Batting Practice Can be So Much More
5/13/2008
By Bill and Cal Ripken

We’ve seen it and heard it. Baseball can be boring. Specifically, baseball practice can be boring. Many times the culprit is batting practice.

There’s no question that kids love to hit, and with hitting being one of the most difficult skills in all sports – if not the most difficult skill – to master, it makes sense that a high percentage of a team’s workout time usually is dedicated to batting practice. So, if kids love to hit, and a lot of practice time is spent hitting, how can practice be boring? Well, the few minutes the kids spend actually hitting is not boring. It’s the rest of the time when they are out in the field waiting for their turn at the plate that is the problem.

You can drive by any public park or school field and witness the reasons why baseball practice, more specifically batting practice, is not exciting for most kids. A coach is standing on the pitcher’s mound with a bucket, surrounded by a bunch of balls that are scattered around him or her in a pattern resembling a paintball explosion. One kid is hitting. One kid is on deck. Team members are stationed in various positions.

A few kids seem excited, chasing every batted ball, getting to balls quickly and returning them to the mound. They are making the most of their time in the field. But a further look reveals a couple of kids playing in the dirt, some others picking grass, one or two sitting or kneeling down and others talking with their arms folded and not paying attention.

Unfortunately, this scenario plays out more often that not on ball fields everywhere. Coaches know that batting practice is important, so they spend a lot of time doing it – at the expense of the kids’ other skills and interest in the sport. It doesn’t have to be this way, though. By following a few simple guidelines, you can turn batting practice into an efficient segment of your practice that allows players to stay active while also improving their defense, baserunning and hitting.

The Set-up
There are two types of batting practice (B.P.). There’s your standard pre-game B.P. in which you might have more limited time or field space, and there is a longer, more intensive batting practice session that you might hold during an actual practice. In reality, there shouldn’t be much difference between the two other than time, which might afford you more of an opportunity to incorporate hitting drills and to provide more individualized attention. For now we are going to walk you through a more general format that can be adapted to a pre-game or practice setting.

The first place to start when it comes to batting practice is the actual set-up. While at the youngest ages coaches might be able to throw safely without an L-screen, we would recommend that coaches throw from behind a screen whenever possible, regardless of the age. It sets a good example for the kids in terms of making safety a priority and prevents any needless injuries. Inexpensive portable L-screens can be purchased from either the Jugs Company or Baseball Express. These screens are absolutely essential for teams with players older than 9.

To run an efficient batting practice you also will need at least one full bucket of balls and at least one empty bucket to which all batted balls will be returned. Five-gallon buckets can be found at any hardware store and are not costly. An empty bucket should be placed behind second base. If you have more than one empty, a good trick is to turn one of the empties upside down and then place the bucket of balls on top of it so that the coach can reach down and pick up balls without having to bend over each time. An extra coach or willing parent can be stationed at the bucket behind second base to receive throws from the players who field the batted balls.

We are going to assume that you are coaching a team of 12 players for the purposes of this article. Before starting B.P., divide your team into three equal groups (if you have more than 12 players, just use the appropriate math). If one group has five and the others have four, that’s okay. One group is designated the hitting group, one group is the shagging group and the third group is the outfield group.

Ask two coaches or parents to get a bat and some balls so that they can hit fungos between pitches, and you are all set. The goal of this batting practice session is to keep your players active and provide them with an opportunity to work on their fundamental defensive and baserunning skills.

Remember, kids don’t get better by playing games. The games are the fun part – the reward for all of the hard work that takes place during practice. Improvement occurs as a result of the repetitions that young players get in practice. Utilizing this B.P. format at the end of a practice allows players to continue working on many of the fundamentals that may have been covered earlier that day. And if you can get your team to the field an hour or so before the first pitch on game days, handling B.P. in this manner really gives you an opportunity to sneak in an extra practice session without anyone even realizing it.

Hitting Group
Obviously, since we are talking about batting practice, the hitting group is the focal point of your on-field B.P. Keep in mind that batting practice is the time when all of the pieces of the swing that players have been working on during drills come together as one final product. Resist the urge to instruct. Let the players hit and make adjustments on their own. Of course, if a player is really struggling, you don’t want that kid to end batting practice discouraged or with shattered confidence. In those cases, a few words of encouragement or pointers are fine.

This is a confidence-building session, but it should be more challenging than soft toss or short toss. The goal is not to overpower kids or trick them, but to give them consistent, firmly thrown strikes to hit. At the big league level, 60 mph is considered a pretty standard B.P. speed. That’s considerably slower than what players are going to face during games.

Assuming that you have four people in your group, the hitting session is broken down this way: One player heads to first base to work on baserunning, one player is at the plate hitting, one player is on deck getting loose and one player is chasing foul balls. If there is an extra coach or willing parent around, the fourth player can do soft toss or tee hitting with the adult while waiting and chasing foul balls. Older players can hit off of a tee on their own without adult supervision. Each player in the hitting group should wear a helmet at all times.

The hitter and the player on the bases work together during B.P. If you are coaching an age group in which bunting is appropriate and has been taught, have the hitter attempt two sacrifice bunts – one toward third and one toward first. The baserunner’s job on the bunts is to take a lead and then a good secondary lead as the pitch is delivered. When the ball is bunted and the runner is sure that the bunt is on the ground and not a pop-up, he or she should take a crossover step and then several hard strides toward second before returning and doing it again. The key is to not break until the ball is definitely on the ground. For the older age groups, the first two swings after the bunts should be hit-and-runs, with the runner practicing steal breaks and then picking up the ball at the point of contact. Younger kids can practice their steal breaks while the batter focuses on simply making contact.

On the second steal break in which the batter makes successful contact, the runner advances to second. At that point for most youth teams just let the batter swing away. Older and more advanced teams can work on hitting behind the runner and advancing him or her to third. Again, the runner takes a normal and secondary lead. It is the runner’s job to react to batted balls as if it is a game situation: Advance on ground balls to the right side, see ground balls on the left side through, go halfway on pop-ups and fly balls to center and left fields, and tag up on fly balls to deep right. After a couple turns at second, the runner advances to third and practices situational baserunning there, including taking a lead in foul ground, tagging up on fly balls and breaking on ground balls. The runner can practice this until the hitter has finished his or her round.

A batting practice in which the hitter gets two bunts and 10 contacts seems to work well at most age levels. That gives the runner enough time to get around the diamond and should allow the hitter to get into a pretty good groove. If a hitter is struggling it’s okay to give him or her more chances, but remember that time is limited. Sometimes it’s better for a player to go back to the drawing board and work on simpler drills. The batter should run out the last hit. For fun you can have all of the players in the field stop what they are doing and play the last hit as if it’s a game situation.

After running the last hit out, the hitter stays on first and goes through the baserunning exercise while the on-deck batter hits and the foul-ball chaser moves into the on-deck position. The baserunner does hitting drills and/or chases foul balls. This rotation continues until everyone has hit. At that point, this group becomes the shagging group.

The Shagging Group
The group that was hitting goes into the field to shag live balls off the bat. These four players should spread out – with two in the infield and two in the outfield. One player may need to be stationed at the bucket if there aren’t enough coaches or parents. Shaggers are instructed to play all batted balls off the bat as if in a game situation, getting to the ball as quickly as possible and making a strong throw to the bucket person. A coach or parent hits ground balls to the players in the infield between pitches. These balls are tossed back into the coach who is hitting them. After two batters, the outfield shaggers and infield shaggers switch places. This gives everyone a chance to track balls off the bat from the outfield and to get quite a few ground ball reps. When the hitting group finishes, the shaggers head to the outfield.

The Outfield Group
This group goes off with a coach to a distant spot in the outfield. These players are going to work on their outfield fundamentals – catching fly balls, fielding ground balls and making strong, accurate throws after the catch. Other outfield drills can be incorporated as well to help the players improve their footwork and ability to catch on the run. Once the hitters finish up, the outfield group rotates and becomes the hitting group.

