Pitch Smart || Baseball Dudes LLC

Parents and Coaches…

I URGE you to take some time to read through the website “PITCH SMART” by MLB. Youth Baseball is in a time of weekly tournaments (4-6 games in a 2-3 day period). These tournaments are an amazing opportunity for hitters to get in a ton or reps in a short period but CAN be (with poor coaching decisions) the worst possible situation for pitchers to be in. Pitching in multiple games in the same day. Pitching on back to back days even after throwing 20+ pitches on the first day. Exceeding a proper number of pitches in a game because you feel the need to save your other pitchers for a later game. Having a pitcher pitch through fatigue. And let’s not forget about the catchers!!

If your team doesn’t have enough pitchers to cover all of the innings that your squad may play, then you should not be playing in that tournament. Once again, these type of decisions come down to what’s right for that player. What’s best for his future. You can’t preach development and then make decisions that put your players at an elevated risk of injury because of your drive to make it to the championship game. PLEASE take a moment and think about what’s best for the players.

Coaches, thank you for all you do and always remember that these kids development and future is in your hands when they are on your roster. The words you use, the choices you make and the manner in which you carry yourself can make a bigger impact on their future than you may realize. Take pride in what you do and don’t ever forget that this game is 100% about them.

Chris Gissell (172 Posts)

Founder of Baseball Dudes. Blessed with three beautiful children and an amazing wife. Baseball is my life, after my family, and I love sharing what I have learned from it. Thanks for taking the time to view what we offer here at Baseball Dudes.

Perspective

I’ve been instructing for I don’t know how many years. At first it was just something I did during the off seasons but had no idea what it was leading to.

Fast forward to 2012, the Angels gave me an opportunity to lead their young draft picks, teach them the game and how to be a professional, my eyes were opened. Since then my appreciation and understanding of coaching has grown deep. The amount of time coaches put in, the level of patience required, the attention to detail necessary, the consistent body language needed to lead by example, the understanding of what’s really important and what’s not, the importance of being able to relate to all different personalities, athleticism and abilities, the fact that being a good coach means consistently growing ourselves and coming to the realization that the one thing that matters most in all of this is finding ways to use the game to help them prepare for all those years when they are not playing the game.

I need to say Thank You to all my past coaches and to all the current coaches who take pride in giving the kids in front of them what they need on top of baseball skills. It’s often a thankless role but remember that no matter where they go in the game, they are going somewhere in life. That’s our mission.

– Chris Gissell

“My purpose, MY WHY, is to provide for my family, while also doing everything I can to develop quality people through the many life lessons that Baseball provides daily.”

17 Years Professional Experience (14 as a player, 3 as a coach). MLB debut 8/22/2004 with the Colorado Rockies. Retired from professional coaching on 10/31/14 to focus on family and developing youth baseball players full time.

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