Baseball Coaching Digest - What is the Most Important Thing in Coaching Little League Baseball?

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By Nick Dixon

If you ask 100 baseball coaches the question, "What is the Most Important Thing in Baseball?", you will get a wide variety of answers. Some will say winning is the most important thing. Some will say that "expecting to win" is the most important thing. Others will say that helping kids grow, mature, and develop a sincere love for the game is the most important reason for playing baseball. When I ask myself this question, I have one simple answer. This articles explains what I feel that the most important thing in baseball to me is that I see some level of improvement every day.

This "level of improvement" can be in any aspect of the game. I may leave practice knowing that our team improved their knowledge and skill in defending the bunt. I may leave a game knowing that our team, although we lost, learned how to "come back" and compete when we were down by 4 and made it a one run loss at the end.

You may see an improvement in team unity, team chemistry, or team leadership. You may see a certain player show improvement in pitching control, hitting the off-speed pitch, or reading the pitcher to get a better jump when stealing a base. See these improvements are what coaching and playing baseball is all about.

Is it better for a team to show absolutely no improvement in a season and go undefeated because they dominate their league or for a team to play.500 baseball on the season, but show incredible levels of improvement from the top of the lineup to the bottom? You see what I mean? Improvement is the "name of the game". Improvement is what coaching baseball is all about.

Coaches must keep in mind that only half of the teams that play every day, win. The other half lose. Should 50% of the coaches feel their day was a total loss ever day they play? When it comes to playoffs it is a fact that less than 1/100 of 1 percent of all baseball teams will end their season with a win each year. The other 99.999 % of the teams will find themselves ending their season with a loss or not being in the playoffs.

Now, I want you to know that I value winning as much as any coach on this planet. But what I am saying is that coaches must make winning a goal and getting better a priority. You should feel satisfaction when you see improvement on a daily basis. If you do not see improvement, chances are that you will find it difficult to win anyway. So the message here is to make it known to you team that you want to see them improve as players and as a team every day in some way. It is their job to make it happen. It is your job to give them the opportunity to do so in practices and games.

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Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

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The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Baseball Tips on Hitting - The Most Common Hitting Problem at Any Level of Play

By Larry Cicchiello

If you have what is referred to as a "quick hip," please forgive my bluntness but you will have no chance of being a successful baseball hitter.

Only on an inside pitch, can you get away with opening the front hip a little bit early.

A "quick hip" is when the front hip opens a fraction of a second early. It is a common hitting problem and a very serious one for many hitters at all levels of play. The swing itself should force the front hip open.

If the hip is a fraction of a second too quick, it forces your front side to open too early and this is a recipe for disaster for a baseball player at any level of play.

Three Major Problems Occur if You Have A Quick Hip:

1. You will not see the ball well. Your head will go along for the ride with your "quick hip" and you will be looking at the ball out of the corner of your eyes when the moment of truth arrives and you attempt to actually hit the ball.

2. Your power will be lost. You will be leaning toward third base if you are a right-handed hitter or toward first base if you are a left-handed hitter. That is NOT where the hitting is taking place. The hitting is taking place in front of you, not to the left or right of you.

3. Your plate coverage will be POOR. The only pitch you'll be able to hit with any success at all is the inside pitch and low and away pitches will cause many problems for you as a baseball hitter.

I wonder how much young players who are struggling at the plate would improve considerably if they made this fairly simple adjustment at the plate.

Keeping the front hip closed is one of the best baseball tips on hitting you will ever hear.

How common is the hitting problem of having a "quick hip"? You can check it out for yourself.

When watching a game live in person or on TV at any level of play, observe the weaker hitters. (The ones who are batting .220, .230 or .240) Keep an eye on their front hip. In almost all cases, it will be opening too early.

On the other side of the coin, you can also check out the better hitters. They will be keeping their front hip closed!

Larry Cicchiello is the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." His site offers many FREE baseball tips on hitting, baseball pitching tips, baseball coaching drills, baseball fielding tips, etc. You will be FULLY EQUIPPED! You can visit his website at http://www.larrybaseball.com/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Cicchiello

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See the “Original” Rotational Hitting Machine at BatAction.com. Are you looking for the perfect trainer to teach proper timing and swing mechanics? You can stop looking and go to HandsBackHitter.com.

Mental Training and Goal Setting

By Nate Barnett

Each year I work with teams of youth baseball players in teaching them the values of the mental game of baseball. Just as there are skills needed to develop the physical side of the sport, there are skills necessary to build the mental side of the game as well. Unfortunately, teaching the mental game is a bit more difficult to teach because the results aren't necessary visible as quickly. Let me assure you however, if you have goals of playing baseball at the collegiate level or above, you will need a sold mental game if you are going to excel.

