Baseball Field Equipment

Archive for July, 2009

Softball is a baseball variation that is played with, as the name suggests, a softer ball. The underhand pitches are delivered by two teams of nine players each, during different segments of the game. The reaction and retort to a random pitch in 1887 resulted in the development of one of the most popular indoor and outdoor team sports of all times…

What is Softball?

Softball is a popular US field sport; a descendant of baseball. The game differs from baseball more in application than in regulations. The rules of both these field sports are quite similar. The commonly observed differences between the two team sports are:

• Baseballs are smaller and harder than softballs.
• Softball pitches are thrown underhand, unlike the overhand throws displayed in a game of baseball.
• Softball is commonly played by women, more than men.

History of Softball:

The history of softball dates back to 1887, Chicago, Illinois. The first game was played with a broom handle for a bat! The first version of the game was played on Thanksgiving Day, by George Hancock. He intended the game to be a winter version of the American favorite field sport, baseball. Way back then, the game was referred to as ‘Indoor Baseball’. History of softball reveals that in the winter of 1887, when a Yale alumnus pitched a boxing glove at a Harvard supporter on hearing the score of the annual football game at the Farragut Boat Club, the latter grabbed a broom and swung it right back. George Hancock yelled “Play ball” and the first ever game of softball began.

Hancock had knotted the boxing glove into a ball and used a broom handle as a bat. With a score of 44-40, the first softball game came to an exciting end. The impulsive improvisation made that day was the barehanded fielding of the softball. In time, Hancock developed a special softball and bat and set down rules for the game in 1889. Under the name of ‘Indoor-Outdoor’, the game was an instant favorite. The first outdoor version was developed by Lewis Rober, Sr., in the year 1895. The outdoor game developed for the Minneapolis firefighters went by the name of ‘Kitten Ball’. During the latter part of the nineteenth century, softball was also referred to as Pumpkin Ball and Diamond Ball.

The outdoor version developed by Rober introduced a 12-inch ball, as opposed to the 16-inch ball used earlier. In 1897, the first softball league was organized outside the United States, in Toronto. The game was officially coined as ‘Softball’ in 1926, by Walter Hakanson. By the 1930s, softball had made its way across the United States and Canada. The Joint Rules Committee on Softball was established in 1934, to standardize the game’s rules and regulations. By the 1940’s, softball was characterized by fast pitching and a lengthened pitch distance. However, in 1953, the Committee officially made slow pitching compulsory, under the Amateur Softball Association program. The game swept across Europe by 1972. While the American Professional Slow Pitch League or APSPL became the first professional softball league to play (1977-1982), the Detroit Caesars were the first winners of the professional softball World Series in 1977. Today, softball remains a popular sport in elementary and high schools across the globe.

Softball Rules and Regulations:

The game of softball is played on a large field, comprising a distinctly demarcated grass infield, running areas and an outfield. The field is divided into four bases: first base, second base, third base and the home plate. The bases are set at a distance of approximately 45 to 65 feet from one another. The pitcher’s circle is marked equidistant from the four bases. The objective of softball is to score more runs than the opposing team, by hitting the ball ‘into play’ and covering all the bases. While running counterclockwise around the bases, the player is expected to physically touch each one in the order of succession. The softball used today is around 12 inches in circumference. It is covered with leather or any light, synthetic fabric. The rules and regulations on the field are adhered to in the presence of one or more umpires. Each one of the official seven innings involve both teams playing ‘offense’ and ‘defense’. Each inning comprises ‘top half’ and ‘bottom half’. While the offense bats to score runs, the defense team fields and attempts ‘run-outs’. The teams switch roles at each declared ‘half’.

Softball equipment includes a softball, bat, gloves and protective gear such as a helmet, shin guards, and a chest protector. The nine players on the field at a time include:

• Pitcher
• Catcher
• First baseman
• Second baseman
• Third baseman
• Shortstop
• Left fielder
• Right fielder
• Center fielder

The popularity of softball lies in the scope to further modify the rules with each game. This allows different groups to display and develop expertise in a variety of field skills. Some of the widely accepted variations include one-ball-one-strike, limited home runs, prohibited stealing of bases and the home-plate-force-out. In the latter, scoring is greatly reduced. Today, the International Softball Federation hosts world championships every four years. The game is now played extensively by men and women across the globe, competitively as well as for recreation.

A MUST Read About The History Of Softball

Another important event in the history of softball was when a fireman decided to limit the game to seven innings lasting about an hour or so. This created the perfect game for his fellow firemen to play between fire call-outs.

Recreation-and-Sports - Baseball EzineArticles

The Truth About the History of Softball by Nathan R Park. The history of softball. Have you ever wondered where it all began? I can tell you that softball originated from Chicago, on Thanksgiving Day, 1887.

THE TRUTH BEHIND THE HISTORY OF SOFTBALL

This is only a short shred of report about softball history. For the full version, revisit the baseball Brainiac page “History Of Softball”. Nathan Richard Park is THE baseball brainiac. There is most to sense about baseball.

Technorati Tags: appalachian, baseball bat, Baseball Gloves

Baseball weightlifting exercises to increase on field performance can be done with a few simple tools. One is the stability ball and the other are resistance bands. I use these tools everyday with my clients. They can be used with beginners and can also be used with the more advanced athlete. Enjoy this workout routine and if you have any questions please let me know.

Now that you have improved flexibility and stability through phase I of the baseball/softball conditioning program it is time to work on strength adaptations. Please note it is very important that you complete phase one prior to moving on to phase two. Phase two of baseball/softball conditioning will focus on strength development.

