LIVE: From the USA 16U Baseball Championships - Recap

Dave Lax: We're There

We had a good run, but ultimately the Baseball Factory team lost and was eliminated from the tournament Friday morning, losing to the Orlando Scorpions 8-7. The game started on Thursday at 5 PM. After four scoreless innings on both sides, the rain finally came and postponed the game for the day. We resumed play Friday at 8 AM. After a rough fifth inning, Baseball Factory was down 6-0.

But we wouldn’t give up without a fight. Baseball Factory would come back with three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Michael Bradshaw (Crestwood, NY) led the charge with a 2-RBI double to right field. The Scorpions would score another run in the bottom of the sixth, making the score 7-3 as both teams entered the seventh inning. With no outs and runners on first and second (walk and hit by a pitch), Joseph McCrary (Stone Mountain, GA) doubled to right to score one, leaving runners on first and third with no outs. The very next batter, Joe D'Annunzio (Scotch Plains, NJ) hit a 2-RBI triple to right field to cut the deficit to one, 7-6. Mike Ford (Belle Mead, NJ) then singled to left to tie the game, 7-7. After such a dramatic comeback, we unfortunately couldn’t hold on in the end. The Scorpions scored the winning run in the bottom of the 7th to defeat Baseball Factory, 8-7.

While it was a heartbreaking loss, these boys should be very proud. The Orlando Scorpions went on to win the USA Baseball 16U Championship title. The Baseball Factory finished in the top 16 out of a 72-team tournament. A special thanks goes out to Rick Sofield and Reggie Harris for coaching and motivating the boys throughout our championship run, and the parents for being so flexible and patient through this crazy week of rain. And finally to the players, who played their hearts out this week, thank you so much for such a fun and entertaining week of baseball!!!

The Keys to an Effective Visit

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

Players in the Exclusive Program recently took part in our 2008 Junior Visit Days, held at various schools around the country. Just to highlight some of our visits:

• At the University of Virginia, our players had the opportunity to meet with Coach Eddie Smith and discuss the Cavalier’s program and recruiting in general as well as meet with an Admissions Officer.
  

• While our visit to Salisbury University was mostly rained out, including a chance to watch the postseason-bound Sea Gulls play an intersquad game, our players were still able to meet with ABCA South Region Coach of the Year Doug Fleetwood.
  

• At the University of Maryland – Baltimore County, our Exclusive Players had a chance to go on a campus tour as well as meet with Coach Bob Mumma before watching the Golden Retrievers take on the University at Albany.
  

• On the west coast, our players had a chance to meet with Coach Chad Addison and see the University of California – San Diego play CSU Monterey Bay.

These were great opportunities set up by Justin Roswell and Woody Wingfield, but players shouldn’t wait to be invited to campus! There are many ways to get on campus beyond attending a college camp, just as long as you are proactive and plan ahead. Therefore, I’d like to take this week’s entry to discuss several opportunities to learn more about schools you are interested in.

Just FYI, high school players are allowed to take as many unofficial visits as they want. An unofficial visit is any visit to a college campus during which time the college or coach pays for none of your expenses including hotel, transportation, food, or even a bag of sunflower seeds. If the coach or another member of the university pays for anything, the visit will be considered an official visit.

Unofficial visits should be treated as fact-finding missions. On this visit, you should tour the campus and facilities, meet with someone from the admissions office (if the institution conducts interviews) and meet with someone from the baseball program. Typically, schools will have set times for campus tours and information sessions and display them on the Admissions Office web page. The school may also include an Information Session along with the tour; depending on your schedule, this may suffice over an individual meeting with an Admissions officer.

When trying to visit with someone from the baseball staff, do not show up to the coach’s door and expect him to have 30 minutes, or even 10 minutes, to sit down with you. If you set up a meeting with the baseball staff ahead of time, they will usually set aside time to answer your questions and discuss their program. Please realize that you must set up this meeting, not the coach nor your parents. Generally, this can be accomplished via e-mail with one of the assistant coaches. However, sometimes the admissions office can assist you in scheduling a meeting if you mention that you are a prospective student-athlete.

Come prepared with questions. Use this visit to learn as much as you can about the school, program, and coaching staff. Dress appropriately to talk in-person with admissions officers and coaches. Make sure you have questions ready to help you fill in the blanks in regards to what you already know about the school and program. Be honest and up front with the coach as he is gauging your personality and interest throughout the interview. Be tactful and make sure that you – not your parents – are initiating the conversation and developing the relationship. It is your future at stake, so take an active role!

Here is a laundry list of what you should try to accomplish on a visit:

• Take a campus tour (You can usually arrange one with the admissions office. At some schools they run hourly, but try to call ahead to make sure).
  


• Meet with a member of the admissions office or take part in an Admissions Information Session.
  


• Meet with a member of the coaching staff.
  


• Tour the athletic facility, including the baseball field.
  


• Meet with a player from the team.
  


• Sit in on a class (only during the school year).
  


• Go see a baseball practice or game (during the fall/spring season).

It’s never too early to begin visiting colleges to get a feel for the different campuses and baseball programs that are out there. Just taking a drive through a campus in your travels will be time well-spent in the long run. In the perfect world, you should start early and see as many schools as you can. This will greatly assist you throughout the college search process. You need to know what you’re looking for in a school and baseball program before any decisions are made and unfortunately, you can’t do this from your home!