Closing it Out
The great thing about this batting practice format, other than the fact that it allows the players to work on every individual aspect of the game, is the flexibility that it provides coaches. If you have 15 or 20 minutes to hit, you can cut back on the number of swings and get your team through in that amount of time. If you are practicing and want to extend the hitting session to 30 or 40 minutes, you can add more rounds, incorporate drills or just give each player a little more individual attention. No matter what, you can be assured that the entire team, not just one player, is doing something to improve throughout the entire session. That’s the best way make your team better and keep your kids excited and coming back for more.

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Sportsmanship Is Not Just for Sports
By Cal Ripken, Jr.
5/28/2007

Every summer more than a fifteen hundred young athletes come to our teaching academy in Aberdeen, MD, for baseball and softball camps. Many of them dream about someday becoming professional athletes.

It used to be that only young male athletes could dream of reaching such lofty heights through athletic participation. But, in recent years with the advent of women’s professional basketball, softball and soccer leagues, young female athletes have been able to share those dreams.

While it’s great to dream and strive for success in all of your endeavors, the reality is that a very, very small percentage of athletes ever get the opportunity to play a sport professionally. In fact, only a handful of the athletes we touch will play at the collegiate level. More, but probably not the majority, will play in high school.

At some point all of us – even the most successful professional athletes – have to venture out into the business world or what some people like to call the “real world.” While it is our primary goal to help the young baseball and softball players who attend our camps improve in those sports, we are very aware that there is more to life than athletics. There are many valuable life lessons that can be communicated through sports participation, and it is our hope that the young athletes who attend our camps will take away something that will help them later on in life. One of those key lessons that we hope to impart is the value of sportsmanship.

When people think of sportsmanship, they naturally think about sports. Well, sportsmanship is defined in this way: Someone who plays fair, sticks to the rules and accepts defeat without any rancor or bitterness. On the field, a good sport plays hard and tries his or her absolute best to win within the scope of the rules. A good sport doesn’t complain to the officials, doesn’t “trash talk” and helps an opponent who falls down get back to his or her feet. When all is said and done, this person has no regrets. The athlete put forth his or her best effort and played fairly, earning the admiration and respect of teammates, coaches, officials and opposing players. Despite being a true competitor, this person is willing to openly congratulate opponents and accept even the most bitter of outcomes, because he or she knows that there was nothing more that could have been done within rules of the game to change the end result.

Just because the root sports actually is part of the word sportsmanship doesn’t mean that sportsmanlike behavior is important only on athletic fields. In life, people who are honest, consistently give their best effort, don’t make excuses, respect others and are able to accept everyday outcomes without complaint or holding grudges are generally the ones who succeed. They are the type of people that any wise CEO would want to build a company or organization around. Because of their attitude, work ethic and professionalism, those who consistently exhibit sportsmanlike behavior in the “real world” earn the respect of their peers, have many friends and admirers and enjoy the highest level of job satisfaction. People will go out of their way to help make a good sport successful. They are people who can go to bed every night satisfied, knowing that they have given their best no matter the outcomes of that particular day.

In life, each day presents many ups and downs. There are far more small defeats than major successes. Good sports don’t get bogged down in these small setbacks. They accept the outcomes, acknowledge that someone might have had a better idea and push on toward bigger and better things. For people of that mindset, success is right around the corner. For poor sports there are nothing but excuses and complaints, which suck up energy and waste valuable time.

A good sport believes that his or her approach is the right one and will not resort to underhanded or deceitful tactics for the sake of improving the results. This person goes back to the drawing board and puts in the time necessary to achieve a more desirable outcome, confident that his or her approach will ultimately lead to success. Poor sports are easily frustrated and often resort to tactics that may prove successful in the short term, but ultimately come back to haunt them.

Coaches, managers and executives always will find a place for those who display the traits of good sportsmanship. Others will come and go – either because they become too miserable, resort to dishonesty or wear out their welcome. Remember to use sports to help develop young athletes’ sportsmanlike traits and you will set them up for success on the field, in the classroom and beyond.

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Batting Rx (Tips for improving at the plate)
By Cal Ripken, Jr.
April 2007

After years of running camps and clinics all over the country and countless hours watching tournaments at our complexes, as well as time spent working with our own children and following their progress, we have developed a sense for the common mechanical flaws that tend to hinder young hitters.

We’ve also fielded numerous questions from coaches concerning the problems they frequently see and the best methods of correcting them. With games getting into full swing, this is best time of year to help young hitters understand why they aren’t hitting as well during games as they do in batting practice and to assist them in developing the consistency they crave. With that in mind we present the following list of common mechanical flaws and the prescription for each:

Symptom: The batter seems to be fighting with him or herself. The swing is compact, but bat speed is lacking and the swing never seems to have a complete follow through. This is sometimes known as “muscling” the swing.
Prescription: Standard soft toss drill (from the side)
Ripken Catch Phrase: “Loose hands, quick bat.”

How many times have you heard a parent or coach tell a kid to get his or her back elbow up at a youth baseball game? It happens all the time. For some reason this has become a rallying cry for parents and coaches everywhere, but the fact is that when a hitter tries to get that back elbow up, the top hand naturally rotates so that the knuckles are not aligned properly and the bat handle slides into the palm instead of the fingers. This leads to a slow, cumbersome swing that limits bat speed and range of motion.

When hitting, the proper way to hold the bat is loose and in the fingers with the “door knocking knuckles” aligned. This allows the wrists to unlock, promoting a fluid swing and increased bat speed. We use the soft toss drill to concentrate specifically on the proper grip and hitting the ball as hard as possible.

For this drill we eliminate the lower half by asking the hitter not to even think about his or her stride. We ask the hitter to wiggle his or her fingers to make sure that the bat is being held loosely and toss the ball from the side to a point in front of home plate. The goal is for the hitter to drive the ball into a target on a net, hopefully developing a feel for what it means to hold the bat properly and involve mainly the hands, wrists and forearms in the swing.

Symptom: The hitter’s movement is only forward and he or she seems to hit with all of the weight on the front foot. The swing is lazy and doesn’t generate much power.
Prescription: Standard tee drill
Ripken Catch Phrase: “You have to go back to go forward.”

So many young hitters stand ready to hit and then lunge forward as the ball approaches. While they may make contact consistently, their swings don’t pack much of a punch. The hips never fully rotate and the bat listlessly comes to a stop not long after contact. These hitters lack proper weight shift.

The misconception is that weight shift involves taking the body weight forward to hit the ball. That is only a half truth. To generate maximum power and core involvement in the swing, all good hitters shift their weight to the back side, where they gather their energy, before exploding forward. To throw a more powerful punch, a boxer pulls back before extending forward. Likewise, a cobra that is about to strike recoils before attacking. “You have to go back to go forward.”

All good hitters possess a weight shift, and we like to utilize the batting tee to help young hitters get a feel for shifting the weight back before coming forward. When a ball is sitting on a tee, it is stationary, so the batter can easily work on weight shift without having to worry about a ball coming toward him or her. A rhythm and feel for going back to go forward can be developed through repetition and hopefully will carry over into live hitting over time.

For this drill have the hitter exaggerate the weight shift to the back side so that the front leg comes off the ground, almost like a pitcher, before exploding forward. Have the hitter swing hard, attempting to drive the ball right through a target on a net. Make sure to remind the hitter to watch the ball and to go straight back and straight forward.

Symptom: The hitter either steps toward third base as the ball approaches or rotates the front shoulder away from the pitcher well before contact is made. In other words, the batter is not keeping the front shoulder in long enough.
Prescription: Short toss from the front
Ripken Catch Phrase: “Use the big part of the field.”

Many young hitters “bail out” or take their energy away from the field by allowing the front shoulder to fly open too soon when swinging. This can be a result of fear or because they feel like that is the only way they can really swing hard. Either way it is important for them to learn what it feels like to keep that front shoulder in as long as possible.

The best way to accomplish this is by tossing balls underhand to the outside portion of the plate from 12 to 15 feet in front of home (Behind an L-screen, please!). Tell the hitter to try to hit the ball hard to the “big part of the field,” with a line drive up the middle or toward the opposite-field power alley being ideal.

Some kids will pull line drives when executing this drill. That is fine as long as the approach is proper. Weakly pulled ground balls are an indication that the front shoulder is not staying in and should be avoided.

If a hitter is hitting consistent line drives, mix in a few inside tosses just to keep him or her honest and to provide a realistic feel for hitting balls in different locations. Hopefully after plenty of repetitions your hitters will begin to naturally take the proper approach in game situations.

