Welcome to the BatAction Baseball Training Blog

The BatAction Blog presents baseball batting training tips, baseball hitting drills, and other information to help Bat Action owners produce unbelievable results from working out on the BatAction Baseball Trainer. Baseball coaches, players and parents will find this information very interesting and extremely useful. The Regular posts include new and innovative training drills and techniques to increase bat speed, improve power, improve hitting skill, and increase batter confidence.

Friday, February 26, 2010

Coaching Baseball; Recommended Baseball Articles for Coaches

Coaching Baseball; Recommended Baseball Articles for Coaches


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Have a Great Weekend! Good luck to you and your team if you are playing. Here are some recommended baseball coaching articles for baseball coaches. Nick Dixon
Coaching Little League Baseball - Bad Habits Make For Bad Coaching

Article discusses 10 bad habits of bad Little League Coaches. These bad habits make it impossible for a coach to be an effective coach and role model.


Coaching Youth Baseball - Coaching Your First Baseman

Here are important points and skills that you must teach your First Baseman. Tips cover teaching the proper way to get to the bag, set up to receive the throw and how to stretch.


Baseball Coaching Digest - Stop and See - 1st & 3rd Double Steal Base Running Play

This 1st and 3rd Double Steal Play known as the Stop and See Steal. This play is used by offensive teams to score a runner from 3rd base by stopping the stealing runner short of the bag and tag.


Baseball Coaching Digest - Fake 3rd Out Defensive Trick

The Fake 3rd Out is a trick play ran by defensive teams to trick an unsuspecting base runner. If the base runner is not alert and aware, he may step off the bag and give the defensive team a cheap out to end the inning. Coaches should make their players aware of sure plays and tactics to prevent this trick from happening to their team.


Baseball Coaching Digest - Illegal Use of the Courtesy Runner Rule

Baseball coaches must be alert for one way that opposing offensive teams may illegally use the Courtesy Runner or Speed-Up rule. How does a team illegally use a courtesy runner? Here is the procedure outlined:


Baseball Coaching and the Importance of Goals For Team and Player Motivation

There are very few volunteer jobs more challenging, time-consuming or rewarding than being a coach in your local league. There are many four letter words used by coaches that I can not use here. Here I want to discuss the 4 four-letter words that can and will determine the amount of success a coach has during the coming season. The four words are Goal, Plan, Work and Time.




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Thursday, February 25, 2010

Teaching Young Batters to Use the No-Stride Technique For a Good Baseball Swing


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Teaching Young Batters to Use the No-Stride Technique For a Good Baseball Swing
By Nick Dixon

If you watched the College World Series on ESPN SPORTS TV last June, I am sure that you saw, as I did, player after player, use the no-stride technique. The abundance of players using the "No-Stride" technique at the College World Series in Omaha shows how many baseball coaches today teach the "wider stance and no stride approach" to hitting. Here I cover the basics of teaching and coaching the "No-Stride" hitting method.

The "No-stride" technique is simply the process of swinging the baseball bat without taking a big step or stride forward during the swing. The front foot is the stride foot. The back foot is called the pivot foot. The "No-stride" technique allows the batter to swing and keep the head still, the weight back, and the eyes on the ball.

When using the "No-Stride" approach, the batting stance should be wide enough to insure a solid base and wide enough so that the batter can use a "soft or short" stride technique. It is best that the batter simply lifts the front foot up less than an inch and puts in back down in the same place. There is little or no movement forward by the front foot.

A wider base and shorter stride allow the batter to keep the head still and prevents the head from dropping during the swing. When a batter assumes a narrow stance with the feet close together, the batter must take a long stride during the swing. This long stride causes the head and eyes to "fall or drop" during the swing. This is the reason that many coaches teach the no stride technique. Of course, another reason is the fact that when a batters uses a "close stance" and "long stride approach" they often cannot hit the fastball velocity of many pitchers in the game today.

The optimum width of the feet would be slightly wider than shoulder width. The weight should be on the "balls" of the feet and off the heels. The front foot or stride foot should be "placed softly as if it is on a carton of eggs". This softness allows the foot to be lifted and placed back down easily. The back foot or pivot foot is also important during the swing. The back foot should not "move or leak forward" but should turn up "shoe laces to pitcher" when the front foot settles into place during the swing.

COACHING POINT: I recommended an "even toed" stance meaning that the toes of each foot are even when the stance is assumed. A closed stance is one with the back foot farther away from the plate than the front foot. An open stance is one with the front foot farther away from the plate than the back foot.

COACHING POINT: You may actually use a simple demonstration to illustrate how a long stride causes the head to drop and the eyes to move. Have a batter assume a narrow stance. As you face the batter, hold your hand palm down exactly even with the eyes. Have the batter take a long stride while you hold your hand perfectly still at the level where the eyes were when the stride began. A long stride will cause the head to drop and the eyes to drop also. This movement of the head and eyes makes it more difficult for the batter to "see and hit" the ball as it travels through the strike zone.

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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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Baseball Hitting Tips to Help You Master Your Game

Baseball Hitting Tips to Help You Master Your Game


Article Title: Baseball Hitting Tips to Help You Master Your Game
By Carolyn Anderson

Hitting the baseball is a very important skill that every baseball player should possess, and if indeed, you are someone who wants to learn baseball or just want to improve your skills, you can find baseball hitting tips and techniques on how to improve your game or impress your coach, your friends and your family.

Although practice makes perfect, there are also certain tips to keep in mind to make you play at your best.

- Condition your mind for your every game. Getting into sports is not just about strength and energy. An important part of it is in your head. In order to execute the best swing or hit you need, you have to clear up your mind before getting into the batter's box. Focus and concentration on the game are essential as well.

