Remember WHY You Play...

Dana Cavalea: Performance Training for Baseball

This was one of the best photos we have come across yet! This is a picture of Curtis Granderson of the Tigers, with some motivational words on the inside of his hat: HAVE FUN!

Why else do you play the game? To struggle, to beat yourself into the ground mentally due to failure? Each time you step on the field, each time you train, each time you practice, remember why you play and how it felt the first time you put on the spikes.

The reality is this, sport is not permanenet, meaning, it could be pulled from you with one injury, or a full roster. Remember WHY You play...

"JUST HAVE FUN...ENJOY THE RIDE...."

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.

A Storm for the Ages

Jason Budden: Un-Common Sense?

What was Major League Baseball thinking last night? It was raining cats and dogs in Philadelphia, yet the game raged on as if there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. There were visible puddles in the infield, but it took until the bottom of the sixth inning for the umpires to intervene.

Do you think the game would have been stopped earlier if the score was tied, and not 2-1 in favor of the Phillies? Bud Selig said after the game last night that he would not allow a team to win a World Series championship because of a rain-abbreviated game. This is much easier to say when the game was suspended in a 2-2 tie.

Selig and the MLB officials clearly did not want to deal with any controversy that would have come into play had the game been suspended in the bottom of the fifth with the Phillies leading 2-1. I don’t know if there was any video footage, but I would guess that Selig was giving out high fives to everyone in the MLB suite after Carlos Pena tied the score with a single in the top of the sixth.

I think that the situation could have been handled differently and the bigwigs within MLB should have had a “contingency” plan in effect at the start of last night’s game. But, in the end, MLB did make the right decision and have set up some great suspense heading into tonight’s re-start.

Hopefully they have analyzed all of tonight’s options and informed each team of the plans, whatever they might be. They avoided a PR nightmare last night, thanks to Pena, but if they aren’t truly prepared for tonight’s game, it may turn out that they just delayed the inevitable harsh criticism.

Only time will tell.


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 the Cell Phone and PDA Addiction

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

I don’t know how many times I have heard the following words come out of my wife’s mouth, “would you please put your BlackBerry down!” She has a high tolerance for the use of my PDA but when it gets excessive I am sure to hear that familiar plea until I relent and put it down or turn it off.

If you take a moment to step back and be objective, our society has become obsessively distracted all the time. Just walk down the street of a major city and I bet it is hard to find a person that is not listening to an ipod, talking on their mobile phone, or frantically checking their PDA for text messages, emails, stock quotes, news updates, or sports scores.

In the effort to become more connected with the outside world we have become too insular and “checked out” from our families, friends, and colleagues as it relates to face to face communication. Think about it. How hard is it for you as a parent to really focus on a conversation with your spouse, children, or colleagues and not give into the urge to send a text message or email, check something on line, or talk on the phone? PDAs and cell phones have probably done more to regress our society from an emotional point of view than anything I can remember in the past 20 years.

I can remember back when we started Baseball Factory almost 15 years ago, the only way to communicate with colleagues and partners was through a good old fashioned land line phone. There were no mobile phones, no email accounts, and no internet. Somehow we still got things done and maybe we even had a little better balance outside the office.

Take some time and do an inventory of how much time you spend wasting on your mobile phone or PDA when you could be engaging with your kids, spouse, or friends. Are your high school children mimicking your phone behavior by sending endless text messages? Does that behavior bother you as a parent? How do you think your children feel when they see you doing the same thing with your PDA? Before you reach to answer an email, think twice about whether the issue is really that important or if it can wait. How much more valuable would be it to spend that time engaging and being “present” with the ones you love?

This is probably the biggest thing I need to work on in my personal life. I want to be accessible to our employees, clients, and partners via my BlackBerry, but when do I overdo it to a fault?

As parents, try hard to create a better balance and kick some of your cell phone or PDA addiction. I am sure it will pay emotional dividends for your family.

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.

Post Season Awards

Jason Budden: Un-Common Sense?

Early this year, I gave a rundown of my MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year selections, based on their performance through the early part of May. Now that the season is over, here are my picks for the end of season MVP and Cy Young awards.

AL MVP

Dustin Pedroia - If you told me at the beginning of the season that the Red Sox would make the playoffs, even though 1) Manny Ramirez would be traded, 2) David Ortiz, Mike Lowell and J.D. Drew would each miss over 40 games during the season to injury, and 3) Josh Beckett would get hurt and only win 12 games...I would have said you're crazy. Hats off to Dustin Pedroia. He hit .326 with 17 homeruns, 83 RBI, 118 runs and 20 stolen bases. He carried this team when no one else could.

