Point of contact: Procedure v Technique

If you are an avid baseball fan you can probably tell who the players are in the photos below if you look carefully.  Check and see.

Photo #1

Photo #2

Photo #3

Even if you had no idea who was in the photos, would you be able to tell which one was the world’s best home run hitter?  How about the one who sprayed line-drives everywhere but hit with little power?  How about the guy who hits for both power and average?  You probably couldn’t because all three photos are just about identical.  Photo #1 is Albert Pujols who combines power and average.  Photo #2 is Barry Bonds, the MLB home run king and photo #3 is Tony Gwynn, the player with the highest career batting average in the last 50 years (.338).

If each hitter gets to the same spot at the point of contact, what makes them so different in their results?  The answer lies in the difference between the words procedure and technique. 

A procedure is something you do and a technique is how you do it. 

Every hitter at the point of contact must get to the body position as shown in the photos.  This is procedure.  If they don’t, their success at consistently hitting the ball hard will drop.  How they get to this point - technique - will vary from player to player.  Power hitters tend to have a bit more of a dip or loop in their swing before the point of contact in order to get the ball aloft to take advantage of their power.  The down side is that their bats don’t stay in the hitting zone very long because the path/plane of the bat is different than the path/plane of the pitch.  The two intersect at the point of contact.  If their timing is off by just a little they pop it up, roll over on the ball (choppy ground ball), or miss.  This is why many pure power hitters strike out a lot. 

Hitters with a higher average who hit line-drives keep the bat in the hitting zone longer.  The path/plane of the bat matches the path/plane of the ball more closely which gives them more room for error.  They make contact whether they are early, on time, or late because the bat is in the hitting zone longer.  Two things are important for young hitters. 

• If you want to improve your average, keep the bat in the hitting zone longer.
• Getting to the proper position at the point of contact is not an option.  It’s virtually the same for every hitter.

Young players will see all kinds of variations on TV when it comes to batting.  Some guys start with the bat straight up and down and some keep it flat.  Some wiggle the bat before the pitch and some keep it still.  Some batters stride with a short quiet movement and some lift the front foot dramatically before striding.  Many different techniques from many different players.  However, what remains constant for every hitter is the procedure of where they have to be at the point of contact.

Visually, it is much easier to see how a player begins and ends his swing because he will be relatively still at those stages.  The point of contact is a different story.  When you watch a player swing in real time the point of contact is just a blur because it happens so fast.  Still photos and slow motion video are really the only ways a player can see what’s happening.  Because of this, young players tend to mimic the before and after technique of MLB hitters because that’s what they can easily see instead of the more important procedure at contact.

It’s ok to have a technique of your own when it comes to hitting.  What’s not ok is ignoring the procedure at the point of contact.

Pitchers and the set position

When pitchers throw from the stretch, you'll see a number of variations as to where they come set with their hands after getting the sign from the catcher.  Some bring their hands together and come set (come to a stop) around chin level.  Some come set at the chest.  Some even stop down near the players belt.  Is one better than the other?  I think there is, especially for young pitchers.  When I teach pitching, I recommend pitchers come set around belly button height.  I also suggest coming to a stop with the glove (and the ball) facing down.  Although a number of pitchers can be successful coming to a set position higher than belly button height, here are my reasons why belly button height with the glove facing down makes things easier:


Belly Button Height:

Photo 1:  Belly button height
with glove facing down

Shortens arm path.  To get the most out of his arm, a pitcher should be creating big circles when they throw.  When the ball/hand leaves the glove, it must come down and then proceed a little bit back, up, and over to the release point.  A big circle.  Getting to the proper release point is one of the most important things a pitcher must do to be effective.  Many pitchers, especially those who rush and go forward too fast, do not allow their arm enough time to travel through that circle to get to the best release point.  Their job becomes even harder if the path is longer.  Coming set at the chin as opposed to the belly button adds an additional foot to the distance the arm has to travel in its path to the release point.  Pitchers certainly should be taught the mechanics of staying back longer to give their arm enough time but a quick adjustment that can have an immediate positive impact is to have them come set lower thus shortening the path.


Improved breaking pitches.  For the same reasons described above.  If a pitcher is late getting to his release point on a fastball when his arm speed is fastest, he probably is going to be very late getting there on his breaking pitches and change-up.  The result is flat or hanging off-speed pitches up in the zone.  Shortening the arm path gets more of those pitches to the proper release point which gets them down in the strike zone with better action (break, movement, etc) on the ball.

Photo 2.  Fingers facing the
sky, ball facing the chest, and
usually an exposed wrist.

