Eden Prairie Baseball Association Coaches Meeting February 28, 2016

Agenda Culture and philosophy of Eden Prairie Baseball Hitting philosophies Pitching philosophies Defensive philosophies Team defense that you can use Demos (in dome)

Culture and philosophies Culture drives expectations and beliefs; expectations and belief drive behavior; behavior drives habits; and habits create the future. It all starts with culture. -Jon Gordon

three critical questions We have a culture that we want to create across our entire baseball program (more on that in a bit), but the reality is that each individual team will have its own culture within the wider group – and that culture starts with YOU as the coach. There are three critical questions that you need to ask yourself, and use for self-evaluation on a frequent basis as you create and maintain your team’s culture: Why do I coach? What is it like to be coached by me? How should the answers to #s 1 and 2 inform my coaching philosophy and coaching style?

our EP Baseball Culture – what do we hope for from you? The single MOST important thing we need from you – keep kids coming back to baseball! We want to create an experience that brings kids back to our program year after year Not as important – kids with perfect swings, excellent mechanics, or a pile of state championships Seek the right combination of having fun, allowing kids to be kids, and focusing on getting better Focus on the process and the journey rather than the outcome Teach kids to compete Think about your answers to the three questions on the last slide – do your answers reflect and/or contribute to the above?

The importance of competing vs. winning Demonstrates a focus on the process (can be controlled) as opposed to a result (can’t be controlled) Enforces a big picture focus on your players’ futures Creates a conversation about how we played, what we did well, what we need to improve on vs. what the score was Creates an environment in which players are allowed to fail, learn from it, and not dwell on it Relieves undue pressure placed on both kids and coaches, allowing for a safer and more enjoyable experience Opens up conversations for you to teach life lessons in an environment where kids are more willing to listen

importance of the mental game The biggest key to being a constant competitor is having a strong mental game Stay in the present moment – each pitch, play, action, etc. is independent from any in the past and any in the future Remain focused on the process – what can you control? (e.g. get a good pitch to hit vs. get a hit, hit my spot vs. get an out or swing and miss, etc.) Culture and mental game resources Joe Ehrmann (InSideOut Coaching) Brian Cain (sports psychology blog and podcasts) Ken Ravizza (Cal State Fullerton sports psychologist) Jay Bilas (Toughness) Jon Gordon (The Energy Bus, The Carpenter, many more) Justin Dehmer (One Pitch Warrior blog)

The art of the Quality At Bat (QAB) Hitting Philosophy The art of the Quality At Bat (QAB)

The Quality At Bat What qualifies as a quality at bat? Hard hit ball Walk HBP Productive out (e.g. sac bunt, move a runner from 2nd with 0 outs, etc.) 6+ pitch at bat not ending in a strikeout 9+ pitch at bat of any kind The QAB places an evaluation of the at bat on what can be controlled by the player and emphasizes the process rather than the result Praise kids for QAB’s, get them away from batting average. It’s the biggest trap in the game.

teaching qabs in practice “The approach teaches the swing.” – Rob Vaughn, University of Maryland hitting coach The temptation is there for all of us as coaches to be too mechanically focused in our hitting instruction We contend that our time is better spent teaching an approach to hitting rather than a strict set of mechanics Every kid is a different player with different hitting mechanics and a different style Especially as kids get older, they’ll spend much more time working on hitting mechanics with someone else than they will with you or the two of us – no need to break down an entire offseason of work and start over unless he’s really struggling Requires re-inforcement from you on team-first perspective

our approach Get a good pitch to hit 0-0 count – anticipate fastball middle/away Expect the fastball on the outer half; give the pitcher the inside corner We have 2 approaches. 2 strike & all other counts. Be aggressive, not tentative, with a 0-0 and hitter’s count Lay off the off-speed early in the count unless the pitcher makes you change your plan – adjustment is key 2 strikes – shorten the swing and bite, scratch, claw – do whatever you have to do to produce a quality at bat; and don’t go looking!

THE APPROACH TEACHES THE SWING our approach Drive the ball up the middle of the field Attack the inside part of the baseball Drive the ball from “gap-to-gap” Middle of the field approach allows for a few things: Leads to the barrel of the bat staying through the hitting zone for the longest period of time Allows a player to adjust to pitches on both corners as well as off-speed pitches Leads to the highest likelihood of a productive out in situational baseball THE APPROACH TEACHES THE SWING

Hitting practice bits Inside seam of the ball off the tee Every – every – hitting drill, from tee work to live BP, should be done with a count and/or situation Kids are obsessed with BP – teach/challenge them to be disciplined in other drills Reinforce the importance of approach in tee work, soft toss, front toss, live BP and everywhere else – consistency builds habits Do things to help kids visualize their approach Inside seam of the ball off the tee Tape on the net Cones in the middle of the field Incorporate competition as much as possible in drills. Work on taking pitches in BP = Zone awareness

pitching philosophy I view my pitching based on how confident I was out there, period. If I lose that confidence, I become a prisoner of my own mind. -Barry Zito

but first… If you hear nothing else today, please hear this: the safety, both for the short- and long-term, of your athletes is the MOST important thing Pitching is the one place in our game where player safety is most often sacrificed at the expense of winning We as coaches face immense pressure from parents and often the players themselves to compromise our values and perspective when in the moment – you MUST stand up to it!

