Youth Baseball Hitting - How to Fix Your Baseball Swing

Youth Baseball Hitting - How to Fix Your Baseball Swing
By Brian McClure

To hit the ball well takes a lot of practice. Youth baseball is actually easier than for older players because there is only the basics to learn and develop. This makes it easy for as as coaches to improve our youth baseball teams hitting.

We still must do it right. Practice does not always make perfect. The practice must be effective and done correctly or the mind and body will instill the wrong mechanics.

Hitting off the tee - has probably been a lost art. It is however making a comeback in certain circles. I have always started batting practice by hitting off the tee. Yes..all ages. Purpose of the tee is to load the bat and get our weight back. First check that the players hands are in the right place..batting stance should comfortable. Second, Load the bat (Body and hands go slightly back and front foot comes up) Third, short quick swing.

Common mistakes to look for and avoid is the player dropping his hands and and weight back to far which is caused by wrapping the hands around the head. Wrapping the bat and Dropping the hands is usually the youth baseball player trying to hit a hard fly ball. It lengthens the swing and there will difficulty in hitting the ball correctly(popups) if at all, in live pitching.

Soft Toss - My favorite way to practice hitting. A youth baseball coach (or whoever is doing the tossing) can get a lot of control over the ball and watch the mechanics without fear of injury. The most common way I see soft toss done is from the side of the batter. I prefer to use a screen and toss from the front. This better simulates the pitch and the tosser and see the hands, head, and stride better too. Franklin L-Frame Pitching Screen
Work on strike tosses in the middle, inside, and outside... up, down. Toss in a few balls too so the player can work on learning the strike zone also. As you see a lot of work can be done in a short period of time.
If you toss from the side ,it is best to have net to target the balls.

Free Hitting - Turn 'em loose. Pitch or use a pitching machine and let the youth baseball player work on improving his hitting with live pitches without a lot of coaching at this point. Let the player have fun and just hit away. The Tee drill and soft toss is to work on mechanics. Now Focus on the ball and Swing.

These tips and basic batting practice strategy will greatly help your players improve their hitting skills. As a parent you can quickly move your son to the meat of the batting order with these simple batting practice two or three times a week. As coaches we should try and implement some batting practice every practice. The best way is to divide them into groups..some work on tee..move to ..the soft toss..then free hitting and move on to shagging.

Author- Brian McClure Want to learn more about helping your child in youth baseball as a parent or coach? http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com

See our complete list of Topics and articles on youth baseball here http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/topics.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_McClure

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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

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Pitching Drills - Repeat, Repeat, Repeat!

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Pitching Drills - Repeat, Repeat, Repeat!

By Nate Barnett

Being a pitcher and pitching instructor for the last 25 years I have come to realize a couple of things that help athletes progress quickly. Some athletes have all of the talent in the world, but they lack the desire and intensity it takes to succeed. Many pitchers who lack the natural ability to throw the ball tend to have the desire to win and they do whatever it takes to succeed. They are the ones who tend to make it. They go out and find the talent! Well, if you want a winning team or you want to play for a winning team at a higher level; you need to have both a desire to win, an amazing work ethic and great skill set.

I recently read a book by professional figure skater Scott Hamilton. In that book he talked about work ethic and his desire to be the best figure skater in the world. He also discussed how important it was for him to do perfect his skating drills. One in particular was the challenging figure eight drill. This drill was particularly difficult for Scott and many other figure skaters. You see the blade of the skates carve through the ice. The blades are not very wide but they leave a tiny trail where you have previously skated. Once Scott would do a backward figure eight on the ice, he had to skate backwards again, on one leg, and go directly over the same figure eight again without veering off that same path. I hope you can imagine how difficult that drill is after that brief explanation.

Even after Scott Hamilton felt he had perfected the backward figure eight drill, he still did it for two hours a day. Yes, two hours a day. Perfection is what he was after and he would accept nothing less than that. He contributed his figure skating success to his constant focus on that specific figure eight drill he did time and time again.

Are you doing your pitching drills? What specific baseball drills are you focused on right now that are going to take you to the next level? Do you know what baseball drills are going to make you better in the first place? Do you think you just have to play a lot of games to get better or do you think that implementing some baseball specific drills will help you?

I will tell you right now that you better have a plan to succeed if you plan on playing at the professional level. No matter how old you are right now, you better know what baseball drills you need to do to take you there. You need to set aside at least an hour a day to work on your drills. Proper pitching mechanics or hitting mechanics don't just happen. Professional pitchers just don't suddenly have a 90 mile an hour fastball one day. Manny Ramirez didn't just pick up a bat and have great hitting mechanics and amazing bat speed. Practice, practice and more practice. Repeating the right movements (hitting and pitching drills) over and over again is what makes you a better player.