One of the first things I teach kids is set proper goals. This usually sounds a bit dry and boring, but it's important that a game plan is created in order to form a path to follow as an athlete. There are three important steps involved in setting goals that are functional. Broad goals, process goals, and action habits. Let me explain those below.

If we are talking about a season to season focus, broad goals are essentially what you want to accomplish by the end of the season. These should be something you can measure like batting average, fielding percentage, stolen bases, etc.

Process goals are the middle level of goal setting. There are the things you need to solve or improve upon in order to accomplish your broad goals. They should be specific as far as the things you are going to do daily, but they should be areas in your game that need immediate improvement. So let's say you have a season goal of hitting .400. A process goal would be to improve on your ability to hit off speed pitches. Or, it could be that you need to work on what pitches you choose to swing at.

The last part of this goal setting process is your daily action habits. These are the day to day things that you will do to get better at accomplishing your process goals. Using the example from above, if you process goal is to get better at hitting off speed pitches, your daily action habit might be to spend 15 minutes in the batting cage working on hitting a curveball. Whatever you choose to make it, it should be something that has a time frame attached to it.

Nate Barnett is owner of BMI Baseball designed to improve the mental game of baseball in athletes. Come download a free ebook on dealing with failure and the mental game of baseball.

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10 Tips to Help Players Get Through the Baseball Season

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By Jack Perconte

In my opinion, there is no sport that requires the whole body skills and concentration that baseball requires. Hitting, fielding and throwing are all difficult skills to perfect. Inevitably, all players endure disappointing performances at some point in the season. The most obvious evidence of the difficulty of baseball is that college drafted players almost never make it to the major leagues without years of continued grooming in the minor leagues. This is different than any other major sport where the best college players are proficient enough to go straight to the big time.

Because of this difficulty, great patience is required by all as baseball players develop skills and knowledge of the game from year to year. Disappointment and frustration can easily set in playing baseball. Additionally, there is very little time between games in a baseball season so once a slump sets in, the season or career can be ruined if people panic at these difficult times. It is important that parents and coaches help players get through these times so total frustration does not set in and so players do not get to the point where they want to quit playing. Unfortunately, many talented athletes leave the sport at a young age because there is not adequate patience shown and encouragement given by adults.

Following is advice for adults when ball players inevitably struggle:

1. Encourage kids to have long-range goals so they do not feel overwhelming pressure to do well each and every game. For example, making the high school team is a good goal for young ball players. A good goal for all players to have is simply being better at their skills at the end of the season than they were at the beginning of the season; this is not always a given.
2. Do not show own frustration in front of kids. Stay as upbeat as possible.
3. Give kids a few days totally away from the game during a rough stretch, if possible, and keep the talk about baseball to a minimum during this time.
4. Remind hard working players that practice pays off eventually, and remind not so hard workers that good results only come with hard work.
5. Remind players that you always believe in them and that they are so much more than what they do on a playing field.
6. A little joke about their play, at the appropriate time, can get them to laugh about it and release some of the tension.
7. Along the same lines, occasionally reminding them of times they did well is good.
8. Watching a bloopers tape can provide some laughs and help players realize everyone makes mistakes, even the great players.
9. Trying to get players to "smile" when on the playing field can relieve tension and help them understand that they should not take the game and themselves too serious.
10. False praise is never advised, but trying to point out little things where the player improved at or did well in a game can be helpful.

Finally, saying "forget about it" to your kids after a tough game when it was apparent that they played hard can go a long way to keeping it all in perspective. Of course, these are helpful tips that can be used with athletes of any sport.

Jack Perconte is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his positive parenting advice and books can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com. Former major league baseball player Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball playing lessons, books and advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Perconte

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The Baseball Player - Bryce Harper

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By David Olmst

As a high-school baseball player, Bryce Harper was 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 205 lbs, this is huge for a kid his age. However, that doesn't keep Little League players from looking up to him. "He is a great role model," says one Little Leaguer, "he makes me feel like I can do impossible things like he does." With all due respect, why does this young fellow look up to him in awe? Right now, Bryce Harper will be the number one draft pick in the 2010 Major league Baseball Draft by the Washington Nationals and be part of the select few who will play professional baseball at the age of 17.

We can't just look at these achievements; he is already hitting home runs that are setting records. On record, he hit an amazing 502 foot home run during the 2009 International Power Showcase at the Tropicana field. He had the honor of being on the cover of Sports Illustrated because of his 570 foot home run. Harper is becoming quite popular with middle and high-school students, even gaining support from some parents of young baseball players. Not many parents would support a decision to drop out of high school to train for a hard earned baseball career, but Bryce's parents did. As per with Major League rules, however, he will be finishing his GED before the draft, probably during the summer of 2009.

