What is the number one goal a parent should have for their young player? Again, all that matters is player development. And, you achieve this by teaching good fundamentals and solid mechanics from an early age of 7 or 8 depending on the kid.
This section is aimed mainly at the young men. Because girls can use ultra light aluminum bats all their careers in fast pitch softball. But, the boys have to use -3 bats when they get to high school. However, girls could benefit from this too because I am discussing the development of proper swing mechanics that start from the earliest age.
First, what does minus three mean? It means that the bat can only weigh 3 ounces less than its length. For example a 33 inch bat cannot weigh less than 30 ounces. Second, why does this matter? It matters because swinging an ultra light bat does not develop proper swing mechanics.
My favorite example of swinging an ultra light bat is when someone swings a wiffle ball bat. Anyone can swing one with just one hand. Try it. Which hand did you use? Unless you are an odd ball you swung it with your bottom hand. And, you took this swing without rotating your body and turning on the ball. Further, because the bat is so light the hitter extends his hands away from his body as he swings. Hitting coaches call this barring, casting, or Charlie Lau calls it full extension at contact. Sorry Charlie, but this isn't a good thing. Why, because it is a long slow swing with a -3 bat and when the kid has to move up to the high school level he won't have enough bat speed to hit average high school velocity.
With out naming any names I want to give you the best, but saddest example I've witnessed of a hitter not being able to hit with only a slight increase in the weight of the bat. Our son played with a kid who had poor swing mechanics but was extremely successful. In fact, this nameless kid was 2nd Team All-State as a junior in high school. And, even though he had a long swing and barred he hit some monster home runs that season. This kid wasn't very big, 5'11" and about 150 pounds, or very strong either. But, the next school ball year he couldn't hit at all! Why? Because the rules changed. With a -5 bat he crushed the ball and was an All State Hitter. But, when the rules changed to -3 he was a below average high school hitter. Just 2 ounces in difference turned an All-Stater into a below average hitter. Because he had poor mechanics. Mechanics he had developed swinging an ultra light bat.
Recently a good friend of mine proudly showed me the bat he had just bought his 7 year old son. I don't know the brand, but it was a -15!!! That's right. I told him to throw that piece of junk away. He looked at me like I had lost my mind. He had paid over $100 for it and it was going to help his son be one of the best hitters in his summer league. I told him who cares if your son is the best in his 7 and under coach pitch summer league. I'm sure his high school coach will be impressed when you tell him little Johnnie was the best hitter in his league when he was seven years old. That will surely impress him more than the freshman who is hitting rockets all over the park at tryouts who was just mediocre in that same league.
So What Is The Solution?
I'm going to tell you what I would do if I had a kid playing right now who was 6 years old. Because no one is manufacturing any aluminum bats for kids that are even -5 or -6 like the did when my son was that age, I would have him hit with a wood bat. The wood bat is heavier and because its heavier you can't swing it without using both hands properly. Plus you have to rotate when you swing.
A little over three years ago an acquaintance of mine asked me what I would do to help my son hit if he were 7 years old right then. I told him I would have him use a wood bat. He asked me why and I explained to him that swinging these ultra light bats didn't develop proper swing mechanics. He had his son use a wood bat for three seasons and just this year did he start using aluminum. The dad told me that his sons youth coaches insisted on him hitting with aluminum because they produced higher performance results. His kid is one of the better hitters in the area and he still uses a wood bat to practice with. The dad understands the benefits of wood, but goes against his beliefs during games to keep everyone (the youth coach) happy.
Using a wood bat all the time won't be easy.
Next Blog: Hitting- Generations of Bad Instruction. Mistakes Parents Make Part 3.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Hitting: Mistakes Parents Make Part I.
Ted Williams once said that the hardest skill in all of sports is hitting a baseball. That you are taking a round bat and hitting a round ball squarely. I am paraphrasing what he said. But, the point is made. Hitting isn't easy.
We began this discussion stating that things had changed from the old days. That is an understatement. Today parents are participants in this process more than ever. For example, coach pitch. An adult or parent pitches to the players. That was unheard of in my youth and has changed the mental development of young hitters.
