Author Archive for Chris Gissell – Page 13

Use Your Mind

Dec
20

Eight+Men+Out+4

When we pitch, we don’t want to be a robot out there. We need to be able to think and pitch at the same time. To be clear, though, we do our thinking when we are NOT on the rubber. When we step on the rubber, our mind needs to be clear and committed to whatever situation we are in. There should be a list of things that go through your mind from the moment you get the ball back and when you step on the rubber again.

  • What inning is it?
  • How many outs?
  • Where are the runners?
  • What is the score?
  • Who is up and what did they do they last at bat?
  • Who is on deck and what did they do last at bat?
  • How can I get action on this next pitch.

Let me explain the last one. Our goal as a pitcher should always be to get the hitter out in 3 pitches or less. The fewer pitches we can throw to each hitter, the longer we might stay in the game.

Categories : Chris Gissell, Dudes Blog, Pitching

The Vision

Dec
15

Article#1picOn 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. 

Baseball has been in my blood since the age of 5. I grew up in Concord, CA where I played little league all the way through age 12. We moved up to the Pacific NW in 1991 when my father was transferred to Portland. One of the things I remember most about my baseball youth was my father reading every book and magazine, watching every instructional video and taking me to every clinic he could find to get me in front of the right people with the knowledge to make me a better player. 

So while sitting on the beach (in the shade while Rachael spent hours in the sun) my mind started racing once this idea popped in my head. How can I reach more kids?  I’m only home 4-5 months a year to train and am limited to just my area. Maybe I can use the Internet!  So that was it, he ideas started pouring in. So many, I couldn’t sleep, not even while on vacation. Maybe I can reach players all over the country, maybe even the world someday, via video analysis, articles, webinars and eBooks. My vision is when Baseball Dudes grows, too big for me to handle alone, we will bring on more instructors with pro experience who are still involved in the game.  

The name “Baseball Dudes” came from me telling my oldest boy about this idea. I asked him what should I call the business and he replied “little dudes playing baseball.” I loved it, especially since in the baseball world, a prospect is often referred to as a “Dude.” So to make a long story, a little shorter, “Baseball Dudes” was born on Dec 1 2012. 

Categories : Baseball Life, Chris Gissell, Dudes Blog
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