Bryce Harper began swinging his baseball bat at the age of three. Little leagues from all over the country were scouting Harper to play for them when he was 8; they even offered to pay for hotels and airfare if he would play for their team. The people, who knew Bryce from his childhood, knew he was going to accomplish the impossible. Harper's natural skill with the sport of baseball is undoubtedly incredible, and could be called a "once in a generation" genetic lottery.

In addition to being a role model based on skills alone, he also possesses a determination and dedication to the sport of baseball that should be admired even by veteran players. A lot of coaches who have watched Harper play baseball, say his dedication is that of the old time baseball players; he wants to play well and do his best for the team he is playing for. The parents of Bryce Harper never did any pushing of baseball throughout his childhood. Ron Harper, Bryce's father, is adamant about this.

"We have to do what's best for him. All he wants to do is play baseball. He always has. The best thing we can do as parents is to do what is right for his future."

It could be said that a lot of Bryce Harper's admirable characteristics come from his supportive family. Every strong baseball player needs a support system, and his family seems to behind all of Bryce's choices all of the time. Besides just playing baseball, Bryce Harper does it all such as play football, snowboard and do anything else he wants to do. Bryce Harper's parents state he is still a normal, average Joe, even though he quit playing football. With his amazing proficiency at baseball, inspirational achievements and determined attitude, it's clear that Bryce Harper has the potential to be a strong role model for other young baseball players.

David Olmst has been writing about Bryce Harper since he hit the news years back. Bryce Harper home run is what got David interest in him. David strongly believes in the baseball player Bryce Harper because of his skills.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Olmst



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If you are looking for great coaching articles, please consider one of our sites: The BaseballCoachingDigest.com, the YouthBaseballDigest.com or the BaseballParentGuide.com. Have a safe and happy season! Nick Dixon

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See the “Original” Rotational Hitting Machine at BatAction.com. Are you looking for the perfect trainer to teach proper timing and swing mechanics? You can stop looking and go to HandsBackHitter.com.

Baseball Coaching Digest - Can a Baseball Player Ruin His Baseball Swing by Playing Golf?

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By Nick Dixon

One question that I am frequently asked is whether a baseball swing can be ruined by playing golf. I have rather strong feeling concerning this topic. It is my opinion that playing golf can ruin a baseball swing in certain circumstances.

There are four circumstances that determine how harmful or detrimental playing golf is for a baseball swing. Those four different circumstances are:

1. How hard did the baseball player have to work to master his baseball swing? Was it difficult for the player to perfect his baseball swing?

The chances that the golf swing will harm the baseball swing are greater if the player is less skilled, a mechanical learner, or had a difficult time learning to swing the baseball bat properly. And if a young kid has not yet mastered the baseball swing, the last thing he needs to do is to go play a couple rounds of golf. If the player is a baseball player that has to work hard at keeping his swing tuned, I would recommend that the golf be played after he season is over.

2. What time of year is the golf being played?

Timing is everything! That certainly can be said for playing golf in the middle of baseball season. I would strongly try to discourage baseball players from taking to the links right before a big game, the league championships or just as the playoffs are beginning.

I do not see anything wrong with playing golf out of season. But I would not experiment with my golf game during baseball season. I have two reasons for this; 1) Muscle soreness may result from swinging the golf club. 2) The player may pick up a bad habit that may hurt his baseball swing at a crucial time of the season.

3. How much golf is being played?

The main reason I ask this question is that I want to know what is being neglected to get the time to play golf. If golf is becoming a daily activity, then what time sacrifices are being made? Has the player cut back on baseball practice time to play golf? Is the player taking his golf more serious than his baseball? I want my players eating, breathing and sleeping baseball. I do not mind if they play an occasional round of golf. But, if it is being taken to the extreme, I need to know. I want that player to stay focused on what he needs to do to help his baseball team. If he is considering playing golf over baseball, then that is an off season decision that he and his family must make. In the meantime, I need his full commitment and his "sense of urgency" should be in the sport of baseball.

4. How athletic is the player?

Some kids are such a gifted athlete that playing golf every day of the season does not affect their baseball swing. They know that both the golf and baseball swings are basically the same swing but the ball is just at a different level. They feel that playing golf helps them to learn to better focus their eyes on the baseball. These players are so talented and skilled they feel that that each swing type helps the other by relating back certain points to focus on.

Therefore, I feel that the more talented, more athletic, and more mentally confident a player in, the less the chances are that his swing will be harmed by playing golf.

Coaching Point: In all of these factors, there is a mental side to the controversy. You and I know that every player has heard or been told, more than once, "If you play golf, your baseball swing will suffer." If he does go to the course and plays a round of golf and his first couple at-bats are bad ones, there may be a beginning of a "mental slump" or the player may question, in his mind" "Is my swing as good as it was?"

So in conclusion, you may ask, "Should I allow my Child to Play Golf"? My answer is simple, consider, the factors I have discussed and make the best decision for your child. However, if you child shows the potential to be a future prospect in baseball, keep him off the golf course, and in the batting cage instead.

