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My Top Ten Favorite Baseball Movies ? My top ten baseball movies consist of five movies on the list. There have been many movies with a baseball theme that I have liked, but there are only five I have loved. I will get to them soon.

Some of the ones I have liked are “Bull Durham” with Kevin Costner, a light hearted tale about a minor league season in North Carolina and the characters on and around that team. “Bang The Drum Slowly” with Robert DeNiro, “Cobb” with Tommy Lee Jones, “Fear Strikes Out,” “Eight Men Out,” “A League of Their Own,” “Major League,” ?and “Rookie of the Year.” ? One thing that my favorites have in common is that I have been moved to tears. For similar and different reasons, I have been inspired or moved by some of the following scenes.

? Field of Dreams with Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones. When I think about this movie I always think how corny it was. Come on - Cut down a corn field to create a baseball field. I have seen this movie approximately 15 times. It is the only movie I have seen in my adult life twice in the theaters. The scene that is so moving for me is when Kevin Costner asks his father to play catch. He is so awkward in his asking. He is so delighted when his father says “sure.” I melt whenever I see this scene.

? The Rookie with Dennis Quaid

How does a man in his late 30’s leave his family and start playing baseball in the minor leagues. He is fulfilling a dream. There are a couple of scenes in the movie that lead to a most uplifting moment. While playing in the minor leagues in the Tampa Bay organization Dennis Quaid (Playing pitcher Jim Morris) thinks he may have made a mistake by leaving his family to pursue a dumb dream. He is in anguish. He is not making any money pitching in the minors while his family is suffering at home with very little money coming into the house. Finally, after vacillating between playing baseball and going back to his wife to make a constant living he sees one of his teammates and asks him. “Do you know what we are going to do today?” His teammate looks puzzled. Dennis responds to his own question. “We are going to play baseball today.” With a big grin on his face Dennis captures the joy of playing baseball. I loved it.?

The Natural with Robert Redford

The music in this flick was superb. Good versus evil. Robert Redford comes out of the hospital to play in the most important game of the year. As corny as this movie was I loved the scene at the end of the movie when he hits the ball into the lights and a shower of sparkling flashes illuminate the screen. I can still hear the music from that part of the movie, as he circles the bases. I get chills whenever I see this part of the film.

? Pride of The Yankees with Gary Cooper and Teresa Wright

One of my all time favorite movies. One of my all time favorite players, Lou Gehrig, is played on the screen so superbly by Gary Cooper. The scene that gets to me every time is when Lou goes to see the doctor at the hospital because he feels a nagging injury not healing. As his wife nervously waits in the waiting room, Lou is examined and then given the fatal news of his illness. He is greeted by his wife as he leaves the examination room. She then asks him how it went. They embrace and he tells her its a little bump or bruise. She seems to know without him telling her that this is serious. Oh my. I melt every time.?

This following epic motion picture reminds me of a baseball season. Long, lasting and lovable. Baseball by Ken Burns

Can you believe 18 hours of baseball footage? Still pictures from the 19th century. Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Lou Gehrig, Buck O’Neil. Highlights on film. Dead ball era. Modern day. Pitchers, hitters. This movie had it all. The pictures were spectacular. There were so many stories that were told. I was amazed. Ken Burns commitment to get this movie done is what moved me.

So there you have it. I cannot thank the people ENOUGH that made these movies. I have been touched writing about their commitment, passion, and excellence.

About the Author

Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. You will love his honesty and his passion.. You will be touched by the heartwarming stories. The unusual statistics will amaze you and the quotes will make you laugh…

Go here right now to join his ezine http://www.baseballsprideandjoy.com/index.php?tag=goart

Baseball glove repair and relacing is what Doctor Glove is all about, and for over 25 years people have been relying on him to give new life to their old baseball or softball glove. Doctor Glove, who is known as “The Best Friend Any Baseball Glove Ever Had,” recently talked about the art and craft of baseball and softball glove repair.

“When it comes to glove repairs, I like to think I can fix anything and everything. I haven’t been proved wrong yet, but I guess there’s always a first time,” Doctor Glove laughed. “Over the years I’ve been asked to fix just about every imaginable type of problem in a glove - but I’m careful to say that I haven’t seen everything yet because every time I do, someone brings me a glove that’s been ‘critically injured’ in some new way.”

Doctor Glove has an almost cult-like following among his loyal client base in Southern California, but thanks to his website (http://www.DoctorGlove.com) he also gets gloves shipped to him from all around the world.

Relacing, sometimes called re-stringing, is the most common need, says the Doctor, because the rawhide laces used in gloves only last for a few seasons before weakening, stretching and breaking. He said, Most of the rips and tears I see in gloves happened because the owner had worn-out, stretched laces and didnt replace them when he should have.

When asked about glove repairs, Doctor Glove said, “I fix a lot of routine problems like rips and tears, or maybe some stitching that’s come undone, or maybe someone wants to replace the original padding or put in additional padding. Some clients come to me complaining about their glove being limp or floppy, and most of the time thats because the plastic inserts that are in the thumb and pinkie padding have broken. I make a new plastic insert and bingo, that problem is solved Ive put the snap back in their old glove.

“Many of my clients have been using their glove for 10, 20, 30 years or more and would not dream of buying a new one. Maybe it was a special gift, or maybe it was handed down from father to son, or maybe they wore that glove in a championship game, or it has some other special memory associated with it. People become attached to their glove the same way some people become attached to their old cars - it would kill them to get rid of it,” the Doctor said.

