Drills-Drills-Drills!

Drills, Drills, Drills. In my opinion, doing drills is one of the most critical components of making the complete ball player. However, drills must be creative, fun, and stressed to the athlete of how important they are. The reason for this is because it is very easy for a player to lose focus, concentration, and interest in the drill as it is often seen as mundane and boring. Many athletes have a high level of intensity so when they're forced to do a drill that breaks down their flaws and mechanics, they get frustrated or bored and would just rather go 100% full speed. You can tell they're just going through the motions to make you happy as the coach or instructor.

But you see, doing drills is important because it isolates the problem areas. Do you think the athletes you see on TV don't do drills or are "too good" to do them now? NO chance! Recognizing what a player needs to work on is a large part of the battle, but then knowing which drills to consistently do to cure the problem is the other half. The key word is consistent! Drills specific to a particular mechanical flaw must be executed on a routine basis and done PROPERLY. It takes another set of eyes to ensure the athlete is doing the drill the right way, otherwise, he or she could "think" they're doing it the right way when in reality they're simply practicing more wrong fundamentals and developing even worse habits. These must be done in front of a coach or professional who knows what to look for.

There are many drills out there for even the smallest corrections in baseball/softball mechanics. I encourage to mix the drills up and keep them fun and entertaining because that will only make the athlete want to do them more AND do them correctly with complete dedication. I am always looking for new drills because there will always be a certain drill that works for one - but doesn't work for another. And in those instances, you must have a few back up drills that accomplish the same task.

With that in mind, if you or your son/daughter have specific mechanical flaws - I urge you to come check out The Player's Edge to participate in suggested drills!

The Player's Edge... In the Making!

Greetings Fans! It is Friday the 13th and I havent posted in awhile. I haven't forgotten about the Blog but have been extremely busy and figured I'd bring everyone up to speed. We have been putting in 12-14 hr days consistently, as we are trying to get the Players Edge building fully insulated with side walls and a ceiling put in. You can go to the Players Edge facebook page to view pictures of our progress!

Around the weekend of Nov. 21st, the professional installation service is coming to The Player's Edge all the way from Boston, MA. He has a job in Ohio and then in Colorado and plans to stop by Kewanee, IL on his way back home to Boston.

I had a conversation with a scout who covers the entire Midwest for the Chicago White Sox this past week and am meeting him for lunch on Monday. He scouted me in High School! Anyway, we will be discussing the indoor facility along with me becoming an Associate Scout for the Chicago White Sox! Stay tuned for updates :)

We have received an overwhelming amount of interest thus far in The Player's Edge and it is very encouraging! I've begun giving lessons to 5 separate kids and have received many more inquiries and interest as we get closer to the season. We even have High Schools and Travel Ball teams wanting to reserve time slots for the full-facility rentals!

On the marketing front, I have a meeting with the local Broadcasting company on Tuesday to discuss radio spots. Additionally, I have posted all 250 "Coming Soon" flyers in the surrounding communities and they have been a terrific asset! Newspapers have done articles and the word of mouth is certainly spreading quickly. Be sure to check out The Player's Edge, Inc. on facebook as well!

Thanks again and stay tuned once things settle down for more baseball-related topics on the blog! Take care!

The Player's Edge: UPDATE

Hello Player's Edge fans! Thanks for stopping by to read some of the blog postings. I wanted to let you all know, if you don't already, that I'm moved back to Illinois now and tackling responsibilites every day to get the Player's Edge up and running! I am very excited to get things rolling and anticipate being open around the first of the new year.

I haven't blogged for a couple weeks so just wanted to send a quick note! I will leave you with this thought for motivation:

"Ready, Fire, Aim" - This should be your new motto to live by. Rather than the old "ready, aim, fire" that we're all accustomed to hearing. In other words, so many people spend their lives in the "aim" stage that they never actually fire. Many are so afraid of failing and taking that crucial step towards their goals! Therefore, if we FIRE before we AIM, this will initiate the process towards success. We should embrace failure and acknowledge it as an acceptable learning process in our lives. Often times we learn more by failing than we do by our successes. What is the quickest way to hit a target with a gun? It's by getting ready and firing! You may aim briefly but you truly dont know where the bullet will end up until you fire. Then if you miss 2 feet high or slightly to the right, you can re-adjust your scopes and take another shot. Before you know it- you will be hitting the bullseye every time! This is a great analogy to apply to our life goals. Take the step, and then worry about what corrections need to be made. Dont let the fear of failure control your life... "Ready, Fire, Aim"

How to Effectively Practice

It is easy to go about each practice as if we were just going through the motions. I mean let's face it, it is easy to put on a front and not give a full effort in practice when its the same thing over and over again or maybe some drills that aren't exactly the most exciting thing in the world. But do players really know how to practice? In other words, how to continually grow to achieve the level of competition they want to be able to perform at.

