• Every player gets the same perfect  pitch to hit, because the machine uses a mechanical throwing arm action. This  eliminates one team having an advantage over the other team because one coach  pitches better than the other coach pitches.

• Every pitch is thrown on a level  plane. The players do not develop incorrect swing paths to the ball. By  learning the correct path to the ball at an early age the player doesn’t have  to unlearn a bad swing habit at an older age.

• The fear factor is taken out of the  game. The young players are no longer afraid of being hit by an inaccurate  pitch thrown by an adult coach.The player can now concentrate on having fun  and learning the game.

• The games will be more exciting  because the players have good pitches to hit every time and the games are  completed faster because three strikes can be thrown instead of five  questionable pitches.

Unless you’re in the pros or playing in a wood-bat league, we’ll assume that you’ll be swinging aluminum. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when making your selection:

Weight: As a general rule, bigger, stronger players usually prefer a heavier bat for maximum power. Smaller players usually benefit from a lighter bat that allows greater bat speed. To determine the weight that’s right for you, swing a variety of bats and see how much weight you’re comfortable with.

Length: Length and weight combine for peak performance. A longer bat gives you greater reach, allowing you to hit balls on the other side of the plate. But remember that a longer bat may be heavier, and the extra weight could slow you down. Like checking the weight, you need to swing bats of different lengths to decide what length best suits you.

Barrel diameter: Most players 12 and under should use a 2 1/4” barrel. This is the standard barrel size for Dixie Youth and Little League baseball, although some leagues and travel teams are using larger 2 3/4” barrels. High school and college players are restricted to a maximum barrel diameter of 2 5/8”.

League requirements: Virtually all leagues have their own bat requirements and restrictions. For example, high school and college requirements call for BBCOR-certified bats. To avoid costly surprises, make sure you know all league requirements before you go bat shopping.

Bat Material

Alloy: Several different aluminum alloys are used in today’s bats, each with different performance and durability characteristics. Ever wondered why some bats cost $30 while others cost $300? The alloy is often the biggest factor in the price difference. Here’s a look at some of the more popular alloys:

7046: A durable, affordable alloy that has been an industry standby for years.

Cu31: This time-tested alloy provides a great combination of performance and durability. It was the first true high-performance bat alloy.

C405 (7055): A popular alloy used by several manufacturers for their high-end bats.

C555: An alloy that includes scandium, C555 is stated to be up to 10% stronger than C405.

Scandium XS: Developed exclusively for Louisville Slugger by Alcoa, this alloy features twice the scandium found in bats made by other manufacturers, giving it even greater strength than C555.

ST+20: Also designed exclusively for Louisville Slugger by Alcoa, ST+20 is the strongest alloy on the bat market today. If you’re looking for the ultimate high-performance alloy, this is it. 

Composite: Combines graphite, fiberglass and resin. Composite bats have a unique sound and feel that many batters prefer, as well as a large, forgiving sweet spot.

3X composite technology: Unique three-piece design allows barrel and handle to be designed as individual units, yet bonded to perform as an advanced 1-piece bat

Hybrid: Combines aluminum alloy with composite materials. This gives a batter the best of two worlds: an aluminum barrel with a stiff composite handle.

H2 Technology: The next step in optimizing the composite/alloy hybrid design

Exogrid Technology: Delivers power and performance through handle stiffness and strength

Air chamber and other special features: Many Louisville Slugger high-performance bats feature inflatable chambers filled with nitrogen or helium inside their barrels. A Louisville Slugger exclusive, these chambers significantly enhance trampoline effect and performance.

Feel: This may be the most important factor. Make sure the bat feels right to you, like an extension of your arm and hand. After all, you’re going to be spending quite a bit of time together.

So you’ve chosen your bat. Now what? You want to be comfortable and confident with your bat before you swing it in a win-or-lose situation, so take it to the practice field or batting cage and get in a few hits. Confidence can only come from one thing: batting practice. Whatever bat you choose, put in plenty of practice time, so you’ll be ready when the pressure’s on at the plate.

Sizing Information

SOFTEN THE LEATHER.