The Story Behind The Slogan

Doctor Gloves slogan is The Best Friend Any Baseball Glove Ever Had, and he told the story behind the slogan. The Doctor said, I’ve fixed a lot of gloves that were chewed up or mauled by dogs, and Ive been telling people for years that dogs may be mans best friend, but theyre also his glove’s worst enemy. Well, after I fixed a glove for a guy whose dog had eaten the wrist strap and webbing of his favorite glove, the guy said, If a dog is a gloves worst enemy, then youre a gloves best friend, in fact, you’re the absolute best friend any baseball glove ever had!

Customizing Gloves: Strengthening and Additional Finger Lacing

Doctor Glove talked about another specialty of his work, customizing gloves. “I do a lot of ‘custom strengthening’ work thats when the owner feels his glove is too weak or flimsy and thinks the lacing will break too easily, even if the glove has new laces. A lot of glove manufacturers use 3/16 inch laces in places where they really should have used 1/4 inch laces, which are much, much stronger.

“A lot of times, my ‘custom strengthening’ jobs are brand new gloves that have barely been broken in - the owner likes the feel and look of the new glove, but not the strength, toughness or durability. What I do to strengthen a glove is add laces as needed to the webbing or pocket area, by either doubling or tripling the existing lacing, or adding a new lace course (and making holes as necessary). When I ‘custom strengthen’ a glove, I imagine how strong I would want the glove to be if I had to catch Randy Johnson fastballs!”

“Another type of customization I am frequently asked to do is adding a lace run through the four fingers of an infielder’s or outfielder’s glove (catcher’s glove and first baseman’s gloves don’t have fingers). In most gloves, there is only one run of lacing connecting the fingers (criss-crossing at the very top of the glove). Some high-end gloves have a second lace run connecting the four fingers about midway up the fingers between the palm and the top finger lace. This second finger lace run adds a little strength, but more than that it helps a glove hold its form and shape.”

“Gloves that I have “custom strengthened” or added a new lace run though the fingers serve a functional purpose plus they look great! The owner has increased confidence in his ability to catch anything and everything that comes his way, and he also can proudly show off his customized, individualized glove.”

Womens and Girls Softball Gloves

The latest rage in Southern California girls softball leagues is a Doctor Glove creation, using designer eyelets instead of the traditional round brass or black eyelets. I can add pastel colors, or bright vibrant team colors, or even eyelets in fun shapes like hearts and daisies. Ive even done patriotic gloves with red, white and blue star eyelets. When gloves are manufactured they use just a few eyelets (also called grommets), but I can put them anywhere on the glove.

Theres no reason why a woman or girl has to leave her femininity in the locker room when shes playing softball, and I help her make a fashion statement with her glove.

Doctor Glove Invents Glove Potion Leather Products

“I’m always been creative when it comes to fixing a major problem, and I believe in the old saying, ‘necessity is the mother of invention.’ Remember how ‘The Professor’ on the old TV show Gilligan’s Island could make just about anything out of absolutely nothing? Well, that’s they way I am with gloves - finding ways to make even the most difficult of repairs and inventing tools to get the job done.

Anyway, I developed Glove Potion and Glove Potion #9 cleaners, restorers, conditioners and protectors for glove leather because I wasn’t happy with any of the other available products. Maybe someday I’ll get rich with the royalties from my Glove Potion and Glove Potion #9 (when we start selling it at places like Wal-Mart and big sporting goods stores).”

Doctor Glove Guarantees His Work

“All of my work comes with an unconditional one year guarantee - if one of my repairs doesn’t hold up for at least a year, or even if a lace breaks, I’ll repair the glove for free.

For more information, visit Doctor Glove’s Internet website www.DoctorGlove.com or call him at (818) 521-5626.

“When it comes to glove repairs, I like to think I can fix anything and everything. I haven’t been proved wrong yet, but I guess there’s always a first time,” Doctor Glove laughed. “Over the years I’ve been asked to fix just about every imaginable type of problem in a glove - but I’m careful to say that I haven’t seen everything yet because every time I do, someone brings me a glove that’s been ‘critically injured’ in some new way.”

Doctor Glove has an almost cult-like following among his loyal client base in Southern California, but thanks to his website (http://www.DoctorGlove.com) he also gets gloves shipped to him from all around the world.

Relacing, sometimes called re-stringing, is the most common need, says the Doctor, because the rawhide laces used in gloves only last for a few seasons before weakening, stretching and breaking. He said, Most of the rips and tears I see in gloves happened because the owner had worn-out, stretched laces and didnt replace them when he should have.

When asked about glove repairs, Doctor Glove said, “I fix a lot of routine problems like rips and tears, or maybe some stitching that’s come undone, or maybe someone wants to replace the original padding or put in additional padding. Some clients come to me complaining about their glove being limp or floppy, and most of the time thats because the plastic inserts that are in the thumb and pinkie padding have broken. I make a new plastic insert and bingo, that problem is solved Ive put the snap back in their old glove.

“Many of my clients have been using their glove for 10, 20, 30 years or more and would not dream of buying a new one. Maybe it was a special gift, or maybe it was handed down from father to son, or maybe they wore that glove in a championship game, or it has some other special memory associated with it. People become attached to their glove the same way some people become attached to their old cars - it would kill them to get rid of it,” the Doctor said.