As a baseball player, you can't procrastinate and put off working on fundamentals and then expect to show up to a game and have a 4-4 performance. In another sense, would a farmer wait until the Fall to begin planting and harvesting the crops? There is much preparation that goes into getting the soil fertile and allowing the natural progression and development of the crops to take place. It is not something you can expect to occur if you just put it off until the last possible minute.

So what is the right way to practice? Well to start, you must practice at game speed at ALL times. I realize this is easier said than done, but what makes the great players "great" is because in every situation whether it be hitting off a Tee or taking 200 ground balls at shortstop, they take EACH and EVERY swing or ground ball as if it were a game situation. You can not afford to take one play off!

Additionally, if you watch a practice and more specifically a player working on his own... you're likely to see them working and gravitating towards their strengths. If a guy likes to pull the ball, you'll typically see him taking batting practice swinging out of his shoes and pulling the ball. You see, psychologically people don't like to expose their weaknesses. We tend to gravitate towards what our strengths are and just do that over and over again. But why? How is that making you better? Baseball is a very humbling game and it WILL inevitably find a way to expose your weaknesses. The guy who has troubles going to his backhand side to field a groundball and refuses to work on it in practice is also the same guy who makes the game ending error on that same play in a championship game.

So what I'm saying is, practice is designed to work on the areas of the game that need improvement. I encourage you to work on those things which you have NOT perfected and knowingly need work on. If you need to work on going to the opposite field when hitting, then work on it! How else will you get better? If you have trouble locating a fastball in the bottom part of the strike zone, then work at it!! Don't just accept doing a drill without a purpose. EVERYTHING MUST BE DONE WITH A PURPOSE. Not one drill or one repetition can be taken off. Practice things the right way; at game speed, and practice those aspects of the game that need improvement and not those in which you just resort back to your comfort zone and work on the areas of the game you're strongest in. Imagine if you developed all areas of your game, what kind of ball player you'd be. That is the beautiful thing about baseball is that you can never rest on your laurels and you have NEVER perfected something completely... there is always room for improvement no matter how good you are since baseball is a game of constant development and constantly making adjustments.

Attention to Details

One of the things that I've been known for is attention to detail. Although at times I may not be vocal about things that I notice, it is quite frequent that people who are close to me accuse me of being extremely detail oriented. Call it what you want, but in the game of baseball details are what it is all about.

Demanding perfection, even when doing the mundane things, is what makes players become great players. Because baseball is a game of inches, every minor detail matters. In life and in baseball, there are no "huge" or "groundbreaking" achievements. Rather, it is an accumulation of doing a bunch of small things to perfection that result in an amazing end result! Since baseball is a game of development, it goes without saying that practicing perfection with many repetitions is what will give players the edge over competition. Otherwise, this game is extremely humbling and the moment you slack on a drill and put things into cruise control, is the moment the game will jump up and bite you and send a reminder. Much like "Stubby" told me at a young age: if you aren't working hard to get better, then you're falling behind.

So where am I going with this? Well let me ask you a few common questions that are commonly asked to players and see how you would answer them, let's turn the tables for a moment:

1) Where do you play (position)?

2) As a pitcher, rank your pitches according to your strengths and your ability to throw them.

3) When doing a pick off move to first base, where should you be aiming?

Most likely you answered something like the following:

1) "I play shortstop and second base, Coach."

2) "Well let's see, my best pitch is my fastball, second best pitch is my curveball, third best pitch is my changeup, and fourth best pitch is my slider."

3) "I dont know, I just try to throw and hope the ball beats the guy sliding back" OR "I try and throw chest high."


Now let me show you what I mean by attention to detail. While none of these are the wrong answer necessarily, what I demand from my players is more detailed and considered "perfection".

1) If a guy plays second base, I dont want him to tell me that he plays Second Base. Thats not what I asked! Unless he is telling me he plays his position standing on top of the second base bag. No no, what I asked was WHERE DO YOU PLAY. I'm looking for a kid to tell me he plays 8 steps off the second base bag and 4 steps back. Now we're getting somewhere. See, to have an idea of where to be and understand the game-- you first must know where YOU have to be placed according to your strengths and weaknesses! How can I trust my player to cover his position if he just stands where ever he thinks feels good?

2) Call these trick questions if you want, but what I'm looking for a kid to tell me is that he has TRUST in all his pitches and isn't afraid to throw any of them in any count or situation. If a kid can't honestly say this, then we know we have some work to do. I dont want a guy to tell me he has a second, third and fourth best pitch because he's automatically just told me he lacks confidence in certain pitches and if I called a slider in the bottom of the 9th inning with 2 outs to win us the Championship, he will be afraid to throw this pitch aggressively. I want him to be a perfectionist with ALL pitches and be able to throw any one of them at any given moment.

3) On this answer, it stems from Coach Rhodes at UNF. The answer I'm looking for here is 18 inches high, inside part of the bag. The way I teach my kids to pick off, I teach them to PICK THE GUY OFF!! Many guys do it just to "show" the runner he'll pick but why not try and get him out? Therefore, I will practice my guys endlessly like I had to, until reaching the point of perfection where each throw to the bag is 18 inches high and on the inside part of the bag so all the first baseman has to do is catch the ball and tag, not catch it chest high and bend down and bring his glove down with him--that takes time and baseball is a game of inches where that is wasted time and could be the difference between safe and out. Get it?

