Baseball is a unique sport, relying more on skill and dexterity than physical strength. Due to their sport’s specific demands, baseball players use different muscles than other athletes. They don’t need the big, bulky upper body of football players or even the extensive lower-body development of hockey players.
New baseball gloves have a tantalizing leather smell when you first get them. However, because they are new, the leather is very stiff and unforgiving when you try to field baseballs out on the diamond. Additionally, the pocket of the glove has not formed and makes fielding the ball more difficult because the ball can bounce off of the stiff leather.
Left-handed pitchers have a special place in baseball history. Sandy Koufax, Warren Spahn, Lefty Gomez and Lefty Grove are just a few of the outstanding left-handed pitchers in baseball history. Left-handers have the advantage of being difficult to read for most batters because batters see a lot more deliveries from right-handed pitchers.
Left-handed players are often at a premium in baseball. A manager or coach wants high-quality left-handed pitchers and power hitters, yet there are relatively few positions for left-handed players to occupy on the field. There are no rules against lefties occupying certain positions, but tradition and practicality limit the positions they can play.
Weight training is a key component to baseball player development. Players at the higher end of the sport train year-round to build and maintain their sport-specific strength. But players must carefully manage their weightlifting regimen during the season.
Build rhythm and timing with this hitting drill to better your load and trigger. Hitters use a lot of tools and drills to perfect their swing. The bucket drill can be a great exercise for building a proper load and trigger that uses equipment not thought of as a hitting tool.
An outfielder throws a little differently than the other positions on the field. Pitchers parallel outfielders, but infielders and catchers throw completely different. At the beginning of any discussion regarding throwing for an outfielder has to begin with the way that you grip the ball.
Major League catcher Matt Treanor offers expert advice on the proper catcher stance and how to protect signs to the pitcher. The preciseness of this catchers stance is to keep the opposing team from stealing signs. It is important to keep signals between catcher and pitcher protected, concealed from the opposing teams eyes.
When it comes to designing your baseball field, it’s important to make sure the layout and dimensions match the level of play the field is being used for (e.g. a Little League field will have different dimensions than a major league field). This helps ensure unbiased, consistent play across fields for athletes, keeping the game fair for all teams.
Coaches wear many hats in baseball. They’re educators, mentors and counselors. Another important responsibility that rests on a coach’s shoulders is setting the tone for your team. Maintaining positive energy in baseball practices and games can influence how your players perform on the field.
Baseball is a complex sport where strategy can play a big part. A baseball team's strategy can vary from game to game depending on the pitcher and the opposing team. The strategy can change during a game from situation to situation depending on the number of outs and the count on the batter.
As Major League Baseball is happening these days with many upcoming matches, we thought that this post might be helpful for our baseball players out there. Baseball is a game that requires players to bat as well as field. This means that players need to show their skills both as hitters and as fielders too.
Your personal calories in (via food and drink) vs. calories out (via metabolic processes and physical energy expenditure) equation at the end of the day determines whether you are going to maintain, lose, or gain weight.
Being an elite catcher begins with strong training habits. Catching drills can cover a variety of areas including blocking skills, throwing advice and other traits associated with the position. Discover more with these 11 essential catcher workouts as you aim to become a better backstop this baseball season.
You want to know how to hit a baseball with more power? Well, before we do that, I'm just going to go ahead and leave this epic blast for your viewing pleasure. Take your time, watch this video, wipe the tears from your eyes, and then we'll get down to business.
So you want to know what skills you need to play baseball? In baseball, some are born with talents needed for baseball but most achieve greatest by determination.
Enhance your speed and agility as you round the bases by practicing these four essential base running drills.
Catching may be the most demanding position in baseball, both physically and mentally. To be a quality catcher, you need to know more than how to catch the ball and how to throw the ball to second, you need to know the game of baseball.
Every good hitter will do these 7 things on a perfect swing.
It’s been said that offense wins games, but defense wins championships.
Pitchers have their own unique pitching style that involves a combination of different types of pitches, speeds, and movements.
Catching is a very important position in baseball, however its importance is sometimes underrated.
Hitting a baseball is one of the toughest skills in all of sport.
Proper hitting mechanics can take a long time and a great deal of practice to master.
Baserunning is often overlooked in baseball. It’s by far the game’s most neglected skill; one that is rarely prioritized and hardly ever developed.
Having a routine when at the plate can do more than ensure you’re ready for the next pitch.
Battling through an at-bat can be a grueling experience, but the payoff is worth it. Flipping the odds and getting a hit with two strikes can be a great momentum boost for your squad.
Good teams are often judged on their ability to manufacture runs. What this means is they didn't string together enough hits (or any hits for that matter) to score a run.
Three important things to know before stealing second base. If you know these three things, you will know whether you should challenge the pitcher and catcher and go for the steal.
Anything is possible when you have your head in the game and you want to win using the right methods and the teamwork.
Looking for a way to make your backstops quicker behind the plate? Here are two drills perfect for improving a catcher's response time and put them in a better defensive position.
Between on the foam rolls, lacrosse ball roll-out, dynamics, bands, wrist weights, shoulder tube and plyo balls for pitchers, there is an assortment of tools to help them get ready to throw.
Reading spin & movement for better pitch recognition starts with understanding EXACTLY what each pitch typically type does after the pitcher releases the ball.
One skill you must develop to become an elite baseball player is hand-eye coordination. Without it, you’ll be swinging for the fences and hitting nothing but air.
