Competing Without Your Best

Hello Passion for Pitching Family!!!

So we are currently on a five game win streak.  Much more fun playing out in front of the bunch then playing tug-o-war and five hundred baseball.  During the streak we have done an amazing job as a team to simply compete.  Every AB, every inning, we have been right where we need to be with our focus.  No matter if we are down during a certain part of the game or playing out ahead, we have done a very solid job of playing until the bell sounds.

Yesterday (July 29th) we had a young left handed pitcher go out to the mound.  From the start he was having trouble commanding his fastball and working ahead of hitters.  There were times where he would throw a ball in the dirt, then a ball way up in the zone and then a perfect strike.  He basically had no feel for what was going on out there. 

But here is the thing...

when you are a pitcher there are going to be all sorts of different feelings you have when you are on the mound.  Some days you are going to feel amazing and nothing will bother you.  Some days you will feel horrible the entire game and you are just going to have to deal with it the best you can.  Some days you will feel amazing and then all of a sudden in the middle of the game you lose feeling.  Some days it will be the opposite, where you start out feeling horrible but then little by little you gain that feeling place back and you roll through the rest of the game.

No matter what the situation is you MUST be able to compete without your best.  That is exactly what our left handed pitcher did last night.  He was able to battle, not get too discouraged where he was unable to make pitches when he needed to.  There were specific times where he knew he needed to get a little extra focus to get out of a jam and he dug down deep and made it happen.  This is something that is not always easy to learn or to deal with for young professional pitchers, but it is a huge part of their makeup and will allow them to play at higher levels and increase their chances of becoming big leaguers some day.  Very rarely will a pitcher feel absolutely perfect on the mound.  We want to strive for that but not let it discourage us or beat us up if we don't get that each time out. 

Ok, all for now...just a friendly reminder from your friend here at Passion for Pitching.  Hope all is well and happy pitching!!!

Focus Before...Focus During!!!

Hello Passion for Pitching Family!!

So the other night we played a tough one in Princeton, WV against the Rays Organization.  The game went into extra innings and we ended up pulling it out to the tune of 9 to 8.  It was an exciting game and the guys battled back twice from deficits during the game.  The pitching finally stabilized towards the back end of the game and put it away for us once we grabbed the lead in extra frames.

There were a couple things I noticed about not only the nights game but also the entire time I have been with the Cardinals Organization.  The young starting pitchers are really not sure how to get themselves ready mentally or physically before a start.  Sometimes they don't really even know what to do during a game as well.

My example is from the Princeton game.  We had a young man go out to the mound where you could just see it in his face that he was not up for the challenges that the game was going to bring.  I wish I would have had a camera in the dugout because he went through three different types of focus during the game and each one showed on his face like you were staring at yourself in the mirror. 

First off, starting pitchers need to make sure that they understand that preparing yourself before the game is not just about physically moving your body and then starting to throw.  There should be a build up of intensity, concentration and focus that happens throughout the day and into the start.  Heck, there are even times where you hear of pitchers getting going the day or the night BEFORE their next start.  There is a certain tuning that needs to be done so you are ready to commit your emotions and mentality to the battle you are about to take on.

In the rookie league you see young pitchers walking out of the clubhouse maybe 10 minutes before they need to start throwing.  Then you see them do a couple tugs on their body and a couple light jogs and then they pick up a ball and start throwing.  There is a lack of realization that the physical work is not just to prepare your body to start throwing so you can get on the mound.  The physical work is also a fine tuning, a mental preparation to bring forth the focus and intensity needed to allow your body to perform how you want it to.

Let me get back to my example though.....ok, so during the bullpen prior to the game you could just see he wasn't into it.  His body language was lazy, his focus was flat and because of that his bullpen session was below average at best.  Before he threw a pitch in the game I knew he was in for a rough one.  It had nothing to do with his physical ability whatsoever.  It had everything to do with his facial expressions and his body language.  So he went out in the first inning and was hit quite hard.  He was lucky to get out of it with just two runs scoring in the inning.  When he came back in the dugout you could see he looked defeated.  That is the first point where I wish I would have taken a picture.

So the 2nd inning comes and out he goes.  The first guy got on in this inning as well but he was able to calm down enough to start making some better pitches.  Then he got the defense behind him to make a couple plays and you could see him starting to turn it around.  When he went back out for the 3rd inning you saw a whole new pitcher out there.  This was the second time in the ballgame where I wish I would have had a camera.  The focus was there and the intensity was in his face.  He sat quietly and confidently on the bench and at this time it was a 2-2 game.

But then came the top of the fourth and we scored three runs.  This is the third point in the game where I wish I had my camera.  You should have seen this kids face.  He went from out in the ozone, to intently focused, to overly cocky and not paying attention, all in a time frame of just four innings.  When we were scoring runs for him in the fourth he was joking with teammates and basically not realizing he still had a job to do.

So what do you think happened next???  Well, he went back out for the bottom of the 4th and we were up 5 to 2.  He never made it out of the inning and we ended up giving up the lead in that very inning. 

Focus is a goofy thing.  You either have it or you don't.  You either understand it or you don't.  You either feel it or you don't.  But either way, you better be able to understand how you lose it and how you get it back if you want to survive as a pitcher in professional baseball.  There are way too many things that can go on in a ballgame that can turn you all different ways.  You must be able to focus on your job and your job only.  You must be able to know how to prepare yourself before the game and then maintain that preparation and focus during the game, no matter the circumstances.

The next time you go to a major league game or watch one on TV check out the starting pitcher.  See what he does before the game and during the game.  See what his facial expressions are.  See if he is hooting and hollering in the dugout or if he is cool, calm and collected and mainly keeping to himself to maintain his concentration and focus.

That's all for now Passion for Pitching!!!

Happy Pitching!!!

More On Mindset....

Tonight we had a solid win against Elizabethton.  The same team who put up a 7 spot on us in the game yesterday.  You guys at home are getting these blogs on tape delay...LOL.  I am writing these as though they are being published daily even though they are not.  So if you actually care and start following the Johnson City Cardinals, I apologize for confusing you!!!

Anyhow...tonight we won a 6-4 game.  We pitched decently the entire evening and did some things better tonight then the night before.  A couple times we did better with not paying attention to the umpire and using the next pitch in the sequence that we wanted to use.  We also did a bit better at not paying attention to how bad or good the umpire was at any given point in the game.

But I wanted to add some more thoughts to my Umpires Don't Exist blog.  I wanted to expand some more on the idea of mindset and how important that truly is.  Now I can easily call mindset by other terms such as perspective or perception so please don't get caught up in logistics.  This topic really plays off of the Law of Attraction series I have started and actually still need to finish, but if you are at all curious you can go back and read them after finishing this blog.

So let's get to it...ok so the last blog I talked about how a pitcher was stuck on how an umpire was making bad calls on balls and strikes.  And I talked about how I felt he let those bad calls basically ruin his outing and put him in a state of mind where he was no longer effective and able to compete.  My whole point in the topic of mindset or perspective is that the better your mindset is or perspective is, the more successful you will be.  Absolutely, no doubt about it!!!

Let's look at it two ways.  You are pitching in a game.  The game is close.  The umpire is not consistent with his strike zone.  He is calling balls where you feel they should be strikes.  What do you do???  How is your mindset???  Do you look at the experience as a way to become a victim and make excuses of why you are not able to compete?  Or do you not even respond to the umpire's calls because you are so focused on the next pitch you don't even respond with a thought of "I can't." 

You see, in the game of baseball, you can actually create your outings.  You can create how you are going to pitch, how you are going to respond and how your game is going to end up.  The reason why people make it to the big leagues and thrive is because their mindset is automatically set to succeed.  They don't listen to excuses, they don't make excuses, they don't blame anyone else for their tough days and they certainly don't give up or give in when outside circumstances may make it a bit tougher for them. 

If you are in a baseball game and an umpire doesn't give you calls you feel you deserve and instantly your reaction or habit of thought takes you towards the road of being a victim or making excuses or it enables you to compete, then guess what, you will never be the pitcher you want to be.  But if you can be aware of how you think or react to adversity when you are on the mound then you can start working towards the mindset and perspective you need to be a successful pitcher, a big league pitcher. 

As you get better and better in becoming non-reactive to adverse situations and you are becoming better and better at immediately focusing on solutions instead of problems, the momentum builds and you actually breed yourself into success.  The mindset becomes a feeling place and it follows you wherever you go. 