I hope that you found this article to be informative and interesting. I really appreciate you taking the tile to read it. I wish you and your team the best of luck in the coming season. Have a great day, Nick.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. 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, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

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The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Baseball Fielding Tips - Very Common Throwing Problems and How You Can Fix Them!

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By Larry Cicchiello

Here is a list of some common throwing problems, why they are happening and how they can be fixed:

Throws Are Overthrown and Sailing High:

There is a very good chance that you are not raising your throwing elbow to shoulder height. I've witnessed this hundreds of times over the years. Watch closely to replays on TV when infielders overthrow their first baseman and the throw sails high. In almost every case, you will see the infielder did not raise his elbow high enough when making the throw. Just remember, "elbow too low, ball high." In essence, the ball is being "pushed" and not actually thrown. Another possibility for overthrowing your target is you may be releasing the ball before your landing foot hits the ground.

Under Throwing the Ball:

The problem is usually at your release point. If you release the ball too late, your throw will almost definitely be too low. Another strong possibility is that your front shoulder is dipping down below your throwing shoulder. If your front shoulder dips, there is a good chance your throw will be low and short of your target. Whenever possible, make sure that your shoulders stay level throughout the throwing motion.

General Erratic Throwing:

There is no substitute for spending time practicing your throwing. If you throw the ball every day, your throwing will improve. It simply has to. Just remember, every time you throw a baseball you should aim for a target. It's one of the simplest yet most important baseball fielding tips for improving throwing. If having a catch with someone, aim for their left shoulder, then their right shoulder, left hip, right hip, etc. Every time you throw a baseball, aim for something! How can this possibly not help? It has to help and it will help you tremendously.

If throwing erratically, the problem could very well be in your footwork. Not getting their feet set up properly is a very common problem, especially with youngsters. Their feet are not set when they throw the ball because of their impatience to want to throw the ball too soon. Their arm is ready but their footwork is not ready yet. They have no balance or foundation. Like we mentioned above, keep your shoulders level and keep them square to your target. Make sure your front foot is pointing to your target and your back foot lined up like you are pitching and using the pitching rubber.

Once again, every time you throw a baseball, aim for a target. There is no way on earth that this will not help you out tremendously!

Larry Cicchiello is the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." His very user friendly eBooks cover 320 topics on playing or coaching excellent baseball. ANY players, coaches or parents who want to help their child improve will be fully equipped! Some FREE tips are available at http://www.LarryBaseball.com/product/all

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Cicchiello


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Youth Baseball Digest - What is the "ERA" in Baseball? How Do You Calculate Baseball Pitching "ERA"?

By Nick Dixon


In baseball, the Earned Run Average or ERA of a pitcher is a number representing the average number of earned runs allowed by the pitcher in normal amount of innings in a regulation game. Earned Run Average is a statistic by which a performances of a pitcher is judged. It is a quick way to evaluate a ability of a pitcher and compare his performance to other pitchers on the team and on opposing teams. The higher the ERA, the more runs the pitcher has allowed. Pitchers with good ERAs are considered better performers than pitcher with high ERAs. The Earned Run Average is calculated with a simple mathematical formula.

This article clearly explains how to calculate a Pitching ERA.

Earned Run Average or ERA is number representing the average number of earned runs allowed by a pitcher in a nine innings. The ERA is calculated by taking the number of earned runs allowed by the total number of innings pitched and then you multiply that number by 9. You do count runs score by batters that get on base because of an error are considered unearned runs. Unearned runs do not count toward a pitchers Earned Run Average.

The simple formula for calculating ERA is: (earned runs / innings pitched) x 9 (6 or 7)depending on number of innings played in your league.
Here are points that you need to remember when calculating the ERA of your pitchers:
1. You can convert everything to a 6 or 7 inning format by using 7 in place of 9. This should be done if your league plays 6 or 7 innings. See examples shown below:
Example: 9 Inning Format A pitcher has given up 10 runs and has pitched 10 innings, that pitcher has an ERA of 10 x 9 = 9.00.
Example: 7 Inning Format A pitcher has given up 10 runs and has pitched 10 innings, that pitcher has an ERA of 10 x 7 = 7.00.
Example: 6 Inning Format A pitcher has given up 10 runs and has pitched 10 innings, that pitcher has an ERA of 10 x 6 = 6.00.
2. An earned run is any run that is scored due to the pitching of the pitcher.
3. Each out counts as 1/3 of another inning, and any men base runners on base when the pitcher is taken out of the game are counted against that pitcher.
4. ERA is generally measured to two decimal points.
5. The two base statistics needed to calculate ERA are the earned runs allowed by the pitcher and the total innings he has pitched.
I hope that you found this article informative. I thank you for taking the time to read it. luck in the coming season. Have a great day! Nick

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. 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, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

How to Turn Good Practice Hitters Into Game Hitters

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By Jack Perconte

One of the most repeated comments from parents of my students was, "They kill the ball in practice, but not in games." There are a lot of "5 o'clock" (batting practice) hitters, as opposed to "7:30 " (game) hitters. This is one of the most perplexing situations of baseball for parents, players and coaches. Hitters, who absolutely pound the ball in batting practice and then fail to hit during games, create much frustration and even drive some to give up playing baseball. There are a number of reasons why hitters hit in batting practice but not in games including the lack of fear or nervousness that may exist in games. Players often tense up in a game, which throws their focus off.

