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10 Reasons Why I Wouldn’t Call Pitches

Aug
7

Disclaimer: The points below are just my thoughts and approach. I’m not telling others how they should coach. Maybe some of these ideas will help or spark conversation. You do you!!

1. It’s not that serious:
This is baseball… A game. It’s not life or death. The outcome of every game will eventually be forgotten, but the lessons learned through pitch selection based on observations and situational awareness, making mistakes, getting a big strikeout in a clutch moment, experimenting, and discussing with teammates what’s working and making adjustments… those moments, those lessons, those life skills will last forever. Coaches, we’re here to let them experience those moments.

2. There’s always more than one good option:
In every situation, every count, and every pitch sequence, there are countless good options, not just what we as coaches would throw. Staying away from predictable patterns makes us better competitors. The ultimate goal is developing confidence to throw any pitch in any count to any location. To get there, they first need to try. Falling into patterns is something pitchers and catchers should always be aware of. Get good at pitching backwards. Get good at throwing off-speed pitches in fastball counts and fastballs in off-speed counts. Coaches, teach them how to compete and then let them play.

3. Focus on pitch execution before second-guessing pitch selection:
Just because we give up a hit doesn’t mean we threw the wrong pitch. The truth is it’s rarely the wrong pitch type but almost always the location. As pitchers, we need to be brutally honest with ourselves about execution. That fastball down and away is a good choice, but leaving it up over the middle is why it got hit. A changeup low and away is a good choice, but leaving it up in the zone is why it was hit in the gap. Sure, we could have thrown something else, but let’s be real about why it was hit. Coaches, teach them what to look for.

4. Belief and conviction is king:
A pitch thrown with doubt has a very low chance of being executed well. A pitch thrown with belief and conviction has a much higher chance. As coaches, we need to help our pitchers understand this and learn to compete with that mindset. It will carry over into other areas of their game, and more importantly, into life. Coaches, help them learn to compete with confidence.

5. We want thinkers… Develop game awareness and IQ:
Some say pitch calling is “too much pressure” for pitchers and catchers. In my opinion, we make too big a deal out of it. We (the adults) tend to overthink it. Most pitchers and catchers actually love this part of the game. They’re playing it! As coaches, we have the honor of teaching them the whys, whens, and hows, then watching them learn and apply it. That’s our job as coaches (aka teachers). Teach them what to look for, how to use that information, and how to win. They will make mistakes (just like we do as coaches), and that’s where most of the lasting lessons come from. Coaches, force them to use their brains.

6. Strengths before the scouting report:
Every pitcher needs to know their own strengths (and weaknesses), and catchers need to know them for every pitcher they work with. The goal is to develop multiple strengths and multiple ways to compete. When a scouting report shows a hitter’s strength matches a pitcher’s strength, that doesn’t mean we automatically stay away. Sometimes this game calls for challenging the hitter head-to-head. Let’s go! As pitchers and catchers, we can never forget how hard it is to hit. Challenge them. The odds are in your favor. Trust it, believe in it, and execute it! Coaches, develop bulldogs!

7. The hitters are telling you:
Play your game, studs! Read the batters. Watch what their feet are doing, where they’re standing, where their stride foot goes, if they’re tense, what type of load they have, if they’re early or late. All hitters have holes, we just have to learn what to look for. Coaches, teach it. Pitchers and catchers, it’s right there in front of you. You have the best view on the field. Play the game! Coaches, teach them how to see their surroundings.

8. Stuff matters:
A sinker/slider guy is going to compete differently than a four-seam/CH/CB guy. As coaches, we need to understand how different stuff plays and equip our pitchers and catchers with the knowledge to use their “stuff” effectively. Catchers, your suggestions might change depending on who is on the mound and what their stuff is like, and that may even change day to day. Every pitcher is slightly different, so pitch selection may vary pitcher to pitcher. Coaches, help them learn how to be the best version of themselves.

