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Sports IQ

Mar

It might be because I’m getting old or perhaps it’s because I didn’t have Lacrosse as an option to play when I was growing up, but one thing I do remember is having a passion for baseball when I was a youngster. I knew the best players in baseball and who my favorite was. My friends and I would pick apart each other’s favorites to defend our picks as being the best. When I ask kids I coach their favorite player or what style of pitcher/hitter they want to emulate I often get a shrug followed by a blank stare.

How is this possible that kids can’t name one player in the sport they are playing? I believe that understanding the sport in all of its capacities is vital to creating a base in which a player respects the game and develops a passion to play it. What were the original four major league teams? Why was Jackie Robinson important? What number did Babe Ruth wear? How many strikeouts did Nolan Ryan have in his career?

To truly understand your sport is to fully appreciate it and love what you’re doing to get better. Family stories about why you have the values you do based on lifetimes before are important in becoming the person you are just as much as a sports history shapes the player you will be.

Part of my lesson routine now is to ask my student about a certain player and what they contributed to the game. Kids are usually dumbfounded that Cal Ripken played every day for 2,632 games in a row. I am too for that matter but please at least know who he is!!! As teachers and coaches, it is our responsibility to teach history of the game just as much the mechanics. Respect and love of the game will not fully be realized without that knowledge.

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 : Baseball Life, Coaching, Dudes Blog

Young Pitchers and the Curveball

Feb

I recently had a training session with a 10 year old who I have been working with since he was 7. He is a very talented young pitcher with a bright future on the mound. Over the last few years he has developed a healthy/repeatable delivery. If used correctly, he should be able to stay away from any major injuries.

At this point with a young athlete like this, his one purpose is, and should be, to continue to repeat his delivery, learn who he is and what makes his delivery good or bad and develop his Fastball/Straight Changeup mix the best he can. He needs to spend the next 1-2 years PERFECTING these which are his strengths.

This will be his first year with the 11-12 year old group (as he turns 11 in a couple months) and will get hit around a little. We have talked about this and how best to handle this mentally. This will be his first real big test as a young pitcher.

In our last session, it was brought to my attention that he had a coach trying to teach him a curveball.

There are MANY opinions on this and here is mine…

First and for most in a young pitcher’s life, they need to learn a healthy/repeatable delivery. While doing that, they should be developing a STRAIGHT fastball that has true backspin. It shouldn’t have sinker rotation or slider spin. Once a player has shown the ability to do both of these things, we can now learn a Straight Changeup.

If the player continues to develop these, especially the healthy delivery, and we get to the 12 year old mark (maybe a little sooner or a little later depending on the child’s body maturity) we can now introduce a breaking ball.

The most important thing when getting to this stage is getting your Dude in front of someone who is a true baseball person. Someone who knows what to look for and what is right and wrong. PLEASE NOTE, watching a video on YouTube or attending a pitching clinic where this is discussed, by no means, means you know how to teach this or what to look for.

It’s all about the development of that young player. Helping him achieve his LONG term goals. Him learning a breaking ball at this young of an age will take focus off what it should be on. If a player needs something else at this age to help him get by, we are just delaying the inevitable. Once that player gets to the big field, it may be hard to watch.

Parents, please be smart and when your Dude gets to this stage in their baseball life, get them with someone who has experience in this area and can give you proper guidance. Ask around, do some research and make sure they are learning the right/smart thing.

Chris Gissell (173 Posts)

Categories : Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog, Pitching

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

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

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

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

Youth Pitchers and Pitch Counts

May

AlexMiller-1 I had a parent contact me the other day asking my opinion on how he should handle his 13 year old’s pitching season. His boy is playing on a little league team and a tournament team and is wondering if it could get to the point where he should shut him down as far as pitching goes. This kid is pretty advanced for his age and has a good chance to do something in this game. As we were talking, he brought up the last game he pitched and it came out that he threw 52 pitches in the first inning. I was absolutely floored when I heard this. To be honest, it really upsets me when I think about it. I’m sure it bothers me so much because I have worked with this stud for the last two years and am emotionally attached. But like I said, this kid truly has a chance.

Coaches, lets get something straight here. A child’s well being trumps that win you are hunting. Leaving a kid out there to battle through an inning like that does the team no good, the player no good and puts the player in a situation where he could hurt himself. You are not turning this kid into a man by letting him work through this. If anything you could be crushing his confidence. Fortunately, I know this kid well enough to know that he has been trained to know how to handle games like this. But most have no idea how to deal with that type of adversity. And to be frank here, if you as a coach allow your player to go through something like this, then I’m sure you wouldn’t be the type of coach that would be able to teach a player how to handle adversity.