- Be patient. It helps to be patient and be focused when you are in the game most especially if you are in the batter's box. Do not be in a hurry to hit the ball. You just wait for a good pitch and never swing in bad pitches.

- Engage in practice and drills that can help you increase your power in hitting the ball. One of the baseball hitting tips you can do to avoid slowing down your power upon the impact of the ball with your bat is to practice hitting basketballs, soccer or other heavier balls. This will also improve the strength in your forearms and wrists to be able to retain the power of your swing or your hit.

- Learn the basics of a good baseball hit. To be able to master batting the ball, you have to learn how to do each skill correctly, from the swing to the grip and to the stance - you have to learn each of them and master these skills. By doing so, you have to learn how to stand, how to hold the bat properly and so on and so forth.

- Do not be afraid of the ball. This may sound commonsense but most players especially those who are just starting with the sports and for children who are just learning, the hindrance lies in their fear of being hit by the ball, thus their tendency is move back and may affect the way they execute a good swing as well as giving the ball a good hit. One practice tip that coaches often do in this case is throw the ball on the other side of the player to prevent him from backing up.

- Focus on hitting the bottom half of the baseball. This will help in sending the baseball farthest.

- Shift your weight from the back of your body foot to the front upon contact of your bat with the baseball so that you can obtain more power in hitting it.

Start with these baseball hitting tips to help you become a better baseball player. However, you should not also forget the basic tips on getting the right equipment for you as this can also help in your performance too.

Carolyn Anderson is a book reviewer, an avid reader and a lover of sports. To master the skill of hitting a baseball, check out this baseball hitting training manual. Also check out Marathon Training For Beginners, a marathon training schedule and program to help beginners in performing their best in marathon.

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



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Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Baseball Coaching Digest - The 4 Key Elements That Help a Batter Hit a Baseball With More Power



Baseball Coaching Digest - The 4 Key Elements That Help a Batter Hit a Baseball With More Power
By Nick Dixon

Every baseball player loves to hit the ball hard and far. The power required to hit the baseball deep comes from the generation of maximum bat speed. The generation of bat speed is created by the correct use of the lower body, hips and hands. Four key elements are required to make the batting swing more powerful. This article outlines and explains those key elements.Those key elements are:

1) The Batter Uses the Front Leg as Leverage to Generate Maximum Bat Speed. - What is leverage in the baseball swing? Why is leverage important? How is leverage generated? Leverage in a baseball swing is a resistance point or stationary object that stops forward movement. The front foot acts as the lever and provides leverage to the swing. For this leverage to occur the batter must allow the ball pass front foot. The front foot should be closed with the toes pointed toward the plate to supply maximum leverage to the swing. This leverage is the force against which the batter rotates the hips against. The front leg must be strait and planted to allow the hips to turn.

2) The Batter Generates Maximum Rotational "Torque of the Hips". - I use the term "Hip Torque" to describe the power the hips add to the swing. Batters must rotate the hips to achieve maximum bat speed. To get the maximum hip turn the front foot should be kept in a closed position. If the front foot is allowed to rotate or is in an open position at any point during the swing, there will be a loss of hip energy and a reduction of power in the swing.

The back foot is often lifted or turned up onto the toe. Many coaches describe the action of the back foot as a turn of the "shoe laces to the pitcher". The back foot action is not nearly as important as the front foot. The one thing that must be monitored is that the back foot does not travel forward. The back foot should stay where it was at the beginning of the swing, but the heel should lift and the foot turn to free the back side and to allow for maximum hip and torso rotation.

3) The Batter Keeps of the Hands Close to the Body. The Batter Keeps the Hands on the Shortest Power Path to the Ball. - The power track for the hands is a path that starts above the ball and close to the body. The "power track" is a short compact swing that is directly to the ball. To generate great bat speed the batter must drive the knob and bury it at the power contact position. Keeping the hands closer to the body also keeps the hands inside the ball.

4) The Batter Achieves Maximum Extension Through the Ball. - The batter that keeps the bat on the ball plane as long as possible is able to generate the maximum amount of power possible. The track or path of the bat should be downward until it gets to the balls plane. When the bat gets on an even plane with the ball, the batter should then drive the hands forward through the ball. This power extension has the top hand in a palm down position and the bottom hand in a palm up position. This forward extension or drive through the baseball is a key element of generating power.

I hope that this article was informative and helpful to you. I appreciate you taking the time to read. Have a great day, Nick.

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Monday, February 22, 2010

Youth Baseball Digest - Batting Order Basics For Little League Baseball

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By Nick Dixon

Little league and youth baseball coaches must know how to make out a batting order. They must know the roles and responsibilities of each batter in the line-up. They must know what are the physical requirements and hitting skills needed to perform the task associated with each spot in a team batting line-up. This article discusses the roles and duties of each player in a baseball batting order.

A straight batting order is the most popular and commonly used. There is one #1 batter, one #2 batter, one #3 batter, and the order goes on down the order to the nine spot. The various jobs and responsibilities of each spot are as follows:

#1 Batter- Called the lead-off batter, the first batter must get on base a lot. He should be a good contact hitter with good speed and base running skills. He must be a patience hitter at the plate that has the capability to take a lot of pitches. He is a good two strike batter that can go deep in the count and still swing the bat with confidence. He must have a good eye for balls and strikes. He must know that getting on with a base on balls is as good as a hit when you are the #1 batter in the order. The #1 hitter should not strike out a lot. The #1 hitter is a plate setter for the #3 and #4 hitters.