The Story Behind The Slogan

Doctor Gloves slogan is The Best Friend Any Baseball Glove Ever Had, and he told the story behind the slogan. The Doctor said, I’ve fixed a lot of gloves that were chewed up or mauled by dogs, and Ive been telling people for years that dogs may be mans best friend, but theyre also his glove’s worst enemy. Well, after I fixed a glove for a guy whose dog had eaten the wrist strap and webbing of his favorite glove, the guy said, If a dog is a gloves worst enemy, then youre a gloves best friend, in fact, you’re the absolute best friend any baseball glove ever had!

Customizing Gloves: Strengthening and Additional Finger Lacing

Doctor Glove talked about another specialty of his work, customizing gloves. “I do a lot of ‘custom strengthening’ work thats when the owner feels his glove is too weak or flimsy and thinks the lacing will break too easily, even if the glove has new laces. A lot of glove manufacturers use 3/16 inch laces in places where they really should have used 1/4 inch laces, which are much, much stronger.

“A lot of times, my ‘custom strengthening’ jobs are brand new gloves that have barely been broken in - the owner likes the feel and look of the new glove, but not the strength, toughness or durability. What I do to strengthen a glove is add laces as needed to the webbing or pocket area, by either doubling or tripling the existing lacing, or adding a new lace course (and making holes as necessary). When I ‘custom strengthen’ a glove, I imagine how strong I would want the glove to be if I had to catch Randy Johnson fastballs!”

“Another type of customization I am frequently asked to do is adding a lace run through the four fingers of an infielder’s or outfielder’s glove (catcher’s glove and first baseman’s gloves don’t have fingers). In most gloves, there is only one run of lacing connecting the fingers (criss-crossing at the very top of the glove). Some high-end gloves have a second lace run connecting the four fingers about midway up the fingers between the palm and the top finger lace. This second finger lace run adds a little strength, but more than that it helps a glove hold its form and shape.”

“Gloves that I have “custom strengthened” or added a new lace run though the fingers serve a functional purpose plus they look great! The owner has increased confidence in his ability to catch anything and everything that comes his way, and he also can proudly show off his customized, individualized glove.”

Womens and Girls Softball Gloves

The latest rage in Southern California girls softball leagues is a Doctor Glove creation, using designer eyelets instead of the traditional round brass or black eyelets. I can add pastel colors, or bright vibrant team colors, or even eyelets in fun shapes like hearts and daisies. Ive even done patriotic gloves with red, white and blue star eyelets. When gloves are manufactured they use just a few eyelets (also called grommets), but I can put them anywhere on the glove.

Theres no reason why a woman or girl has to leave her femininity in the locker room when shes playing softball, and I help her make a fashion statement with her glove.

Doctor Glove Invents Glove Potion Leather Products

“I’m always been creative when it comes to fixing a major problem, and I believe in the old saying, ‘necessity is the mother of invention.’ Remember how ‘The Professor’ on the old TV show Gilligan’s Island could make just about anything out of absolutely nothing? Well, that’s they way I am with gloves - finding ways to make even the most difficult of repairs and inventing tools to get the job done.

Anyway, I developed Glove Potion and Glove Potion #9 cleaners, restorers, conditioners and protectors for glove leather because I wasn’t happy with any of the other available products. Maybe someday I’ll get rich with the royalties from my Glove Potion and Glove Potion #9 (when we start selling it at places like Wal-Mart and big sporting goods stores).”

Doctor Glove Guarantees His Work

“All of my work comes with an unconditional one year guarantee - if one of my repairs doesn’t hold up for at least a year, or even if a lace breaks, I’ll repair the glove for free.

For more information, visit Doctor Glove’s Internet website www.DoctorGlove.com or call him at (818) 521-5626.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

If you are new to the game search out veteran coaches and ask for coaching tips. Find websites like this one that will teach you the fundamentals. What ever you do, always look for new ways to reach your players.

Times are different then when I grew up, and I have found that attention spans are short and patience is thin so you need these coaching baseball tips to find ways to keep practices interesting and competitive.

I hope these coaching baseball tips work as well for you as they have for me.

1. Have a preseason parents meeting. This should be mandatory for every team. More problems can be eliminated than you can imagine, if you plan this meeting right. Spell out your coaching philosophy, and parental behavior at games. Playing time is the #1 parental complaint. Deal with this up front at this meeting and you will avoid problems during the season.

Enlist your assistant coaches and find a couple of scorekeepers.

Inform them of the importance of punctuality in bring their kids to practice and picking them up after. Otherwise you will spend half your practice waiting for players to arrive, and spend your dinner hour waiting for them to be picked up.

The parents meeting is #1 of all my coaching baseball tips.

2. Find assistant coaches. You can never have to much help when coaching baseball. If you cant find qualified coaches enlist the help of parents to help you run drill stations and handle administrative details like uniforms and scorekeeping.

3. Emphasize the fundamentals. The proper mechanics for throwing and hitting are seldom emphasized enough. Injuries occur when children use poor mechanics. Teach proper warm ups and insist they are performed before practice begins.

4. Have a plan and work your plan. If you are serious about coaching baseball take the time to develop a practice plan based on the skills you need to teach. Pick out the fundamental skill sets appropriate to your age group and practice drill and practice again.

