Every little league has them. The All-Stars. Some tall and over powering, some short with good hand eye coordination and some who are flat out just great. Most of these kids play other sports too. This helps them stay strong and grow up learning how to control their bodies.
Over the years, I have worked with many players that fit this mold. But there is a pattern which I have seen that is hard to watch. These kids get to the 12 year old age and they are beasts. Nobody can touch them on the mound. Nobody can get them out at the plate. They are the man!! They feel great about themselves and have everybody in their lives pumping them up. That kid’s ego is so big by the time his 12 year old All-Star season is over, he thinks he will play pro ball no matter what.
Well….guess what’s coming next season? The big field. From my perspective, it can be quite amusing to watch. I can’t wait for my kids to go through that transition. The game slows down so much to the point where the kid who threw the hardest in little league now has a hump in his fastball and seems to be throwing batting practice every time he is on the mound. The kid who hit 200 ft. bombs, now keeps popping out to the outfielders and the kid who was so fast on the little field, he could beat out any hit, now takes forever to get to first base.
Like I said earlier, you see these studs every year. Unfortunately these kids just aren’t prepared. These kids need someone to give them some guidance as to what to expect at that next level. A parent, a coach or an instructor needs to inform them as to what it is going to be like and how they can prepare. Once they are informed and if they still decide not to work at it, well, they will have no one to blame but themselves.
Most kids don’t start training until just before their tryouts. When they were on the small field, it’s pretty easy to get away with. Now though, with the big field coming, if this is how they approach it, they are doomed.
This, to me is one of the most important points in a youth baseball players life. If they don’t put in the time and hard work, their talent will fade away. The end of the Little League Legend.
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.
This is way more important than most players, parents and amateur coaches realize. Without good communication between the pitcher and catcher, it can be hard to get in a rhythm. When the pitcher has to consistently shake off the catcher’s signs, it is almost impossible to get in a groove. A pitcher and catcher should meet up before every game and talk about what that pitcher likes to throw in different counts and situations. What is his go-to pitch when he needs to throw a strike? How does the pitcher like the catcher to set up on different pitches? What are his favorite put away pitches? Make things easier on everyone and take a few minutes to see what your pitcher’s plan is.
Every big league hitter starts their day in the cage by hitting the ball the other way. One, this helps us stay back on the ball and keep our weight where we need it to be. Two, this is a skill that every good hitter needs to have. At some point, you will get up to bat and it will be your job to move the runner over by hitting the ball the other way. When you are on the tee, set it up deeper in your stance and work on staying inside the ball and driving it the other way. When doing soft toss, or front toss, have your thrower toss them away so you can get comfortable with this. Finally, the beginning of your first round of batting practice should be focused on hitting it the other way. Like I said earlier, every good hitter can do this on command, can you?
Once we step in the box, we are ready to hit. Look fastball and adjust to the off speed pitches. If we step in the box and are committed to an off speed pitch, the chances of us catching up to the fastball are very slim. Many times a hitters mind will get going way too fast, with too many thoughts and guesses, and step in the box not focused on what they need to be focused on. This will never equal a good result. Have a plan before you even get to the plate for the first pitch. You will more than likely need to make adjustments during the at bat, but never step in the box until your mind is calm and ready!
You can see the whole field from your position. Make sure everyone knows how many outs there are at all times. Step out in front of the plate, raise your voice, and let everyone know. Don’t be afraid to take a free out, and set up picks with your fielders. Make sure your fielders know where to throw the ball in different situations. Besides the pitcher, you can control the thought process of your entire team. If you want to be a big league catcher, get comfortable being vocal!!!
Just as a pitcher or hitter, a fielder needs to have a plan before every pitch. They need to know the situation: how many outs, where are the runners, what is the score, where does this guy tend to hit the ball, what is my pitcher throwing on this pitch? All of these will determine what I will do if and when the ball is hit to me. A fielder without a plan can get caught with the ball in their hand and no sense where to throw the ball. At the amateur level, this happens all too often. Parents and coaches, take the time to explain this to your players. Watch a game in person or on TV and have fun with it. Have your Dude put themselves in that situation and ask them what would they do if the ball was hit to them. A good fielder is always thinking and has a plan for when the ball is hit to them.
Pitchers need to take responsibility for the running game. Too often we will see bases stolen and blame it on the catcher. This mind set must be switched. It is our responsibility to give our catcher a chance to throw that guy out. If we are too slow to the plate, it is OUR fault he was allowed to steal the base. If we do not vary our hold times, hold the ball for different periods of time from pitch to pitch, it is OUR fault he was allowed to steal the base. We as pitchers need to all understand that it is our job, and nobody else’s, to keep that runner at the base they are on.
If you play baseball, I’m sure you know what it means to have soft hands. If you haven’t, then listen up. To have soft hands means to field a ball with your hands moving back towards your body and up just as the ball gets to you. This also means to not have brick hands. How many times have you tried to field a ball only to have it hit right in your glove and bounce right back out? This more than likely happened because you had stone hands. Check out our instructional tip on soft hands to get a better understanding of what this should look like, but understand from this that the reason the ball keeps popping out of your glove is because you don’t have soft hands.
On Dec 1 2012 my wife, Rachael, and I were in Cabo on our first vacation since our honeymoon 12 years prior. While sitting around with nothing to do, your mind tends to wander with boredom. We have three children (Christopher 10, Zachary 7 and Brooke 4) so there is really not much time in our lives to be bored. Honestly, I don’t think my mind knows how to handle having no responsibilities and that is why this happened. 
