Aaron S

Sports media. Ask me about my part time podcast! #STLCards #stlblues

[STL Sports Central @STLSprtsCntrl]

It's early June and the #STLCards already have their first All-Star ⭐️

Manager Oli Marmol accepted Dave Roberts' invitation to join the National League's coaching staff in the All-Star Game, Bob Nightengale reports

[U.S. Soccer Men's National Team @USMNT]

RIP IT AND FLIP IT! A WORLDY FROM JEDI!

#USMNT x @VW

[U.S. Soccer Men's National Team @USMNT]

Our XI in the Windy City

#USMNT x @CocaCola

[U.S. Soccer Men's National Team @USMNT]

HERE WE GO IN CHICAGOOOOO!

[U.S. Soccer Men's National Team @USMNT]

STARTING IN CHICAGO...

#USMNT x The @HomeDepot

[U.S. Soccer Men's National Team @USMNT]

Showtime in Chi-Town.

The @CocaCola Send-Off Match is here!

[U.S. Soccer Men's National Team @USMNT]

Opportunity awaits.

#USMNT x @CocaCola

[Jermaine Curtis @JermaineCurtis]

When I was with the St. Louis Cardinals, we had a team meeting about hitting with two strikes.

Albert Pujols was leading it.

At the time, he was hitting something ridiculous with two strikes.

I want to say it was around .265.

Naturally, everyone wanted to know how.

So somebody asked:

"What's your two-strike approach?"

Albert's answer surprised me.

He said:

"I think fastball inside and hit it back through the middle."

That was it.

No complicated mechanics.

No secret formula.

Just:

Fastball inside.

Back through the middle.

I remember sitting there thinking:

"Why would you think fastball inside with two strikes?"

So somebody asked him.

And Albert said something I'll never forget.

He said:

"If I can hit a fastball inside back through the middle..."

"I can hit the fastball away."

"I can stay on the changeup."

"I can stay on the slider."

"I can stay on the curveball."

Then he paused.

And said:

"The ball gets deeper."

That's when it clicked for me.

He wasn't trying to pull the inside fastball.

He was using one thought to cover everything.

The more I thought about it...

The more it made sense.

So I started trying it.

And it changed the way I thought about hitting with two strikes.

Instead of worrying about every pitch...

I focused on one.

Fastball inside.

Back through the middle.

See it DEEP.

If you're struggling with two strikes, here's what I'd do tonight:

Round 1: Short Box

(Set the distance somewhere between front toss and batting practice.)

Have a coach throw only fastballs inside.

Your only thought:

"Fastball inside."

Drive the ball back through the middle.

10 swings.

Round 2: Mix Speeds

Now the coach mixes:

- Fastballs
- Changeups
- Breaking balls
- Sliders

But your thought never changes.

You're still looking:

"Fastball inside."

10 swings.

Round 3: Two-Strike BP

Every pitch starts 0-2.

Compete.

Battle.

Use the same approach.

"Fastball inside."

Back through the middle.

10 swings.

That's it.

30 focused swings.

One thought.

One approach.

One goal.

Drive the baseball back through the middle.

One thing I've learned:

Most hitters get worse with two strikes because they add thoughts.

Albert got better because he removed them.

With two strikes, simplicity is a weapon.

Thank you for reading,
Jermaine Curtis

P.S. - If you enjoyed this and thought it was helpful, please share it.

(When you share it, it tells me you want more content like this.)

[St. Louis Cardinals @Cardinals]

Series secured vs. Chicago 😤

[U.S. Soccer Men's National Team @USMNT]

STARTING SUMMER WITH A VICTORY!

[FOX Sports @FOXSports]

The @USMNT takes care of business in Charlotte 🇺🇸

[U.S. Soccer Men's National Team @USMNT]

Captain Ream in his home stadium. ©️

[U.S. Soccer Men's National Team @USMNT]

ALREADY A GOAL AND AN ASSIST FOR PULISIC!

#USMNT x @VW

[U.S. Soccer Men's National Team @USMNT]

GOT CHARLOTTE LIT UP. 💥🇺🇸

[U.S. Soccer Men's National Team @USMNT]

Put on a platter by Pulisic!

#USMNT x @VW

[Gateway Grinders @gatewaygrinders]

St. Louis native Tim Ream has been named captain of the USA World Cup team on home soil.

STL is the hotbed of American soccer.

[U.S. Soccer Men's National Team @USMNT]

Charging into Charlotte.

It’s MATCHDAY in the Allstate Continental Clásico! 🇺🇸

[U.S. Soccer Men's National Team @USMNT]

Tim Ream has been named as the #USMNT captain by Mauricio Pochettino for the FIFA World Cup 2026. 🫡

[St. Louis Cardinals @Cardinals]

THAT'S A WINNER!!

[FOX Sports @FOXSports]

The moment these @USMNT players have been waiting for...