5. Spend 30%-40% of every practice on pitching. This is why you need assistants. Someone should spend this much time at every practice with your pitchers. This does not mean they pitch all of this time, they can work on mechanics and drills like balance drills, and towel drills. If the players can lead off at your age group, you would also include holding runners on and fielding bunts. Players should throw batting practice once they can throw strikes on a regular basis.

6. Teach every player how to bunt. Bunting is a lost art that needs to be revived. For the player who struggles to hit bunting can be a confidence booster and run producer.

7. Teach defensive movement. This is nothing more than having every player moving when the pitcher reaches the top of his windup. Nobody is standing flat footed. This also means that on EVERY hit ball, every player has a place to move to. If they are not catching or throwing the ball they must be moving to a backup position. Statues dont play baseball nobody is standing and watching the play.

8.Emphasize aggressive base running. Run out every hit ball regardless of where its hit to. Come out of the batters box as if you are going for a triple, even if its a routine grounder or fly ball. Break on every pitch as if you are going to steal even when your not. A runner in motion puts pressure on a defense. They move out of position to cover the runner and base hits squeak though. Pitchers rush their motions when a runner breaks and lose their concentration. I believe in pressure, pressure, pressure when it comes to base running.

9.Praise in public and criticize in private. Remember these are kids we are coaching not adults. If you need to get on a player pull him aside privately and speak with him. On the other hand if you have something good to say share it with the whole team.

10.Its about the kids Emphasize sportsmanship, discipline, teamwork, and persistence. Winning will take care of itself. Your job (should you choose to accept it.) is to help the players learn the game, enjoy themselves, and advance to the next level of the game.

These 10 coaching baseball tips do not include mechanics or drills but they do lay a foundation that will help show remakable improvement in your team.

If you have your own coaching baseball tips that you would like to share please email them to us and we will post them on this site.

Times are different then when I grew up, and I have found that attention spans are short and patience is thin so you need these coaching baseball tips to find ways to keep practices interesting and competitive.

I hope these coaching baseball tips work as well for you as they have for me.

1. Have a preseason parents meeting. This should be mandatory for every team. More problems can be eliminated than you can imagine, if you plan this meeting right. Spell out your coaching philosophy, and parental behavior at games. Playing time is the #1 parental complaint. Deal with this up front at this meeting and you will avoid problems during the season.

Enlist your assistant coaches and find a couple of scorekeepers.

Inform them of the importance of punctuality in bring their kids to practice and picking them up after. Otherwise you will spend half your practice waiting for players to arrive, and spend your dinner hour waiting for them to be picked up.

The parents meeting is #1 of all my coaching baseball tips.

2. Find assistant coaches. You can never have to much help when coaching baseball. If you cant find qualified coaches enlist the help of parents to help you run drill stations and handle administrative details like uniforms and scorekeeping.

3. Emphasize the fundamentals. The proper mechanics for throwing and hitting are seldom emphasized enough. Injuries occur when children use poor mechanics. Teach proper warm ups and insist they are performed before practice begins.

4. Have a plan and work your plan. If you are serious about coaching baseball take the time to develop a practice plan based on the skills you need to teach. Pick out the fundamental skill sets appropriate to your age group and practice drill and practice again.

5. Spend 30%-40% of every practice on pitching. This is why you need assistants. Someone should spend this much time at every practice with your pitchers. This does not mean they pitch all of this time, they can work on mechanics and drills like balance drills, and towel drills. If the players can lead off at your age group, you would also include holding runners on and fielding bunts. Players should throw batting practice once they can throw strikes on a regular basis.

6. Teach every player how to bunt. Bunting is a lost art that needs to be revived. For the player who struggles to hit bunting can be a confidence booster and run producer.

7. Teach defensive movement. This is nothing more than having every player moving when the pitcher reaches the top of his windup. Nobody is standing flat footed. This also means that on EVERY hit ball, every player has a place to move to. If they are not catching or throwing the ball they must be moving to a backup position. Statues dont play baseball nobody is standing and watching the play.

8.Emphasize aggressive base running. Run out every hit ball regardless of where its hit to. Come out of the batters box as if you are going for a triple, even if its a routine grounder or fly ball. Break on every pitch as if you are going to steal even when your not. A runner in motion puts pressure on a defense. They move out of position to cover the runner and base hits squeak though. Pitchers rush their motions when a runner breaks and lose their concentration. I believe in pressure, pressure, pressure when it comes to base running.

9.Praise in public and criticize in private. Remember these are kids we are coaching not adults. If you need to get on a player pull him aside privately and speak with him. On the other hand if you have something good to say share it with the whole team.

10.Its about the kids Emphasize sportsmanship, discipline, teamwork, and persistence. Winning will take care of itself. Your job (should you choose to accept it.) is to help the players learn the game, enjoy themselves, and advance to the next level of the game.

These 10 coaching baseball tips do not include mechanics or drills but they do lay a foundation that will help show remakable improvement in your team.

If you have your own coaching baseball tips that you would like to share please email them to us and we will post them on this site.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

>

I remember the spring days very well. My friends and I would be outside at the first sign of warm weather. We would grab our ball gloves and stomp through the damp muddy ground to play some catch or perhaps engage in an intense game of run-down. Whatever the activity may be, we all knew that our baseball season was fast approaching.

Like any young athlete we were always looking for ways to improve our game and gain a step on our competition. And like any young athlete we always looked to our superiors for advice. At times they would offer suggestions and teach us a thing or two, but more often than none we usually picked up ideas from observing them.