NL MVP

Albert Pujols - He quietly put together another monster year hitting .357 with 37 homeruns, 117 RBI and 100 runs. I don't know how that year was kept quiet, but this season there was not much fanfare around Albert Pujols. Maybe it was because the Cardinals faded late in the season. Maybe it was because the Cubs and Brewers were a more exciting story in the NL Central Division. Maybe it is because we have become used to seeing Albert put up these numbers. Regardless, he deserves the NL MVP award.

AL Cy Young

Francisco Rodriguez – I think I stand alone on this pick. Most all of the experts are selecting Cliff Lee, and I have no problem with that selection. Lee went 22-3 with a 2.54 ERA, but 14 of his wins came against teams with losing records including eight wins against the lowly Mariners, Tigers and Royals. That might be nitpicking, but if KRod doesn’t win the Cy Young, after breaking the single season saves record by five saves, what closer will ever win the award? How could you give it to a closer, unless they break this record, which is very unlikely? The previous record stood for 18 years. Are closers really disregarded that much that KRod’s accomplishment could go unrewarded? Not by me.

NL Cy Young

Tim Lincecum – The stats of Lincecum and Johan Santana are almost identical:

Lincecum: 227 IP, 18 – 5, 265 Strikeouts, 2.62 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 3.15 K/BB
Santana: 234.1 IP, 16 – 7, 206 Strikeouts, 2.53 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 3.27 K/BB

So why Lincecum? I really can’t give you a good reason. In the end, I picked Lincecum because he struck out 59 more batters than Santana, no other concrete reason.


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.

3 Common Pitching Faults

Andy Ferguson: Another Day, Another Double Play

While the task of retiring hitters with today’s metal bats is not an easy one, it is made more difficult all too often. Wood bats tilt the scale in favor of the pitcher certainly, but still most high school pitchers struggle. Why? Aside from generally poor throwing mechanics (which I think is one of the most common traits of players today in general), I think there are a few main tendencies that hinder success.

1. Tendency to overthrow

Likely a product of the showcase era, we all want to measure ourselves by how hard we throw. But does the hitter care? Throw either 65 or 95 and it will matter, otherwise probably not. Ask around, would a hitter rather face 75 or 85? I think you would be surprised at the answer.

Hint: is it harder for hitters to be quick enough, or to wait?

Instead, stay within yourself. If you can touch 80 mph, then you should probably be pitching around 77 or so – with that 80 available for when you need to reach back for a little more. By working within your abilities, it is reasonable to expect that you:

A. Will be more consistent
B. Can work deeper into games
C. Can recover faster, and will have a generally healthier arm

2. Tendency to nibble

The plate is 17 inches wide, and some umpires will give another 2 or 3 inches on either side. But for some reason, that just isn’t big enough. After all, we wouldn’t want the hitter to make contact would we? Nah, there are only 7 guys behind you with gloves that work hard every day to catch it and throw it – remember, practice is fun but they like to make plays in games too.

Instead, make it important to throw more strikes. I’m not suggesting you throw it right down the middle, but rather to divide the plate into realistic pieces based on a combination of the situation and your capability to execute:

A. Halves: Early in the count, behind in the count, and probably in even counts too, you should be working to the outer half most of the time. If you work towards the inner half, you better get it in and be willing to miss off the plate – misses back to the middle don’t usually work out to well in your favor.

B. Thirds: As you progress you can begin to eliminate the middle third, if you are working at this level you need to stay out of that area. The outer third will likely be your bread and butter, with the inner third again used mostly for effect.

We’ll cover this more in a future posting, when we look at working up and down in addition to in and out.

3. Tendency to throw too many off speed pitches

Maybe I’m wrong here, but I would rather not show the hitter all the pitches I have until I absolutely have to. Not only are off speed pitches shown too early and too often, but rarely are they setup properly or even at all. Let’s face it, most pitchers don’t have good enough action on their curve, or enough deception on their changeup to make hitters flat out swing and miss – there has to be some element of surprise, or change in speeds and/or location involved as well. If all the hitter ever sees is off speed pitches, how are you going to fool him?

Instead, establish your fastball and hold back something – if you can. You don’t want to show the hitters too much too soon – neither the one in the box, nor the ones in the dugout watching you and trying to figure out your stuff and what you are doing with it. I think going fastball/changeup early is ideal, but many young pitchers don’t understand how valuable a changeup is – therefore, they don’t spend the time learning and developing the feel needed to throw it well.

So, the formula for success is really pretty simple. Stay within yourself, make strikes more important that miles per hour, and try to hold a pitch back for as long as possible.