Obviously this is just scraping the surface of attention to detail. There are so many small aspects of the game that players/coaches could pay attention to and utilize to their benefits. Ever thought about which shoulder the umpire looks over and pitch to the opposite side of the plate? Ever seen a kid wearing a shin guard at bat and consider throwing him low and inside since he's practically advertising he struggles with that pitch? Ever noticed the little things a pitcher does to tip his pitches such as hold his glove differently, take a deep breath before certain pitches, doesn't lift his leg up as high on certain pitches, holds his finger a different way and the list goes on and on.

I dont mean to beat a dead horse, but so many players and teams get complacent with where they are in the game that they dont realize how many "small" things could make such a big difference if they'd just shift their focus to them. Don't ever under estimate the importance of attention to detail and how it can significantly improve your game... Just like starting a car by turning the ignition, the car doesn't immediately start on command but rather its a series of small things no one sees that produces the end result of the car starting, and this is how baseball development works as well. You can't expect change over night or to show up at the ball park and perform. You must take the time to focus on the small details and at times, boring aspects of the game, to achieve the results youre looking for.

The Power of Visualization

"To visualize, is to materialize." Often times in sports, especially the game of baseball, athletes get lost in the competition of the game and tend to lose a certain degree of focus not only when they're competing but more importantly: when they are preparing for a game. The 5 P's that were taught to me in college baseball were Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.

Now obviously leading up to a season, athletes put a lot of preparation into their game. Through hours of practice and hard work, breaking down the fundamentals and challenging themselves to be perfect, you always SEE athletes practicing the physical aspect of the game. You will find dedicated athletes in the weight room, showing up early to practice and staying late taking extra Batting Practice or extra ground balls, etc. But I feel there is a whole other side to the game that kid's do not challenge themselves enough. As many Hall of Fame baseball players and coaches have said, the game of baseball is greatly comprised of the MENTAL aspect. So do kids ever break a "mental sweat" like they do during a physical conditioning or workout program? I'm afraid not many do and this is a critical component in baseball!

Mental preparation is one of the areas of baseball that I was taught to be strong in at a very young age and I contribute much of my success to this. I was taught that each night before a game, in addition to the day of the game, to close my eyes and spend about 30 minutes just visualizing the entire game. Going pitch by pitch or at bat by at bat. Visualizing making that perfect pitch with a fastball that paints the outside corner. Visualize making solid contact with the sweet spot of the bat and hitting a line drive into the left centerfield gap. You get the idea! The more specific and visual you can get the better. Our universe is governed by laws and this is the Law of Attraction. If you think it, then it will be. If you can put yourself in the game situation before it happens and imagine success and can see your team celebrating after the victory, then odds are this will come true! The mind is a powerful thing and you're immediately training your mind to think positively and see things with the end result in mind. Now I realize to some this may be hokey and corny, but why not give it a try? I guarantee you it will make a difference. Besides, wouldn't you rather be hokey with a CHANCE that it may work instead of having no other alternative at all?

Maintaining composure and NOT showing ANY emotion on the baseball field is what I'm all about. I have NO tolerance for kids who kick the dirt in frustration, shake their heads in disgust, show up the opposing players or even their own teammates, throw a batting helmet because they got out, and anything along those lines--you get the point. This is conditioning your mind to be WEAK and show the opponents that you are beat. As a player in my days, as soon as I saw a batter show emotion, I knew I had him beat and that he was mine to dominate that day. I wanted nothing more than to add to his frustration and piss him off even more! That was the competitive streak in me.

As we know, baseball is a game of failure. It is a game of contradictions. As players, you must be intense but you can't play tense. It is a game of failure, but you can't be afraid to fail. That is why it is so crucial to spend as much time on the mental side of the game as you do on the physical aspect of the game. Because without a mentally tough frame of mind that can overcome failure, you will have NO chance to be successful in this game. Go take up ping pong or something else.

"To visualize, is to materialize." Through personal experience and reading many case studies about this topic, we must not overlook the time required in training our minds to become mentally strong as baseball and softball players. It is easy to develop physical skills but without a mind that can back these skills up, you are left with nothing. Try spending 30 minutes the night before and the day of the game visualizing. Close your eyes, find a quiet place and just take yourself through the entire game. If you're pitching that day; imagine yourself throwing the perfect pitches and be specific! If you're hitting and playing the field, imagine seeing the ball hit the sweet spot and exploding into the outfield or imagine that perfect ground ball coming at you that dictates the final out of the game. It is irresponsible just to show up to the field and expect to play good... you must put in the time and effort mentally just as much as you do physically. The Laws of Attraction will work in your favor.

What is a Pitcher's "Greatest Weapon"?