Strength is important for injury prevention as well as it will assist in finishing the game without fatigue. As baseball/softball players fatigue their motor coordination deteriorates which in turn makes them change their technique. Another important reason for strength development is the fact that strength training sets the platform for power training which will be the focus of phase III of baseball/softball conditioning.

Please perform all the exercise with the specified tempo.
Start your warm up with your favorite peace of cardio equipment for 5-10 min. and follow it up with Active stretching.

NOTE: Your personal trainer should and MUST first perform an assessment in order to determine what areas should be stretched, then you can proceed to the strengthen phase of this workout. The above link will have most pictures for these following exercises.

One Arm Standing Chest Press
Major Muscles worked: pectorals, front deltoids & triceps

1. Start by standing in a squat or straddle stance.
2. One elbow out to the side in line with shoulders with opposite hand resting at the side or on hip.
3. Using a neutral grip, align the wrist and elbow on the pressing arm.
4. Draw your lower abdomen in maintain hip and foot positioning.
5. Maintaining proper posture, start movement by pressing hand straight forward and across the midline of your body.
6. Allow the torso and hips to rotate slightly towards the pressing hand.
7. Check alignment and positioning and repeat press, alternating sets with other hand.
8. It is important not to let your back arch or flex at any time during the movement.
9. This exercise can be performed in the incline or decline motions for variation.

Reps-10-15
Sets- 2-3
Intensity- Resistance band
Rest- 1 minute

One Arm Standing Row
Major Muscles worked: lats & biceps

1. Adjust resistance band (RB) to abdominal height around object
2. Stand in a split stance position. 1 leg forward, 1 leg back
3. Maintaining proper posture, start movement by pulling RB in neutral grip position toward the body, elbow at 90-degree angle pulling along side body.
4. It is important keep good posture and not bend at the waist.
5. Keep feet flat on the floor to maintain balance and stability.
6. Variation: Change to an elbow up position for rear deltoid emphasis.

Reps-12-15
Sets- 2-3
Intensity- Resistance band
Rest- 1 minute

Ball Crunches
Major Muscles worked: abs, core

1. Slowly roll down the ball while comfortably placing your head and neck on the ball with both feet STRAIGHT AHEAD.
Place hands on the side of head. Do not hold and carry the head!
2. Draw your lower abdomen inward toward your spine before starting the movement.
3. While maintaining the draw-in maneuver, curl the entire spine up starting from the cervical region.
4. While still maintaining the draw-in maneuver, lower slowly as far as you can control.

Repeat recommended repetitions.
Tempo: Up for 2 sec, hold for 1 sec, down for 3 sec
Experiment with different arm positions to vary the level of difficulty. Arms overhead will make exercise more difficult.

Reps-12-15
Sets- 2-3
Intensity- Body weight
Rest- 1 minute

Lunge
Major Muscles worked: Quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes

1. Stand in proper alignment with hands on hips and feet straight ahead.
2. Draw your belly button inward toward your spine.
3. While maintaining total body alignment, step forward descending slowly by bending at the hips, knees and ankles.
4. Use your hip and thigh muscles to push yourself up and back to the start position.
5. Make sure your knee does not go over your front foot.
6. Progression: Multi directional-Step at a 45 degree angle to the right from the 1st repetition and perform a lunge
Again lunge in straight ahead, then step to the left at a 45-degree angle. This completes the cycle.

Reps-12-15
Sets- 2-3
Intensity-Body weight
Rest- 1 minute

For correct exercise prescription contact your local Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.

Baseball Weightlifting Workouts | Workouts for Baseball Players!

Baseball weightlifting workouts should focus on compound weightlifting exercises that work the entire body as a single unit because baseball uses the entire body for every vital movement and play that you make. Is that all, though? … Once you have trouble increasing the weight on most exercises, take a 1 week break and then start again. Stick to this consistently, eat a good diet packed with nutritious foods, and watch your performance on the field improve.

Training: Introduction to Weight Lifting I - Driveline Mechanics

Safe and effective weight lifting can increase your functional strength, increase your fastball velocity, help you hit the ball harder, and improve your agility on the field. ….. It might be a decent idea for powerlifter (but then again, it might not be… look at Sheiko which does only squat, no special exercises) but if you are a strength coach and your baseball players are always sore because you are constantly rotating in new exercises without giving them a chance to.

Baseball Power Training

Baseball weightlifting exercises to increase on field performance can be done with a few simple tools. One is the stability ball and the other are resistance bands. I use these tools everyday with my clients.

Technorati Tags: fitness equipment, pilates exercise, treadmills

You’re standing in a sports store, looking at the display of baseball gloves. Different colors, leathers, name brands and designs meet your eye as you glaze over. Where to start?

Let’s start with an easy question: do you catch with your right hand or left? I catch with my left and throw with my right, so I am looking for a form-fitting baseball glove for my left hand. It shouldn’t feel loose enough to fall off, nor should it be so tight I would have to really pull to remove it. Once you’ve determined the hand your baseball glove is for you can work with more specific guidelines.

There are baseball gloves available for different positions, for example a catcher’s glove is different from an outfielder’s glove. It’s possible you’re just buying a couple of gloves to play some backyard catch with your kids, in which case you don’t need to get specific. That also brings up another key point: price. As with most things in this world there is a large price range for baseball gloves that ranges from around $20 to $200 and beyond. For a game of catch you might want to spend a little less than you would for a glove being used in game situations. Children are more likely to outgrow their gloves as they get older, so you want to spend accordingly keeping in mind that next year probably means a new baseball glove.