Andy Ferguson is currently the Senior Director of Baseball Operations with the Baseball Factory. Ferguson joined the North Carolina State baseball team as a walk-on, and went on to solidify his role on a team that participated in four consecutive NCAA Regionals. He later coached with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and then served as an Associate Scout with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Diego Padres.

Recruiting Trends in College Sports Pt. 2

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

Last week I began my blog with an article from ESPN as a prompt to talk about the two signing periods. I’d like to take this entry to touch on the issues and consequences of getting younger and younger commitments. While I haven’t heard of any 14-year-olds committing to play college baseball, I have seen and heard of many high school juniors committing. In order to keep up with their colleagues and facing increased pressure to succeed on the field, many coaches are having their hands forced and are trying to get commitments earlier and earlier. After all, if they don’t do it, someone else will!

Many players that commit early have never visited the school, let alone stayed overnight on campus! To commit during the junior year, for most players, is to make a dangerous assumption that, in the end, this school is the best choice, fit and opportunity out there. What happens if a player commits early, and then a better opportunity comes along? What happens if the player gets injured or has a bad year on the field or in the classroom?

Coaches, too, face a lot of unnecessary risk by getting commitments from younger players. What happens if their grades take a dive? Players with incomplete transcripts haven’t shown that they can handle a college workload, let along guarantee that they’ll be able to get into the school! What happens if a better player comes along prior to the November signing period?

The earlier the commitment, the bigger the gamble both sides are taking. Leaving so many variables on the table inherently requires significant perseverance, and it can be a lot to ask for from a 16 or 17-year-old. And unfortunately in the baseball world, talking to coaches at other schools after a commitment is a major faux pas. Not only will it get around very quickly and is never well-perceived, but it can have professional ramifications if you decide to continue your career in coaching or professional baseball!

So, what do you take away from this? Bottom line, there is no such thing as too much information. One of my earlier entries focused on “getting it right the first time,” which, as the name implies, focused on all the different criteria that prospective student-athletes must consider in order to ensure a successful college career on and off the field. The Exclusive Program Staff coaches players to treat the entire junior year as a time to research schools, so that when you take advantage of the available visits, both unofficial and official, you will have enough information to make the best decision possible.

As a wrap-up, here are some advantages of both signing periods:

Early/November:
• Injuries or bad senior season won’t have any affect
• More scholarship money available (athletic and academic)
• More favorable admissions
• Process is complete – you get to enjoy the rest of your senior year!

Traditional/April:
• Applications are non-binding
• Schools may have new needs
• More time to develop – get bigger, stronger faster!
• More time to research and visit schools


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.

Baseball Factory Launches Youth Skills Challenge

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

Baseball Factory just got a little younger!

This weekend marks the launch of our Youth Skills Challenge program. The Youth Skills Challenge initiative has been in the works for quite some time for Baseball Factory. We are very excited about the opportunity to work with 12 and 13 year old players and introduce them to The Baseball Factory Way of development and training.

The Youth Skills Challenge will include instruction, evaluation, and competition. Twelve and Thirteen year old baseball players will get a chance to see how they stack up against nationwide competition through www.baseballfactory.com where top player performances will be posted for foot speed, arm strength, hitting, and pitching. Players will also receive professional instruction and learn how to take their game to the next level.

The first challenge takes place in Baltimore, MD at the University of MD – Baltimore County on October 18, 2008. Additional challenges will be added nationally throughout the year so make sure to check www.baseballfactory.com for updates.

We look forward to working with this new age group and their parents to educate and guide them through their baseball development process!


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.

Walk That Way

Andy Ferguson: Another Day, Another Double Play

Last week, we looked at what I think are some key stats for hitters. This week, let’s take a look at some key pitching stats.

By my count, 24 pitchers won 15 or more games during the 2008 Major League regular season. I should point out that I am not claiming this group to be the best pitchers, I only chose this group in order to point out statistical similarities among pitchers that were successful in 2008.

Much like with hitters, I like to look at walks and strikeouts.

WALKS (BB)

Among the group of 15+ game winners, only six averaged less than 2.0 walks per nine innings
(BB/9).

BB/9 – Pitcher – Position, Team
1.37 – Cliff Lee – LHP, CLE
1.39 – Mike Mussina – RHP, NYY
1.43 – Roy Halladay – RHP, TOR
1.67 – Dan Haren – RHP, ARI
1.78 – Ricky Nolasco – RHP, FLA
1.93 – Ervin Santana – RHP, LAA

Ever heard of any of the following scouting terms?
* Challenged hitters
* Attacked the zone
* Strike thrower
* Control
* Command

Well, they all apply to the group above. It is pretty impressive to be able to go right after Major League hitters, issue as few bases on balls as they did, and still win over 15 games.