Usually however, there are two main reasons why hitters hit in practice but not in games.

1. Their swing fundamentals are not as good as they appear. Often, it appears to the untrained eye that hitters have great swings but in reality their swings have some fundamental flaws.

2. The hitters are not being challenged enough in practice. Coaches have good intentions in batting practice of building their hitters' confidence by laying the ball in the strike zone at hittable speeds. However, if the batting practice is not game like with different speeds and different pitches, it does not necessarily benefit hitters and they only gain false confidence.

What can be done to help hitters become good game hitters?

1. Coaches should continue to give players hitting drills that address their fundamental, problem areas. Once the season starts, hitters often stop the fundamental drill work that they did in preseason. Tee work and soft toss work keep players focused on contact points and mechanics and should be continues throughout the season. They are essential for hitters to stay sharp.
2. Coaches should have a trained hitting coach observe the struggling hitters and make suggestions how to help their fundamentals. Often, just one little fundamental tip can lead to much more success.
3. Putting hitters in game like situations as often as possible in practice is good. Hitters will begin to develop game confidence and the feeling like they "have been there before" when in actual games.
4. Coaches should challenge hitters in batting practice with game like speeds and with changing speeds (age appropriate, of course). Hitters often adjust on their own, without fundamental help, when they are challenged enough. Coaches should not allow total frustration to appear in hitters by over-challenging them, though.
5. Of course, patience and encouragement with struggling game hitters is always necessary. Coaching statements like "you can do it" and "I believe in you" are great confidence builders and confidence is very important for hitters.

Finally, coaches should not give up on struggling players because "any hitter willing to listen, learn and practice is not beyond hope." I have known many hitters who became very good game hitters after years of struggle because players stayed committed to practice and coaches remained positive and encouraging towards them.

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball playing lessons, books and advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his positive parenting advice and books can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com/
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jack_Perconte

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Little League Baseball Rules

HandsBackHitter.com - Perfect Swing Trainer

By Wiley Channell and Brownee Channell


Little League baseball isn't just simply a game played by younger players, there are a number of different rules when compared to official baseball. Anyone coaching a Little League team will have to know the variations in order to teach younger players properly.


Differences in Field Layout


When playing Little League baseball, the field is usually sized about 2/3 of a regulation ball diamond -- instead of 90 feet between the bases, there should only be 60 feet.


The pitcher stands 46 feet away from the batter's box, rather than the 60 1/2 feet for regulation baseball.


Game Rules


All players on the roster will play 2 innings in the field at a minimum, and have the opportunity to bat at least once.


Also, any players who leave the game can return, as long as their substitutes also get to play 2 innings and have one at-bat.


A game of Little League baseball lasts for 6 innings instead of 9.- A game is declared over once either side gets a 10-run lead over the other team.


After the 3rd strike, the hitter is out. It does not matter if the catcher holds on to the ball on the third strike.


There are no designated hitters in Little League baseball. All 9 players come up to bat according to their position in the roster.


All runners have to stay on base until the ball reaches the batter when pitched.


There are limits to the number of pitches any player can throw, based on age. For example an 11-year-old can only throw 85 pitches but an 8-year-old is limited to 50. Rest periods are also given to pitchers, depending on how many have been thrown.


A manager can visit the pitcher on the mound twice during an inning, unlike the regulation limit of once.


If a game is called on account of rain, it will count as an officially complete game if four innings have been played. If the home team is head, then only 3 1/2 innings are needed.


Double-headers can only be held once per week at a maximum, unless one of the games is played to continue a suspended tie game from earlier.
About Author:Wiley B. Channell is the editor of BaseballFarming.com - the information resource for baseball fans and players. Find more about famous baseball players at his site.


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Bat Rolling Baseball Bats - What You Need to Know

Advanced Skills Tees - The Best Batting Tee in Baseball

By Brock Gibson

Baseball bats are the most widely produced bat in the United States. In addition, composites have overtaken the top manufactured position that aluminum sticks held for so long. With the new era of composite material, they are more durable and better performing. The performance is not limited to the distance and pop of the first hit, it will actually get "hotter" with use. There has been a scandal or controversy in the NCAA about rolled composite bats and they have decided to go back to aluminum. The problem might not have been with the bat rolling aspect but with the increased MPH achieved through the breaking in process; naturally through batting practice or the rolling process.