9. They need to work together:
Pitchers and catchers are in this together. Work together, talk together, compete together. Catchers, you’re his support system. Be smart back there, learn to call a great game, give solid suggestions (the pitcher always has final say), and be a wall. Pitchers, if you need your target in a different location, talk. Catchers, if you’re seeing something your pitcher isn’t, speak up. Use all the points above to help with communication. Coaches, these are the two most important positions on the field, make sure they’re getting what they need each week to prepare.

10. Ownership:
Pitchers need to take 100% ownership when things don’t go as planned. No blaming the coach (“Coach called that pitch”) or their catcher (“My catcher called the wrong pitch”). You’re the one who threw it. It’s your job to execute. The day you learn to take full ownership and accountability for your performance is the day the sky truly becomes the limit. Coaches, teach them and give them the keys.

All that to say, there are many ways to compete on the mound when it comes to pitch selection. It may sound like a lot, but it’s not rocket science. Coaches, from day one start talking about this part of the game with them. Give them a shot, they just might surprise you!!

Categories : All Articles, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Pitching

The Process

Mar
15


Many use the phrase “Trust the Process” but what does that really mean?

This image is a part of my experience. Was drafted in 1996 (creeping up on 30 years ago, that’s crazy!) and got to spend many years playing from there. It was an experience I’ll forever be grateful for. It didn’t turn out the way I had hoped it would but that’s the case for most who are drafted. Having your name called is just the beginning. From there you have to prove your worth EVERYDAY. You have to find ways to get better even on days like what I imagine this day went like. You have to find a way to separate yourself because everyone you’re playing with and against is pretty dang good and you will just become another body if you can’t find a way to stand out.

I have no idea what went down before this image was snapped. I’m guessing by my body language it wasn’t anything good. This was in a spring training game early in my career WELL before the better seasons. I do know this, no matter how bad this day was, it wasn’t the end of the road. It wasn’t the last day I would toe the rubber. It WAS a part of my future. It WAS a moment I would get better from. It WAS a moment that would keep me grounded, keep me humble, and keep the desire alive to get better, to learn. Now that it’s all said and done, I’m more grateful for these moments than some of the good ones.

The game ended up blessing me with 14 years as a player with a cup of coffee in the big leagues, a few as a minor league pitching coach and now I get to help young athletes learn. We never know what lies ahead but we must learn to embrace those difficult moments and see them for what they really are. Temporary moments meant to help us get better.

Categories : All Articles, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Parents, Pitching

DON’T Follow the Ball

Aug
21

Player Development 101

Be careful of following the ball!!

When done well, a team with multiple coaches shouldn’t miss a beat. Designate coaches to specific areas. For example:

• One coach for the outfielders (make sure their positioning is right, they are moving together, their pre pitch is there, they are adjusting to their pitcher and the hitters and watch what they do after the ball is hit, even when it’s not to them).

• One coach for the infielders (make sure they are ready, pre pitch is there, positioning is correct based on outs and hitter, communicating with outfielders and watch what they do after the ball is hit, even when it’s not to them).

• One coach for the pitcher and catcher (watch the pitcher after the ball is hit, make sure they are always moving together back up on a ball to the outfield, pay attention to how they are holding runners and make sure your catcher is getting to the proper stances based on counts and where the runner are and communicating with their pitcher and team well).

When every coach in the dugout follows the ball from the pitcher to the batter to where the ball was hit then to where it’s thrown, too many coachable moments and team development opportunities will be missed every time.

** Take notes throughout the game too!

Good luck out there!

Categories : All Articles, Baseball Life, Chris Gissell, Coaching

The MOST Important Day

Aug
10

The most IMPORTANT day of my career:

April 23rd, 2003

The game gave me many special memorable moments but looking back there’s one day, one event that changed it all for me. I didn’t know it at the time but this day would be the beginning of the best phase of my athletic career.
Our first child was born. A little baby boy came into our life. Watching his birth is one of the, if not the, most amazing things I’ve ever witnessed.