The one memory that is very vivid in my mind was a training technique that we used called “jogging”. We would band together like a small platoon and jog around the local football field. I can’t remember how far we would jog or for how long? But I can tell you that we jogged and took it quite serious. Sometimes we would jog twice a day; once in the morning and again in the evening.

Now my question is: What the hell does jogging have to do with baseball? Let me think for a minute………..oh that’s right, NOTHING!

The purpose of this article is not to give you a speed program or template to follow, but rather outline some ideas that you can implement right away to get on the right track to help increase your speed for your game. So let’s get to it.

First and foremost you are not an Olympic sprinter. You are a ball player. I say this because when I was working with a young player; his father had made the observation that his son’s running mechanics did not resemble Maurice Greene or Tim Montgomery? I almost fell over. The boy was only 12 years old and just looking for support. He was nowhere near his physical limit. He’s 12 dad! Greene and Montgomery work on sprinting (straight ahead) every single day. They are Olympic athletes with Olympic trainers! We need to be cautious of our mechanics but we are ball players.

Next, aerobic training is pretty much a waste of time. That’s right all of that jogging I did; not going to help me in baseball. There is nothing in baseball that is done aerobically. When was the last time you witnessed a pitcher jogging back-and-forth from the pitcher’s mound to home plate over and over again? Hopefully never! Baseball requires hand and eye coordination and explosive acceleration to get from point A to point B. The last time I checked, it’s only 90 feet between the bases. Ok, depending on what level of baseball you are playing! But you get my point. So, why train slowly, if our sport needs us to be fast?

So what exactly do we need? Most multi-directional sports such as baseball, football, basketball, soccer and tennis require us to have that first-step quickness, acceleration and agility. Have you ever noticed how quickly a major-league infielder reacts to a ground ball? They can take one or two steps perhaps dive and field that ball and turn and make a play. This doesn’t happen from jogging!

Here are some drills that can help you get started. I always prescribe a dynamic warm-up before jumping into any type of agility or sprint training to elevate the body temperature and warm the connective tissue in the joint areas.

* Set up two cones or bases (just so you have a starting and finishing point) approximately 30 yards from each other. Have a partner hit the baseball or softball into the ground and you take-off when you hear the sound and sprint to the designated spot or cone. Remember that when you are playing sports you rely on several of your senses and this drill will help increase your auditory response.

* Have one of your parents throw the ball from behind you and you run in the direction of the ball based on the visual cue. Now you are relying on your visual sense to help develop that speed you need for your game.

* Play a mock game of game of baseball by yourself or with friends. But play it backwards, pretend to hit the ball from home plate swinging opposite of your normal swing and run to third base. Then get a lead off and steal second and so forth. This will seem quite confusing to your body because we’ve become so adapted to playing our sport in one direction.

* Simply a good game of tag with friends will help to increase your agility and first step quickness. Sounds fun…well it should be.

* The centipede: If you have ever observed a centipede walking on the ground you will notice that his tail end always follows along in different directions that the head is moving. This drill will require a few of your friends. Simply form a straight line with roughly 3 yards between each one of you. The person at the front of the line begins the drill by starting with a slow jog and each person will follow accordingly. The leader can then change the tempo and direction of the run as he or she chooses and those following need to mirror that movement. Thus simulating the tail of the centipede.

Remember this is just a starting point. These simple drills will deliver the change of direction and acceleration skills needed for the game of baseball or softball. In part II of this series I will outline a basic template for a speed program so that you can see how to put some of the pieces together. Until then; remember keep it fun and work hard!

About the Author

Shawn is an independent performance coach. He is a graduate of Waynesburg College where he was an all-conference defensive back and attended CFL/NFL tryouts in 1994. He is a certified Renegade Training practioner under world renown Strength & Conditioning Coach John Davies, and is a certified Speed / Agility and Quickness Trainer through N.E.S.T.A. (National Endurance and Sports Trainers Association) Visit his website http://www.gamespeed.biz

Baseball Fielding Drills: Bucket Ball
By: Dave Cole

Bucket Ball

Bucket Ball is a fun fielding drill that not only gives the kids
a lot of practice catching ground balls, but also keeps them
interested and motivated.

Choose two captains, then let them pick up sides from your team.

You’ll need two empty 5 gallon buckets or two milk crates.

Place one bucket on the ground a couple of feet down the first
base line from home plate, and the other down the third base
line.

One group of kids goes to first base, the other to third base.

Rules are:

* You must catch the ball before you can throw it back.
* The ball must be thrown in the bucket on 2 to 4 hops.
* No throwing directly into the bucket on the fly.
* No bowling, or rolling the ball on the ground to the bucket.
* First team to get 5 in a bucket wins the first round.
* Then groups switch bases for the second round.
* No running in to throw, the throw is made from first or third
base.

We sometimes have it so the person with the most thrown in the
bucket gets to hit first in practice. You can think up other
ways of rewarding the most catches or throws.

It’s a bit harder to get the balls in the bucket than you might
imagine. The kids have a lot of fun cheering each other on and
they learn focus on catching the ball and throwing at a target.

It goes a lot faster if you have two coaches hitting the balls.

In about 15 minutes each kid can get a lot of grounders and no
one gets bored standing around because this is a fast moving
game.

About the author:
Dave Cole
Copyright

You can have more really cool baseball drills and info about
all aspects of the Great Game of Baseball, plus other sports,
by visiting our site:

http://ponyball.net/baseball-drills-strategy.html

Strike one! Strike two! Strike three!