"It's always nice to have a great fastball, but a pitcher's GREATEST weapon is his confidence!" These words were told to me at a very young age by Jeff "Stubby" Stevens, my mentor and pitching coach growing up. It only took him one time to say these words for it to stick into my mind and until this day I still recite it to player's I work with. Although, every time I saw "Stubby" or talked to him, he usually told me this saying!

But the question is, is what Stubby told me at a young age true? In my opinion, there could never be more of a true statement on so many levels. It is easy for others to argue a kid can be confident and even cocky but not have a lick of talent, velocity, breaking balls, etc. Or reversely, it could be easy for someone to say that a kid has dominating stuff and an unbelievable arm, but guess what, if he has a $.10 cent head then he is practically worthless out on the mound. No matter how you break it down, this statement will always hold true!

It is the true essence of a pitcher's DNA. Confidence! The ability to stand out there like a bulldog and attack hitters, not fear anyone, challenge them with your best stuff, knowing you're better than that batter at that given moment. The ability to stand confidently on the mound and maintain composure no matter what is going on around you. If the fans are screaming how bad you suck, if a guy makes an error behind you, or a bloop hit falls and scores the go ahead run... it always comes back to confidence that the pitcher has in himself to overcome any obstacle and get through the inning.

But it must be clarified to the skeptics who may not buy into this that confidence is a pitcher's greatest weapon. Those who still believe that a dominating fastball or devastating breaking balls or spot on location or flawless mechanics are a pitcher's greatest weapon... Well let me tell you that it is ASSUMED that a pitcher is equipped with good mechanics and good enough stuff to get hitters out. I'm not talking about "throwers" here! A pitcher is someone who is polished with these essential qualities already. Anyone can step on the mound with a fastball or breaking balls and just throw them up there... that is a thrower! We're talking about PITCEHRS here. Pitching is an art. It is the ability to combine mechanics, location, and pitches with the craft of reading hitters and studying each individual batter to identify holes in their swing, etc. That is a pitcher. Now taking a "pitcher" and making him unstoppable is where confidence comes in to play and that is why it is the greatest weapon! Without it, you are left with a gutless guy on the mound who pitches out of fear or isn't aggressive and confident enough to challenge hitters. I want a guy who says to himself, "here you go, hit this!" Make them beat YOU with YOUR best stuff. Do not pitch to their strengths, pitch according to yours!

So it is safe to say that confidence is what takes a pitcher over the edge. After he has all the tangibles in mechanics and pitch selection, he is left with the deciding factor (the X-factor) that can take him to the next level. I'm here to tell you it is confidence. Nothing more, nothing less.

$$ Bonus Babies $$

In the last decade or so of the MLB Draft, we have seen an steady increase in the amount of money First Round Draft Picks are receiving. With the recent signing of the Washington Nationals pitcher, Stephen Strasburg, the era of high signing bonuses has now been taken to even greater heights. Agreeing to a $15.1 million dollar deal, Strasburg has set the record for the highest paid signing bonus in history. In other recent years, the following players signed as the #1 pick:

1987 Ken Griffey Jr. $160,000
1988 Andy Benes $235,000
1989 Ben McDonald $350,000
1990 Chipper Jones $275,000
1991 Brien Taylor $1,550,000
1992 Phil Nevin $700,000
1993 Alex Rodriguez $1,000,000
1994 Paul Wilson $1,550,000
1995 Darin Erstad $1,575,000
1996 Kris Benson $2,000,000
1997 Matt Anderson $2,505,000
1998 Pat Burrell $3,150,000
1999 Josh Hamilton $3,960,000
2000 Adrian Gonzalez $3,000,000
2001 Joe Mauer $5,150,000
2002 Bryan Bullington $4,000,000
2003 Delmon Young $3,700,000
2004 Matt Bush $3,150,000
2005 Justin Upton $6,100,000
2006 Luke Hochevar $3,500,000
2007 David Price $5,600,000
2008 Timothy Beckham $6,150,000
2009 Stephen Strasburg $15,100,000

Now it is clearly seen that over the course of the years, signing bonuses have risen and some of the players have obviously made great careers for themselves but others we haven't heard much about, if ever again, since they're signings!

I believe we have become so desensitized to reading these figures. Do you realize this is MILLIONS of dollars these players are getting paid just to sign a contract? There is no guarantee that these players will ever amount to a great ball player, it is pure speculation. Obviously my stance is that signing bonuses and players now aday are far too overpaid. Granted, if I was the one receiving the money I wouldn't complain, but what ever happened to play for the love of the game? I realize this industry is a business, I witnessed that first hand, but with guys holding out for large sums of money b/c they have some smooth talking agent, it sickens me to see that the game which was once played for the LOVE of the game is now all about the money. It is about the image. It is no wonder we see guys who are just pretty boys and afraid to get dirty, or are more concerned about their "style" in front of the crowd and tv camera than how they perform!