To conform your glove to your hand and your game, the first step is to soften the leather. Any number of creams, oils and foams will do the job. Most pros prefer Neetsfoot Oil. But no matter what you choose to soften your mitt with, remember that less is more and that too much oil or foam will not get you closer to your goal. In fact, it will probably damage your glove. So remove the excess product after you have applied it, and don’t over-moisten the leather.

MOLD THE POCKET.

You want a nice, round, roomy pocket for your glove when you’re fielding grounders or snatching those line-drive bullets out of the air. The tried-and-true method for achieving this is to place a ball firmly where you want your pocket to be and then close your glove securely around the ball by tying a shoestring around it or using a large rubber band. Because time is needed to get the pocket started, let the glove sit for a day or two while the shape starts to form.

PLAY BALL!

Of course the best way to create your pocket and match your glove to your hand is to use the glove. Before you take it out to the game, grab a buddy and catch some balls. This, more than anything else, will help you form the glove to your hand.

A GOOD GLOVE should last many years, so patience and dedication should be used when breaking it in. If you follow these guidelines, you should be able to hand the glove down to your kids when they’re ready to get in the game.

Here are some nutrition tips to help you recover and replenish so you can perform to the best of your ability.

Water

It’s the essence of life and vital for athletic performance. Water rids the body of toxins, flushes out waste, regulates body temperature, improves digestion, lubricates joints and protects organs. It also allows other organs to do their jobs—the liver, for example, which metabolizes fat into usable energy for the body.

Adding lemon to water is alkalizing for the body, conferring numerous health benefits and promoting hydration, which is really important during long, hot days on the field. (Check out Talking Water: Facts and Tips on Staying Hydrated.) Remember: 3% dehydration equals a 10% loss in strength and 8% loss in speed.

Recommended amount for baseball players: 0.5 ounces/pound/day + workout needs

Protein

Meeting your recommended daily requirement of protein is essential for proper hormone production, immune function and maintaining lean muscle mass. Good sources are eggs, lean poultry (skinless breast), whey, fish, lean meats and dairy (if not lactose-intolerant).

Recommended amount for baseball players:  ~1g/pound/day

Carbohydrate

Carbs provide fuel for the body. Ditch them and say goodbye to high-intensity training. Good sources are vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes. Personally, I avoid wheat, because it makes me feel sluggish. Stick to oatmeal, quinoa, millet, rice, yams and sweet potatoes.

Recommended  amount for baseball players: 1.5-4g/pound/day. This is a wide range because needs vary depending upon goals for weight loss/gain/maintenance, training intensity and training duration.

Fat

Healthy fats play an important role in hormone function and have anti-inflammatory properties. Fish oil, olive oil, oil blends, avocados, nuts and seeds are good sources.

Recommended amount for baseball players: around 20% to 30% total daily intake, depending on goals for weight loss/gain/maintenance and individual tolerance. Some athletes digest fat easily and feel good on a higher fat diet. Others do not. If you eat a high fat meal and feel sluggish, or it just “sits” in your stomach, stick to the lower end of the range.

Nutrient Timing

To maintain consistent energy, eat every three hours. Never fast or starve. When the body thinks it’s starving, it releases ghrelin, a hormone produced in the stomach whose function is to tell the brain that the body must be fed. Release of ghrelin favors an increase in body weight by slowing metabolism and decreasing the body’s ability to burn fat. You will feel sluggish and slow.

Proper nutrient timing also results in a better ability to focus and concentrate, which is vital to success in baseball.

It’s best to eat three small meals plus three snacks of workout-specific fuel. Divide your total daily requirements into five portions:

• 1 portion each for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• 1 portion consisting of 3 snacks
• 1 portion that’s workout-specific

To do: Achieve a constant energy balance throughout the day—never starving, never stuffed. Eat six times a day instead of only two or three times. Breakfast is the most important meal, because the body has been fasting all night. Prior to a morning workout, taking in even just 50 calories—such as with watered down juice, a bite of an energy bar, a piece of fruit or a couple of spoonfuls of yogurt—will keep your body from entering “starvation mode.” Everyone’s timing is different, so find what works best for you.