Nate Barnett is co-owner of The Pitching Academy.

After finishing a professional career in the Seattle Mariners Organization, Nate pursued his coaching and motivational training career. You can find The Pitching Academy's videos, blog, and more articles when you visit the website.

The Pitching Academy's pitching mechanics DVD.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nate_Barnett

Recommended Links:
Shop CoachesBest.com for your baseball coaching needs including baseball training aids, training videos, and other coaching supplies. Check out the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting machine by SKLZ at HurricaneTrainer.com.

See the “Original” Rotational Hitting Machine at BatAction.com. Are you looking for the perfect trainer to teach proper timing and swing mechanics? You can stop looking and go to HandsBackHitter.com.

Players develop incredible bat speed and confidence when they regularly use the Quick Swing Trainer. See it at QuickSwingTrainer.com. See the world’s most advanced batting tee at AdvancedSkillsTee.com.

Are you looking for a great batting cage at discount prices? Are you considering building your own backyard batting cage and training center? If so, you should visit BattingCagesDirect.com now!
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Coaches Must Learn to Teach Proper Pitching Mechanics

Coaches Must Learn to Teach Proper Pitching Mechanics

By Nate Barnett

Just Throw Strikes?

Have one of your coaches ever told you to "just throw strikes" and get us out of this inning? Many coaches out there make the mistake of telling pitchers to "just throw strikes". Of course your pitchers are trying to throw strikes to end the inning; what they really can't do is control their emotions or they lack correct mechanics. When a coach tells pitchers to "just throw strikes" what the coach is really implying is they don't know what else to tell the struggling pitcher. They lack the education behind what is really going on in the pitchers mind in different game scenarios; or they lack the knowledge about pitching mechanics.

Many youth pitchers hear "just throw strikes" and they do just that. Many pitchers start aiming the ball and they forget about their basic pitching mechanics. They may slow their motion down; not exploding to foot strike. Many pitchers often open up to soon taking more of a step instead of a strike to home plate; guiding the ball over the plate instead of simply throwing it. The pitcher begins to throw batting practice and the batters begin to tee off. Yes your pitchers are throwing strikes, but they are often right down the heart of the plate with no velocity behind the ball. See ya! Game over! You Lose!

If you are a coach, you will do more harm than good throwing out little comments like "just throw strikes", "rare back and fire", "throw hard now", "get er done" what do all of these things mean to your pitchers? Do you know what they mean?

Every pitcher is going to have a different interpretation of what these things mean unless you are very clear in presenting to them what they mean. What does "rare back and fire" mean? We have all heard that one. Does it mean to rock back and throw as hard as you can? If so, a pitcher will lose all control of the baseball if they rare back because they lose their balance. What does "throw hard now" mean? When you tell a young pitcher to throw hard, what do they usually end up doing to their pitching mechanics? One, they never try to get power from their legs, hips, torso and shoulders (entire body) as they should; they use too much of their arm to throw when trying to get more velocity. The only time these small innuendos work is if the coach explains to the pitchers what the terminology means. Otherwise these words are just filler words for lack of better education.

To get better results out of your pitchers in games, it is imperative that you understand proper pitching mechanics. You also need to know your pitcher and how they react to different game situations. Do they get nervous and buckle under stressful game situations? If so, you need to figure out why they get nervous.

It's time to get educated on proper pitching mechanics.

Nate Barnett is co-owner of The Pitching Academy.

After finishing a professional career in the Seattle Mariners Organization, Nate pursued his coaching and motivational training career. You can find The Pitching Academy's videos, blog, and more articles when you visit the website.

The Pitching Academy's pitching mechanics DVD

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nate_Barnett

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5 Stations During Batting Practice For Little League

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5 Stations During Batting Practice For Little League
By John R Di Nicola

It has been stated many times that pitching and defense wins ball games. We all know that it would be real boring if that is all teams did. It has been proven time and time again you can win without hitting. However we do have to address the issue so we have to practice hitting. Listed below are 5 stations that will help get your hitters ready for the live action of a game. You will need assistant to carry out these drills. It is important you recruit help. How much help you get will determine how many of these stations you will be able have in a practice.


Hitting off 'T"
Soft Toss
Tracking
Bunting
Batting Practice

Hitting off the "T"

You will for sure have to have hitting of a "T". This is mandatory. You will be limited to the amount of pitches you will throw each hitter. The more swings that get hitting off the "T" the better they will be prepared for batting practices and the game. The first few times through this stations have them hit the as if it were down the middle. Make sure the "T" is no higher than the players waist. Working on the following:


important that the feet are shoulder width apart and player is balanced
when hitting the ball the top hand always on top of the ball
hit the top of the ball driving it downward
pivoting back foot raising heel as the hands follow through hitting zone

As they get comfortable you can position the "T" for the inside pitch and out side pitch. Important when working on outside pitch to position the "T" behind home plate so as to illustrate to players they have to wait on the out side pitch. Also teach them to bring their hands back so their front shoulder turns in toward home plate. This will bring front foot in so they can drive the ball. Most players will open up the front shoulder and hit the ball off the end of the bat or completely miss it.