Symptom: The hitter is striding too early, causing him or her to either swing before the ball arrives or to be forced to keep the hands back and hit with all of the energy spent and with all of the weight on the front foot. This hitter most likely struggles with off-speed and breaking pitches.
Prescription: Lob toss
Ripken Catch Phrase: “Let the ball travel.”

Often this hitter is the one who trains exclusively on pitching machines that throw balls at speeds exceeding what he or she is used to. The player gets into the habit of striding as soon as the ball is fed, because that is the only way to catch up to the pitch (at least that’s the thought process). These hitters sometimes step even before the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand and end up being way out in front of the pitch or using only their hands – minus the lower half – to hit the ball.

To alleviate this problem, it helps for players to get a feel for waiting as long as possible before starting the swing. You want them to let the ball “get deep” or to “let the ball travel.” By tossing higher-arching, slower pitches to them from maybe 15 to 20 feet in front of home plate (from behind an L-screen, of course) and asking them to wait as long as possible before swinging, you can help players get a feel for staying back and being patient. Ask them to try to wait long enough to hit the ball up the middle or the opposite way, and after a while they will start to trust the quickness of their swing and stop trying to cheat by striding early.

Symptom: The batter drops the hands down as soon as the pitch is delivered, causing the body to move forward before the hands and creating a long, looping swing. This allows the bat to spend a short amount of time along the same plane as the pitch, which creates a slower swing that is less likely to produce solid contact.
Prescription: Start with the high tee drill and then move on to the one-arm drill.
Ripken Catch Phrase: “Take a direct path to the ball.”

Once again, when a player drops his or hands first, this may be an attempt to swing a bat that is too heavy as hard as possible. Check and see what size bat the player is using and then determine if a lighter model might solve the problem.

For players who drop their hands and then start the swing forward from a lower position, the solution isn’t as simple as telling them to swing down to the ball or to take a more direct path to the ball. They think that they are swinging down. You have to show them what it feels like to take a direct path to the ball through drill work and let their muscles adapt to that sensation.

There are two good drills to help accomplish this. First, take a standard batting tee and raise it to the absolute top of the hitter’s strike zone. Tell the batter to start the bat in the normal firing position and then to hit a line drive into a net with a target. There is no way that the player can drop the hands first and still hit a line drive when the tee is high. The more the player does this, the more natural it will start to feel.

The second drill, the one-arm drill, is a bit more advanced, but we’ve found that it can be performed very effectively by almost any age group. Younger players may have to use a lighter bat or choke up quite a bit to execute it, but that’s okay. For the drill, set up 12 to 15 feet in front of home plate and toss balls firmly either overhand or underhand to the hitter. Let the player hit five tosses with two hands on the bat, then have him or her remove the top hand and attempt to hit the ball five times using only the bottom hand. Allow the hitter to tuck the elbow into the body for leverage if necessary. The muscles in the arm will have to work hard to get the bat head to the ball, which when done many times should promote a more direct two-handed swing. Let the player hit five more tosses with two hands after the one-handed swings. The hitter should feel the difference and positive results should emerge quickly.

Symptom: The hitter doesn’t finish the swing.
Prescription: Big ball tee drill and short toss from behind
Ripken Catch Phrase: “Get to it and through it.”

A large number of young players make contact and then don’t follow through. Their swings stop almost immediately after the ball is hit. It doesn’t matter to us whether a player has one hand on the bat or two when the follow through occurs (as long as both hands stay on until contact is made); many great major leaguers have used both approaches. But, if the swing is not wrapping all the way around the body (preferably at shoulder level or below) once contact is made, that means the bat is slowing down at the point of contact and the hitter is not generating maximum bat speed.

We have a couple of drills that address this situation. The first is the big ball tee drill. A big rubber ball, like a playground ball or a kickball, is placed on a batting tee. The hitter follows all of the principles of the standard tee drill by exaggerating the weight shift and then attempts to hit the big ball as hard as possible into a net. The repetition of generating enough bat speed to hit that bigger, heavier ball hard, should help the batter follow through naturally when hitting a real ball.

The second drill that promotes a proper follow through is short toss from behind. A coach tosses a ball from several feet behind the batter toward where the pitcher would be. The hitter’s job is to hit the ball as hard as possible into a net as it crosses the plate. By having to catch up with a ball moving away from him or her, the batter should have to generate enough bat speed to make the follow through automatic. Repeating this drill should help the player develop a natural follow through when hitting against live pitching.

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Parentally Speaking
By Cal Ripken, Jr.
April 2007

Can kids who don’t play travel baseball develop into good players, and is it fair for coaches of travel teams to expect their players to concentrate only on that one sport – or to make that sport the top priority – throughout the year?

As I’ve stated here many times before, we recommend that young athletes not specialize in one sport until they are old enough to make that kind of a decision on their own. Playing multiple sports promotes overall athleticism, which is never going to be detrimental to a player’s development in one particular sport. So, I do believe that young athletes who do not play travel baseball can develop into fine players. If you find that your child’s participation in baseball at the recreational or in-house level isn’t helping him or her progress adequately, there are plenty of coaches out there who can work with him or her one-on-one at times that fit into your family’s schedule.

Many travel team coaches ask young athletes and their families to make huge time and financial commitments to their teams. Because of financial constraints, as well as busy family schedules, this commitment may prove to be too much. Ultimately, if a child hopes to play baseball or any other sport seriously into high school and beyond, he or she will be at a disadvantage without having faced tougher competition. Individual lessons with a qualified coach can help bridge that gap somewhat, but not completely.

If you find yourself in a situation where a coach is placing significant demands on your child, I would ask the kid directly which sport he or she likes better and which one he or she wants to pursue more seriously. On one hand, if the child wants to make a serious commitment to a particular sport and has fun playing other sports at a less-intense level, I would say that you should let that scenario play out. On the other hand, if he or she wants to play several sports at a less-intense level, that’s okay, too, since the child will be developing a wide range of athletic skills. And, if your child would like to pursue two different sports at a more-competitive level, I would recommend getting all parties – parents, athlete and both coaches – into a room for a meeting to see if some kind of compromise can be reached that would allow that to happen.

If it’s just too difficult for your child to participate in two sports at the travel level, look for a good recreational or in-house program in the sport he or she isn’t playing at the higher level and try to find other options that fit into your schedule to further his or experiences in that activity (indoor soccer, one-one-one pitching lessons, summer camps, after-school programs, etc.).

In some areas, middle-school aged athletes are permitted to try out for and play on varsity high school athletic teams. What are your feelings about this?

Every young athlete matures physically and emotionally at his or her own rate. There may be some sixth graders (about 12 years old) who are physically strong enough to compete with freshmen (usually ninth graders who are about 15 years old), but who aren’t ready from a mental or emotional standpoint for the pressure of competing at that level. Likewise, there might be some sixth graders who are emotionally stable and really understand the game, but can’t compete physically.

This decision really has to be handled on a case by case basis. If the athlete is going to try to play against the older kids, the parent and coach shoulder a tremendous responsibility. They must monitor the situation and make certain that the kid is holding up from a physical and an emotional standpoint.

The games get serious enough fast enough. A sixth grader has a lot of years in which to compete. There’s no sense rushing it and risking a bad experience that will make the kid want to quit playing altogether.

What are your opinion about products such as weighted baseballs that are supposed to help make a players arm stronger?

I’ve never been a big believer in using any type of weighted equipment to build strength for baseball (I’m not referring to resistance training, but instead items such as weighted bats, balls, etc.). I’m a big believer in training with the same objects that you use on the field. I never used any kind of weight on my bat when preparing to hit, and I never threw a weighted ball. In fact, I can’t recall ever seeing any type of weighted balls being used for training purposes at the big league level.

It seems to me that if you train with a weighted object, such as a ball or a bat, that is similar to what you use in a game situation, you may in fact be teaching your muscles to react and move more slowly than if you just use a regulation game ball or game bat. Additionally, the shoulder and elbow are very delicate areas, and there is no telling what type of long-term shoulder or elbow damage might result from throwing a heavier ball.