Kelly Kulina is the Senior Vice President of College Recruiting at Baseball Factory. Kulina is a former Associate Head Coach and recruiting coordinator with the University of Maryland. As a former recruiting coordinator for ten years in the ACC, Kulina has vast contacts and is widely respected throughout the nation. From 1989 to 2000, Kulina coached 46 players who were selected in the MLB draft.

LIVE: From the USA 16U Baseball Championships part 2

Dave Lax: We're There

A winning trend has started for the Baseball Factory team! Baseball Factory took out the 2006 USA 16U Baseball Champion All-American Prospects Red. The Baseball Factory came away with their third victory in a row at the USA 16U Baseball Championships East. As the visiting team, the offense wasted no time as they loaded the bases in the 1st inning. With two outs, Joe D'Annunzio (Scotch Plains, NJ) came through with a 2-RBI single to left. Two batters later, Mike Ford (Belle Meade, NJ) scored the 3rd run on a passed ball.

After shutting down the Prospects in the bottom of the inning, Baseball Factory's offense got back to work in the 2nd. Patrick Martin (Bassett, VA) started things off with a double. He eventually would score after an overthrown pick-off attempt and a fielder's choice. With a runner on 1st, Denzel Campbell (College Park, GA) hit an RBI double down the left field line, putting the Factory up 5-0.

For the rest of the game, Baseball Factory continued to get on base, but were unable to get anyone across the plate. However, the story continues to be Baseball Factory’s pitching. Mark Williams (Vienna, VA) and Harrison Musgrave (Notter Fort, WV) pitched four innings and three innings respectively. Both shut down the Prospects throughout the game, scattering hits while striking out seven batters (Williams 2, Harrison 5). Our defense was also solid behind them, with only one error throughout the entire game. There were also two outstanding plays made in the field - a diving catch in left field by Campbell and a heads up double play by Sean Hagen (Reading, PA) behind the dish. The Factory won the game by a final score of 5-1.

Baseball Factory will take on the 7th overall seeded Virginia Mavericks at 8 AM on Thursday.

THIS JUST IN: Baseball Factory upended the #7 Mavericks 8-2 in the first game of the day. A full recap will come in later today. Our next game is at 5 PM.

Update: (3:00PM)
Same Old Story

Once again, the bats came alive and the pitching stayed strong as Baseball Factory beat the 7th seeded Virginia Mavericks, 8-2. Michael Bradshaw (Crestwood, NY) pitched a solid 3 innings, giving up just one run and recording two strikeouts.

The offense got going in the 4th, when Joseph McCrary (Stone Mountain, GA) led off the inning with a double to right. The next batter, Mike Ford (Belle Mead, NJ) reached first base on a throwing error by the second baseman, which would also score McCrary. After a single by Denzel Campbell (College Park, GA), Anthony Bowman (Damascus, MD) hit a sacrifice fly to score Ford and Baseball Factory went up 2-1.

Andrew Chin (Newton, MA) came into pitch in the top of the 4th inning. The Mavericks came up with a tying run, but stranded two to keep the game tied at 2-2.

Andrew Green (Mt. Juliet, TN) terrorized the base paths to start off the 5th inning. He reached 1st and advanced to second on a throwing error and would later take 3rd on a passed ball. After a walk by Chad Miller (Angleton, TX), McCrary beat out an infield hit and scored Green from 3rd. Miller would later score from 3rd when Mike Ford hit into a double play. After the 5th inning, Baseball Factory had a 4-2 lead.

Chin came back with two more great innings. He ended his day pitching three innings, giving up one run and striking out three.

Still leading 4-2 at the top of the 7th inning, the Baseball Factory team took advantage of some Mavericks errors and had some timely hitting. Baseball Factory added 4 runs in part by McCrary's RBI single to center, Ford's RBI triple to the right center gap and Trevor Larson's (Northbridge, MA) RBI single to left.

With the score 8-2 going into the bottom of the 7th, Mike Ford came in to close the game. After a couple harmless hits, Ford shut out the Mavericks to give Baseball Factory its 4th victory in a row, 8-2.

Baseball Factory is now 1 out of 16 teams still fighting for the championship. Remember this tournament started with 72 teams! Wish us luck as we play again today at 5pm!

Position Changes…How to Deal With Them as a Parent

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

I think the idea of a player being asked to change positions and play somewhere new on the field can be more traumatizing for the parent of the player then the player himself. I just got back from the Baseball Factory’s Omaha Training and Tournament and met with a number of parents where the topic of position changes came up. When a particular player was asked to play a different position on the field (versus his normal primary or secondary position), I heard the following comments:

Parent 1: Why would he be asked to play anywhere other than shortstop? He is the best shortstop on the team.
Parent 2: He has never played the other positions, so it is really unfair to ask him to play somewhere he is not comfortable.
Parent 3: Why would you put a player in a brand new position and one that he is not used to?

One of our philosophies at Baseball Factory is to try and use our events to help prepare players for their college experience. College programs very often recruit center fielders and shortstops and then place them all around the field in certain spots depending upon how their tools play. For the recruited high school shortstops, the best hands and feet usually go to Short and Second (with the better arm playing short). The guy with the most power and limited defensive skills goes to first and the one with less range and strong hitting skills may go to third.