Soft Toss

The soft station is an extra in Little League. You may want to wait till later on in the season to use this station. Basically a coach on one knee positioned beside player and tossing ball to different zones of the plate. Players swings through ball using all the proper techniques from "T" drills. Hands on top of ball driving through the ball.

Tracking

This an an excellent drill to teach the Little League Player on keeping their eye's focused on the ball. Your above average hitters always work on tracking. Most of them will take pitches just to get the feel of how the pitcher is throwing. They always make the pitchers throw a lot of pitches. Teach them to follow the ball all way to the catcher mitt. This something they should do during batting practice and the game. The more they see the ball the bigger it looks. You can use a rag ball or a whiffle ball.

Bunting

The art of Bunting is so important at all levels of baseball and most neglected. In this day and age of baseball the Home Run is king. It has been proven in recent world series that small ball will win more championships than the Home Runs. Have them bunt at least five balls, down first base line and third base line. Later on you can work on bunts for base hits.

Batting Practice

Because you have so much do and trying to get all the players to hit you have to limit the amount of pitches to each batter (15-20). Have players first work on making contact. You will have the seasoned Little Leaguer who knocks the cover off the ball and then you will have the ones that you really have to work with to get them to make contact. This is why if you have the luxury of having the help to run the stations it would greatly speed up the learning curve.

Most likely you will only use the "T" and Live Batting Practices. Using this model will afford you to run a practice without having a marathon practices. Do not try and do all 5 stations the first practice. As you become comfortable you can adjust your practice schedule and add stations. Most likely you will never do all five in one practice

Observe

Make sure batter is doing correct mechanics. Never let them get it half right.

Practices Makes Perfect

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. If you would like further information on this topic or other information you can E-Mail me at: jdinicola@easypitching.com

You can follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/easypitching

Web site: http://www.easypitching.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_R_Di_Nicola

Sponsor Links:
Shop CoachesBest.com for your baseball coaching needs including baseball training aids, training videos, and other coaching supplies. Check out the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting machine by SKLZ at HurricaneTrainer.com.

See the “Original” Rotational Hitting Machine at BatAction.com. Are you looking for the perfect trainer to teach proper timing and swing mechanics? You can stop looking and go to HandsBackHitter.com.

Players develop incredible bat speed and confidence when they regularly use the Quick Swing Trainer. See it at QuickSwingTrainer.com. See the world’s most advanced batting tee at AdvancedSkillsTee.com.

Are you looking for a great batting cage at discount prices? Are you considering building your own backyard batting cage and training center? If so, you should visit BattingCagesDirect.com now!
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Bunt Young, Bunt Often In Little League

Bunt Young, Bunt Often In Little League

By Marty Schupak

Bunting is a very big part of baseball. And, when a bunt is laid down the right way, it is very difficult to defend. I have always been big on bunting, and feel it can be taught at a young age. There are basically two types of bunts: the square bunt and the pivot bunt. My preference is the pivot bunt because the players just pivot on their toes and do not have to lift their feet. Once in a playoff game, I had a player perform a square bunt, and he put down a perfect bunt, and beat it out...we all thought. The only problem was, when he lifted his leg and put it down in a different position, it was right on home plate and he was called out. The best way to teach bunting for the first time is to practice with a soft covered ball or a rag ball, which is described in The 59 Minute Baseball Practice video. With the rag balls or a soft covered ball, there is very little danger of getting hurt, and the players can actually pitch to each other. Once they seem confident, coaches can pitch a hard ball to his team.

There are many bunting strategies that can be used in a game. My favorite is with less than two out and a runner on third. In this situation, the batter can bunt to the third baseman as the base runner bounces toward home. When the third baseman releases the ball to first base, the player on third runs home, and must slide. If it is a good bunt, and the base runner breaks to home when he should, this is almost unstoppable. Remember that youth baseball players can practice bunting at a very young age. Seek out your high school coach to teach the proper technique. Also, make sure your best bunters get a chance to swing away.

http://www.YouthSportsClub.com

http://www.VideosForCoaches.com

Marty Schupak has coached youth baseball for 18 years and is the video creator of "The 59 Minute Baseball Practice", "Backyard Baseball Drills", "Winning Baseball Strategies", "Hitting Drills & Techniques", “Pitching Drills & Techniques”, and author of the popular book, "Youth Baseball Drills". He is a principle with Videos For Coaches and is also President of the Youth Sports Club, a group dedicated to making sports practices and games more enjoyable for kids.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marty_Schupak

Free Baseball Articles for Youth Baseball Coaches

Have a great weekend! Happy Hitting!