There’s no better way to build arm strength than by throwing. Play catch and long toss to the point of fatigue and then follow that up with a rotator cuff maintenance program to keep the shoulder muscles strong and free of injury. A local fitness professional, such as a certified strength and conditioning coach, a certified athletic trainer or a certified personal trainer, can provide you with a safe and effective rotator cuff program.

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Coaching Your Own Child
by Cal and Bill Ripken
01/24/2007

Many, if not most, coaches get involved with youth baseball because they want to make sure that their children have a positive experience. The local league might be short on coaches and be looking for volunteers, or perhaps a parent who has a busy work week sees coaching as a way to spend some quality time with his or her child.

Some of these parents have a lot of baseball experience, and others have very little. Some have coached before, and others have never set foot on a field. All of them want their children to have a great experience, and none of them wants to show favoritism. This seeming contradiction can lead to some difficult situations for these coaches.

For parents coaching their own children, the golden rule is to treat your child just like everyone else on the team, in good times and in bad. It doesn’t matter if your kid is one of the best players or one of the lesser-skilled players. On the one hand, don’t give your child preferential treatment when it comes to playing time or a spot in the batting order. On the other hand, don’t weigh your child down with unfair burdens that aren’t placed on the other players. For example, don’t ask your kid to always carry the team equipment or to make sure the other players are doing the drills correctly. And, finally, be very careful not to discipline your child in a way that separates him or her from the others. You want your child to look forward to being on the baseball field, not dread what punishment you might inflict if practice isn’t going well.

Balancing this dynamic can be difficult. The natural instincts are to protect your child, whereas the fear is that other parents will think that you are playing favorites. If your policy is to not argue with umpires – as it should be – make sure you don’t question an umpire if your child is on the short end of a close call. If you reverse the batting order each inning, make sure that you child has to adhere to that rule. If every player sits out two innings, your kid should, too. Make sure that any personal disagreements that arise are handled at home and not in front of the team, and that your child is not disciplined at practice because he or she did something wrong at home.

There is always time before and after practices and games to give your child extra attention and to help him or her improve. But when the team is together on the field, make sure that you do the best that you can to give everyone equal attention and treatment.

As players get older and things such as designating team captains and handing out team awards become more a part of coaching, continue to go out of your way to treat your child the same way you treat the other team members. If you think that your kid is captain material, instead of appointing captains, let the team vote and be willing to stick with those selections. You can do the same thing for team awards, or you can even let the parents vote on these. By handling difficult situations in this manner, no one can question you, no matter what happens. The parents and team members can’t accuse you of favorable treatment if your child is chosen, and your son or daughter can’t accuse you of going out of your way not to acknowledge him or her. In the long run, recognition from teammates will mean more to your child than recognition from you.

Another thing to be wary of is singling out your child for mistakes made by the team or for overall lackluster play. Everyone is responsible in these situations. If you feel like you need to be a little more stern than usual to get through to your team, pull them aside away from everyone and address the situation. Don’t let your need to have an outlet to release your pent-up frustration cause you to unfairly discipline your child.

Remember, when it comes to having your son or daughter on your team – no matter what level you are coaching – live by the golden rule: Treat your child the same way as every other team member. If you can manage to do that, your life will be easier on and off the field.

Coaching Reference Sheet
March 31, 2006
By Cal and Bill Ripken

We have provided you with a lot of information about coaching -- everything from goal-setting to the basics of running a fun and efficient practice to actual practice plans. If you continue reading you will find a quick reference sheet that you can call on to refresh your memory at any point during your season. Use this guide to help you organize your practices, communicate with your parents and chart your team's progress.

Basic Teaching Philosophy

Keep it Simple
This doesn’t always mean basic or boring. Baseball is a simple game. The teams that throw and catch best often win. Reinforce basic fundamentals with simple drills. There are no shortcuts to becoming a good baseball player. The youngest player should catch a ground ball and throw it the same way a college or pro player does. The same fundamentals should be applied over and over. Eventually the young player will progress and be able to execute the fundamentals more effectively. You don’t teach players to make great plays. Once the fundamental skills are fully developed and become automatic, players will begin to make more challenging plays naturally as their bodies mature.

Explain Why
Why is a young person’s favorite question. As a coach, if you can’t tell a player why he should do something a certain way, you lose credibility. It also is more likely that the player will try to do something the right way if you can explain why that method will make him a better player. Lesson that come with an explanation are more likely to sink in and be applied effectively.

Celebrate the Individual
Every kid has a certain style or flair that he brings to the game. Don’t try to eliminate that. Celebrate it. As long as the players utilize the proper fundamental approaches and are successful, let them be themselves. Baseball is not a game of cloning. If you watch big league players you’ll see hundreds of different batting stances, but at some point all good hitters get to the same place technically and follow similar fundamental approaches. Other sports promote the different styles their athletes bring to their games; baseball should do the same. Let kids be kids!

Make it Fun
If we are going to keep it simple and stress repetition of fundamental skills and drills, it is imperative to add some excitement to maintain a high level of interest among the kids. By simply turning a basic ground ball or hitting drill into a contest and implementing a point system, you’ll find that kids will do the same drill they were getting tired of for as long as you’ll let them. Practice at the youth level is extremely important, but there’s no reason that it can’t be even more fun for the kids than the actual games. Be creative! Think fun first!

Responsibilities of a Coach

• Be an effective communicator

• Preseason team meeting to discuss goals, philosophy and ask for assistance from parents.

• If you can’t get parents to commit to helping all year, ask for one or two different parents to help each week – explain how this will make the experience better for the kids.

• Create phone and email lists of parents.

• Send practice and game schedules.

• Send announcements.

• Send practice plans.

• Do not rely on email lists for last-second or emergency situations. Call everyone about these. Not everyone checks email all the time. Avoid confusion.

Create a Safe, Enjoyable Environment

• Have a med kit and ice for injuries (and water) on hand at all times.

• Coaches should be first-aid/CPR certified if possible (if not, find out if any parents are).

• Have proper equipment and make sure it fits.

• Be aware of facility, its hazards and emergency resources.

• Have parent phone list and local emergency phone list numbers in case of emergencies.

• Long practices can lead to injuries as kids get tired and lose focus.

Be a Role Model

• Kids look up to coaches as heroes. Coaches can be very influential. Keep that in mind when you are dealing with players, parents, umpires and opposing teams.

• Search for teachable moments to correct mistakes. Don’t single players out in front of spectators, opposing teams, teammates, etc. Pull them aside at appropriate times or address problems in the next practice.

Be Organized

• Have a practice plan, communicate it and stick to it.

• Keeps practice moving and shows your commitment level.
  

• Adhere to the teaching philosophies mentioned above as closely as possible

Set Reasonable Expectations or Goals

Ask these questions:

• Are the kids having fun?

• Are the kids improving?

• Are the kids learning?

Set Age-Specific Goals
Every coach should set five basic goals that his team hopes to accomplish by the end of the season. These should be based on the team’s age and skill level and should focus on the following areas:

• Rules

• Throwing and throwing mechanics

• Catching and fielding

• Hitting

• Positions/positional play (younger teams) and team fundamentals (for older teams – cutoffs and relays, covering on a steal, bunt defenses, 1st and 3rd defenses, pickoff plays, offensive plays and strategies, base running, etc.)

Sample Practice Plan – Ages 12 and Under

10 Minutes Base Running

• “Big League” base running and/or dynamic warm-up

20 Minutes Stretch and Throw

• Stretch around mound or in center field

• Go over practice plan in detail

45 Minutes Stations
Small groups, 15 minutes per station and rotate

• Live Batting practice

• Tee work/soft toss – use fences/backstops if necessary

• Fielding/throwing station – while live batting practice is going on

• Fly ball/throwing station – while live batting practice is going on

10 Minutes Base Running

As always, common sense must prevail. For ages 4-6, a practice should not last much longer than an hour. Times should be shortened accordingly if the kids are struggling and don’t seem to want to be there that day. Practice can be extended at this age group, but only if the players ask to stay longer. Players ages 7-9 should be able to handle an hour just about any day and may even be able to maintain interest and concentration for as long as an hour and a half (try to keep practice to about an hour and 15 minutes for this age group). Players in the 10-12 age group can probably handle an hour and a half with regularity. Use this framework as a guideline and customize practices to fit your needs.