Along with the practical you have some creative choices when buying a glove. Colors, brands, fit – all available for your personal preference. Gloves come in all colors from black to red, different shades of brown, and some navy. The traditional glove is brown, however some people might like to express themselves with different colors while catching and throwing like a pro. There are powerful sports brands in stores today, but perhaps you’d rather pick a glove that is personally endorsed by a professional player. Kids often pick sports figures as personal heroes, for them to play with a glove adorned with their favorite player’s signature could have great meaning to them.

Lastly there’s the way the glove fits you. As you slide your hand in you want it to feel molded with your fingers. You should be able to open and close your hand while wearing the baseball glove; however you do want a little bit of stiffness. Punch your free hand into the glove while you’re wearing it; get a feel for the easiness of grip you will have while wearing it. Make sure you’re it’s not going to fly off your hand if you swing your arm.

Baseball is a great sport, and choosing the best baseball gloves are a very important piece of the equipment. Good luck with your search!

kidsportsinc.com’s selection of baseball gloves and their baseball equipment is outstanding. They are the place to buy children and youth’s baseball gloves.

Author: Scott D. White

Better Youth Baseball Gloves

A fair number of kids come from homes that can’t afford a new glove every year and they may not be able to afford baseball shoes. If there’s one piece of equipment you need to focus on for youth baseball players, it has to be the glove.

Royals Gloves for Kids Set for Monday

from 6-8 p.m. A $20 donation will go directly to the purchasing of new baseball gloves and baseball equipment for area youth baseball players including kids associated with the Kansas City Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities (RBI).

The Adventures of Hotard: Baseball Camp!

Ever since announcing it in the cold winter months, baseball camp had been a constant oasis on the horizon. With summer came baseball camp. We dreamed big. Baseball cards for the kids, watching game on the Internet, projecting the movie … Baseball. Nope. But somehow, some time in the past, a volunteer acquired about three bats, fifteen gloves, a dozen balls, and five helmets (safety first!). So now, every summer, volunteers can spend a week or two teaching children.

Technorati Tags: atex gloves, driving gloves, fingerless gloves, leather gloves

Professional baseball is one of the most popular sports in the United States, watched live and on screens by millions of fans. Professional baseball players are subjected to repetitive stress and strain injuries from batting and pitching. Different designs of professional baseball gloves are available to suit individual needs.

If the glove is uncomfortable, it may affect performance in the field. For the best performance on the field, select the right sized baseball glove. Usually, professional baseball gloves measure not more than 12 inches. Buying an oversized baseball glove can lead to inconsistent play. So be cautious enough to purchase appropriate sized gloves.

Another factor to be considered is the quality of the gloves. Consider the material when selecting professional baseball gloves. The gloves come in a variety of materials, and the player can choose from synthetic, leather, and treated leather. In addition, the player should determine the size of the pocket and the back and wrist adjustments that suit their needs.

In order to maximize performance and durability, special care must be given to professional baseball gloves. Apply glove oil to the pocket, break, and web areas of the glove with a dry cloth. Too much oil can cause the leather to become too soft, flexible, and heavy, so the gloves should be oiled lightly. Professional baseball gloves are best stored in dry places.

To meet the demands of professional players, customized professional baseball gloves are also available. For custom professional baseball gloves, the player has to specify the size, material, type of back, color, webbing, and lacing he wants. Today, there are several manufacturers that produce professional baseball gloves. Online stores are also available to purchase professional baseball gloves.

Baseball Gloves provides detailed information on Baseball Gloves, Baseball Glove Reviews, Custom Baseball Gloves, Baseball Batting Gloves and more. Baseball Gloves is affiliated with Wood Baseball Bats.

Author: Jason Gluckman

Niekro Knuckles Under the Pressure | FanGraphs Baseball

Every time he struggled with the bat, people would whisper that he should hang up his batting gloves for good and break out the family knuckleball. Finally, at the age of 30, Niekro is embracing the shadow. On June 25, 2009, the right- hander took the … He also struck out four batters and earned his first professional win. In his second game on July 3, Niekro worked three shutout innings with three hits and two walks allowed. He struck out two batters.

How Do You Become A Professional Baseball Player? | Frozen Rope

Rawlings Pro Lite Series Basket Web Fielder’s Baseball Glove (12 - Inches). Overall Rating: List Price: Varies based on product options. Amazon Price: View Sale Price · Franklin RTP 13″ Softball Glove - Black/ Gray.

Baseball The Game: Buying & Breaking In A New Baseball Glove

Gloves for younger people range from 8″ to 12″. Grown up’s gloves usually fall around twelve to thirteen inches. According to rule 1.14, a professional baseball players glove can be no more than twelve inches long and eight inches wide.

Technorati Tags: discount baseball gloves, nokona baseball gloves, pro baseball gloves, rawlings baseball gloves

Choosing the right bat is important. Several things to consider are weight, length and type of bat. Once you select the right bat for you, you will also need to know how to break it in.

Bat speed is probably the biggest factor that should sway your decision in purchasing a baseball or softball bat. A heavier bat will give the ball more momentum, but the heavier the bat usually means a slower bat speed. With a lighter bat you are much more likely to make contact because you will have a higher bat speed. You will find that most players with high batting averages use lighter bats.

