Chris Gissell || Page 9 || Baseball Dudes LLC

Think Before You Speak

Feb

This applies to everyone, not just baseball players and coaches. We all have heard at some point that our words can hurt. Not only can our words hurt someone, they can affect how we are perceived by others. Our students who work through our “Life & Leadership” workbooks hear about this often. This also is a topic often spoken about in my own household.

My boys were at the park one day with a couple buddies playing football when my younger one came to me saying one of the boys made a comment about his catching ability. The kid who said it is a very nice kid and my younger boy (8) is still pretty sensitive. When we talked about it later, I tried to get him to understand that the buddy wasn’t trying to be mean, he was just stating what he was seeing. I’m sure how the buddy worded his comment didn’t come across the way an adult would have said it, but that’s to be expected from a 10 year old. The point I was trying to get across was that whenever we are thinking about saying or doing something, we need have better control of ourselves and think about how our words or actions will affect the people around us and how it might make us appear to others. He needed to recognize that his buddy wasn’t being mean, but in the moment, he made the wrong choice in saying the words he did. He obviously didn’t think about how his words would affect my boy.

As an adult, it still amazes me when I come across other adults that still don’t have what I call a “Filter” in their head between their brain and their mouth. This is the place where an idea stops and for a second and your brain decides whether it’s a good idea or bad idea to do or say whatever it just came up with.

I am very fortunate to spend a lot of time around some of the best baseball minds in the world. Guys who had great MLB careers. Unfortunately, with that kind of success, you often find big egos and with that you come across people who love to her themselves speak and feel that everyone wants to hear what they have to say at all times.

The best and most influential people I have been around are the ones who only speak when spoken to and only voice their opinion when it will have an impact on what’s in front of them.

Early in my professional life, I was one of these people with no filter. I would just say or ask whatever came to mind. I look back now and realize how ignorant and immature I was making myself look. My “Filter” was non existent. Fortunately, I have learned from my mistakes and am excited to be able to teach my students from my own experiences. It can be a tough lesson to learn but the sooner in life we learn/teach this life lesson, the easier we can make things for our ourselves, and our Dudes, later in life.

ALWAYS, “Think Before You Speak”

Chris Gissell (173 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.

Categories : All Articles, Baseball Life, Chris Gissell, Dudes Blog, Parents

Pitching To Contact

Dec

I recall watching an Angels @ White Sox game this past summer. Chris Sale started for the Sox and pitched a one hit shutout on 98 pitches (under 11 pitches per inning). When it comes to pitching, a 12-15 pitch inning is considered a quality inning as far as pitch count goes. That’s 4-5 pitches per batter. For us to achieve this, we should have a goal of getting the hitters out in three pitches or less.

I am sure that many youth, HS and College coaches would disagree with this approach but I have been in this game long enough, and have used this approach myself, to understand why this is important. There are multiple big league organizations who actually keep track of this stat (3 pitches or less). If the big boys keep an eye on this, I would hope that would be enough for you to believe in it.

Let me explain why I think this is important. If you have your ace on the mound, you want him out there as long as he can be. And not only do you want him out there in the 6th, 7th or 9th inning, you want him to be as strong as he was at he beginning of the game. The only way for this to happen is to keep his pitch count down. To keep his pitch count down means getting early outs. Getting early outs means getting outs in three pitches or less. To get an out on three pitches or less means pitching to contact. Pitching to contact means trying to throw every pitch in the strike zone.

In HS and College, too often you will see a pitcher go 0-2 on a hitter and then the catcher will call a fastball and set up a foot off the plate (because that is what he has been taught). This is often called a waste pitch. That is the perfect name for this pitch because that is exactly what it was, a waste! You can’t give me a reason why this is a good pitch. If you want to set up off the plate on 0-2, set up a couple inches off and call a slider, curveball or a change up. Something that you might get the hitter to chase. Coaches, teach your players to pitch to contact and why it is important.

The only way Chris Sale, or anyone else, can average 9-12 pitches per inning is to pitch to contact. Throw strikes often, eliminate free bases (Walks) and you will find yourself a successful pitcher!

Chris Gissell (173 Posts)

Categories : Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog, Pitching

The PROCESS

Oct

NateSS I recently had someone ask me what’s the biggest difference when working with professional pitchers and youth pitchers. As we got further into it, we started discussing the PROCESS that they all go through.

Let’s start with the younger ones. I’m referring to the 8-9-10 year olds. Often when I see kids this age, there is so much to fix that without a philosophy or plan, an instructor would have a hard time getting anywhere.

