Dave Anderson

[Oklahoma Baseball @OU_Baseball]

LJ's a D-Back 🏜️

@LjMercurius » @Dbacks

[Cole Cheatham @colecheatham7]

I will be pitching tomorrow in Irvine, CA at the @VarsityShowcase tournament at 1:00pm at Great park field #8 with @TroskyTeams national 2027.

UNCOMMITTED RHP up to 91.
@PG_Uncommitted @PB_Uncommitted @LloydAcosta2 @Coach_BMont @BaileyReid39 @kheiss123 @CBUbaseball @dranderson74

[Cole Cheatham @colecheatham7]

Competed against a really good Prime National team.
4IP 3K 2ER @PrepBaseballNE @PB_Uncommitted

[Cole Cheatham @colecheatham7]

I will now be starting this game tomorrow night!

[Dave Anderson @dranderson74]

@215er4Life @BuschMVP Only a hit by pitch is dead. A walk is never a dead ball… if it’s a passed ball he can advance to third

[NCAA News @NCAA_PR]

The Division I Cabinet has unanimously voted to approve the age-based eligibility model. Additional details to follow.

The Cabinet’s decision is not final until its meeting concludes Wednesday.

[Cole Cheatham @colecheatham7]

Will be playing in the @PerfectGameUSA WWBA National Championships this week at East Cobb in Georgia with @TroskyTeams National. I will be pitching our headliner game on thursday in relief innings 3-6. Pumped for another opportunity! Schedule 👇🏼
@twinterstein7 @stevemckee87 @brown1e24 @jkorte5 @BaileyReid39 @CoachD_42 @WessonsWD @MichaelNewstrom @derek_orndorff @dranderson74

[Cole Cheatham @colecheatham7]

Had a fun time with the Brewers Scout Team this weekend. Made a relief appearance and got out of a jam getting 2 quick outs and a K. Slider was working well.
@PrepBaseballNE @dranderson74 @PB_Uncommitted @PG_Uncommitted

[Cole Cheatham @colecheatham7]

At the plate I batted .430 on the weekend with a double, 2 rbi, 5bb and 3sb.

My next start will be in Irvine with the Brewers Scout Team this Tuesday in Irvine, here is my schedule below. Excited for the opportunity!
@TroskyTeams @dranderson74 @PG_Uncommitted @Coach_BMont @BaileyReid39 @MichaelNewstrom @LloydAcosta2 @CoachBlood_ @kheiss123 @WessonsWD @CBUbaseball

[Chase Sorlie @sorlie_chase]

Transfer Portal RHP
2 years of eligibility

Transfer Portal Showcase @TreadHQ

Fastball 90-92
Changeup 83-84
Slider 80-82

@OBC_Recruits @tgoodyrich

[Kent Murphy @KentMurphy]

The rock, paper, scissors celebration with the third base coach is ELITE 🙌😂

[Cole Cheatham @colecheatham7]

Good first start with @TroskyTeams national against a top 20 team in the nation in the @USABaseEvents West Championships.

3IP 1H 1R 2K 54P Sat 88-89 T90
@dranderson74 @PrepBaseballNE @BUncommitted @PB_Uncommitted @Bargo03 @PG_Uncommitted

[Cole Cheatham @colecheatham7]

This is my schedule this week for the USA West Championships in AZ with @TroskyTeams National. I will be pitching game 1 tomorrow. @dranderson74

[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.)

[Dave Anderson @dranderson74]

I’m

[Dave Anderson @dranderson74]

@SinBinVegas @inscriptagraphs Hits 31. Blocks 16. Shots 24

[Dave Anderson @dranderson74]

@SinBinVegas @inscriptagraphs 71

[Dave Anderson @dranderson74]

Athletic build. Firm with movement.