From that day forward my life had a different meaning. I had a bigger, stronger and more important purpose. I wasn’t just a baseball player any longer. This little tiny person forced me to grow up off the field which carried over onto the field.

Identity is something many ball players have to fight. Many see themselves (as I did) as just a baseball player and it becomes who they are. If things are good with their game, life is good. If their game isn’t positive at the moment, neither is their life. I remember carrying around the emotions from my performance into life off the field. I was chatty if things went well that day but quiet and somber if they didn’t.

As a new father I quickly realized that when I went home after the game, whatever happened at the field that day didn’t matter. My wife and child needed me. A father and husband, not some emotional roller coaster. I learned real quick what it meant to “leave it at the field.”

Coincidence, possibly, but I now see a level of maturity that hit me that year. I was 25, in my 7th full season, in a new organization for the first time and in front of a new coach who helped me learn how to use my stuff. I really believe the timing of everything above combined with a new purpose in life (and a new identity) was the defining moment in my career.

As a coach now, I see it in these kids. Their whole demeanor fluctuates depending on how their workout, their last rep, their last at bat, their last inning, or how their last game went. They carry it with them. We want athletes who strive for greatness (so important in life) but who also are mentally stable and able to stay clear minded when things aren’t going well. It’s a process (I didn’t figure it out until my mid 20’s) but one of our missions as the adults in their life should be to help them get to this place (hopefully sooner than later). Help them learn how to process failure. Help them learn how to be a strong competitor.

Let’s also help them realize and learn they aren’t just a baseball player (athlete), that who they are as a person, friend, child, student, and future adult is just as important, if not more. And let’s teach and show them how they can use our great game to help become that type of person.

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

Normal Soreness vs. Pain

Aug
6

The longer you play, the older you get, the quicker and stronger you get, the more explosive your body becomes, the more sore you’re going to get and the more soreness, pain and discomfort you’ll start to experience. Truth, it’s part of it. There’s no running from it. No matter how “prepared” you are, it will happen.

Since everyone is different, I’ll let others explain what they’ve experienced, but here is what I learned over the course of my life as a pitcher…

Normal Soreness:
Depending on what type of shape my arm and body was in, what amount of throwing it was conditioned and ready for, would usually determine what level of “soreness” I experienced the day after a game I pitched in and the following days.

Leading up to spring training I would generally prepare myself to be ready to pitch 30-40 pitches in a game on day one of camp. That process would usually take 8-10 weeks of a progressional throwing plan (similar to what we have on our site). Because of this progression, I usually wouldn’t experience any sort of soreness through this process of preparing for the season.

From there once we started building up pitch counts over the course of spring training, the combination of adrenaline and an increased workload from outing to outing (preparing as a starting pitcher pitching in games every 4-6 days depending on pitch count goals) I would start to experience more and more “normal soreness.”

For me it was the back in the shoulder (deltoid), lat muscle, inside of the forearm (pronator teres, not the UCL area) if I spun more breaking balls than usual, and sometimes I would experience normal soreness in my right hip area (Ilicus muscle).

Day 1, the day after a start, soreness was present, but day 2 soreness was always more, then as the next couple days went on it would dissipate pretty quickly especially doing things like strength training, band work and throwing. Using those “sore” muscles would help knock it out.

“Normal Soreness” is just that, normal soreness. Nothing to worry about and part of pushing your body.

** Important note, for the last 7-8 years of my career, I never used ice for recovery. I would use exercises like band work to help facilitate new blood to the area to help recovery.

Pain:

Sprain, strain, tendinitis, tears and breaks. In my life I’ve experienced all of these. All could take you down and out depending on the severity.

All of these you could experience in a moment (though a strain and tendinitis can be gradual). You might experience a “pop” of feel a “pinch” or for those breaks, feel a “crack.”

When they happen you’ll have that feeling of “well that’s not good!!” or “that’s not normal.” These feelings might require attention from a professional. Sometimes the fix is some rest while more severe issues require a lot more.

