March 2, 2011 By The Pitching Academy 1 Comment

Dark Clouds, Tryouts, and the End of the World

Dark Clouds, Tryouts, and the End of The World

High school baseball tryouts started Monday here in Washington. The weather? 40 degrees. Rain. Wind. I love it here.

Monday afternoon I went to help out with the tryouts at a local high school. There wasn’t a huge number of freshmen; the coaches only had to cut a small handful of kids. That part is never enjoyable, I don’t care how many times a coach does it. Fortunately, I didn’t have to be involved in that process. I just threw my two cents in on those I thought should work on their skills some more and give it a shot next year. [Read more...]

February 16, 2011 By The Pitching Academy 1 Comment

Tim Lincecum: Motivated By Fear?

I’ve always been a little fascinated by what athlete draw motivation from. In checking the Spring Training news yesterday, I came across this article about what motivated Tim Lincecum this past off-season.

It’s a good read, and there are a couple sections I’d like to highlight here as they have direct application for athletes as many are ramping up for the season.

So it follows that Lincecum, the 2008 and 2009 National League Cy Young Award winner, goaded himself into throwing more than he ever has this past offseason by dwelling on the worst month of his Major League career.

“That was the lowest of lows I think I’ve ever gone through,” Lincecum said Tuesday, recalling the 0-5 record and 7.82 ERA he recorded in August. “I mean, five losses in a month. I’m lucky it wasn’t six, right?”

“I think sometimes fear can be the best motivation, especially in my situation,” Lincecum said.

“Your legs are what’s going to get you through the season,” Lincecum said. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coaching Pitchers, General Baseball, General Pitching, Mental Game of Baseball Tagged With: Mental Game of Baseball

February 6, 2011 By The Pitching Academy Leave a Comment

Stay Relaxed and Throw Faster

Have you considered that lack of pitching velocity A can be due to being uptight or tense when you throw? Perhaps one of the most difficult things to do as a pitcher is to be explosive yet relaxed at the same time. If you use your legs as leverage and lead with your hips correctly then you are learning to create real momentum toward the plate which leads to an explosive fastball.

Many pitchers never learn how to throw with their legs and hips correctly because they are too tense or flexed when they throw. They don’t do enough reps to know what it “feels” like to throw relaxed yet be explosive.

Don’t know if you are too tense when you throw? Here are a few pointers that will help you find out: [Read more...]

Filed Under: General Pitching, Mental Game of Baseball, Pitching Mechanics, Pitching Velocity Tagged With: How to Throw Faster

January 12, 2011 By The Pitching Academy Leave a Comment

Crawford Already Working Hard

A couple nights ago I drove a ways down the road to work with a youth team on pitching. I had never been to this particular facility before and ran into a guy I had played with over a decade ago. When I was picked up by the Mariners in 1999, he signed with the Pirates. I chatted briefly of the fun I had playing professionally. To my surprise he didn’t have too many positive things to say. He enjoyed the clubhouse environment and the buddies he made, but the work he said was very tiring. Of course it was. Ten hour days in season with a few days off each month is tough. But, how many people get the shot to play at that level? I found I began to like the grind, it fueled me in a way each morning when I woke up.

I want you to contrast the above attitude of my former teammate with the attitude and work habit of Carl Crawford. I absolutely love watching this guy work at his craft. There was an article that came out in the Boston Herald on Friday that is well worth the read. If you have a kid playing baseball now, it would be worth passing it onto him as well, or at least read him a few excerpts.

I’ll post the article below, but if you’re short on time, here are a few quotes I pulled that you may find of use.
“Who cares if he hit .306 with 34 homers, 107 steals and an .834 OPS over the past two seasons with Tampa Bay? He still arrived at 7 a.m. yesterday for a workout with trainer Lee Fiocchi, then drove 15 minutes for a session with hitting instructor Sid Holland that didn’t end until noon. On this day, he’s focusing on improving his swing against left-handed pitching.

Garcia says Crawford has, “no sense of satisfaction.” Fiocchi believes he merely has extraordinary goals.”

‘What am I going to do to become a Hall of Famer? What am I going to do to leave my legacy?’” said Fiocchi, who has tailored a program that includes running through a 55-yard sand pit. “Every degree of separation that he can get from everyone else makes all the difference.”

“Said Crawford, “Coach Bourn used to tell me all the time, ‘Never stop improving. I don’t care how good you think you are, you can get better.’ He pretty much cemented that into my head, and it stayed with me.”

Article: Deep In The Heart Of Carl Crawford

Filed Under: General Baseball, Mental Game of Baseball, Pitching Workouts Tagged With: Hitting Instruction, Pitching Instruction

January 7, 2011 By The Pitching Academy Leave a Comment

Why Being A Team Player Matters

Why Being a Team Player Matters

I remember a decade ago I was lacing up for our afternoon workout prior the 7pm home game. The director of scouting for the minor leagues would be observing our workout for the next couple days. He’d be working in as one of the coaches but was also there to get a better sense of who among our minor league team could potentially fill the future role on the Big League roster.

