Lets Talk about Leather

Wilson Pro Stock, Rawlings Heart of the Hide, Kelley Ixosteer. The preceding are all genuine leather. Each processed at the discretion of the manufacturer to produce a fit and feel they think will win over customer opinion.

But what really makes a good baseball glove? Old time ecologically rough tannin? Sophisticated chrome or right out of the garden vegetable. Each process serves the purpose of converting the hide of the animal into a durable, malleable product that is used all over the planet. What separates the leathers is the final purpose. Say you need a Bentley with a suede interior without flaws, then you need hide from Switzerland or other location that does not use hard fencing or barbs to keep the roaming lawn mowers in. In the Bentley case you need soft, scar free hide sources.

Baseball gloves on the other hand (well, the catching hand) need to fit the purpose of the user. Intensity of game play, skill level, interest, all must be considered in the acquisition of the perfect glove. Perfect is as individual as fingerprints. Everyone has their idea of perfection and the manufacturers do a good job of providing a wide enough selection for all us Joe’s to pick one out and shape it to our will.

Do heavier, more expensive gloves improve your game? The mechanics of baseball gloves are all very similar. There is a period of time where any glove will perform flawlessly. It’s the duration of this time where the quality of the glove comes into play. Game ready glove leather is just that, ready for “a” game. They are designed to be comfortable and easy to close. How many games you actually get out of your $30 to $80 investment varies.

A simple analogy is to think of shoes. A $6 pair of discount shoes feel nice, look great and serve the purpose. Now a $200 pair of work boots are stiff, hurt your feet till they break in and have all the style and flair of dirt. Consider now, which will wear for years to come? At the task of protecting your feet, boots win without contest.

This same theme holds true for baseball gloves as well. Heavier, stiffer gloves will perform longer at the optimum level. Baseball gloves sever double duty. First, they are taught to ‘catch’ the ball. Stopping the ball in mid flight or skipping along the ground. Second, they protect the user from this same ball defenders are trying to catch. How many times have you seen a ball driven through a broken down glove. There is just not enough stiffness left in it to re-direct the ball back into the pocket.

Leather in and of itself is a natural, aspirating product. It absorbs and releases moisture. It can dry, crack or become brittle. Similar to your boots, if the baseball glove gets dirty you clean it. Gets wet, you set it out to dry. Give your glove what it needs. Don’t apply so much oil that it clogs all the pours and can no longer breathe. Don’t fold it in half like an omelet and expect the ball not to jump out of the pocket.

As mentioned previously, Steer Hide, Cow Hide, Pig Skin, Deer Hide, Kangaroo etc., each will have their time to perform as a flawless baseball glove. The duration of this flawless performance does change drastically.

So, consider your level of play; how often you want to buy and break in a new glove then make your selection, get the best deal thenŅŅ…

GET OUT AND PLAY!

Mr. Dowdy is the father of 3 and after re-entering competitive baseball with his oldest that lead to frustration of finding suitable glove, he became an Official Distributor for Kelley Athletic which is available at http://www.NW.kelleyusa.com You can also visit http://www.hirschgroupllc.com for more news/tips/articles on the subjects of baseball, construction, building codes and more that most will find a quick way to fall asleep. Thanks for reading my article!

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About three years ago, when my baseball glove repair service (volunteer!) was kicking in, I came across a classic example of how you can repair a baseball glove that most people would consider trashed and have it end up looking ten years younger.

I was watching one of the coaches throwing BP and he was using probably one of the worst gloves I’ve ever seen someone use. He could only catch the ball right in the palm, basically, because just about all of the finger lacing was broken or gone and the glove was really just flopping around. It was a little stupid looking, but he’d been using it like this for a while so no one really thought about it.

After he was done throwing, he threw the glove down on one of the bat bags and went to get something to drink. I couldn’t resist so I picked the glove up. I just had to give it a look. It was an another old Rawlings from the early 80’s…a lefty.

I gave it a quick inspection and realized that this glove had a ton of potential. Below are some important inspection tips that I use to help determine if a glove is really still good. Here’s what I saw.

• Although the glove was extremely dry, one of the driest I had yet seen, there were no parts of the leather that were extremely cracked, very hard or looked rotted out.
• Although most of the lacing was broken or missing, the “eyelets” (the metal rings where the leather laces go through) were in good shape and did not have rips in the leather where they were attached. The other leather holes were in equally good shape.
• And last, it was, of course, just a little dirty and dusty…years of that, really.

