10/5/12
In the never-ending search to uncover the BEST ways to become a better baseball player I have come up with some thoughts that I want to share. I always ask myself: When is a player getting better? What setting is the best for making improvements? Before I start I want to make this statement: The Major League level is the only level of baseball where winning at all cost is the priority over everything else. Every other stage of a players baseball career is a developmental stage. Now, some coaches may disagree because their jobs may depend on wins and losses at the high school and college levels. Well, I guess you better start developing your players. I can tell you without a doubt that player development is more important to a professional baseball organization than wins and losses in their Minor League systems. Like I mentioned before, the Major League level is the only level where winning is the priority over everything else. So, if that’s the philosophy in professional baseball, than why isn’t that the philosophy at the lower levels (little league, club baseball, high school, college)? I’ve seemed to stump myself by my own question because I don’t know why we don’t put individual player development over EVERYTHING else in the game of baseball. Until your playing everyday in the major leagues…..I don’t want to hear it. Youth baseball has to get it together along with players, parents, and coaches to put the emphasis on individual player development. I work with a lot of kids. My goal for a kid 6-11 years old is to emphasizethe fundamentals (hitting, throwing, fielding) and start to introduce some of the physical actions of the body that will help you in the game (hand-eye-foot coordination, reaction time, awareness). 12-14 years old all I care about is you making the high school baseball team. Hitting, arm strength, fielding, and athleticism is where the emphasis is. It comes down to a 2-hour tryout for most that will either get you a spot on the team or END your baseball career. Your going to be judged more on the basics rather than the intangibles. Can you HIT, RUN, THROW, & FIELD? Start to specialize your training! Get individual about it! Take it upon yourself! Players get better when you put yourself in the best situation to LEARN. When is this? I believe it to be in an individual or small group setting where you learn and apply. Learn and apply without expectation until you find technique that works for you through practice sessions. Be relentless in your pursuit to execute that technique in game situations once your ready (most players don’t because they won’t allow themselves). LEARN—–APPLY—–EXECUTE. If there is a breakdown in any of the three than your game is not going to be successful. Execution is what ultimately separates the pack. Most everyone can learn and apply, if you don’t it’s usually because of either your stubbornness or your laziness. Your high school coach is not going to care how good your little league or club baseball team was. He’s going to want to SEE how good YOU are. If your lucky enough to get recruited by colleges to play baseball….those coaches won’t care about how good your high school baseball team is. They want to SEE how good YOU are. If your good enough to get drafted, the scouts are not going to be interested in how good your high school or college team is. They want to SEE how good YOU are. However far you advance in your baseball career will be because of YOU and how your parents and coaches went out of their way to put the individual player development ahead of everything else.