Have you ever been in a game and FELT so confident you knew good things were going to happen?  Have you ever been in a game and you FELT scared or worried and you were not sure what was going to happen next?  Well, what happened in those two situations????  In my brief professional career I knew exactly when I was going to have a solid outing and when I was in serious trouble. 

The mindset you have and create in your career will absolutely create your outings and your career so please start to think about how you feel and think when you are on the mound and competing. 

Ok, all for now....Happy Pitching!!!!

Umpires Don't Exist

We lost a tough one tonight in Elizabethton against the Twins Organization.  One long, rough inning sealed our fate.  Isn't that funny in the game of baseball?  You could score three separate times in three separate innings but if the other team gave you an ass whooping in just one of the 9 innings, you will still lose the game.  That is what happened to us tonight.  We jumped on them quick in the first 2 innings by the score of 3-0.  But in the 4th our pitcher had a tough time recovering and ended up giving up 7 runs in one inning.  Definitely a tough one to swallow when you are on the bench and not able to do a thing about it.  They did not score in any other inning but obviously they didn't have to when you score 7 in just one inning...LOL!!

But it brings up an amazing learning experience I wanted to share with you.  The title of this Blog is Umpires Don't Exist for two reasons.  One, is an effective velocity reason which I will explain shortly.  The other, is a focus and mindset reason which I will also expand upon.

Ok, so first one is the effective velocity topic.  Effective velocity is a more scientific way to look at the strike zone and how it effects the hitter.  So for example, if you are a pitcher that throws 90mph and you throw it right down the middle of the plate, it looks and feels like 90mph to the hitter.  No secret there, right?  But if you throw that same pitch, which reads 90mph on the radar gun, but now throw it inside and high it looks like a different velocity to the hitter, it looks faster, it has an effect of being faster.  The same goes for the ball low and away.  It looks slower then 90mph to the hitters eye.  Does that make sense??? 

So as a pitcher your job is to make sure and keep the hitters attention where you want it so you can cause the least solid amount of contact possible.  This way you can get some pop-ups and some easy groundball outs. 

When you are a pitcher throwing in a game, there are going to be plenty of times (especially at the college and high school levels) where the umpire does not call pitches strikes that you believe are just that, strikes.  Well, this is how you want to handle this situation.  If you feel like you got the attention of the hitter with the pitch you just threw, no matter if it was called a ball or a strike, move on to the next pitch in your pitch sequence.  Remember, your job as a pitcher is to pitch to contact, soft contact hopefully.  So if you have command of your pitches and are confident in what you throw, you really never have to worry about the umpire at all.

The example I will give you was in tonight's game in the 3rd inning.  Our pitcher threw a first pitch fastball on the inside part of the plate, right where he wanted it.  However, the umpire called it a ball and our pitcher clearly did not agree.  But instead of having confidence in his ability to be able to throw a strike on the next pitch and let it be the pitch he wanted, the change-up, he listened to the umpire, saw the count was 1-0 and felt he was locked into a fastball count.  Now the at bat ended up just fine and he got out of the jam he was in, but he carried it with him to the dugout and was complaining about the umpire.

This takes us right into the second topic of focus and mindset.  When our pitcher went back out in the fourth he was still reeling from the inning before and you could tell his intensity level was not the same.  He let the jam that he got into (and he felt the jam was caused by the umpire) totally change his mindset and it took him mentally out of the game.  The funny thing was that he didn't even give up a run in the 3rd inning but still let the umpire take him out of his mindset.

Now he goes back out for the fourth inning with a loss of focus and a "poor me" attitude and well....you know the rest....7 runs and he is out of the game.

You young pitchers at home, please pay attention to this.  Focus is a choice.  Mindset is a choice.  What you allow to effect you positively or negatively is a choice.  Whether you choose to let things effect you that you are not in control over is totally up to you.  In the game of baseball (as in life) there are going to be plenty of times where things may not be going the way you want them to be going.  In that moment of time you have two choices, fuel the fire (make yourself more upset) or move on and let it go.

In pitching, it is such a mental/emotional position that you are challenged almost on every pitch to maintain your focus and mindset.  You are asked to not allow any so called "obstacles" that are thrown in your way to bother you.  You must pitch with blinders on and never let the outside stuff, such as umpires, fans, the other team, bother your focus and concentration.  I know this is easier said then done, but if this is not something you practice or are aware of when you are on the mound, then you simply will not last that long in the game of baseball, especially professional baseball.

Ok, that is all for now.  Happy Pitching and talk to you all soon!!!!

Playing Catch

Another day of rain with the boys up here in Tennessee.  We will be playing two games tomorrow, hopefully the rain will stay away so we can get going again tomorrow.  Whenever I get going during a season it is always nice to play almost everyday.  There is a reason why I leave San Diego and leave the beautiful weather and the waves and all that good stuff.  Not playing because of rain is not one of those things....lol!

Today's topic is Playing Catch.  What I mean by playing catch is being able to throw all of your pitches, as a pitcher, while you are playing catch.  At this level it is all about developing pitches that will be there for you as you move up levels and when the going gets tough.  There are a lot of young pitchers who get lost in results and never truly gain ownership of their pitches because they are skipping steps in the process.  You must crawl before you walk, right? 

When you go to a major league game and you watch pitchers warm up in the outfield and practice all their pitches you see guys owning the movement to all that they throw.  I will give you this example...when you go to a professional basketball game and guys are warming up before the game I am sure you witness almost every guy on the court shooting prior to the game.  How many shots do you see those guys miss???  Not too many!!  Most of the shooters hit every shot from every spot on the court during warm-ups.  This is the same for pitchers.  How would you expect to throw all your pitches in a professional game with the pressure turned up when it is tough to even throw all your pitches in a game of catch?

Start with catch and then build from there.  If you can spin the ball properly to your breaking ball, if you can throw the change-up with the same arm speed as your fastball, if you can create consistent angle and plane to your fastball when you are throwing to your partner, now you are ready for the next step.  But if you are not able to do all these things consistently, over and over and over,  there is no need to move on to flatground or to bullpen work or to a game.  It only is going to get tougher as you add in the steps.  Take your time in the process.  No need to rush it because if you take the time and do it right, you won't ever go backwards.  Plus you will always have a process to get back to where you want to be just in case you lose your way just a bit. 

Ok, that's all for now...Happy Pitching!!!

Yellowpad

Hello again passion for pitching!!  I know it has been quite some time but I am back again and ready to roll.  It has been quite an exciting year so far and I have had lots to do.  I was waiting to be inspired to write a post and waiting for a refreshing idea to assist the folks who join in and read these blogs.  So, it happened, finally....LOL!! 

Because I am in the middle of a season there are tons of subjects that I could discuss on this blog.  What I do with the pitching staff almost on a daily basis is something we call YellowPad.  What this is is a daily review of the game the night before along with other topics we may need to review or learn as a staff.  The topics could be anywhere from focus and being present, all the way to holding runners at second base.  So I thought it would be great to let you guys in on some daily conversations I have with the pitching staff and the different things we encounter during a Rookie League season.

So here it goes....

Thus far in the season we are right at .500 with our record.  We are playing inconsistent baseball but just well enough to keep us in the race for the playoffs and give our guys something to be reaching for.  In this last week we had a day off and then back to back rainouts.  For the rookie league season you play 68 games in 71 days, so the days off are far and few between.  They come about every two to three weeks.  It is perfect for me though, because it allows me to push a certain focus on certain things they need to learn at this level and then build upon those things as the season progresses.  For the first part of the season it is usually the same every year.  These pitchers need to learn about FB command with good plane out of the hand and good angle to both sides of the plate.  They also need to learn how to control the running game.  There are specific plays that we have as an organization that the pitchers at this level need to have memorized like the back of their hand by the end of the season.  All the things they learn here, this year, will be just about the same thing they will always have to do their entire career, especially if they stay with the Cardinals.  So it is very important they learn it now so they can move on to other things as they move up in levels. 

So after coming back from the day off and having a couple of rainouts I wanted to make sure the guys were still all on task and realize what we need to keep striving for in these next couple weeks until the next day off.  We had a quick review of what we have learned so far and then I added a couple items to it...

The first item was focus.  We need to keep doing the same physical things we are doing now, such as a proper long toss program, solid flatground work, good bullpen work, etc...but with that we need to tighten up our focus while we do these things.  It is one thing to show up each day and just have someone tell you what to work on each day.  It is a total other thing to realize why you are doing those things and then bring the proper focus with you to your work so that each rep is making you a better pitcher.