In my opinion parents fail to recognize and prepare their kids for the change from coach pitch to player pitch. And, how to deal with facing hard throwers and then hopefully later hitting the curve ball.
I have witnessed young players who had the potential to become top high school players quit baseball at the age of 10 because they went from the safety of facing a parent pitch to player pitch. I have witnessed kids quit when they had to face a hard thrower and got hit by a pitch. And, being hit as a youngster can have a profound effect on how they deal with hitting the curve ball later in high school.
Here is what turned out to be a positive example. My son was playing in a fall league and we needed a player. So he asked his best friend to play. I'll call him Johnnie. So we picked up Johnnie and as we were driving to the game Johnnie said, "Brad, I've never played player pitch before and I'm a little scared of being hit by the pitch." I responded, "Johnnie when we get there I bet that the pitcher doesn't even throw as fast as your coach in coach pitch. And, also remember Johnnie, he doesn't want to hit you because then you will be on base and he doesn't want base runners."
During the game Johnnie batted three times and hit the ball hard ever time and had two nice hits. On the way home I told Johnnie that he had two nice hits and Johnnie said, "Brad you were right the pitcher didn't even throw as fast as my coach." I helped Johnnie get comfortable and have a positive experience that game. That's what you as parent need to try and do consistently with your player.
Things to avoid:
1. Telling your kid that the pitcher they will be facing is real good, throws real hard, has no control, hits a ton batters, or anything that could affect his approach at the plate.
2. Making a big deal about facing player pitch. Its just another step in his pathway to a good high school career, not a life threatening event.
3. Discussing how much it hurts to be hit by a pitch, or any stories about other players who have been injured.
How to prepare for player pitch:
First, you need to discuss the change before hand. And, use the three points above as guidelines to how you discuss it.
Second, point out the one on one competition between the pitcher and the hitter with each one trying to beat the other one.
Third, take your player into the backyard and with tennis balls throw at him/her. Show them how to turn their back to the pitched ball to avoid being hit in the face or front of the body. Have them practice avoiding being hit. Throw the ball pretty fast too. Its not everyday you get to bean your own kid. But, make it laughs and keep it fun.
Next Blog: Picking out the correct bat.
We began this discussion stating that things had changed from the old days. That is an understatement. Today parents are participants in this process more than ever. For example, coach pitch. An adult or parent pitches to the players. That was unheard of in my youth and has changed the mental development of young hitters.
In my opinion parents fail to recognize and prepare their kids for the change from coach pitch to player pitch. And, how to deal with facing hard throwers and then hopefully later hitting the curve ball.
I have witnessed young players who had the potential to become top high school players quit baseball at the age of 10 because they went from the safety of facing a parent pitch to player pitch. I have witnessed kids quit when they had to face a hard thrower and got hit by a pitch. And, being hit as a youngster can have a profound effect on how they deal with hitting the curve ball later in high school.
Here is what turned out to be a positive example. My son was playing in a fall league and we needed a player. So he asked his best friend to play. I'll call him Johnnie. So we picked up Johnnie and as we were driving to the game Johnnie said, "Brad, I've never played player pitch before and I'm a little scared of being hit by the pitch." I responded, "Johnnie when we get there I bet that the pitcher doesn't even throw as fast as your coach in coach pitch. And, also remember Johnnie, he doesn't want to hit you because then you will be on base and he doesn't want base runners."
During the game Johnnie batted three times and hit the ball hard ever time and had two nice hits. On the way home I told Johnnie that he had two nice hits and Johnnie said, "Brad you were right the pitcher didn't even throw as fast as my coach." I helped Johnnie get comfortable and have a positive experience that game. That's what you as parent need to try and do consistently with your player.
Things to avoid:
1. Telling your kid that the pitcher they will be facing is real good, throws real hard, has no control, hits a ton batters, or anything that could affect his approach at the plate.
2. Making a big deal about facing player pitch. Its just another step in his pathway to a good high school career, not a life threatening event.
3. Discussing how much it hurts to be hit by a pitch, or any stories about other players who have been injured.
How to prepare for player pitch:
First, you need to discuss the change before hand. And, use the three points above as guidelines to how you discuss it.