Sample Practice Plan – Ages 13 and up

20 Minutes Stretch, Run, Throw

20 Minutes Ground Balls and Fly Balls
Use buckets and systems to minimize throws and maximize repetitions

• Not taking infield

• Two infield fungo stations

• One outfield fungo station

20 minutes Team Fundamentals

• Bunt defenses

• First and third defenses

• Cutoffs and relays

• Pickoffs and rundowns

• Team base running

60 Minutes Team Batting Practice
Four stations, 15 minutes each (or four stations, 10 minutes each if you want to do another team fundamental)
o Stations can be rotated daily – always include free hitting

Once in-season, coaches should prioritize which issues need to be addressed during team fundamental sessions. Another team fundamental session can be added, reducing batting practice by 20 minutes. Please note that the infield fungo station does not mean taking a full infield. Batting practice provides opportunities for pitchers to throw on the side and do their running.

Making Practice Fun
March 2006
By Cal Ripken

My dad, Cal Ripken, Sr., used to say, “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.” He also used to say that baseball is a simple game. I grew up living and believing those sentiments, and I still do to this day. When working with kids, however, I have another philosophy that I preach in addition to those of my father: Make it fun! With a little creativity, there is no reason that baseball practice can’t be almost as fun – or even more fun – than games.

If you take away the strategies and team fundamentals and then look at even the most complex plays in baseball, they can be broken down into very simple parts. A double play, for instance, is nothing more than someone fielding a groundball and throwing it to a teammate who catches it and throws it to another teammate who catches it. In its simplest terms a double play is no more than a catch, a throw, a catch, a throw and a catch. Simple, right? It is if a solid fundamental base has been developed.

So, there’s no denying the need for fundamental development when we are working with baseball players at any level. What’s that you say? Fundamentals are boring? They don’t have to be. We do fundamental station and drill work every morning at our camps in four basic areas -- pitching, hitting, infield and outfield – and the kids have a ball. We make every kid go through each station because all players need to learn proper throwing mechanics (covered in the pitching station); all players need to learn how to field a groundball properly (infield station); all young players love to hit, which is the most technical part of the game (hitting station); and everyone on a baseball field, at some point, must catch a flyball or pop-up and learn to communicate effectively (outfield station).

At first kids ask us why they have to go through all the stations. Even as 8-year-olds they often see themselves as pitchers, shortstops or center fielders. Another of our philosophies is to be able to explain why. There is solid reasoning behind everything we teach on the baseball field. Most times, when you can explain why, it gives you instant credibility as a coach and kids are happy to perform the tasks once they understand the spirit behind them. Once we have that out of the way, the fun begins.

In our five years of running camps we have found that our methods of fundamental teaching are fun and allow for dramatic improvement even in a weeklong camp. The basic principles are: Put the kids in small groups so they get plenty of individual attention, understand their attention spans and move them to different stations after short periods of instruction and drills, and keep them active to avoid having players stand around for long periods of time.

We also have found that these methods translate well when it comes to practice. Many volunteers don’t have the luxury of a full staff of assistants like we do at camp, but usually there are parents around to help. One solution is for the head coach to hold a preseason meeting to ask if one or two parents can help out at each practice. Parents can rotate throughout the season so assisting at practice does not become a burden.

Practices should be geared toward a particular age group’s attention span. The youngest players should not practice for more than an hour. High school players should probably be limited to approximately two hours. Again, break the players into groups and rotate them among different stations: batting practice, baserunning, ground balls, fly balls, throwing, etc. Sometimes stations can be combined. For instance, one group can be hitting while another is working on baserunning and another is shagging hit balls. The group that is shagging can also be hit groundballs and flyballs between pitches. For older teams, if there are strategies or team fundamentals that need to be addressed, that can be accomplished together as a team, keeping in mind that kids’ attention spans vary. At some point, if they are not getting it, move on and come back to it later.

Remember, there are only so many drills. For kids, practicing the same drills over and over can become boring and tedious. We have found, however, that taking those same drills an introducing an element of competition increases the focus and enjoyment for the kids. Turn the drills into contests and award prizes to the winners. Keep in mind that competition drives all of us. Please use the tools and resources you will find here, along with your own creativity, to make the game fun for you, your kids or your team.

Safety on the Ballfield
June 30, 2005 
By Bill and Cal Ripken

With the unfortunate death of a 4-year-old on a local ball field recently, a lot of attention has been focused on providing a safe environment for players, coaches and spectators at youth baseball games.

There is so much going on a typical youth game. As many as 30 players are full of energy, anxious to play catch and swing bats. In fact, if there are two teams playing and two teams waiting to play, there can be as many as 60 energized kids within a fairly confined area. Parents set up their lawn chairs and picnic blankets so that they can relax and socialize with their peers all around the field. The players’ siblings are running around with the other brothers and sisters, unconcerned that a baseball game is going on.

With so much action involving so many children, there are many factors that can turn what looks like a simple, fun game into a potential safety hazard – both on and off the field. It’s probably not possible to make any athletic venue completely safe for everyone, however there are some precautions that can be taken to help ensure an atmosphere that promotes safety.

Make Sure Equipment Fits and Is Not Worn Out

This seems like an obvious safety precaution, but we all are aware that many youth baseball programs have to deal with budget constraints. Not having enough money in the budget to purchase new equipment every year can lead to equipment that is passed down and used much longer than it is functional. Worn out equipment is dangerous for obvious reasons. Sometimes equipment that is handed down is not meant for the age group using it. A helmet that is too large can cover a batter’s eyes and prevent him from reacting to an inside pitch that might hit him. A helmet that is too small might not provide proper protection. Catcher’s gear that is too large might shift and leave an area of the body exposed that shouldn’t be. If the gear is too small it might not cover all the body parts that it should. As coaches don’t be afraid to speak up and let your commissioner know that you don’t have the proper equipment. Sticking to a budget is important, but not at the expense of anyone’s safety. If the league won’t cooperate, consider explaining the problem to your parents. A small donation from everyone can easily cover the cost of catcher’s gear and batting helmets.

Use Appropriate Bats and Balls

It is important to understand which bats and baseballs are appropriate to the age group you are coaching. If a player can’t control a bat, there is a good chance he might drop it or throw it in a dangerous manner. Players who still are mastering their throwing and catching skills should practice and play, when possible, using balls that are the same weight and feel of baseballs but have softer covers. The most dangerous time of some practices is the first few minutes when players who still are learning to throw and catch are warming up their arms using real baseballs. From a skill-development standpoint, if the balls are the same size and weight as regular baseballs, the players still are benefiting the same as if they were using the regulation balls. You are just decreasing the risk of an inury.

Designate an Area for Warming Up

When teams are getting ready to play, there is a desire and a need to warm up properly for the game. This can include playing catch and some sort of batting practice. If teams are playing catch on the field before the game, they should play catch in the outfield grass, preferably along one of the foul lines, with everyone throwing in the same direction. If two or three kids decide to throw in a different direction, overthrows can be dangerous to players or spectators. In addition, spectators should be sure not to set up their chairs or blankets directly behind the spot where a team is playing catch.

Teams waiting to get on a field that want to play catch should find an open area of the facility, away from spectators. Again, the players should all throw in the same direction to avoid the possibility of an overthrow hitting a teammate. Players always should spread out as much as possible when playing catch to avoid the possibility of getting hit by a teammate’s errant throw.

When there is no batting cage, teams like to get creative with their pre-game batting practice – especially if they don’t have access to the field. Once again it is imperative to find an open area to hit, as far away from spectators as possible. If there is no batting cage, plastic or sponge balls should be used. Players hitting, as well as the on-deck batters should wear helmets at all times, regardless of the type of ball being used. Most hitting-related injuries seem to be head injuries that occur when someone without a helmet gets hit by a careless swing.

Pick Out a Safe Rooting Location

Parents usually like to sit on the same side of the field as their team’s bench. And they often prefer to set up their chairs and blankets out of play farther down the baseline than where the bench is located. They usually choose this location over sitting in bleachers behind a fence or setting their chairs or blankets up behind fenced-in areas where the few might not be perfect. Often the area that they pick is in a location that is exposed to hard-hit foul balls or errant throws. This can be okay if the parents are alert and constantly paying attention to the game. More times that not, however, the game becomes a social event. Conversations distract the spectators from the game action, which means they are not prepared to protect themselves from batted or thrown balls. This becomes even more dangerous when small children are thrown into the mix without having alert adults available to protect them.