Glove Facing Down:


Clears the path.  Some pitchers come set with the glove in front of their chest with the glove fingers facing up towards the sky and the ball facing their body (Photo 2).  This can create a problem related to the one explained above.  Part of the glove (the heel) is under the ball and prevents the ball/hand from freely exiting the glove.  This can create enough of a delay in the arm circle to not get to the release point in time.  In Photo 1, Mariner's pitcher Felix Hernandez has nothing under the ball making it easy for his hand to exit the glove and begin his arm path/circle.  That is because his glove is facing down.


Hides the wrist.  I admit it.  I was a cheater.  Well, sort of.  When I batted, I looked for anything a pitcher did to tip off his pitches.  This became much easier to do when I could see the pitcher's throwing wrist when he came to the set position after getting the sign.  When the pitcher comes set with the glove facing his chest (Photo 2), it exposes his wrist as he is gripping the ball.  Variations in wrist position that can be seen by the batter often tip off when a certain pitch is coming.  Holding the glove facing down when you come set not only allows for the ball to exit more freely, it hides the wrist from the batter as well.

"Where pride still matters"

There are times in every coach's career that he asks, "why am I doing this?"  Sometimes the game of baseball can drive you crazy.  Sometimes it will break your heart.  During these occasions, it's good to take a step back and see the big picture.  The link below is probably the best article I have ever read about coaching.  It was written by New York Times columnist David Brooks for Men's Health Magazine a few years back.  It is a must read for any coach of any sport.  It's a piece that deserves to be read a couple times a year.

I hope you enjoy it.  Tell me what you think.

Where pride still matters  by David Brooks

Hitting: Power and Grace

Twins catcher, Joe Mauer

Think of some swings that are/were just beautiful to watch.  For me, I think of Ken Griffey Jr., Adrian Gonzalez, Ted Williams, Albert Pujols, and Joe Mauer.   I also think of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in golf.  What makes them beautiful is that all their swings have the combination of power and grace.  Power relates to the aggressiveness of the swing.  The bat speed generated.  The violent contact on the barrel with the ball.  Grace involves the rhythm and the timing of the swing.  The fluidness and smoothness of one step to the next from the stride to the follow through.  When you see a hitter who has the correct combination of both, the entire process looks effortless.  That is, until you see how hard and/or how far the ball is hit.

Most hitters have an imbalance between the two.  Some have too much power and not enough grace.  Others have too much grace and not enough power.  This is the challenge for players and the coaches who are trying to get them to improve. 

The great, free swinging Roberto Clemente

If I had to pick which aspect I’d rather have a kid be higher in it would clearly be power.  Having a very aggressive swing overall, in my opinion, will work in the hitters favor in the long run.  As any coach will tell you, it is always easier to calm a player down then it is to light a fire under him.  Latin players are great examples of this.  There is a popular saying among players from the Latin areas (Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, etc.) which is “You can’t walk off the island.”  Translation:  If you want to get noticed by scouts so you can leave the island to go play baseball in America, you’d better show them you can hit.  In other words, you have to “hit” your way off the island.  This is why many young Latin players are free swingers who often lack discipline early in their careers – Rafael Soriano, Vladimir Guerrero, Juan Samuel, and Roberto Clemente are some that come to mind.  They have been programed from day one to error on the side of being aggressive.  However, when they mature as hitters they become very dangerous because they have the aggressiveness already there and now are beginning to add the grace.

I think we as Americans have a problem when it comes to hitting.  Being a prosperous nation, many kids now have the ability to pay for instruction from day one.  We have hitting camps and clinics everywhere for players and coaches to pass on the intricate mechanical details of hitting a baseball.  Leaving alone the fact that some instructors flat out teach concepts that don’t work, even the best instructors tend to put most of their focus on the mechanical side - the “grace.”  In my opinion, too many hitters are “neutered” by this early focus on mechanics.  When kids went out into the backyards to play Wiffle Ball and into the streets to play stick ball, they didn’t care about mechanics.  It was just about hitting the ball hard.  They learned all the mechanical details later in their career or just by trial and error through making adjustments.  They started with “power” and learned the “grace” later.

My son is four years old.  He is eligible to play Tee-Ball but will not.  He loves to play baseball on our driveway.  He sometimes holds the bat incorrectly.  He literally stands on the plate whenever he hits.  He swings from his heels so that he can hit the ball hard enough and far enough for it to hit my car.   He falls down laughing every time he does.  His front side flies out a lot.  He doesn't keep his head still.  He pays absolutely no attention to the mechanical side to hitting.

… and I couldn’t care less.

Exhale

Here is a quick tip for any player who recognizes that their nerves are getting the better of them in pressure situations.  Correctly time your exhale. 