The next item was remembering your passion.  Sometimes in a professional baseball season, especially when it is new, you forget why you are there and what your goals are.  You forget that there is a reason why you live in a small town, get paid no money, travel in buses weekly, and show up to the field daily with almost no days off.  The reason is because you LOVE to do it.  It is NOT a job, it is a LOVE, a PASSION.  If you can come to the field each day and remember why you are here, why you do what you do, it brings things back into perspective and allows you to keep things fresh.  The ultimate focus behind a season needs to be fun.  If you come to the field every day and it is a grind and it is tough or hard work it is probably not going to be something you will stick with or enjoy and so you will be pushed out like most.  But if you can remember the love you have for the game and the reason why you play, it helps alleviate some of the pressures and some of the grind so you can develop and produce. 

The funny thing about playing professional baseball and I would figure all professional sports is that most people would feel it is a very physical thing and the most talented survive.  For me that couldn't be further from the truth.  The people who stick around are the ones who "get it."  The guys who stick around are the ones who have a perspective about their day that allows them to evolve and grow and move onward and upward.  They take their mistakes and make them their successes.  There is a fine line to it but once you figure this out people really take off quickly.  You will see some guys struggling at the rookie league level one year and then climbing through the ranks the next year just because they figured it out....they "get it"

Ok, all for now...hope this is of some assistance for you all out there in pitching land.  More to come.....

Happy Pitching!!

The Creative Process (LOA cont...#4)

Hello Passion for Pitching Family,

This next blog takes us back to the Law of Attraction series I started last month.  The blog I am writing today is about the Creative Process.  It basically combines the first three blogs in this series so you can see how all the parts fit together.

After this blog I will be going into the intricacies of this process with explanations, examples, and definitions of perspective, contrast, belief and desire.  It is my hope that by the end of this series you will see how everything that is happening in your life is all intertwined and interlaced and any other word describing a web that you can come up with.

The Creative Process is explained like this...

           YOU ASK          UNIVERSE ANSWERS (or yields it to you)      YOU ALLOW IT IN

I am going to write this blog in three parts and attempt to explain how each step works with as few words as possible.  Sometimes that can be tough when trying to explain how the Universe works so bare with me...LOL!!

Ok, so here it goes...

Step 1 is YOU ASK.  Ok, so what does YOU ASK mean?  You asking can be defined in several ways, the most basic is you actually asking.  So, you would maybe speak or scream out to the Universe that you want a new baseball coach because you don't like the one you currently have.  Or you may scream out to the Universe you want to throw a faster fastball because your competition is throwing harder than you.  Or you may scream to the Universe that you want to have better command to all your pitches because you are giving up too many walks and it is hurting your outings.

That is an easy way to understand asking.  You actually, consciously speak out loud or in your own mind about something you would like to have in your life or something you would like to have happen differently than what is currently going on.

Ok, so because this is an energy based, vibration based planet there are also ways to ask vibrationally.  Remember back to the initial Law of Attraction blog?  We discussed that whatever frequency your vibration is tuned to, that is what is going to come into your experiences.  Well, when things happen in your day to day life which cause you to ask the Universe for something more or something different, you don't always have to consciously sit down and ask.  Your body, your soul, your spirit actually is asking through the vibration you are emitting.  This happens very naturally without you even needing to be aware of it.  My example would be just like the on-star system you can get in your car where they track where you are at all times.  The car is you, the honing device is your vibration, and the company that tracks your whereabouts is the Universe.  Whatever vibration you are sending out at that time is what you are asking.  The Universe hears it, knows it and is sending it back to you.  That takes us into step 2.  

Step 2 is UNIVERSE ANSWERS.  Whether you believe it or not the universe is a naturally abundant and joyful place.  If you would think of it as a constant stream or river it is easy to comprehend.  The universe is a powerful, constant stream of joyful and abundant energy that is flowing downstream.  Imagine the powerful Colorado river.  Those rapids are roaring downstream and there is nothing that is going to stop that.  Well, this is how the Universe is set up.  There is a constant stream of abundance and joy that is flowing to you and through you, all you have to do is get on the raft, let go of the oars, and let it take you downstream.

You can also think of it as a cork in water.  You can try to push the cork down all you want, but the only way the cork will stay underwater is if you are constantly pushing on it.  Once you let go of the cork it pops back up to the top of the water.  So when I talk about the UNIVERSE ANSWERS I am telling you that the Universe is flowing abundance and joy your way, all day and every day.  No matter what.

The way you push your cork underwater or try to paddle upstream is by thinking thoughts that don't feel good.  An example of that would be ridiculing yourself after a bad outing and blaming yourself for the teams loss.  If you can think of a time you did that to yourself all you have to do is remember how you felt.  So how did it feel?  Did it feel like you were connected to that stream and you were full of energy and joy?  Or did it feel like you never wanted to play baseball again and you hated a lot of things about yourself at that time?

Step 3 is YOU MUST ALLOW IT.  Ok, so now as you understand and start to come to believe that this Universe is a joy based Universe, your only work is to allow that stream to flow to you and through you.  Allow that cork to float.  How do you do this?  Since you are naturally a vibration based human being and the Universe is naturally flowing this joy and abundance to you, the only thing that holds you from allowing this in is you and the thoughts you think.  Remember the blog on emotions?  The way you feel is an indication on what thoughts you are thinking and allowing.  If you feel crummy, you know that the thoughts you are thinking are probably not that good for you and they are disconnecting you from that joyful and abundant stream you want to be riding down.  But if you can train yourself to think thoughts that make you feel good, then that emotion is telling you that you are letting that stream flow to you and through you.  You are letting your cork float.

Now there is a fine line to all of this information that you have to find the balance of on your own.  I understand that after a tough outing you are not going to be in one of the best moods that you can be in.  That is okay, there is nothing wrong with that.  The point is that once you become aware that how you feel is the most important thing, because how you feel is telling you whether or not you are headed downstream with the power of the Universe or not, then you get that your work is how to figure out how to feel good more often than not.  Then you get that the sooner you can bounce back from a bad outing or a tough life experience, the faster you can be headed where you want to be headed.  The Universe only knows abundance and joy and whatever amazing feeling words you can come up with.  The Universe is always set up to let that abundance and joy flow to you and through you.  Focus/ practice on allowing that to happen by focusing/practicing good feeling thoughts on all the subjects in your life.

When it comes down to it, it really is all about perspective and how you choose to view the experiences you are having in your life.  As your perspective improves, the way you feel improves.  As the way you feel improves, your life improves.  And so on and so forth, it is a never ending cycle of joy and abundance.  Remember, the stream is already there, the cork already knows how to float, YOU already are a naturally happy and abundant human being.  There are just experiences that happen in our lives that we allow to take us away from the flow of that stream.  You just have to remember to get back on the raft, let go of the oars, and let the stream take you away.

More on perspective in the next LOA blog.  Hope this blog is assisting in bringing this all together for you.  You are almost there, keep reading and re-reading these blogs.  I will have some references for you at the end of this series if you have enjoyed it enough to practice and continue this work.

Happy Pitching!!!! 

    

A Fun Conversation

Hello Passion for Pitching Family,

The other day, April 1st, was the last day of Spring Training.  On the last day the triple A pitching coach was not there because he had already left to start driving to Memphis, TN where the triple A affiliate plays during the season.  That meant I was given the honor to finish up Spring Training as the triple A pitching coach, such a fun treat this was.  The best part of it was that Lance Berkman was one of the hitters that day.  Sometimes the big league guys want to get some extra at bats before the season, kind of fine tune things.  So what they do is come to the back field where all the minor league teams play.  They are allowed to hit wherever they want, whenever they want.  So on this day, Berkman hit lead off for us in each of the first three innings.

It is so much fun when the big league guys come down to the minor league fields because you get to ask them questions and find out some really cool information.  After each AB Berkman would come sit down on the bench where the coaches sit for each game.  I got to ask him a few questions about hitters and what they are looking for in regards to pitchers maybe tipping pitches.  I also got to ask him about what he thought were ways to get big leaguers out.  Berkman was very upfront and forthright and personable, it was quite an experience!!

It just so happens that I wrote a blog right before this one about repeating pitches.  It also just so happens that I have been writing a blog series about the Law of Attraction and how it plays an amazing part in all of our lives if you care to understand how it works.  The great thing about this blog is that, not only did Berkman reinforce what I wrote in the "Repeating Pitches" blog (which I will share for you in a second) but it also gives a perfect example of the Law of Attraction in action.  I wrote a blog about repeating pitches, then a couple days later one of the best big league hitters in today's game sits down next to me so I can talk to him about that very thing.