This happened to me in college when I played at the University of Pennsylvania. As a freshman, I started mostly every game at shortstop after having played SS my entire career. As a sophomore, I got moved to third base because we had a transfer student come in with exceptional defensive skills that played short. After a First Team All-Ivy season as a Sophomore at 3B, for my junior year, I was used primarily as a designated hitter, because we had a pretty good freshman infielder come in that year. You may recognize his name since he is the current second baseman for the Chicago Cubs (Mark Derosa). As a Senior, I split time between 3B and DH because we had another exceptional middle infielder added to our club as a freshman that made first team All-Ivy that year. I still wound up earning 2nd Team All Ivy Honors as a Senior.
Players need to be prepared to be moved around the field for a variety of reasons. Maybe your son is a primary pitcher that also plays shortstop in high school. In college, you will never see a RHP/SS. All two-way players that pitch wind up playing another secondary position like OF, 1B, or DH to help save their arm. Maybe his baseball tools have him better served to be a corner infielder than a middle infielder. Maybe someone on his team got injured and in order to get his bat in the lineup, the manager needs to use him in a different spot on the field. Be flexible and he will have a chance to gain more playing time.

For parents, as your son advances up the ranks past high school baseball and into college, start to understand that things may change, including his postion. Try not to get all bent out of shape and understand that as the game speeds up, his tools may play better at another spot on the field. From my personal experience, keeping an open mind and living up to the challenge of playing a new spot on the field was a great learning exercise for me. I enjoyed playing 3B and DH-ing much more than I would have enjoyed sitting on the bench and watching someone else play shortstop!


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

Our New Web Site has Arrived

Steve Sclafani: All Access Pass

I have to be honest with all of you... I can’t stop looking at our new home page. It feels like that first time you buy a new car and drive it off the lot. You wake up the next morning and can’t take your eyes off of your new ride.

Well, for those of you new to baseballfactory.com and those of you who are loyal veterans, welcome to the new and improved Baseball Factory web site.

As you might have noticed this is more than just a re-design of our web site. After more than 10 years of experience in the amateur baseball space we will continue to develop high school baseball players and promote them to college teams with our 200+ events per year nationwide, but we will now also be actively sharing our content with the world!

From Blogs to Feature Stories to Player Videos we hope you will enjoy coming back to the site on a daily basis to get the latest amateur baseball news.


Steve Sclafani is the CEO and Founder of Baseball Factory. Steve's ability to create new opportunities for baseball players nationwide and to develop exposure vehicles for players has revolutionized the player development and recruiting industry. His contacts and strategic partnerships have led the way to Baseball Factory being recognized as the top recruiting service by The National High School Baseball Coaches Association. Steve's scouting ability and penchant for matching players up to the right college baseball programs has lead to over 10,000 Baseball Factory and Team One players playing college baseball, $500 million in scholarships, and over 1,500 players selected in the MLB draft. Steve is a 1993 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he played second base.

LIVE: From the USA 16U Baseball Championships

Dave Lax: We're There

Greetings from Florida!

The Baseball Factory has brought together 16 top players from 11 different states to compete in the USA Baseball 16U Championships in Jupiter, Florida. After our Friday afternoon practice was rained out (a reoccurring theme as you will see), our first game began the following morning versus South Florida Baseball Blue. After spending only a few hours together, the Baseball Factory was down 6-0 after 5 innings. After persistent rain, our game was officially called and we took our first loss of the tournament.

Game 2 versus the Southwest Florida Underclassmen began Sunday afternoon after a brief lightening delay. With the game tied 2-2 at the top of the 5th inning, a lightening bolt struck VERY close to our field and was followed by another heavy downpour. Our game was suspended for the day and we resumed play early Monday morning. Losing some of the momentum we had from the day before, Baseball Factory took its second loss of the tournament, giving up a winning run in the bottom of the 7th inning.

But it was evident that this team was starting to gel. Later that day, the bats came alive versus the Proway Colt 45’s. Along with strong pitching performances, the team earned its first victory, 8-2. They kept the offense going Tuesday morning, as they beat the Florida Bombers 8-6.

The Baseball Factory team is now at .500 and looking to win their third straight. With more time together on the field this team is only getting better. Timely hitting and overpowering pitching has kept us in every game.

Check back for more updates from Jupiter and the USA 16U Baseball Championships.

Dynamic Warm-Ups

Dana Cavalea: Performance Training for Baseball

So we started to talk about Dynamic Warm-Ups in the last blog entry, but it is important to realize that DYNAMIC WARM-UPS are composed of several different parts. They are outlined below:

-Balance
-Core Activation
- Footwork/Quickness
- Muscle Tissue Elongation/ Increase in muscles temperature

These are the main goals of any warm-up. In baseball, we like to place a special attention on releasing the hip flexors, elongation the hamstrings, and activating the glute muscles in order to ensure optimal hamstring length and glute function. This in itself will work to lower the predisposition of lower body injuries. Typically, due to all the squatting and single side rotation done during the game, these assymmetries will develop and cause a breakdown somewhere in the lower body.

If we are able to work the core each day, balance each day, footwork, and elongate tissue each day, we will work to maintain an optimal situation for the body. The exercise above illustrates a movement that will activate the core, while at the same time keep the glutes firing and release the hip flexor. The key to remember is a Dynamic Warm-Up can be a mix of STATIC STRETCHING and MOVEMENT, it is not a one or the other thing. In the next few posts we will go over static stretching uses, and exercise selection for Dynamic Warm-Ups!

