Nana Elaine

St Louis Cardinals & St Louis Blues fan! Mom to 3 kids & Nana to 8 grandkids! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Conservative.

[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.)

[Nana Elaine @eschoffs]

@ThrillaRilla369 Yup. My 15 yr old grandson had a torn retina after being shot in the eye with a nerf gun. Tear was obvious in the scans. 1 wk later, no more tear. It was gone. He’ll have vision problems for the rest of his life but glasses can take care of that. God healed him. Prayers up 4 you.

[Nana Elaine @eschoffs]

❤️❤️❤️❤️

[Nana Elaine @eschoffs]

@GuntherEagleman @V_Lady2024 Chili’s. I absolutely hate seafood.

[Nana Elaine @eschoffs]

I’d love nothing more than for Kelly to come home and reunite with Jason. As much as I like Dante, I’ll forever be a #Jasam fan! #Istandwithkelly

[GHfan @GHfan05]

The canvas is perfectly primed for a legendary homecoming. Let’s make this summer unforgettable! @GeneralHospital @valentinifrank @nathanvarni @kellymonaco1 #IStandWithKelly #SummerLoveWithKellyMonaco

[Nana Elaine @eschoffs]

@POTUS @DonaldJTrumpJr @EricTrump @LaraLeaTrump

Please help Rodney achieve his dream!!!! 🇺🇸❤️🇺🇸❤️

[Rodney Smith Jr @iamrodneysmith]

Dear @WhiteHouse, my name is Rodney Smith Jr., founder of Raising Men & Women Lawn Care Service in Huntsville, Alabama. Through our 50 Yard Challenge, over 6,000 kids across the country have signed up to mow free lawns for the elderly, disabled, veterans, active-duty military, first responders, and single parents. With America celebrating its 250th birthday this year and me also being born on July 4th, I wanted to humbly ask if a few kids from our program and myself could travel to Washington, D.C. to help mow the White House lawn for this historic celebration.

More than anything, I want these kids to see how a simple act of service something as ordinary as mowing a lawn for someone in need can lead to extraordinary places. What better lesson in community service than showing them that helping others can take them all the way to our nation’s capital? I’d also love to bring my American flag-themed mower in hopes that the President might sign it, so I can later auction it off and donate 100% of the proceeds to a nonprofit supporting veterans. It would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to highlight the importance of service, patriotism, and the impact young people can have when they choose to make a difference. 🇺🇸

[Nana Elaine @eschoffs]

@KathleenWinche3 Lord

[Nana Elaine @eschoffs]

💙💙💙💙

[Michael Mattox - The Mad Ox @TheRealMadOx]

My heart is heavy today after hearing what happened in Chesterfield. Two police officers were shot while responding to a domestic call, and they're still fighting for their lives in the hospital.

We also lost K9 Knight, a 5-year-old German Shepherd who was doing his job protecting his handler and the community. He gave everything that day.

These men and women run toward danger when most of us are running away. Tonight I'm praying hard for both officers, their families, and Corporal Walsh who lost his partner Knight.

Thank you to all the first responders in Virginia who put on that uniform every single day. We see your sacrifice.

Get well soon brothers.

[Michelle @SamMcCallFFGH]

Day 37 of one of this, amazing, talented, precious TV couple #Sante #SamMcCall #DanteFalconeri They will be in many of our hearts forever. That is credited to the 2 amazing actors #KellyMonaco and #DomZamprogna for putting their all in it.

[Nana Elaine @eschoffs]

@PamAsch70936 The penthouse!

[Michelle @SamMcCallFFGH]

Day 47 of this beautiful queen. We miss #KellyMonaco so much. I can't wait to see what she does next. Whoever lands this lady will be lucky and she has a strong fanbase that will support her. Her fans are lucky to have witnessed her talent.

[Nana Elaine @eschoffs]

@marcel_aromeh @futrudeau1 He was not rude at all….not one iota. This sovereign citizen BS is just that…..BS. Quit trying to get around the charges, follow the law and you’ll not ever have any problems.

[TONY™ @TONYxTWO]

This

[Benny Johnson @bennyjohnson]

I can show you why Spencer Pratt is going to win...

I saw it for myself.

Karen Bass does NOT want you to see this.

Remember how the fire hydrants had no water during the Palisades fire? That's because the massive Santa Ynez Reservoir was empty. It was empty because of LA's incompetent leaders. Californians died because of this. Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass claimed they refilled it.

Well guess what...

18 months later, it’s STILL empty. Not a single drop. They want the fires to happen again. They don't care. Security has now been posted outside the Santa Ynez Reservoir to keep the public from seeing the truth.

Good thing we brought a drone... look at this devastation. Look at what they did.

LA, it will be your house next. Vote Spencer Pratt.

[Jane @Jane58397900]

#IStandWithKelly #SummerLoveWithKellyMonaco
Missing @KellyMonacco1 on our screens hugely!
Bring her back & see how fast Kelly’s dedicated fanbase will show up to watch.We are 💯ready! @GeneralHospital @ABCNetwork @DisneyStudios @craigerwich @DaysPeacock @NBCNewsPR @nathanvarni

[Jack @jackunheard]

Lost 300 followers over this post.

Good riddance.

[Catturd ™ @catturd2]

My angel mother who gave me birth, gets one day to recognize her a year.

The heroes who died for our country get one day to recognize them.

The birth of Jesus gets one day a year to celebrate.

And you actually believe I’m gonna give an entire month for you because you’re gay?

NO !!!

Who else feels this way I’m sick of this shit?

[Michelle @SamMcCallFFGH]

Day 36 of 365 days of this beautiful, precious TV couple #Sante They are still so loved by many and will be forever. #SamMcCall #DanteFalconeri #DomZamprogna #KellyMonaco

[C3 @C_3C_3]

ICE Deportations…

Clinton: 2 million with no riots.
GW Bush: 2 million with no riots.
Obama: 5 million with no riots.
Trump: 2 million with no riots.
Biden: 4 million with no riots.

Trump: 900K with riots, protests and Dem outrage.

Its all manufactured to stop Trump.

Facts.

[Nana Elaine @eschoffs]

@1Nicdar My parents bought a house in Simi Valley CA in 1974 for $27.000. My brother bought it from them for $147,000 in 1990 and then sold it in 2023 for $750,000. My parents had built a small 1 bdrm apt on it back in the mid 80’s for my grandma so that added to the cost.