We can all agree that when it comes to batting, practice is important.  In my 10 plus years of playing baseball and living in a house surrounded by baseball, my brothers and I developed a few fun ways to increase our contact with the ball.  The follow are three ways we use to “train” when we weren’t at practice.

1) Koosh ball Training

Improve: Core ball Contact; Bat Speed, Hand Eye Coordination

Equipment: Koosh ball; souvenir Bat

Training: Start by pitching from around 20 feet away.  This gives appropriate distance for the batter to see the throw.  The batter will be forced to react quickly (increase hand speed), because you are so close.

Bat like you normally would with two hands.  The bat can get moving pretty quickly and can slide out of your hands. You can play a typical baseball game, making up your own rules, or take turns of 50 throws and switch.

Why this is effective:  When the Koosh Ball is thrown its size is deceptive.  The loose rubber bands hanging from the ball conform in a certain pattern depending on the spin.  This pattern makes the ball look like it is a full solid ball; however only the middle of the ball is solid.  If you don’t hit the ball directly in the middle it will just spin.

2) McDonald’s Baseball

Equipment: Balls from McDonalds play area, souvenir bat

Improve: Core ball Contact; Bat Speed, Hand Eye Coordination, Pitch Selection and Pitching Techniques

Training: Start by pitching at about 10 feet.  The balls are pretty light and don’t really have the weight to throw them a long distance.  In this drill you can pitch hard fastballs, curves or anything you choose.  The ball will move a lot if done correctly.

Walmart sells buckets of these style balls which is nice if you want to just throw a bucket and fill it up.

Why this effective:  Due to the light weight nature of the ball it wants to move.  It is not uncommon for the ball to break 3 or more feet in a 10 foot distance.  Throwing the different pitches help teach your body good mechanics and allows you to work on specific techniques perfecting the spin you want to obtain.  Typically a fast ball will come much faster than any of the “junk” pitches.  Change-ups, curves, sliders and knucks work really well with this type of ball. As a batter, practicing pitch selection is important.  The batter has to wait to choose which pitch to hit.

3) Easter hitting

Equipment: A bag of jelly beans, screw driver

Improve: Hand eye coordination

Training: Start pitching from about 5 feet.  Over hand toss all pitches.  This is a training tool and not really used for playing a full game.

Bat using the screw driver holding the handle in both hands.  This is challenging as the handle is small and can easily slip out of your hands.

Why it is effective: A jelly bean is SMALL and so is the metal part of a screw driver.  In order to make contact you have to watch the jelly bean all the way to the screw driver.  Many batters watch the ball until about 4 inches from the bat.  This type of training is incredibly difficult.

My brothers and I enjoyed using everything around the house to make a baseball game. Most parents would be upset at their children for using a bat and ball indoors.  Most of the time random household items ended up making great training tools.  I don’t play competitive baseball anymore, but I still use all of these training ideas when my brothers and I get together.  Over the years we have developed real rules for all the games we made up.

Tim is a marketer for Cabledeals.org.  If you would like to learn more about these techniques please contact him through Twitter @TimlCooley

Article source: Three Cheap, Fun Ways to Increase Your Hitting Ability

This is a guest post submitted by Jeff Herbst. Jeff has had a passion for sports ever since he could first walk and enjoys writing in his spare time. He works with Phoenix Bats, a company that creates world-class wooden baseball bats such as their fungo bats for amateur and professional ball players around the world.

Baseball is unique in that, even though it’s a team sport, some perennially mediocre teams can produce amazing players.

Take the San Diego Padres, for example. Sure, they flirted with World Series glory in 1998, but they’ve had more downs than ups over the years. Yet that doesn’t change the fact that they’ve produced some legendary players. Here are my top seven Padres of all time – in random order.

Keep in mind that service with the team is a factor. The likes of Gary Sheffield, Fred McGriff and Roberto Alomar had stellar careers but did most of their damage with other teams, so you won’t find them on this list. Let’s begin!

Trevor Hoffman (1993-2008)

Never again will baseball fans hear the AC/DC song “Hells Bells” without thinking of Trevor Hoffman. Between him and Mariano Rivera, it’s a tossup as to who deserves the title of baseball’s greatest-ever closer. For now, Hoffman has a leg up. He’s baseball’s all-time saves leader at 601, he’s a seven-time All-Star (six with the Padres) and he leads San Diego in all-time ERA, WHIP and strikeouts per nine innings.