Swing as many different bats as you can. If your team doesn’t have a wide variety of bats to try, try a sporting goods store. Try not to select a long bat that will allow you to hit pitches that may end up going into the opposite batter’s box. Consider where you stand in the batter’s box to make sure that you can extend through the whole strike zone. If a pitch is outside of the strike zone, don’t swing at it.

Aluminum bat VS. Wood baseball bat? Aluminum bats are more durable and less flexible which makes the ball jump off the bat. Wooden bats have a classic and more flexible feel and are usually a little safer for the pitcher, less of a worry about those comeback here line drives.

Head to a batting cage to see how comfortable you feel when trying to make contact. Don’t be afraid to have a friend or family member video record a number of swings so you can examine your swing to make sure that the bat allows you to reach through the whole strike zone. Once you feel comfortable in the batting cage, you’ll know that you’ve found the right bat for you.

Now that you have selected the right bat for you, it is time to break it in. Aluminum bats don’t really need any breaking in. Instead, there are things to do to break yourself into your new bat and make sure you didn’t purchase a dead bat. Hit about 20 to 30 balls off a tee, rotating the bat a little bit each time making sure that the entire barrel of the bat gets touched. Then during a game switch between your trusty stand by and your new bat to make sure your new bat is performing properly.

To break in a composite bat you should hit 200 to 500 actual bats during infield practice or use a tee if necessary. Continuously turn the bat slightly after every time you make good contact until the entire barrel of the bat gets good contact. Avoid hitting the bat against a tree, or putting in vise grips, for these practices will void the warranty.

Wood bats don’t really need to be broken in either. A few rules that you should follow to help extend the life of your wooden bat are storing your bat in the house and avoiding extreme temperatures such as the inside of a car or in your garage. Also, there are 2 spots on a wood bat with the greatest possibility of failure, the logo and the area opposite of the logo. Do not hit the ball in these 2 areas. If you do, you are almost guaranteed to break the bat.

Bats these days are expensive. If you take care and break them in properly, the bat will last you a long time. In the long run, this will save you money and more importantly you will become a more consistent and feared hitter.

FireFlyBaseball.Com offers Top quality baseball equipment and softball equipment use by some of todays top pro’s with out the top quality prices. Baseball gloves have come a long way in the past 20 years. Akadema is one of the Premier baseball glove maunfacturers today, used by MLB Players like Manny Ramirez of Los Angeles and Shane Victorino of Philadelphia. If you are in the market for a new baseball glove or baseball bat,check us out.

Author: Todd Fischer

Don’t you WAND me baby?: Swirlywand Baseball Awards Week 12

Plus, he plays on a team that has 3 HUGE bats- and he holds his own….and I love that. So, here is to you tall, lanky, goofy looking, fabulous Texan…Hunter Pence! The Almost as bad as a division II-AAA college baseball game Award: [ insert .... Daniel MURPHY has got to counted on to step up in a big spot...playing him here, and there, and everywhere is not working- but he has been a good pinch hitter- and HE HIT TWO HOMERUNS last tiime we were in Philly.

Men attacked in their homes with bats

It happens everywhere. Yes I agree that elmwood is getting worse, just as other nicer areas of the city are as well. The gangs are going everywhere, not just the north end or elmwood. I live in a decent area where nothing ever happened. ... Is this the way they think the world should be and everyone who doesn't get along just handles their differences with bats, guns etc.? Despicable behaviour and it just keeps getting worse don't it? Next election, those who promise.

First serious injury from broken maple baseball bat

“We have seen bats split in two in the last couple of years, but I've never seen a bat travel that far and that fast toward that guy. What came to my mind was, 'What if it was toward the mound, which is only 60 feet, six inches [away]? … These bat fragments are flying everywhere: in the stands, on the field, behind the plate, and of course near the batter. What will it take to outlaw these lethal weapons? Leave a Comment. Filed under Uncategorized.

Technorati Tags: cricket bats, demarini bats, fastpitch bats, softball bats

One thing is certain: you can’t customize a metal baseball bat. Yes, it’s evenly balanced, has a state-of-the-art handle wrap, flashy colors, a big sweet spot, and is made out of high-tech materials, but if you want a flared knob, a narrower handle, a heavier barrel, or you want to name your metal bat, forget it. You pay your $300 or more and you take it or leave it. Will you hit better with it? According to the pro-metal organization “Don’t Take My Bat Away,” no. But many baseball experts know that’s not true. Metal bats are certainly more powerful than wood bats. But that may be the only advantage they have over wood ones. There are so many virtues simply to the wood bat buying experience that mass-produced metal can seem like shopping for laundry detergent or frozen pizza.

Traditional wood bats come in a number of sizes, shapes, wood types, and colors. The discerning player can go online and have a blast figuring out the perfect specs for his or her next bat purchase. You can often ask for barrel and handle widths down to a thirty-second of an inch, and you can even have your signature laser-burned onto your bat just like the pros.

Xbat made their name providing options to customize colors, shape, etc. plus allowed you to brand the bat with a special signature or name — even a flag. There are many companies out there now that let you do virtually anything to create your own bat. Some of the better website offerings are run by Marucci, Xbat, Superior Bat Company, and Zinger Bats.

A relatively new, up-and-coming bat company, Zinger Bats offers a very simple array of customizing options for personalizing bats.  Zinger is located in Montreal, Canada — close to the source of a lot of great maple. Company president, Fred Leiberman, takes pride in his company’s ability to offer high-quality products exactly to spec for their customers. When Leiberman and his partner bought the company two years ago the business came with a $160,000 state-of-the-art computerized lathe manufactured in Spain. They also purchased a $30,000 laser burner and high-tech sanding equipment as well.