Again, unfortunately these are all part of being an athlete. There’s a GREAT chance every athlete will experience something like this at some point.

Mysterious or phantom:

For throwers, we will also experience mysterious or phantom pain and sensations from time to time. Twinge, muscle spasm, temporary muscle ache or temporary sharp pain. These moments can be alarming but in my experience they can seemingly disappear and you’ll feel like it never happened.

Again, we are all different and the above is what I learned in my career. Being able to listen to your body and know what means what definitely takes time. Hope this helps!

** I’m not a doctor so my terminology very well could be incorrect so please let me know if I misspoke about something. Also, years ago I wrote an article on “Dead Arm” which I’ll add to the comments for those that want to read about that topic too.

Categories : All Articles, Baseball Life, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Parents, Pitching

My Biggest Regret

Jul
25

Was that I didn’t grow up sooner.

I wish I fully comprehended accountability sooner. I wish I understood the difference between the controllable’s and un-controllable’s sooner. I wish I actually knew how to play the game “one pitch at a time” sooner.

I spent too many seasons (from HS until my mid 20’s) wasting time blaming my teammates, whining about umpires, talking about coaches and thinking about any other reason to protect myself from the emotions of failure.

But I was fortunate the game gave me enough time to wake up before it was too late. Unfortunately that’s not the reality for most weak minded athletes.

Once I realized that for as many errors my teammates made behind me, they also saved me hits and runs with the unbelievable plays they made. For as many bad calls I thought the umpires made that hurt me, they also made as many they actually helped me. And it didn’t matter how I felt, the coaches decisions were what was best for the team in that moment.

Playing the game “one pitch at a time” means being all in, being completely present, in that moment. That pitch. I cannot throw that pitch with even a shred of thought about what happened on the last pitch that I thought was negative. That’s not being present. There’s no way I can throw this pitch with full conviction while still emotional about the last (even if no one can see it on my face or body language).

Longevity in the game demands mental toughness. It doesn’t care about your physical tools. When you meet your match and start competing regularly against those who challenge you day in and day out, it will be what happens between your ears that will allow you to keep moving forward.

I highly recommend starting this process towards mental toughness as soon as you can. Parents, be smart with the tones of your conversations. Coaches, be the example they need. Players, focus on the controllable’s and STOP MAKING EXCUSES!!

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

8 Reasons it Doesn’t Translate

Jul
5


Why does my kid look great in practice but come game time, it’s like they are a different player?

1. Fear of pain. They don’t want to get hit with the pitch. Their mind is more consumed with the pitched ball hitting their body than they are excited about hitting it themselves.

2. Parent comments. What’s Mom and/or Dad going to say. Self doubt wins more often when they are worried about the comments and emotions that come from their parents when they don’t succeed.

3. Coaches emotions. Coaches who harp on the negative, never have anything positive to say, have bad body language, often instill a level of self doubt in their players. Their attitude is counterproductive.

4. They don’t practice enough. Team practice will never be enough to be fully prepared. Reality is most get limited reps at team practices. All players should practice on their own time and if their desire is to be one of the best, they should practice often.

5. They don’t love it. They enjoy being with their buddies but the passion just isn’t there. Maybe they enjoy another hobby more, maybe a negative coach has taken away that love, maybe they’ve become tired of “hearing it” from their parents or maybe they’ve just burnt out from their own performance struggles.

6. The game has caught up to them. When they were younger they were naturally better than most others but as the years have gone on their peers have caught up to them and now it’s not as easy which has made it less fun for them.

7. Practice is too easy. The speed of batting practice pitches. The effort given in bullpens. The ease of practice ground balls. Coaches and parents, practice the hard stuff. There’s a time and place for easy but there also needs to be difficult.

8. Burn out. It’s time for a break. Mentally they are fatigued. There’s nothing wrong with taking some time away. Playing another sport. It’s also not necessary to play fall ball every year.