Among the same group, only three pitchers averaged more than 3.50 BB/9.

BB/9 – Pitcher – Position, Team
3.59 – Chad Billingsley – RHP, LAD
4.27 – Edinson Volquez – RHP, CIN
5.05 – Daisuke Matsuzaka – RHP, BOS

In Game One of the ALCS against Tampa Bay, Daisuke Matsuzaka walked four and struck out nine in 7.0 innings of work. Though he gave away four free bases in only seven innings, he still gave up no runs and got the win in a 2-0 victory (so far, their only victory of the series).

On the same day, Chad Billingsley walked three and struck out five in a short 2.1 inning outing. The combination of free bases, extra base hits and RBI’s by the pitcher sealed his fate in an 8-5 loss to the Dodgers in Game Two of the NLCS.

The pitchers in this group had an approximate average BB/9 range of 2.5-3.0.

STRIKEOUTS (SO, or K)

Of the top 20 pitchers in strikeouts during the 2008 regular season:
* Only two had less than 10 wins
* 12 had 15 or more wins (representing half of the 15+ win group)
* Only three had losing records
* Only four had an ERA greater than 3.99

While strikeouts aren’t necessarily an indicator of a quality pitcher, they are a near sure fire indicator of quality stuff. The two usually work hand-in-hand, but not always.

Back to our group of pitchers with 15+ wins, among that group only four averaged over 9.0 strikeouts per 9 innings (K/9).

K/9 – Pitcher – Position, Team
10.51 – Tim Lincecum – RHP, SF
9.46 – Edinson Volquez – RHP, CIN
9.39 – A.J. Burnett – RHP, TOR
9.01 – Chad Billingsley – RHP, LAD

Just to clarify, striking out at least one Major League hitter an inning on average is absurd…and requires impressive, near top of the scouting scale type stuff.

Among the same group, only three averaged less than 5.50 K/9.

K/9 – Pitcher – Position, Team
5.36 – Kyle Lohse – RHP, STL
4.68 – Joe Saunders – LHP, LAA
4.09 – Aaron Cook – RHP, COL

The pitchers in this group had an approximate average K/9 range of 6.5-7.5.

SUMMARY

On average, this group walked about three and struck out about seven per nine innings. The walks are more telling than the strikeouts to me, a realistic goal for a young pitcher at any level should be to allow only one walk every three innings on average.

Strikeouts help, but I think too many times young pitchers already try to strikeout every hitter – and end up overthrowing, nibbling corners, and throwing too many off speed pitches to do so. All of this is taxing on a young arm, and usually results in high pitch counts and potentially short careers. Instead, I think young pitchers should focus on efficiency. Plus, if you can stay around the zone with your pitches you will get more calls from the umpire, and you will keep your fielders more involved and on their toes.


Andy Ferguson is currently the Senior Director of Baseball Operations with the Baseball Factory. Ferguson joined the North Carolina State baseball team as a walk-on, and went on to solidify his role on a team that participated in four consecutive NCAA Regionals. He later coached with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and then served as an Associate Scout with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Diego Padres.

Recruiting Trends in College Sports Pt. 1

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

As we’re coming up on the highly-anticipated November signing period, I thought I’d use this entry to discuss an issue I’ve been following the past few years. While all sports, baseball included, have designated “signing periods” during the prospect’s senior year, there is nothing to stop players from committing to coaches or schools much earlier than that. As reported by ESPN, college basketball has seen a disturbing trend in recruiting, leading to rumors that players as young as fourteen are committing to schools even before they’ve played a minute on a high school court! Is there a possibility that baseball could follow in the footsteps of basketball? And, if so, what are the consequences?

The “traditional” signing period has always been in April, with the “early” signing period taking place in mid-November. However, the November signing period has become so popular that it has become the norm for most D-I programs to finish their recruiting at this point. After all, if a coach can get his recruiting out of the way by mid-November, he’s able to focus on his team and season at hand. For many other teams that don’t carry enough clout to secure early commitments, they must continue their recruiting all the way to the beginning of classes in August, if necessary.

Personally, I was not a big advocate of the November signing when I was coaching at the University of Maryland. I have always felt that coaches, players and parents make more mistakes signing early than they do at the April signing period. Granted I signed a few players during this period because I didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to lock up a few guys early. However, the players I signed early were the ones that I’ve seen the most and knew the best. Coaches don’t have as much time to assess and evaluate players early and players/parents don’t have as much time to learn everything they need to about all the schools that are recruiting them before they make their decision.

