Professional Baseball Coach - Chicago Cubs
San Luis Obispo, CA
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From the Arkansas-Florida game today. With a runner on 3B tagging the Arkansas CF dekes an early catch before he really catches the ball. It triggers the Florida runner to leave early & then return to 3B to retag the base. That gives Arkansas time to throw him out at HP.
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The statistical validation for 1st pitch strikes is irrefutable...
92.7% of first pitch strikes lead to an out or strike one; so that means that less than 8% of first pitch strikes become hits.
69% of strikeouts start with first pitch strikes.
MORE: WeinsteinBaseball.com/Strike…
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Good external target focus cue to develop throwing accuracy. A little like spot bowling.
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Interesting stat on Yadi. In the time he has caught in MLB he has given up approximately 450 fewer stolen bases than the next closest TEAM.
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Cleaning out my files last night & I found this doc from Mike Gillespie when he was the Head Baseball Coach at USC. These WERE the rules & not just a bunch of words on paper. Great stuff. Enjoy!!
jw
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This is how you run balls out. BEST SPEED from an elite veteran player on a ball that he is going to be out on 99+% of the time. You win with guys like this.(Your best players are your hardest players)
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Pretty much every MLB team is using a dropped glove pick at 1B to combat the “movement before action” steal. In this case it works to perfection in this early break scenario.
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Challenging two ball receiving drill. Big time distraction & focus exercise. Use your lite-flight balls & not baseballs.
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CATCHER AS A LEADER
1 Know your pitchers.
2 Know their hitters.
3 Block everything.
4 Run on & off the field.
5 Run every ball out.
6 Be early leave late.
7 No emotional outbursts.
8 Be positive but transparent.
9 Study the game.
10 Catch sides/flat grounds.
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WOLFPACK MENTALITY
FROM JEFF KRUSHELL BASEBALL CANADA
Old/sick in front.
Strongest next protecting.
Pack next.
Next strongest protect rear.
Alpha last ready for anything leading from rear.
Being a leader is not about being out front. It means taking care of the team.
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Scary arm strength on display here by Jorge Alfaro coming out of a RKD stance. This ball is thrown on a downhill plane with unreal carry. He averaged 90.8 MPH one year. He blew up the second baseman’s hand on this play.
#catcherthrowing
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TOTALLY RESPECTING 90
Yelich runs 3.90 on this routine ground ball to 2B in the bottom of the 8th down 8-1. A great example of how to run your “best speed.” When your best player is your hardest player,it leads to the type of team culture than wins championships.
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UNREAL PLAY BY HIGASHIOKA
WITH 2 OUTS & BASES LOADED
He’s expecting a FB,most of which have been in the 97-100 MPH range, & Cole throws a nasty curveball & Higashika catches it.Hard to explain how exceptional that play was. Impossible to prepare for that situation @ those speeds.
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Hitters every ptch is a strike. Stop on balls, don't start on strikes. It's "hit,hit,hit no" as opposed to is it a strike. The ball is by you by the time you start to swing the bat when you go up to the plate trying to ID strikes. ID balls & stop your swing.
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Cubs Carson Kelly trails Nolan Arenado on a pop fly hit down the RF line with no runners on base that both the 1st & 2nd basemen go for. He is in position to take a back door throw from Kyle Tucker when Arenado falls down on his aggressive turn.
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Austin Hedges is one of baseball’s best receivers. The night before last he converted 20 pitches into called strikes. Alex Tosi was the umpire & he rarely expands the zone. Notice how aggressive his moves are.(Especially on pitches up in the zone)
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Interesting back foot “scissors” action on this massive HR. Adds to his ability to efficiently create max force at impact.
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How to win awareness(HWA) play by Manny Machado. On this potential 3-6 force play Manny runs into Rojas glove & takes Freeman’s throwing lane away.Totally legal until rules committee changes the rule. Runner establishes his own running lane & is only out
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SIMPLE REMINDER FOR THE START OF THE SEASON
CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS
1. Play catch
2. Throw strikes
3. Put the ball in play
4. Run the bases aggressively & intelligently
5. Have great team spirit(Play for each other)
6. Have fun playing the game
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I can’t believe I’m making a job change at almost 81 years old, but I’m leaving the Rockies to work for the Cubs. I’ve been with the Rockies for 18 years & had the privilege to work for a great front office, with great coaches & staff, & a top rate ownership group. Can’t say
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Good drill from Larry Lee at Cal Poly SLO. Live arm fastball & if ball is not released, hitter hits ball off the tee. Simulates reaction to an off speed pitch. Forces hitter to retain base with balance.