Second, point out the one on one competition between the pitcher and the hitter with each one trying to beat the other one.
Third, take your player into the backyard and with tennis balls throw at him/her. Show them how to turn their back to the pitched ball to avoid being hit in the face or front of the body. Have them practice avoiding being hit. Throw the ball pretty fast too. Its not everyday you get to bean your own kid. But, make it laughs and keep it fun.
Next Blog: Picking out the correct bat.
Monday, July 2, 2012
The Draft. The 5 Tools Scouts Look For.
The draft is a fascinating event. Major League Baseball has an amateur draft early every year in June. Unlike football and basketball the draft includes all the high school and college players that are eligible.
I could write a book about our experience during the fall and spring leading up to the 2004 draft. It was interesting, insightful, and stressful for us as parents. For our son it was just something he was going to go through to get to professional baseball. After all these years I am still amazed by his confidence and worry free attitude that year. For example, when a team would send him information packets to fill out he would just let them sit and not even open them. He would just tell me that if they wanted him they would draft him and all the other stuff didn't really matter. Well my wife and I didn't take any chances. We made sure all the forms were filled out and all information requests were promptly mailed in.
But, on to what will really help you as a parent and hopefully the development of your young player. The 5 tools: Hitting. Hitting for Power. Arm Strength. Speed. Glove.
Its very rare that a player has all 5 tools. A young Micky Mantle had all 5. As did Willie Mays. But, Barry Bonds had a below average arm. Mark McGwire was not blessed with foot speed. Rod Carew lacked power. All of these are all-time great players and if not in the Hall of Fame should be someday.
Then you look at pitchers. All they need is the ability to throw the ball. And, when it comes draft time the guys with the cannons like Nolan Ryan get picked first. Unless you are a lefty and those guys sneak in the back door because being left handed is somewhat magic. But, some of the most successful pitchers in baseball history were NOT flame throwers. Greg Maddux comes to mind. Whitey Ford. Randy Jones. These guys got hitters out with location, movement, and deception.
My point is you don't have to be a 5 tool player to excel and to maybe make it to professional baseball. And, the best part about baseball is that it is a skill sport. If you develop the correct skills/mechanics and are lucky enough to grow and physically develop your body you can have a chance.
Let's take a look at the 5 tools.
1. Hitting: Hitting a baseball is one of the funnest things I have ever done. It is a blast to watch the ball soar over the fence, or fly over an outfielders head. It is also one of the most difficult skills in all of sports to acquire. And, you do acquire it. Its not given. There is no "Natural".
So hitting is a skill and it has to be developed over time by learning and trying to perfect the correct mechanics. The biggest problem with hitting is the bad instruction kids get when they are young. This bad instruction comes from their dads most of the time. But, sometimes their youth league coaches too.
I've worked with some athletic kids who were taught the wrong mechanics when they were young and most of them were unable to change. This meant they were limited to just being recreational players and when they got to high school they either got cut or were below average hitters.
So hitting is a skill. Not something that you just wake up one morning and are great at.
2. Hitting for Power: This is sort of a part "B" to the skill of hitting. Because if you can't hit, you can't hit with power. So the same proper mechanics have to be developed to hit for power.
Two factors usually affect hitting for power. Size and strength. And, a third factor that doesn't get the ink it should is the hitters approach at the plate.
Usually the big kids and adults have an advantage when it comes to hitting for power. But, this doesn't always hold true. Henry Aaron, Ernie Banks, and Hack Wilson are old timers who hit the ball out of the park who weren't huge guys. But, Ted Williams is a guy who was skin and bones who crushed the ball. I've seen pictures of him when he was just getting started with the Red Sox that have his ribs sticking out like he was half starved.
So its not impossible to hit for power if you aren't bigger than average and as strong as an ox.
3. Arm Strength: I am convinced that about 75% of velocity is God given and 25% is mechanics. Enough of it is mechanics that it can't be ignored. We will discuss developing throwing mechanics and arm health in the future. Remember. Your kid has one arm. If it gets ruined so does his chance to play.
4. Speed: This is more God given than mechanics, however, I have been to the Olympic Training facility in Colorado Springs and watched adult runners working on their mechanics to get that competitive edge. But, this is an area where most parents need to seek help and instruction for their kids due to the lack of information that is out there. And, you need someone who knows what they are looking at too.