And that’s it! That’s all that was wrong with the glove. I knew this was going to look cool when it was done.

When the coach came back I asked him if he wanted me to see if I could make his glove a little more useful. (didn’t want to make any great promises yet). He kind of laughed, but said, “Go ‘head, if you want.” I did, and I took the glove home.

That night I cleaned it up, got all of the dirt off. The next day I replaced all of the lacing…full glove. I then conditioned it. The glove was so dry it was sucking up conditioner like crazy. Even to this day, it holds the record for me. I let it dry for two more days. I couldn’t believe how it now looked and felt.

When I gave the glove back to him four days later, I just tossed it at him as he walked toward me. He caught it and I could tell as he looked at the glove that he didn’t really recognize it. When he realized that it was the old High School glove that he used years ago, he just blurted out some stuff that I won’t repeat here, but you can guess. In any case, he was shocked at how good the glove looked.

It now had all new lacing. The color was totally different because the leather was so dry before that it was much lighter than what it originally was. The glove was now a dark tan. The leather was soft and flexible. It really looked and felt great. The guy was very happy with the glove and I could tell he couldn’t believe that it could look and feel like that again. Two years later I saw the glove laying in a bat bag again. I picked it up and again inspected it. It still looked great, even two years later. That’s good stuff!

This is just one glove out of many that I repaired with similar results. This one probably had the most dramatic results, though. With a little baseball glove repair skills under your belt you can make a lot of gloves new again and make a lot of kids and parents happy. Just remember, as a quick inspection of a glove that needs repair, look for the following:

• Check the leather. Make sure it’s just dirty and dry and has no major damage.
• Check the eyelets and other leather holes. There shouldn’t be large tears around eyelets or big rips in other leather holes.
• Get an idea of what lacing job lies ahead of you.

With a little practice, you can repair and restore many gloves. You’ll be a sought after person after a while if word gets out that you can repair gloves. It’s cool, though, when a little kid is smiling and thanks you for restoring his favorite glove…and you can tell that he truly means it.

So before you throw an older glove out, or see someone giving up on their glove, take a look at it…give it a little inspection and see if you can work some magic too.

Good luck and have fun!

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.

Baseball Glove Repair

http://www.BaseballGloveRestore.com/

Chico Reese has been closely involved in youth baseball, softball and High School Baseball over the last twelve years. He also is known as “The Doctor” for his quick baseball glove repairs and restorations for many kids and adults throughout the summer.

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Have you ever heard of a term “It fits like a glove?” When you put your glove on, you’ll find that the glove is usually snug; it fits the shape of the hands as if it was a natural extension of your body. Ideally, we’d wish everything could fit this way including new baseball gloves.

The problem with new baseball gloves is that they don’t always fit perfectly, or, even, comfortably. Baseball gloves, straight from the store, tend to be stiff, making it hard to grab and get a proper grip. Since game play is dependent on your glove functioning well, it’s in everyone’s interest to get the gear in the best shape. So what are ways to soften gloves so they actually “fit like a glove?”

To break into your baseball glove, you need to soften the leather. There are many ways to soften leather. The most well-known way is to simply use it. But for players who want a soft and broken in baseball glove quickly, they’ll have to look for oils and lotions. Everyday products include Vaseline, mink oil, saddle and even soap. But there are plenty of baseball glove oils that help soften and break in baseball gloves. Popular ones include Rawlings Glovolium and Easton Glove oil.

Once you decide on the lubricant, apply a small amount of the oil, lotion, or soap, to the glove with a soft cloth. Rub the agent slowly on the glove and lightly cover the entire surface. It’s important to spread the agent evenly through the surface. If a spot has excessive oil, the section might stain. You can then leave the glove in a dry area. The glove should settle with the lubricant overnight.

There are things that you should not do to break in a glove. The first and foremost is to not soak it with water and microwave the glove. Some people feel that microwave could accelerate the softening process. This may be true, but the glove will deteriorate in no time. Also, you don’t want to use shaving cream as a lot of places might suggest. The use of this product will drench the leather, which could cause some damage in the short run.

The pocket of the glove is another aspect that needs to be considered if we are to break in the glove. Since flexibility of the pocket is essential for catching, the glove must have pocket-like qualities. Newer gloves don’t give you a natural sweet spot for catching balls. As such, you may want to put a softball in the glove and wrap the entire glove with rubber bands. You can do this every night when you place the glove away. Using this method will allow you to create a wedge-like opening in the glove.