Baseball! America’s Pastime, and a sport growing in popularity throughout the world, where the Boys of Summer slug it out. A baseball game is the perfect way to spend a lazy summer afternoon, plus it provides opportunities to take photos that last a lifetime.

While many claim the sport of baseball is a slow-paced affair, when action does occur, it can happen very swiftly, almost too fast for an unskilled photographer to shoot the photos they desire. Baseballs fly quickly when hit or thrown, and timing the action for when to take a digital photograph requires split-second reflexes. Thus, before you plan on taking photos at a baseball game, you may wish to read the following advice:

1) First, make sure you are allowed to bring your digital camera to the baseball game. Some ballparks have no restrictions, others on the zoom length, some on using flash, and some may not allow you into the baseball game at all with your camera!

2) Change your camera settings to take the quickest photographs possible while still providing plenty of light for the photograph. You’ll need to read your camera’s manual on how to change these settings; for example, consider saving photos as JPG instead of RAW to take photos faster.

Just remember that the quicker the shutter speed, the less light enters the camera to take the picture. Thus, you’ll need to compromise picture speed and the amount of light to take great photos. That is why baseball games work well with photography - many games are played on sunny days or in well-lit domes or stadiums that allow you to take crisp, high-action photos.

3) Before going to a big league ballpark, make sure you know the rules and nuances of the game. Practice taking photos at a minor-league, college, or high school baseball game. The stakes aren’t quite as high if you miss a shot, and taking your camera to a game will give you more insight into when action occurs and when players just stand around.

4) Have extra batteries and digital camera memory handy and practice switching both out quickly before the game! A three and a half hour game can put a tremendous strain on even the most power-miserly camera, and more often than not you will have to switch out power or memory in the middle of an inning.

5) Don’t worry if you miss a shot! Unless you have tons of digital camera memory, you may not be able to continuously shoot photograph after photograph. If you miss a key pitch, the swing of a bat, or a forced out, don’t get angry! More often than not, new opportunities will arise for great photographs.

6) Study the lineup first. Know who are the key players and those who barely know how to swing a bat. Likewise, learn who has loose hands in the outfield and who is likely to win a Gold Glove. Focus your attention on the stars as they most likely will make the best photographs, but don’t be so drawn to celebrity that you miss a role player making a crucial steal or diving catch that wins the game for their team!

7) When the opening lineup starts, look at the dugout. If you’re rooting for the home team, the beginning of the game is a great time to get player photographs as they are running out onto the field. If not, take photographs during the middle of the inning. If you don’t get the perfect photo, delete bad photographs during lull times and try later during the game.

8) To take a picture of a swinging batter that will last a lifetime, do the following:

*) Preparation is the key. First, before the game, know how to operate your digital camera. Practice focusing the camera and quickly deleting unused photos - sometimes you can delete an unwanted photo before it is completely saved to the camera’s memory.

*) Before the pitch, focus your viewfinder on the batter’s box and try not to cut out any of the batter’s body. Zoom in as appropriate, but remember the more you zoom in, the slower the potential shutter speed needed to take a clear photo.

*) Anticipate shutter lag. Lock your focus before the pitch; this usually is done by pressing the shutter button down half-way.

*) Time it… time it… then as soon as the ball is about to hit the bat, press down fully on the shutter button.

*) If the pitch is a strike or the swing is not one to be remembered, cancel the save so your picture is not written to memory. This way, you can save room for other photos.

9) Look around for photo opportunities not directly related to the action. Take a photograph of the grounds crew cleaning the bases and raking the dirt between innings. Get a few shots of the crowd. Take a picture of the scoreboard. Look at the surrounding area. If you want to remember the full experience of a baseball game years from now, you should take advantage of one of the best features of a digital camera - the ability to take lots and lots of photographs - and shoot photographs showcasing the FULL baseball experience.

10) Take a break during the game! You came to the baseball game to enjoy the spectacle, not just to take pictures, right? Designate a few innings as photo-free time where you just sit back, munch on a hot dog, drink a soda, and soak in the environment.

Remember to study your digital camera manual first and practice, practice, practice! Follow these ten tips and you’ll be on your way to taking “home run” baseball photographs in no time.

About the author:
Copyright 2005 Andrew Malek.

Andrew Malek is the owner of the MalekTips computer and technology help site at http://malektips.com/. Want more great tips on buying and using digital cameras? Visit http://malektips.com/camera/for more free digital photography advice.

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Superior equipment - No one said you shouldn’t use quality equipment like swinging nets, pitching machines and just plan old getting outside and throwing the ball about. At times, the best thing for a player is getting to know his team.

The skills for the pastime are met and honed as never before with the gear accessible to make it happen for your team, whether minor league or pro.

Baseball training nets are an outstanding way to ensure your team has the equipment handy to make practice productive, when most of the team is in a scrimmage, you’ve got the rest of the players at the nets, and practicing with one another. No down time, no time lost. Along with appropriate rest and proper eating habits, the best teams carry on with the kind of gear they need to get the job done, and done right.

Baseball training nets are accommodating all kind of needs on the practice field. They include baseball batting practice nets, baseball pitching nets, softball pitching nets and other nets that may work for your team. For instance, if you have a little league team that could make shift with another type of practice net, then double the use and perhaps save money by using another assortment of the nets.