I’m my opinion, there should be a pitches per inning limit. I’m sure that in some leagues out there, there is something like this in place. If I was a youth the coach, my pitchers would not throw more than 30 pitches an inning. I’m sure that most coaches reading this are thinking, “well I need pitchers for later in the game and for our upcoming games”. Hopefully you have seen my point by now, but if not I will try again. The rest of the game and your upcoming games will work themselves out. The only thing that is important when your pitcher is in the middle of an inning like that is that child. Not the W, not your game tomorrow or the one after that, that child at that point in time, PERIOD!

Youth baseball is about kids learning how to play this great game and the life lessons it teaches. Adversity is a huge part of this game that players who play into their teen years and beyond will have to learn to deal with but this type of adversity is something we wouldn’t even let our pro pitchers go through.

Coaches, the kids are more important than a W!!

Chris Gissell (173 Posts)

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

Little League

May

184567_10200633624997403_1924303203_n This is where it all starts. Little League Baseball. One of the more enjoyable times in a child’s life. The smile of their face when they get that first hit. The smile on their face when they catch that fly ball. The smile on their face when they strike out a hitter.

When they first start playing, it is usually tee-ball. Every game is fun. No pressure to get a hit. Nobody yelling at the umpires. And everybody gets equal playing time at every position and everyone goes home happy, including the parents. Wouldn’t it be nice if every season was like that?! My question is, why isn’t it? When did LITTLE LEAGUE baseball become a “we have to win” sport. Parents and the parent coaches need to realize and remember what this level of baseball is all about. Parents put their kids in these leagues to play and have fun. Hopefully they will learn a little something along the way but don’t expect your child to get great instruction from a volunteer parent. Don’t get me wrong, there are most definitely some good little league coaches out there, but they are very hard to come by.

Players in little league should get even playing time at whatever positions they want to learn. I always recommend coaches passing out a questioner before the season, to see what positions each player likes.

Parents and coaches also need to understand that the umpires are volunteers too. They will make mistakes often and have not so good strike zones. That is just the way it is, so do yourself and the kids a favor and keep your comments to yourself. Being vocal to a volunteer umpire, in little league, sets a horrible example to the kids. Don’t forget, they are like sponges. If you act like that, guess how they will think is the right way to act!

Lastly, they whole winning thing in little league, in my opinion goes too far sometimes. I can understand it at the 12 year old age but until then, that’s not what it should be about. Parents and coaches need to check their egos at the door and let the kids have fun. Remember, this is little league baseball and should be a great memory in these kids lives. Make it fun, teach them how to do their best and what it means to be a good teammate.

Chris Gissell (173 Posts)

Categories : Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog

Everyones Different, Don’t be Fooled by Appearance

Apr

Article#9pic I always noticed it as a player but it is even more apparent now as a coach how different every player is. Don’t get me wrong, there are things every player has to do to be successful. For example, every single hitter has to have good balance, stay square to the ball and make sure the front foot is down and hands are separated from the body to give themselves the best chance to make solid contact.

Now the big thing I have noticed recently is appearance can be very difficult to judge. There can be a clean cut kid, who is built like a brick house with a big fastball and a tight slider. This kid makes it into pro ball just because of his stuff but know one knows what is going on in this kids head. Now this kid is feeling pressure he has never felt before and is so mentally weak he breaks down and never becomes the player he could have been.

Now, let’s take the kid who is not that built and has average stuff with good command. His hair is long, almost looks like he doesn’t know how to take care of himself. You can’t tell from the outside, but this kid is so mentally strong, he doesn’t crack even in the toughest situations.

Moral of the story, be sure coaches, not to judge the book by it’s cover. Give every kid a chance. You are the coach and it’s your job to get the best out of every kid. The best coaches get to know their players and what makes the tick.

Chris Gissell (173 Posts)

Categories : Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog

Do What It Takes

Apr

Natepitching20122 I was fortunate enough to watch Yu Darvish pitch from the 5th inning on during his bid for a perfect game on April 2nd. It was awesome. He mixed his pitches perfectly, no pun intended! When I was in Japan during the 2006-07 seasons, he was a rookie over there dominating as a 20 year old.

My favorite part of Yu’s performance was watching him pitch solely from the stretch, even when there was no one on base. This is something I started doing 7 years into my career when I realized that I had more command of my pitches from that position. For me, this one little adjustment changed things for me. I was able to cut my walks more than in half and definitely had better command of the zone, in and out. If you check out my career stats you can see the difference from the first to second half of my career in the walk column.

As for Yu, he pitches from both the windup and stretch, but I can almost guarantee that when he was warming up in the bullpen before the game, he noticed that he was better in the stretch. In this game, especially at the MLB level, there is no time to try to figure things out. You have to be able to make an adjustment from one pitch to the next. Obviously, that was the adjustment Yu made before the game even started.

The point of this post is that as a pitcher, the most important thing is for you to be able to throw strikes. If it means you being a starting pitcher throwing from the stretch, then do it. It is you job to do whatever it takes to throw strikes. Do what it takes and find a way!!

Chris Gissell (173 Posts)

Categories : Chris Gissell, Coaching, Dudes Blog, Pitching

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