#2 Batter-The #2 batter should have the highest on-base-average on the team. He must also have the capability to go deep in the count and still hit with confidence, the #2 batter must take pitches to allow the lead-off batter base runner to steal second base. He must be a good bunter and a good bat handler capable of executing the hit and run play. His biggest responsibilities in order are is to move the runner on first to second with by getting on base safely, moving the runner to second or third base with a ball hit to the right side of the diamond, or to sacrifice bunt the runner to second base. The #2 hitter should not strike out a lot. The #2 hitter is also a plate setter for the #3 and #4 hitters.

#3 Batter-The best hitter on the team always hits in this spot. He must be a contact hitter. He should be the best power hitter on the team with the highest number of extra base hits. He should have one of the highest batting averages on the team. He should also be a capable base runner. The number #3 batter should have average speed. Putting a slow base runner in the #3 spot can cause a "log jam" on the bases. The #3 should continue to set the plate for the #4 cleanup batter.

#4 Batter- The #4 spot is known as the cleanup spot. The most powerful batter on the team should bat in this spot. His job is to "clean the plate" set for him by the batters before him. He should be an aggressive batter that has the best bat speed and power on the team.

#5 Batter-The five spot is always considered a spot for a power hitter. He should be the second most powerful batter on the team behind the #4 batter. His foot speed is not considered a major issue. His is there because he swings a powerful bat.

#6 Batter- The 6th spot in the order is often used for a lead-off player type batter. The 6 hitter should have a lead-off batter approach at the plate and good speed on the bases.

#7 Batter-The seven spot is the "left-over" spot. It is often used for an average player that is in the lineup because of pitching or defensive duties.

#8 Batter-In most cases, the #8 hitter should be a player that loves to hit the fast ball. The theory is that the 8 hitter will often be overlooked with the #9 hitter on deck. Also, it is thought that many teams will show little respect for the bottom three batters in the order and feed them a lot of fast balls. The number 8 hitter is normally a player that is in the lineup on a regular basis.

#9 Batter-The #9 spot is considered by many coaches as the 2nd lead-off batter. The 9th spot in the order is often used for the next best lead-off player behind your #1 hitter. The 9th hitter should have great base running skills and above average speed.

Coaching Point: Every batter that is the lead-off batter, starting an inning, should know the duty of a lead-off batter. The duty of the first batter in the inning is to get on base and to start a "rally". The lead-off batter that gets on base, to start the inning, score the majority of the time.

I hope that you found this article to be useful and informative. Good luck to you and your team this year. 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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Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

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!

Friday, February 19, 2010

Baseball Hitting - The Movement of the Head is Critical



Article Title:
Baseball Hitting - The Movement of the Head is Critical


By Larry Cicchiello

It is very important to make sure your head is turned and facing the pitcher to ensure that you get a good view of the pitch that will soon follow. Your head should be totally relaxed and pretend that you are simply watching TV. Make sure both the front shoulder and arm are out of the way.

A good point of focus is the pitcher's cap because it's approximately the same height as where the pitch will be released from. The advantage is that your eyes will not have to refocus on the baseball and will be focused already.

What you do when the pitch is released is very important for being a successful baseball hitter. If your head remains turned toward the pitcher at the point of contact, you will be seeing the ball out of the corners of your eyes and this must be avoided. It will not work.

If your head is facing half way between the pitcher and the point of contact, you will see the ball a little better.

If you turn your head directly toward the point of contact, you will get the best possible look at the baseball and this is what you must do. It's a medical fact that you can not see an object as well when looking at it out of the corners of your eyes.

If it's a medical fact, imagine the importance when trying to see a baseball that takes less than a second to get to the catcher's mitt, may have movement on it and you have to decide if it's a ball or a strike! And all this happens in less than one second so you need to see the baseball as clearly as possible.

When it comes to baseball hitting, it is an absolute that you must turn your head if you want to achieve success.

Larry is the president of Larwenty Online Enterprises Inc. and also the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." If you are a baseball player or are involved in baseball coaching at any level of play or a parent who wants to help your child improve, you will be fully equipped! His baseball website offers several FREE baseball tips from his very informative and very fairly priced eBooks.

Larry's baseball website is http://www.larrybaseball.com/

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

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Thursday, February 18, 2010

Baseball Pitching Mechanics - How Long is Your Stride?



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Article Title:
Baseball Pitching Mechanics - How Long is Your Stride?

By Dan Gazaway

How long should my stride be? That is a question that I get from many coaches, parents and pitchers. Many experts give their opinion of how long a stride should be; some say as long as you are tall, some say longer and some say 75% of your height. The answer is as far as your body will allow you to while maintaining proper pitching mechanics. You don't want to jump to foot strike (loosing balance and posture) just so you can add a foot to your stride. You want to push off the ball of your pivot foot while maintaining a closed posture to foot strike. Don't jeopardize your pitching mechanics at the expense of gaining distance. There is a way to do it right.

Why is a long stride important? There are two reasons why you need a good stride. One is to gather enough momentum to foot strike so your fastball has pop. The most exciting reason is that 1-foot = 3 mph perceived pitching velocity. The closer you are to home plate when you release the ball the better. To the batter's eye the ball appears to be going faster than it really is. So, you are working with distance. Furthermore, when you throw inside, the batter has to react that much quicker to the pitch as well. In order for him to hit the ball on the fat part of the bat, he has to react much quicker to get the bat around. Again, distance helps you as a pitcher.

How do you get a longer stride? Maintaining a proper strength and flexibility pitching workout is important. For example, if your hip flexors aren't conditioned to handle the demands of the workload pitching places on them, it will affect your distance and you will be more prone to injury. To add distance, try a delayed shoulder rotation. Some pitchers gain an extra 6 inches to a foot delaying their shoulder properly. Work on releasing the baseball later; this will also help you gain some pitching velocity.

Dan Gazaway is owner and founder of The Pitching Academy in Utah. He is known as a premiere pitching instructor and is an expert in the area of pitching mechanics. Coach Gazaway also teaches proper pitching grips, pitching workouts and drills.