The human body reacts differently when we inhale versus when we exhale.  When someone is startled or frightened they usually gasp which means they inhale quickly and tense up.  When the moment passes and they realize they are no longer in danger they relax with a big exhale … “Phew (exhale), that was a close one!”  Knowing this, players can use the power of an exhale to their advantage.

To help relieve tension, a hitter can be slowly
exhaling at this point in the delivery.

In order for pitchers, hitters, base runners, and fielders to get the most out of their bodies in terms of quickness and power, they need to be fairly relaxed to allow their muscles to be free of tension.  Squeezing the bat too tight slows bat speed.  Squeezing the ball too tight slows throwing velocity.  Tensing up right before you need a great jump to steal a base slows your first steps.

Try this.  Right before you need to perform, start your exhale. 

A pitcher can exhale slowly as he starts his delivery.  A hitter can begin exhaling just before the pitcher releases the ball.  A fielder can do it as the ball is released by the pitcher.  This is done to help relax the body so that it can function quickly and powerfully.  As stated earlier, inhaling tends to tense up the body, exhaling relaxes it.

It takes some practice to get the timing down but you may find that something as little as this can have a positive impact on your ability to calm the nerves and perform.

Compounding errors

“Winning is contagious.”  
Hitting is as well.  Unfortunately, so is making errors.

Errors are always going to be part of the game.  Even the best defenders are going to drop a ball or make a bad throw every once in a while.  What good teams and individual players need to prevent is what I call “compounding errors.”  Here is an example. 

Bobbling it is one thing,
compounding it is another.
(Photo by ChronicleOnline)

With a runner on first and one out, a ball is hit on the ground right at the third baseman.  He bobbles it in his transition to throwing and then hurries his throw to second base.  He hurries in order to make up for the lost time due to bobbling the ball.  The throw is a low.  The second baseman sees that this has happened and thinks he must now turn the double-play faster in order to make up for the third baseman’s delay.  He hurries and ends up dropping the low throw.  As a result, a routine double play evolved into the defense getting nobody out.

Four mistakes were made on the play and all occurred after the bobble.  The first mistake was the third baseman thinking he had to hurry his throw to make up for the bobble.  The second mistake was mechanical because the third baseman probably did not set his feet well enough when he rushed which caused the low throw.  The third mistake was the second baseman thinking he had to rush turning the double-play and the fourth mistake was the second baseman taking his eye off the ball and trying to throw before he caught the ball.

The errors kept compounding.  Good teams and players prevent errors from getting past #1.  They don’t let them compound.  Facing a bobble, the third baseman should have stopped it there and became even more diligent about his footwork to not compound the problem with a bad throw.  The second baseman should have been more diligent about making sure of the first out, especially if the feed was a poor one.  This would have prevented the dropped ball.

The late John Wooden passed on an enormous amount of wisdom in the form of quotes and sayings.  One of them was “Be quick, don’t hurry.”  Both players in the example “hurried” their plays which caused them to skip very important steps in the process of turning a double play.  Being “quick” means being fast enough for success without skipping any of the important steps.  There is a big difference between the two.

Middle infielders: Backing up return throws

Middle infielders need to pay
attention to this throw ...
and return properly. 
(Photo by FourSeamImages)

By the time kids get to the high school varsity level, most middle infielders  know that when there are runners on base, especially one at third, they should be taking a step or two up the middle after each pitch in order to back up/check the throw from the catcher to the pitcher.  Should a throw by the catcher get past or go over the pitcher, someone needs to be on it quickly enough so nobody advances or scores.  If a middle infielder is not doing it, they need to start immediately and do it after every single pitch.  No exceptions.

Today’s tip involving this basic responsibility has more to do with what the two middle infielders do after backing up the throw from the catcher with a runner at first base.  The next time you are at a high school game, first notice if the middle infielders actually back up at all.  If they do, watch what happens next.  Many of them will check the throw and then turn around to return to their position.  If they don't actually turn around, most will take their eyes off the runner.  Both of these are bad habits.  Never turn your back on or take your eyes off a runner in this situation.  A sharp, fast runner might notice this and may take off towards second base while both middle infielders’ backs are turned.  There aren’t many more embarrassing plays for a middle infielder than to have this happen to them.  A middle infielder, having checked the throw, should walk backwards to his original position with his eyes on the runner at first.

If you are a runner, look for this mistake.  If you are a middle infielder, make sure this mistake never happens.