Ok, so I'll get to it because I know you are on the edge of your seats....LOL!!

It went like this, I overheard Berkman telling another player next to him that he looks for an exact strike zone for himself, sort of like an imaginary box.  Not a strike zone that the umpire creates, but his own strike zone that he knows he can handle in a game depending upon the pitcher throwing that day.  So I asked him what he looks at for tips that the ball is not going into that strike zone that he creates for himself.  Basically, his answer was that he picks up all sorts of small things based on all the pitches he has seen in his career.  The brain has put all these pitches into the bank and as a pitcher throws each pitch he is intuitively seeing little giveaways to let him know what is coming.  So then I asked him what would a pitcher be able to do to take that away from a hitter.  He simply stated that if a pitcher can repeat his delivery on every pitch, repeat the same plane out of the hand on every pitch, that it is very tough for a hitter to be successful.

Now counts and situations in a game add to this equation but you guys get the drift.  If you are a pitcher your only work right now should be to make sure you are repeating the same delivery, same arm action, same arm slot, same aggressiveness, same plane out of the hand, same everything, on all of your pitches.  Don't take my word for it....take Lance Berkman's....LOL!!

Ok, that's all for now....Happy Pitching everyone!!!

Repeating Pitches

Hello Passion for Pitching Family,

I am going to break it up a bit and actually give you guys a pure pitching blog today...lol!!  I thought it would be nice to give those who may not be so wrapped up in my Law of Attraction series a little nugget of baseball info.  I will have the next blog in the series available very soon!!!

Today's blog is going to be about repeating your pitches.  Their are many kids in this world that are capable of throwing a fastball and a curveball and a change-up, etc...but do you really know what you are doing when you are throwing all your pitches?  Let me put this more specifically, do you know what you look like when you are throwing your pitches?

What I mean by when I say, do you know what you look like, is do you look the same when you are throwing all of your pitches.  As a young pitcher it does you no good to go out and practice your craft, especially your pitches, if you are not working on the right things.  I am not going to go into everything you must know about throwing your pitches but here is a quick tip.

When you go out to do your throwing program make sure each session consists of some time spent on repeating the same aggressive arm action with your off speed pitches as you would do with your fastball.  After you have thrown your long toss for the day come back in to about 70-90ft.  If you are younger then, let's say, 14 yrs old you may want to move in a bit closer then that.  Once you are at the proper distance continue moving your feet and your body aggressively.  DO NOT pitch just yet.  Make sure and move your body sideways just like you do when you want to throw a ball four hundred feet.  Now here is the trick...throw a fastball and remember the feeling of that pitch in your body.  Remember what your arm slot felt like, remember what your aggressiveness felt like, remember how you finished the pitch.  Now try a chg-up.  Did it feel the same?  If it did then great!!!  Now throw another one.  If it didn't feel the same, try another fastball.  Keep going back and forth, one or two fastballs, then one or two chg-ups.  Do this until you feel you have been able to repeat the same motion with both pitches.  Then you can move on to another pitch, curveball or slider or whatever else you throw. 

If you are not doing this drill every time you go out to throw you are wasting a lot of time.  When you get on the mound you must have the confidence to throw all your pitches the same, with the same arm speed, the same body movement and of course the same emotional/mental state.  As you get higher and higher in levels the hitters get better and better.  Their eyes and their brains have seen more and more pitches.  All these pitches are kept in their brain in a nice little library.  When they get to a game and get into that batter's box their brain remembers what each pitch looks like.  Your job as a pitcher is to hide these pitches, hide the identity of these pitches as long as possible.  If you do anything different on any of these pitches to give it away, trust me, the hitter will spot it and jump all over it.  So add this to your workout process if it is not already there and watch how much better your off speed stuff gets.  You will be amazed as the K's start adding up!!!

All for now.....happy pitching!!!!

The Art of Allowing (L.O.A. series cont...#3)

Hello Passion for Pitching Family,

You are now on part three of the Law of Attraction series.  I know that if you are reading this right now that you are enjoying reading this series of blogs just about as much as I am enjoying writing these.  It feels very good to finally give you all the basis of how the Universe is working for us and how much fun we can truly have if we just practice a little bit of focus throughout our day.  More on that to come...

So this blog is to introduce the Art of Allowing.  As you get further and further along in this series you will see how these all mesh together and work hand in hand with each other.  As you have learned in the two previous blogs, the Law of Attraction is bringing things into your life (like attracts like), the emotions you have are giving you indicators to what type of things you are bringing into your life and now the Art of Allowing is the key to unlock the door to let those things in to your life.

The Art of Allowing is very simple, it is about being happy with where you are right now.  Another way to say it is, to make peace with where you are right now.  There is nothing you HAVE to have or nothing you HAVE to do.  Your sole focus in this world is to practice how to be in alignment, how to be happy, how to be joyful, with what you have in your life right now. 

Allowing is easy when you think of it in this way...

Think of the universe as your personal assistant, a sexy personal assistant at that!! (sorry ladies, this is a baseball blog ya know...lol)  Your assistant knows everything you want, knows who can bring it together, knows the players involved, knows where you need to be and when you need to be there.  Everything is going to be set up perfectly for you before you arrive.  The only problem in this scenario is that your personal assistant is now sending you a text to tell you where to be and when to be there but you don't have your phone on.  Maybe you are busy worrying about the job your assistant is doing, who knows, but your phone is not on.  Well, how are you going to allow these amazing things into your life if you don't have your phone turned on???  Get it??  YOU must be the one who turns on the phone to receive the calls, the texts, the signals that your personal assistant (the Universe) is sending you every day.  That is the Art of Allowing.

Let me give you another example just in case you didn't like that one...

Allowing is like eating at a buffet.  When you walk down the line and see all the different foods, you simply pick what you want and put it on your plate.  But as you pick the foods you want and place them on your plate, you are also looking at foods that you do not want to put on your plate.  The funny thing about that is you really probably never even notice or remember the stuff you chose NOT to put on your plate.  It is much easier and way more fun to just focus on the foods you enjoy and then put those on your plate so you can go sit down and enjoy a wonderful meal.  That is what allowing is all about.  See the buffet, see what you like and what you don't like, continue to pick (focus on) what you do like, place it on your plate, proceed to the check out counter and go about eating your meal.  It happens so nonchalantly that it is not even noticeable, that is the "art" of allowing.

So what is one of the best ways to be in this allowing mode?  Appreciation is one of the best and most efficient ways to get into the allowing mode.  Appreciation is a signal that is most felt and heard by the Universe.  The great thing about appreciation is that you can appreciate a person, a place, a thing, it doesn't really matter as long as you appreciate.  Since you are here in this moment and I have given you some drills to work on in the other blogs, why not do an appreciation list as a drill right now.  Pick something that is very easy to love and appreciate.  It could be your dog, your skateboard, your surf board, your car...whatever you can think of that is EASY to appreciate. (remember, these drills are very general for your benefit.  They are starting places to work forward from.  Keep them easy and lite for right now.)  Now write a list of ten things you appreciate about the subject you chose.  If you can go past ten just keep on rolling.  When you are done with that, check in with your emotions, how do you feel?  If you are in a good feeling place you are in the allowance mode and things are coming to you as you sit here and read this blog.

Now there is a little trick to this allowing thing that I want to let you all in on.  This is going to be brief because I am about done with this for now.  But the little trick I wanted to mention is about focusing on the process, not the results (manifestation).  The toughest thing to do in this allowing game is to get your mind off of the things you want to allow in and put your focus on where you are now.  Be present and feel good in your now.  Feel good about your life now.  No matter what the circumstances.  I understand that may be difficult for some of you, but it is where you must take this.  Finding peace in your now opens the door to tomorrow.  Trust me, the Universe will fill in the details for you as you go.

That is all for now.  Heading to the creative process next and I know you can't wait to read what's next!!!

Happy Pitching!!!
 

Emotions and the Law of Attraction (L.O.A. series cont...#2)

Hello Passion for Pitching Family,

You are currently reading the 2nd blog of the Law of Attraction series I have been writing for all of you.  If you are new to the blog you can go back and start on number one so you can get the fullness of the message.  You will see (L.O.A. series #1) in the title so you know where to start.  Enjoy!