Parents seek out an instructor for their Dude because they want them to be able to compete as best they can when they are on the field. Too often, when I see a kid for the first time and we play catch, the kid has never really “let it fly” in his whole life. I’m talking about letting their arm be loose and throw the ball as hard as they can. When I come across a kid like this, we will do drills to make sure this kid learns what it feels like to give his best. Sometimes this may take a couple sessions but they usually start feeling it pretty quickly. This arm speed issue is an area of focus because most of these kids have dreams and aspirations to play high school and beyond and if they aren’t able to “let it fly” then there is no way they will reach those goals. A pitcher can have a great delivery and be good at thowing strikes, but the older they get, the bigger and stronger his opponets will get and it will begin to look like he is out there throwong batting paractice.

Next would be learning a proper delivery. This is obviously the most important part when it comes to being able to throw strikes consistently. Every kid is different and will naturally have a different looking delivery but there are a few areas of focus that have to be taught. Balance-Direction-Timing/Rhythm. Without being really good at all three of these in a delivery, it will be hard to compete from pitch to pitch.

Now…If and when we are really good at effort level and have developed a consistent delivery, we can start learning how to PITCH. You start focusing on the command of your pitches. Once a player is 12 or 13 you can start introducing breaking pitches. They should have already been throwing a change up for a couple years now.

When a pitcher has developed control or decent command, we can start working on pitch selection. What are good pitch selections in different counts.

If a pitchers is blessed enough to get to the professional level, this is when they will really learn what it takes to compete at the highest level. Some make it to the big leagues really quick but most live a journey that last years and years before they finally make it IF they make it at all. When a pitcher gets to this level, they all of the sudden find themselves competing against the best in the world. For many, it is a very humbling experience. They find out really quick that what they did in high school and college isn’t as effective at that level. Many have to make adjustments quickly. Learning to pitch at the bottom of the zone is usually the biggest area of adjustment. Unfortunately, many never really get a grasp of this and have their careers end too quickly.

The PROCESS at this level is becoming the best at all the little things that hopefully they were taught at some point when they were younger. I’m talking about becoming the best at PFP, holding runners on base, having good pick off moves, being able to make in game adjustments with this delivery, learning a good routine in between games, learning what it means to be a professional. I could keep going but I think you understand.

The PROCESS is different for everyone. Learn what your PROCESS is or find and instructor that can help your Dude learn what their is.

The PROCESS

Chris Gissell (173 Posts)

Categories : Baseball Life, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog

Playing Catch

Sep

When you think of pitching, you need to realize that it is just a glorified game of catch. The #1 job of a pitcher is to throw strikes, execute pitches and hit his target as well as he can and as often as he can.

Here’s a big issue though…Too many young players out there just are not good and playing a simple game of catch! I would watch some of my pro guys and it was simply embarrassing! These young men, who now get paid to throw strikes, had such poor feel for the baseball that they couldn’t consistently find their release point for distance and side to side. I would keep track of my pitchers strike percentages every season and there was definitely a direct relationship between the guys with low strike percentages and with their inability to play quality catch. It’s also important to point out that we should be trying to control the ball in long toss. If you can consistently hit your mark at 200+, 250+ and 300+ feet, it WILL translate to the mound in a big way.

Parents and coaches, please pay closer attention to this. Your Dude needs to realize that if he wants to be a better pitcher, he needs to start with being a better catch player. With every throw, they need to pick a spot on their partner and hit it. Hold your glove at your stomach and see how often they can hit it.

I grew up playing a catch game called “21” and a lot of our pro guys would play a similar version. Try using these rules…

Head = 5 points
Chest = 3 points
Below waist = 1 point

For older more advanced kids, use these rules…
Head = 2 points
Chest = 1 point

The throw has to be within the outline of your body. If off, it is 0 points. Play where you have to get exactly “21”.

It’s little things like this that can really help you or your Dude become a better catch player. Take pride in your catch play, develop feel and you will see yourself doing your job better and better with each day. Have fun and dominate out there!!

Chris Gissell (173 Posts)

Categories : Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog, Pitching

I Play Clean

Sep

68981_160819980608472_3792825_n For those of you who may not have heard yet, we have partnered up with “I Play Clean”. Their mission is to educate and encourage high school students to make the right choice of playing clean – that is, training hard, eating well and playing with attitude, instead of resorting to illegal and dangerous steroids and performance enhancing products.