Pre-Plan

A proper diet takes commitment and work. Pre-planning meals and snacks takes the guesswork out and helps with shopping. Once you get a routine going, it becomes easier.

The following menu is suggested for a 6’3”, 200-pound athlete who requires between 4,000 and 4,500 calories daily.

Pre-Workout [6-7 a.m.]

20-oz electrolyte beverage with
14g of carbs per 8 oz
1 banana

Workout/Practice [7-9 a.m.]

16 to 32 oz of water/hour

Post-Recovery Breakfast [9-9:30 a.m.]

Replace any fluids lost during the workout; continue regular hydration throughout the day
3 oz lean turkey
4 oz whole-wheat bagel
8 oz skim milk
16 oz water
2 USANA Antioxidants, 2 USANA
Mineral or A.M. Health Pak
1 BiOmega

Lunch [12-1 p.m.]

4 oz whole-wheat bagel
3 oz lean turkey
1 ounce cheese
2C raw vegetables
2 tsp Italian or oil dressing
1 apple
1 Vitalicious Cranbran Vita Top
24 oz skim milk

Afternoon Snack [2-4 p.m.]

1 nutrition shake [aim for 360 cals,
54g carbs, 20g protein, 8g fat] 2C fruit
10 almonds
16 oz water

Evening Meal [5-7 p.m.]

4 oz grilled chicken
1C wild rice
1C corn
1C green beans
24 oz water
2 USANA Antioxidants, 2 USANA
Mineral or P.M. Health Pak
1 BiOmega

Evening Snack [8-10 p.m.]

24g NSF -certified protein powder
2C frozen fruit
8 oz skim milk
1 tsp peanut butter

The players start out at home plate and run around first base, making an aggressive turn, and then dive back into the bag. After diving back, they get up as fast as they can and head to second base to do the same thing. They do this also at third then slide feet first into home plate to end their round.

Besides basic conditioning, this drill helps build the players’ speed and quickness back to the bag. Also, it is helpful to work on quickly leaving the bag as well as helping the players recognize how big of a turn they can make around a bag to make sure they get back in case of a throw.

A good way to prove the get-back theory is to have an outfielder and a second baseman try to get a player out every couple of times through. I usually only make the players do this drill twice before they are finished.

Before you attempt to work on your blocking with a baseball, you first need to make sure you have the proper form. Proper blocking form will allow you to more easily block and control balls in the dirt.

Purpose:
To develop correct blocking technique and improve quickness.

Materials:
catchers gear. This drill can be done alone or with a partner/coach.

Procedure:
Assume your normal ready position. Visualize a pitcher throwing the ball in the dirt and drop into correct  blocking position. Do this a number of times, each time trying to be quick and in the proper position.
Now, repeat the same sequence working on blocking balls to the left and right. Remember to properly angle your body so you are funneling the ball back toward home plate. You can perform this drill with or without a glove.

Sets:
Ideally you should do 3 sets of 10 reps for right, left, and straight down. Tailor the amount to meet your needs.

Extension:
For a variation, have a partner or coach stand 10 to 15 feet in front of you and point either down, left, or right. You must react to the direction as quickly as you can while maintaining proper form.

Purpose: A pitching machine allows you to accurately replicate live pitches in any part of the strike zone. A bonus to using a pitching machine to aid in developing your receiving skills is that you are able to set the machine for any desired location, speed, and pitch type.

Materials: A pitching machine, home plate, real baseballs or yellow pitching machine balls

Procedure: Set up and place a pitching machine at varying distances from home plate. The closer the machine to the plate the more accurate the pitches will be and this will help when working on receiving for specific areas of the strike zone. Keep in mind, the closer you place the pitching machine to home plate, the lower it should be to the ground. You should make every attempt to replicate the angle of a pitch relative to a pitcher throwing from the mound.

I would suggest using shorter poles to brace the machine and then incorporate a table and other materials to adjust the height of the machine based on the distance from home plate.

Use the pitching machine to work on receiving breaking balls. You will need to adjust the speed of the wheels, but this will allow for catchers to get used to the feel and break of pitches. Using live pitchers for this drill (especially at lower levels) can be frustrating.