Zinger is making in-roads these days with the pros. A number of major league players swing Zinger bats including Miguel Cabrera, Dan Uggla. Bobby Abreu, Carlos Pena, and now even Jason Giambi. Zingers are in the hands of numerous players in the minors as well. And at the company’s website they list other great players who have ordered bats like Barry Bonds, Vladimir Guerrero, Miguel Tejada, Sammy Sosa, Maglio Ordonez, and Khalil Greene.

The Zinger Bat customization process is more basic and down to earth than many of their competitors, but Leiberman wants his customers to know that the most important elements to bat making are in their guarantees. “Bat buyers need to be careful,” he notes. “There are a lot of companies that let you choose the length of your bat, but they don’t guarantee weights. Good companies will always let you choose your weight, and somewhere on their websites they’ll tell you that weights are guaranteed.”

Indeed, bat connoisseurs (i.e., serious hitters) will tell you that if you put in an order for a dozen bats at the beginning of the season with companies that don’t guarantee weights, your bats can vary by as much as three to four ounces from each other. “It’s all in the wood,” says Leiberman. “Only about a third of the wood billets we buy are good enough for our pro-stock bats.” Besides guaranteeing weights, Zinger also allows their customers to choose lengths down to the half-inch.

Another factor in your search for bat excellence is whether or not the company you’re buying from makes their own bats or has an “original equipment manufacturer” (OEM) do the manufacturing. There’s nothing wrong per se with a reseller, especially if they work closely with the OEM on specifications and quality control, but Leiberman points out that the customer is still two steps away from the person turning the wood. “People need to ask that question when they go online, or even call up the company: do you make the bats right there or do you have someone else ship them to you for resale?”

David Biddle has coached youth baseball for more than 15 years. Of the 33 teams he has skippered over the years, eight have won league championships (from 9U to 14U). He has also brought two teams to Philadelphia’s city championships (sadly, never to win). Mr. Biddle has taught hitting to more than six hundred young players since 1992. He writes the blog “Hitting with Wood,” and published an essay called “Pondering Baseball’s Purity” in The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2007.

Author: David Biddle

Hitting with Wood: Customizing Wood Bats: Tips from Zinger Bats

In addition, I write on baseball, adoption, and racial identity in America. I’ve also published fiction, essays, and articles in main stream and off-beat media. View my complete profile · Articles by David Biddle at EzineArticles.com … Customizing Wood Bats: Tips from Zinger Bats. One thing is certain: you can’t customize a metal bat. Yes, it’s evenly balanced, has a state-of-the-art handle wrap, flashy colors, a big sweet spot, and is made out of high-tech materials.

How to Select a Baseball Bat

If you are looking for custom baseball bats, you can visit http://www.xbats.com The XBATs baseball bats are the finest bats chosen by the most discriminating Major Leaguer to the serious youth and amateur players.

Viper VB Y271 Youth Pro Wood Baseball Bat Choose Ash or Maple

Made by the Viper Bat Company *** Please allow two weeks for ash and three weeks for maple for your order to ship because these baseball bats are special, custom bats. powered by Yahoo shopping.

Technorati Tags: baseball bat size, blemished bats, custom baseball bat, px baseball bats

Teaching, training and developing young baseball pitchers takes a lot of time, patience, and practice repetition. Many young pitchers need to practice pitching skills daily. To keep the interest level high, it is best to use a variety of drills on alternate days to prevent boredom. Here are 4 baseball pitching drills that can be used to train youth and beginner pitchers.

Drill #1 - Up & Out Foot Drill Objective - To help pitchers perfect the proper back leg action. The purpose of this drill is to stop foot drag and prevent over striding.

Equipment Needed - A brick, block or wood or other suitable object. The object will be placed at a location just in front of the pivot foot of the pitcher. The pitcher will be working out of the stretch. The pitcher should be reminded to roll and pick his back foot up so that it clears the object.

Procedure - The pitcher throws using his normal motion and delivery. If the pitcher fails to clear the object, then his back foot is “dragging” or he is over striding. Young pitchers should be coached to step out of the “hold” and up and over the block.

Drill #2 - Dot Spot Drill Objective - The purpose of this drill is to build confidence, to teach young pitchers to hit their spots and to teach young pitchers to have great control.

Equipment Needed - Good balls, Catching equipment, and glove.

Procedure - The catcher has 4 dots on his gear. The 4 dots or spots are different colors or they each have a number on them. The dots are taped to each knee on the shin guards and one to the left shoulder and right shoulder. The catcher or coach calls a color or a number. The pitcher must hit the dot called. The pitcher has 6 pitches to hit all 4 of the dots. All dots should be called in different orders each time. If the pitcher fails to hit 4 dots correctly, the pitcher must do 10 push ups. Two pitchers can compete to see which finishes first. The dots may be placed lower on the catcher to stress keeping the ball low or down in the zone. Drill

#3 Long Toss - Power Building Drill Pitchers should long toss several times a week to build strength and endurance. The two players should warm-up as usual and then move back a few steps after each 4 throws. Pitchers should be able to increase their strength and extend their distances within weeks. Pitchers of all ages should work out to a distance at least 3 times their normal pitching distance. Some coaches allow players to “crow hop” at the farthest distances. That is up to you.

Drill #4 - Front Side Drill Objective This drill is used to teach and reinforce the proper front shoulder action during delivery.