One of the most important aspects of the recruiting process for a college coach is to really get to know the player they’re recruiting, both on and off the field. I tried to learn everything about every player and family I recruited and still felt like I needed to know more! That being said, I truly believe that for the most part, you really don’t know what you got or are getting, until the player is in the program. I think most college coaches would agree with that statement. By putting total emphasis on getting players signed by November, I feel that several critical pieces of recruiting process are being overlooked and disregarded.

Check back next week when I go further into the trends in college baseball recruiting, focusing on the issue that I mentioned at the beginning of the entry.

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.

Versatility = Chances to Play

Steve Bernhardt: Building the Better Ballplayer

At our Player Development events one of the things we stress is defensive versatility. We try to encourage every player to be comfortable at multiple positions, because you never know the circumstances you will find yourself in each year. Many players in our program have made the jump from high school to college only to find a successful upperclassman cemented at their primary position. When that happens, it doesn’t matter how great you were in high school, the returning college shortstop who hit .400 last year is going to be the starter. Your ability to play another position (and keep your ego in check) may be the only chance you have to crack the lineup.

As I watched the Angels and Red Sox play in the ALDS, two Team One alumni reminded me of the importance of having the ability and willingness to play different positions. Jed Lowrie knocked in the winning run in the final game of the series for the Red Sox. He is their starting shortstop – the same position he played at North Salem High School in Oregon when he attended our Team One event – but this has not always been the case. In fact, Lowrie played very little shortstop while starring for powerhouse Stanford University. His first taste of college baseball came in the spring of his freshman year when he got to play several games at third base. By the end of the season, he had won the starting second base job. He remained their All-American second baseman through his junior year when he was selected as the 45th pick overall in the 2005 draft by the Red Sox. His versatility has helped him already in his short Major League career as Jed has played 2B and 3B in addition to SS this year for the Sox.

Another talented player who made a position switch is Mark Teixeira. Teixeira was one of the top high school players in the country when we saw him at Team One as a third baseman. He started at 3B from the day he set foot on the Georgia Tech campus and put up impressive numbers during his ACC career. In fact, he won the Dick Howser Trophy as the College Player of the Year. Despite all of his success, professional baseball presented Mark with a new challenge. His path to be the Texas Rangers’ third baseman was blocked by another top prospect, Hank Blalock. As we all know, Mark made a seamless transition to first base where he has won two gold gloves and is a perennial All-Star. Mark’s versatility and willingness to do whatever it takes to help the team is evidenced by the fact that he played 3B, LF, RF, DH and 1B during his first year in the Major Leagues.

These are just two examples of players who had tasted success at one position but were willing and able to change positions in order to earn playing time and help their team. Do yourself a favor – keep working hard at your primary position, but make sure you’re comfortable playing another position or two if the situation arises.


Steve Bernhardt is the Executive VP of Baseball Operations with Baseball Factory. 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.

Gavin Floyd – Chicago White Sox

Justin Roswell: Where Are They Now?

Gavin Floyd, one of the original Baseball Factory All American’s, was a key component for a Chicago White Sox team that battled their way into the playoffs. Floyd went 17 – 8 on the year with a 3.84 ERA. This was a breakout year for the right handed pitcher that started his career with the Philadelphia Phillies, after being the #4 overall draft pick in 2001.

Floyd a highly touted prospect out of Annapolis, Maryland attended both Baseball Factory and Team One events during his high school career. Most notably, he attended the 1999 Team One National event and was ranked by Baseball America as the Second-Closest to the Majors and having the Best Breaking Ball among high school athletes.

While Gavin and the Chicago White Sox were knocked out of the playoffs by the Tampa Bay Rays, we congratulate him on such a great season and continued success at the Major League level.


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.

Walk This Way

Andy Ferguson: Another Day, Another Double Play

Let’s talk stats a little. First, let’s be clear. I don’t want to hear that you hit .738 during your 18 game season, or that you hit eight home runs over the 250 foot left field fence. That really doesn’t mean much to me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great that you produced for your team but I still can’t really deduce much from those numbers.

I know what you’re thinking. What? Why not? I got hits in nearly three of every four at bats, and eight home runs means I am a power hitter. Maybe, I say.

Once again, I will use myself as an example. Over my last two years of high school, I hit over .400 with around six or seven home runs in 20 or so games. Our home park was a band box, as were most parks we played in. I don’t have the exact numbers, but over my career at NC State I hit somewhere in the neighborhood of .175. I may have scared .200 briefly once or twice, but it didn’t blink.

Quick review: pretty good high schools stats, couldn’t hit my way out of a paper bag in college…but wait, wasn’t it supposed to be the other way?

There are a couple of exceptions though. First, I struck out a lot in high school. Like many so called “power” hitters, it kind of came with the territory. I didn’t take a lot of pitches, instead choosing to take viscous hacks at anything near the strike zone. Worked OK at that level, but not when the pitching got better at the college level. A look at my strike out to walk ratio would have probably told a little better story.