In the first blog I introduced and defined the Law of Attraction for you.  You now know that like attracts like and that we have the power to create our own realities.  The next step in this process is to go a little deeper and delve into the world of emotions so you can further gain hold of this Universal Law.

Emotions and Law of Attraction work together in the sense that Law of Attraction responds to your thoughts, but the emotions or feelings you have on a moment-to-moment basis are indicating to you what you’re in the process of creating or attracting. 

You have emotional responses every day, practically in every moment, even if you’re not paying attention.  You feel happy, sad, mad, annoyed, frustrated, angry, excited, eager….but do you know what your emotions mean?  Do you know what they’re telling you?

Your emotions are similar to a GPS system, they navigate you from point A to point B in your life.  It works like this, every time you think a thought it evokes an emotion from you.  That emotion is an indicator to you of whether or not you are headed down the road you want to be heading down or whether it is time to make a turn and head down a different road.  It really is that simple.  Where it gets difficult is when you choose not to listen to the voice on the GPS.  It gets difficult when you ignore the GPS so much you can't even realize it is on and working for you.  Let me give you a baseball example of this.  Can you think back to a time you were in a game and on the mound pitching when you felt pretty clear and focused in the game?  Do you remember how you had little impulses or even BIG impulses where you knew what pitch you wanted to throw next?  Then you followed those impulses and the game went in your favor throughout?  Or how about when you had those impulses and didn't go with them and every time you went against those impulses you gave up a hit?  Remember telling yourself you would never do that again?  This is one way of how your emotions can assist in your sport and in life.

The first step in this process of understanding emotions and how they are our best friend is playing a quick game to make sure you are aware of your emotions.  It goes like this...think of something good, something fun that makes you smile.  DO IT!!!  Close your eyes and think of your favorite dog when you were growing up or your favorite song or your first kiss or when you hit the game winning homerun.  Can you feel the emotion inside you right now?  How does it feel?  It should feel like a million bucks, like you just lifted your soul and some weight fell off your shoulders.  Ok, now let's do the opposite.  Think of something bad, something that you know you do not like.  For example, the day your dog died or your teacher scolded you in front of your friends or your parents grounded you.  Can you feel the emotion inside you right now?  How does it feel?  It should feel like sadness or guilt or pain or anger.

Could you feel the difference in emotions when you were thinking good thoughts as opposed to bad thoughts?  That is exactly what you want to be able to feel.  Now you are starting the process of being aware of your emotions.  Now you can call your EMOTIONS your guidance system and not the GPS system in your car...LOL!

So let's have a quick recap.  The Law of Attraction is bringing things to you.  "Stuff" is brought to you by the vibration you are tuned to.  Emotions let you know whether you are tuned to things you would like in your life or things you may not want so much.  How you feel (the emotion you feel) is that indicator.  

Now you have the knowledge of the Law of Attraction and the knowledge of how emotions assist you with the Law of Attraction.  The next step is to continue messing around with the drills I have given you in both of the blogs.  So keep thinking of fun stuff you want to see and keep being aware of how you are feeling from time to time throughout your day.  This is a great start and now you can continue on to the next blog and add another piece to the puzzle.

All for now....Happy Pitching!!!

The Law of Attraction (L.O.A. series #1)

Hello Passion for Pitching Family,

I start this Law of Attraction series with one of the most important Universal Laws you could ever know about.  This is not something make believe and this is not something made up in a movie.  This is an actual Universal Law and it is the law that brings all things together in your lives.

The law I am speaking of is the Law of Attraction and it can be defined in several ways...

         LIKE UNTO ITSELF IS DRAWN

         LIKE ATTRACTS LIKE
  
         WHAT YOU PUT OUT YOU GET BACK

         ENERGY = VIBRATION = POINT OF ATTRACTION

It is really rather simple as long as we don't try to complicate it too much.  The Universe and everything in it is made up of energy.  All energy has a vibrational frequency.  Similar vibrational frequencies attract each other and eventually end up coming together.  

Have you ever heard of Einstein?  Have you ever heard of E=mc2?  Of course you have.  This equation is the main equation that explains how the energy in the Universe works and how we are all connected.  Now I am not expecting you all to go out and start reading books about Quantum Physics but that is really what we are talking about here.

So why is the Law of Attraction important to you?  Since the Law of Attraction is a Universal Law stating that like attracts like and since we are human beings made up of energy just like everything else in this world, that means we actually have a say in what we bring or attract into our lives.  This is HUGE for us as human beings.  This means that we are able, through our vibrational frequency, to attract things to us that we like and love.  Things that we want in our life.  Things such as an amazing baseball career, a great school to play baseball at, interacting with special trainers that can transform our bodies, and amazing coaches to assist us in our careers.  Anything that you can think that you would ever want in your life you can attract and have because of the Law of Attraction!!

So what should you do now?  I am going to continue answering that question in the series that I am writing.  We will go into things such as emotions, allowing, and creating that will bring this Law of Attraction thing full circle.  But first I just wanted to define for you what the Law of Attraction actually is.

There is one thing however, that I would like you all to try this week.  I want you to start to be aware of the Universal Law, Law of Attraction.  I want you to start noticing things that are coming in and out of your experience this week.  I want you to notice how you feel while these things or experiences are happening.  Try this...tonight before you go to bed I want you to think about something you want to see or experience this week.  Something very simple and easy.  It could be hearing a song you love to hear while you are driving to school or to work.  It could be seeing a type of dog that you love and it brings a smile to your face every time you see it.  It could be seeing a bunch of good looking ladies.  It could be seeing an amazing sunset.  Anything that is easy to think about and you know it would bring you joy if you saw or heard it.

Now, don't try to get ahead of yourself here and request a million dollars.  I do understand that that would bring a smile to most everyone's face, but for the sake of this drill let's make sure we keep it nice and simple...LOL!!

I will leave you with a quick example...

     When I was at home in the off season in San Diego I lived in a home where the owners had a sweet old dog.  The dog would come up to my door almost every morning when they would let her out.  I remember one day thinking, "man, it would be so cool if I had a tennis ball right now so I could play with her a bit each morning."  That thought left me as quick as it came.  It was just something fun, easy and pure, where I could completely see it taking place and had no resistance towards it.  Later that week (think it had been three days) I woke up and went to go check the surf.  The first spot I checked was in Del Mar on a community street where there are never any cars during the work week.  I always park in the same spot because it is a block from the water.  Well, that day was no different, I went right to my favorite spot.  It just so happened that when I pulled up to my spot that there was a tennis ball sitting right there in the street in front of my car.  I remember thinking to myself, "man this Law of Attraction thing is sooooooo cool.  Thanks Universe!!"  And then continued upon my day.

Just a little Law of Attraction story that may inspire you to do the drill I want you to try this week.

Ok, so that is all for now.  Remember, there are plenty more blogs to come, each building on the one before, each making this message more and more clear.

Thank you and enjoy!!  Happy Pitching!!

PS....quick note....if you are reading this blog right now and asking yourself why I am not writing about pitching but this crazy stuff...well...you are missing the point...keep an open mind and just read...I will be back to the pitching stuff very soon...although this is the pitching stuff if you allow yourself to see it that way!!!  Smile!!!

Developing Young Pitchers

At the end of January, the weekend of Jan 21st and 22nd to be specific, I will be speaking at the National Baseball Expo in San Diego.  The topic I will be addressing is Developing Young Pitchers.  For about a month or so now I have been stewing on how I want to present the information at the expo.  Sometimes when you are talking to an audience it can be a little goofy trying to get the info out the way you want to, with the message you are trying to send.  I always look for a nice opening to get the attention of the crowd and set the tone for the talk.

So today when I got out of the water from a fun and peaceful surf in Encinitas, it hit me.  I know exactly how I should start the talk and the angle I will take to share the information I have learned and loved since I started playing baseball when I was 6 years old.  Guess what that angle is.....wait for it....I HAVE NO ANSWERS!!!  LOL...how does that one feel audience??  It is the truth though and here is why.  (I am fast forwarding some of the background info so give me some leeway on this one) 

Let's all pretend that there really are no wrong or rights in this game of baseball and how to teach pitching to young athletes.  And since there are no wrong or rights the individual needs to decide what is best for them.  What is wrong or right for them.  But since there are no wrong or rights we will call it, what FEELS best for them.  Now here is where I come into play.  Since I have no answers what good am I???  Well, the experiences I have been having over the past several years as a coach has assisted me to come up with guidance and suggestions on what pitchers should do to train themselves and reach the goals they are striving for.  I am not giving them right or wrong answers, I am having experiences along the way that FEEL good and as I continue to have those experiences I choose to bottle them up and pass them on to the clients that choose to work with me.  But the funny thing about all this is that it doesn't mean that since it worked for some of the kids I work with, that it will work for all of the kids I work with.  So now my job is to identify what works for which athlete and curtail a program that works for them.