How to catch a fly ball, ready position, crossover stepping, best route to the baseball, and other pro tips for how to play outfield
If you’re wondering how to steal bases in baseball, knowing when matters just as much (or more) than how fast you are.
Catching involves many skills that are difficult to explain on paper… Things like receiving, framing, blocking, mental toughness and leadership have to be OBSERVED to be evaluated.
Managing youth baseball has plenty of ups and downs. While you might think that all experiences stem from on the field, they can oftentimes begin in the bleachers.
As one of the top performance training companies in the world, EXOS is always on the cutting-edge with their training.
You need to take care of your bat. After all, you want to ensure that you get the most from it.
Speed is a highly valued commodity in any sport. Championships have been won by teams who have players that can perform like the speed of light.
Baseball is played with very few equipment that are one ball and one bat with gloves but the list of protective gears is extensive.
According to Doctors from Mayo Clinic, each year many athletes get injured while playing baseball and softball.
The slide is an action of a player that makes the player to slide on the ground when the base is near.
Some batters stand low while some high, some stand narrow while some wide; there are over eighteen unique batting stances in baseball that you might have seen in the baseball.
Smart and sensible running provides the team with an amazing advantage that leads to winning. Not every team takes care of it which may alter the results of the game for them.
When a pitch comes your way, you need the toughness to stand your ground and the agility to stop the ball from rolling out of reach.
Throwing is a fundamental movement of baseball as well as various other sports.
A level swing is an efficient swing. Learn how to take the kinks out of your arcing swing.
Have you ever seen a professional game of baseball? If yes, then you have seen the batsmen hitting with a lot of power.
Arm exercises, more specifically baseball arm workouts, are critical to any baseball player who wish to have a strong arm and play better.
Hitting far is the crux of the baseball game when it comes to batting. And it is precisely on this point that many players make mistakes.
Baseball is usually a summer sport which means that if you play baseball, the chances are that most of your games will fall in the summer season.
Have you ever seen a professional game of baseball? If yes, then you have seen the batsmen hitting with a lot of power.
In every sport, there are some fundamental techniques and stages.
Being one of the most played and loved game around the United States, Baseball is played around the year with most matches taking place during summers.
Baseball is usually a summer sport which means that if you play baseball, the chances are that most of your games will fall in the summer season.
Hope these tips help you develop stronger and more accurate throwing.
Baseball is a game that constantly teaches if you are willing to learn.
How to properly execute the forehand catch when fielding ground balls and line drives.
Every baseball player struggles from time to time. In these moments of searching for answers it’s easy to fall into the trap of chasing hits.
Everyone has struggles. For baseball players, a slow start or drop-off in plate performance can leave them feeling down.
The on-deck circle in baseball is your starting line. Your next steps to the plate begin your duel against the opposing pitcher.
For pitchers, game day requires plenty of focus and attention.
A well-run sacrifice bunt can potentially be the difference in a game. Know how to correctly perform this feat with help below.
All good batters have a rhythm to their swing.
Keep your swing sharp and your hand-eye coordination on point by using one of the oldest and simplest forms of training aid: the batting tee.
Get into a groove and begin to develop your load. Practicing good load mechanics with your batting routine could help add pop to your swing and some better connection between bat and ball.
Batting is a full-body movement, and limiting your swing to just arm strength cuts your potential in half. Follow these drills to improve your lower half efficiency.
Use this 5-cone drill to develop your defensive technique.
Throwing a baseball should be one fluid motion. Your arm action should be a consistent mix of efficiency and repetition.
Ground ball got you down? Bounce back with these tips on a strong feed to begin your next double play.
Get the jump on your ground ball fielding with this helpful drill for picking hops and easier infield dominance.
Turning two in the infield can be a great momentum swinger for a defense.
Starting a double play as a second baseman can be difficult. After all, you don’t have the time to turn your body for a full toss to the base.
Pitchers warming up for an approaching start need to make the most of their time before the first pitch.
Baseball players spend a good portion of a game in the dugout.
A pitch can take less than a second to reach home plate.
There’s always an end goal for baseball players. For some, that might be as simple as making their varsity roster.
The Rhythm Drill emphasizes how the stride leg and throwing arm work together to create a fluid, consistent pitch.
A main key to throwing strikes is to make sure that your direction is towards home plate.
As a pitcher, you have two different types of fastballs: the four-seam and two-seam.
As a pitcher, you should be both balanced and comfortable when on the mound.
An integral part of a pitcher’s delivery is balance.
Throw better pitches and get more outs with these three key pitching fundmentals.
Practicing the backhand play is critical to mastering this defensive move.
One of the toughest plays for an infielder to make is picking up a slow roller, because the ball is not hit very hard.
Your throwing progression is important to repeat every time you are playing catch so you can properly warm up your arm.
Keep baserunners at bay by fine tuning your moves off the mound. Use these quick and simple pitching drills to help improve your pickoff and stepoff moves.
A pitcher’s fielding skills should be as good as their throwing skills.
Not having balance in your pitching windup can lead to problems on the mound.
Bunting can be an extremely useful approach in certain circumstances.
For players looking for hitting drills that can help them build a consistent, high-performing swing, soft toss drills can answer the call.
Make your first step count by getting a great lead off the base. Give yourself a quality start by practicing this base-stealing drill.
Turning the right way and gaining the proper position are key steps to mastering this all-too-common play.
Catchers use a lot of detailed strategies to manage their demanding position.
Catchers work hard to keep their opponent’s running game short and success in this position can come down to proper throwing technique.
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