NEXT PRACTICE INFO:

 

 PRACTICE: THURSDAY the 24th @ PDHS - 6:45-9:00

  
 Practice Times: The times posted are the "show-up" times, but here's a good idea--if you get there 15 minutes early, you will never be late--it's as simple as that!

IF you think you are going to be late, let Brian know as soon as you know.

  No one is to show up for practice without water. Do not count on the water in the dugout being available. Take responsibility for yourself! 

 

UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS:  The following tournament is scheduled.

Super Series Moreno Valley 26th-27th

 

                       2007 Sun Devils Schedule

    

 

MONTHLY DUES: Please get your monthly dues to Sean or Fernando. Thank you!

 

Here are a couple of interesting ideas from Tom House’s May 2007 article, Taking the Mound, Pitch by Pitch, concerning pitching strategy:

Pitchers learn early in their careers that it is better to stay ahead of the batter in the count. Most pitchers think that throwing a first-pitch strike is the most important pitch in baseball, and while it is important to get ahead of the batter quickly, the first pitch strike may not be the most important pitch. Let's take a look at some of the rules that should guide pitching strategy:

ü      The most important pitch is the 1-1 pitch. If you throw a ball on the next pitch, statistically, hitters will hit over .300. If you throw a strike on the next pitch, hitters hit less than 200. As you can see, the 1-1 pitch affects the hitter’s chances more than any other pitch.

ü      Never throw a curve ball unless you are ahead in the count. The only counts in which to throw a curve ball are 0-2 and 1-2. Throw a change-up; make the batter hit the ball.

ü      When behind in the count, throw the pitch that you can command the best to a good location. Make the batter hit the ball.

ü      Learn to throw a change-up any time there is a fastball count.

ü      Don't waste pitches. Get ahead and finish the batter off. There is nothing worse than getting the batter in a hole and then letting him out. The more pitches he sees, the better chance he has of reaching base.

ü      Any pitch you throw at 2-2, you should be prepared to throw at 3-2. Have faith in your ability to throw your pitch.

ü      When the batter is ahead of the ball, keep the ball away. When he is behind the ball, bust him inside.

ü      Every pitcher must learn to throw “inside.” There isn’t a pitcher alive who can afford to give the hitter half of the plate all the time.

ü      If the hitter is hitting your fastball, slow down. Trying to throw harder usually results in the ball being hit harder.

It is hard for hitters, especially high school hitters, to hit the curve ball, but don't fall in love with the breaking ball too early though. Not only is it harder on the arm but few pitchers will experience long-term success while relying primarily on the breaking ball. The most successful pitchers throw:

·         Fastballs: 60-65%

·         Curveballs: 20-25%

·         Change-ups: 15-20%

Throwing strikes is the key to becoming a good pitcher at every level. The best pitchers can throw three pitches to four locations for strikes. Using the right strategy helps a pitcher to keep his team in the game even when he doesn’t have his best stuff. Get ahead, stay ahead, be aggressive, don't waste pitches, and throw the high-percentage pitch even if the batter thinks its coming.

Coaches, if your pitchers can throw first pitch strikes, get the lead-off hitter every inning, and retire the side without any runs after your team has scored, your pitching staff will win more than two-thirds of their games, and any team that wins two-thirds of its games is a force to be reckoned with.
 

 

Super Series Presidents' Day Classic

February 17-19th

Sun Devils Baseball Club
3rd Place - National Division

(Gina Miller Photo)

Baseball players are superstitious...

For five years in the minor leagues, I wore the same underwear
and still hit .250, so no, I don't believe in that stuff.
--Dusty Baker, Chicago Cubs

 

Baseball 101

 

One of the reasons we don’t talk during the game is that we don’t know what to say.  The following are positive things that you can use during the game along with explanations of why/when to use them. So quit messing around in the dugout, stay focused on the game, and support your teammates! 