Big barrel baseball bats have composite that is more durable (thicker) than any other type. This is part of the reason they hit "hardballs" and not softballs. Baseball bats do pose a problem to rolling companies who want to break it in through advanced break in techniques. The barrel is rounder and shorter than others are. The perpendicular roll of a baseball bat is more difficult due to this fact. If you are not familiar with what rolling accomplishes I will go over it real quick; The resin is broken upon within the composite which gives the bat more flexibility (trampoline effect) and equates to more distance. A complete roll of a baseball stick is impossible with a perpendicular roll only, the taper will pose the biggest obstacle. This problem is alleviated with a parallel rolling after the perpendicular roll is completed. The parallel roll will cover the entire sweet spot of the baseball bat's barrel.

As I said before, the baseball bat's composite is thicker and more durable than any other type of bat. For this fact, some rollers will break down after repeated baseball bat rolling. The bearings and softer nylon rollers will not hold up under the added pressure, this is why some bat rolling companies have changed there roller material and changed their type of bearings the bat rolling machines utilize. The roller material change is the biggest advancement. Because so much pressure is needed to compress composite baseball bats the nylon rollers "warp" or deform to the bat and correct pressure cannot be achieved. This deforming of the nylon roller and added pressure causes the break down of these types of bat rolling machines.

Getting back to the issue of rolling baseball bats; a bat rolling machine with upgraded rollers are needed to properly roll big barrel baseball bats, the nylon rollers will not create enough pressure on the surface of the bat.
After a big barrel has been rolled you can expect 20-35 feet of distance to your batted ball, assuming the bat is 34 inches in length. The longer the barrel the more flex or trampoline effect occurs. Therefore, as the barrel length decreases the flex decreases by an inch. In my experiences, the distance lost due to a smaller length barrel is about 5 feet every inch. So, that means big barrel bats under 30 inches will only gain about 5-10 feet.
In Summary, big barrel baseball bats can be rolled with good distance results but some factors can decrease that distance.

Nylon rollers can deform under the high pressure needed for the more dense and thick big barrel baseball bat material. A harder roller material is needed to properly roll a big barrel bat. The length of the bat is also a factor in the distance gained, a shorter length equals a small decrease in distance gained. Big barrel bats will gain distance to your batted ball when properly rolled.
Click for upgraded Bat Rolling Machines.

Click to find Big Barrel Baseball Bat Rolling.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Brock_Gibson

The 4 Best Batting Tees in Baseball:
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Youth Baseball Life Skills and the Iron Man Award

By Robert Bulka

Do you want to teach your kids about life? Do you want to teach them how to interact socially? How about learning sportsmanship, leadership skills, respect, discipline and other skills essential in life? Youth baseball leagues are the perfect venue. Youth baseball has everyone you need to teach your kids important lessons about life in general. And at the end of the baseball season, it makes sense to reinforce the lessons by acknowledging the achievements each player has made in this respect.

Leadership

Good leaders are made, not born. Young baseball players can learn the qualities that make someone a leader, including: education, training, and experience. Inspiring youth baseball players requires them to be able to get the whole team working together.

A good youth baseball coach should be able to provide every player the ability to act in a leadership by using some very simple techniques. They can empower each of them in a team captain role during practices, or they can assign tasks that require them to delegate responsibilities to their teammates.

Sportsmanship

Youth baseball leagues are a great vehicle for teaching our youth about sportsmanship. When we talk about sportsmanship, we are talking about playing fair, following the rules of the game, respecting the judgement of the umpires and treating players, parents and coaches with respect. Sportsmanship also includes courtesy and grace in losing. Youth baseball is a great proving ground for applying real life experiences to teaching this skill. As a youth baseball coach or parent, if you find yourself in the position where a sportsmanship issue needs to be addressed; do it alone and away from the rest of the players. There is no need to embarrass anyone.

Teamwork

Teamwork is an life skill to teach our kids. It is particularly important for a baseball team to function like a well-oiled machine. If just one member of the infield is unwilling to act as a member of the team, an entire game could be lost. Therefore, all members of a baseball team need to work together in order to encourage, applaud and truly give each play their all. As a parent, it is important to be part of the team by attending practices and games, cheering for every child on the field and celebrating the successes of each and every child involved in the games.

Competition

Youth baseball is a way to teach our kids about competition. Children who get involved with sports at an early age are more likely to maintain a good level of fitness and activity throughout their life. Youth baseball league competition helps kids boost self-confidence, improve coordination, and build discipline, focus and respect. Team sports teach social skills and cooperation, and give kids a solid foundation and sense of belonging and partnership.