"TRAIN HARD"

For more from Dana please check out his blog.


Dana Cavalea and Major League Strength serve as baseball performance strength and conditioning consultants for all Baseball Factory events. Dana currently serves as the Director of Strength and Conditioning for the New York Yankees. He has also spent time with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays. Dana founded Major League Strength, a company that works to provide athletes with first class professional training and a dynamic program designed to elicit positive results in all aspects of Human Movement and Sports Performance. Dana is certified by the CSCS, NASM-PES and the USAW.

College: Training for Success On and Off the Field

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

As I mentioned in my previous post, anybody who plays the game has dreamed of making it to the Major Leagues. It’s the ultimate goal to have as a baseball player, and I applaud anyone that shows the desire to make this dream a reality. However, I’m a firm believer in the role college plays in a young man’s development, both on and off the field. There are many reasons to continue your athletic pursuits in college, not only to have that guarantee for success after professional baseball, but to give yourself a chance to enjoy the game, learn and develop as a player.

Eventually, we are all told that we are not big enough, fast enough or strong enough anymore. For someone playing professional baseball, having a degree can act like a mental “safety net.” Instead of worrying about each game as “make-or-break,” you will be able to concentrate on your development knowing that you have insurance should your playing days end sooner rather than later. And the longer you wait, the harder it is to make it back to college. The professional season at the minor league level is accompanied by long bus rides, cheap hotels and living paycheck-to-paycheck. During the offseason, taking time for school has to compete with working part-time jobs and conditioning. Even this is before raising a family enters the picture!

From the development side, you’re going to be a better player if you enter the draft out of college. Each year, the draft features many players that were either drafted very late out of high school, such as Florida State’s Buster Posey (#5 Overall in 2008 out of college, 50^th Round in 2005 out of high school), or not at all, like Missouri’s Aaron Crow (#9 Overall in 2008 out of college). In 2006, former Exclusive Player Chris Perez was selected in the 1^st Round out of Miami after not being drafted out of high school. He’s now pitching in the major leagues!

Players that enter pro ball right out of high school are not nearly as developed as college players, and thus face a steeper learning curve. When they were in high school, draft-worthy players were able to rely on their athletic tools to get by hitters or pitchers. In the pro ranks, they face much tougher competition than they did in high school, and can no longer rely on these tools to be successful. By facing college competition, you will learn how to use your natural ability to its fullest potential and will be a more complete player.

Finally, one way or another, most players have to deal with being away from home for the first time and the reality of being in complete control of their lives. How will you deal with a slump or an injury? Can you learn to manage a schedule that balances your personal life with outside conditioning, personal upkeep and your professional endeavors? Not only will you have to learn to manage a schedule, but you will have the added responsibility of managing your own money and dealing with the consequences of your personal decisions. At least in college, you will have more opportunities to learn from the same mistakes you would make in the real world!

Having to choose between college and professional baseball means that you’ve got the natural ability to be a successful player wherever you go! However, I can’t stress enough the difference going to college will make for any baseball player. You will be more prepared for the pressures of professional competition both as a complete player and as a complete person. Remember, there is a difference between dreams, promises and FACTS.


Kelly Kulina is the Senior Vice President of College Recruiting at Baseball Factory. Kulina is a former Associate Head Coach and recruiting coordinator with the University of Maryland. As a former recruiting coordinator for ten years in the ACC, Kulina has vast contacts and is widely respected throughout the nation. From 1989 to 2000, Kulina coached 46 players who were selected in the MLB draft.

LIVE: From the Omaha Pro Select Training and Tournament - Part 1

Dave Lax: We're There

Omaha, Nebraska: the Mecca of College Baseball. How appropriate is it that this should be the place where 165 high school baseball players from 25 different states around the country descend to participate in the Omaha Pro Select Training & Tournament, powered by Baseball Factory. Recognized as elite players at their local tryouts, each is here to compete and train in a tournament setting, as they pursue the dream of playing college ball. Each of them will have the opportunity to learn from the experienced staff which includes professional scouts, former professional players and former college coaches. These coaches will work one-on-one with every player to make adjustments that will lead to success in the future, maybe even a chance at playing in the revered Rosenblatt Stadium, home of the College World Series.

After everyone got settled in, the first night was highlighted by the words of a man who knows what it takes to succeed not only as a ball player, but also how to conduct yourself off the field: Rick Sofield. As a former major leaguer and current Assistant Athletic Director and Head Baseball Coach at the University of South Carolina - Beaufort, Sofield brought a wealth of knowledge and a presence that all members of the audience, players and parents, could gravitate to. Within his moving speech, Sofield focused on three main issues for the maturing players:

1. Prioritize what’s truly important

2. Excel not only athletically, but also academically and socially

3. Make sound decisions.

Since he is a father of a teenager and is a former ball player himself, Sofield understood what each of the players and parents are going through in terms of the college decision process. With his confident and comedic at times manner, he was able to share his insight on the entire process, explaining how players should be preparing themselves physically as well as mentally for the next step of their careers. Sofield also called for the parents to realize what is truly within their control, and to understand that the responsibility rests with the player in terms of contacting college coaches, balancing the academic rigors with their busy baseball schedules, and making baseball a priority in their lives. He concluded by reassuring the players that there is a college out there for each of them, and that by making good decisions in every part of their lives they will be able to achieve their goals.