Having a broken in glove will serve you well during baseball or softball games and practices. With these methods, you can apply easy-to-find products to soften the leather. Once broken in, the glove will feel like an extension of your body.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Gloves

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When shopping for a new baseball glove, one has many brands, styles and fits to choose from. Companies make many gloves from various materials that can cost as little as $10 or as much as $250 for a custom made glove. The following is a brief review of companies that offer some of the best gloves on the market.

Rawlings Baseball Gloves

Perhaps the best-known and respected baseball glove is manufactured by Rawlings. Rawlings baseball gloves have been a favorite of amateurs and professionals for over eight years. They are most admired for their comfort and safety features as well as the range of prices. You can purchase the most expensive line of gloves for $300 or so, but Rawlings baseball gloves also come in cheaper versions, sometimes for $10 or less.

Nike Baseball Gloves

Nike is probably best known for its athletic shoes and other lines of athletic clothing. The company, however, has recently begun to manufacture its own line of baseball gloves. The Nike baseball glove has been gaining tremendous popularity in recent years. The most popular baseball gloves by Nike are the “Pro Gold” and “SDR” lines. The Pro Gold gloves are top of the line and usually retail for $100 or more, while the SDR baseball gloves start at around $60. Perhaps the best feature of Nike baseball gloves is the “”dry finger”" liner inside each glove which helps to keep fingers cool and reduce perspiration during play.

Mizuno Baseball Gloves

Mizuno baseball gloves are another popular brand in America. They are even more popular for Asian baseball players. This company offers at least 11 different styles of gloves, with a wide price range. The “”Pro Limited”" series can cost up to $250, but Mizuno baseball gloves are also available in cheaper models for around $20.

Nokona Baseball Gloves

Most baseball glove experts will agree that Nokona offers the best and highest quality gloves available to consumers. These are American-made gloves from Texas and the company has been manufacturing them since the early 20th century. The least expensive line of Nokona baseball gloves usually starts at around $125 and higher-end gloves can cost much more.

In addition to leather baseball gloves, Nokona also offers gloves made from buffalo and kangaroo hides.

Baseball Gloves Info provides detailed information about custom and discount baseball gloves, as well as baseball batting gloves, baseball glove reviews, and advice on how to break in baseball gloves. Baseball Gloves Info is the sister site of Baseball Bats Web.

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It is a fact that softball uniforms and equipment play a vital role in boosting a team’s inspiration. Earlier, heavy sweaters were standard in this sport, and occasionally, color schemes were bizarre patterns of checks or shapes. Then sweaters became passé and short windbreaker-style jackets came into vogue. They further evolved into leathers and suedes, all for supporting a team. Today, a nylon type windbreaker is a trendy option that is used to boost team spirit.

All softball teams wear distinctive uniforms. Usually, a uniform includes a cap, a shirt, an undershirt, and pants. Standards are laid down for these items.

For a team, caps must be identical, and are mandatory for male team members. Caps, visors, and headbands are non-obligatory for female players, and must be of the same color if more than one is put on. For a fielder choosing to wear a helmet or a cap is optional. At the back of a shirt, a number from 1 to 99 must be observable, and numbers like 02 and 2 are deemed identical. A player’s name should not necessarily be present on a uniform. Players cannot wear jewelry during a game, but some types of bracelets and necklaces are allowed. It is mandatory for all players to wear shoes, and shoes may have spikes, but these must not extend more than 1.9 centimeters away from sole. Wearing rounded metal spikes is prohibited, as these are made from hard plastic or other synthetic materials. Removable metal cleats are not allowed at any level of play, in order to reduce the possibility of severe injuries when a runner slides feet-first into a fielder. At all youth levels, that is under 15, in co-ed or mixed teams, use of metal spikes is forbidden in slow and modified pitches.

Every softball game has two teams, and if teams are wearing different uniforms, it becomes easier for players to distinguish among their teammates and opponents. Players in uniform get a sense of unity among themselves.

Softball provides detailed information on Softballs, Fastpitch Softball, Softball Equipment, History Of Softball and more. Softball is affiliated with Reviews on Softball Bats [http://www.e-SoftballBats.com].

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The softball bat industry is a big one, but one company stands out among them all. Worth is a leader in making some of the best softball bats on the market. Worth softball bats have been around since 1970, and in fact, Worth was the first maker of the aluminum softball bat back in 1970.

Worth currently makes a large number of various softball bats, fastpitch bats, as well as many other types of sports equipment. Worth softball bats are known for their quality, stability and precision. They are a leader in using advanced technology in their softball bats. This includes the use of titanium and other materials to increase bat performance.