As a coach you can help your supporters pick out a safe area from which to root for the team. One idea is to have a team banner made and hung or placed in an area that is less likely to be a target for foul balls and that is safe from any potential errant throws. This can be designated as the official rooting section and team supporters can be directed to sit there. Another possibility is to talk to the parents to make sure that at least one person is designated to “stand guard” each inning. This parent would make sure to warn spectators of incoming balls and would be prepared to protect the others if necessary. Finally, it is imperative that coaches and spectators make sure that children who are playing together are far enough away from the field to be out of danger.

Assign a Coach or Parent to Bench Duty

Pick a parent or one of your assistants to be on “bench duty” for each game. It will be this person’s responsibility to make sure the bench area is safe. The on-deck hitter should be forced to wear a helmet and should be the only player other than the batter to have a bat in his hands. The next couple of players in the lineup should wear helmets, but they should be sitting on the bench with their teammates. It is the on-deck batter’s responsibility to remove the hitter’s bat after he drops it and runs to first. This should be done quickly if there is a potential play at home plate so that the runner doesn’t slide into the bat and the catcher doesn’t trip over it. All players not in the game should be on the bench or in the bench area. The only time they should go to play catch would be if they were warming up to come into the game. When that time comes the parent on “bench duty” should make sure that they throw in a safe location away from any potential batted or thrown balls as well as any spectators. If a pitcher must warm up to go into a game at a location that is near the playing field, it is the responsibility of the coach to make sure that there is a player, coach or parent there to stand in front of the pitcher and protect him from batted or thrown balls.

Walk the Field Before the Game

Coaches should walk the entire field before any game or practice to get a feel for any areas that might be dangerous. Look for bumpy ground, holes or gullies, large rocks, broken glass or anything else that could cause an injury situation. Dangerous items should be removed from the field. Players should be informed of any areas of the field that might potentially cause an injury so that they can try to avoid them. If you are practicing and the infield seems excessively rough or dangerous, you might want to take your infielders to a flat, grassy area or a blacktop so that they can practice the proper techniques without having their bodies take a beating. It’s very hard – not to mention dangerous -- to teach a young player how to field properly if he is being bruised by balls that constantly are taking bad hops.

Keep Their Heads in the Game

Baseball, by its nature, is a game that features a substantial amount of downtime and standing around. As a coach it is imperative to impress upon your players the concept of a proper ready position and to keep them focused on the game. Coaches are supposed to be paying attention to every pitch, so it shouldn’t be too hard to verbally remind your players to be prepared before each pitch. Remind them how many outs there are and make sure they don’t have their hands on their knees. They should be in an athletic stance with their bodies square to home plate. Make sure the players understand the game situation and are aware which bases the ball might be thrown to if it is hit. This can help avoid a player making a throw to a teammate who is not expecting it.

Teach the Proper Fundamental Techniques

Many of the fundamental drills that you will find in the Coach’s Clipboard archives will teach players to approach the game in such a way that they will be less likely to put themselves in potential injury situations.

Vision is the most important defense mechanism on the baseball field. If the player can see the ball and the glove (ground balls and throws should be caught out in front of the body and fly balls should be caught with two hands over the head) or can see the pitch with both eyes, he is more likely to catch or get out of the way of a ball that takes a bad hop or to get out of the way of an inside pitch. Don’t be afraid to throw foam rubber balls at your team in practice to teach them how to get out of the way of pitches. Turn batting practice into a dodge ball game one day. The players will have fun with it while learning how to protect themselves. Ultimately that will give them more confidence at the plate.

For a skill like bunting, it is easier for a player who pivots on both feet to get out of the way of an inside pitch than for a player who squares his entire body to the pitcher. Also, when it comes to bunting, the top hand should never be wrapped completely around the bat.

Introduce the Protective Cup

A protective cup may be the most important piece of equipment any baseball player can wear. It protects the player from serious injury and instills a greater sense of confidence. So, why wouldn’t a player want to wear one? They aren’t very comfortable. The earlier a player gets used to wearing a cup, the easier it will be for him to wear it consistently. After a while he won’t even realize that he is wearing one. No baseball player should step on a field – especially the quality of fields most kids play on – without wearing a protective cup.

First Aid Considerations

Every youth baseball team should be given a freshly stocked first aid kit by its league administration. Of course this doesn’t always happen. A basic first aid kit is not very expensive, so we would recommend that a coach consider making that small investment to help ensure the safety of his or her team. If that is not possible maybe you can solicit small donations from the parents.

All youth coaches should be first aid certified as well. Again, we know that most coaches are volunteering some of their valuable free time and that many of them are not first aid certified. First aid certification courses last only a few short hours and are very inexpensive. They are held frequently at your local chapter of the American Red Cross. As a coach, consider speaking with the Red Cross to see if you can set up a first aid course for several of your league’s coaches. A few short hours of your time will allow you to provide a safer environment for your team.

Bunting 101
May 20, 2005
By Bill Ripken

When you are one of the players fighting for a roster spot every year, you try to develop skills that will make you more versatile and more valuable to your team - at any level. As a player in the big leagues I realized that one aspect of the game that sometimes gets overlooked is bunting, so I figured I could increase my value by working hard to be a good bunter.

Bunting has been in the news a lot lately, especially here in Baltimore, because of the injury suffered by Orioles center fielder Luis Matos. For those of you who don't know, Matos suffered a pretty severe hand injury when his top hand was hit by a pitch while he was attempting to bunt. Normally an injury like this would not have received much attention, but because Matos had his top hand wrapped around the bat, instead of the traditional grip between the thumb and forefinger, it seems as though the play has been analyzed over and over again.

When I played, I also wrapped my top hand around the bat, but I do not teach that method to youth or high school players. The reason I held the bat that way was that I felt it gave me more bat control, which is important when most pitchers throw 88 mph or faster and when you have to face big league breaking and off-speed pitches. As a professional I also had enough confidence in my reflexes and the pitchers' control to be able to hold the bat that way and not get hurt. It just felt best to me. As with a lot of baseball skills, at the big league level, the way you hold the bat when executing a bunt is a personal preference. At the lower levels, however, I prefer to teach the traditional method. I will get into that shortly.

Our Philosophy on Bunting

Bunting is a difficult skill to master, so I encourage players to begin practicing it as soon as they begin facing live pitching (either coach pitch or player pitch). If you teach players the right way to bunt at a young age it will give them plenty of time to perfect the technique and to be comfortable when they get older.

When it comes time to play the games, however, at the youngest youth levels we believe that the focus should be on hitting. Hitting is a much bigger part of the game than bunting, and players at the youth level should be given every opportunity to develop as hitters by swinging the bat in game situations. Bunting is a skill that can help a team win games, but the focus at the youngest ages should be on developing good baseball players instead of winning. Certainly as players progress up the ladder into the 11- and 12-year-old age groups and start having opportunities to play in district, state, regional and national tournaments, playing the game the right way and helping the team win is emphasized a bit more.

It is important to keep in mind that even in these situations we are dealing with young, developing baseball players. It would be a shame for an 11-year-old to be labeled a "good bunter" and have many of his opportunities to hit taken away from him. Yes, there is a time and place, but please remember that as youth coaches your job is to prepare your players to be able to continue playing the game competitively every step of the way. By all means teach bunting and have your kids practice it without losing site of the fact that hitting is what brings the kids the most joy. Winning is not everything when you are dealing with younger baseball players.

Mechanics of the Sacrifice Bunt

As you probably have guessed from my opening statements, there isn't one perfect way to bunt. For the basic sacrifice bunt we recommend that the batter simply pivot on both feet, keeping the knees slightly bent and the feet about shoulder-width apart to provide a good base and promote balance. Some players feel that they can see the ball better by "squaring" around and bringing the back foot forward so that it is parallel to the front foot. While many hitters through the years have been effective bunters using this approach, we believe that "squaring" around makes it very difficult for the batter to get out of the way of an inside pitch. This position also allows you only to bunt. If you want to pull back and attempt to slash or even take a full swing it is very difficult if you are square to the pitcher.