Now the athletes part is really simple.  They must first take ownership for what they are doing.  They can't just go to a lesson and wait for me to tell them what they need or do not need.  This process takes them further away from who they really are and now we are both going to be lost.  The reason why something a coach tells a kid to do actually works is because the coach and kid believe in what the coach is saying.  Either the kid really trusts the coach and then the underlying feeling from that kid is a good one and so he proceeds or the coach is so good at inspiring the kid to believe in him (the coach) and in himself (the athlete) and now the suggestions work. 

But I want everyone to understand the underlying points here:

       Coach has ideas....athlete listens....coach believes in ideas....athlete responds to the belief....coach continues to see the athlete as a success....athlete holds that same belief and now succeeds....

      So is it really about right or wrong answers???  Or is it more about believing and having a feeling behind the actions that are taking place, the actions that the athlete takes to become better???

      This is why it is soooooo important for the athlete to be present when these "lessons" take place.  It can't be an excuse that a kid is too young to understand or to care about what they are doing.  It can't be an excuse that the kid is too young to understand the process of how the body works to throw a ball and that they must be aware of how their body moves in space to create an efficient and powerful throw.

       This is also why the parent should be present in this process as well.  To support the young athlete and continue to believe that their young pitcher can and will turn into something great if they so choose, no matter what the situation!!!

       That is just about it for this blog....just wanted to write a little about my slant on the topic of Developing Young Pitchers and share that with you.  Now, to get the rest of the info, as in, the suggestions I have for these young kids.....well.....guess you are going to have to come to the expo to find out!!!  LOL....at least for now...I'll shoot out another blog after the expo for all those who were not able to be present to let you all know what we discussed.

        Ok, that's all for now....happy pitching!!!  Hope everyone truly enjoyed their holidays!!!  I know I have!!!

        

Want and Believe

So I went to a workshop this weekend, one that I normally attend at least once a year.  This workshop is for my personal growth, but then again everything in life really is.  But I use the workshop as a way to evolve as a person which in turn will always allow me to evolve as a coach.  My job as a coach is to not only research, watch film, gain knowledge in my sport, but it is also to get better as a person so I can have better relationships with the players I work with.  In the end that is what it is all about because I could have all the answers and the best information in the world, but if nobody wants to listen because I am the worlds biggest jerk, then none of that really matters.

 The message I wanted to talk about and get across to the lovely athletes who actually read this thing is a little thing called Want and Believe.  This is something that stuck with me this weekend.  In order to manifest anything you want in life there is always a process of creation that is going to take shape.  But before you can move forward in the process you must bring along two very specific things, Want and Believe.  Seems pretty simple right.  This is the starting point and basis to everything you go for in your life. 

Now in my line of work this is a HUGE deal.  To want and to believe is really what it is all about.  The thing is though that the wanting has to be through the roof.  You have to want so badly that you will do anything to get what you want out of this profession.  You have to want so badly that there is no real sacrifice because you don't care about anything else.  You have to want so badly that all the workouts and the games and the traveling and all that other stuff you could throw into the bag is never called work or a job.  You have to want so badly that you eat, sleep, drink... (you know the rest)...this sport.  To be a professional pitcher in the biggest of stages your wanting needs to consume you.  Yes!!!  Consume you!!  I understand I am on the verge of sounding cultish and insane and overdone but it is the truth.  There is always perspective that comes into this as well.  So when I mention all these crazy sentences you must realize the perspective that you must have on all this.  The perspective is coming from a passion and a love.  Not from a lack or a longing for.  This means that sacrifice doesn't exist because your perspective on what you are doing is clean.  This means that work or a job type focus is not in your vocabulary because it is just your life and what you love to do.  This means that the choice to have baseball consume your life is a choice of joy and not insanity.  It just means you love the sport so much and you choose to succeed so you practice at your craft and you study your craft and you love your craft.  That is the "consume" that I speak of.

The next step is the Believe part.  If you have this ever-burning desire or wanting to be a major league pitcher you must then have the belief in yourself, no matter what the situation brings, to back that wanting up.  You have to believe so clearly and confidently that you never hear the doubters, the naysayers, the people who tell you that you are too small, too short, too fat, too slow and whatever else the critics think of.  The perfect example of belief right now is Tim Tebow.  Look at that guy.  You think he believes in himself?!?  He believes so strongly in himself and he wants to succeed at quarterback so badly that he has convinced his entire team, his entire organization that he can win, no matter what.  No matter how bad it looks or how bad he throws or how bad the game goes into the 4th quarter.  Nothing matters, nothing shatters his belief because he knows he is capable of anything.  Just think of the belief he has in himself when week after week he has to hear the critics and the opposing teams continually criticize the way he looks on the football field.  But yet he wins and has been highly successful solely based on his wanting and his belief.

So the next time you go to practice or to your game and are wanting to have results that are satisfying, just think about how much you want it and then believe that it can happen.  You could go as far as measuring on a scale from 1 to 10.  1 being the low and 10 being the high.  If you go home each night and answer the question honestly to yourself you will know exactly why you get what you are getting out of your sport right now.  Increase the wanting, increase the belief and see the performance in your sport flourish!

Ok, that's all for now folks...hope all is well in your baseball world and keep throwing!!!!

How I Conquered The Impossible cont...

I wanted to clarify some things on the recent Blog I wrote about my troubles with BP.  I wanted to let you know why I really ended up deciding upon writing that Blog.  You see for me, I believe there is a process to this life we all live.  There is a consistent path there to assist you in times of contrast.  A path that never leaves you, never strays, never goes off into the woods.  A path that you may not be able to see all the time, but it is always there.

I wanted to share this Blog with you because I wanted to tell you that you all have the answers you want in life.  You all have the answers to what you think you need in life.  I say this because I know of this now.  I needed this contrast in my life to prove to myself that I could trust the process, trust the path, and simply walk down it.  I didn't need a drug, a sport psychologist, a shrink, nobody.  All I needed was to learn how to trust myself, love myself, listen to myself and have confidence in myself.  In no way am I saying that people don't need assistance or that assistance is not a good thing.  Not true, assistance is an amazing thing along the path of life, but it is not supposed to be a dependency.

When I truly decided I was going to get over this "Yips" thing, I finally made the decision that I didn't care what others thought about me.  I didn't care that I may have looked funny or people were laughing at me or whatever else was going on behind my back.  I even remember one day about a year or so ago, having a conversation with a well known man on this topic.  You know how sometimes you feel like you have nothing left to give a subject you are trying to fix.  You have been working for years and years and it just isn't helping.  So you have given up on yourself and you go to anyone in the industry you think can help.  You read articles, go to classes, workshops, seek guru's on the subject.  Anything to shake the situation you are currently in.  Well I did all that.  I went to the guy people were all paying money to to help them on the subject.  Do you know what he said to me???  He told me that if it is as bad as I am describing it and I was not able to pay the thousands of dollars it would have cost to go through his program, then I should simply quit.  He told me there is nobody who can get better from the position I was in and it would be best to just quit trying.  

That is why I wrote the last Blog and am writing this one.  There is no impossible, there is just you thinking it is impossible and that is all.  I am living proof!!  This doesn't mean I am the best BP thrower in the world or that I still don't have thoughts of "OH SHIT" go through my head about the subject.  But I found my path, I trusted the process.  Each one of you can do the same thing, no matter what the task.  The trick is though, you have to do the work. 

Now I know I just said you have to do the work and that everyone who just read this Blog said "Yes, hard work is the answer.  Determination, motivation, grit, sacrifice"  That is not the work I am speaking of.  The work I am speaking of is not physical at all.  The work I am speaking of is inside yourself, it is emotional work, it is evolving work, it is growing work, it is wanting to be all of who you can be type work.  There are all sorts of things out there in this world to "fix" you or "help" you or "solve" you.  But the problem I have with most of these things is that they leave you reaching outside of yourself.  Again, they give you a drug or an antidote or whatever it is they are offering.  But there is one thing they are all missing, they never teach us how to be us.  How to be all of who we are.  How to trust our intuition.  How to trust our emotional guidance.  How to build our foundation and knowledge from the inside out.  That is why I wrote this Blog.  I wanted people to understand that this life is an inside job, not an outside job.  All you have to do is have some patience and trust the process, learn the process.  And nobody can tell you ultimately how that is for you.  That is your job.  Nobody truly knows how you feel or where you are on certain subjects, you are the only one who truly knows.  That is why we need to start looking at things from the inside out.  Stop fishing for the quick fixes and learn yourself.  Sure, it may take a bit but it may not.  And once you truly figured out your own process to make things work for you, it never changes.  You will have that forever no matter what you do in your life.  To me, that makes it worth the "work".