Pitching later into games

The “complete game” seems to have had the same fate as the black and white TV and phones with cords.  In 2010, Roy Halliday led the Major Leagues with 9 complete games on the way to the National League Cy Young Award. Entering his 14th season in the Major Leagues, Halliday tied his career best 9 complete games in a season.  It was the 4th time he had 9 complete games in his career. (Baseball-reference.com)

Robin Roberts.  They sure don't
make them like they used to.

Just to give you a little historical perspective, let's take a look at Robin Roberts, another Phillie pitcher and Hall of Famer, who had a 19 year career.  Roberts finished with 12 years where he had at least 10 complete games.  6 of those seasons he had 20 or more complete games and in three of those years he had over 30 complete games.  The most amazing stat for Roberts is that between two seasons (1952-1953) Roberts had 28 consecutive complete games!  (Baseball-reference.com) Are you kidding me?!

The game surely has changed with regard to what we expect from starting pitchers.

Although finishing games seems to now be more uncommon at all levels, there are some things pitchers can do to be able to pitch deeper into games and possibly complete them.  Being an overpowering, strike throwing pitcher is certainly the best way but for all other mortals, here are some tips:


More first pitch strikes.  A pitcher who is good at this should be around the 70% mark with first pitch strikes.  Throwing low strikes early accomplishes a goal that I'm a big fan of:  get the batter to put the ball in play within three pitches.  Do that and your pitch totals will start to drop making it more likely you will pitch later into games.  As Crash Davis said ...

Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.

  

Be careful how much you
throw out in the pen.

Monitor your warm-up.  A good phrase is "don't throw a game in the bullpen."  Some pitchers do this.  Some are perfectionists and can't seem to leave the bullpen before a game until all their pitches are just where they want them.  A pitcher has to understand that it's ok if all their pitches are not at 100% when leaving the pen.  Nobody wins or loses in the bullpen.  There are plenty of times when a pitcher has nothing in the pen and throws a gem once the game starts.  The opposite is true as well.  It is more important to develop a "feel" for all your pitches instead of mastering all of them in the pen.  If you are not sure how many pitches you are throwing in the pen, have someone chart them.  A teammate of mine once threw 81 pitches in the pen prior to the game.  I know because the pitching coach told me to count them.  That's almost an entire game!  Work to cut down the number of pitches it takes to be properly warmed up.  Any pitches you save means more pitches you can throw later in the game.  Don't skimp on your pre-game warm-ups but do not overdue it either.

Use pre-inning pitches as needed.  The rules state that a pitcher gets 5 pitches between innings and 8 if it's the first inning or the pitcher has just entered the game.  There is no rule that says a pitcher must use all those pitches.  On most warm summer days/nights I would hope to throw only three pitches between innings and have the catcher throw the third one down to second base.  If I felt I needed more, I'd use them but if my arm was loose there was no need to throw them just to throw them.  I'd rather save them for later.  On another note, hitters hate this which is another reason to do it.  No sooner have they put their glove down and put on a helmet does the ump say "we need a batter."  When batters feel rushed, the pitcher has the advantage.

Get off the field
and sit down!

Stay on the mound.  I wrote about the advantages of staying on the mound when you pitch in a post called Pitching Mistakes.  Click HERE to go back and read how it helps pitchers.

Sit down.  Between innings, go right to the bench and sit down.  Conserve as much energy as you can.  Get a drink, put on a jacket or wrap a towel around your arm and sit down.  Save your energy for later in the game.


It may be tough to throw a complete game but utilizing all these tips might just add an inning or two to your starts.

Freeze on a line drive

Most players grow up hearing the phrase "freeze on a line drive" when they are on base with less than two outs.  In general, that is good advice.  Do not get doubled off on a line drive.  However, as players move up in levels to high school and beyond, there are a few more things required of players than just freezing.  Here are some.

Before the pitch is thrown, know where all
the fielders are playing.

Know where everyone is.  Freezing on a line drive makes perfect sense if the ball is hit in the direction of a fielder.  If it's not, there really isn't a need to freeze.  To know the difference, a runner must know where every fielder is before the pitch is thrown and hit.  The next time a runner leads off a base on TV you will probably see him look around at the outfielders and infielders to see where they are before the pitch.  That's not just being cautious of being picked-off.  They need to know where everyone else is so that when a ball is hit they have a better idea if it will be caught.  Here is an example.  A runner on first base knows before the play that the right fielder is shaded towards right center and the second baseman is playing in double-play depth.  A line drive is hit over his head and fairly deep.  Based on where the fielders were, there is no way anybody will catch that line drive.  The runner certainly should not freeze.  Instead, he's off at contact because of the information he gathered prior to the pitch.  There are many situations like this where an observant runner gets a much better jump on a line drive and goes first to third or maybe score from second base. A runner who doesn't know where everyone is freezes and many times can only move up one base on the play.