The drill is performed as the pitcher kneels on the pivot-leg knee. The pitcher will begin the drill with the throwing arm in the “T -position” and the stride foot aimed at the plate. The pitcher begins the throwing motion by pulling and tucking his front arm and glove. At the same time he is bringing his throwing arm and shoulder around and toward the plate. The drill should be performed many times to give the pitcher the feel of proper mechanics and front shoulder movement. The front elbow should be used as the guide for the front side. The glove should be extended out and tucked as the pitcher rolls his lead shoulder and pulls it in. This deceptive move is used to distract and deceive batters. The drill should be finished with the throwing arm in proper finish position outside the stride leg knee.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of BASEBALL HITTING, COACHING and TRAINING DVDs Check out the Bat Action HittingMachine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, the “Hit2win Company”. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Dixon is widely recognized as an expert in the area of baseball training, practice and skill development. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of several of baseball and softball’s most popular training products such as the Original BatAction Hitting Machine, SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, Original Hitting Stick, Hit2win Trainer, SKLZ Target Trainer, SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, Batting Cage Builder, the American Baseball Directory and the Hit2win Baseball Coaches Monthly Newsletter. Dixon has 5 blogs related to baseball training including the BaseballCoachingDigest Blog, CoachesBest Training Blog, Hurricane Machine Training Blog, Batting Cage Buyers Blog, and the Bat Action Training Blog.

Author: Nick Dixon

2009 Pittsburgh Gray Bats Baseball Club

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon for a baseball game, the Gray Bats hosted the South Oakland Ducks at Pie Traynor Field. The Ducks came into the game having lost 4 out of their last 5 games. The Gray Bats came into the game having lost 17 out of their … The Ducks players had a lot to say about the Gray Bats this afternoon. “You don’t square to bunt on a 3-0 count. This isn’t Little League.” “If Paul Altmyer says Quack one more time, he’s going to get drilled.

Pitching Drills For Little League

The following baseball pitching drills are for little league baseball pitchers. Follow Through Drill For Little League It’s used to follow through properly, and effectively. Stand in front of a chair with your stride foot in proper.

For Little League coaches

My 10-year-old son was just picked for his little league all star team. He has been playing 1st and pitcher all season. The coach of the allstar team. … Baseball Coaching Video - Drop Step Outfielding Drill - Baseball Drills & Coaching Tips · Baseball Tips and Drills - Outfield Charging the Ball - Baseball Drills & Coaching Tips These seem to be good fundamental drills for outfielders. There’s probably more in here, but I didn’t look too closely. HTH. finbib is offline.

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As I sat there watching the pitcher and infielders warm up in between innings, out of the corner of my eye I noticed one of the coaches just outside the dugout trying to get someone’s attention. When I realized it was my attention he was trying to get, I gave a nod. He then barked out, “Got another one!” and proceeded to throw a fielder’s glove at me. I caught it, gave it a quick inspection and knew what I’d being doing a little later that evening.

Well that’s how it has gone the last four or five years now when I’m in the dugout or around local baseball or softball fields. I’ve repaired gloves for a number of players and hence I’ve been labeled as “The Doctor”. Word has gotten out over the years and I’ve fixed many gloves for small kids, big kids, adults, you name it. I never realized how much people liked their gloves and I also never realized that people didn’t fix their own gloves when they broke, even the simplest repairs.

That’s how this all started for me. One day I repaired an older Wilson A2000 from the late 70’s or early 80’s. It was being used by a younger girl playing softball. It was her dad’s glove in college. It needed a lot of lace work but was in surprisingly good shape other than that. It looked great when I was done.

Since then, I’ve repaired gloves for a lot of kids. Never charged anything, which was probably a small mistake. I was just glad to get the glove back to them the next day or so. I didn’t think much about until I was looking around on the Internet about a year ago and saw what repairing gloves costs both in money and time. Only then did it occur to me how much money I saved kids and parents and more importantly, the glove was lost for one game at the most.

This is what I’m getting at. If you have young kids active in baseball/softball or are a member of a team or teams yourself, you should really look into trying to repair a few gloves yourself, in your spare time. Believe me, it will come in handy more times than you think and you can save yourself and other people some money.

Let me define what I mean by glove repair. I don’t mean repairing major tears in the leather and the little runs of stitching in the glove. That stuff requires more tools, leather and time. I’m talking about repairing the most common types of lacing breaks that occur throughout a season and just relacing these breaks or retightening lace runs to keep the glove in its original shape and form.

About two months ago at one of my son’s tournaments the third baseman’s glove broke, right in the web. As you already know, tournaments have lots of games so these guys don’t want to lose a glove for a week while also paying to get it repaired. Anyway, I took the glove and fixed it in between two games. I just went back into the hotel room, turned on The Weather Channel and restrung the lower part of the web. It took about fifteen minutes and the glove looked great. It lasted the rest of the season with no problems.

Now, if he had sent the glove away to get repaired, a fix like this would probably cost him anywhere from $15.00 to $35.00. This would be higher if he wanted the glove back sooner. He would also probably lose the glove for a week. If he got the glove back and didn’t like the results, he’d probably just live with it. It wouldn’t be worth sending it back out again.

If his mom, dad or someone else repaired it, (in this case I did it) the lacing required for this would cost anywhere from $2.00 to $5.00. He’d only lose the glove for about fifteen or twenty minutes…no real downtime! Any more adjustments would probably be done by whoever fixed it.