In my opinion, no player is worth this kind of money. College players may be a bit more deserving b/c they're polished and have proven themselves more so than a High School "stud" has, but regardless these millions of dollars being paid out to these guys before they've even stepped foot onto a Major League Field and competed against some of the best players in the world, that's ridiculous. The MLB and organizations need to do a better job at being firm and getting these bonuses more realistic. A simple "take it or leave it" approach would be great to see! Implying hey, we drafted you because we want you, but if you don't sign we will be fine with out you! Now that Strasburg has received $15 million dollars, this number resignates in player's minds for years to come. They will say, "well he got this, so I should too".

I have personally played with and against these "bonus babies". The ones you read about in Baseball America magazines and see posted all over the internet and talked about on tv. From my first hand experience, many of these guys are NO better than many other guys in the minor leagues. Once you reach the minor leagues, it should be about everyone being on the same "playing field" but b/c these individuals had more hype around them, they get special attention and more of a chance than others. I'm not bitter at all about my experience, I'm just stating the facts from being on the inside and seeing the politics! You may be surprised at the talent of some of these big bonus guys compared to someone who was maybe picked in the 20th round. Trust me, it is not much different! There could be many reasons for this and I'm convinced that by growing up in a baseball heaven area such as California or Florida, that this instantly comes with higher recognition and being put on the radar screen. But the truth of the matter is, guys from any area of the country can compete with these guys and just b/c they didnt grow up in the spotlight or mommy and daddy didnt have a lot of money or connections with people high up, doesnt mean they wouldn't deserve the same attention if they lived in a different area or circumstances changed.

The moral of my point here is that without having any solid proof that these players are worth spending millions of dollars on just to sign a contract, signing bonuses have gotten out of hand. No player is worth that much money just by being a stud player in High School or College. Baseball has become more of a business and about the money and glitz and glamour than simply playing it for pure love of the game...

The Baseball Doctor

"Habit" is defined as an established custom; an automatic pattern of behavior in reaction to a specific situation, which may be inherited or acquired through frequent repetition.

It is all too common today that athletes at young ages in the sports of baseball and softball do not receive proper training. Coaches roll out a bucket of balls and give limited instruction on truly how to play the game correctly. Therefore, at an early age, without proper instruction kids constantly practice bad habits making it more and more difficult to break as they get older. But the good news is, bad habits can be broken and developed into good habits! It is scientifically proven that it takes 21 days of consistent repetition to establish a habit. In developing a regime, it is suggested by experts to perform the activity at least 3 times a week, while performing it daily is even better. There must not be any disruptions from this schedule.

Developing a habit and going through the process is much like a Doctor treating a patient. This analogy is exemplified through the normal stages a Doctor goes through with a patient: examination, diagnosis, and prescription.

And this is why, at The Player's Edge, we refer to ourselves as the "Baseball Doctor". Let me explain in further detail of the three critical steps:

Examination: Much like a Doctor does upon an initial visit, we will treat our "patients" with much care and thorough inspection. A comprehensive analysis of the athlete will be done. Mechanics, attitude, and willingness to learn and adapt will be examined looked upon through a microscope. The initial visit is to get a feel for the patient and the problems or "symptoms" he or she is experiencing and then developing a plan to treat the problem. At The Player's Edge, this is why seeing an athlete repeated times will only increase the performance he or she desires!

Here is an example that was recently quoted to me from a good friend. He was experiencing back problems and had previously been to a Doctor who simply tried diagnosing the problem through a series of questions and "feel" techniques. Needless to say this Doctor was not practicing good business. Therefore, my friend went to a different doctor who immediately took an X-ray of his back and used this snapshot to gather an in-depth and detailed look at the problem. From here, the Doctor then diagnosed the problem to my friend and insisted his continuous attendance at therapy sessions to cure the problem for good. In other words, the Doctor simply stated that by coming only for a few weeks, they could treat the SYMPTOMS temporarily but not permanently fix the PROBLEM. He would feel good for a few weeks afterwards, but the problems would arise again if he did not stick to the Doctor's suggested agenda. This analogy is perfect in how we will conduct business at The Player's Edge. We will not just play a guessing game with the athletes, but rather put them under intense focus and take our "X-ray" in order to get down to the true flaws or fundamental problems. We will offer video analysis, for example, to provide a detailed look at what the player is doing through his or her mechanics. This is what will separate us from the "feel" good Doctors. We will have a proven cure for any baseball or softball related flaw.

Diagnosis: Once the Doctor has done a thorough examination, he is then equipped with the knowledge to make a confident diagnosis of what the underlying problem is. Instead of "guessing", athletes will know exactly what they need to work on to achieve maximum performance. Much like the story of my friend, a diagnosis can not be completely done unless things are broken down to a granular level. We will get to the root of the problem and prescribe a focused curriculum to our athletes to permanently fix the mechanics.