Freeze when away, step back when close.  For runners, here is a general rule to go by in a line-drive situation.  

If the ball is hit to a fielder far from you, then freeze.  If the line drive is hit to a fielder close to you, not only should a base runner freeze but he should take a step back to the bag.

Example:  A runner is on third base.  A line drive is hit to the first baseman, second baseman, or shortstop.  The runner just freezes because if the ball is caught, he still will probably be able to get back to the bag in time if there is a throw.  If the ball is hit in the area of the third baseman, the runner should freeze and step back towards third.  In this case, if the ball is caught and the runner just freezes, the third baseman may beat him back to the bag.  The same thing can be said for a runner on second or first and the line drives are hit to the shortstop and second baseman or first baseman respectively.

If the outfielder's back is
showing, go half way.

Tag up or half way.  This usually applies more to runners at second base so I'll just use them for this example.  There are several factors at play when determining whether a runner, after seeing a line drive hit into the outfield, should return to the base to tag up or go half way in case the ball is not caught.  The score, the outs, the inning, the arm strength of the outfielder, and speed of the runner all have something to do with the decision but in general, here is a simple thing that every runner should focus on.  Watch how the outfielder goes after the ball.  
If the outfielder is sprinting after the ball or if his back is to the infield when he runs (the ball is hit over his head) it is more likely he will not catch it.  In this case the runner should go half way.  If the ball is dropped or missed, the runner can easily score.  If the ball is caught, the runner can return to the base and might even be able to tag up and go to third if he is fast enough especially if the outfielder continued away from the infield after the catch.  If the outfielder appears to have a good shot at the line drive - by looking at where he is and how the ball is traveling - then the runner should go back to the bag and wait to tag up.  


All this is why when runners get on base I usually don't say "freeze on a line drive."  Instead, I say "get a good read on a line drive"  or "watch the line drive."  They need to see the play develop before deciding what is best to do.

Shortstop: The 1-6-3 double play

An easy ground ball back to the pitcher with a runner on first base is called "a pitcher's best friend."  It should be an easy double play for the defense.  There are a number of little things the pitcher, the shortstop, and the first baseman must do in order to execute this play efficiently and successfully though.  This post concentrates on one thing that causes the most trouble for the shortstop.  

(Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg / Connecticut Post)

This all starts with the shortstop not assuming that the pitcher will make a good throw back to second base.  Pitchers are used to throwing to a person, not a base.  Therefore, many times instead of leading the shortstop and throwing the ball over the bag, many pitchers mistakenly throw it to the third base side of second base because that's where the shortstop is coming from.  They are throwing it to the person instead of the bag.  If the shortstop does not approach the bag correctly, the photo above shows what happens.  The shortstop has to reach back to catch the ball which alters his balance and momentum to first base.  Of course, this makes it less likely that the double play will be successful.  Although it was not a great throw by the pitcher, the shortstop made the mistake of getting to the bag too quickly.  To prevent this, here is what the shortstop should do.


I explained this in a previous post called Shortstop Mistakes as it related to a normal double play.  It applies to throws by the pitcher on the 1-6-3 double-play as well.  First, the shortstop must begin at double-play depth (double-play depth is explained in this post) in order to get to the bag in time to turn a double-play.  When the ball is hit back to the pitcher, the shortstop should take a couple big, quick steps towards the bag to quickly cut the distance between him and the bag.  Next is the tricky part.  When the shortstop gets to within 5-6 feet of the bag, he has to slow down using smaller steps in order to read the throw from the pitcher.  I refer to this as "sneaking up on the bag."  If the throw is on target and over the bag, the shortstop continues moving quickly again, catches the ball over the bag, and makes the throw to first base to complete the double-play.  If it's a poorly thrown ball on the third base side, the shortstop can stop, catch the ball, and then go to the bag.  


The point is that the shortstop has to try and stay behind the ball so that he is always moving towards second base when he catches the throw.  This allows the shortstop's momentum to continue through the bag even though the pitcher's throw may not be a great one.  


If the footwork and timing is correct, a shortstop - unless the throw is just horribly off target - should never have to reach back to catch a throw from the pitcher.

Managing your emotion

Below is what sports psychologists call an Inverted-U Graph.  The inverted-U's show the relationship between performance and emotional arousal.  Emotional arousal is a combination of things like blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate.  Here is what the chart is showing.  Whether you are golfing or weight lifting, if your emotional arousal level is too low, your performance will be low as well.  As the athlete's arousal level increases, performance increases up to a point.  After an athlete reaches the peak/top of their inverted U (optimal performance level), if their arousal level continues to increase, their performance level starts to drop again.  An easier way of saying this is that if an athlete's arousal levels are too low or too high, their performance will suffer.  