If more laces are broken, it gets more expensive. Whole glove relacing is around $50.00. You also have shipping to pay on top of that. Plus, you’ll lose your glove for a week. 1ff8 It really is a huge benefit to know how to do most, if not all of the lacing repairs yourself. If you have young kids playing ball and you see a good number of years ahead of you, or you are a coach, learning how to do general restoration, conditioning and relacing of gloves is a great thing.

I’m not saying glove repair places are bad. They’re great! Most do good work and will save your glove for more years to come. I’ve even recently come across a site on the Internet that offers a really good deal, with one to two day turnaround. Of course, if they had 75 gloves come in, that’s a tough guarantee. Basically, you just have to decide on your time and money budget. For nearly all of the gloves I have repaired overnight or in ten or fifteen minutes, time was the big concern for the kids and parents, not the money. They wanted their gloves for the next day.

So if you have the time, find a few old gloves or buy a couple at a yard sale and just try to restring them. It’s really not that hard. And most of the breaks are very similar, especially with today’s gloves. Once you do two or three, you’ll be on your way to being a “Doctor” yourself. You’ll be able to do glove repairs in one inning and the kid will be able to use the glove that same game! That’s the cool part. You make a lot of kids and parents happy.

There is also another part of having this skill. You can make a little money for yourself doing this. In fact, you don’t have to be a coach or even have a kid playing. Once word gets out that there is someone locally that can repair a glove overnight or in a day, people will find you. Believe me.

They found me…and still find me throughout the summer five years after I figured I’d just repair this one glove for a young softball player.

Do your own Baseball Glove Repairs. Learn how to repair, relace and restore your own baseball glove with “Fix That Glove”. Save yourself time and money.

Author: Chico Reese

Fix That Glove!!! « here is free money online

Fix That Glove!!! By stacylove009. http://ping.fm/Q3Jmk EBook(R) On How To Quickly Repair/restore Baseball And Softball Gloves. This entry was posted on June 28, 2009 at 3:01 pm and is filed under Uncategorized.

refurbishing a leather baseball glove??? - Telecaster Guitar Forum

I know some people use different foams/oils for their gloves. We don’t really have a sporting goods store around, and our W-mart only sells a product you apply before throwing your glove in the oven (I had read that that’s not …. If the glove is super crusty, it will never be good as new, but it will be better and useful. The other thing I’d recommend is reworking the glove by buying a couple of good leather thongs and a decent glove repair kit and relacing the glove.

A Sporting Chance: A New Sporting Equipment Store

Many have their own most unforgettable sports moment. Maybe it’s the best dunk they ever saw (Starks shaking Jordan and Pippen by the baseline, and thereupon bounding, sailing over Grant, whirling, getting hacked, eating a sandwich … Once you buy a glove — or if you’ve got an old one in need of repair — leather expert The Sandalady has tips and tricks on how to purchase, break in and take care of your baseball gloves — plus, the company can do repairs and then ship your.

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Baseball and life have a lot of similarities. I know what you are thinking, yea right, it’s simply a game involving a bat and a ball. What can that possibly teach us? I am here to tell you what it can teach you. Not only baseball, but other sports as well.

Growing up I couldn’t see the similarities with baseball and life. I simply knew that a game was on and lets go play! But as time has evolved and I have gone on to other things, only now can I reflect and look at what the game of baseball has taught me.

Baseball and life are similar. I think the first thing it taught me was personal interaction. How to deal with teammates and how to work together towards a common goal. We all wanted to win together, but we also experienced defeat together. We learned how to deal with defeat and how to rise above it. How to keep on trying every out, every game. We didn’t know it at the time, but we were learning valuable skills that would carry over to other facets of our lives.

It also taught me how to deal with one-on-one situations. You against the pitcher in the batter’s box with the game on the line. You strike out and the game is over. How did you handle this on a personal level? It taught you that you will overcome even in the eyes of defeat. It teaches you how to handle defeat amongst your peers and what you will do to be better next time. Baseball and life are similar, they are just on different stages.

How about your hitting? You fail seven out of ten times and you are a three hundred hitter and a hero. You fail eight out of ten times and you are only hitting two hundred. One extra hit per ten at bats can propel you from hero status to the goat status. How do you deal with defeat when you are only hitting two hundred? Do you throw in the towel or do you put your best effort forward, hold your head high, and carry on with great determination?

Baseball and life teaches us that everyone fails at some point. What matters is not giving up. What matters is getting up and you keep pounding the rock. And while you are pounding the rock, without even knowing it, you are gaining character, desire, determination, and that great spirit that will carry over into life skills.

When I reflect back and try to understand what I learned from this game, I can now see what it has taught me. I know I can handle any situation, because I know how to get back up and move forward. I can deal with personal one-on-one situations, because baseball taught me that.

I know if it doesn’t go just right, there is always tomorrow and the prospect of better things. I can handle defeat because I know it is only an opportunity for success later. And an opportunity for me to learn along this road called life.

Yes, baseball has taught me how to be in life, how to handle the ups and the downs, how to be a better person, and how to go out and get what I want in life. It is a grand game in so many ways!

Baseball for me was a stepping stone to my career now. Yes, I accomplished a lot in baseball, but it is where I am now that matters to me and baseball helped me get here.

I am now a captain with the Tucson Fire Department and a paramedic. I have the opportunity to save lives and affect them in a positive way. I deal with tragedy, as well as the overwhelming emotion when saving a life. How do I handle these pressure situations when faced with real emergencies?