Confidence is everything out there on the field. If it’s lacking, for whatever reason, performance will be spotty and inconsistent. From how we practice to how we coach to how we parent, helping them believe in themselves and learn how to play the game with confidence has to be at the top of our list. When we struggle with our part as the adults in their lives, we shouldn’t be surprised when they struggle with their part too playing this extremely difficult game. Teach them. Lead them.

Categories : All Articles, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Parents

Careful of Following the Ball

Jun
14

There is so much happening on every ball in play!! Most out there involved, coaches, players and parents “follow the ball” every time it’s hit unknowingly missing most of what’s happening away from the ball which is often just as important as what the players fielding the ball are doing. From backing up bases to moving to proper cut/relay positions to covering bases to infielders watching to make sure the runners are touching the bases. When done well, a team with multiple coaches and well trained players shouldn’t miss a beat. For our coaches, designate coaches on the coaching staff to specific areas. For example:

• One coach for the outfielders (make sure their positioning is right, they are moving together, their pre pitch is there and they are adjusting to their pitcher and the hitters and watch what they do after the ball is hit, even when it’s not to them).

• One coach for the infielders (make sure they are ready, pre pitch is there, positioning is correct based on outs and hitter, communicating with outfielders and watch what they do after the ball is hit, even when it’s not to them).

• One coach for the pitcher and catcher (watch the pitcher after the ball is hit, make sure they are always moving together back up on a ball to the outfield, pay attention to how they are holding runners and make sure your catcher is getting to the proper stances based on counts and where the runner are and communicating with their pitcher and team well).

When every coach in the dugout follows the ball from the pitcher to the batter to where the ball was hit then to where it’s thrown, too many coachable moments and team development opportunities will be missed every time.

** Take notes throughout the game too!

Good luck out there!

Categories : All Articles, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog

5 Traits of Great Competitors

Apr
2

1. Preparedness. At team practice, at home, on their own time, they are focused, purposeful and dedicated to getting better and staying ready. They are beasts at preparation.

2. Smart. They watch the game. They know the game. They are situationally sound. They play the mental game. They are strategic. They watch the game to look for weaknesses, tells and tendencies in their opponents. They play the game while not on the field.

3. Mentally Tough. They can be described as GRITTY. Their determination and toughness is on full display when things aren’t going their way or their team’s way. Bad calls, errors, rough weather and playing conditions, poor performance, they keep their head in the game, their emotions in check and keep competing.

4. Consistent. They are reliable and can be trusted. Their work ethic, mental toughness, attention to detail and preparation (all listed above) allow them to be consistent in their performance. It seems no matter the situation thrown at them, they find a way to produce time and time again.

5. Leadership. You will often find your best competitors are also the best leaders on a team. They lead by example in how they go about their work, their body language and how they interact with teammates and coaches. They are often looked up to by those around them. They understand the impact of their attitude and how team culture and chemistry feeds off their emotions. They know when to get excited and fire everyone up and when to keep calm.

Categories : All Articles, Baseball Life, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Hitting, Parents, Pitching

The Lessons

Feb
12

Take this for what it’s worth to you.

The game (baseball) gave me opportunities most young players will never get to experience. It challenged me in ways I’ll forever be grateful for. It helped develop a side of me I probably wouldn’t have with out it.

After spending a most of my life to this point playing and teaching the “game” I feel I can say with certainty that it really is just a game.

The scoreboard is the focus in the moment but at the end of the day there will always be way more to it than that.
• The lessons from every moment of failure.
• The lessons from learning how to be a great teammate.
• The lessons from learning how important preparation is.
• The lessons from learning how to control your emotions.
• The lessons from learning how to be aware of what’s happening around you.
• The lessons from recognizing personal and team weaknesses.
• The lessons from being able to work with and through physical pain and discomfort.
• The lessons from being humbled CONSTANTLY.
• The lessons of responsibility and accountability.