 

Tough with two! Battle! Two-strike fight! The at bat is just starting!  These verbal reminders offer encouragement to our hitters when they get two strikes on them.  Think about how frustrating it would be for a pitcher to have two strikes on a hitter only to have them reach base. 

 

Look away--react in!  Another reminder to our hitters with 2 strikes--we will not pull off the ball.  We are going to keep our hands ahead of the barrel and hit the inside of the ball. Make the pitcher jam us inside. If he throws the pitch middle away, we’re going to smoke the ball.

 

Make a mistake out front!  When we get ahead in the count as hitters, it’s time to punish the opposing pitcher because 80% of the pitches you see in high school are fastballs.  On 1-0, 2-0, 2-1, 3-0, and 3-1 counts, that number goes up to about 95%.  Zone up for the fastball and drive the ball into the alleys by staying inside the ball and out in front of the plate.

 

Get the foot down! Get started! Get ready to hit! These are great positive reminders when one of our hitters is a little late on the pitcher’s fastball. 

 

Answer Back! Win the inning!  Winning baseball is all about momentum. If the other team pushes a run across the plate, we need to score 2.  Imagine being slapped and doing nothing about it.  Action requires reaction.

 

Be the winner! Win the battle! Within a baseball game, there are a series of conflicts between pitcher and batter, base runner and catcher, etc.  If you pay attention, you’ll recognize when one of those conflicts is elevated.  For example, one of our hitters may have fouled off 5 two-strike pitches, or our pitcher is the one who threw those pitches.  Someone is going to win that battle, and we want it to be our guy.

 

Build on that!  When we win one of the above-mentioned conflicts, we want the confidence that it creates to snowball into something the other team can’t stop. Remember: winning baseball is all about momentum.

 

Get nasty! Get filthy! Use the hammer! Don’t let him up for air! Finish him off!  When the hitter is behind in the count, we want to instill a killer instinct in our pitchers.  Let them know that this is time for them to throw their best pitch.

 

Get a K right here!  A runner at third one out or runners on second and third with one/two outs are situations where contact can hurts us.  Let our pitchers know that a strikeout here is huge.

 

Got a job to do!  When we have a runner at second with nobody out, remind our hitter that he needs to hit the ball to the right side.

 

You get on--we score! The lead-off hitter is the key to every inning.  From inning one through seven, we need to believe that if we put a runner on with nobody out--we’re going to score.

 

Same swing better pitch! Stay aggressive in your zone!  We want our hitters swinging the bat.  If they swing at a bad pitch, don’t tell them to “leave that pitch alone” or “stay off the high stuff.”  If you do that, their plan becomes what not to do instead of what to do.  Remember we’re always Yes-Yes-YES!

 

Leave your feet--save a run! Knock it down!  With a runner on second, remind our infielders to dive for ground balls.  We may not throw the runner out at first--but we’ll keep a run from scoring.

 

Collect an out! Take the out that’s staring you in the face!  It’s a pretty safe bet in innings one-four that if the other team bunts to move a runner over, we need to get the guy who bunted out.

 

Thanks! Coach Jordan, Indio High School & CSU Fullerton

 Super Series Labor Day Classic Champions!

September 2-4th, Peoria, Arizona

Players will tell me they tried their best. I tell them they may believe they tried their best, but they are not a very good judge of what their best is. Their baseball experiences are somewhat limited.  You must learn to trust in me that I am a better judge than you in trying to evaluate what you are capable of. If I'm hard on you in practice or the games, it's because I really believe you have a greater potential than what you're giving yourself credit for. You must trust in me, and for that matter, your parents and your teachers too. It's because we believe you're capable of a whole lot more.

                                --Brian Wisler, Sun Devils Baseball Club

 

The articles, handouts, tips, and quotes on this site are not protected by password; they are available through the Sun Devils Baseball Club to the baseball community as a courtesy. They may be copied and re-printed. Enjoy them and respect the game!