Ideally, a hitter will walk more than he strikes out. Keep in mind I said “ideally.” It doesn’t happen that much. In fact, a quick look at the 2008 Major League Baseball stats found that only 14 players (with more than 40 walks) did it. They are listed below in order of best BB to SO ratio.

BB/SO – Name – Bats, Team
104/54 – Albert Pujols – R, STL
84/50 – Joe Mauer – L, MIN
87/52 – Brian Giles – L, SD
44/28 – Doug Mientkiewicz – L, PIT
90/61 – Chipper Jones – S, ATL
50/35 – Luis Castillo – S, NYM
73/58 – Ryan Theriot – R, CHC
61/50 – Todd Helton – L, COL
44/38 – Carlos Ruiz – R, PHI
50/45 – Jason Kendall – R, MIL
46/42 – Craig Counsell – L, MIL
90/83 – Russell Martin – R, LAD
58/55 – Jimmy Rollins – S, PHI
97/93 – Mark Teixeira – S, ATL/LAA (combined stats)

That is truly impressive to be able to walk more than you strike out at the Major League level. I am particularly impressed that a left-handed hitter could do this. There are not many left-handed hitters that can effectively handle left-handed pitching, and during a 162 game season there is simply no way to avoid that. Some other left handed hitters that were close to a 1:1 ratio:

79/80 – JD Drew – L, BOS
41/43 – Luis Gonzalez – L, FL
70/74 – David Ortiz – L, BOS

Albert Pujols walked nearly 2 times for every time he struck out. Mauer, Giles and Mientkiewicz (all left-handed hitters) walked over 1.5 times for each strike out. Just to illustrate the point, I did a little research to try and find the worst performances…

23/139 – Kevin Kouzmanoff – R, SD (roughly 6 strikeouts per walk)
25/142 – Carlos Gomez – R, MIN (over 5.5 strikeouts per walk)

As for the “Greek god of walks” (of Moneyball fame), Kevin Youkilis walked 62 times, struck out 108. Maybe it’s time for a new nickname?

Another player I expected to be among the best in this statistic: Ichiro. He was close, but didn’t make the grade. Walked 51 times, struck out 65.

So, understand that certain stats can be more telling than others. For me, walk to strikeout ratio is tops while batting average is at the bottom. As with most things, it just takes a little reading between the lines.



Andy Ferguson is currently the Senior Director of Baseball Operations with the Baseball Factory. Ferguson joined the North Carolina State baseball team as a walk-on, and went on to solidify his role on a team that participated in four consecutive NCAA Regionals. He later coached with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and then served as an Associate Scout with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Diego Padres.

Inside the Mind of a Former MLB General Manager

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

Steve Sclafani and I had a chance to sit down recently and speak with a former MLB General Manager. The discussion centered around a myriad of topics including ways to further enhance Baseball Factory Player Development Events, philosophies on scouting, and theories on college recruiting trends in baseball. The conversation was very enlightening and provided a great backdrop for how General Managers evaluate high school and college players when considering them for the draft and professional baseball.

Probably the most interesting point that was made during the discussion by the former GM was in reference to what he thought was the most successful method to evaluate a player’s personality and mental makeup. Many MLB teams use sophisticated psychological profiles created by acclaimed academics to try and predict how players will handle pressure, how they will interact with their peers and authority figures on and off the field, and how they will handle the inevitable failures that present themselves on a consistent basis in baseball. It may be shocking to hear, but this GM believed that the most accurate way to predict how a player would handle himself in these situations was to study their parents!

It was an obvious comment to make, but one that I was completely taken back by. With every resource in the world at his disposal to make a psychological assessment, this GM felt that the mental makeup of the parents, their habits off the field, their temperament, and the way they spoke to their family members were the best indicators for predicting the player’s off field and on field mental approach. Many times they passed on players because they did not have a good feeling about the player’s mental makeup and family history.

This is a valuable lesson for parents to learn. Not only are your sons being evaluated everyday by baseball professionals, but you are as well. Do your best to keep your emotions in check and keep a level head on your shoulders when watching your son’s games or communicating with college coaches or professional scouts. It could be the final difference maker for him getting a baseball opportunity or not.


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.

Playoffs Disappointing for Top Teams

Jason Budden: Un-Common Sense?