Prescription: "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." This quote exemplifies the imporance of repeat visits so we can thoroughly examine the athlete and make sure he or she is practicing GOOD habits. Again, habits are formed within 21 days but only by consistent repetition and having the will to learn and perform the skills properly. This is why The Player's Edge will guide the athletes through the entire process, by sitting one on one with a professional instructor and constantly making sure the prescription fits the diagnosis and that players are following our strict curriculum to fix the problem. This is done through a series of skill specific drills and repetitions provided by The Player's Edge staff.

In summary, the importance of the professional instruction at The Player's Edge is key. You would not take a child to a Doctor who is unqualified or some random person at the side of the road who wears a Doctor's jacket, pretending to be a Doctor. So why subject a baseball and softball player to unqualified coaching? The Player's Edge has the resume and credibility to examine, diagnose, and prescribe the athlete with the proper techniques to permanently fix the problem! Rest assured he or she will receive the proper focus and attention to details that they deserve to develop proper mechanics and instantly increase the performance at which they play the game!

July 4th, 2006... The Final Pitch

It was like any other Minor League road trip. On July 3rd, we played the Idaho Falls Chukars at our home stadium in Orem, Utah just outside of Salt Lake City. After the game we showered, had our bags packed and boarded the bus for Idaho Falls to play a three game series at their home field. This road trip was relatively quick, only about 4 hours. We showed up to probably the worst hotel I've ever stayed at around 2 in the morning. I mean this hotel was so bad, bug infested, dirty sheets and simply a sight for sore eyes. It became a living legend immediately upon the ball players and the brunt of all jokes to follow. Even our manager, Tom Kotchman, who has stayed in more motels than any of us can even imagine--said it was absolutely filthy and unacceptable. Nevertheless, we unpacked our bags from the bus and loaded them into our rooms because it was the ONLY hotel in the city to have rooms left, since it was the 4th of July and absolutely packed.

I never knew waking up the morning of July 4th, 2006 would be one of the most memorable dates of my life. We did our normal routine, hanging around the hotel and finally leaving around 3 for the ballpark. I knew there was a chance I'd be pitching this night so I was trying to get myself mentally prepared as best as I could, knowing my arm just wasn't right. Fast forwarding to the 6th inning, I got the call to pitch and came into the game vs. the Chukars who are an affiliate of the Kansas City Royals.

Never did I expect this would be the last time I set foot on a pitcher's mound in a competitive game. Something was clearly wrong. Delivering each pitch resulted in a shooting pain in my elbow, causing me to over compensate and completely ignore my "normal" mechanics. It was so bad that my best friend and teammate Jared Incinelli, came to me afterwards asking if I was "okay" because my mechanics looked completely different. This was b/c I was in pain and trying to over compensate and not tell anyone... trying to toughen it out and not be seen as a quitter. If anyone knew me, it was Jared since we were teammates and best friends for 5 years prior.

Needless to say, I did not have a good outing. I gave up 4 runs in the inning, including a homerun. Manager Tom Kotchman made his slow walk out to the pitcher's mound, held out his hand for the ball, and signaled down to the bullpen for a relief pitcher to come in. At this moment, a feeling came over me like never before. Any other time in the history of my pitching, I would basically fight the coach to leave me in the game. I HATED to be pulled from games b/c I knew I could get out of the situation or suck it up and finish the game. But not this time... I knew my body was telling me "it's time". So I made my slow walk off the field, only to be harassed by the opposing fans and telling me how I "suck" and all the typical opposing Minor League fan comments. This didn't affect me, I heard it, but I didn't listen to it. My mind was 100% focused on the pain and knowing that those steps off the baseball field into the dugout could very well be my last if I was being honest with myself.

As the game progressed, I sat in the dugout as quiet as can be... I was propped up on the bench, just staring. So many thoughts were going through my mind. I can't tell you the fear that came over me, the hesitation, the rejection, and the inner battle that was going on. This was a moment where I was faced with being honest with myself and possibly deciding to end my career. Something I had worked SO hard for, something I had dreamed of since I was a little kid, something many people told me I couldn't do coming from such a small town.

After the game, we loaded up the bus as always to go back to our sub-par hotel. On the bus, I was curled up in my seat and dead to the world, oblivious of what was going on around me... My stomach was in knots in anticipation of what was about to happen. We showed up to the hotel. Parked the bus. Players got up from their seats and began to exit the bus... As player's passed by me in my seat as I just sat there, they patted me on the back-- almost as if they knew what was about to happen. Many of the guys knew my arm wasn't right, so I think they could tell what I was about to do... In this moment, it's something you can not put into words. Taking my life, baseball, into my own hands and putting an end to it voluntarily. As the bus was clearing, I finally got up and approached Tom Kotchman, who was sitting at the front of the bus. I looked at him with tears in my eyes and said "Coach, do you have a second to talk?" Kotchman paused, staring back at me and seeing the pain and fear in my eyes and simply said... "It's your arm, isn't it?" I will never ever forget this dialogue. As soon as he said that, I lost it completely and began crying relentlessly and simply shaking my head yes to acknowledge his question. He said "Jake, don't worry about it, it's going to be okay and we will talk tomorrow, ok?"