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

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Sports Psychology and Baseball Hitting Tips - How and Why to Relax at the Plate

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Article Title: Sports Psychology and Baseball Hitting Tips - How and Why to Relax at the Plate
By Jay Granat

The baseball season is about to begin and I already getting calls from parents, players and coaches who are concerned about hitting slumps.

Anyone who has played baseball for any length of time has experienced the frustration of an extended hitting slump. And there are many causes of these performance valleys.

Some of the causes are physical. A breakdown in mechanics, poor balance, poor technique, a moving head, a tight grip on the bat or an injury can contribute to poor performance by baseball players.

Some of the causes of hitting slumps are mental. A batter who has been hit by a pitch can be scared in the batter's box. A player who has been hitting poorly can lose his confidence. A batter who is worried about impressing his coach, his parents or a scout can become quite anxious. A player who is conflict with teammates may find it hard to hit to his potential. Similarly, a player with stress related to his or her life off the field can have difficulty concentrating when he or she steps up to the plate.

Also, it is important to understand that there are many relationships between the mind and the body where hitting a baseball is concerned. For instance, a nervous player is apt to grip the baseball bat too tightly. Likewise, a tense player is apt have difficulty turning on a pitch.

Interestingly, some people believe that our vision gets worse when we are tense and that it improves when we are relaxed.

There are many ways to relax one's mind and one's body before you get up to bat.

Players can learn relaxation techniques, meditation, visualization or self-hypnosis. Some players benefit from listening to music in the dugout or before a game. Others do some aerobics before they take the field as they find that this helps them to relax when they get up to bat.

Tension will work against you at the plate, so it is important that baseball players learn how to get very comfortable when they face the opposing pitcher.

Jay P. Granat, Ph.D. is a psychotherapist and the founder of http://www.stayinthezone.com. He is also the author of 101 Ways To Break A Hitting Slump With Sport Psychology And Self-Hypnosis. http://www.stayinthezone.com/shop-stay-in-the-zone.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=21

Dr. Granat can be reached at 888 580-ZONE.

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

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Tuesday, February 16, 2010

My Baseball Bat Recommendations


By R. Nelson

I love the game of baseball. I played through High School, have been a coach for the last 12 years and have attended over 900 ...


Everyone has their own preferences and needs in a baseball bat based on experience, aspirations, material and financial considerations. I've sorted my recommendations based on the composition and price of the bat to simplify the process. I believe this makes it easier to pinpoint the bat that's right for you.

First, I segmented my recommendations into the following categories based on the material:


Composite Bats
Hybrid Bats (composite handle, alloy barrel)
Alloy Bats

I then provided a high and low cost recommendation within each category. This breaks it down into neat, manageable areas that will help your decision.

My Baseball Bat Recommendations for the 2010 model year are:

100% Composite Bats


High Cost Recommendation

Easton/Synergy Speed: The difference between the two being the Stealth is a two-piece bat and the Synergy a one-piece bat. The Stealth comes with both a flex and stiff handle while the Synergy comes only in a stiff handle. Both are made from the identical composite material. Which version you choose is simply a matter of preference. These are by far the most popular composite bats on the market from the youth to college level, and the Stealth Speed is more popular than the Synergy Speed. Most College teams have contracts with a manufacturer and their players must swing a bat made by that manufacturer. Many of the players on teams swinging Easton choose the Stealth and Synergy Speed composite bats. While teams swinging other manufacturer's bats rarely choose that company's composite model. Just keep in mind these bats are slightly end-loaded and may be a little more difficult for the inexperienced player to swing. The Adult -3 models retail for $399.


Low Cost Recommendation

­Louisville Dynasty Comp: Hands down the best option for those who must have a composite bat but don't want to break the bank. It's hard to beat this bat at a retail price of $249 for the Adult -3 model. You get a 100% composite bat in a model that's been around for several years and has a good reputation. It's a one-piece composite bat with a stiff handle and balanced design.

­Combat B1: At $299 for the Adult -3 model Combat has FINALLY given players who loved the B1 in youth ball the opportunity to continue using it in a big barrel design. The B1 youth has a lot of avid fans and now there's no reason not to continue using it in Middle and High School. It's also a one-piece composite bat with a stiff handle and balanced design.

Hybrid Bats


High Cost Recommendation

­Demarini Voodoo Black: This is a quality bat with a proven reputation that has always had a reasonable price for a high end hybrid bat. It is a favorite among college teams that use Louisville bats. It's a two-piece hybrid bat with a balanced design that retails for $299 (Adult -3).

­Easton SV12: Another very good choice. What I like about this bat, and Easton in general, is that you can buy it with the handle design you prefer as it comes in both a flex and stiff handle design. I believe the stiff handle design will become one of the most popular bats on the market. It's a two-piece bat with a balanced design that retails for $299 (Adult -3).


Low Cost Recommendation

­Demarini Vendetta SC4: There's not a lot of choice in the low cost hybrid category so the Vendetta SC4 wins by default. It's a two-piece single wall bat with a flex handle and balanced design. It has the same SC4 alloy barrel as the Voodoo but the handle does not include their Pitch Black Plus technology. Instead the handle has their "Rails Hybrid" technology which gives the handle sides and a funky look. The Adult -3 model retails for $249.

100% Alloy Bats


High Cost Recommendation

­Louisville TPX Omaha: The Omaha is a solid bat with a long and trusted reputation. It's a one-piece bat with a stiff handle and a balanced design. You can't go wrong with this bat if you desire a 100% alloy bat. The Adult -3 model retails for $199.

