Game is at 12 noon. Warm Ups start at 11AM.
Some REALLY good baseball pictures. I have added comments to each one as why I like the photo.
Ignore the pitcher - Look at the 3rd baseman. He is moving forward, eyes on the rock, ready to make a play. This is GREAT baseball. Regardless if the ball is actually hit to you... every player has to be ready in case it does.
Derek Jeter is one of the best infielders that has ever played the game. This is during warm-ups and what I like is that he is using 'alligator hands'. Derek probably was taught this his first year in Little League, and he uses it every day on the major league diamond. (see, Coach Greg doesn't make this stuff up.) Notice how wide his feet are apart, his rear is down, and his chest is 'square' to the plate.
Final picture of the day. Now were focused on the pitcher's hands, elbows & front leg. The ball hand is pointed away from the player head and both elbows are bent. The front leg (knee) is pointed to the target. This is a major issue for most of our players. Their front foot steps away from the throwing target line and they lose accuracy and speed on their throws.
SCHEDULE:
Date | Time* | Field | Visitor | Home | Snacks | Drinks |
09/13/09 | Noon | Country Club | AA-ANGELS | AA-ORIOLES | Buechler | Buechler |
09/20/09 | 03:00 PM | Pine Valley #2 | AA-L16 | AA-ORIOLES | Hirtle | Mitchell |
09/27/09 | Noon | Emerald Glenn - A | AA-ORIOLES | AA-Dbln-A’S | Becker | Ruthruff |
10/04/09 | 03:00 PM | Junction Middle School #3 | AA-ORIOLES | AA-L18 | Douglas | Berkowitz |
10/11/09 | 03:00 PM | Pine Valley #2 | AA-ORIOLES | AA-A’S | McCort | McCort |
10/18/09 | Noon | Country Club | AA-ORIOLES | AA-PADRES | Huston | |
10/25/09 | Noon | Arlington | AA-ORIOLES | AA-BRAVES | Ritter | Meyer-Overstreet |
11/01/09 | Noon | Pine Valley #2 | AA-PHILLIES | AA-ORIOLES | Mitchell | Hirtle |
Game 2 Wrap-up
The great Yogi Berra once said "Baseball is 90% mental -- the other half is physical." Regardless of his math, Yogi was right about the mental part of this game. If you are not ready to play every pitch, play every out, do your job on the field or at the plate, this game will let you and everyone watching the game know it.
Today was a very good example of this. The good plays were the result of players that were paying attention, playing their positions, and being ready the moment the ball was thrown. Fully 90% of the mistakes on the field were because players were not ready, were not "in the game" and not paying attention.
Baseball is no different than most all areas of life - except that there are bats and balls flying around at 50 mph. Players NEED to be ready on every pitch, they NEED to be able to protect themselves, make plays and support their teammates.
If anyone has a bucket of old tennis balls that they can send in with their kid on Friday, let me know. This Friday the drills will continue to focus on fundamentals -- batting (aggression & patience), throwing, catching, and we are going to add ready positioning, and A T T I T U D E.
Baseball is fun when played with passion, when players try their best (regardless of the result!), and when players support eachother (again not much different than our work, our families, and life in general.)
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