NANO composite frames are used in Worth softball bats, and this helps to greatly increase swing power and speed.

Currently, Worth manufactures many different softball bats including the Mayhem model priced at $299.00. Other models include the PST, EST, Prodigy, Insanity, and the PowerCell. Prices range from as low as $50 all the way up to $300.

The Worth softball bat that is currently gaining a lot of attention in the softball world is the Jeff Hall Mayhem M7 model. New for 2007 this is an extremely limited edition softball bat. Only 2,000 will be produced by Worth. What makes this softball bat so special? The sweet spot is massive. It is one hot bat. The added distance this bat gives you will have you hitting more HR’s than ever before.

If you have ever used the Worth JH120, then you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you pick up this new M7 bat. Words are hard to describe how incredible this softball bat is. It’s simply the finest softball bat I’ve ever used in 20 years of playing the game. As I mentioned though, only 2,000 are being produced, so get yours early!

If you’re looking for the highest quality bat, you can never go wrong by selecting Worth softball bats as your primary equipment.

You can find out more about Worth Softball Bats [http://www.ball-bats.infofroma-z.com/Worth_Softball_Bats.html] as well as much more information on all types of softball bats at http://www.Ball-Bats.InfoFromA-z.com [http://www.ball-bats.infofroma-z.com]

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Buying used umpire equipment requires, as Will Ferrell’s George Bush once said, “strategery.” The purchase of some used items is just plain gross (e.g. a protective cup). The purchase of other used gear may be a smart move.

Mask

At first blush using someone else’s mask sounds just nasty. However, an umpire mask is composed of two parts, the frame and the padding. Most most mask manufacturers make replacement pads. For instance, Diamond offers replacement pads for its widely popular DFM-UMP that sell for about $18. Most used masks on Ebay sell for around $15. If you can buy the mask for $15 and pop in new padding for $18.00, you can save a few dollars off the $60 retail price.

[editor's note: I have actually seen a new DFM-Ump on sale for as low as $35 online. It seems to me a little legwork on the internet is a better choice than buying used umpire equipment.]

Chest Protector

Let’s face it: umpires sweat - a lot. Some umpires do not use undershirts (gross). Luckily some chest protectors are washable (e.g. Pro Nine Chest Protector CPU).

Leg Guards

Some leg guards are washable. Some leg guards can be disassembled for washing.

My opinion is that the above equipment can be purchased new for around $150.  Used you may get it for $80. Personally I would rather pay the extra $70 for equipment that is my own and does not remind me of rotten fish. Use umpire equipment is generally not worth the savings. With that said, I would consider a great deal on an unblemished lightweight mask if I could replace the pads and save more than 50%.

Pete Reiser is an amateur baseball and softball umpire in the Midwest. Pete has umpired at various levels from 9U to NCAA Division I.

For more information about umpiring and equipment visit Pete’s blog at
http://www.midwestump.blogspot.com

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To build a batting cage, there are many different options you have to consider. A batting cage in your backyard can be one of the greatest assets to you or your child’s playing career. Therefore, it is a wise investment and one that should be highly considered by every ballplayer and their parents.

The first thing to consider is where you would like to set up your batting cage. There are many various ways in which you can set up a cage, and will all depend on space available, budget, etc. First off, all cages will require various amounts of assembly and construction. If you have an unlimited budget and space available, it will be no problem to purchase a nice high quality cage from a company like Jugs or Atec.

For those of us looking to save a little money (who isn’t, right?), there are many other options available. You may buy kits from several companies online that will ship most or all of the parts to you for fairly reasonable prices. Something that you should also consider is that you may purchase many of the parts, including netting, and especially the frame from your local hardware store. This can result in some pretty substantial savings, because you will end up saving on shipping costs.

If you have limited space, you may have to get a little creative on how you rig up your cage. There are however, standard sizes for cages that most nets are made for. Here is a list of some of those sizes.

• 70′ L x 14′ W x 12′ H
• 65′ L x 11′ W x 11′ H
• 10′ L x 12′ W x 12′ H
• 55′ L x 12′ W x 12′ H
• 40′ L x 12′ W x 12′ H

The size you choose will depend on how much space you have to play with, how old the ballplayer using it will be, how much you wish to spend, etc. Obviously the larger nets cost more than the smaller ones. Regardless of the age, a wider and higher cage will allow for a little more comfort and room to work with.