­Easton V12: The V12 has Easton's stiffest handle and lowest swing weight. Because of the very low swing weight this bat is a better option for the inexperienced player. If you're experienced the Omaha is a better choice in this category. The V12 is a one-piece bat that retails for $199.


Low Cost Recommendation

­At this point you're just looking for something to hit a ball with. Any alloy bat in the $129 - $169 range will fit your needs. If I had to choose I'd say the Easton Titan, a one-piece stiff handle bat would be the top of the class. But it retails for $169 (Adult -3) which is too close to the Omaha and V12.

Best of luck with your decision and keep swinging for the fences. You can check out all of my bat reviews by manufacturer by visiting The Baseball Bat Reviews Blog.

I hope this helps you in making your decision. You can get a lot more information at Baseball Bat Reviews

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=R._Nelson

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Monday, February 15, 2010

5 Ways to Add Power to Baseball Swing and Improve Arm Strength



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By Jack Perconte

If there is one thing I would have done differently in my major league career it would have been to consistently use a strength building program during the season. Understand that for most of my early career lifting weights was frowned upon for baseball players. Why that was I am not sure. Probably because people assumed that lifting weights would make players build muscle that would inhibit the long fluid actions ballplayers need. Anyway, gaining and maintaining strength for ball players is essential and can keep a baseball player physically and mentally strong throughout the season. The great number of games during the season often zaps a player's strength which may lead to mental fatigue as well.

Of course, the best way to develop strength and power is to swing the bat and throw the ball more. Performing repetitions of the actual skills of swinging and throwing will lead to strength. For players who want to be their best, there is no substitute for swinging and throwing more than your competition. From experience I have noticed baseball players who throw and swing more months (up to nine), are the players who increase their power and arm speed the most. It is a good idea to give the body and mind a two or three month break from the skill training, but the conditioning and strength work can continue year round.

However, it has been proven over the years that bigger, stronger, faster can be improved through a weight training program. With that in mind, following are some basic tips that players of all ages can use to develop power and arm strength without having to hire a personal trainer or buy expensive exercise equipment:

1. Much of the bat speed, control of the bat and throwing speed comes from the forearms, hands, wrists and fingers. Players can work on these areas by squeezing things. There are many useful items on the market designed to help, but squeezing a tennis ball or water out of a towel will work just as well. Doing this a few minutes a day will develop the strength that will make a difference with how to get the ball to "jump off the bat" and have a "livelier" fastball.

2. The next set of muscles to develop is the core muscles of the midsection. Doing fast hip turns while holding a weighted object are good. Gradual increases in the amount of weight held will develop this core strength. Old fashioned sit ups or any variation of those are beneficial too.

3. Most of the time we think of running exercises only for running speed. However, working on fast crossover steps and explosive first moves of the lower body are just as important for hitting power and throwing speed. Much power is generated by the muscles around the thighs and rear end. Using these muscles with explosive movements will help. Working on explosive crossover steps will develop fast hip rotation for both the hitter and pitcher.

4. Old-fashioned pushups are still great strengthening tools that are good for any and all ages. They will help develop the bigger muscles around the chest and shoulders. Performing different variations like hands wide, hands together and finger tip push ups will work on different muscles.

5. Finally, doing lunges and knee bends will help develop the leg and rear end muscles, which are a major source of power for both a hitter and pitcher.

After a few weeks of this conditioning and continued work on the fundamentals, players will notice the difference with increased bat and arm speed. Working to be bigger, stronger, faster and fundamentally sound will allow players to reach their full potential, without future regret of what they might have done differently.

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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Thursday, February 11, 2010

Little League Baseball Coach: Don't Overlook Any of Your Players


By Larry Cicchiello

As a baseball coach, I've always enjoyed watching my so called "superstars" perform. Hitting a "seed" up the gap or pitching six scoreless innings is lots of fun to watch. But I also enjoy a player who has been struggling and then overcomes any baseball struggles.

I've had my share of championships and have enjoyed them tremendously. After one of them, my 10-11-12 year old team doused me with many different colors of an athletic beverage. One of my player's mothers asked me if it feels terrible. I was sticky, slimy and multi-colored from head to toe, including my glasses. I looked at her in honest disbelief and replied "no not at all, it feels great." Being a very competitive coach, what mattered to me was my kids were celebrating their championship victory.

OK, so we all enjoy winning and I'll put myself at the top of the list.

Now I want to switch gears for a moment and let's forget about winning, home runs, shutouts and all the other things our outstanding players accomplish.

I want to share with you a story about Nick, a 12 year old I coached back in 2002.

I knew Nick off the baseball field and knew he was a great kid with great parents. That's why I drafted him that year and in future years as well. We went to the batting cages about three weeks before our season began. I had never seen several of the kids swing a bat, including Nick. I had my clip board in hand to jot down notes as to what I need to work on with certain players. I watched Nick and after only one or two of his swings, I saw a glaring weakness. Nick had this "long and looping" swing and was over matched by every pitch. Constantly late on every pitch. I jotted this down. I mentioned this to Nick, a very intelligent kid. We went to the cages a couple of more times and he is still "long and looping" to the baseball. I'm not getting through to Nick.

Our regular season begins and Nick is struggling big time. After about ten games Nick is hitless for the year. Hitless as in 0-20 for the year. I'm coaching third base and Nick is up. He has a count of 2-2. For about the hundredth time, I call out to Nick, "come on Nick, short to the ball." I then actually demonstrated it to him as if I were holding the bat.

Nick is a right-handed hitter and the pitcher throws him a fastball over the outside portion of the plate. With this lightning quick motion, Nick throws the head of the bat directly at the ball. It almost looked like a quick karate chop. He hits a seed into the right-center field gap and gets a stand up double. I can't describe the great feeling I had. Remember, this is a great kid who had been severely struggling at the plate. Nick is standing on second base and looking toward home plate in his usual humble fashion. I called out to Nick. Before he completely turned his head toward me, I could already see a very, very huge grin. When we are making eye contact, I wave my right fist in the air at about head height. Nick, who is usually refined and quiet, shakes his fist back at me so aggressively that I honestly thought he could have injured his right shoulder. Really.