The moments to follow were the hardest and most gut-wrenching of my life. I had done it. He knew what I was saying and it was too late to go back. I grabbed my bag from the bus and just continued to walk and found a corner to sit and think outside of the hotel. I collapsed to my knees. I literally sat there for hours crying and thinking of everything. It was as if my whole life passed by me. I had flashbacks to when I was in Little League, flashbacks to seeing and hearing my parents on the sidelines cheering me on, flashbacks of my college years and all the celebrations we had. Who would've thought then that years later I would be faced with this situation where my mind wanted it, but my body was telling me something different. For hours I sat there thinking about these things and continuing to face reality. It sunk in that my baseball days are over.. Something that consumed my life and I was 100% dedicated to is no longer there. What now? Where do I go from here?

The next day, Tom Kotchman and I had a nice talk after my emotions had calmed down and we both decided it was the right move. I would finish the road trip with the team, which was 1 more game in Idaho and then a three game set in Casper Wyoming. As soon as we got home to Utah, he would assist me in booking my return flight home and that was it. All the players on the team were extremely great to me as well as the coaching staff. When we returned to the clubhouse in Utah, Kotchman called me into his office and pulled about a dozen balls from his desk drawer and gave them to me as souveniers. One of the balls, however, was signed by the entire Orem Owlz team and coaching staff. He looked me in the eye, along with Zeke (our pitching coach) and said, "Jake, it's been a pleasure. If guys on this team had half the heart you do and half the passion for the game as you do, it'd be a scary thing." Those words meant a lot to me.. it told me they understood my decision and respected it. It told me they respected me as a ball player and as a human being. It told me they recognized my true love for the game and passion to play, yet by courage to step up and be honest with myself and say that it was time to move on.

I will never forget July 4th, 2006. Sitting outside the hotel, head between my knees crying and thinking... looking up into the sky seeing the fireworks explode, and remembering all the great times baseball has given me.... It has shaped who I am as a person today and I can't thank the game of baseball enough and all those who supported me and gave me an opportunity to play. Baseball is a great game--it shapes our character and teaches so many life disciplines that other sports do not. I am a better man because of this experience and my hope is to now pass along the knowledge and passion for the game that I had the opportunity to learn over the years. Do not take a single pitch of any game for granted, nothing is promised to us. You never know when your last pitch will be, so give 100% at all times and play each game like it's your last...

99.9% vs. 100%

Is not giving your 100% best effort every pitch, every out, every inning of every game acceptable? Perhaps it's just me, but nothing upsets me more than seeing a ball player lack hustle and not respect the game by giving his full out effort. For example, in any given 9 inning baseball game, a batter might come up to the plate an average of 4 times per game. This means he is required to SPRINT and run as hard as he can down the first base line four times. Baseball is a game of intense patience. Fielders stand at their position waiting for the ball to be hit to them, hitters wait in the dugout until its their turn to bat, testing the patience and intensity of each player, ensuring he is focused for his opportunity that may come at any given moment. It is a game within a game and requires quick bursts of energy. So why is it many kids nowadays do not play the game at a level of 100%? What ever happened to players like Pete Rose who gave meaning to the word "hustle"? Is the game filled with too many "style" guys like Manny Ramirez who only care about how long their hair is, how many wrist bands they can wear and making sure their baggy pants fit over their shoes?

My point here isn't to ramble, but simply bring back attention to detail and ultimately the old school way of respecting the game. Play it as it is meant to be played. Play it for those who have played before us and made it a legendary game. Play it for those fighting in Iraq giving up their lives for us to play this game in a free country. Play it for those battling cancer or who are stuck in a wheel chair that would give anything to trade places with you. Put things in a different perspective?

So I challenge the thought, is giving 99.9% good enough? Is running out every ground ball hit, except one, tolerable? Is having complete focus on every pitch, every ground ball or every pop fly too much to ask for?

Let me put it this way. If we accepted 99.9% as being "satisfactory" then the following examples would occur:

* 2 million documents would be lost by the IRS this year.
* 22,000 checks would be deducted from the wrong bank account in the next 60 minutes.
* 1,314 calls would be misplaced by phone companies each minute.
* 1 million credit card holders would have the wrong customer information.
* 12 babies would be delivered to the wrong parents every day.

So again, I pose the question-- is giving 99.9% good enough? It is our job as coaches, trainers, mentors, parents or anything of the like to demand 100% effort out of our kids. No longer should we sit back, turn our heads the other way when we see a kid disrespecting the game. This can come in many forms whether it be lack of hustle, throwing a pity party, wearing too much flair and caring about his style instead of his performance, and many other examples we could list. Just think that by simply hustling out ONE ground ball and beating the throw, or hustling out ONE pop fly to the infield that happens to drop, or focusing on ONE more pitch to paint the outside corner--of what it could do to the game. What if by consistently doing these things resulted in just ONE extra win all season long? And that win meant the difference between making the playoffs or not... Now doesn't that put things into perspective?

