game based on how they receive the ball. Conversely, a bad receiver will lose that many calls! Great catchers are “make up” guys. They have the intangibles that separate the average players from the great players. They also are among the most respected players on the team. Several years ago I moved my shortstop to catcher because he had those intangibles and this year I may move my third baseman. That is how important the catching position is! Drills: Philosophy: Find time in practice to have a coach work with your catchers. It is a priority! Don’t send them to the pen to work while you work with the infielders and your other coach works with the outfielders. Bring them in early! I have had to do this many years when I was short staffed! If practice starts at 4:00, make your catchers be there at 3:40 so they can get their work in. Then use them to hit fungos while you are working with the infielders, or let them get some extra swings in the cages because I know you pull them out of the cages to catch pens! You know who you are! Blocking-They don’t need to get beaten up everyday to prove how tough they are. We block Incrediballs. Don’t use the balls that you have had for 10 years and have been out in the rain and dry rotted! If you can’t afford Incrediballs, talk to your tennis coach and get the tennis balls they throw out! I have about 500 tennis balls that were going to be thrown out! Stance By far the most poorly coached aspect I see in most high school catchers. I am hesitant to share this because I gain such an advantage from catchers who do not do this well. This is first thing I do with my catchers every year regardless of how many years they have caught for me. There are three stances: Signal Stance–Very few teach this and I have stolen more signs from catchers because they are lazy or poorly coached! Keys: 1) Point your left knee to the SS and your right knee to 2B. 2) Lay your glove on the outside of your left knee and relax it. 3) Chest up–Prevents shadows and allows the proper hand position. 4) Hand position–Give signals directly in front of your cup. 5) Tuck the forearm of your signal hand into your waist so you do not move your elbow when you signal …

Coaches Corner: Hit-and-Run

Is the Traditional Hit-and-Run Obsolete? By: Jeff Blankenship-December 8, 2006 Here is the classic scenario: The runner at first takes his lead and breaks to second on the pitch, making sure to look in on his third step. The batter swings at the pitch to protect the runner and hopefully put the ball in play. A ground ball to the opposite side of the infield would be optimal because that fielder should be covering the bag. The traditional Hit-and-Run is a beautiful site when it works and the coach looks like a genius. However, if you have just followed the conventional thought process of the hit-and-run, the Wando defense thanks you. That is because you just a) hit into a double play or b) gave us a chance to throw your runner out at second. I say this because we change our coverage at second base depending on the pitch: fastball away to a right-handed batter, shortstop has the bag. Breaking ball to right-handed batter, second baseman will cover. If our pitcher did not hit his spot then those who are trying to drive the ball into a specific area also have to adjust, which often results in a swing and miss. So why not change the rules your team applies to the hit-and-run? You can start with just trying to hit the ball hard on the ground. This simplifies things for the batter because he does not have to guide the ball to a specific area and this also promotes a more aggressive swing in the process. In addition, try having the runner read the middle-infielders and their movements instead of automatically looking in on the pitch and slowing down while doing so. Do you always hit-and-run in the traditional counts? In our first year at Wando, our coaching staff wanted to establish an aggressive mentality for our team while we were on offense. We wanted to put pressure on our opposition by being more aggressive at the plate and assertive on the base paths. The hit-and-run play was our first focus for accomplishing this goal. We established certain “rules” that our players had to know when the hit-and-run signal was given. Assume the pitcher is right-handed: 1. The runner should have his normal lead with a steal mentality. He cannot depend on the batter to protect him. A bad jump turns the steal attempt into a “false start.” 2. When the runner detects the ball has been hit, by noise or visualization, he looks to the third base coach only. The coach will be giving directional signals or instructions to the runner. 3. The batter should be sitting “dead red,” or on fastballs only. The batter is geared up to swing at any fastball near the zone with their best swing. This has provided us with maximum results because our batters are more focused on hitting one pitch. 4. If the fastball is extremely out of zone either high or outside, then the batter swings late but tries not to hit the baseball. Never swing at a ball in the dirt. 5. We take any breaking pitch that comes in with less than two strikes. This eliminates our hitters swinging at a pitcher’s pitch and if our runner cannot steal second on a breaking ball then they do not need to be on the base paths in the first place. This approach has resulted in notable results for our squad. We stole 58 bags on 68 attempts. Not an overwhelming statistic but of course this number does not reflect the amount of times we put runners in motion and drove a fastball into the outfield. We also only had two players who run a sub-seven 60-yard sprint. Just like any philosophy or thought process in baseball, nothing is perfect. This approach has been shut down on two occasions by teams with tremendous arms behind the plate. We were 1-for-3 in two games against John Murrian at Stratford and 2-for-4 in three games against Logan Bland at Bishop England. But we also had Lonnie Ferguson, a catcher/designated hitter, who ran a 7.5/60 with five stolen bases on the year. Now when you hear our coaching staff remind our players to “know the rules,” that may be a key that something is on. But we have “rules” for balls in the dirt, bunts, straight steals and different pitch counts. These are things we go over in the off-season and practice every week. As a result of this philosophy, we feel like our hitters have developed a better overall approach as the season progressed. We attribute this in part to the pitch recognition they have developed because of our hit-and-run theories and being able to take this with them into every plate appearance. About the author: Jeff Blankenship (pictured above) is entering his second year at the helm of the Wando baseball program. In his first season he guided the Warriors to a #1 ranking for the majority of the spring. Blankenship, a Charlotte native, played college ball at the College of Charleston. .

