Dennis Vickers

Lifelong St. Louis Blues and Cardinal Fan | St. Mary's University Cardinal | Miami University Redhawk | Director of Player Personnel NAHL

[Dennis Vickers @vickersdm]

@kyler416 Is it just me… or do the Cardinals pitchers seem to pitch infinitely better with Yadi in the dugout and at home games?

[NAPHL @NAPHL]

Drafted✅

Congratulations to the 22 T1ER players selected in the 2026 #NAHLDraft!

📰: https://t.co/6ReqHV8YX2

[NAHL @NAHLHockey]

NAHL head coaches and staff come together in Pittsburgh for the annual summer meetings

#LeagueOfOpportunity

[NAHL @NAHLHockey]

NAHL coaches are in Pittsburgh today at the @NHLCoachesAssoc Global Coaches' Clinic, learning from and connecting with coaches from across the game. 📝

#LeagueOfOpportunity

[NAPHL @NAPHL]

The North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) is proud to announce the dates for the 2026-27 FALL League season.

[NAPHL @NAPHL]

The North American Prospects League (NAPHL) is proud to announce the 2026-2027 Show League schedule.

[Dennis Vickers @vickersdm]

Happy Futures Draft Day to those who celebrate. Good luck to all, and don’t forget to tune in to NAHLtv

[NAHL @NAHLHockey]

The 𝓯𝓾𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓮 is here! 🔮

We are one day away from the 2026 Futures Draft! Watch the draft live on NATV at 1PM tomorrow!

🔗: https://t.co/C4pbgHCjvW

[Dennis Vickers @vickersdm]

@Buccigross Jankowski / Barbashev #bucciovertimechallenge

[Dennis Vickers @vickersdm]

East-Side staying open late tonight

[St. Louis Cardinals @Cardinals]

Happy Birthday to Cardinals Hall of Fame outfielder Ray Lankford! 🎉

[Dennis Vickers @vickersdm]

@Buccigross Ehlers / Barbashev #bucciovertimechallenge

[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.)

[Dennis Vickers @vickersdm]

@Buccigross Bolduc / Stankoven #bucciovertimechallenge

[Dennis Vickers @vickersdm]

@Buccigross Bolduc / Jankowski #bucciovertimechallenge

[Dennis Vickers @vickersdm]

Jordan Walker with a Nelson Cruz impersonation today in right field

[NAHL @NAHLHockey]

One win away from the ultimate goal 🏆

#RoadtotheRobby | #RobertsonCup

[Dennis Vickers @vickersdm]

@Buccigross Texier / Bolduc #bucciovertimechallenge

[NAPHL @NAPHL]

Jakobe Tosch talks postgame about his game-winning goal for the @mnwilderness Black 18U team. 💥

#ProspectChallenge

[NAPHL @NAPHL]

Oswald Ware showed up big in the @mnmallards White 16U team’s 3-2 victory. He talks more postgame.🔥

#ProspectChallenge

[NAHL @NAHLHockey]

📸's from Day 2️⃣ of the 2026 #NAHL Prospects Challenge!

[NAHL @NAHLHockey]

These two now lace up together for the Bruins, but once there was a time they were battling it out in the T1ER.

Kyle and Zander talk more on that ➡️