The key for any athlete is to find how high their emotional arousal level needs to be in order to be at peak performance.  As you can see by this graph, it is a very delicate balance.  The graph also shows that different types of sports require different levels of emotional arousal.  Let's apply this to baseball.

Starters like Greg Maddux thrive
in that role with their calm, relaxed
personality.

Hitting is like golf.  It requires a relaxed body and mind free of too much anxiety so the batter can focus on the complicated task of hitting a baseball.  This is why some hitters do much better when they hit in practice.  There is less pressure in practice so the emotional arousal level (heart rate, breathing rate, etc.) is relatively low as well.  However, in a game, the pressure rockets upward and a player's arousal level usually increases along with it.  Should it get too high, performance drops like the graph shows. 

Pitching is a bit more complicated.  A starting pitcher has to pace himself over 9 innings (actually more like 6 or 7 these days) and needs to have a calm, relaxed body and mind in order to do the more complicated thinking like remembering hitter tendencies, selecting pitches, and knowing where to be or where to throw the ball on various plays.  Therefore, a starting pitcher is like the golf example in the graph.  It's one of the reasons why starting pitchers are commonly pretty good at golf.  Their temperament fits well with that game also.  A closer is different.  A pitcher who finds himself in a closer role does not have to pace himself over many innings.  He also doesn't have to think nearly as much about pitches.  Most have either an overpowering fast ball or a nasty out-pitch.  Not much thinking needed there.  Just reach back and throw it.  Because of the more physical rather than mental nature of being a closer in comparison to a starter, a closer can afford to have higher arousal levels than a starting pitcher much like a weight lifter in the graph.  A weight lifter gets pumped up prior to the lift because he has to rev his body up for the intense, quick physical task.  Not much complex thinking there.  This is why closers tend to be the most animated and visually emotional pitchers on a MLB staff.  If a starting pitcher were like that, they would run out of energy by the third inning.  I may be wrong but I don't see Brian Wilson excelling in golf. 

The high energy, highly
emotion Jonathon Papelbon
fits well in the Red Sox
closer role.
(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Many closers dislike coming into games that don't mean anything.  A non-save situation.  They are too relaxed for peak performance as the graph shows on the weight lifting side.  They thrive on that pressure involved in a save situation because the stress elevates their arousal levels to the peak performance a closer needs for the more physical demands of their role.


So, what can a player learn from this?  A player needs to determine how much arousal is needed for their role and find specific strategies to manage those levels to reach peak performance.  There are many books and online resources that can help with this.  It will take some time and practice but it's well worth the effort.

Interview with Coach Barksdale - Univ. of Louisville

I recently had the opportunity to talk with Coach Xan Barksdale of the University of Louisville.  Coach Barksdale is one of college baseball’s best catching instructors.  He was a Division I catcher himself at the University of Mississippi and went on to catch in the Atlanta Braves organization.  He has a terrific website and a couple products that every catcher and coach should take a look at.  Below is the transcript of my interview.  I hope you enjoy it.

As an assistant coach at the college level, I’m sure you do a lot of recruiting.  As a coach of catchers, what area(s) of the high school catcher do you most often have to correct when a player gets to Louisville?

Being at a high level program like Louisville, we have the opportunity to recruit catchers who already have most of the basics down before they arrive.  Probably the biggest area I work on with young catchers is throwing and developing arm strength.  Most young catchers are not aware of how much throwing catchers do at the college level and have to train their arms to prepare for that.  Most catchers we get at Louisville still have a lot of arm strength to gain so we immediately put them into a long-tossing program that is geared to maximizing arm strength.  Other than that, I find that many catchers coming into the college level need work on the mechanics of tag plays at home plate and catching pop-flies over home plate.  Plays at the plate can be very dangerous for catchers if they are not in the proper body position so I make sure all my catchers are clear as to how it should be done.  Pop-flies around the plate area have to be automatic outs at the college level.  That’s a play that is often mishandled by high school catchers but it can’t happen in college.  It has to be an out.

There are a lot of myths in baseball when it comes to baseball instruction.  What do you see as the biggest myth associated with catching?

What comes to mind is something I hear a lot when catchers drop a ball.  You often will hear someone from the stands or the dugout say “Squeeze it!” when that happens.  The problem wasn’t that the catcher didn’t squeeze the ball.  The problem is that the catcher caught the ball with the wrong part of the glove.  Most of the time, the catcher tried to catch the ball in the palm area of the glove.  A catcher should always catch the ball in the “pocket” of the glove which is the area between the index finger and the thumb.  When a catcher does this, he won’t need to squeeze the glove.  Catching it in the pocket closes the glove around the ball naturally.