Coaching Baseball - 4 Things the On-Deck Batter Should Always Do and 4 Things He Should Never Do

Baseball coaching is teaching the big and little details of the game. Every position or location on the field requires a player to observe and to be aware of what is happening. Many young batters on deck often do no pay attention to what is happening. They are often guilty of looking into the crowd or even talking to someone through the fence. On-deck batters that do not closely observe the pitcher and the catcher are missing a greatly opportunity to "scout" the opponent.

Baseball Pitching - Coaching Pitchers to Succeed by Starting With the Basics

The coaching of baseball pitchers does not require a degree in "pitchingtology". There is no such degree to my knowledge. I just made that up. My point here is that coaching baseball pitching is not rocket science. However, having a basic knowledge of the terms and mechanics is a must.


Coaching Baseball - 12 Things That 3rd Base Coaches Should Say to Baserunners

Fewer things in baseball are more embarrassing for a young baseball player than to make a base running mistake that cost his team a run. Some of the most devastating and demoralizing mistakes in baseball are made by baserunners at 3rd base. When a runner gets to third, the team momentum and confidence is increased. The team and the player, and the fans feel like they are going to soon score a run. But, to have that chance of scoring removed by a blunder by the runner or coach can take the momentum completely away from the team.

Coaching Baseball Pitchers - The Use of Visual Anchor Points For Curve-Ball Accuracy

The skill of throwing a good curve ball accurately is a skill that must be taught and coached. Teaching curve ball control and accuracy is vital to a pitcher's success at any level. Here I discuss the method I use to teach and coach our high school pitchers to vary their curve ball location and to accurately control the spot to which the ball will break.


4 Baseball Pitching Drills For Little League Players

Teaching, training and developing young baseball pitchers takes a lot of time, patience, and practice repetition. Many young pitchers need to practice pitching skills daily. To keep the interest level high, it is best to use a variety of drills on alternate days to prevent boredom. Here are 4 baseball pitching drills that can be used to train youth and beginner pitchers.

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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

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How to Run a Great Baseball Practice

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How to Run a Great Baseball Practice
By Jack Perconte

Of course, the number one key to running a great baseball practice is organization. Legendary basketball coach John Wooden was famous for mapping out every detail of his practices, with every second of practice accounted for. This may be a little extreme for coaches of youth baseball but the point is that coaches who are organized will get the most out of their practice time. Baseball coaches should map out their preseason practices to be sure they cover every important aspect of baseball for the age of the player. As the season progresses, coaches can gear their practice time to cover the areas most needed, based on their team weaknesses. Following are some points that coaches should consider to run a great baseball practice:

1. Get in the habit of starting practice on time - parents who bring their child late will get the message early in the season that a late player will be missing out on some instruction.

2. Do not neglect warm-up time. This time is a very important time for coaches to teach the fundamentals.

3. Get help from assistant coaches and interested parents but be sure to inform them of the correct fundamentals that they should be watching for and teaching.

4. Keep players busy - players should not be standing around very often. Small group stations are recommended when coaches have help and game action drills or play is recommended when help from assistants is not available.

5. Keep stations relatively short so boredom does not set in and try to cover as many aspects of the game as time allows each practice.

6. Mix up the pattern of each practice - for example, if you work on hitting first one practice, work on defense first the next.

7. Safety is paramount at all times so don't forget helmets, etc... Use of softer balls for younger aged players can really help teaching all phases of the game.

8. Kids love competition and contests - the use of those when players begin to get bored, or tired, can spur enthusiasm. Using contests as incentive to work hard early in practice, with the idea of competition (games) later in practice when players work hard, can be a good idea.

9. When having contests, be sure to handicap them some so each player, or group of players, have a chance at winning. Make sure and let players know that a handicap system is in place for fairness.

10. Reward hard working "practice players" and not just star game players. Rewards for best defensive, offensive and hustle player(s) of each practice will spur good effort in practice.

11. Try to give the same amount of attention to each player. Players who feel slighted will be affected and other players will generally notice the slight of another player also.

12. Give homework. Inform players and their parents of the things you would like them to work on before returning the next time.

13. Long drawn out talks are never recommended. Bringing in a guest speaker or coach can be memorable for players.

Finally, coaches who remain positive, informative and hopeful will have the best chance of developing good players, as well as fun loving baseball players.

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball playing lessons, books and advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his positive parenting advice and books can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Perconte


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Shop CoachesBest.com for your baseball coaching needs including baseball training aids, training videos, and other coaching supplies. Check out the Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting machine by SKLZ at HurricaneTrainer.com.