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6 KEYS TO WINNING BB GAMES
1)Play catch
2)Throw K’s
3)Put the ball in play
4)Run the bases aggressively & intelligently(BEST SPEED)
5)Great team spirit
6)Have fun
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D’back’s Corbin Carroll leads off game with a 3B & scores on a throwing error when pitcher fails to backup 3B. At no time does Carroll take his eyes off the ball. He made all his decisions based on what HIS eyes told him. The best base runners are their own best coach.
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FIRST BASE POSITIONING
Inside the line & closer to 2B.
1) In position to make tag before runner gets to the base.
2) Better lane to throw to 2B if runner breaks early.
3) Closer to “4 hole” where more balls are hit.
4) Not blocked by runner on a high throw up the 1B line.
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TWO VERY HIGH “HOW TO WIN” AWARENESS PLAYS BY ROCKIES VET CHARLIE BLACKMON
Runners on 1st & 3rd with one out. Softly hit ball into the base line between 1B & 2B. Blackmon stops to avoid the 4U-3 DP. The second baseman throws to 1B because he will be unable to tag Blackmon &
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Aaron Judge rolls his head on this stolen base attempt, but more importantly he looks to the OF on the slide so he can see the ball. This allows him to go to 3B without hesitation.
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Unreal arm strength & athleticism on display by Mississippi State’s Logan Tanner. This play was probably not repped much. It’s basically a reaction play where you trust your body to organize itself to accomplish the goal of throwing a runner out.
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ANATOMY OF A STOLEN BASE
1. Scherzer is 1.50 to HP
2. Smith throws 2.02
3. The tag takes .11
4. Total 3.63
5. J.D. Davis runs 3.33
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Ted Williams was talking about the swing plane matching the pitch plane & elevating the ball in The Science of Hitting in 1970. What's new is really old.
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Using the PVC pipe to help create the best upper body angles to block & absorb the ball. Probably best to use softer/lighter balls in this drill.
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Little different twist on a rotation bunt defense. This happens to be the pick phase.
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Pirates Tyler Heineman with a lightening quick transfer on this 1.89 throw out. The ball never comes to rest in his glove. The separation is at his sternum. He circles up to a power throwing position & gets the ball airborne in a hurry.
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You want to throw better, start with improving your rotation(spin axis). Start throwing striped baseballs. This is for all position players. Stretch it out, distance magnifies bad rotation.
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Infielders in sync as pitch is approaching contact zone. Low hop & landing before contact to create momentum. Notice the balanced athletic landing with knees & elbows bent & thumbs pointing up.(Gun slinger position)
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THROW 1ST PITCH STRIKES
This is from Dave Lawn at TCU.
“Race to two strikes & the 1st out of every inning.”
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HONORED AND HUMBLED TO HAVE RECEIVED BASEBALL AMERICA'S TONY GWYNN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. I HAVE SO MANY TO RECOGNIZE, THANK AND SHARE THIS GREAT AWARD.
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Some “brain drills” for our Rockie catchers. Great 5 minute warm up for focus & vision, especially peripheral vision before we start our skill work. Options are endless.
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CHAIR THROWING DRILL
This drill attacks many elements of the throwing process.
1) Exchange
2) Direction
3) Sequencing
4) Arm action
5) Lower half efficiency
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Marlin’s Derek Hill with nice technique on this sac bunt to advance the “ghost runner” in extra innings.
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HOW PITCHERS GIVE PITCHES AWAY
Predictable pitching patterns
Glove position
Finger out of glove position
Visible grips
Variable arm slot
Facial expression
Delivery tempo
Posture
Variable direction
Low awareness
Signal giving tempo
REPAIR WITH VIDEO ANALYSIS/BALL SECURITY DRILLS
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Catchers take all your gear off if you are the on deck hitter with two outs. Send the hitter a message that you expect to hit because you are confident that he is about to move the line.
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DELAY PICK 3B
Timing is everything here. U have to convince the runner @3B that you are knee throwing the ball back to the pitcher. When they see that they put their head down & start to return to 3B.There are a high % of runners that do this & become vulnerable to a delay pick.
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Trea Turner flying on a “gapper.”
Major takeaway is how he rolls his head to pick up the ball after he hits second base so HE can make his own decision on scoring or not. Many of the elite base runners are their own best base coach.
