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GRAND SLAM CHAMPIONS 2007 & 2008
Texas Crimson Tide Baseball Club
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Grand Slam World Series 2010 Teams list
July 6, 2010
Teams attending World Series as of 02/01/2010
Texas Tide - Lufkin, Texas
Ohio Flames - Springfield, Ohio
GPA Hooks - Dallas, Georgia
Knockhouse Saints - Marietta, Georgia
Warhawks - Buford, Georgia
Army Baseball - Baytown, texas
For All Pitchers
The way a pitcher acts and conducts himself on the mound is a real skill and must be taught. Pitchers must learn to behave on an even emotional keel in positive as well as negative circumstances. This does not come naturally to youngsters so it is up to the coach to help them develop this skill. We believe it can be developed at an early age. We tell pitchers to not give away their emotions; to keep them inside during the game. "Never let them see you sweat" is an appropriate phrase for a pitcher.
THE UNCONTROLLABLES- A sound way to approach this subject is to talk with pitchers about focusing on things they can control. By working on controllable things they can learn to ignore and block out the "uncontrollables." Make a list and go over it with your pitchers. Teaching a pitcher to become an "iceman" on the mound is a Never Give In scenario but one that will serve him well as he advances. He will learn to come to grips with any pressure situation in a game.
MENTAL TOUGHNESS- This phrase has been used for years and has almost become a cliché but it is very real. Pitchers have to be mentally tough. That does not mean "grit your teeth or clench your fists" tough. It means to be able to successfully perform in negative situations. The coach must help kids by instilling in them a "willingness to compete." That's a big one. Anybody can compete when you're winning or playing against an inferior opponent. The mentally tough pitcher will compete in all situations.
NO EXCUSES- It's human nature to want to protect ourselves from unpleasant circumstances. Offering an excuse is an easy way out. Try to eliminate excuses from your players' language.
HIT BATTER- Batters get hit. It happens in almost every game, especially if your pitchers throw the inside fastball. (A pitch they should throw.) When pitchers hit a batter they should understand that they should keep their emotions in check. Show no concern but show no glee either. Just get a ball, get another sign and pitch.
MISTAKES- Everybody makes mistakes or gets a brain cramp or throws a wild pitch from time to time. When these things happen the pitcher should not let anyone know how he feels. Many times when working with young pitchers they will make some sound of consternation when they do something wrong; aw, oops, oh no, rats etc. Remind your pitchers to display no emotion on the mound. They must learn to re-focus and make an adjustment. Your opponents will certainly pick up on a pitcher's discomfort. It is hard enough to pitch out there. Don't give the bad guys another tool to beat you.
FAILURE- If you let it, failure can be a great teacher. But Parents sometimes can be a part of the problem. Many times they never teach their pitcher how to work through tough times. They are too quick to defend him; "to keep his confidence high". Some parents make the mistake of avoiding humility at all costs (a great learning lesson). They want their pitcher to maintain "Hall of Fame" numbers from age 9 or 10. Later, when they fail or don't have their best stuff, they can't work through it. They resort to becoming "baseball actors" on the mound instead. Their body language tells everyone "hey, this ain't my fault".
At what times do you work with pitchers when teaching this skill? Any time a negative situation arises; during practice, games, bullpens, any set of circumstances where you see an opportunity. Consider that you, the coach (or the parent) are molding a behavioral pattern that will help your pitchers advance. And it may be a word of encouragement or a small chewing out. Always consider positive mound demeanor as an important skill to be learned and reinforced. All things being equal, it may be the most important skill a pitcher can learn.
Baseball Excellence Tip of the week
May 19, 2009
HITTING PUT SIMPLY:
BALANCE, DIRECTION, QUICKNESS, VISION
The following is from the Florida Marlins Minor League Hitting Handbook. Everything is geared toward getting the barrel of the bat quickly to the ball. (The essence of hitting.) These are sound techniques and I hope you can benefit from them. I think it is instructive for you to understand how professional players are taught about the hitting process.
There are the four physical keys to successful and winning hitting. Anything that inhibits or impedes one of these four
areas will cause the hitter to be unsuccessful.
BALANCE. The hitter must be balanced from the stance to the stride to the follow through. (Balance means he must have control of his body. Being in control allows him to deliver an aggressive and powerful swing.)
DIRECTION. No matter the stance; parallel, open or closed the hitter must stride in the direction of the pitcher's mound.
QUICKNESS. The hitter must develop bat (hand) quickness in order to overcome a high velocity fastball.
VISION. The hitter must see the ball from the pitcher's hand to the contact area. He must take a balanced stride with little or no head movement, he must step toward the mound in order to see the ball with both eyes (eyes level), he must have a short quick stroke and he must keep his head still as he swings. The final assault to the ball is with the hands. While the body is balanced in the stride and during the swing, the assault with the hands is aggressive, strong and quick-striking, never lazy and slow. Both hands must work together for correct direction, strength and quickness through the swing. This is not as easy as it may sound; slow, soft lower half and quick, quick hands. The hitter wants to get his stride foot down so his foundation is established and he can then be quick with his hands. Young hitters quite often want to rush this, resulting in a loss of balance and a poor swing path.
Sports Quotes
"The key to being a good manager is keeping those who hate me away from those who are still undecided." Casey Stengal
"The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime." Babe Ruth
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