See the “Original” Rotational Hitting Machine at BatAction.com. Are you looking for the perfect trainer to teach proper timing and swing mechanics? You can stop looking and go to HandsBackHitter.com.

Players develop incredible bat speed and confidence when they regularly use the Quick Swing Trainer. See it at QuickSwingTrainer.com. See the world’s most advanced batting tee at AdvancedSkillsTee.com.

Are you looking for a great batting cage at discount prices? Are you considering building your own backyard batting cage and training center? If so, you should visit BattingCagesDirect.com now!
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Baseball Tip - Learn to Bunt

Baseball Tip - Learn to Bunt
By Tom Read

There is a runner on third. Your team is down a run and you are up to bat with one out. The third base coach gives you the suicide squeeze signal. The pitcher winds up and the runner from third takes off for home. You square to bunt while the pitch comes in, and you pop it up. It goes right back to the pitcher. He makes the catch and throws to third for a double play and inning over.

Not what the coach had hoped for. Not what you had hoped for. You are feeling down and wishing the coach had never called for the bunt. You know you have let your team down. Why did he ask me to bunt? I can hit the ball and I was due. I would have been the hero.

Do you ever want this to happen you? No, everybody wants to be the hero. The game was close and the coach knew that even good hitters only get a hit three out of ten times. A good bunter can lay down a sacrifice bunt eight out of ten times. So get prepared. Learn the proper mechanics of bunting and practice, practice, and more practice. If you get that bunt down and get the game tied up, you would have been the hero. They would have called you a great team player.

Bunting a baseball is a skill that all players can master. Not all players can hit with power, or hit for a high batting average. But bunting is a baseball tool that every player should have. There are no good excuses for not knowing how to bunt. And once you learn how to get a good sacrifice bunt down, you might even learn to bunt for a hit. Being able to get on base by bunting will help your batting average rise significantly. Strive to be a complete player and add bunting to your arsenal of baseball tools.

To get more tips on bunting and hitting please visit this site http://learntobunt.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Read

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Youth Baseball Digest - What is the "ERA" in Baseball? How Do You Calculate Baseball Pitching "ERA"?

Youth Baseball Digest - What is the "ERA" in Baseball? How Do You Calculate Baseball Pitching "ERA"?

By Nick Dixon

In baseball, the Earned Run Average or ERA of a pitcher is a number representing the average number of earned runs allowed by the pitcher in normal amount of innings in a regulation game. Earned Run Average is a statistic by which a performances of a pitcher is judged. It is a quick way to evaluate a ability of a pitcher and compare his performance to other pitchers on the team and on opposing teams. The higher the ERA, the more runs the pitcher has allowed. Pitchers with good ERAs are considered better performers than pitcher with high ERAs. The Earned Run Average is calculated with a simple mathematical formula.

This article clearly explains how to calculate a Pitching ERA.

Earned Run Average or ERA is number representing the average number of earned runs allowed by a pitcher in a nine innings. The ERA is calculated by taking the number of earned runs allowed by the total number of innings pitched and then you multiply that number by 9. You do count runs score by batters that get on base because of an error are considered unearned runs. Unearned runs do not count toward a pitchers Earned Run Average.

The simple formula for calculating ERA is: (earned runs / innings pitched) x 9 (6 or 7)depending on number of innings played in your league.

Here are points that you need to remember when calculating the ERA of your pitchers:

1. You can convert everything to a 6 or 7 inning format by using 7 in place of 9. This should be done if your league plays 6 or 7 innings. See examples shown below:

Example: 9 Inning Format
A pitcher has given up 10 runs and has pitched 10 innings, that pitcher has an ERA of 10 x 9 = 9.00.

Example: 7 Inning Format
A pitcher has given up 10 runs and has pitched 10 innings, that pitcher has an ERA of 10 x 7 = 7.00.

Example: 6 Inning Format
A pitcher has given up 10 runs and has pitched 10 innings, that pitcher has an ERA of 10 x 6 = 6.00.

2. An earned run is any run that is scored due to the pitching of the pitcher.

3. Each out counts as 1/3 of another inning, and any men base runners on base when the pitcher is taken out of the game are counted against that pitcher.

4. ERA is generally measured to two decimal points.

5. The two base statistics needed to calculate ERA are the earned runs allowed by the pitcher and the total innings he has pitched.

I hope that you found this article informative. I thank you for taking the time to read it. luck in the coming season. Have a great day! Nick

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

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Field A Ground Ball - How To Field A Ground Ball In Youth Baseball

Field A Ground Ball - How To Field A Ground Ball In Youth Baseball
By Brian McClure

Fielding a ground ball hit to you

Hands down facing the batter, knees bent so the glove gets down (butt down..gets the hands down and provides good balance). This is perfect if the ball is right to you. But what if the ball is not hit to you? You have to move your feet!

Get in front of the ball, and you have to move your feet quickly to do that.