And if we don't take action now, and teach these kids to play the game right and to respect the game--then we are failing as teachers. If we let them know that giving 99.9% effort and hearing them say "yea, but coach, I pretty much gave it my all" is not going to be tolerated, then this will ultimately trickle down into their adult character. If we do not take action and stand firm, we're essentially teaching our kids that ignoring these principles is okay and when they're older it will flow into their job, their family life and so on. As Pete Rose said, "you owe it to yourself to be the best you can possibly be in baseball and in life".

Do You Hear That? That's Chin Music!

A popular question nowadays when people are getting to know someone or you're hanging out with your buddies is, "What's your favorite kind of music?" Well, is it bad if my answer is Chin Music?! As we all know baseball is America's Past Time. Many of the legendary pitchers that we marvel at today, such as Bob Gibson, had a chip on their shoulder and people feared stepping into the batter's box against them. But where have those days gone? Call me a little old school when it comes to my baseball philosophies, but I feel that MLB Baseball has gone soft. It seems as if the league is filled with guys that have no backbone and the moment a pitcher comes remotely close to painting that inside corner, he receives a nasty stare back from the hitter as if he was trying to hit him. Let's get real! As a pitcher, you have to be a bulldog out there. That is YOUR plate! It's part of the game for a pitcher to throw brush back pitches, establish his dominance and let the batter know he can't get too comfortable in the batter's box, otherwise he will buzz his chin. I'm so sick of seeing hitter's think the inside pitch is something personal and that they're trying to end their careers. From Prince Fielder trying to get into an opponents Club House after a game to fight, to Kevin Youklis getting body slammed by a 20 year old, these hitters need to realize that a pitcher coming inside is no better or worse than THEM sliding into second base with their spikes up trying to take out a shortstop! Often times it is well deserved if the pitcher tries to hit a guy! From all the hot dogging after hitting a homerun, the stare downs, and cry baby hitters after they get called out on a "pitcher's pitch" that they didn't necessarily agree with-- hitters bring alot of it on themselves. I commend those pitchers who still honor the great game and strategies of baseball by throwing inside and brushing back a hitter. With artificial muscles from the steroid era, it seems that is the only thing that distinguishes some of these players as being a man! Turn your back, take the hit by pitch, and sprint down to first base. After all, last time I checked it is a FREE base and boosts your OBP%. The homerun's have become the staple of the last decade, but I feel the times are shifting and as long as pitchers continue to establish their plate and keep hitters from getting TOO comfortable in the box, then we will return to what this game was truly all about...

Business Planning 101 and New Idea!

Howdy from sunny Florida! Wow, I must say more work goes into preparing a business plan than I originally thought. It is fairly easy coming up with all of the services and describing what you are looking to do with the business, but what I have truly found to be time consuming is the financial statements! Which is quite possibly the most important part of the entire plan... Not having an accounting background, I have self-taught myself how to read and develop a full series of financial statements such as balance sheets, profit and loss, cash flow and break even analysis. Through countless hours of reading and calculating numbers, I have finally reached the end! I can't wait to get started!

On a different note, it was very recent that a new idea came to mind about the business! I think this is going to be a pivotal addition to my business and I shall explain... I was thinking the other night about my "marketing strategies" and more specifically how I would make contacts with local High School, Legion and College Coaches. Initially I was basically going to target them to establish relationships and try to get in good with their players. But I asked myself, what is in it for the Coaches? Why would they want to help ME out? So instead of me essentially going to them saying, "hey guys, here's what I'm looking to do--HELP ME!" I am taking a different approach.

Why not provide something of value to the coaches where they will have an incentive to want to use my services as well and create an atmosphere where we are all pulling for one another to succeed. In other words, I am going to develop a series of offers where I will offer to drive out to their respective schools/fields for practice on an hourly basis. For example, if Joe Smith at XYZ High School calls me specifically to teach Pick Off moves to the team, I will arrange the visit and come for an hour to teach them what I've learned through college and professional baseball. This way, all of a sudden the coach is more inclined to speak to me because he gets something out of it! This will ultimately help him gain more knowledge in which he can use to teach following years, it will obviously give the players more insight, and ultimately will help them win more ball games and the coach will gain more recognition and job security! And as for me, well its a great way to get my foot in the door, establish those solid relationships, get face time with the coaches & players, and essentially result in more lessons to the players and possibly even more "team rentals" of my facility!

I truly believe this will be a critical component to the success of The Players Edge and an outstanding way to reach out to the coaches now with a plan. Instead of saying "help me" it is now a 2-way road and I have something to capture their interest and offer them in return.

Stay tuned for more updates! I'll write some good articles about popular/controversial baseball topics :)

--Jake

My First Blog: Hello To All!

Good Afternoon from Sunny Florida!

I just wanted to test out my new blog site and thank all of you in advance for stopping by to read my posts as well as supporting The Player's Edge, Inc.

Stay tuned for up-to-date Blogs and news on The Player's Edge, Inc!!

--Jake