Along the line of catching the ball, many catchers complain of having a sore thumb due to the pounding their hand takes by catching pitch after pitch.  You’ve developed and sell a product that helps with this.  What is it?

It’s called the Catcher’sThumb.  It’s a hard piece of plastic that a catcher wears around the thumb that fits into a catcher’s mitt.  Most catchers at the pro level have them but the material that is most commonly used to make them is only available to high level athletic trainers.  I created the Catcher’s Thumb to give all catchers the ability to have one and the benefits from using it.

On Baseball By The Yard I’ve written a number of posts about the concept of "make-up."  How important is a catcher’s make-up in your decision to recruit him?

It plays a huge role.  A catcher has to be able to connect with the players on the team especially the pitching staff.  Leadership qualities among catchers are a must at my level.  I look for a guy that knows when to pat a pitcher on the back and when to get in his face.  That takes a certain personality to pull that off effectively.  Handling pressure is also important.  Catchers have to make very quick decisions in pressure situations so it’s important for them to not just know what to do but to do it when it’s needed the most.

Anyone can see a catcher hit a 400ft home run or one that has a canon for an arm and label that kid a prospect.  However, as you know, success at the higher levels has a lot to do with the little things most fans don’t notice.  What little things do you look for when you watch catchers?

Most of what I’m looking at has to do with receiving.  There is a difference between “catching” and “receiving.”  Receiving means catching the ball with very little movement and “strong hands.”  Strong hands means the ability to keep the ball where you catch it instead of allowing the ball to move the glove away from the zone after catching it.  That’s an important part to receiving because the catcher does not want to take strikes away from the pitcher by moving his glove too much after the catch.

Other than that, I’m looking for what coaches refer to as “having life in your feet.”  That means always hustling on every play and bouncing around as if you want to be there.  It’s easy for a catcher to get worn down but the good ones never show that fatigue.

Living near Philadelphia, I hear the Phillies’ pitchers often say that they love throwing to Carlos Ruiz.  What makes a catcher so popular with pitchers?

Carlos Ruiz
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

It starts with the basics like receiving well and getting more strikes for the pitcher along with being a good blocker on balls in the dirt.  After that, it goes back to connecting with pitchers.  Pitchers like to get into a rhythm and every time they have to shake off a catcher’s sign it slows down that rhythm.  Having a catcher who is on the same wave length as pitchers is certainly a plus.  A great catcher knows that every pitcher is unique in terms of their pitches and personalities.  Spending time with them in the bullpen, the dugout, and the clubhouse helps catchers get to know each pitcher and what makes them tick.

Many young catchers have all the pitches called for them by the coaching staff.  What are your thoughts on catchers being able to call their own game?

Calling your own pitches can be a great developmental tool for catchers.  It’s a great way to learn the game because you have to be aware of many factors happening at once to know what pitch to put down.  However, there are times when the coaches are more aware of the scouting report than the players so in that case we’ll relay the signs.  Especially if the pitcher/catcher combination is young.  If the pitcher and/or catcher have more experience, we generally give them more flexibility to call more of their own pitches.  At Louisville, we try to have a balance of the two.

Yadier Molina

If you wanted a young player to study a Major League catcher to see the correct way of doing things, who would you recommend they watch?

Probably Yadier Molina of the St. Louis Cardinals.  Not only does he have great fundamentals in terms of throwing, blocking, and receiving mechanics, he has the quickness you want to see in a catcher and a good feel for the pitchers he works with.  It’s clear the pitchers have a lot of respect for him.  Many major league catchers have such great physical skills and athletic ability that they can get away with mechanical shortcomings.  Yadier Molina combines a natural athletic ability with good mechanics.  He comes from a family of great catchers (his two brothers are also MLB catchers) so he’s had some great instruction. He’d be my pick.

A number of Major League catchers did not start their career as a catcher.  Carlos Ruiz actually started in pro ball as an infielder.  What would you see in a player that would lead you to believe that his career should be behind the plate?

Many times the players that are converted into catchers are guys who have a pretty good bat but are a little short in the area of defense.  A good bat forces coaches to find another spot for the guy to get him into the line-up.  Middle infielders are good candidates for this because they usually have developed some skills that transfer well to catching.  Soft hands, quick hands with the catching and throwing transition, quick footwork, and what I mentioned earlier – “life in their feet.”  If an infielder no longer can handle the defensive requirements of their position, they might have enough of those skills to make the jump to catcher.