Just as significant as having the proper hydration on the field for players, that means good water supplies and supplemental types of sport drinks to keep the players strong, a ball club can benefit by the investment of quality baseball training nets.

While the price is a bit high for the better baseball training nets, up to $350, it will help the team by investing in the types of training nets that are weather resistant, that have wheels for easy mobility, which is another time saving component, and that will ensure the investment is maximized by affording extended wear and tear. A little more money on a higher quality baseball training net is going to be a better value in the long run plus the safety issue of quality nets can’t be measured in dollars.

Training for baseball doesn’t stop after the season is over. The best time to get prepared for the next season is during the off-season, not training camps, and not a few weeks before the opening game. It takes time to build muscle strength, coordination and skillfulness. Many of these things can be done at home and even indoors.

About the Author

William Smith lives in Florida with his wife and three cats. William writes frequently on many subjects that may be of interest to all. Discover all the joys and secrets of baseball at Baseball’s Holy Grail

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Ash is called a ring porous hardwood because early in the growing period the tree makes big cells. Then later on the cells become much smaller and denser. The zone of big cells each year is in reality the weakest portion of the wood–large cells mean a lot of void space and poor strength. (Oak is also a ring porous wood.) Well, if you develop the ash too slowly, then there can be a larger proportion of large vessels, which means the wood can be weaker; too fast means too weighty as there will be too many dense, small cells. So, it is critical to find the right growth rate that maximizes the properties of the wood.

Bat selections change from competitor to competitor. It does not always depend on your power or particular muscle mass to figure which kind of bat is going to improve your performance at the plate.

Northern white ash baseball bats are the most well-received baseball bats because they are not as weighty as the popular maple wood counter parts. While maple is touted as having greater durability and longevity, northern white ash baseball bats are more cost effective.

The implement being only as good as its user, your northern white ash baseball bat will dispatch equally as long as the esteemed maple wood bats if you focus on the basics of what it takes to be a good hitter. Pro players will boast that they are able to get as many as 2000 hits off of one bat, and it would not be a northern white ash baseball bat.

It is feasible to accomplish the same endurance with a northern white ash baseball bat by not swinging at poor pitches. Foul balls are hitting a part of the bat that sends a wave of energy like an earth rocking tremor down the to the end of the bat, circling through the knob, and racing right back up.

All that activity is jarring the outer circle of the bat, not to cite how you as the hitter can sometimes even sense that uneven power come reeling up through your own nervous systems ganglia like a shocker. Your bat deserves better choices being made. As a hitter, you understand if you have to reach out for that pitch, it is likely to go out of control.

Each time your bat gets the g-force of a pitch outside its ideal center point for hitting, it is receiving a fissure splitting damaging wound. Northern white ash baseball bats will give you as much fulfilment and achievement on the field as any around, just be sure to make sound decisions before you swing!

Wood bats are typically made of Northern White ash, or Rock Maple. These woods are used because they are very powerful, yet they are also fairly light. Ash is still probably the most common wood, but rock maple is becoming more and more accepted because of its durability. some may dispute maple provides a little more pop. Selecting a good piece of wood is important to durability and to how well the ball jumps off of the bat.

About the Author

William Smith lives in Florida with his wife and three cats. William writes frequently on many subjects that may be of interest to all. Discover all the joys and secrets of baseball at Baseball’s Holy Grail

Strike one! Strike two! Strike three!

Baseball! America’s Pastime, and a sport growing in popularity throughout the world, where the Boys of Summer slug it out. A baseball game is the perfect way to spend a lazy summer afternoon, plus it provides opportunities to take photos that last a lifetime.

While many claim the sport of baseball is a slow-paced affair, when action does occur, it can happen very swiftly, almost too fast for an unskilled photographer to shoot the photos they desire. Baseballs fly quickly when hit or thrown, and timing the action for when to take a digital photograph requires split-second reflexes. Thus, before you plan on taking photos at a baseball game, you may wish to read the following advice:

1) First, make sure you are allowed to bring your digital camera to the baseball game. Some ballparks have no restrictions, others on the zoom length, some on using flash, and some may not allow you into the baseball game at all with your camera!

2) Change your camera settings to take the quickest photographs possible while still providing plenty of light for the photograph. You’ll need to read your camera’s manual on how to change these settings; for example, consider saving photos as JPG instead of RAW to take photos faster.

Just remember that the quicker the shutter speed, the less light enters the camera to take the picture. Thus, you’ll need to compromise picture speed and the amount of light to take great photos. That is why baseball games work well with photography - many games are played on sunny days or in well-lit domes or stadiums that allow you to take crisp, high-action photos.

3) Before going to a big league ballpark, make sure you know the rules and nuances of the game. Practice taking photos at a minor-league, college, or high school baseball game. The stakes aren’t quite as high if you miss a shot, and taking your camera to a game will give you more insight into when action occurs and when players just stand around.

4) Have extra batteries and digital camera memory handy and practice switching both out quickly before the game! A three and a half hour game can put a tremendous strain on even the most power-miserly camera, and more often than not you will have to switch out power or memory in the middle of an inning.

5) Don’t worry if you miss a shot! Unless you have tons of digital camera memory, you may not be able to continuously shoot photograph after photograph. If you miss a key pitch, the swing of a bat, or a forced out, don’t get angry! More often than not, new opportunities will arise for great photographs.