Hopefully this will give you some insight into the things you should consider before you build a batting cage. Remember, that it will be a wise investment in you or your child’s playing career, so take your time and make sure you will get exactly what you need. You can find more information about equipment and netting here:

http://www.baseball-equipment-review.com/build-a-batting-cage.html

Brandon Bland is the webmaster of Baseball Equipment Review, a site devoted to informing ballplayers of the quality of today’s baseball equipment so they can make informed decisions about their purchases.

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I know that the title got your attention. Everyone knows and respects the Major League Baseball players like Derek Jeter, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez. Many parents dream of having their little league player growing up to play college baseball, becoming a college all-American, going to Omaha and play in the College World Series, being drafted in the 1st round of the MLB draft, signing for a 2.5 million dollar signing bonus, being voted to the MLB All-star team, going 3 for 4 in the All-Star Game, having their team win the pennant, wining the league championship, playing in the MLB World Series, leading MLB in RBI, Homeruns, Stolen Bases, Pitching Wins and also being selected as the Cy Young award winner, being named MVP of the MLB World Series, signing a deal with Nike Shoe for 2 million a year to endorse their new line of baseball shoes, and finally getting voted into Cooperstown Hall of Fame on his first vote.  That is the ultimate dream of a baseball parent. But, do you know and realize how small the actual percentage is of little league baseball parents that ever see that dream come true? Now, I need to get to the point. Just helping your kid become a solid little league player that loves and enjoys the game of baseball should be the goal of every baseball parent. Here I discuss what I feel are the major requirements for big time baseball success at every level.

Odds are stacked against the little league baseball player and the youth baseball player when it comes to playing college and major league baseball. Less than 1 out every 15 kids playing little league and youth baseball ever make their high school baseball’s varsity team. It is a known fact that less than 10.1 percent of all high school varsity baseball players go on to play college baseball. That figure includes both scholarship and walk-on players. Just 1 out of every 936 high school players is drafted to Pro Baseball each year. What all of this adds up to is this statement that says it all. Less than 1 out of every 15,000 little league or youth baseball players ever make a MLB baseball team. In, fact the percentage may be much lower when you consider the fact that less than 20,000 players have played MLB baseball in its 130+ year history. Chances are good, if your child is playing Little League, Dixie Youth, Babe Ruth or Cal Ripkin baseball, you are expecting your child to try out for the high school baseball team one day. What does it take to make the high school team? The main three things are body build, playing skill, and pure luck.  

THE IMPORTANCE OF BODY BUILD IN BASEBALL

I know that many of you are saying “Body Build” is not very important in baseball. I know and realize that size and height are less important in baseball than basketball and football. You do not have to block or tackle to play baseball. Baseball is not a game played in the rafters of a gym. But, “Body Build” is not all about body size to me. When I talk about “Body build”, I mean more than height and size. Body build to me includes all of the results of a player’s work and training to build strength, stamina, endurance, power and speed. The players that dominate at each level are the ones that have the dominate bat speed, dominate pitch velocity, and the faster feet.   

THE IMPORTANCE OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT IN BASEBALL

The next important key to becoming a great high school, college or major league baseball player is playing skill development. If you are going to get to the next level, you have got to learn to play the game! Personal instruction by a baseball hitting coach, baseball pitching coach, and great baseball instruction and teaching of baseball fundamentals, early in youth baseball, are so important to baseball skill building. Many advanced players today rely on baseball indoor hitting facilities, year round baseball training and travel baseball that’s played all year. These things help, but the main thing is for a player and his parent to take an interest in the game and become students of the game. You have got to do your baseball homework if you are going to maximize baseball skill development. Baseball homework is that extra work you do in the off-season and at home year round. Your baseball homework many include a backyard pitching mound, a backyard batting cage, baseball training equipment, or one-on-one training with a baseball instructor.  

THE IMPORTANCE OF LUCK IN BASEBALL

Many people do not believe in luck. They say luck has nothing to do with winning or success. They say luck is made in practice time. Many others have a different opinion, they say that it is better to be lucky than to be good. I have a different attitude toward luck. I know that we are all lucky to get a chance to grow up in such a great country and to play such a great game as baseball, but I am talking about a different kind of luck a player must have to succeed in baseball. A player must be lucky and get top quality coaching early in life! Fate is a better word for what I am talking about. It is good luck that a player gets chosen on a little league team with a coach that takes special interest in a player and dedicates a great amount of time and energy in making that player better. It is good luck for a youth player to have a parent or coach that knows how to motivate and inspire that kid to keep working and practicing to get better.  Players are extremely lucky to have the right inspiration and instruction during their childhood playing days. The coach they have may be a streak of good or bad luck depending on the attitude and competence level of the coach.  Getting the right coach is a great stroke of luck!   Yes, I believe body build, playing skill and luck are the 3 keys to high school baseball success. Good luck to your child and his or her team. Happy Hitting, Coach Nick.