Getting to play the game is fun but at the end of the day using the game to make us a better more prepared person for life away from the game is WAY bigger than the game.

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

Dear Parents

Nov
17


Dear Parents:

We all know many coaches can be better at how they plan and utilize team practice time. But let’s make sure we are clear about something, your athletes development is not solely on them. In fact, they are just a small piece. To blame them for your athletes lack of production, is a big mistake. Before even second guessing your athletes coaches, answer these questions:

• How much does your athlete really love their sport(s)?
• How much time do they spend on their own daily/weekly practicing their sport(s)?
• What is their attitude like when with their team and things aren’t going well?
• Are they a good teammate?
• How’s their focus?
• Are they able to apply what they are learning (aptitude)?
• Are they in the right situation and level or team for their ability level?
• Are they accountable for their mistakes or do they have a habit of blaming and excuse making?

Parents, YOU are a major part of their development. Great coaches can make a huge difference for players BUT they are temporary. Your expectations must be realistic and understanding the requirements or growth are necessary. Check your athletes habits before anything else. If they are doing their part, be careful of looking elsewhere for reasons before looking at home first.

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

Reading Batters

Aug
20

There are a few things batters do that often tell us how to get them out. They show their approach and their holes. As pitchers and catchers, when we pay attention and know what to look for, it makes pitch selection a little easier.

1. Position in the box and stride direction. Close to the plate. Far from the plate. Back in the box. Up in the box.

Close to the plate but stride to open. The thought may be if they are close to the plate, it may be easier to get them out with inside pitches but if they stride open, they actually might hit the inside pitches better. That open stride opens up the outer half to get them out even though they started close to the plate. Attack away and go from there.

Stance far from the plate. The initial thought may be we can get them out on the outer half but if they “dive” with their stride towards the plate, their approach is to get to that outer pitch actually making it harder for them to hit the inside pitch. Attack inside and go from there.

Back the box may show they are giving themself more time and space to read the pitch but this can also give your off speed pitches more space to move. Try off speed down in the zone and go from there.

Up in the box may show they are trying to take away space for those off speed pitches to work. Go with the fast one and go from there.

2. Read their foul balls.

If they’re late on your fastball, they’re telling you to stick with the hard one. If they are early on your fastball, pulling it foul, it’s a great time to throw a change up or other off speed next.

3. Aggressive on the first pitch.

Don’t shy away from this. Use it to your advantage. As pitchers we need to learn to embrace their aggressiveness. Attack the bottom of the zone. Try a first pitch off speed down in the zone. If they get a hit, move on and let’s try to get two outs with the next pitch. Use their aggressiveness to our advantage. One pitch outs are great!!

4. Watch for teams that have an approach of taking the first pitch or taking until they get a strike. No need to get fancy or picky, attack middle down. Put them in the hole with the first pitch. Batting averages go down dramatically with first pitch strikes.

5. Runners in scoring position.

Batters have a habit of getting overly aggressive when there are runners in scoring position (2nd and/or 3rd). Be ready for them to swing at the first pitch. Throw your most confident ground ball pitch. Again, don’t be afraid of contact, use it to your advantage.

With all this said, not all of these are applicable to all levels and all players/pitchers. But understanding the game as coaches can help with our ability to teach it and as players, it can help us be smarter better competitors.

Play the game within the game. Talk about the game. Talk about what we are seeing. Coaches, teach the game and empower your players to play the game according to what they are seeing in their opponents.

Categories : All Articles, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Hitting, Pitching

I Don’t Care!!

Jun
18

“I don’t care.”

I guarantee some won’t understand this and some will say “You’re wrong!” But here you go. This was part of my growth as an athlete.

I was the same as dang near every youth athlete. I would hold onto mistakes. I would get upset with what I thought were umpires mistakes. I would blame my coaches. I would play scorekeeper in my head when my teammates made errors. When the game was over I would think way more about all of the mistakes everyone else made except my own.