I remember clearly our hitting coach said that the ability to place your teammates above your own needs/stats was highly attractive to the organization. He told us that the win/loss of the team reflected more on our unification as a team which said a lot about us as individual players.

How important is a team first mentality in baseball? Think of it this way. There are 162 games in the regular season; throw in about 30 spring training games and dozens of travel days and these guys are around each other most of each day for roughly 60% of the calender year. That is a ton of time. Team dynamics are extremely valuable. It’s not the only factor in winning, but it ranks up there as highly important.

Michael Young of the Texas Rangers is one of these hard-working team first guys. Because of his enjoyment of playing for the Rangers, he has no qualms about being shifted around the infield each year. This may not seam like such a big deal, but it’s difficult to play at the elite level in many different positions. It takes a certain type of work habit and personality to build new skill sets each year.

I always love to read stories about the good guys in baseball who play the game hard. Michael Young is one of them.

Check out the recent article on MLB.com on Young.

Filed Under: General Baseball, Mental Game of Baseball

December 6, 2010 By The Pitching Academy Leave a Comment

Does Your Work Habit Stack Up?

Yesterday afternoon I walked into a local training facility to work with a pitching staff. I was a bit early so I got see the end of a core strengthening workout. The guys (mostly 9th graders) were beat. Legs shaking, core fatigued, and sweating rolling off them like crazy. It was great to see. At the end of the practice one of the coaches asked, “Who gave 100%?” Many raised their hands. The reply came, “That’s all I ask for.”

I know there are quite a few guys on this particular team I’ve mentioned who have dreams of playing collegiate baseball and beyond. Who knows if that will happen or not. The decision to be selected for a high level baseball team is completely out of your hands, so stop worrying/thinking about it. Instead, place your time and energy into increasing your work habit to where it needs to be, now.

The nice thing is that work habit is not age specific or talent dependent. You can bust your butt at age 8 just as well as you can at age 16. It’s all relative.

Are you working harder/smarter RIGHT NOW than 90% of the athletes in your home town?

How about your state? What about your nation? The globe?

IF your dream is to play professional baseball, your work habit better match what it takes to get there.

Get crankin right now! Let us help you with your pitching workout routines, how to throw harder, crush the baseball and keep yourself healthy with our new Baseball DVD Series on Pitching.

Filed Under: Mental Game of Baseball, Pitching Workouts Tagged With: Pitching Workout, Pitching Workout Routine, Pitching Workouts

December 2, 2010 By The Pitching Academy Leave a Comment

Do Baseball Stats Control Your Mood?

Many youth athletes when learning how to play baseball set a goal of playing professionally. Statistics say that less than 1% of those athletes will accomplish their dreams. The first thought here is one of immediate defense, and rightly so. Successful and accomplished baseball players NEVER look at statistical norms to influence or determine their future success. I share this thought with you because this is a concept that needs to be communicated clearly.

Success-minded athletes turn the tables on statistics and see them as a huge source of motivation, knowing that many other athletes will fall prey to the temptation to give up on their dreams. In my quest to play professionally, this is the approach I took. I focused on the process of my preparation and practice while learning skills instead of being totally results-oriented in my focus. Consider the following example of this principle.
For those who have stepped into a batters box as a baseball player, did you ever tap the plate with your bat and think about the statistical probability that you would hit a home run?

No you didn’t. Why not?

Because when emotions and determination are strong enough, statistics don’t matter. The most pure form of this can be found with most Little Leaguers. Everything is exciting, the sky is the limit, and the statistical reality of becoming a professional baseball player never factors into the equation. I think we need more of this approach as we develop our game.

The main reason why so many players lose their focus on their dream and get beat down by statistics/failures is because they allow statistics to be the main focus. As lack of playing time increases for some, batting average shrinks, and performance becomes strained, many look towards something else to do with their time. I think that more and more athletes would stay in the game and experience successes if their mindset would change.

So how do we (players and coaches) learn how to play this great game without reality and statistics to paralyze us? If you will never let your mind go down the road that places your value ONLY on your stats, you will find that you will achieve more than you ever thought you would. This thinking will undoubtedly transform your vision as you develop your goals this upcoming season.

Learn all about the mental game of Baseball with our advisory board members Justin Sua and Craig Manning. They each spend about an hour here informing you how to coach players and also how to control your demeanor on the field to play at your very best.