6) Study the lineup first. Know who are the key players and those who barely know how to swing a bat. Likewise, learn who has loose hands in the outfield and who is likely to win a Gold Glove. Focus your attention on the stars as they most likely will make the best photographs, but don’t be so drawn to celebrity that you miss a role player making a crucial steal or diving catch that wins the game for their team!

7) When the opening lineup starts, look at the dugout. If you’re rooting for the home team, the beginning of the game is a great time to get player photographs as they are running out onto the field. If not, take photographs during the middle of the inning. If you don’t get the perfect photo, delete bad photographs during lull times and try later during the game.

8) To take a picture of a swinging batter that will last a lifetime, do the following:

*) Preparation is the key. First, before the game, know how to operate your digital camera. Practice focusing the camera and quickly deleting unused photos - sometimes you can delete an unwanted photo before it is completely saved to the camera’s memory.

*) Before the pitch, focus your viewfinder on the batter’s box and try not to cut out any of the batter’s body. Zoom in as appropriate, but remember the more you zoom in, the slower the potential shutter speed needed to take a clear photo.

*) Anticipate shutter lag. Lock your focus before the pitch; this usually is done by pressing the shutter button down half-way.

*) Time it… time it… then as soon as the ball is about to hit the bat, press down fully on the shutter button.

*) If the pitch is a strike or the swing is not one to be remembered, cancel the save so your picture is not written to memory. This way, you can save room for other photos.

9) Look around for photo opportunities not directly related to the action. Take a photograph of the grounds crew cleaning the bases and raking the dirt between innings. Get a few shots of the crowd. Take a picture of the scoreboard. Look at the surrounding area. If you want to remember the full experience of a baseball game years from now, you should take advantage of one of the best features of a digital camera - the ability to take lots and lots of photographs - and shoot photographs showcasing the FULL baseball experience.

10) Take a break during the game! You came to the baseball game to enjoy the spectacle, not just to take pictures, right? Designate a few innings as photo-free time where you just sit back, munch on a hot dog, drink a soda, and soak in the environment.

Remember to study your digital camera manual first and practice, practice, practice! Follow these ten tips and you’ll be on your way to taking “home run” baseball photographs in no time.

About the author:
Copyright 2005 Andrew Malek.

Andrew Malek is the owner of the MalekTips computer and technology help site at http://malektips.com/. Want more great tips on buying and using digital cameras? Visit http://malektips.com/camera/for more free digital photography advice.

Top 5 Baseball Speedsters

 by: Kevin Bourassa

5. Joey Gathright- Tampa Bay Devil Ray(OF, Minors)

Joey Gathright has been called the fastest player in the league, he’s even been called the fastest man in the world, but he hasn’t yet received big-league playing time. Gathright could be that guy, who gets to the 100 SB mark. He’ll have to wait however with a crowded list of OF’s on Tampa Bay. Joey Gathright is so fast, so athletic that he can jump over a car… the long way. “But I can’t do it anymore,” Gathright said. “It’s in my contract. I’m not allowed to jump over cars anymore. Can’t jump fences, either.” Gathright could get a call to the majors sometime in 2004. Steals projection this season: 45, between Minors and Majors.

4. Rafael Furcal- Atlanta Braves(SS)

If Rafael Furcal got more SB opportunities he could easily steal 50+ bases in a single season, but the Braves don’t send him enough. Furcal stole 25 bases last year, and was caught stealing just twice. With Furcal’s speed, he should get twice as many steals as he did last season. In 2000, Furcal stole 40 bases, so why aren’t they sending him now? SB aside, Furcal showed his speed last season when he scored 130 runs in the Braves leadoff role, good enough to place him 3rd in the majors. With some of the big-name sluggers gone from Atlanta, the Braves need to find a new way to produce runs, and Furcal will be a key part in that. Steals projection this season: 40

3. Carlos Beltran - Kansas City Royals(OF)

Carlos Beltran stole 41 bases last season, and was only thrown out 4 times. That’s a ration of 10 steals per 1 time being thrown out, and thats an amazing ratio. Beltran can not only run the basepaths well, but he hit 25 HR, batted in 100 RBI and batted .307 last season. Carlos Beltran is an all-around fantasy god. He should steal more bases this season, because he missed 20 games last season due to injuries. Carlos Beltran is a 4-10 pick overall, and he won’t disappoint you with his speed. Steals projection this season: 55

2. Juan Pierre - Florida Marlins(OF)

Pierre led the leagues in SB last season, so why isn’t he the top speedster? Well he did get CS 20 times. Pierre is on a Florida team that loves to run, 5 Florida hitters stole double-digit bases last season, and Pierre was their leader. Batting at the top of the order, Pierre would get on base and then he would proceed to try to steal second. Pierre attempted a steal about once every 3-4 times he got on base. Pierre’s fantasy value skyrocketed last season, and he should get around the same amount of steals this season as he did last year. Steals projection this season: 58

1. Carl Crawford - Tampa Bay Devil Rays(OF)

So you might be asking, why Crawford over Pierre or Beltran? Carl Crawford stole 55 bases last year, in his first full season, Crawford stole 55 bases and was CS 10 times. That’s 5.5 SB per 1 CS, which is a whole lot better than Juan Pierre’s ratio. Crawford should only improve his speed over the next few seasons, in which his whole team will be improving around him. In his best season Crawford could steal 70+ bases and score 120+ runs. Steals projection this season: 63