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SOME RUNNER STEALING TELLS
1. Pushes helmet down.
2. Hitches pants up.
3. Looks 2 2B after signal.
4. More casual lead.
5. Less casual lead.
6. Digs in.
7. Looks @ 1B coach 2 confirm signal.
8. More compressed stance.
9. Shorter/longer lead.
10. Later/earlier lead.
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Good comment from Bernie Williams on MLB radio today. “There is no amount of analytics that can measure the human spirit.”
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TELLING STATISTIC:69 % of strike outs start with strike one & 70% of base on balls start with ball one. Attack the zone with your 1st pitch.
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TIME GOALS LOSELY BASED ON
MLB AVERAGES
1. Infield throws on GB’S 4.1-4.2
2. Run HP 2 1B LHH 4.2 RHH 4.3
3. Stealing 2B w/12’ lead 3.35
4. P’S 1st move 2 HP 1.2-1.3
5. C’S glove 2 glove 2.01
6. C’S glove to release .72
7. 2B DP turns glove 2 glove 1.3
8. P pick 1B .85
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PROFESSIONAL CATCHERS GET READY FOR THIS
AA game between Rockies & Angels yesterday. Catcher sets up in front of HP w/o the ball. Additionally the catcher doesn’t have to move to that position to catch the ball. This new rule that is directed at infielders who prematurely
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Two strike sac bunt by Team Japan. Starts out with good eye line bat & ball connection. Loses it a little as he goes down to bunt the ball but still gets the job done. Note the elbows pointing down in order to control the plane of the bat.
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This is not INTERFERENCE by the Cards Andrew Knizner. This is intelligent base running. Unlike
home to 1st base there is no running box/lane between HP & 3B. You set your own base line.
The only time you can be called out is when you deviate from that line
by three feet when you
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Another great take from Mike Bianco, Head Coach Baseball at The University of Mississippi.
COMMITMENT!!!!!!
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For guys with timing &/or loading issues, look at this simple no stride heel up & heel down approach.
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BEATING THE FORCE AT SECOND BASE BY RUNNING THROUGH THE BASE
A two out bases loaded or runners on 1st & 3rd play. We are seeing this a lot more recently, but I remember reading that Ty Cobb did this in the day.
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The Cardinals are playing chess here. With two outs & the bases loaded & a ground ball hit to SS, Nolan Gorman beats the force at 2B by sprinting through the base verses sliding which allows the runner to score from 3B because the 3rd out will not end up being a force out.
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Robo umpires will further erode an element of skill in BB. Y not try this 1st?
1. Only best plate umpires get the plate.(Umpire specificity like NFL. Line judge, referee etc.)
2. Train on a VR device in off season & during season to improve decision making.Warm up on it B4 game.
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Bonds loading the top half while turning his lower half as he is striding. He is rotating on his back leg before he bares weight on his front side. It’s more or less like wringing out a wet wash rag.
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Look how deep,how early & how long Naylor is on plane with this pitch. By doing so he doesn’t have to be 100% on time to hit the ball hard on the barrel of the bat.
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Proud,humbled & honored to have my #1 & 1A supporters(Wife Andrea & daughter Amy)w/me at the ABCA Hall of Fame celebration for the Lefty Gomez Award. Additionally it was special to have so many Rockie PD staff in attendance w/GM Bill Schmidt & FD Chris Forbes leading the charge.
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TWO BALL MACHINE DRILL
Focus & vision drill for your catchers. Catch the second ball & occasionally only release one ball. It’s a problem solving exercise. Use foam balls & offset in or out so they do not get hit by the 1st ball. Increase the volume as they become more adept.
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Ohtani runs 3.93 on this infield hit. Somewhat of a “jailbreak” swing, but the speed-power package may be the best ever.
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Bonds creating tension by stretching it forward. He is unloading his lower half while loading his top half.
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Video of lower than low drill moving the low ball up & into the zone as a result of the glove working from below the pitch & up through it.
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This push bunt is basically a running sacrifice bunt into the “Bermuda Triangle.” Notice how P,2B & 1B are all going for the ball. Not easy to defend even when you are looking for it.While the BHB to 3B is easy to defend by positioning one player(3B) in the hitter’s face.
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How great is this? Carlos Mendoza,Met’s manager,reminding one of his hitters to breathe in crunch time.
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If U R a catcher,U better have thick skin.4 good reason it’s the most scrutinized position on the field.The camera is pointed @ U on every pitch. U touch the ball more than any other player on the field. It is not a game of perfect. We R seeing that in real time in the playoffs.
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