What a way to start off the event!

Soon to come: a breakdown of the preliminary games and the announcement of the highly anticipated playoff seeding. Check back soon.

Danny Muno – Fresno State

Justin Roswell: Where Are They Now?

The Western Athletic Conference released its 2008 All-WAC baseball teams and postseason awards as selected by the league’s head coaches. The Freshman of the Year award went to Fresno State infielder Danny Muno. Muno attended Team One West Showcases in 2005 & 2006.

Muno, a native of Thousand Oaks, Calif. (Loyola HS), hit .341 in 32 conference games. He had 13 RBI, six doubles, two home runs and scored 29 runs. In WAC play, he led the conference with 27 walks this season. In all games, he is batting .327 with 49 runs scored, 11 doubles, and 21 RBI.

The Fresno State Bulldogs are the “Cinderella Story” of the 2008 College World Series. Muno continues to help the Bulldogs to a championship in Omaha with an offensive explosion. In their first contest against the Rice Owls, the Bulldogs had 11 runs by the fourth inning. 13 hits and four homeruns vaulted the Fresno State Bulldogs to a 17-5 win over No.6 National seed Rice in the opening round of the College World Series.

Early in the game, shortstop Danny Muno had a single up the middle, bringing home two Bulldog runners. For Muno, Fresno State's leadoff batter, those were his 23rd and 24th RBIs of the season. Muno continued his magic with a three-run homerun over the right field fence, his third of the season. That gave Muno five RBI in the game, a career-high for him. He had four against Indiana earlier this season.

The smallest player on the team, Muno is projected to make the Freshman All-America teams that will be announced later this month.

We would also like to acknowledge of a few of Muno’s teammates who attended Baseball Factory and/or Team One Events and wish them the best of luck in Omaha.

Clayton Allison – BATS ’02 & ‘03

Sean Bonesteele – Team One West ‘04

Steve Detwiler – PUMA AA ’06, Team One West ‘05

Gene Escat – Team One West – Fall Super Regional ‘06

Jake Floethe – Team One West ‘06

Danny Grubb – Team ONE West ‘04

Nicholas Hom – Team One National ’05, Team One West ‘05

Click here for the full team roster.


Justin is the Director of Team One Baseball. Justin Roswell joined the Baseball Factory in 2001 serving in the scouting, event coordination, and player development departments. In 2007 he became the Senior Director for Team One Baseball, the showcase division of Baseball Factory. As Senior Director, he leads the player identification process for all Team One Regional Showcases. Justin also runs the Under Armour Tournament Division. Justin graduated from California State University - Fullerton, where he received his degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis on management.

Baseball Factory Four Point Check List – Part 2

Steve Sclafani: All Access Pass

What type of training am I doing over the summer to improve my game? It is time to take a self-inventory.

Last week we discussed point one of the Baseball Factory Four Point Monthly Check List: What am I doing to improve myself each month academically? Hopefully all of you picked one subject to improve upon this summer and are successfully moving towards your academic monthly goal.

This week I would like to discuss point two on our Check List: What am I doing to improve my baseball skills?

I will address game competition next week, but let’s spend some time this week discussing how to improve our individual skills. For more on the physical aspects of this topic you can check out Steve Bernhardt’s blog, “Building the Better Baseball Player.” I am going to focus more on the mental side of Player and Self Development.

One of the best ways to improve as a player is to take a self-inventory. How many times have you really sat down to assess what makes you tick as a person? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? I know you are probably thinking to yourself “What does this have to do with becoming a better ball player?” But, in my opinion, it means everything.

For example, if you are an anxious person by nature than just training your swing to become better mechanically will not necessarily result in you becoming a better hitter. You will need to work on relaxation and breathing techniques (yoga/meditation) so you can get your emotions under control and get the most out of your ability.

Stay with me now, I know what you’re thinking…I am a tough baseball player and this doesn’t sound like my cup of tea, but being open minded to new ways of approaching your skill and personal development is very important to your growth.

No doubt it is very important to work on skill specific deficiencies to improve your game, but many times pealing the onion and learning more about yourself will help you to improve quicker as a player and reach your true potential. Many players become disinterested in the game when their skills don’t translate into a game situation. They practice day after day, ground ball after ground ball, swing after swing, but never get to the root of the problem. The definition of burnout is when you feel you are putting in more than you are getting out of any one situation.

Let’s say you attended a Baseball Factory event or tryout and received an honest evaluation on what you needed to work on. Well, now you’re well on your way to becoming a better baseball player because knowing where you stand nationally and your strengths and weaknesses is half the battle.

Your next step will be to begin a rigorous program to improve your weaknesses. Many players we see across the country at our Under Armour National Tryouts go on to Baseball Factory Player Development events where both the mental and physical parts of the game are worked on in order to build the complete baseball player. Taking a step back and asking yourself the following questions will help you to re-focus so you can maximize your practice sessions:

1) Am I a better hitter/player in practice or game situations?
2) Is my work ethic helping or hurting my game?
3) Am I truly a good listener and coachable or do I go back to doing things “my way” during times of stress/crisis (slump)?
4) Do I really want to improve or am I just going through the motions?
5) How do I handle adversity? If I make an out do I throw the helmet or am I confident I will get a hit my next at-bat?

Rick Sofield, Baseball Factory Consultant and Instructor has designed a life skills questionnaire that takes this self-inventory check list to a whole new level. Click Here to check it out and take inventory of yourself.