Tony Gwynn (1982-2001)

When you ask Padre fans about the team’s greatest player, the debate usually comes down to Hoffman and this man. Gwynn was the definition of a professional hitter, batting a whopping .338 over 20 Hall-of-Fame seasons. The 15-time All-Star leads the Padres in average, hits, runs, RBI and even stolen bases. The only thing missing from his amazing resume is that elusive World Series ring. Not enough baseball fans talk about the absurd stretch from 1993 to 1997 in which he batted at least .353 five seasons in a row and hit .394 over 110 games in the strike-shortened 1994 campaign.

Dave Winfield (1973-1980)

After Hoffman and Gwynn, Dave Winfield is arguably the only other Padre that deserves No. 1 consideration. One of the greatest athletes, let alone baseball players, to ever live, Winfield was drafted to the NBA and NFL as well as Major League Baseball. He’ll always be remembered for his combination of power and superb outfield defense. Winfield was the first player to enter Cooperstown wearing a Padres cap.

Randy Jones (1973-1980)

Jones was never an overpowering pitcher but he posted some great seasons for San Diego in the mid-1970s. His crowning achievement as a Padre came in 1975, when he won 22 games, went the distance 25 times and captured the National League Cy Young award.

Adrian Gonzalez (2006-2010)

A-Gone’s time with the Padres was painfully short but anyone who watched him agrees that he’s among the most talented hitters ever to wear the San Diego uniform. He smashed 30-plus homers in each of his last four seasons with the team and matched his hitting with outstanding defense at first base. Exactly 0.0 Padre fans are surprised at Gonzalez’s monster numbers in his first season with the Boston Red Sox.

Jake Peavy (2002-2009)

Whereas the sky’s the limit for Gonzalez, whose offense was suppressed by PETCO Park, Jake Peavy probably left his best years behind him when he was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 2009. The Padres’ all-time strikeout leader delivered on his considerable hype throughout the 2000s. He won the pitching Triple Crown in 2007, leading the NL in wins (19), ERA (2.54) and strikeouts (240) en route to NL Cy Young honors.

Benito Santiago (1986-1992)

No Ryan Klesko or Phi Nevin? I chose Benito Santiago for this list because, arguably, he had a greater impact on the game when he was in his prime. The All Star catcher made his biggest splash as a rookie in 1987, batting .300 with 18 homers, 79 RBI and 21 steals to win the NL Rookie of the Year.

Do you agree with our list of top Padres? Who would make your top 7?

Article source: The Top Seven San Diego Padres of All Time

What is teeball?

Teeball is very similar to baseball with a few exceptions.

Teeball is ideal for children ages three to six, though age requirements vary by youth leagues.

Batters hit off a batting tee that’s waist high so there’s no pitching involved.

In each inning, all batters will get a chance to hit since outs are not counted.

Parents will support their children on the field since these young players are still learning the game.  Once the batters have all hit, that team will move out to play the field.

Length of a teeball game
Most teeball games are only two innings though there may be variances by league.  The games go by very quickly but a lot of preparation is required.

Teeball practice
Teeball players participate in a variety of practices designed to improve their catching, throwing, hitting, running, as well as learning where the bases are located.

The attention span for children is very short so practice has to keep going or the players will run off on their on because they’re bored.

There are plenty of teeball drills available to help coaches get their players ready for the game.
Help wanted – Assistant coaches
A coach is one person and can only do so many things.  Coaching a teeball team is a lot to handle and I recommend coaches should seek out assistants.  This will make practice and games run a lot smoother.
There are a few things an assistant coach can do:

• stand at a base when a hitter compeltes a hit and runs to a base.  The assistant coach can wave her hands to direct the hitter to the correct base
• keep the players in batting order and have the next batter waiting in line to hit
• repeat the coach’s comments to players if they weren’t listening

Teeball has started
If your child is not playing teeball, contact a league to see if there’s still room available to get your child playing.

Playing teeball will do many things for a child.

• It will get them some exercise and out of the house.

• They will learn new skills that they’ll be able to use in the future if they play softball or baseball during gym class.

• They will learn to follow directions.

• Players will make new friends.

Who knows you could have the next Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player playing teeball right before your eyes.

Whether you’re a coach, a parent or a friend for a teeball player, check out http://teeballbaseballblog.com for more tips.

The blogger, Cal, is a loving parent, coach, and father of his son who is the model for most of the teeball posts.  He can also be reached on Facebook @ tom.handy1, Twitter @ teeballbaseball and YouTube @ Mrteeballbaseball.

Article source: Have You Ever Heard of Teeball?

Baseball is a very enjoyable sport, and just like any other sport comes with different types of equipment, which are essential parts of a baseball, game.  Therefore, knowledge in choosing a baseball bat that is right for you would be very helpful.