They are a Non-Profit organization and the partnership couldn’t be more perfect. This topic is something I feel very strongly about. I was raised in a house where when you had a goal, the way you would reach it would be through hard work and dedication. I take pride in knowing that everything I achieved in my playing days was a direct result of me working my butt off to get everything I could out of my talent.

I played in a generation where the use of performance enhancing drugs was at it’s peak. I sat in locker rooms knowing that the guy next to me was using steroids. It didn’t bother me. I truly believe that it didn’t because of the mindset I was brought up with. I learned through this game that, yes it is a team sport, but for my team to be great, it took each of my teammates to know what it took for them to be good as often as possible. I couldn’t control what they did or didn’t do. Once I realized this in my career, things got better for me. I found a routine that I did daily which helped me to be the best I could be for my team every day my name was called. The best in this game are better more often. To be better more often comes from a mindset and desire to be as consistent as you can be.

These guys I played with and against that used steroids are the type of people who are looking for the easy way. Yes, many of them reached the big leagues only because they used steroids but now these guys will have to live with remorse and hopefully regret knowing that the reason they had the success they did was because they were cheaters. Now I’m not stupid, I have spent my life around guys and have a good feel for how everyone of them has different mindsets, and realize that many will never feel these emotions. Many will sit at home in their huge house and never think twice about how they got it. That’s just the way it is.

The point of all this is, live a life of integrity and honesty. Be a strong enough person to make your own choices. If your buddies are doing something that you don’t think is right, be the bigger person and follow what your heart is telling you. You WILL feel better about yourself, and have more confidence, when you live a life by these standards.

Chris Gissell (173 Posts)

Categories : Baseball Life, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog, Parents

Tempo

Sep

Let’s talk “Tempo”. What is it and why is it so important in this game. Before we start our day, we always go over the previous nights game. This topic always seems to come up. Tempo in baseball can mean different things for each guy. Obviously there is the Tempo of the game. How quick, or slow, the game is going. This is important to help the pitcher on the mound stay in a groove, keep your fielders on their toes and keep the hitters off balance.

There is also the tempo of a pitchers delivery. This is often referred to their rhythm. Each pitcher is different and when their command is off, this should be one of their first check points. In my experience, most pitchers are far more consistent with a quicker tempo in their delivery. There are a few guys that I have seen that can get away with a slower tempo in their delivery, but they are few and far between.

Now, as for the tempo of the game. This is all in the hands of the pitcher. It is their job to keep this going. When they are on the bench and the last out is made, they should hustle out to the mound. Be the first guy on the field. I always wanted to be to the mound before the outfielders, from the other team, made it to the mound while running off the field. Have a quick pace with your warm up pitches. I know in College they get 5 but in pro ball, you get 8. Have a plan for them and treat it like a mini bullpen session. Make it quality. Have purpose and intent with each pitch and again, be quick.

Another way to make sure the Tempo of the game is quick is to limit the time in between pitches. The easiest way to slow down a game is right here. Too often you will see a pitcher throw a pitch, walk towards the plate while receiving the ball back from the catcher and then turn around and walk back to the rubber. This is wrong! After you throw the pitch, back peddle towards the rubber so you are about to the top of the mound when you receive the ball.

Lastly, another way to slow the Tempo is for you and your catcher to not be on the same page. Talk before the game and make a plan. Talk in between innings and make a plan for the next three batters coming up.

Hitters do not like to feel rushed in the batters box. One of the easiest ways to make them uncomfortable is to have this quick Tempo. It makes them feel like they are being rushed. I took pride in making them uncomfortable in the box and loved it when they felt like they needed to call time out because they weren’t ready. My goal was for my catcher and I to be on the same page so that when the batter got in the box, looked up at me that I was ready to come at him.

Train yourself to work quick. Have a solid Tempo and become a better pitcher instantly!!

Chris Gissell (173 Posts)

Categories : Chris Gissell, Dudes Blog, Pitching

Reputation

Aug

A person or players success in life can be altered by the reputation that they build over time. Every decision someone makes can, and most often, will affect it. In some cases, a good or bad decision might not affect that person for a long period of time, but eventually all of our choices will directly affect us somehow.

One with a good reputation is one who has character, integrity, strong morals and is just a good person. To be a baseball player with a good reputation takes doing the same thing, your habits, day after day. Hitting off the tee everyday to make you a better hitter. Being the best catch player on the field everyday to make you a better pitcher. Being a great teammate in the dugout everyday whether you are having a good or bad day. Always being on time to every practice, class, game or team meeting. These are just a few things that build a good reputation.