As coaches we want our players to be in front of the ball because if there is not a clean catch the body still gives protection of keeping the ball from escaping the infield. I like to emphasize in boys youth baseball to use their eyes also. You cant catch what you cant see. If you move your feet to get in front of the ball have your glove in front where you can see the ball come into the glove, the youth player has a better chance of a good catch and making the play.

Fielding a ground ball to the right or left

There are two methods two catch this ball. One is the Shuffle step. This is used when the ball is hit just a little to either side and you can quickly get to the ball still in ready position. If the ball is hit to the left you shuffle step with left foot and the right foot moves quickly after to stay in the ready position.It's the opposite if the ball is hit to the right. 2 or 3 quick shuffle steps can be done by any youth baseball player in the ready position to field a close ground ball.

The second method is the Crossover. When the ball is a little farther away to the left..to move quickly to the ball the right foot will crossover in front of and past the left foot. The opposite is done for a ball hit to the right. Left over Right or Right over left is used when you need to get to the ball quickly and is far enough away you cant shuffle to it. A key point in doing the crossover is not to stand up. A good youth baseball tip is to remain bent at the waist during the crossover to keep from wasting time.

Author- Brian McClure

http://www.coaching-youth-baseball.com/

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Batting Average - How to Increase It

Baseball2u.com - Over 1400 Products and Growing!
Batting Average - How to Increase It
By Bryan Ciconte

So you want to learn how to raise your batting average as a hitter. Well you came to the right article. I will keep it short, simple and to the point. I will cover a few tips and topics to raise your average 50-100 points.

Tip 1) Develop a game plan. So what do I mean by developing a game plan. I want you to develop an approach that you use every single time you step up to the plate. A good approach would consist of understanding how to count hit. By count hitting you will be able to anticipate what type of pitch you may see roughly 80% of the time.

Advantage Counts: 0-0, 1-0, 2-0, 3-1, 3-0
Approach: In these counts your goal is simple, look for something you can hit hard. If the pitcher throws you a pitch in an area that is not in your hot zone, don't swing. Do not swing at off-speed pitches during these counts, look for fastballs. Reality is if the pitcher throws an off-speed pitch during these counts more often than not it's going to be a ball and put you in a greater advantage. Of course there are exceptions. The only time you may want to swing at an off-speed pitch during this count is if relates to one of your strengths or the pattern percentages anticipate one.

Neutral Counts: 1-1, 2-1, 3-2
Approach 1: In these counts neither the hitter nor pitcher has an advantage. As I talked about earlier this is where having a good game plan is going to pay off. In these counts you should be able to anticipate what you may see. So trust your percentages and instinct in these counts.

Approach 2: If you are comfortable in hitting with 2 strikes you can treat these counts as an advantage count, hitting to your strengths. Both approaches are great, but which one you choose is your personal preference.

Defensive Counts: 0-1, 0-2, 1-2, 2-2
Approach: This is where you need to develop your 2 strike approach. In these counts the pitcher has you at his mercy leaving you with about a 20% chance of getting a hit. Your goal here is to battle at the plate by putting the ball in play or working the count neutral. A good mental approach for hitting with 2 strikes is thinking about hitting a pitch which speed is between the pitchers fastball and off-speed stuff. By doing so, your reactions will take over and adjust to the movement or lack of movement of the pitch. A good physical approach would consist of shortening your swing or choking-up on the bat.

These are just a few ideas on how to hit in an advantage, neutral, or defensive count. Throughout your career as a hitter you may find something else that works for you.

Tip 2) If your a good bunter and have speed utilze it, By either showing bunt or by bunting, more often than not you will put the 3rd of 1st basemen in a position that will create more holes in the infield creating a better chance for getting a hit.

Tip 3) Hit to your strengths not your weaknesses. Understand that by doing so you will enable yourself to be more confident at the plate and be more aggressive. Leave your weaknesses at practice.

I hope the few tips helped improve your game!

Thanks and good luck Bryan @ [http://www.hittingmadesimple.com Hitting Made Simple]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bryan_Ciconte

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Baseball Drills for Youth Teams

Joe Mauer Quick Swing Baseball Trainer
Baseball Drills for Youth Teams
By Kenny Buford

Baseball is a game of skill and power that is unlike any other game today. Baseball has subtly to it that is often lost in other team sports such as basketball and football. So when people come together to play this game they need to be ready for any eventuality no matter how unlikely it maybe. That is why baseball drills are so important. Practicing these different scenarios keeps players from being unprepared for what may happen during a game which is very important. Here are a few drills that teach players both the fundamentals and some of the more important drills that can help teams with their weaknesses.