The baseball bat is one of the most important equipment that should be chosen with care.  In choosing a baseball bat, one should be familiar with the different types of bats according to the material used.

Baseball bats made from aluminum are typically lighter than other metals used for bats.  Baseballs travel faster off of this kind of material than wood.  This is because the inner layer acts like a spring that allows balls to fly off the bat with farther distance and more speed.

Graphite and titanium are another type of metals, which offer more durability and power than aluminum bats.  These metals help in reducing vibration, providing more comfort and an enhance feel to the user.

For their strength and density, bats made from wood maple are prized.  The only drawback is its weight.  However, wood maple is less prone to cracks, adding to it being more preferred than ash.

Wood ash is less durable than maple, because bats made from this type of wood can crack or split after a couple of games.  They are less expensive than wood maple, and have less hitting power than other types of materials used in bats.

In choosing a baseball bat, one should take a few tips in mind.

1. When choosing a baseball bat, it is important to be familiar with the barrel size of the bat, which includes its diameter, and the length of the barrel-top.
2. Another tip in choosing a baseball bat is to make sure that you know the drop rating you need.  In addition, remember that the leagues have various drop ratings due to safety ratings.
3. Standard bats have a 31 or 32 inch taper but can either be smaller or larger depending on your preference (you might want a lighter or a heavier bat).
4. High school bats on the other hand are given a weight to length ratio of -3.  This means the bat can have a length of 33 and 30 ounces, or can be 32 in length and 29 in ounces.  Yes, weight and length are important elements to consider in choosing a baseball bat.
5. The fifth thing to remember when choosing a baseball bat is that the performance of a bat depends highly on the type of material or alloy used, its barrel dynamics, and also the thickness of the barrel walls of the bat.  Bats with thinner walls (aluminum-made bats for example) should not be used when temperatures are below 50 degrees.
6. Two-piece bats, which are sold at a higher price, are popular because of the extra distance and power they provide.  They have a trampoline like effect whenever the ball gets hit with it.

Another important thing to remember in choosing a baseball bat is to know the types of bats according to age levels suitable to it. There is the T-ball, Youth, Senior League, and Adult types of bats.  Also, remember that in choosing a baseball bat, it is important to know the right size for you.

Article source: Which Baseball Bat to Choose?

Choosing a good baseball bat is important before anything else, even before stepping out into the field. Any compromise of any sort might affect the results of a baseball player’s game play that is why it is wise not to go for anything cheap or anything popular without knowing the important factors to look for when choosing a good baseball bat. Here are a few helpful tips.

(1) The weight

Weight is an important factor when choosing a baseball bat since it affects the speed of the swing. The lighter the bat is, the more its speed of swing would be. Test the bat by practicing swinging with it in an open area, or a wide enough space if you are testing it out in a sporting store (you would not like hitting things at the store, would you?). If you find it difficult or too stressing to lift and swing the bat, then cross it out of your list and try other bats.

(2) The length

Another important factor is the length. Weight and length should go hand in hand. A short batter can not make do with a lengthier bat. The length should also be appropriate for the batter’s height.

(3) The bat’s grip

This is an important factor since a grip which feels uncomfortable would affect the game play of the batter. Test the bat out by raising it to the level of your nose, repeating this for five to six times. If you are able to lift it without your elbows bending, then this bat is the right choice.

(4) Material of the bat

Select the best material which generates the most power. Aluminum bats are more preferred because of their light weight and durability than wooden bats.

In choosing a good baseball bat, it is important to refer to the factors above as a good bat can be they key to a good game.

Article source: The Importance of Choosing a Good Baseball Bat

Baseball has been a well known sport for a very long time in the United States and now, all around the world in several different countries. From securing the best baseball equipment to guaranteeing the best baseball instruction, there are many different things that one can do to better the chance of improving their baseball skills. The American major baseball league offers many different ways to prepare their players to make them the best that they can be and now you can do the same in your very own home. You or your children can become better baseball players in a very short time if you can focus in on your flaws and hone in on the intensity and improvement of your game.

Everyone can always improve one aspect of their game, but some are better than others at certain things. For example, one player on a team might have great agility while someone else may have a better hand at catching skills. This is why players are placed where they are on a roster for a certain reason. There has never been an ultimate player that exhibits an amazing performance in every aspect of baseball. This is why baseball is a team sport. Without a team, baseball would be useless and it would just be a display of hitting catching and running.