Ok, no more soap box for now.  Hope all is well in your pitching world and I am sure we will talk soon.  Keep pitching!!!

Perspective is Power!

Everything in life is perspective.  The way you choose to perceive experiences in your life is how you get what you want out of your life experiences.  If each experience is just perceived as a way to move forward with more clarity, then each day should become richer, more lively, and better.

The easiest example of this is the current player you are watching in the World Series, right now, Albert Pujols.  Sure, I could really mention any of the current players on either roster because they all come equipped with stories of how they made it to the 2011 World Series.  But when people mention Albert Pujols, you listen.  His presence is obvious and powerful and how he got there was through an amazing perspective.  I partly say this because I have listened to him talk in the past several years I have been with the Cardinals Organization.  I also say this because look at his life, look at his manifestations, look at how he creates, listen to how he talks, look at how he carries himself, listen to the words he speaks, listen to the clarity of his voice.  It is oozing from every pore in his body.  And once again it happened the other night.  What happened you asked, well, perspective happened.

Albert Pujols was just another hitter in the first two games of the World Series, actually he wasn't even average at that time, when you look at the numbers.  I believe he started 0 for 8.  If he carried that 0 for 8 into game 3 he would have probably finished that game 0 for 12.  Especially after the way the media was tearing him up for the defensive mishap he had in the ninth inning of game 2.  But again, listen to how he talks.  The media interviewed him the next day and asked him about the defensive play.  Their perspective was that he let the team down, could have had an easy out at third base if he would have caught the relay throw.  Then the media was giving it to him a little more about the 0 for 8 start.

Now for Albert's perspective.  His response to the botched relay throw was simple.  He lost focus for a second, the ball cut on him and he wasn't able to make the play.  His response to the 0 for 8 start was just as simple.  Albert said he was making great swings and hitting the ball hard it was just not falling for him.  You see, this game of baseball is goofy.  Timing is everything.  It just so happened that Albert had a defensive mishap at a key time in the season.  But does that make the decade and more that he has played and won gold gloves defensively just disappear?  Not at all, in fact, that is why Albert can have the perspective that he has.  He is trained that way.  He knows who he is, the results don't control his mind, he does.  The same goes for the hitting side of things.  Albert is one of the best hitters who has ever played the game of baseball.  He knows there are going to be times that he will go 0 for whatever, but he also knows how to view the game.  His perspective is with each current AB.  The result can't matter because nobody gets on base or gets a hit with every AB.  If Albert got fixated on each AB the game would be a roller coaster and there is no way he would have ever been Albert Pujols.  Instead, Albert takes the perspective of putting a good approach or process to each AB.  If the result comes then great, if not, he goes back to the process and clears his mind.  So he was able to take all that information from the first two games and then made sure his perspective was in the right place, then he went to work.  The result.....3 homeruns and a 5 for 6 night!!

Perspective is a beautiful thing.  It can always work for you and work in your favor, all you have to do is practice.  Practice making perspective your best friend.  Practice your points of view in life and in baseball and things will start to roll your way more and more.  Don't be so impatient with all this.  Take your time, take a step back, take a look at your life and how things are going for you.  Learn about how you look at things more and more.  Stop blaming the guy next to you.  Who cares, just keep practicing and little by little things will come around, I promise!!!

Ok, all for now...enjoy your week and keep it moving!! 

Getting Back Into the Swing of Things

Hello Passion for Pitching Family,

Back in beautiful San Diego I am!!  Just got back from another amazing season and am now ready to move on to other things during this off season.

During a baseball season you learn not only so much about the game and how to perform but also about yourself and what you must get better at.  Each year I get more clear of a picture on what it takes to become a professional and better yet, what it takes to stick as a professional.  I feel as though the more clear that picture gets, the more clear my message becomes and therefore the guys on my staff also benefit from it.  There were so many pitchers on the staff this year that got better, that showed themselves how to get better and how to compete.  I am very proud of this years staff and the work we did together.  We deserved to be back-to-back champions!!!  Wouldn't replace them with any others for the world!!!

So what's next?  Well, I would like to get more Blogs going and would love to get more emails from you about what things you would like discussed or would like my opinion on.  I also am going to be working on a series of manuals.  Not sure how many I will be getting done before next season but the topics will be arm care, grip strength for pitchers, general strength for all ages and maybe one or two more if the ideas come along.  I just feel as though I want to share the knowledge I have gotten about arm care and general strength from all the years I have been around the game and actually training myself.  I feel that people forgot how to train the basics and have gotten so far out there that they forgotten simple things such as a pull-up or push-up.  Everybody these days are looking for the next best thing when they have had all the info they have needed the whole time.  So I am going to see if I can simplify some things and get them out to the pitchers seeking this type of info. 

As far as the grip srtrength goes, I am going to be working on developing a grip strength program because I want to see for myself whether it will assist in velocity gain or not.  I figure the best way to find out is to pick some clients and go to work.  Then I will take the info and put it into a manual so everyone can test it out for themselves.  I am super excited about it!!!!

That is about it for now....just wanted to say hello and let you know what I have in store for the coming months.  Oh, before I forget, I have been selected to speak at the National Baseball Expo in late January in San Diego, so if you are in the area come on by and enjoy the festivities.

Bye for now!!!  Happy pitching!!!

Pitch Selection vs. Pitch Execution

A lot of people out there love to talk about pitch selection and what to throw where and when.  All that is great but for most people in the baseball world that is nearly impossible.  Do you realize how tough it really is to command all of your pitches in and out of the strike zone?  Most professionals can't do that on a regular basis.  Yes, I just said that and I will say it again.  Most professionals do not truly command all there pitches.  I am talking about all the kids in this world in the Minor Leagues trying to become big leaguers.  I am not even mentioning all the kids in college and high school attempting to take a crack at their dream.  So why is it that there is so much emphasis on the proper pitch selection during a game?

I definitely do not take myself out of this equation.  I still have days where I get lost in the process that pitch selection rules.  But the more I am in this game of baseball and I watch these young pitchers work through a game, I see that execution rules and at least for now, pitch selection takes a back seat.

Lets look at this in a couple different ways.  First, from the younger players perspective, let's say high school and younger.  How well do they truly command all their pitches in a game or even in a bullpen?  How well do they truly throw the pitch like it is supposed to be thrown?  With the proper spin and velocity to the fastball, change-up, curveball, slider, splitter and whatever else you could think to throw?  Not that often would be my answer.  Because if they did, they would all be number one picks!!  So, if this is true, if we know that most kids who are younger have, not only a tough time making the pitch do what it needs to do, but then also have a tough time locating the pitch, how can we talk to them about pitch selection?  Our entire focus should be solely on developing the proper movement and feel to all their pitches and nothing else.  Results will take care of themselves if the focus is put on the subject in the proper way.

Now, if we look at the second vantage point, let's say college and higher, it is time to believe in what you throw and execute those pitches in a game.  If you did the proper work as a youngster, develop the proper movement, spin, feel, deception, arm action to your pitches then now it is time to go execute them.  And if you are able to execute pitches when you throw them then the hitter is going to have problems whether you selected the proper pitch or not.

Through years of study and research, a man by the name of Perry Husband developed a program called Effective Velocity.  It is a study on what the hitter truly sees out of the hand of the pitcher and all the intricacies of what needs to happen or not happen for the hitter to be on-time and develop hard contact consistently.  If you have time to look this guy up and his program you should immediately.  Part of the study talks about what the batter sees out of the pitchers hand and that if we, as pitchers, can do a few things well we will be able to throw the hitter off his timing.  None of the few things he talks about is pitch selection, they all have to do with spin, direction and speed.  The selection of the pitch comes after all that.  Now I am not going to go into this in depth, you are going to have to look up Perry Husband and buy his books for all that....but you get my drift.