A good drill for all around practice is ironically called the "All Around" drill. This is an excellent baseball drill to teach kids to stop the ball and how to throw in and out of field. It starts with lining up players in groups of three to four at first base, right field, and third base. Each group has a different job, the first base players try to run from first base to third without being tagged and then must slide into third base. As the player runs a coach throws a ball to the right field players. This gives them an opportunity to practice stopping the ball. Then the right fielder throws the ball low to the third base players. The third base players then need to and tag the player that ran. It's a slightly complicated drill but a good one for those that want to make sure that players are familiar with the basics of field play.

Another good drill is called "The Fence" drill. This is another excellent baseball hitting drill. This drill calls for a player to be standing behind some sort of solid wall; it can be made of chain link, cement, or even brink. The important thing is that the player can tell the difference between when they have touched the wall and when they have not. Have the player make their normal stance and stand about a 1-1 ½ feet in front of the wall. Then have the player practice their hitting style, if they continually hit the wall that means that they must tighten their stance. This will in turn help them with a quicker bat swing. Just remind your players that this drill is not about power but precision that way they won't hurt themselves or the bat when they swing to far back and hit the wall.

Finally, a good creative drill to keep players practicing at home has many names but one can either be called rooftop ball or error depending on what players have heard it called. This is a simple drill that does a good job of practicing both fielding, throwing, and stopping the ball. At home, a player throws a ball down their slanted roof and tries to catch it after it rolls down. There is more than a slight chance of a "gutter ball" but it still does a great job of helping players at home practice in a creative way.

These different baseball drills will help players become much better rounded and in turn that will lead to better games. Baseball is a subtle art but much like an artist if a player has experience behind them it is more likely that they will be successful.

Kenny Buford is a baseball coach with over 20 years of experience. You can find more of his baseball drills on his blog:

http://www.baseball-tutorials.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenny_Buford

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How to Teach Fielding to Baseball Players

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How to Teach Fielding to Baseball Players
By Dick Birmingham

Many coaches attempt to teach fielding to players by first hitting them ground balls. You cannot teach fielding and hit ground balls at the same time! In fact, the bat is the last item a coach should use in teaching the correct fundamentals of fielding.

There are many things involved in teaching good fielding techniques. Three very important areas that coaches should try to emphasize to players include: the glove, the ready position, and the fielding position.

The Glove

Like any job, fielding is easier when you have the right tool to use and when that tool is properly maintained. It has been my experience that many players, for various reasons, try to use gloves that are too big for them.

If you, the coach, have influence over the gloves your players buy, help them select a glove that is right for their size, age, and position. For example, if you have a young player who plays only the infield, he should not use a long-fingered pitcher-outfield glove. If you coach 8 and 9 year olds, they should not use gloves designed for 13-14 year olds.

How to break in the glove is also very important. Help your players break in their glove so that they form a wide-open pocket. This can be achieved by working the four fingers of the glove forward as opposed to creasing the glove so that the thumb is against the fingers. Breaking in the glove the wrong way will give it a flat appearance with a very small opening (players should never sit or kneel on their gloves!). By applying a small amount of glove oil or shaving cream which contains lanolin in the pocket area of the glove, the glove will become more flexible and will help to develop the proper shape of the pocket.

The Ready Position

It is very important that players develop a good ready position if they are going to be able to react quickly to the ball coming off the bat. Many times young players assume what they think is a good ready position when in fact, they are working against themselves.

A good ready position has been described by some as controlled imbalance.
This description suggests that a player should be in the ready position only during the time it takes for the pitch to travel from the pitcher's hand to the hitting zone. Players should be taught to step into their ready position as the pitcher reaches the pivot position.

In a proper ready position, the toes should he pointed straight ahead, the feet should be approximately shoulder width apart, and the pivot foot should be slightly behind the striding foot (the pivot foot is the glove hand foot). If you drew a line from the right toe of a right handed infielder to his left foot, it should align with the instep. The knees should be flexed, the hips lowered, shoulders squared, head and eyes facing the hitting zone, and the hands in front of the body.

The Fielding Position

The key to a good fielding position is balance. To achieve this balance, a player must form a wide base. That is to say, his feet should be at least shoulder width apart with the knees bent and the back straight. The hands should be well out in front of the body with the back of the glove near the ground. The throwing hand should be above the glove or to the side of the glove. As a player moves forward to field a ground ball, his forward momentum should change to a downward momentum to field the ball and then back to a forward momentum as he prepares to throw.

Repetition is very important in teaching young players good habits. Fielding drills should be designed to help condition players so that they execute the same fundamentals over and over again. As a coach, help players develop good fielding habits and you will win more games and develop your players.