I can look back and know that baseball taught me life skills and the ability to handle success as well as defeat. I know that I put my best foot forward each day. Somedays will be enriched with reward, and some with tragedy, but I will keep the course and give it my all. Baseball taught me that. And I hope it can help you as well. Please email me with any thoughts or questions.

Bill Bathe- former major league baseball player whoplayed in 1989 world series. Former instructors include Eddie Matthews, Harmon Killebrew, Billy Williams, and Dusty Baker to name a few. Just click on Baseball drills and baseball equipment to go to his website which provides drills, equipment, information and tips. Also, digital online video analysis, equipment, posters, and more. In addition, stories and pictures on the journey to the big leagues. Or email him at http://www.pro-baseball-drills-and-equipment.com/contact-us.html

Author: Bill Bathe

Internet Baseball Writers

Heck, I write weekly columns for my fantasy baseball league that focuses solely on the real-life aspect of the game. That makes me an internet baseball writer. With a $10 payment I could be a part of this and I will be the first to say.

For the Love of Baseball…sorta « the domestic fringe

It was the seventh game of the world series, Yankees vs. Atlanta, and I was coerced into attending a new singles event by the pastor of my church. He was hosting a night filled with fun, young people, and baseball. If I could have talked my way out of this event, … Hilarious! I can’t wait to read more next week! Reply · Georgie · July 5, 2009 at 11:09 pm. Funny funny! I hope my mom doesn’t pull something like that when I get older. I cannot cook to save my life.

Vampire Baseball: Edi Gathegi and Peter Facinelli Fake Fight

Why oh why wasn’t Jackson at that baseball game?! Just think, we could now be looking at the same shot of him…! Lali_Whitlock. WOW! I think that I suffered brain damage with the only thought of Jackson’s butt in those tighy-whities… Life is unfair, dear Bean LOL. bean… I neeeeeeed iiiittt! *punch the air* Alex all to myself… nicnixs. MEEEEEEEEE LMAO off Bean….did you not enjoy having them all to yourself for a while *wink* Little hussy that you are LOL.

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Today the baseball coaching 4 letter word is T-I-M-E:

Time Spent Must Be Justified

Wasting time is something that baseball coaches should avoid. There is nothing more precious to a player, to parents, or to assistant coaches than time. Time spent at the baseball field must be considered valuable or constructive time. We are coaches because we love the game and we want to help young players grow up to great adults. We help nurture that process by teaching good morals, good values, and good habits. There is no more important thing for a kid to learn than the value of time and the importance of always being punctual. The key to showing that you value time is to have your team practices, meeting, and other activities well planned and organized.

Here are my 10 tips for showing the value of time:

1. Be punctual at all times. If a practice is schedule to start at 3:00. You should start it exactly at 3:00. Not one minute early or one minute late. If the practice is set to end at 5:00, end the practice on time. A coach that constantly runs practice times over is showing little regard for time and family life. You should also set a precedent of doing what you say that you are going to do. Stay on schedule. That includes practice start times and end times.

2. Stop drills when the allotted time is up. Do not run over.

3. Do not waste practice time having coaching conference. Have your coaching meeting after practice or 30 minutes before practice.

4. Have a practice schedule. Have every minute accounted for and planned. Use odd minutes in drills such as 7.5 minutes. This emphasizes the value of time.

5. Have agenda for team meetings. If you have a team meeting without a purpose or agenda, you may be wasting time. If you have a team meeting and ramble on and on talking without direction and focus, then you are wasting valuable time.

6. Have a designated place in the dugout for the belongings of each player and coach. Make sure every player has their name or number clearly visible on their glove, batting glove and bat. This saves valuable time when a players has to find a glove, a bag, or a bat.

7. Do not talk through the fence with a parent or friend during practice. Kids should not do it and coaches should not either. You are showing a definite lack of respect for practice time. Make sure that you make it known that you will not have discussions or conversations with anyone during practice time.

8. Set all training equipment up before practice. Do not waste valuable practice time assembling, locating, or moving practice equipment.

9. Always disassemble and pack the training equipment up after the designated practice time is over. Do not waste valuable practice time packing way equipment.

10. Do not talk all night after a game. Set a time limit to post-game or post-practice meetings. If you cannot say it in 5 minutes, they are not going to remember it anyway. Younger kids have short attention spans. If you have more than 5 minutes of talk, save some of your talk for the beginning of your next practice.

Visit BaseballCoachingDigest.com for a great selection of Baseball Coaching and Training Articles. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, the “Hit2win Company”. Dixon is a high school baseball coach and is widely recognized as an expert in the area of baseball training, practice and skill development. Dixon is the inventor of several of baseball and softball’s most popular training products including the BatAction Hitting Machine, Hurricane Hitting Machine, Hitting Stick, Hit2win Trainer, SKLZ Target Trainer, and ZipnHit.

Author: Nick Dixon

10 Tips For Improving the Quality of Your Baseball Practice Time

10 Tips For Improving the Quality of Your Baseball Practice Time In this article Coach Dixon discusses the value of Time and how it relates to coaching baseball. He discusses Baseball Coaching Time in two contexts; Time is seconds.

Race FootageSo You’re The New Baseball Coach

Not necessarily lengthy, just frequent. Subscribe all your player’s parents (and maybe players, if they are a bit older) to our Baseball Tips Newsletter. It is a quick read 2 times each month. We do not rent or sell their names and just … Teach something new each practice. As importantly, review and drill a particular skill taught in a previous practice using one of your 20 minute segments. Quality repetitions are vital and incredibly important! Too many coaches teach.

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