So, if you are a young pitcher working towards your dream, make sure and put all your energy and emphasis on producing quality pitches first!!  Pitch selection will come with time and experience and plenty of repetition, but for right now EXECUTION RULES!!!!

Have a great week everyone!!!!

Top Two On My List

It is June 10th and I am three days away from completing my fourth extended spring training with the St Louis Cardinals!!!  This has been the best extended spring by far and it only seems to be getting better and better.  It is like each year I ask for more stuff whether it be better living arrangements, better players (lol), better relationships with coaches and players, and every year that is exactly what happens.  I am super excited about the young group of pitchers I get to work with in Johnson City, TN this year.  We may only have one or two kids coming with me that are 21 years of age, the rest are 20 and 19.  So we may have our days where we get our asses handed to us but these guys compete and they aren't afraid so I am ready to sit back and watch!!!

That brings me to the subject of this new blog.  The more I am around the game the more I realize what it takes for someone to make it in this game, besides the obvious answers such as talent and ability.  More and more I realize how you must believe in yourself and also how damn competitive you must be.  That's why I called this blog, "Top Two On My List".

I was speaking with some of the pitchers today and I was giving them a goodbye speech and all of my precious words of wisdom!!! LOL!   I shared with them what I thought were the two most important things a player needed to have to make it to the big leagues.  After listing belief/confidence and the desire to compete everything else just falls under that umbrella for me.  Mechanics, knowledge of the game, preparation, focus, etc....it all falls under the belief you have in yourself and the desire to compete.  All things will come to you in this game if you practice those two things first.

The reason why I wrote this blog though was to really talk about competition and competing.  There is soooooooooo much that goes on during a season for these young athletes that the competitive nature is really what makes you or breaks you.  Just think of this, you get up every morning at about 5:30am.  You go to the field, eat breakfast and then start early work about 7:30 until 8am.  Then you come back inside, take a breather and head back out to the field for an 8:30 meeting before you start the day.  From about 8:35am to 10:30am you go through a routine of stretch, condition, throwing, fundamentals, and BP.  Then you head back inside for some food.  By about 11:35am you head back out to the field for a Noon game that lasts until 3pm on most days.  Don't forget this is Florida so it is humid and hot all day, everyday!!  Picture this day and then repeat it from March until the middle of June.  That is exactly what the kids down here do, the kids who are not able to make a full season club and leave right after a month of spring training.

Be honest, do you think you could handle that???  It is not an easy thing to do at all.  That is why if you don't have the desire to compete you will never make it in this game.  The story of guys going from college to the big leagues in less then a year is far and few between.  It may have only happened a handful of times in the history of the game.  Most guys spend year after year in the minor leagues just hoping for a chance.  Now, I am not trying to make excuses for anyone here I am just pointing out to you out there in computer land that if you really want this dream you better be one competitive son of a gun or this game will eat you up and spit you out.  There are a lot of good players out there in minor league baseball that come to play each and every day.  Those are the guys who make it, the guys who love to compete and can inspire themselves to perform each day.  The guys who don't depend on anyone else to tell them they need to be ready to play or wake up before it is too late. 

I take my hat off to these young kids down here because they are doing things I really don't know if I would have been able to handle when I was their age.  It takes some real desire to hang in there and keep battling like these guys do, back on field 75 where nobody comes to watch.  So if this is something that calls you, then great!!  But make sure you start to practice that competitive drive right now.  Don't let anything get in your way, compete, compete, compete!!!

Ok, all for now....wish us luck this year and every now and again check in on the Johnson City Cardinals up in the Appalachian League!!!

Special Guests

Spring Training has unfolded very well this season.  Just when I have been writing blogs on consistency we have had the perfect guests to come in and reiterate the thoughts I have been writing down.  This month we have had Tony LaRussa, Albert Pujols, Bob Knight and Mike Matheny come and talk to all the young minor league players.  The best part of it was that not one of them talked about mechanics or talent or ability or anything that relates to physical capabilities.  The focus to all their talks was mental toughness.  Being able to understand that to be good in the game of baseball and to achieve the highest level of success you must be mentally tough. 

For this blog I thought it would be nice to share with all of you what the main points of each of their talks were.  Some more serious then others but all equally pleasing and beneficial.

Mike Matheny was first.  He spoke to us at the beginning of Spring Training because he is not around as much as everyone else.  Matheny works with the big leagues and minor leagues as a catching instructor.  Matheny played for a few major league teams and won a couple gold gloves while he was there.  I got to meet Mike Matheny last year when he came to work with the catchers in Johnson City.  He has a wealth of knowledge and a big time character guy to back it up.  Matheny spoke about the other things in baseball that are more in a persons control.  Such as being a good teammate.  His message was that to be able to be a guy around the clubhouse who sets a good example, who works hard and does his job quietly, who picks up guys when they are not going so well, who doesn't take their performance out on someone else or blame someone else when he is struggling, that that is what truly matters.  His point was that if you are able to do these types of things then the successes will come based on your attitude alone.  Your job is to come in and be a professional and truly understand what that means and to embrace it for all it is.  Learning to be a professional takes care of all the other stuff.

Bob Knight was next.  He came down about two weeks ago and had some amazing stories to tell about his time as the head coach of the 1984 summer olympics Gold Medal winning basketball team.  Again he talked about more then just having the physical attributes to play the game of baseball.  Knight spoke about how much he loved coaching guys who were mentally tough.  He was always trying to find ways to challenge his athletes and get the best out of them.  Bob shared a few amazing stories on his time with Michael Jordan during the summer of 1984.  The way they would banter back and forth, it really seemed like there was something special there between himself and Jordan.

Then came Tony LaRussa.  Tony has spoke to the camp each year that I have been with the Cardinals.  Each year he speaks in detail about what he looks for in a player that he wants to play for him in the big leagues.  Tony has a list of three things when referring to a player he wants on his team:  you must be mentally tough, you must be a good teammate, and you must be a professional (on and off the field).  LaRussa is not worried too much about all the physical things because he is aware that most of the kids here in this camp have those attributes already.  But to play for a team and compete for a championship, that is a different thing.  It takes a different type of player to win in the big leagues and that difference is much more mental then it is physical.  I got to ask Tony a question while he was speaking to all of us.  I asked him what the younger pitchers could do to make themselves better.  To be able to learn about the game more.  His answer was simple.  Tony said, while you are on the bench or in the bullpen during the game, you must watch the game.  Watch the game and see how the game shows you all you need to know.  The experiences that happen during the game will show you the answers.  That is so very true.

This brings me to the last speaker but of course not the least.  Mr. Albert Pujols, La Maquina (the machine)  Man, what a treat.  Every year I am here I get to speak with and hear from the best hitter/player in the entire world.  It is great to hear his story each year.  But I don't care about his story of how he got to the bigs because it wasn't really that big of one.  What I love the most about his talks are how much confidence he exudes when he speaks.  There is no question in the world of why Pujols is Pujols when you get to hear him speak and watch him go about his work on a daily basis.  The amount of focus, concentration, confidence, consistency that goes into his approach is why he is who he is.  It radiates from him.  Talk about habits of thought.  I remember Albert answering a young man's question about being positive with himself.  Albert said that for every time he says something negative to himself in his head, he counters that with five to ten positive things.  He has trained himself into his success and there is no two ways about it.  I also got to ask Pujols a couple questions.  The first one was about how he deals with the failures of the game and how he is able to turn those failures into successes.  People forget, even though he is the best player in the game, he still fails 7 out of 10 times when he walks to the plate.  His answer to that was to focus on the bigger picture.  Going 0 for 4 is not a bad thing if his approach at the plate was good and he hit the ball hard.  Sometimes the results won't be there but that doesn't mean his approach or preparation was bad.  He also said he does the best he can to turn the page and look forward to the next day if he happened to have a bad one.  The second question I asked him was how he created the consistency in his results.  Albert answered that with being able to keep his focus and concentration on a day to day basis.  He has his off days just like everybody else, but he doesn't let that get in the way of his work.  Being able to concentrate and focus his the reason why he is as successful as he is. 

Well, that is the wrap up of my fourth spring training experience with the St Louis Cardinals.  The next step for me is extended spring training.  I get to work with guys who are rehabbing and then all the young pupps who are working on their process to make it to the big leagues.  I love how each year brings me more clarity so that I can convey a clearer message each year to these young players.  If I can get them to see the bigger picture, to disregard results and get lost in the work, then I have done my job.  Until next time Passion for Pitching family!!!!!  Hope all is well and you are pitching your butts off!!