After pivoting it is a good idea to first point the bat toward the pitcher and transfer all your weight to the front foot. This should help get the bat out in front of home plate in fair territory, which gives you the best possible angle to keep the bunt in play. The top hand should slide up the bat to a point just below the label with the bat gripped between the thumb and index finger. By holding the bat loosely and not back in the hand it will leave a space that will allow the bat and hand to give and act as a shock-absorber. This should help the batter deaden the ball more effectively.

The bat should start at the top of the strike zone. Any pitch above that starting point should be left alone, because it is a ball. The head of the bat should be tilted so that it is slightly above the hands when contact is made. This makes it easier to push the ball down to the ground, avoiding a pop-up. Avoid stabbing at the ball or dropping the bat head, both of which make it more difficult to get the ball on the ground. Bend the knees and keep the bat in the same position to bunt low pitches. The bottom hand is used like the rudder of a ship to angle the bat in the direction you want the ball to travel. The bat should give a little bit as the ball approaches to soften it. Thinking about trying to catch the ball with the bat can help players better understand this concept.

Batters shouldn't worry about showing the bunt too early when sacrificing. The placement of the bunt is what's most important, not the element of surprise. One mistake that many hitters make when bunting is to try to make the bunt too perfect in hopes of getting a hit. The object of a sacrifice bunt is to advance the runners who already are on base. Try not to bunt the ball directly to the pitcher. For the most part if you make the pitcher come off the mound in one direction of the other to field the ball, your goal will be accomplished.

Proper Warm-Up
Ripken Newsletter (5th Issue)
April 30, 2005

By Tim Bishop
Baltimore Orioles Strength and Conditioning Coach

Most people, including baseball players, think that simple stretching exercises provide a sufficient warm-up prior to a game or practice. While stretching can – and should -- be one component of a pre-game or pre-practice routine, it is probably not the most important. In fact, it may be the least important.

The ultimate goal of a warm-up, to raise the temperature of the body and specifically the muscles that will be used during the game or practice session, is much more important than performing stretching exercises. Raising the temperature of the muscles allows them to be more pliable and actually to contract more effectively. This allows your muscles to perform more efficiently and should help reduce the chances of developing a muscle-related injury.

There are three stages of a proper pre-game or pre-practice warm-up.

1. General Warm-up

This can include a very light jog, jumping rope, riding a stationary bike, or any light activity that raises the heart rate and increases blood flow to the muscles.

2. Performing Functional Movements

The second phase of a proper warm-up is to perform functional movements. These consist of multi-joint movements in which the muscles and joints are used in a manner similar to how they will be used later on in the game or practice. Some examples of a functional warm up might include body-weight squatting, lunging, lateral low walking, high-knee drills, shuffles, etc.

3. Sport-specific Phase

This is where you actually use movements from the specific sport or activity that is being performed at a lesser intensity to “get loose.” Examples of these types of drills would be batting and fielding practice, long toss, and running the bases.

A light stretch can be done following any of these phases, but only after the muscles are warmed up properly. Athletes with flexibility issues should work on these areas during training sessions in the off-season and not necessarily during a pre-game or pre-practice warm-up. This time should be used to prepare the muscles for how they will be used during the ensuing game or practice, not to address deficiencies that a player might have.

A team warm-up also is a good way to create good habits athletes can fall back on for any sporting activity they will participate in throughout their lives. It also promotes interaction between the players, serves as a time to focus on the upcoming game or practice and provides an opportunity for a coach to address the team about the practice plan for the day or the day’s opponent.

The most important point to take away from this article is to avoid confusing a proper warm-up with stretching. While they can be used in conjunction with one another, in reality they serve two completely different purposes and should be viewed that way.

Pitcher's Checklist
Ripken Newsletter (4th Issue)
March 31, 2005

By Cal and Bill Ripken with John Habyan

This time of year is very important time when it comes to the development of young pitchers.  It seems as though most pitching injuries and most bad habits are developed early in the season.

The Pitcher’s Checklist

• When watching a pitcher throw for the first time, it’s important to look at whether the pitcher is throwing strikes, at velocity and at ball movement
• The fastball is the foundation for everything a pitcher does. You can’t develop off-speed pitches without the arm strength gained by throwing a lot of fastballs at a young age.
• A pitching coach should first look at a pitcher’s results before he starts breaking down the pitcher’s mechanics.
• The grip is important in pitching, and the best grip for a particular pitch is the one that’s most comfortable for the pitcher while allowing him to throw strikes and achieve maximum velocity and movement.
• The first pitch to introduce, especially to a young pitcher, is the four-seam fastball.
• Change-of-speed pitches should be prioritized over pitches that make the ball move.
• Pitching mechanics involve one continuous motion, but there are five links that make up that motion – footwork, balance position, power position, rotation and follow-through. If one of those links breaks down the entire chain can be affected.
• Encourage young pitchers to keep their eyes on the target. The longer a pitcher sees the catcher’s mitt, the more likely it is that he is going to throw a strike.
• The most important thing for off-speed pitches is to make sure that the ball is comfortable in the pitcher’s hand.
• Coaches should not let young pitchers fall in love with their off-speed pitches and to throw them too often.
• Once the pitcher releases the ball, he’s no longer a pitcher. He’s a fielder. A pitcher fields a ground ball just like any other infielder: wide base, butt down, hands out in front.
• On a ball to the right side, a pitcher’s first instinct should be to move toward first base.
• A pitcher who comes to the set position and goes to the plate the same way every time is easy to steal on. He should change his timing and pattern when throwing to the plate and vary the type and quality of his pickoff moves.

Planning an Effective Practice
Ripken Newsletter (3rd Issue)
March 1, 2005

By Bill & Cal Ripken

Baseball is a simple game. However, planning an effective baseball practice can be challenging. In this, the second article in this month's edition of Coach's Clipboard dedicated to developing effective practices, we are going to take a look at some of the basic components of a baseball practice and outline some sample practices for older and younger youth teams.

Warming Up

So many times a coach will show up and immediately tell the team to go run around the soccer goalposts and come back. As players get older they begin to understand that this is a warm-up. They know what it means to jog and get loose. Younger players usually do not grasp this concept. They will view this as a race and will run as hard as they can in an effort to win the race. Some players will not be able to complete the run at this pace and will get tired quickly. Others will push themselves to the very end and will exhaust their energy. Either way you are going to have a bunch of tired kids. It might take them 10 minutes or longer to recover, which is not a good situation to be in when there only is an hour block allotted for practice.

A better idea for the younger ages is to open practice with base running. Kids love to run bases. In fact, they love it so much you can begin and end practice with base running. There is a drill we call “Big League” base running that we really like. The players run from home to first as if they are trying to beat out an infield hit. The concepts of touching the front of the bag and running through the base are stressed. Next, the players run from first to third. After that they walk home and then run a double. Then they simulate scoring on a hit from second base. Beyond that, if the players are not too tired they can run out a triple or a home run. Each time specific base running fundamentals are stressed.

As players get older (above the age of 13) the concept of a dynamic warm-up, including jogging, running, bounding, skipping, high knees, etc. can be introduced. The team should be able to arrive at practice and start this type of warm-up as a team on its own before beginning a daily stretching routine.

Cold muscles should never be stretched, but it is important to introduce a stretching routine to any age group. After the base running or dynamic warm-up, players can sit in a circle to begin their stretching routine. Younger players will not have a real physical need to stretch. They roll out of bed and are loose and ready to go. There is not much danger of them pulling muscles. However, understanding the importance of stretching and developing a routine will be habit forming and will help them throughout their athletic careers. So the earlier the concept of stretching is introduced the better. Team stretching also provides coaches with an opportunity to go over the practice plan that has been developed for that day, which will eliminate wasted time once the practice begins.

The Importance of Having a Plan

It is important for a coach to spend at least some time in advance putting the day’s practice on paper. It is even better if this plan can be emailed to all of the players and parents the night before practice. If the coach comes to practice with a plan and can communicate and organize the plan effectively while the team stretches, the confidence level of the players and parents will increase. They will understand that the coach is taking his or her responsibilities seriously and is attempting to make the experience as rewarding as possible for all involved. Players are more likely to give maximum effort and attention to a coach who is organized, and parents are less likely to question an organized, dedicated coach.