Unfortunately a good reputation can be destroyed by one bad choice. Striking out and slamming your bat or helmet to the ground can kill it. Hanging your head after an error can kill it. Sitting on the bench and pouting while your whole team is up on the top rail can kill it. Making a poor decision off the field; skipping class, partying, poor choice of friends, not thinking before you speak can kill it. Doing the wrong things, thinking you might get away with it, will most definitely kill it.

The choice is all on you. Do you want to be known as a great player, great teammate, great student, hard worker, great son or a great father? Every single choice you make in life has consequences. It’s up to you if you want them to be good ones or bad ones.

Be a person of Character, Integrity and Honor and good things will happen to you in life.

Chris Gissell (173 Posts)

Categories : Baseball Life, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog

Adjustments

Jul

Every player is unique. Each batter has a different swing. Each pitcher has a different delivery. As players get older, hopefully they are being helped to learn what makes them the best they can be.

Hitters are learning what the best place is for their hands to be when the pitcher is about to release the ball. When do they need to get their front foot on the ground to insure they will be in the best position possible when the pitch gets into the contact area. The biggest issue you see with hitters, especially youth, is their lack of being taught what it means to be “on time” when the pitch gets to them.

Pitchers need to know what makes them tick too. What they need to feel pitch after pitch. Where they need to feel smooth. Where does the separation of their hands need to happen. What is their best arm stroke in the back.

All this comes with rep after rep. Learning what works best for you/them. Hopefully at some point in a players life, they end up in front of someone who understands this and can help the player to understand themselves and what makes them the best possible player they can be.

By knowing yourself and your swing or delivery will allow you to make quicker in game adjustments. If you take a bad swing, you need to be able to make an adjustment on the next one. If you throw a pitch up and arm side, you need to know yourself so well that you can fix it on the next pitch.

The ability to make quick adjustments is a huge part of this game. It is in fact one of the biggest things we work on at the pro level.

Chris Gissell (173 Posts)

Categories : Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog, Hitting, Pitching

Take Time Off

Jul

Baseball is a lot of fun. Kids who have the love for the game want to play everyday.

When it comes to hitting, you can do that everyday without putting too much stress on the body. In fact, the best of the best do it almost year round.

Pitching is a different story. This motion is very hard on the body. It is an un-natural motion to throw something over hand. It puts a lot of stress on the body. One of the best way to insure we limit injuries in a pitcher is to give the arm proper rest in the off season. Personally, I was very fortunate that my father learned this early in my childhood and forced me to give it a rest every year. I would always wait until after the new year to pick up a ball. If fall ball ended in October, my arm would get 2-3 months of rest. In my opinion, this is vital especially with our growing children.

I have parents very eager to start right back up working off the mound in the off season and have to remind them of this. My rule of thumb is at least 2 1/2 months of rest, then a couple weeks of catch before we get back up on the mound.

Parents, please educate yourself and understand this part of the game for your young pitcher.

Chris Gissell (173 Posts)

Categories : Baseball Life, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Pitching

Controlling The Adrenaline

Jul

If you are fortunate enough to play this game for a long time, you will have many firsts. The first time you walk into a clubhouse. The first time you meet your teammates. The first time you take a swing in the cage. The first time you throw a pitch off the mound in a bullpen. These are all firsts that will get the butterfly’s going a little.

What really gets the nerves is that first at bat or that first inning of the season. Like I said, hopefully you get to experience a lot of these. The question is, how do you handle these moments? I personally got to experience many and yes the nerves are always there. There was even some nerves pitching in an alumni game that meant nothing!!

The level I am coaching at this year is where a lot of newly drafted players go to get their first taste of pro ball. All of these young men will experience nerves, and pressure, like they have never experienced before. Some thrive in these situations and some allow the nerves to take over and take them off their game. The ability to slow things down at times like this is a learned ability. Experience is the only way to learn how to “Control The Adrenaline” in these moments.

I have written before on “The Weeding Out Process” and this is another layer. I have seen some players who have this elevated level of adrenaline outing after outing and at bat after at bat. They can’t seem to get a grip on how to handle it and end up never reaching their full potential in the game.

Learn how to handle your nerves/adrenaline in this game and watch yourself thrive.