Visit the Baseball Coaching Digest Blog for daily post and articles on every aspect of coaching baseball. The Baseball Coaching Digest Blog. Check out the Bat Action Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

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If you need a tryout format for your league, All-Stars, or for an individual team, here are some good guidelines that are flexible and give coaches a good idea of the players’ abilities.

Make sure you run them. Whatever distances your bases are, make sure they run a dash from home to first and a dash from home to second. Time and log everything!

HINT: Run them side by side if you are running in the outfield. The competition makes for better times.

Hitting will make or break a team. Have a coach or a consistent pitching machine throw about 10 pitches to every player. Giving only 3 or 4 pitches may eliminate some good hitters. Don’t always look for the guy who can knock one over the fence if he strikes out a lot. Look for the guys who hit the ball hard, hopefully gap doubles. While some players are hitting, make sure you have other groups doing something else, such as running or fielding. Don’t put all the guys on the field and have them play a game…..yet. When picking your team, always pick the guy that may hit for average and hopefully, some power. Remember, base hits will win you more ball games than the occasional long ball.

Fielding…. When hitting to them, make sure you hit pop ups, grounders, line drives, slow rollers, and make them go right and left. I would take a guy who is a below average hitter and an above average fielder rather than a good hitter and a poor fielder (you just run out of places to hide them on defense, especially if you have more than one of this type of player). Offense wins games but pitching and defense prevents losses. Another potential problem to avoid is the guy that is very limited to one position. This absolutely will hurt you more than you can imagine. You will find yourself realigning an entire team’s defense when that one catcher-only or 1st baseman-only player is on your roster.

Let me list what positions need what attributes:

Catcher- Needs to be a very loud, aware take charge guy; May be even the smartest and most baseball-knowledgeable player on your team. You can’t have a slow catcher, he must be agile and quick. If not, sooner or later it will come back to haunt you.

1st baseman- Also can’t be very slow or it will hurt you. He must be able to cover some ground as more infield errors occur from bad throws than missed balls!

2nd baseman- Quick hands and quick feet. Doesn’t have to be very big so he needs to be able to make contact at the plate especially if he is small and doesn’t bring too much pop with the bat.

Shortstop- The leader of your infield and very quick and hopefully, fast. If he can’t cover the whole left side of the infield, than he should be a 2nd baseman. Should be very athletic and maybe your leadoff or #2 hitter.

3rd baseman- Strong arm, doesn’t have to be the quickest but should be able to cover the line because your shortstop will cover to his left if he can’t reach it. The older the player, the more he is looked at as a power guy.

Left Fielder- Should be able to charge in very well because he needs to play deeper than most of your outfielders due to so many right-handed pull hitters. Doesn’t need the best arm but couldn’t hurt.

Center Fielder- Good to great arm, should be one of the best and quickest athletes on your team. If he can’t cover much ground, don’t pick him or put him in left or right if he has a superior arm. He gives the corner outfielders confidence. Remember…the game is won “Up the Middle”!

Right Fielder- Big arm, needs to make the longest throws on the field. Again, the older the player, the more he is expected to hit for power. Doesn’t need great speed, covers limited amount of ground.

Always watch players warm up and practice when they are not “in the spotlight;” that will tell you a lot about how they play.

Always make sure most of your team can pitch or catch. You can never run out of those. Pitchers at the younger levels tend to be the most athletic and/or advanced players.

In the end, play a game. Here’s the best idea I have. Line them up and number off by threes. The 1’s hit, the 2’s play infield, and the 3’s play outfield. A coach or machine pitches. Start them with a 1 ball and 1 strike count to speed it up. Pitch average fastball speed for the age group, nothing on either extreme. You will see a lot of repetitions, situations etc. and the guys will relax and have some fun.

Remember, kids know how to play, some just don’t “test” as well as others.

Coach JP’s Note:

When evaluating baseball talent…

Think Arm Speed, Bat Speed, Foot Speed

And never forget, attitude, and all that that implies.

http://www.baseballtips.com/

Baseball tips & youth baseball equipment, training aids & instruction! It’s all here for baseball coaching of pitchers & hitters, little league to high school.

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