Dealing With Limited Field Space

It can be very easy for us to tell coaches not to fall into the trap of running a practice where one kid is hitting and everyone else is standing around in the field. After all, we have access to a new youth baseball academy that we have built in Aberdeen, MD, that has four youth fields, a synthetic turf practice infield, four batting cages with a tee and soft toss area and a large multi-purpose grass field. Most coaches come to practice and have use of one field for an hour. Some coaches don’t even get to use a field with a backstop. Those circumstances make it harder to plan an effective practice. Harder, but not impossible. You just have to get a little creative!

Batting practice can be set up so that there are actually several different stations going on at the same time. Let’s say you have a team with 15 players. You might break your team into three groups of five. One group goes to the outfield, where a coach or volunteer hits fly balls and ground balls to the players between pitches. Another group goes to the infield, where a coach or volunteer hits ground balls to the players between pitches. The third group is a hitting and base running group. One player goes to first base and simulates situational base running (seeing a bunt hit the ground before breaking, hit and run, advancing on a hit, reading a fly ball, etc.). Another player is hitting at home plate (two bunts, two hit and runs, 10 swings). The other three players are hitting plastic, rubber or foam balls off of a tee or by doing a soft-toss drill into the backstop or a fence.

In this scenario players are working on hitting, throwing and catching. If you spend 15 minutes on warm-up, throwing and catching before starting batting practice, you then can let the groups hit for 10-15 minutes each and still accomplish quite a bit. There might even be more time left over at the end to go over a team fundamental for older groups or to do more base running or have skills contests for younger teams.

This is just one example of how to make efficient use of limited field space to run an effective practice. Another way is to purchase some portable pop-up nets like the Instant Screen produced by our partner, The Jugs Company. These screens are light and fold up into a bag. They can be taken anywhere and set up in a matter of minutes, allowing for a coach to create his or her own hitting stations under virtually any conditions. Jugs also produces foam rubber Lite Flite balls with raised seams that can be used to take safe batting practice almost anywhere, and there is another product we endorse, Ripken Quickball, that uses durable small and regulation-sized plastic balls with holes and raised seems that are perfect for hitting drills and hold up even when struck with aluminum bats.

Perfect Practice Makes Perfect

We’ve all heard the saying, “Practice Makes Perfect.” Well, that’s not really true. If you practice a skill over and over again, but you are practicing it the wrong way, when it comes to a game situation you are going to do it wrong. Our dad, Cal Ripken, Sr., who played, coached and managed in the Baltimore Orioles’ organization for nearly 40 years, was famous for saying, “Perfect Practice Makes Perfect.” He also used to say, “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.” Both of these sayings reflect the idea that we tend to play the way we practice.

Sample Practice Plan – Ages 13 and up

20 minutes - Stretch, run, throw

20 minutes - Ground balls and fly balls – use buckets and systems to minimize throws and maximize repetitions

• Not taking infield
• Two infield fungo stations
• One outfield fungo station

20 minutes - Team fundamentals

• Bunt defenses
• First and third defenses
• Cutoffs and relays
• Pickoffs and rundowns
• Team base running

60 minutes - Team batting practice – four stations, 15 minutes each (or four stations, 10 minutes each if you want to do another team fundamental)

Stations can be rotated daily – always include free hitting

Once in-season, coaches should prioritize which issues need to be addressed during team fundamental sessions. Another team fundamental session can be added, reducing batting practice by 20 minutes. Please note that the infield fungo station does not mean taking a full infield. Batting practice provides opportunities for pitchers to throw on the side and do their running.

Outfield Communication Drill
Ripken Newsletter (3rd Issue)
March 1, 2005

For some reason the same kids who like to call out in school or yell and scream around the house don’t like to speak up on the baseball field. At times this can cause serious problems – and lead to injury situations – in both the infield and outfield. We have a drill that emphasizes the importance of outfielders communicating about who is going to catch a fly ball. Our instructors make the drill fun by encouraging the kids to get excited and to be loud.

The Setup

The setup for the outfield communication drill is very simple: one bucket of balls, one coach and two single-file lines of players. The lines should be parallel and about 25 feet apart.

This drill is designed to help players understand the importance of clearly calling a fly ball that they are going to attempt to catch. It also can be used to introduce the concept of outfield fly ball priorities. The drill will help teams avoid potential injury situations and teach players not to be shy about communicating on the baseball field. A team that communicates well most likely will be a good defensive team.

Points of Emphasis

• The outfielder calling the ball should be loud and clear.
• The outfielder calling the ball should yell, “I got it!” at least three times: “I got it! I got it! I got it!”
• The player calling the ball should get to the spot where it is coming down quickly to set up and catch the ball over the head with two hands.
• The player not making the catch should get out of the way and back up the other fielder.

Executing the Drill

The coach finds the mid-point between the two lines and backs up so that he can throw simulated fly balls in between the first two players in each line. After the ball is thrown, the player closest to it should call the ball forcefully three times: “I got it! I got it! I got it!” before getting to the spot quickly and catching the ball with two hands over the head. The other player should get out of the way quickly and back up the player who called the ball. If the player farther from the ball calls it, the other player still should defer to the fielder who called the ball to avoid a potential collision situation. This introduces the importance of effective communication on the baseball field. The players should switch lines after each turn. A more advanced version of the drill introduces the concept of outfield priorities by designating one line as the center field line and the other line as one of the other outfield positions. Any ball the center fielder calls is his, with the other player moving out of the way and backing up the one who called the ball.

Teaching Point

The main teaching points here are the importance of being loud and forceful and deferring to a teammate who has called a fly ball. In addition, the basic fundamentals of catching a fly ball should be stressed: get to the spot quickly and catch the ball with two hands above the head so that you can see the ball and the glove at the same time. Outfielders should try not to drift when catching fly balls.

Doctors See a Big Rise in Injuries for Young Athletes
New York Times
February 22, 2005
By BILL PENNINGTON

submitted by Dan Norton

A competitive swimmer since she was 7, Alex Glashow of Barrington, R.I., logged 8,000 yards a day in the pool, until her arms ached. She learned to dislocate one shoulder intentionally to ease the pain in the water, but after shoulder surgery and a year of physical therapy, Glashow quit competitive swimming forever when she was 15.

Jeret Adair, a top young pitching prospect from Atlanta who started 64 games in one summer for his traveling baseball team, last year had Tommy John surgery, an elbow reconstruction once reserved for aging major leaguers.

Ana Sani of Scarsdale, N.Y., a 13-year-old budding soccer star, practiced daily until she tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her knee.

Around the country, doctors in pediatric sports medicine say it is as if they have happened upon a new childhood disease, and the cause is the overaggressive culture of organized youth sports.

"They are overuse injuries pure and simple," Dr. James Andrews, a nationally prominent sports orthopedist, said. "You get a kid on the operating table and you say to yourself, 'It's impossible for a 13-year-old to have this kind of wear and tear.' We've got an epidemic going on."

Typical injuries range from stress fractures, growth plate disorders, cracked kneecaps and frayed heel tendons to a back condition brought on by excessive flexing that causes one vertebra to slip forward over another vertebra. Most are injuries once seen only in adults.

Dr. Lyle Micheli, a pioneer in the field of treating youth sports injuries and director of the sports medicine division of Boston Children's Hospital, said that 25 years ago, only 10 percent of the patients he treated came to him for injuries caused by overuse. Back then, most childhood injuries were fractures and sprains. Dr. Micheli said overuse injuries now represented 70 percent of the cases he sees. In interviews with more than two dozen sports-medicine doctors and researchers, one factor was repeatedly cited as the prime cause for the outbreak in overuse injuries among young athletes: specialization in one sport at an early age and the year-round, almost manic, training for it that often follows.

"It's not enough that they play on a school team, two travel teams and go to four camps for their sport in the summer," said Dr. Eric Small, who has a family sports-medicine practice in Westchester County. "They have private instructors for that one sport that they see twice a week. Then their parents get them out to practice in the backyard at night."

Pushing Children to Overachieve

Dr. Angela Smith,