5. Glove: This is definitely a skill and it can be perfected with work and a few simple mechanical tips.
Next Blog: Mistakes Parents Make Teaching Hitting, Part I.
I could write a book about our experience during the fall and spring leading up to the 2004 draft. It was interesting, insightful, and stressful for us as parents. For our son it was just something he was going to go through to get to professional baseball. After all these years I am still amazed by his confidence and worry free attitude that year. For example, when a team would send him information packets to fill out he would just let them sit and not even open them. He would just tell me that if they wanted him they would draft him and all the other stuff didn't really matter. Well my wife and I didn't take any chances. We made sure all the forms were filled out and all information requests were promptly mailed in.
But, on to what will really help you as a parent and hopefully the development of your young player. The 5 tools: Hitting. Hitting for Power. Arm Strength. Speed. Glove.
Its very rare that a player has all 5 tools. A young Micky Mantle had all 5. As did Willie Mays. But, Barry Bonds had a below average arm. Mark McGwire was not blessed with foot speed. Rod Carew lacked power. All of these are all-time great players and if not in the Hall of Fame should be someday.
Then you look at pitchers. All they need is the ability to throw the ball. And, when it comes draft time the guys with the cannons like Nolan Ryan get picked first. Unless you are a lefty and those guys sneak in the back door because being left handed is somewhat magic. But, some of the most successful pitchers in baseball history were NOT flame throwers. Greg Maddux comes to mind. Whitey Ford. Randy Jones. These guys got hitters out with location, movement, and deception.
My point is you don't have to be a 5 tool player to excel and to maybe make it to professional baseball. And, the best part about baseball is that it is a skill sport. If you develop the correct skills/mechanics and are lucky enough to grow and physically develop your body you can have a chance.
Let's take a look at the 5 tools.
1. Hitting: Hitting a baseball is one of the funnest things I have ever done. It is a blast to watch the ball soar over the fence, or fly over an outfielders head. It is also one of the most difficult skills in all of sports to acquire. And, you do acquire it. Its not given. There is no "Natural".
So hitting is a skill and it has to be developed over time by learning and trying to perfect the correct mechanics. The biggest problem with hitting is the bad instruction kids get when they are young. This bad instruction comes from their dads most of the time. But, sometimes their youth league coaches too.
I've worked with some athletic kids who were taught the wrong mechanics when they were young and most of them were unable to change. This meant they were limited to just being recreational players and when they got to high school they either got cut or were below average hitters.
So hitting is a skill. Not something that you just wake up one morning and are great at.
2. Hitting for Power: This is sort of a part "B" to the skill of hitting. Because if you can't hit, you can't hit with power. So the same proper mechanics have to be developed to hit for power.
Two factors usually affect hitting for power. Size and strength. And, a third factor that doesn't get the ink it should is the hitters approach at the plate.
Usually the big kids and adults have an advantage when it comes to hitting for power. But, this doesn't always hold true. Henry Aaron, Ernie Banks, and Hack Wilson are old timers who hit the ball out of the park who weren't huge guys. But, Ted Williams is a guy who was skin and bones who crushed the ball. I've seen pictures of him when he was just getting started with the Red Sox that have his ribs sticking out like he was half starved.
So its not impossible to hit for power if you aren't bigger than average and as strong as an ox.
3. Arm Strength: I am convinced that about 75% of velocity is God given and 25% is mechanics. Enough of it is mechanics that it can't be ignored. We will discuss developing throwing mechanics and arm health in the future. Remember. Your kid has one arm. If it gets ruined so does his chance to play.
4. Speed: This is more God given than mechanics, however, I have been to the Olympic Training facility in Colorado Springs and watched adult runners working on their mechanics to get that competitive edge. But, this is an area where most parents need to seek help and instruction for their kids due to the lack of information that is out there. And, you need someone who knows what they are looking at too.
5. Glove: This is definitely a skill and it can be perfected with work and a few simple mechanical tips.
Next Blog: Mistakes Parents Make Teaching Hitting, Part I.
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