Knowing who you are as a person and what makes you tick will make your skill specific training that much more valuable and allow you to flourish both on and off the field.
Before putting on your glove or picking up the bat, get your head on straight!

Next week we will discuss tournament competition.


Steve Sclafani is the CEO and Founder of Baseball Factory. Steve's ability to create new opportunities for baseball players nationwide and to develop exposure vehicles for players has revolutionized the player development and recruiting industry. His contacts and strategic partnerships have led the way to Baseball Factory being recognized as the top recruiting service by The National High School Baseball Coaches Association. Steve's scouting ability and penchant for matching players up to the right college baseball programs has lead to over 10,000 Baseball Factory and Team One players playing college baseball, $500 million in scholarships, and over 1,500 players selected in the MLB draft. Steve is a 1993 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he played second base.

Put Your Blinders On!

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

Blinders are used as a popular training tactic in horse racing. Wikipedia defines “Blinders” to mean the following: Blinders, also known as blinkers or winkers, are a piece of horse tack that restrict the horse's vision to the rear and, in some cases, to the side. They usually are made of leather or plastic cups that are placed on either side of the eyes, either attached to a bridle or to an independent hood. Many racehorse trainers believe this keeps the horse focused on what is in front of him, encouraging him to pay attention to the race rather than other distractions, such as crowds. (this bold/italic sentence is most appropriate for the message contained in this week’s blog)

It would be very helpful for some parents that are going through the recruiting process to put their own blinders on! So many families get wrapped up in what other teammates and players in their county are doing for recruiting. Many Baseball Factory parents have complained to me that other players are hearing from coaches, receiving letters, and moving forward in the process so why aren’t things moving more quickly for us? When I hear parents express this type of frustration I usually give the following advice:

1. Most parents overstate the level of interest their sons are receiving from college coaches. Receiving a camp invitation in the mail does not necessarily mean that the college coach is recruiting you. Most of the time parents get excited for their sons and harmlessly stretch the truth about what is really happening. For two great blogs on how to gauge a college coach’s recruiting interest, make sure to check out Kelly Kulina’s entries entitled: What’s In a Letter-Part 1 and Part 2.

2. Each college coach has a different set of recruiting needs. Not all Division I schools are created equal. The same is true for Division II, Division III, NAIA, or Junior College programs. Each school has a different ability level, number of scholarships, and positional needs for their incoming freshman class. Just because another player hears from a Division I school, and you believe your son is a better all around player, it doesn’t mean he is a better fit for that particular school.

3. The college search process is a marathon, not a sprint. You need to show patience in this process and understand that building a recruiting class takes a lot of time for a college program. You need to be respectfully aggressive with your marketing approach, but don’t put unrealistic time frames on the process that only create more stress and frustration.

Remember that every family is on their own path. What is good for one player as far as college is concerned may not be good for another. Stay focused on what is the best course of action for your son, and don’t worry about what is going on around you. “Keeping your blinders on” will help you gain perspective, stay on track for the race, and not be distracted by what is going on around you….remember the Wikipedia definition from above?

Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

A Mammoth of a Man

Jason Budden: Un-Common Sense?

Last week, most of America’s sports enthusiasts were consumed with a variety of events including the U.S. Open, NBA Championships, Euro 2008, and the College World Series. Our entire office was captivated on Monday watching the last few holes as Rocco Mediate tried to hold off Tiger Woods. Fresno State continued their miraculous run defeating both Rice and UNC. The Boston Celtics destroyed the Lakers in Game Six of the NBA Championships to take home the title. Yet it was another event in New England that touched the hearts of a few thousand spectators in a way they will never forget.

Friday, June 13 was “John Wylde Night” at Spillane Field in Wareham, Massachusetts, home of the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League. This was a special night, not because it marked the opening day of the CCBL for 2008, but because it honored the service and dedication John Wylde has given to the league and the Wareham team for 25 years.

John Wylde was diagnosed with inoperable cancer of the liver in the fall of 2007. A mammoth of a man, John is officially listed as “Very tall” on his Wareham Gatemen baseball card. But it is his passion for baseball, the league, the players and the fans that is truly mammoth.

John started as a fan, then became a sponsor and eventually served as President, Treasurer and General Manager of the Gatemen, but he is known mainly for his voice. John is the Public Address Announcer for the Gatemen. He also manned the press box for all three Cape Cod High School Classic games held by Baseball Factory at Spillane Field. Through his voice and delivery, John has a way of capturing the purity of the game through the reading of a lineup card.

Doctors initially told John that he would be lucky to make it through the summer, but he is responding well to treatment and the size of his tumor has decreased. This is a blessing for all fans of baseball. America’s Pastime is a beautiful game because of the impact of people like John Wylde...a larger than life figure who continues to put his heart and soul into this game we love.


A few more stats on John’s baseball card:

Miles Traveled to regular season games: 30,384
Miles Traveled to playoff games: 2,456
Miles traveled for preseason scouting: 42,360
Hot dogs eaten during regular season games: 2,112
Hot dogs eaten during playoff games: 130
Cape Cod Baseball League Championships: 5

Jason Budden is the Vice President of Operations and Marketing at Baseball Factory. Jason joined the Baseball Factory in 1997 while still a junior in high school. After going through the Baseball Factory's college recruiting program he was placed at Johns Hopkins University where he played two years of college baseball before graduating with a degree in Economics. After working part-time at the Factory throughout college, Jason joined the team as a full-time employee in January 2002 when he was promoted to Director of Marketing. He currently oversees all marketing projects and sponsorship opportunities at Baseball Factory. He is also in charge of development and marketing for Baseball University, the leader in online baseball education and a division of Baseball Factory.