Baseball requires a maximum amount of speed, a lot of focus, and a quick reaction time. A hitter has to be able to accurately slam a pitch and take off running immediately after. Timing is a very important variable in baseball that determines several differing outcomes in the game. Hitting is just one element of the game; every player has to be able to catch a ball quickly and accurately. Catching a baseball can be very challenging which is why professional baseball players have had training for years before they are at the professional level. Lastly, baseball requires a lot of specific focus. For example, running from base to base at a specific time and estimating a distance compared to your speed; this takes a lot of focus.

When preparing for baseball in and out of the season, there are several different types of equipment that you can use. Many high profile batters use pitching machines. When using a pitching machine, it is important to have a precise machine that will send you different pitches. You will want to center your attention on how many accurate hits you can get per session. Other equipment that you can utilize is weighted baseball bats. Once you can accurately swing a bat that is double the weight of your normal bat, your original string will be much stronger.

Baseball has become more well known over more recent years and children are beginning to start the sport at a much younger age from little league through high school and all the way to college baseball. Because the sport is more popular it is much more aggressive, and so it requires much more training and intensity to be able to cut it in the baseball playing industry.

Article source: Mastering Baseball

Baseball has often been referred to as America’s pastime. It is one of the oldest sports that got it’s start in this nation in the 1840′s to 1850′s. When many people try to consider something that is American they often think about baseball. That is where the statement of “It’s as American as baseball and apple pie” came from. Baseball is still popular today and has a big following now all around the world. Fans of baseball have many things to keep them happy with fantasy leagues that offer camps where they can do baseball hitting drills and baseball instruction from major league baseball coaching staffs, to the famous Baseball hall of Fame in New York.

The 2009 World Series just finished with the New York Yankees beating the Philadelphia Phillies in six games . The state of New York had the original professional baseball team and also has the baseball Hall of Fame Museum in Cooperstown, NY. So, as you can see, the state of New York loves the sport of baseball and both of their professional teams of the Yankees and the Mets.

If you are a big fan who doesn’t reside in New York State, you should make plans to go to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Many groups of friends or even baseball teams make a field trip to go there on a vacation . It is also a Wonderful spot for families. For the big fans, a fun and exciting time to go is in July when they perform the induction ceremony of the new players entering the hall of fame. They have a ceremony at the Clark Sport Center near the museum and several special events related to the induction at the museum. At the museum, they also have a huge store full of everything related to baseball that you could ever think of .

Another fun thing for baseball fans to do is to attend a fantasy baseball league camp. This is for the person that is a loyal fan of a specific team and enjoys playing fantasy baseball on their own . This camp is usually attended by the adult male aged 25-50 that wants to chance to meet their favorite professional players and some of the coaches and actually be able to throw a ball and play a bit of baseball with them. They also receive baseball playing suggestions such as they would at a typical sports camp. This can be said to be a thrill of a lifetime for these supporters of baseball getting to not only step foot on a major baseball field but to be playing with the major league baseball players too .

Whether you are a former professional baseball player or simply a child playing in their first year of little league, baseball is something that brings many generations of people together. going to a place like Cooperstown gives all of the things you could ever wish to see about the love of baseball that so many people hold close to their hearts. Fantasy camps also provide the fans a great experience to play with the pros .

Article source: Plan a Great Trip To Cooperstown, NY Or Go To A Fantasy Baseball Clinic

With the advent of the sporting season many players will be anxious to get back out on the field to hone their skills. baseball hitting drills are the best way to ensure that each individual player reaches his full potential, and these can be found on the baseball instruction DVDs that are available.

Many players may have just hung around in between seasons. Even if this is children or adults, it is important to get them back on track with very specific training techniques. These will strengthen the muscles, which may have become undefined with no exercise during the time off, and improve hand to eye coordination which may need sharpening.

By getting the whole team to study the discs together, many will be able to point out different areas which could lead to better plays from all the players. Regular training sessions with selected groups will not only help them to concentrate on what may be weak points, it will also help to bring up the weaker players to be on a par with the stronger members of the team.

Different batting plays are there for everyone to study, from recent games and even from past games. Learning to treat every game as the the most important game of the season will make sure that they give their all for that couple of hours it takes to play the match.

Even pre-match practicing is very important to instill a kind of discipline, particularly in the ones who think that they know it all. Warm up routines are not liked by so many but they are essential so that muscles do not get torn or pulled. Even ensuring water breaks are taken can mean the difference between winning and losing and should be followed to the letter.