For more baseball fielding tips and baseball fielding drills visit the Dick Birmingham Sports Championship Baseball Drill Book at http://www.BaseballDrillBook.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dick_Birmingham

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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

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Tips For a Great Youth Baseball Batting Practice

Batting Practice Training Bats

Article Title: Tips For a Great Batting Practice
By Mike Posey

Batting practice is an important ingredient to every practice, but it can also be a time waster. Many players at a young age accomplish little during an ineffective BP session. Here are a few tips to help every coach run a quick paced, exciting, BP session.

Batting Practices that Rock!


Stay in Small Groups. Divide your team into groups of 4 or 5. One group can hit BP, one can be in the field shagging balls, and one group can be with another coach in the batting cages working on tee drills or toss drills.
Good Batting Practice Pitchers Throw Strikes. A good BP pitcher must throw a lot of strikes and keep the pace moving. We also use a hack-attack pitching machine twice a week to supplement our pitching. Use coaches to throw BP when possible and let the players throw in scrimmages.
Take Quick Short Rounds Hit in quick short rounds of no more than eight (8) swings. Keep the hitters moving in and out. Usually hit 3-5 rounds.
Have a Goal for Each Round Each round must have a purpose. First round can be to the opposite field, second round can be hit and run, third round can be moving runners over from second, etc.
Use a Lightning Round at the End. Lightning rounds can be fun as the last round. The concept of a lightning round is every hitter gets one pitch, if he hits a line drive then he gets a second pitch. Every line drive will result in another chance. If they miss, then the next player jumps in. Keep them moving in and out.
Use a Roll On Batting Tunnel A portable roll on tunnel will help BP move much faster. Every league should invest in a good roll on to use every day at practice.
Hustle make sure everyone is busy and hustles when changing groups. Group in the field can rotate to the cages, the cage group rotates to the field BP, and the BP hitters go to the field. Use a stop watch or field timer if needed (you can even use an air horn when its time to change groups, train them to hustle)
Running the Bases If you have enough players for a fourth group, then add a base running group. If not, you can have groups of four or five, with two base runners while the others hit. But plan to practice base running at times during BP.
Take Ground Balls If possible, have fielders rotate into short and second. A coach (or volunteer) can hit fungo ground balls in between BP pitches.
Situational Hitting Some BP sessions can include a round of situational hitting. The coach calls out the situation for the hitter to execute (if you have runners on base, put them in a situation). For example, runners on third with no outs. (hit a ground ball in the infield or outfield fly ball) Runner at second base with no outs (hit behind the runner to move him up to third base)

Batting practice should be fun. Keep them moving and throw strikes.

Mike Posey "CP"
Expert Baseball Tips
Baseball tips from a championship coach's perspective and experience, offering creative insights into helping others learn the game of baseball.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Posey

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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

How to Create Consistent Hitting Mechanics

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Article Title: How to Create Consistent Hitting Mechanics
By Nate Barnett

I'm sure you know from experience that hitting a baseball consistently for any length of time is one of the most difficult and frustrating things to do in sports. There are two areas of your overall baseball preparation you'll need to develop on a regular basis if you want the most consistency possible as a competitive athlete - the mental game of baseball, and proper hitting mechanics. If you're interesting in learning more about baseball psychology there are quite a few resources online as well as my blog. This article is reserved for teaching a little on the topic of hitting mechanics.

I get the chance to work with dozens and dozens of athletes individually each year. It's truly a rewarding experience much of the time, though at times it can be extremely frustrating to see such talented athletes fail to put in the necessary work to achieve some consistency in their swing. I never have a tough time getting the athletes to work hard when I work with them in the cage. It's when athletes have to motivate themselves to work outside of their practice days when their work habit breaks down.

In order to become a highly consistent and effective hitter, I prescribe the following "medicinal procedure" to be used away from practice:

1. Dry Drills: These are hitting mechanics related drills that are meant to reinforce muscle memory. It is impossible to only put in two to three days on a specific hitting technique and make it stick long-term. The problem you'll run into is that during a game your focus will be placed on the pitcher and not your mechanics. If you have failed to put in the necessary time to build quality muscle memory, you'll revert back to the problems you were initially trying to fix.

2. Mental Rehearsal: The mind is a powerful tool for good or evil. When you use your mind for positive imagery or visualization you will increase your effectiveness as a hitter. If your mind pollutes your body with thoughts of failure, your body will respond in a negative way. Lack of confidence and fear can destroy a good hitter. To make sure you are conditioning your brain in the right way, it's highly important that you replay mental video clips of yourself succeeding offensively. This is easy to do, many of you do it all day long in other areas. Sometimes your mind wanders in church or school and you lose focus as to what is occurring around you. If you can slip into this mode and daydream about your performances, you can truly become a master of the mental game of baseball.

Nate Barnett is owner of BMI Baseball. His website is devoted to teaching the mental game of baseball and hitting mechanics. After finishing a professional career in the Seattle Mariners Organization, Nate pursued his coaching and motivational training career.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nate_Barnett

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