Breaking Down the Major League Draft

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

I would like to take a moment to congratulate the following Exclusive Program Alumni on their recent selection in the 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft:

-Michael McKenna (Rays, 14^th Round)
-Patrick Kantakevich (Orioles, 22^nd Round)
-Evan Bronson (Brewers, 36^th Round)
-Josh Hungerman (Colorado, 50^th Round)

I know I speak for everyone at the Baseball Factory when I wish you the very best of luck as you take on a career in professional baseball!

As you could probably tell, I’d like to spend this week’s entry discussing the Major League Draft. It’s an exciting time of the year, not only for players under consideration, but for fans of the game as well. Journalists across the US spend hours lauding the long-shot success storiescondemning the big busts. For players selected by a major league club, it represents the culmination of years of hard work, practice and determination. However, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and forget a few of the realities of the game we love.

Anybody who plays the game, no matter what they say, has a goal of making it to the Show. Just having the opportunity to be selected to play professional baseball is an honor and a privilege. But just how long of a shot is it? Check out this NCAA publication. Just to highlight:

-9.4%, or less than one in ten of NCAA baseball players will get drafted by a Major League Baseball team.
-0.45%, less than one in 200 of high school senior baseball players will be drafted.

Considering that less than 5% of all drafted players make it to the big leagues, those are incredible odds!

One reality that even baseball purists must recognize is that professional baseball is, first and foremost, a business. Players are considered investments and First-Year selections are made based on projections of those potential returns. How is this reflected in the draft?

Looking back at the last few years of the draft, there are a few noticeable trends I’d like you all to think about. In the first five rounds of the MLB draft in 2004-2008, 63% of players selected came from a college baseball background. Even in later rounds, this only dropped to 57%. So, a few thoughts to take from this:

-Professional baseball will spend the majority of its draft money on college players, especially in the earlier rounds.
-Professional clubs tend to view college players as better investments overall, judging from the fact that even in the later rounds, college players still comprise the majority of selections.
-Even if they are better players, high school prospects still tend to rank behind college players because they lack the track record of a college career.
-Major league scouts and clubs are more willing to invest in a college player based on their career in college. If they can find success at the college level, they are more likely to be taken in the draft over a raw high school player.
-Check back next week when I discuss the decision to go to college over taking on the life of a professional baseball player.


Kulina is a former Associate Head Coach and recruiting coordinator with the University of Maryland. As a former recruiting coordinator for ten years in the ACC, Kulina has vast contacts and is widely respected throughout the nation. From 1989 to 2000, Kulina coached 46 players who were selected in the MLB draft.

Summer Pitching Development

Steve Bernhardt: Building the Better Ballplayer

As summer baseball gets into full swing, pitchers throughout the country should be feeling great. With most high school seasons that were filled with cold weather, rain and missed starts now over, pitchers can settle into a regular summer rotation. Throughout our summer game schedule we need to continue to work on improving.

In my opinion, young pitchers should concentrate on two areas: fastball command and arm strength. Let’s look at each.

First, and most important, is fastball command. This means that you, as a pitcher, can throw your fastball exactly where you want. Keep in mind that command is different than control. Control means that you can throw your fastball for strikes. Command means that you can throw it to your target. This may mean on the inside corner, it may mean low and away, it may even mean throwing it intentionally six inches off the plate with an 0-2 count on the hitter. Being able to command your fastball is the single most important part to being a successful pitcher.

In order to have command, you must be able to repeat your delivery and release point every pitch. There are many stories of pitchers in the Major Leagues who drew the strike zone on a wall growing up and threw to spots on that wall in and out of the strike zone. Their command got so good that they wore out certain spots on the wall. Whether you work on this on your own or in organized bullpen sessions, work hard to throw your fastball where you want it.

Secondly, continue to work on arm strength. To this day, the only proven way to improve arm strength is to play long toss. Even throughout your summer season, you need to find days that you can stretch out your arm and throw long. This helps to build arm strength and arm speed, ultimately resulting in improved velocity.

All pitchers should implement a regular program over the summer that includes their game starts, side sessions with an emphasis on fastball command, and long toss sessions. After several months of following that schedule, your results are sure to improve.


Bernhardt played for five years in the Colorado Rockies organization. As Executive VP of Baseball Operations at Baseball Factory, he oversees all events and instruction. Bernhardt currently serves as an Associate Scout with the Colorado Rockies. He received his B.S. from the University of Richmond where he was an All-Conference player.

Situational Hitting: Part 4

Matt Schilling: From the Batting Cage

We have been discussing situational hitting and ways to make yourself a productive hitter by executing when in "situational hitting" situations. This week we are going to discuss the following situations:

1. Hit and Runs

2. Leading off an Inning

Hit and Runs:

Every coach seems to have a slightly different opinion on what they want their hitters to do on a hit and run. In general a perfect hit and run will have the batter hit a ground ball to the opposite field. When a runner is on first, the middle infielder who is on the hitter's opposite field side usually has coverage of second in the event of a steal. So if the hitter can hit a ground ball through the vacated hole caused by the middle infielder covering second, you have a perfect hit and run. The problem is that the pitcher doesn't always throw a good pitch that you can hit on the ground to the opposite field side, so what do you do?