Sure, I remember many details of playoff victories and championship victories. Who got the big hits, who pitched great, who made game saving defensive plays, etc.

But I remember Nick's seed to right-center like it happened five minutes ago and not seven years ago. If you are into baseball coaching, maybe you have a player similar to Nick on your team. Helping that player will be at least as rewarding as any playoff or championship victory. And believe me, I love to win.

Once in a while, it's good to take a step back and not just focus on baseball tips on hitting, baseball pitching tips, etc. Occasionally looking at baseball from a different point of view is very healthy.

Larry is the president of Larwenty Online EnterprisesInc. and also the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." If you are a baseball player or are involved in baseball coaching at any level of play or a parent who wants to help your child improve, you will be fully equipped! His baseball website offers several FREE baseball tips from his very informative and very fairly priced eBooks.

Larry's baseball website is http://www.larrybaseball.com/.

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

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Wednesday, February 10, 2010

The 4 Things That Make a Great Hitter


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The 4 Things That Make a Great Hitter
By Todd Thomas

There are 4 things that make a can make a GREAT baseball or softball hitter. FOUR CRITICAL THINGS. Leave just one thing out and you can forget about greatness. Be absent of two or three or all four and your going from Good, to Average, to Poor, to finding another easier athletic endeavor.

These 4 things are...Potential, Technique, Work Ethic, and Mental Approach. Let's discuss each and their importance in being a great hitter.

1. Potential: This one a coach has no real control over. If a hitter does not have the potential to hit like Alex Rodriguez, then I dont' care who their instructor is they cannot make him/her hit like Alex no matter what they are taught nor no matter how bad they or their parents want that. No more than Hank Haney (Tiger Woods swing coach) can teach any given golfer the same stuff he teaches Tiger and turn that golfer into Tiger Woods. It can't be done. The only real control an Instructor has is to help a hitter to hit to their own potential whatever that is. It may be an outstanding Rec player. Maybe that's your potential. OR Maybe a really good select player or a top high school player, a top College prospect, or maybe a pro prospect. Potential does come in varying degrees that is for sure. Some may even seem to have the ability to stretch their potential, but I would submit to you that the potential they reach was always within their own God given potential. Part of a player's natural ability to fulfill their own potential shows in their ability or lack thereof to "take it between the lines". Some players are great batting practice hitters but when they step into the batters box, they just can't seem to hit(consistently or at all) like they do in the cage or at practice. It's a frustrating and perplexing phenomenon, but it's real. The bottom line fact, and it's hard for most if not all players and their parents to accept this, is that some players just don't have it "built in" to their natural ablility/potential to perform between the lines to a high level or to the level they expect they should. Some players have the desire to be great and I'll talk more about desire later in this article. However, if the potential is not there then I'm sorry neither will be greatness.

2. Technique: When good technique is put together with good potential, good things definitely will happen for a hitter. Some players with tremendous potential and natural ability can have horrible technique and still do very well. However, in my opinion, even though they may be good they are NOT reaching their true potential without good technique. Players with average to below average potential with bad technique certainly shouldn't expect much. Conversely, players with average to below average potential can expect to be much better and have the ability to make great strides toward their own personal potential with good technique. So what technique can help hitters reach their personal potential? It is the technique used by the best Major League and Collegiate hitters. What technique is that? That depends of what you call it. Mike Epstein calls it Rotational Hitting. Some people have a problem with that term for whatever reason. Mostly because they haven't a clue of what it really means or what we specifically teach from the beginning of the swing to the end. But they "assume" and are wrong. Okay, so call the technique what you want if it makes you or someone else feel better. Call it The Big League Swing. Call it a Hybrid Swing. Call it whatever you want, but it simply is the technique of the best Big Leaguers and Collegiate players. It should be noted that some current and former players from these categories have no clue what their true technique is/was and have no clue how to actually teach it either. For you or any hitter to reach their potential, a hitter must have good technique/mechanics.

3. Work Ethic: Along side work ethic is something I mentioned earlier and that is desire. Without desire, there is no sustainable work ethic within a player. A hitter MUST have the desire to be great and because of that they MUST work hard at reaching their potential. I have seen many players with loads of potential. They have learned the best technique and yet they don't work at it. They wonder what's wrong with them, or the technique, or maybe even with their teacher. I say this to every hitter... There is no SHORTCUT to being good(and certainly not great). It takes work and it takes it for an extended period of time. In fact, it takes work until the day they stop playing the game. The best hitters in the world are Major League ball players and the top college softball players. My question to you is... How often do they take batting practice? If you answered "Every Day", you are pretty much right on. Is there a day off here and there? Sure. But for all intents and purposes, they take BP EVERY DAY! Why do they do this? They are already great. What do they need to work on it for? I'll tell you. Because hitting is a lifelong pursuit. One never has "it" figured out permanently. If the best players practice every day, then why do some hitters want to take a "lesson" and then just show up for games and expect to be good?!? It's inexplicable. Yet I see it all the time. I believe that the One Who Works The Hardest, HITS The Hardest! Work, work, work. Take a break and then work some more. Only then should a hitter expect to be their best.

