Good thoughts on hitting with two strikes. It’s not about changing your swing, it’s about adjusting your approach. Unfortunately this is a non starter for most of today’s hitters. We don’t change our approach & we don’t practice hitting with two strikes. I know, don’t get two strikes on you. The reality is you ARE going to be hitting with two strikes in 50+ % of your at bats.
For the parents and coaches of pitchers, when we ask young pitchers what makes a good pitcher, most will say “throwing hard and striking batters out!” While at the younger ages, that tends to seem true, as they grow, there’s much more to it. Here are a few things they all should start learning and understanding from day one:
Pitching 101
• Be careful of falling into patterns with pitch selection.
• Command the inside part of the plate.
• Goal = Be able to throw all your pitches in any count to any location.
• Always look at pitch execution before second guessing pitch selection.
• Develop a bullpen routine that gives attention to every pitch type and location you want to be able to execute in a game.
• Become an expert at controlling the running game.
• BACK UP BASES!!
• Thank and respect your catchers.
• Take care of your arm and body.
• Study throwing/pitching mechanics.
• If your team isn’t providing time to throw weekly bullpens, get it done on your own time. NO EXCUSES!
• Play catch with a purpose.
• Be the best at PFP.
• Pick your teammates up when they make mistakes.
• Goal = NO WALKS!
• Attack the zone and make them earn their way on base.
• Hitting is hard, stop thinking they will hit every mistake you make. Challenge them!
• Be the mentally toughest most prepared player on the field.
A lot of players are getting ejected in regional play for dumb ass celebrations.
Parents and Coaches allowing players to act like morons.
Why isn't playing good and winning not enough?
The Wildcat baseball team defeated Ben Davis 3-1 to finish the MIC season with a 9-1 record and clinch at least a share of the MIC conference title! Great job boys! @LNHSwildcats@ltgoodnews@weRtheWildcats
For my baseball folk out there…
Call it What You Want...
It doesn’t matter what you want to call it:
• Travel ball
• Select ball
• Tournament ball
• League ball
• City League ball
• Little League ball
It’s still youth baseball. It’s a hard game being played by kids. That alone is a challenge but then add in adult emotions and intentions of wanting to be “superior” and you have a recipe for disaster. Keep those expectations realistic.
Even though some of these kids have grown quicker than others, were born with different abilities than their peers, they are still kids. They will make mistakes (a lot), struggle with focus, look amazing one second then trip on nothing the next, have poor body language, tear up and do many other things that get under us adults skin.
Yep, they are kids! Funny thing is once upon a time we were them and did the same things, made off the wall comments, had squirrel moments and drove our parents, coaches and teachers crazy. So in reality, we get frustrated with them for the same things we did 🤔.
This is youth baseball. No matter how we want to spin it and give it a title that implies we are better than the others, I would slow down and remember that this phase in their lives is not about us. Not about our experience but all about them, their personal growth as young athletes and people and we are here to help them get the most out of it for as long as they would like to play them game.
In fact, we have an opportunity to enjoy something with them that many of us enjoyed growing up. And for a few of them, their ability will grow into something amazing which will lead to opportunities they dream of.
Grow the game!
“He’s too small.”
“He’s too weak.”
“He’s too slow.”
“His reactions are too slow.”
“He’s not ready.”
Years later, that coach sees that same player who he turned away and looked down on and asks “What happened?” “That’s not the same kid I saw before!”
Puberty, reps, patience and opportunity…Coach, that’s what happened!! You were just so caught up and obsessed with who’s ready now that you couldn’t see what was standing before you looking for someone to help them. Remember, Coach equals teacher.
LN defeated Perry Meridian 9-8 to advance to the Marion County Baseball Championship Tuesday night at Victory Field! The Cats will take on Decatur Central at 7:30pm, following the City Championship. Tickets: https://t.co/YPhI70AUws @LNHSwildcats@weRtheWildcats@ltgoodnews
Attitude is a choice.
Gratitude is a discipline.
Bitterness is expensive.
Nobody accidentally has a great attitude.
Nobody stumbles into gratitude.
And nobody means to end up bitter, it just quietly moves in when you stop choosing something better.
Guard your peace like it cost you something.
Because it did.
In Marion County baseball action, sophomore Jasper Weaver threw a 7 inning no-hitter to lead LN to a 7-0 win over Franklin Central! The Wildcats will play Perry Meridian in the semi-finals on Monday at home. @ltgoodnews@weRtheWildcats@LNHSwildcats
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊?
1. Excuses
2. Complaining
3. Blame
4. Fear of failure
𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇:
Excuses -> Effort
Complaining -> Focus
Blame -> Ownership
Fear of failure -> Growth
Success starts with what you refuse to accept.
One of the most painful things to watch is talented pitchers struggle getting consistent outs because they’ve been conditioned to think “velocity” matters most.
Sure, it might be what gets you noticed first, and that alone may lead to more opportunities, but it’s NOT all that matters.
Missing your target by FEET because you’re trying to throw everything harder than hard will lead to a high walk rate which will lead to less opportunities.
Find that balance of controlled aggression and feel. Limit the walks, throw less pitches per batter, less pitches per inning, and you’ll get to throw more innings.
BTW, this is a 🧠 thing, not a 💪🏼 thing.
Pitchers:
You want to walk less batters??
End the at bat in those 2 ball counts.
2-0
2-1
2-2
Approach those counts like you want to end the at bat right now. Execute a pitch down in the zone to induce a ground ball. Hopefully you have confidence in, and can command, more than just your fastball, but whatever you throw, throw it with conviction (belief and confidence).
Eliminate walks by eliminating 3 ball counts.
Your best competitors will find a way. They will end up being the go to players for coaches. They don’t get rattled. They stay calm under pressure. They handle adversity with calmness. And they seem to always be in the middle of great moments.
"Once your commitment is greater than your feelings, that's when you get results. That's when it happens for you."
Show up when it’s boring, inconvenient, or uncomfortable, and those quiet deposits become the unstoppable momentum everyone later calls “overnight success.