Plays like the ‘suicide squeeze’ are ones that have been tried many times in the past. They are a little dangerous, hence the suicide bit, but can be quite effective if risk is the game the trainer favors. The runner starts to sprint as soon as the pitcher gets read to lifts his arm to throw. The only problem with this is that if the batter misses the ball, the runner is in somewhat of a ‘no mans land’ cannot go back or forward. He is very likely to be out at this stage since he was targetted for this play. However, if the ball is hit, and hit well, he will have gained several yards and be further

Another play is the ‘hidden ball’ trick where a fielder feigns throwing the ball but hides it on his person. Everyone takes off, expecting to make it to the next plate but this is where disaster strikes.

Learning different plays will make the players far more confident with each other. Knowing what everyone else will be doing will make sure that, even if a pitcher does not do what is expected, the batter will know exactly what to expect from his team mates as they will be ready for his move and will act accordingly.

Article source: Guidelines For Teaching Groups To Become Better Coordinated

Baseball injuries usually do not end a player’s career. However, any injury can be a setback. With proper care and knowledge beforehand, the player will know what to look for, and will return to normal activities in a shorter amount of time.

The top seven baseball injuries that will plague most baseball players are described below.

1. Shoulder Injury

Throwing or hitting a baseball utilizes the entire physical body. A shoulder injury is normally associated with an arm and shoulder injury of the pitching or throwing arm and shoulder. In medical terminology, a baseball player’s common shoulder injury is a torn Rotator Cuff. Pitchers are most prone to suffer from this injury, but anyone who plays baseball can become afflicted with a shoulder injury.

2. Sprained Wrist

A sprained wrist injury demands special attention so that the swelling and pain can subside. A sprained wrist injury rarely lasts for more than a few days since the wrist is so flexible and pliable. Should a player take a tumble or have to chase a fast dropping line drive hit, he could easily suffer from a sprained wrist.

Sometimes when a player is running for a base, he’ll slide into the base and sprain his wrist. It hurts and it will swell, but most likely, the wrist will not get broken. Within a few days after cold compresses have been applied, and the wrist is later soaked in warm water, the wrist will be fine, and the baseball player will be ready to participate in his next game.

3. Dislocated or Broken Fingers

When a baseball player’s glove webbing is improperly aligned at the moment when a ball impacts the glove, the player’s fingers and hands will sting. However, most players will tell you that catching a ball with an ungloved hand can feel like being shot with a high-powered arrow.

Whenever a finger is exposed at any angle other than in an open and flexed state, the player will feel his finger joints getting crunched, dislocated, or broken. Catchers and infielders are the most common players to receive such finger injuries, but it can happen to any player, regardless of the position they’re playing.

4. Hyper-extended Knee

When a baseball player grabs a fly ball out of the air, he is most certainly prone to suffering from a hyper-extended knee injury.

Whenever a player’s foot lands awkwardly after he has lunged for a fly ball, the knee joint takes the bulk of the landing. Although he may show the other players that he can walk off the immediate hurt, his knee joint will be sore for days.

When that same player pays attention to his knee’s soreness, he will recover quickly. However, if the player aggravates the injury by playing several more innings, or another game within a day or two, the injury will worsen and the pain will reappear.

Another way that a player can hyper-extend his knee is when his spikes get jammed into a base that’s fixed into place. The knee joint could twist in the wrong direction, thereby causing the knee to hyper extend.

5. Pulled Hamstring

Even the most in-shape and toned baseball player who appears to have strong muscled legs can be prone to suffering from a pulled hamstring when he’s running at break-neck speed to catch a ball or run a base.

Mickey Mantle’s entire career and Albert Pujols’s existing career have been fraught with hamstring muscle pull problem injuries. The injuries are painful, and the player will most likely need to take some time off to heal, but his career will not be ended due to a pulled hamstring.

6. Sore Elbow

Whenever a baseball player throws a ball hard to one of his teammates, he becomes susceptible to a sore elbow injury the same day or the next day. Sore elbows heal fairly rapidly, so there’s no need for medical attention, except to remember to reduce the velocity that a player throws the ball the next time he’s out on the field. A sore elbow is caused when the player suddenly stops or slows down the fling. That action is known to cause stress at the elbow’s bone joint.

7. Bruises on Legs and Hips

When a baseball player does not wear sliding pads, he is quite vulnerable to receiving big bruises and strawberries on his legs and hips from sliding into a base. The painful part comes when a well-meaning attendant tries to apply any medication that contains alcohol or witch hazel in it. You’ll be sure to hear the player’s screams from many fields away.

Bruises will change colors and are certainly sensitive to the touch, but they’re not the most serious injury a player can receive. So, try to remain tough when you look in the mirror after the game and see raw fleshy spots. Within four or five days, the tenderness will be gone, and most likely the color of the bruise will have faded away.

Article source: Top Seven Injuries That Will Plague Most Baseball Players