4. Mental Approach: Without a solid mental approach going to and at the plate, a player can only ever expect to be good, but not great. How a player thinks in the batter's box and prior to getting there is what can make a good hitter a great hitter. There are several schools of thought on this. I say subscribe to one and APPLY IT! One side of the mental game is confidence and focus. The other side of the mental game is being prepared and thinking along with the pitcher. Mike Epstein believes the best mental approach lies in anticipating pitches. Having a plan, using acquired information (either from observation or from teammates), and anticipating pitches. Now I am not going to get into the specifics here on this. There is much more to it and to cover than I want to go into here. Mike Epstein's book "The Mental Side Of Hitting" is a good resource. I know one young hitter who has read this book SIX times and guess what, IT SHOWS! There are others resources out there on having a quality at-bat or being a thinking hitter. There really is some good information on this and those hitters that want to reach their potential are the ones who will seek it out, dive into it, and apply it. Many hitters short change themselves by selling short how important it is to have a solid mental approach at the plate. They hear it and it goes in one ear and out the other. Meanwhile, they want their instructor to just help them to perfect their technique to make them better and to reach their potential. They won't and their coach can't if their technique is already solid. Get into the mental side of hitting if you DESIRE to be GREAT.

In closing... As the title to this article would indicate, in order to be a great hitter and/or to reach YOUR maximum potential, you must have all 4 of these things. Think about it. What good is any one of these things without AT LEAST one other element? Without one, you can only expect to be good. Absent of two, a hitter will be average AT BEST. With only one element, it's all but hopeless. Do we even need to consider none? Not really. The good news is that 3 of the 4 are simply a decision. All any player has to do is to decide to have good technique, a good work ethic, and a good mental approach. Only potential/natural ability is out of your control. If God has blessed you with natural ability, then fulfill you're potential by deciding to apply yourself in the other areas. Finally... if you DECIDE to leave out one of the 3 areas that are under your control, now you'll understand the results you'll get.

Todd Thomas is a Baseball Coach and Professional Hitting Instructor for Mike Epstein Hitting. Coach Todd's personal hitting website is http://www.HitItHere.net. Coach Todd also enthusiastically endorses http://PlayMyBestBaseball.com as a place where baseball and softball hitters can master the Confidence, Composure, Focus and Consistency of their game so they can reach their full potential.

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

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Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Little League Digest - Proper Baseball Swing Mechanics and the "Belly Button" Rule of Hip Turn

Youth Baseball Digest
By Nick Dixon

Little league Digest: Baseball Batting Coaching Tips: Teaching Hip Turn Mechanics and Using the "Belly Button" Rule to Improve Baseball Swing Quality

The hips play an important part in the baseball swing process. The turn of the hips helps to generate power and bat speed. There are several important coaching points about the involvement of the hips in the swing. The "B B" rule is one good way to teach young players the degree of hip turn on various pitch locations. This article presents several coaching points and explains the "B B" rule.

Here are 10 Coaching Points related to Hip Movement Mechanics:

1. The degree of hip movement is determined by the location of the pitch.

2. The hips must turn more when hitting an inside pitch.

3. The hips will turn less when hitting a pitch away.

4. The hips should not move before the hands and bat.

5. To free the hips, the back foot must spin, rotate or turn onto the toe.

6. The hips follow the barrel. The hips should open behind the barrel, not before it.

7. Premature front side or hip movement will cause a batter to pull the head and to pull of pitches.

8. The correct hip movement is a spin. Lunging or sliding the hips forward is not acceptable.

9. The hip movement should be a thrust or fast rotation. The faster the rotation of the hips, the faster the bats speed.

10. The degree of hip rotation can be taught by teaching the "Belly Button" rule as explained below.

The "Belly Button Rule" is explained as the following:

The Belly Button should follow the barrel of the bat through the baseball swing process. The location of a pitch determines hip turn. The degree of hip turn determines where the belly button is pointing when the batter finishes the baseball swing. The belly button should always finish in a position that points toward the direction in which the baseball was hit.

For example, when a ball is hit to the opposite field, the batters "Button" should point or be directed toward the opposite field when the swing is completed. If a batter pulls an inside pitch, the belly button should follow the ball and point toward the direction in which the ball was hit.

Coaching Point: For right and left handed batters, if the ball is hit through the box, up the middle, the belly button should "shine" or point toward second base when the swing is complete. For right handed batter, is a ball is pulled, the belly button should finish pointing toward third base. If a right handed batter hits the baseball down the right field line, the button should point toward first base when the swing is completed. If a left handed batter pulls the baseball, the hips should turn completely and the button should finish pointing at first base. If a left handed batter hits the ball to left field, the hips should turn less and the belly button should finish the swing pointing the 5-6 hole or between 3rd and 2nd base.

I hope that you found this article to be informative and helpful. Thanks for taking the time to read it. I wish you and your team good luck this 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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Monday, February 8, 2010

Youth Baseball Digest - Batting Order Basics For Little League Baseball

By Nick Dixon

Little league and youth baseball coaches must know how to make out a batting order. They must know the roles and responsibilities of each batter in the line-up. They must know what are the physical requirements and hitting skills needed to perform the task associated with each spot in a team batting line-up. This article discusses the roles and duties of each player in a baseball batting order.

A straight batting order is the most popular and commonly used. There is one #1 batter, one #2 batter, one #3 batter, and the order goes on down the order to the nine spot. The various jobs and responsibilities of each spot are as follows:

#1 Batter- Called the lead-off batter, the first batter must get on base a lot. He should be a good contact hitter with good speed and base running skills. He must be a patience hitter at the plate that has the capability to take a lot of pitches. He is a good two strike batter that can go deep in the count and still swing the bat with confidence. He must have a good eye for balls and strikes. He must know that getting on with a base on balls is as good as a hit when you are the #1 batter in the order. The #1 hitter should not strike out a lot. The #1 hitter is a plate setter for the #3 and #4 hitters.