The Cubs and Angels came into the playoffs as the consensus favorites for both leagues, but will have to wait until next year for another shot at the title. As the divisional round of the playoffs come to a close, let’s take a look at each series:

Cubs vs. Dodgers
What happened? The Cubs were the best team in the National League for most of, if not all of the regular season, yet they looked more like the Seattle Mariners during their series against the Dodgers. As a team, they struggled on offense, especially their top players. Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez and Geovany Soto were 5-36 combined in the series. It didn’t help that they committed six errors during the three game sweep, including four errors during Game Two.

On the other hand, the Dodgers are looking more and more like the team to beat. Led by Manny Ramirez, the series never looked in doubt. With arguably the best bullpen left in the playoffs, the Dodgers can see a title getting closer and closer.

Phils vs. Brewers
Not quite as lopsided, the Phils were able to take advantage of a Brewers team that seemed to run out of steam. This time, C.C. Sabathia wasn’t able to deliver on three days rest. He has been a machine during the last month of the season, basically putting the Brewers on his back and carrying them into the playoffs. In the end, pitching performances by Cole Hamels, Brett Myers and Joe Blanton led the Phils into the NLCS. The starting pitchers for the Phils gave up only five runs in 25 innings. Mix in key two out home runs by Shane Victorino and Pat Burrell and the Brewers were overmatched.

Rays vs. White Sox
Similar to the Phils/Brewers series, this one never truly seemed in doubt. The Rays looked very strong in taking games one and two in Tampa. Good performances by the starting pitchers and especially by the bullpen, plus timely hitting from Evan Longoria, Akinori Iwamura and B.J. Upton. The White Sox seemed a bit worn down after battling the Twins for the AL Central crown. They even admitted after the series that they lost to a better team in the Rays.

“They played better than us. There’s no doubt. They pitched better. They execute better. They got big hits,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. “They really did a tremendous job.”

Whether right or wrong, Guillen is never shy to voice his opinion. This time he got it spot on.

Angels vs. Red Sox
What a great series, especially if you are a Red Sox fan. Each game was close and exciting. Game One was dominated by two aces, Jon Lester for the Red Sox and John Lackey for the Angels. Lackey made one mistake, giving up a two-out home run to Jason Bay. Lester didn’t make a mistake, striking out seven while walking only one. In game two, J.D. Drew returned from injury to hit a two-run game winning home run in the top of the ninth. The home run came off of Francisco Rodriguez, the Angels closer who in 2008 set the single season record for saves in a season with 62.

The Angels pulled out a 12th inning victory over the Red Sox as the series returned to Boston for Game Three, setting up even more suspense for Game Four. Lester and Lackey returned to duel again and once more, Lester got the better of the matchup. Lester went another strong seven innings giving up no runs while striking out four. Lackey again gave up two runs to the Red Sox and left the game behind. The Angels rallied and got two runs off the Red Sox bullpen, but in the bottom of the 9th inning, the Jed Lowrie came through with an RBI single, driving in Bay who had doubled.

Both League Championship Series should provide us with some suspense and fireworks. The Red Sox and Rays are very familiar with each other and there is no love lost. The Dodgers are arguably the hottest team in baseball, but are going up against a team and a city that are anxious for a championship.



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.

The Power of Video

Kelly Kulina: Your Link to the Colleges

The video component of recruiting has come a long way in the last 20 years. Football coaches were way ahead their time with the use of film and video when it came to recruiting, scouting, and teaching of the game. Historically, college football coaches would request video of their prospective recruits from their high school coaches to assess the players overall athletic ability and skill. The player’s ability level and, subsequently, the coaches’ interest would determine the next steps in the process. Today, video footage is an absolute must for sports like baseball, and it has become a serious disadvantage to ignore this component!

Somewhere in the country on a daily basis, there is baseball being played. Even with the advancement of modern technology and communications today, players are still being overlooked because of coaching staff limitations, time and budgets. Smaller D-III schools notwithstanding, even the larger schools do not have the resources to attend every camp, showcase or tournament in the country. This is where video can start to fill the gap!

I can still remember getting several mail crates of VHS tapes daily at the University of Maryland and having stacks of VHS tapes all over the office. I would review what I could in the office, but found myself having to take them home and on the road trips just to keep up! Regrettably, because of volume and inconvenience, I’m sure there were a lot we never got to. Fortunately, today it is much easier now and a lot more convenient with online video available. There is nothing better for a coach than having the opportunity to recruit and evaluate players on the computer at his desk!

The purpose of having a video is not necessarily to get an offer from a college coach. However, using video to promote yourself to coaches can definitely make a difference and vault you onto his staff’s radar. Just as with football coaches, baseball coaches can use video to assess and determine the next steps to take with a prospect. “Does he have the ability to play at this level?” “Should we contact him, his coach and/or scouts in area? “Do we need to see him play in person, and if so, when?” Writing a letter or an e-mail to a coach is a step in the right direction, but without having the opportunity to evaluate your ability and skills on the field, there is not much else working in your favor. Providing video increases the chance that someone on the coaching staff will respond favorably.