Filed Under: Coaching Pitchers, General Baseball, Mental Game of Baseball Tagged With: Baseball's Mental Game, Mental Game of Baseball

November 23, 2010 By The Pitching Academy 1 Comment

Baseball Leadership

Being a standout player is more than stats. You need to develop a likable attitude, amazing work ethic, leadership abilities and more. Here are some quotes, not all from athletes, that will help you get into the right mindset when you set your individual and team goals this year.

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” ~ Michael Jordan

“People rarely disclose their character so clearly as when they describe someones else’s”. ~ Author Unknown

“You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” ~ Author Unknown

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” ~ Socrates

“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence, regardless of his chosen field of endeavor.” ~ Author Unknown

“You will never fail unless you stop trying.” ~ Author Unknown

“Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.” ~ Oscar Wilde

“The man on top of the mountain didn’t fall there.” ~ Author Unknown

“A person who knows how to read, but won’t, has little advantage over a person who can’t. ~ Author Unknown

Baseball players need more leadership ability. For some reason, many baseball players lack the ability to care about others. They think they are god’s gift to mankind and frankly a lot of them are jerks. Don’t be like that, Be a leader! Learn how to be a master of the mental game of baseball.

Filed Under: General Baseball, Mental Game of Baseball Tagged With: Mental Game of Baseball

November 18, 2010 By The Pitching Academy Leave a Comment

Are You Playing Baseball Or Is Baseball Playing You?

Are You Playing Baseball or is Baseball Playing You?

Baseball players can’t wait to get in the cage or on the mound to work on their craft without continuous reminders from mom, dad, or coach.

Baseball players aren’t confused on the field; they already know what to do before the ball is hit.

Baseball players hate the off season if it lasts more than a few weeks.

Baseball players can shut off the TV or video game at any time if it means going to work out.

Baseball players take charge of situation and feel in control during a game.

Baseball players know there is always tomorrow to work on the mistakes of today and rarely get stuck in the past.

Baseball players understand that slumps are nothing more than part of the game. Minimizing and shortening them is the goal. Perfection will never come for very long.

Baseball players study what guys in the Bigs are doing. They observe and experiment with their game to find their style.

Baseball players enjoy when the work is hard because that simply means fewer players will do it.

Baseball players dream of playing in pressure situations and perform well when it occurs.

Baseball players don’t care as much about their stats as they do about their team winning.

If you identify with only a couple of these points above, baseball is playing you and it’s time to pick up your game or find yourself playing second string to a baseball player.

Understanding the mental game of baseball is critical to your success as a player. Learn now how to control your mind and focus so you can outplay your competition. Here is our new Baseball DVD series! We are confident it will help take your game to the next level.

Filed Under: General Baseball, Mental Game of Baseball Tagged With: Baseball, Mental Game of Baseball, Pitching

November 12, 2010 By The Pitching Academy Leave a Comment

The New Laziness – Part 2s

The New Laziness – Part 2

Earlier this month I sent out an email on what I called the new laziness. If you didn’t get a chance to look over the article, I would suggest doing so before you read on. It’ll make more sense. You can find the article here.

The email generated quite a response. Many people seem to see this new trend in technology impeding baseball workouts in some form or another. Because of the below email, I thought I’d begin a conversation on the topic so we can learn from each other. You may have had some success in this area and we’d love to hear how you’ve tackled this issue. You can zip on over to the blog and join the conversation here. If you prefer Twitter conversations, you can find me there as well. I’m starting to dig it.

Here is the email I referred to. I know he’s not alone.

Hi Nate

This issue runs deeper than I could have imagined just a year ago. I will speak only for my 15 year old son, but I know I could just as easily include half the kids on his team. Techno is his escape route – XBox, Facebook, Runescape are what he does when he’s “resting” or too tired for anything else. Is life too easy for these guys? Our rule is that he is limited to just so many hours a week for these pursuits. Homework and chores first, and anything beyond this has to be earned. He has ear buds firmly in place a lot of the time. Repeating yourself frequently when communicating with him is a daily ordeal. I’m sure that so far this is a typical story.

But I don’t think he’s your average team player. On the plus side, he’s devoted to giving 100% for every game, practice and workout. He’s currently involved in a 12 hrs plus a week baseball high performance program which will continue for a whole year, in addition to games and team practices. He also has a job 22 hours a week. I’m letting him find his own course as he matures and becomes more independent.

He knows that too much entertainment is not a good thing, and I’ve tried to scare him into cutting back by telling him about the study that showed these games can be compared to a drug. They affect your brain the same way, apparently.

What can a parent do? I’d love to hear anyone else’s ideas about this subject. We’re nowhere near panic mode, but parents always want their kids to be more excellent, even if they’re finding their own ways to get there.

Thanks for an inspiring column, Nate.

Get off your butt and get cranking this year with these pitching workouts.

Filed Under: General Baseball, Mental Game of Baseball Tagged With: Baseball Pitching Workouts, Pitching Workouts