Coaches Corner: The process of becoming a professional hitter

By: Jeff Young-September 29, 2006 What a year in Billings, Montana with the Billings Mustangs of the Pioneer League, Rookie Advanced team in the Cincinnati Reds Organization!!! We went 51-25 and led the league in hitting (.288) and were second in pitching. After the 2006 Draft, it was tough to see what it was going to bring us in Bill… The new DP website is here. For all the great DP content, subscribe. If you have any login/subscription issues, please contact our support team. Your feedback on the new experience is appreciated as well. Username Password Remember Me Forgot Password

Coaches Corner: Kangaroo Court

By: Austin Alexander-January 8, 2006 I was sitting in the first base dugout recently as one of our hitters exited the field. Upon entering the dugout, he tripped over some shin guards that lie in his path and stumbled down the steps before re-gaining his footing, meanwhile, sharing a laugh with the teammates who saw his mishap. At that point, I dropped in, “That’ll cost him some points in Kangaroo Court!” In return, I got nothing but blank stares! Immediately I realized they had just heard a term for the first time and had no clue what I was referring to. Kangaroo Court penalties can take on many faces. Its definition in The Dickson Baseball Dictionary is as follows: A clubhouse session in which a player assesses guilt and fines for errors and omissions, normally on the field. By now you’ve probably been able to deduce that one form of it may include a clumsy moment that we have all experienced at least once in our life. Maybe a player trips, perhaps it was walking to the plate with a donut on his bat, going to the on deck circle without a helmet will also do the trick. Forget your spikes or wear the wrong uniform top and you’ll be called on the carpet! Kangaroo Court will also reside over a first baseman that forgets to throw the ball around the horn, an outfielder that tracks down out number two and then advances toward the dugout. A catcher who rolls strike two back to the mound on his way off the field is also in violation. Kangaroo Court is in session when a player fails to get a sacrifice bunt down, a cut-off man is missed or if a hitter is unsuccessful in advancing a runner from 2nd to 3rd with no outs. Arrive late for batting practice, fall asleep during a meeting or miss a bus, you’ll pay the price. In most professional organizations, players may be levied fines for the last group of examples. Many college programs have their older players monitor the silly and brainless things a baseball player will do, usually ending is some form of light hazing or humiliation for the perpetrator. Kangaroo Court can be a fun way to make light of the awkward moments that will happen over the course of a season, it can also serve as the perfect route to police the discipline of a ballclub. Either way, it is a phrase that has spanned baseball’s existence and now your understanding of its meaning puts you "in the baseball know." .