Catching is probably the most grueling position on the field and can wear down a body quickly during the season.  What do you encourage catchers to do to keep their bodies healthy during the season?

Many people focus attention on the wear and tear catching can take on the knees.  As I said earlier, young catchers usually don’t understand the toll that catching can have on the arm because of the amount of throwing required.  A pitching staff may throw 100-200 pitches per game.  People forget that the catcher makes a firm throw back every time.  That’s up to 200 throws a game in some cases for the catcher.  Add to that return throws when the pitcher makes his pre-inning pitches plus the pre-inning throws the catcher makes down to second base.  That’s a huge amount of throwing.  Unfortunately, the catcher doesn’t get four to five days off in between starts like pitchers do to allow their arm to recover.  At Louisville, we put our catchers on a “pre-hab” program of tubing exercises, ice, and cardio work very much like pitchers to keep their arm strong throughout the season.  Cardio work would involve a routine of light pole running and some light stationary bike work.  A pitcher can run hard poles and do hard bike work because they have days to recover.  A catcher is back out there the next day so they do the same exercises as pitchers but they just take it a bit lighter. 

You were fortunate to play a high level Division I college program (Ole Miss.) and at the pro level (Atlanta Braves Organization) as well.  At what level did you learn the most about catching?

I was fortunate that as a youth catcher my parents made every opportunity available to me.  I had the opportunity to workout with a Division I catcher (Barry Winford) who played at Mississippi State University and ended up playing in the Texas Rangers organization.  I also attended numerous baseball camps/clinics.  My head coach at Ole Miss (Mike Bianco) and the various Atlanta Braves catching instructors were also very knowledgeable so I got very good instruction throughout my playing days.  Another thing that I did that I always tell kids and coaches to do in my clinics is to study good catchers that you see.  The advantage catchers have is that when you watch TV, the catcher is always in full view.  You can see everything he does from giving signals to receiving to throwing and blocking.  From start to finish, you see everything.  If I’m a left fielder, I only get to see the end result on TV – the catch.  I miss the pre-pitch steps, the first step footwork, and the angle to the ball.  You don’t miss much if you watch a catcher.  Of course, this requires a kid to study the catcher instead of just watching the game.  There’s a lot to see if you really pay attention.

Your website has a great deal of valuable information for catchers.  What inspired you to create your website?

As I said, I was fortunate that I was able to receive some great instruction due to the people I had access to.  That’s not the case with most kids.  When I looked around, there was very little good information for catchers on how to do things correctly.  My website (www.catching-101.com) is my attempt to give tons of valuable information to those kids that are not as fortunate as I was.

I saw on your site that you have a book coming out soon.  What is it about and what is the status of it?

My book on catching, that will be available at www.catching-101.com, is an expansion of much of the information I have provided on my site and in my videos.  For example, in my videos I show a lot of good drills for catchers but the book will get into much more detail about how to actually do them correctly.  Although it is more geared to the high-amateur level catcher, it certainly would be valuable for any catcher, parent, or coach who wants to learn about every aspect of catching.  It’s a combination of my thoughts on catching and proper technique.

I am hoping to get the book finished and published within a couple months.  It’s been tough since my coaching position takes up a lot of time but it should out in a few months.

You’ve also come out with an iPhone app.  What kind of app is it?

The app is called the Catchers Performance Summary.  It stems from a lack of statistics for catchers when evaluating their performance.  With hitters and pitchers, there is every type of statistic imaginable.  A batter’s average during night games vs day games.  How he hits on turf as opposed to grass.  A pitcher’s ERA from the wind-up vs the stretch.  You name it, they have it.  For catchers, there is virtually nothing.  The app allows someone to record all the statistics that would be valuable for catchers to see how they’ve done and how they are progressing.  It tracks the pitchers’ ERA when this guy is catching, pop-times to bases, number of blocked balls per total chances, dropped balls, and much more.  After a game I can then email a report to the catcher and show him his stats for the game.  We then can use that information to target areas that need improvement in practice.  My catchers love it because they get instant, usable feedback on their game performance.

Baseball By The Yard would like to thank Coach Barksdale for taking the time to do this interview.  We wish him and the rest of the University of Louisville Cardinals the best of luck in their 2011 season!

To get all the great instruction and products from Coach Barksdale, be sure to check out the following links:

Website: www.Catching-101.com

Catcher’s Thumb: www.CatchersThumb.com

Catching 101 Book: www.catching-101.com/Catching-101/Book.html

Catcher’s Performance Summary App – www.CatchersPerformanceSummary.com