MLB pitch smart/dr. james andrews

General Philosophy Give as many kids an opportunity to pitch as is appropriate for your age level The number of pitchers you have will decrease as kids get older Most important quality a pitcher needs is confidence – recognize it, encourage it, develop it with a long-term view! Three ways in which a pitcher can excel – when you’ve got more than one you can be really good Command Movement Velocity

What about mechanics? Not every kid throws the same – don’t expect them to The vast majority of “arm action” or “arm slot” is genetic, and altering it is most often an exercise in futility General rule: don’t fix what’s not broken in terms of mechanics If a kid is successful, throwing strikes and getting people out by doing what’s natural, don’t fuss with it! Even if it doesn’t look like it “should”

What about mechanics? There are, however, a couple of things to be looking for if a kid is struggling with command and/or to protect him from injury Balance At leg lift In T position Direction Going from the mound to the plate as much as possible

Grip thoughts Fastballs – 4 seam vs. 2 seam

More grip thoughts

misc Get ahead and challenge hitters – 2 out first 3 as a strike is the goal Doing the little things – controlling the running game and fielding your position Controlling the running game – mix up your timing in the set position and your looks to bases Fielding your position – be aggressive until called off by someone else; always (always!) set your feet when throwing to bases; don’t turn singles into triples

defensive philosophy

The Big picture B.Y.O.G. – Bring your own grit! Defensive baseball is largely about an aggressive, do whatever it takes attitude Want the baseball! Reps, reps, reps – everybody loves to take BP, not everybody loves to get the defensive reps they need Drills are important and great – so are live action ground balls/fly balls during BP Make the routine plays, routinely

Communication Balls in the air Center fielder Corner outfielders Shortstop 2nd baseman Corner infield Catcher Pitcher Go after the ball aggressively until someone above you on the priority list calls you off! “Mine, mine, mine” – never, EVER, “you, you, you”

communication Balls on the ground General rule – shortstop takes whatever he can get Exception – slow roller in between 3B and SS that the 3B can cut off and keep moving towards 1B Bunts Catcher gets whatever possible Corner infielders next Pitcher is last priority Same aggressive attitude and verbal cues as balls in the air when ball is on the ground

team defense you can use

Bunt defense Runner at 1st only Corner infielders both crashing 2nd baseman covers first Shortstop covers second Catcher fields ball if possible, calls out where ball will be thrown (base number) regardless of who is fielding If Catcher does not field ball, he must sprint to third to cover Pitcher is last priority, but is aggressive until called off Outfielders MUST back up bases!

bunt defense runners at 1st/2nd “anchor” Coach signals in “Anchor” (arms crossed in front) to 3B 3B gets infields attention, gives same sign to infield 1B crashes 2B covers first SS covers second 3B read depends on where bunt is laid Must come get ball if bunt is hard on third base side Stay “anchored” at third if it is to right side or back to pitcher C fields ball if possible, makes call on where throw will go regardless of who fields the ball Pitcher must be more aggressive to third base side, in case 3B can stay at base

bunt defense runners at 1st/2nd “charge” Same sign procedure as “Anchor”, but sign for “Charge” is a fist into the glove – this is an aggressive play intended to get the out at third Picher steps on rubber, receives sign from catcher, goes to his set Play keys off of Shortstop – he comes around back of lead runner, turns and sprints for third When he is approx. 1/3 of way to 3B, corner infielders crash and pitcher delivers SS will become cover man at 3B, 2B covers 1st – second base is left empty, so don’t throw it there! Catcher fields ball if possible and stays home – pitcher should cover plate also if catcher fields the ball Catcher – corners – picher priority; take an out at 1st if you can’t get lead runner

1st/3rd plays We run two base plays with runners on 1st/3rd Catcher steps out in front of plate to give sign sequence to infield – begins and finishes with active sign Hands together – “home or tag” Catcher will throw down to 2nd Older groups: catchers should eventually learn to look at third out of the corner of eye at runner while setting up to throw to 2nd Middle infield works together – one in coverage at base and other tells him know “home” or “tag” based on reading both runners and knowing the game situation (be age appropriate in what you ask of your middle infielders) We run this play most of the time

1st/3rd Plays Hands apart – pump fake and look to 3rd Catcher receives pitch and goes through hard pump fake to 2nd base Then looks to 3rd to read situation If 3B wants ball for back pick of runner, he holds both hands up If he thinks catcher should hold th ball, he keeps both hands down Situations for this play: late, close game situations (tying or winning run at 3rd), pitcher who is very slow to the plate, very fast runner at 1st, poor throwing catcher

tandem relays When middle infielders work in a tandem to be a relay on balls that beat the outfielders and/or reach the fence On a full size field, tandem should setup about 10 yards apart – this should be decreased as appropriate for younger kids Why? Helps protect your relay from bad throws that go over your relay man’s head or short hop him How it works Relay man closest to thrower makes decision If it’s over his head, he lets it go to second man If it’s short of him, he either steps up to catch it in the air or lets it bounce so second man fields it on long hop

Tandem Relays Situations for a tandem relay A sure double w/ nobody on – tandem relay sets up to cut throw to third base (1B trails runner to second base) A sure double w/ man at second as the trailing runner – tandem relay again sets up to cut throw to third base A sure double with man at first as the trailing runner – tandem relay sets up to cut throw to home plate (1B sets up a second cut between mound and home plate)

tandem relays what it looks like (kind of)