#2 Batter-The #2 batter should have the highest on-base-average on the team. He must also have the capability to go deep in the count and still hit with confidence, the #2 batter must take pitches to allow the lead-off batter base runner to steal second base. He must be a good bunter and a good bat handler capable of executing the hit and run play. His biggest responsibilities in order are is to move the runner on first to second with by getting on base safely, moving the runner to second or third base with a ball hit to the right side of the diamond, or to sacrifice bunt the runner to second base. The #2 hitter should not strike out a lot. The #2 hitter is also a plate setter for the #3 and #4 hitters.

#3 Batter-The best hitter on the team always hits in this spot. He must be a contact hitter. He should be the best power hitter on the team with the highest number of extra base hits. He should have one of the highest batting averages on the team. He should also be a capable base runner. The number #3 batter should have average speed. Putting a slow base runner in the #3 spot can cause a "log jam" on the bases. The #3 should continue to set the plate for the #4 cleanup batter.

#4 Batter- The #4 spot is known as the cleanup spot. The most powerful batter on the team should bat in this spot. His job is to "clean the plate" set for him by the batters before him. He should be an aggressive batter that has the best bat speed and power on the team.

#5 Batter-The five spot is always considered a spot for a power hitter. He should be the second most powerful batter on the team behind the #4 batter. His foot speed is not considered a major issue. His is there because he swings a powerful bat.

#6 Batter- The 6th spot in the order is often used for a lead-off player type batter. The 6 hitter should have a lead-off batter approach at the plate and good speed on the bases.

#7 Batter-The seven spot is the "left-over" spot. It is often used for an average player that is in the lineup because of pitching or defensive duties.

#8 Batter-In most cases, the #8 hitter should be a player that loves to hit the fast ball. The theory is that the 8 hitter will often be overlooked with the #9 hitter on deck. Also, it is thought that many teams will show little respect for the bottom three batters in the order and feed them a lot of fast balls. The number 8 hitter is normally a player that is in the lineup on a regular basis.

#9 Batter-The #9 spot is considered by many coaches as the 2nd lead-off batter. The 9th spot in the order is often used for the next best lead-off player behind your #1 hitter. The 9th hitter should have great base running skills and above average speed.

Coaching Point: Every batter that is the lead-off batter, starting an inning, should know the duty of a lead-off batter. The duty of the first batter in the inning is to get on base and to start a "rally". The lead-off batter that gets on base, to start the inning, score the majority of the time.

I hope that you found this article to be useful and informative. Good luck to you and your team this year. 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!

Friday, February 5, 2010

Yankee Derek Jeter - All Baseball Players and Coaches Can Learn From His Mental Approach to the Game

By Nick Dixon

Derek Jeter's mental approach to baseball is one that every player, coach and parent should take notice of. He is a true American Sports Hero yet he does not consider himself bigger than the game itself. His words and quotes reflect his attitude, his commitment, and his love of the game.

What can all baseball coaches learn from Derek Jeter's mental approach to the game? He is one of the most "decorated" Major League baseball players in the past decade. But, more impressive than his talent is his ability to keep the game in proper perspective mentally. He is humble. He knows how important the game is to him. He appreciates the opportunity he has to play the game and he considers it an honor to wear the pin stripes. In this article I present Derek Jeter quotes that I feel reflect how every player should approach the mental part of the game.

Derek Jeter helped the New York Yankees win the 2009 Major League Baseball World Series. The win earned the franchise's 27th World Series Championship. In 2009 Jeter made his 10th All-Star Team. The list of honors and awards Jeter received in 2009 is extremely impressive. He Won his 5th World Series Ring. He became the all-time Yankee leader in hits. He won his fourth Gold Glove. He won his fourth Silver Slugger award by batting .334 with a .406 On-Base-Percentage. He won the Hank Aaron Award as the best hitter in the AL. He received the Roberto Clemente Award for his commitment to service in the community. He was honored with Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year for his overall accomplishments in 2009. But, what is more impressive that his honors and accolades is his mental approach to the game.

Derek Jeter considers himself blessed to play the game of baseball. He does not look at himself like many pro athletes do. Many pro athletes consider it a privilege for the game to have them as a player. They put themselves on a pedestal above the game itself.

All coaches should be happy if they players take the same mental approach to baseball as Jeter does. Here I take three Derek Jeter quotes that I feel reflect the proper mental attitude for any player at any level to have toward the game.

Quote #1 This quote reflects Jeter's thoughts about the importance of having fun and enjoying the game.

"You have got to have fun. Regardless of how you look at it, we are playing a game. It is a business, it is our job, but I do not think you can do well unless you are having fun." Derek Jeter

It is refreshing to see a Major League Baseball All-Star like Jeter feels that having fun should be a priority. I feel that more players, coaches, and parents should share that same sentiment. Many coaches and players forget the fact that baseball is just a game and games are meant to be played for fun!

Quote #2 This quote shows that Jeter values defensive play and pitching as keys to winning.

"That is how you win - pitching and defense." Derek Jeter

This quote is coming from one of the best hitters in Major League Baseball History, yet he is makes it clear that he considers pitching and defense the keys to winning. Maybe some coaches and players should put more emphasis on the defensive aspects of the game.

Quote #3 This quote reflects how important Jeter thinks it is to keep working and improving. This quote shows the importance of staying focused and staying "hungry".

"We just want to win. That is the bottom line. I think a lot of times people may become content with one championship or a little bit of success, but we do not really reflect on what we have done in the past. We focus on the present."Derek Jeter

As you can see from Jeter's quotes, he does not put himself or his success above the game or his team. He shows a commitment to continue improving and working hard. His love for the game is obvious. He is an inspiration to anyone that watches him play.

I hope that you enjoyed this article. Thanks for taking the time to read it. Have a great day, Nick.

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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.

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