Chris Gissell (173 Posts)

Categories : Baseball Life, Catching, Chris Gissell, Dudes Blog, Hitting, Pitching

It’s Not An Easy Game

Jun

I always tell parents that if they want their kids to learn how to deal with failure, have them play baseball. Like the title says, “It’s Not An Easy Game”. Major league hitters are great players getting only 3 hits in every 10 at bats. Major league pitchers are considered good when they allow 1 run every 2 innings. Think about it, that is your opponent beating you very often!!

Players need to be taught at a young age that failure is a part of life. It’s how they respond to those moments of failure which will make them either a strong or weak person. In baseball, there is always a tomorrow where you can redeem yourself. If you make a bad play, give up a homerun or strike out in a key situation, all you can do is learn from it. If you let that moment get the best of you, it’s going to be a long road (or short one with all the failures that happen in baseball).

As a parent, it’s hard to watch your kids fail out there on the field. Do your best to help them understand that moments like that will happen their whole life and how the right way to handle it is. When they fail, be sure to point out to them all the great hits-plays-pitches they have made in their life. Explain to them that even the guys they watch on TV fail and have bad games. Also help them to understand that this won’t be the last time they will have a bad day and that they need to learn something from every single failure they have in life, on and off the field.

It’s Not An Easy Game and that’s why those guys we watch on TV are so good. They have trained so much that they fail less than others and are great at dealing with the failures that happen every day.

Be great at dealing with failure and you will be a successful person on and off the field. The ones who jump up after falling, are the ones who will have a better chance at being successful at whatever they do.

Chris Gissell (173 Posts)

Categories : Baseball Life, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog

The Cutter

Jun

Categories : Chris Gissell, Pitching, Video Tips

Soft Toss

Jun

Categories : Chris Gissell, Hitting, Video Tips

New Faces

Jun

Orem_Owlz_5 The MLB Draft was held last week. The team I will be the pitching coaching for, the Orem Owlz, season will start June 20th. We play in the Pioneer League which is a short season A level. Considered rookie ball.

About half of our team will be compiled of new players from the draft. This will be their introduction into pro ball. These kids have dreamed of this day for as long as they have played this game.

Pro ball can be a tough adjustment for young men. We will play everyday for two and a half months except for 4-5 days off during that span. Three of those days will probably be travel days where we will spend half the day on a bus. This, playing everyday, can be a huge adjustment for these guys. Playing everyday means a lot of throwing. A lot of running. A lot of thinking about their game. When you play everyday, everything is magnified. A two or three week slump in HS or college might consist of 10ish games. Well if your playing everyday, that slump turns into 15-20 games.

Then there’s the off the field stuff. Many of these kids will be on their own for the first time. How they handle this part of life can also be a big adjustment. Too many times I have seen guys make bad decisions that have ruined their careers. Sad, but it happens every year.

Sorry, kind of got off track there. Please let me continue… I am very excited to welcome these young men into pro ball and will do my best to teach them and mentor them on what it takes, and means, to be a professional baseball player.

Orem, here we come!!

Chris Gissell (173 Posts)

Categories : Baseball Life, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog

How Did Your Teammates Do?

Jun

My career unfortunately takes me away during my kids Little League season. My wife is great at sending me videos of their at bats and of them pitching along with inning by inning text updates. It’s not the real thing, in person experience, but it’s what we do.

Both my kids are decent little players and usually have a good game. Zachary, my younger Dude is still shy on the phone and doesn’t really give me much info about his game. When I ask him questions, the answer is almost always, “Good”. Cracks me up every time.

My older Dude, Christopher, has some talent. We talk after every game when he is in the car on their way home. I make it a point to always ask him how his team did. Who had a good game? Who pitched well? Who got the good hits? Who made good plays in the field? Then after that’s all said and done I will let him talk about himself just a little.

My children will be brought up being considerate of others and I believe baseball can be a great way to teach them this lesson. It’s important to me that they naturally recognize others and their efforts. Too often I see, and hear, players who all they seem to want to talk about is themselves. At my level, we call this a “Me Guy”. Trust me, this is a reputation, and label, you don’t want to have. This type of attitude can be traced back to one place, how they were brought up. These kids grow up in a house where all the parents do is tell them how great they are. I understand how as a parent we are proud of them and their accomplishments, but sit back and think about what type of person do you want your Dude to grow up and be.

My Dudes WILL NOT be “Me Guys”.

Chris Gissell (173 Posts)

Categories : Baseball Life, Chris Gissell, Dudes Blog

Plugin by Social Author Bio

Author Archive for Chris Gissell – Page 9