Developing a child's competitiveness while teaching them to both win and lose gracefully can help them tackle the obstacles and accept the setbacks that life will naturally encompass. Many adults who are leaders and volunteers in the community are giving their time and experience to help make the sport(s) they enjoyed as youngsters enjoyable for another generation of children.

Overcoming Adversity

How critical is it to be able to overcome adversity. The game of baseball is full of adversity. Consider that a good batting average is considered anything over .300. A pitcher is considered good if his winning percentage is over .500. players make errors and strikeout. Youth baseball teaches kids how to come back after adversity. Each time a youth baseball player comes up to bat or goes into the field, they have a chance to redeem themselves from a previous failure. Overcoming adversity gives the kids confidence in themselves and gives them the feeling they can accomplish anything. Overcoming adversity is all about gaining confidence.

Hustle

Why is hustle a life skill? Hustle is an important indicator of work ethic. What employer wants a worker how is doesn't give their all? The same is true in youth baseball - lack of hustle is viewed negatively and is frowned upon. It is important for youth baseball coaches to emphasize hustle. This means running on and off the field, running out hits, fly outs and ground ball outs. Hustle is a true quality of a champion and shows passion.

Discipline

Discipline can be defined as a system of rules of conduct or method of practice, being well behaved, self control and training to improve strength. When we talk about discipline in youth baseball, we are talking about players being able to take constructive criticism, and then applying the advice given by the coach. It also is about having good behavior and controlling emotions, both on and off the field. In this day and age discipline seems to be the one life skill that many of our children need most.

Today's family structure is much different than the past. Kids parents are divorced or they come from a single parent home, which means the parents may not be able to put in the time. The may cut them slack because they feel guilty about not being there for them. Discipline is a life skill that our children will need to be successfully in life.

Acknowledge Success and Accomplishments

It's important to acknowledge the accomplishments of each and every player on your youth baseball team. You obviously need to reward those who have excelled in the physical accomplishments, such as the progress make in hitting, catching and pitching. But also reward them for the accomplishments made in the skills described.

But there is one more life skill that is very important for the development of our children. It is perfect attendance and being punctual to all youth baseball practices and games. This is so important, that our youth baseball league has created an Iron Man award.

IronMan - Perfect Attendance

The Iron Man award was conceived by a few coaches who wanted to reward the kids who were committed to their team. It was based on Cal Ripken's record of playing in a record 2,632 straight games spanning sixteen seasons, from May 30, 1982 to September 20, 1998. The award is given to every player who has attended every day of school and every baseball game in the season. Each recipient is awarded a cash prize (usually a U.S Savings Bond between $100 and $250 provided by local businesses) and featured in the local paper.

What an outstanding way to influence our kids futures. Not only does it make the kids and their parents proud, but it makes the whole community proud and gives kid good publicity instead of the never ending pounding of isolated negative incidents of America's youth. What a great way to support and encourage the future of our communities.

Robert is a youth baseball coach who is concerned with teaching our children life skills through the experiences in baseball.

Teach Kids Baseball is devoted to providing tips and techniques for coaches, parents and players involved in youth baseball.

He also recommends instructional baseball ebooks

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Bulka

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Rediscovering the Magic of Youth Baseball

By Dave Rosene

I have seen significant changes how youth baseball has been 'taught' in the U.S. since the 1960's, and the changes haven't been positive. I didn't say coached because coaching refers to strategy and competition, and the concentration of youth baseball must be on skill development, rules understanding, and team play. We need teaching coaches for that, because today's players show deficiencies in these areas more than previous generations. When people of my era started playing baseball, it was the most popular sport in America and engrained in our culture. There were many different forms that helped improve individual skills: fast pitch, whiffle ball, ledge, penner, or just throwing popups to yourself, and we didn't need parents to organize these activities. We called our friends who would call their friends, we threw off walls or our house steps, and we had games with whoever was around and made up our own rules. We became better players by thinking or playing baseball every day. Plus we learned the game by watching baseball on television or going to major league games if we were lucky enough to get tickets.

Most youth American players today lack the knowledge and experience that we had because they have more options to take up their free time and they therefore have varied interests. By not spending more time practicing, playing, or watching baseball, they are lagging behind kids from other countries in skill development and general baseball knowledge. Why do Latin American players dominate professional baseball? In most cases playing baseball is the only sport available to kids there to participate in, and by playing constantly they progress quickly.

Can we and should we go back in time to help our youth rediscover the magic of baseball? How can we, as teachers and coaches, make the game relevant and necessary for players who get distracted and sidetracked easily. We have to show kids what made us love baseball, and pass along that love. That's the challenge we want to take on. In future articles we will discuss how to effectively teach and coach our youth athletes to maximize their talents while identifying the negative methods to avoid that I've seen too much of in the past 30 years.