I have a few rules of thumb that will help you with a hit and run. First, if your coach puts this sign on, you HAVE to swing at the pitch, even if it is a ball. The only pitch I would not want you to swing at is a ball in the dirt. A pitch in the dirt is very difficult for the catcher to try to throw a runner out on, so there is no point in swinging just to protect the runner. Next, focus on hitting the ball on the ground but don't worry so much about hitting it to the opposite field, focus more on hitting it where it is pitched. I have seen too many players get an inside fastball and try to hit a grounder the other way and they wind up getting jammed and popping up, sometimes resulting in a double play.

So...focus mostly on getting the ball on the ground and hitting it where it is pitched. If you can take it "oppo," do, but do it without altering your swing too much. Lastly, most young players that I see get the hit and run sign from their coach, will chop down at the pitch. You need to have enough bat control to be able to hit a good, solid ground ball without having to significantly change your swing. Talk to your coach and ask him what he wants from a hit and run and make sure that you are clear on what expectations he has.

Leading off an Inning:

The leadoff hitter on a team is usually the best at getting on base and usually has some speed. The problem is that he very often only leads off the first inning. As hitters we are all going to be leadoff men. We are all going to have the responsibility of getting a rally started. So what types of things should you do to be effective?

First, raise your intensity. When your team is down a run in the 9th inning it always amazes me how much the offensive team raises its itensity. All of a sudden players are doing whatever they possibly can to get on base. They move up in the box, up on the plate, try to get hit by pitches, they will dive head first into first base trying to beat out a ground ball. All kinds of extra effort in just to try to get on base. Why don't players and teams do this in say the 3rd inning? Because the game is not on the line...or is it?

As hitters, if you are leading off an inning, get your butt on base! Do whatever it takes. I would suggest moving up on the plate a little bit. Often pitchers don't like the look of a batter on top of the plate and it will intimidate them enough to pitch away from you and out of the zone. This can get you into a hitters count giving you a better chance to get a better, more predictable pitch to hit. As we have discussed in previous blogs, this gives you a much better chance to get a hit and get on base. Lastly, check the defense. Often the corner infielders may be asleep the first few pitches of a new half inning. They may be playing a little too deep which may give you a chance to drop a bunt for a hit.

All of the situations that we have covered are immensily important to the success of your team and to your production as a hitter. Always make sure you are clear in your mind at what your job is and what you have to do to be successful in that situation. If your mind is clear you will function much better without a hesitation in the box. Good luck and EXECUTE, your coach will love you for it.


Schilling graduated from Coastal Carolina University, where he was an All-Conference and All-State player while being voted the fourth best second baseman in the country by the Smith Award Group. Schilling went on to coach at Coastal for five years, helping them reach the top 25. He is also a former Associate Scout with the Atlanta Braves.

LIVE: From the Under Armour Southeast Regional Tournament: Day 5

Dave Lax: We're There

A second serving of Juice, please.

That’s right the Chet Lemon’s Juice captured their second straight Under Armour Southeast Regional Tournament. After a long day of baseball and many threats from mother nature the conclusion to this year’s tournament had a familiar feeling. But first lets take a look at how the final day of competition played out.

Starting the day we had eight teams looking to earn a spot in the semi-finals. The Palm Beach Clippers kept their Cinderella story alive by taking out the #8 seeded Miami Fat Cats. In the early upset of the day the Palm Beach PAL beat previously undefeated Line Drive Baseball in a battle that went into extra innings. On the other side of the bracket the most anticipated game of the day was between Chet Lemon’s Juice and the All-American Prospects - Navy. In another extra inning game the Juice came through in the bottom of the eighth inning to win 4-3 and move on. The lowest seed still in the tournament was the Florida Pokers. The Pokers took out two of the tournaments top teams and were looking to take down the boys from Texas, Team DeMarini, but a few early runs were all Team DeMarini needed. They held on to win 4-1.

As the field was cut down to four, the teams geared up for their next game with hopes of gaining a berth in the championship game, which was played at Roger Dean Stadium.

In the first semi-final Team DeMarini’s starting pitcher threw an incredible game. He pitched four hitless innings and his team led 1-0 entering the fifth inning; however, the Juice and their experience were not thwarted by a stellar pitching performance. The Juice finally broke through with some hits knocking the starting pitcher out of the game, which opened the flood gates. The final score of 9-1 was not indicative of how close the game really was, as both teams gave everyone watching some excitement. In the second semi-final the Clippers magical run came to an end as the Palm Beach PAL took them down with strong defense and timely hitting. The championship was now set and the teams hurried over to the stadium field as rain clouds covered the sky.

In the championship game the Juice struck early and often. With Under Armour Undeniable Player of the Game, James Ramsey walking in two consecutive at bats he quickly turned those walks into runs with his blistering speed and teammates clutch hitting. The Palm Beach PAL put up only one run as the Juice captured their second title in as many years with a 7-1 win. We look forward to seeing what next year has in store for the Under Armour Southeast Regional Tournament and we congratulate Chet Lemon’s Juice on another incredible tournament.

If you are interested in reviewing some of the scouting reports from the event, please check out Team One Baseball.