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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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.

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

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

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

Baseball 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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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