DNA Sports specializes in personalized baseball and softball skill programs, college recruiting education and preparation, and coaching clinics. Learn more: http://www.dnasportsonline.com

Dave Rosene - Co-Founder, DNA Sports

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Rosene
=================================
If you are looking for great coaching articles, please consider one of our sites: The BaseballCoachingDigest.com, the YouthBaseballDigest.com or the BaseballParentGuide.com. Have a safe and happy season! Nick Dixon

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Youth Baseball Digest - How to Calculate Your Batting Average

By Nick Dixon

Individual and team batting averages are one of the best indicators of how effective your practice drills and game preparation is. Batting average is a simple 3 digit number that expresses how often a batter has gotten a hit for the total number of at-bats. There is a simple formula used to determine your batting average. This articles clearly explains how it is calculated.

Youth Baseball Digest: Calculating your Batting Average

There is a simple formula used to determine your batting average:

H ÷ AB = BA

What the formula is saying is that you divide the total number of hits by the total number of at bats and the resulting number is your average.

If you need it to be broken down into clearly defined steps, here they are:

Step #1 - Count the total number of hits your batter has recorded in the score book, up to this date. This is a task that is made much easier if your keep your individual player per game totals updated after every game.

Step #2 - Count your total number of at-bats that have been recorded up to this date in your score book. This is a task that is made much easier if your keep your individual player game totals updated after every game. At-bats include all hits, strikeouts, reaches on errors, sacrifices, walks, and hit by pitch events.

Step #3 - Now Divide your hits by your at bats to get a number. Round the number to 3 decimal places such as.250,.333 or.257.

Here are other points to remember when calculating your average:

1. The Batting Average is a number with three decimal places that represents a percentage. For example, a batter with a.333 average has gotten on base with a hit 33.33 % of the times he has batted. A batter with a.250 average has gotten on base with a hit 25% of the times he has batted.

2. Getting on base as a result of an error or fielder's choice does not count as a hit on the hit total.

I hope that you found this article to be informative. I really appreciate you taking the time to read it. Good Luck to your team in the coming season. Have a great day, Nick

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. 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, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

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The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Baseball Coaching Digest - 10 Recommended Safety Tips For Making Pitching Machine Use Safer

By Nick Dixon

It is important that all coaches and parents that use a pitching machine with players know the dangers involved. There are definite safety precautions that should be observed to insure the safety of all players, coaches and parents during pitching machine use. This article outlines 10 safety tips that teams and families should remember to follow to insure that no injuries occur during the use of a pitching machine.

1. Never use a pitching machine without a sturdy and safe protective "L" screen used to protect the person feeding the machine. Inspect every protective screen before you use it. Rotten or unsecured netting are dangerous. Look for holes and weak spots in the net that may allow a ball to pass through.

2. Make sure that your electrical connections are safe. An uncovered or exposed electrical wire or connection could cause shock or electrocution.

3. Always test your machine for accuracy before you start throwing pitchers to a batter. Many machines must have the speeds of the wheels set in varying speeds to prevent the ball from knuckling. Carefully read the owner manual to see recommended setting and wheel speeds for various pitches.

4. Always allow each new batter to see a pitch or two before stepping into the batter's box. A batter must have a marked or set spot to assume his stance. An unaware batter may move into the path of the ball if he does not know exactly where the machine is throwing the ball.

5. Make sure that all balls being thrown are of the same type. Different types of balls fly differently. New leather balls fly different from old and worn leather balls. Smooth or worn dimpled pitching machine balls fly different from new dimpled pitching machine balls. Test your balls to know if they fly correctly and accurately.

6. Always check your back drop or back stop area to make sure it is free of anything or anybody that a fouled ball may damage. Any backstop or screen behind the batter should also be checked for holes and weak spots.

7. Never use a new or game bat for batting practice off a pitching machine. The weight of the balls and the speed of the thrown balls can damage expensive thin walled bats.

8. Always make sure that the batter and feeder have on batting helmets. This rule should apply if a player is feeding the pitching machine.

9. When using a pitching machine in a batting cage, make sure that the cage walls on all four sides are overlapping enough on the floor or ground to contain all hit or pitched balls.

10. It is recommended that the person feeding the machine display some sort of arm movement or motion to give the batter an action that simulates live arm action. One commonly used motion is to use two balls. One ball is held in the opposite hand from the hand feeding the balls into the machine. The feeder holds the ball high above the machine feed slot. The feeder slowly drops the ball and touches the back of the hand that is actually dropping the ball into the machine. When that contact is made, the ball is dropped into the machine. This action helps the batter develop a rhythm or timing. This arm motion allows the batter to "tripper" of load and get ready to hit.

I hope these safety tips and precautions are helpful to you. Good luck to you and your team. Have a great day, Nick.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. 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, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

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The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!