These moments of weakness would turn one walk into two. Turn a bad inning into a bad game. Turn a bad game into a month long slump. And make seasons seem more like a roller coaster than steady progress.

Looking back on it, I had to go through these moments. They were completely necessary to get to where I would eventually get. I had to get knocked down enough times but get back up more. But when I finally snapped out of it and stopped being a weak competitor and teammate, everything changed.

I finally got to that point of “it doesn’t matter!” “I don’t care!” “So what!”

I walked a batter, so what, let’s get the next guy to hit a ground ball. Teammate made an error, so what, let’s get the next guy. The umpire missed a pitch call, oh well, let’s execute the next pitch.

For me, I became a better competitor when I stopped caring. I know that sounds weird and wrong but that’s the best way I can describe it, in the moment I had to not care how we got there to be all in on the next pitch. That was my job.

Categories : All Articles, Baseball Life, Blog Samples, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Parents, Pitching

WALKS Are The Enemy!

Jun
18

Pitchers:

Walks are our enemy!! Sure there may be times later in a game where we might pitch around the batter to set up a DP or force situation but in general they aren’t good. At the end of the day if I’m throwing multiple “ball 4’s” I’m putting myself and my team in unnecessary and unwanted situations. One of our main goals as a pitcher should be to limit them as much as possible. Try focusing on these to help:

• Focus better on mechanics and location during catch play. Throw all your pitch types during catch. If you’re all over the place in catch there’s a great chance you’re all over the place on the mound.

• BREATHE!! Stay relaxed out there. Don’t let the game speed up on you. The situation is what it is. Remain forward focused and be present in the moment. “What’s the goal with this pitch right here, right now?”

• Throw regular weekly bullpens to focus on feel, repeating your delivery and repeating your pitches.

• Avoid “3 ball” counts by being better in 2 ball counts. Have an attitude of ending the at bat right now. Force action. Eliminate walks by eliminating 3 ball counts.

• Every day is different out there. On the days you’re not as sharp as you would like to be, use the bigger part of the plate. Be careful of trying to pitch to the corners when you don’t have that ability that inning or game.

• If your FB command is off, use your other pitches. That’s one reason why we have multiple pitches. Throwing a couple/few in a row can act as a distraction from the negative feelings around our FB in that moment and also act as a reset for our FB release.

• Stop giving the hitters too much credit. Hitting is hard!! Yes, sometimes they will win but on average they won’t more often. Challenge them!

Pitchers, we need to stay away from those walks. Keep learning and figuring out the little things to help you walk less, throw less pitches and stay in the game longer.

Categories : All Articles, Blog Samples, Chris Gissell, Coaching, Pitching

Call it What You Want…

Feb
11

It doesn’t matter what you want to call it:

• Travel ball
• Select ball
• Tournament ball
• League ball
• City League ball
• Little League ball

It’s still youth baseball. It’s a hard game being played by kids. That alone is a challenge but then add in adult emotions and intentions of wanting to be “superior” and you have a recipe for disaster. Keep those expectations realistic.

Even though some of these kids have grown quicker than others, were born with different abilities than their peers, they are still kids. They will make mistakes (a lot), struggle with focus, look amazing one second then trip on nothing the next, have poor body language, tear up and do many other things that get under us adults skin.

Yep, they are kids! Funny thing is once upon a time we were them and did the same things, made off the wall comments, had squirrel moments and drove our parents, coaches and teachers crazy. So in reality, we get frustrated with them for the same things we did 🤔.

This is youth baseball. No matter how we want to spin it and give it a title that implies we are better than the others, I would slow down and remember that this phase in their lives is not about us. Not about our experience but all about them, their personal growth as young athletes and people and we are here to help them get the most out of it for as long as they would like to play them game.

In fact, we have an opportunity to enjoy something with them that many of us enjoyed growing up. And for a few of them, their ability will grow into something amazing which will lead to opportunities they dream of.

Grow the game!

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