So, what is the most effective way to deliver video footage? Personally, I’m a big fan of presenting footage prior to an unofficial visit, or as follow-up to that visit. Having an idea of what the coach thinks of you as a player prior to your visit can save you a trip or help you prioritize your visits to certain schools. I’ve even seen players bring up their video during the visit, so that they can get in-person feedback from the coach they are meeting with! Regardless of the situation, you should include a proper cover letter addressed to the coach. You need to introduce yourself, why you’re interested in the program and make reference to the video provided. Don’t expect a coach to watch your video without a proper introduction!

Please remember that this isn’t an audition tape- coaches need to use this for evaluation first and foremost. Anything above a display of your athleticism and baseball skills can lead to unwanted distraction of a coach’s attention and can be a turnoff. Leave the duty of first impressions to in-person visits to campus. The following should be avoided in athletic footage:
• Music
• Interviews
• Play-by-play from Mom and Dad!
• Any other unwanted noise(s).

It’s no longer considered far-sighted to have video available for review; rather, it’s now essential. Baseball plays more games than any other intercollegiate sport, players train every day while on campus, and the coaches are on the road recruiting when they’re not playing or training. Many times, you have to go above and beyond to reach these coaches throughout the year, whether they are on the field, in their office or on the road. However, more coaches are beginning to make full use of the technology today. Remember, there is no “dead period” in the recruiting process if you have a video, so take full advantage while you can!

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.

Taking Advantage of an Opportunity

Steve Bernhardt: Building the Better Ballplayer

On November 11, 2007 we hosted an Under Armour National Tryout at Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas. This event, like most we hold in Texas, had many talented players in attendance. One of these players was an unheralded catcher named Josh Elander. He was not from one of the powerhouse high school programs in the Houston or Dallas areas. He also wasn’t listed on any national Top Prospect lists for the 2009 class, but he impressed our scouts at the Tryout and earned an invitation to the Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament in Tucson, Arizona.

Josh spent that January weekend in Tucson continuing to impress scouts and coaches. He was named the top Underclass Prospect at the event after showing off his tools in both the workout and game settings. At 6’0”, 195 pounds of muscle, Josh has a classic catcher’s build with plus arm strength. What isn’t so conventional is that this catcher runs the sixty in the 6.75 range. When you combine that with power at the plate, you have a legitimate prospect with several plus tools.

Our guys liked him so much that we invited him to the prestigious Under Armour All-America Game held at Wrigley Field last month. Not only did Josh show great again, this time it was at a Major League stadium in front of many of baseball’s high level decision makers. In fact, as I threw to Josh in the first round of the game’s Home Run Derby, and watched him hit ball after ball into Wrigley’s left field bleachers and onto Waveland Avenue, I couldn’t help but think back to how he continues to seize every opportunity to show people that he can play.

We preach to our players at all of our events that you never know who’s watching, so you must play hard and show what you can do every time you step on the baseball field. Josh did that and he found himself going from a tryout at a Texas high school field to playing at Wrigley Field on national television just nine months later. I congratulate Josh for his accomplishments and wish him continued success. In the meantime, I can’t wait to find the next diamond in the rough who takes advantage of an opportunity to show us he can really play.

On a sad note, the news of the passing of Jim Spooner has hit all of us hard at the Factory. Coach Spooner was a great man who used his position of influence as the Head Coach at the University of West Florida to mold boys into quality young men while also winning an unbelievable number of baseball games. I had the honor of working with Spoon at several Baseball Factory events and enjoyed all of my time working with and learning from him. His combination of values, positive energy, compassion and baseball knowledge was unsurpassed. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Spooner family and I thank them for sharing Coach with us for the last few years – we are all better for it.


Steve Bernhardt is the Executive VP of Baseball Operations with Baseball Factory. 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.

Say What You Need to Say

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

The contemporary rock singer and song writer John Mayer has a popular song entitled “Say” where he encourages people to “Say What You Need to Say.” The lyrics are in reference to eliminating words unsaid or unfinished conversations. As the song continues, John Mayer professes “you know that in the end, it’s better to say too much, then never to say what you need to say.”

I think this is good advice for families in terms of their communication with one another, and especially in their feelings about the college search process. Over the last 13 years, many of our Baseball Factory players have told me that they really didn’t want to attend a college that their mom or dad wanted them to attend, but they did not feel comfortable saying anything at the time. In the end, many of these players wound up transferring. I also have heard parents say that they didn’t have a good gut feeling about a certain school, but they hid their doubts and uncertainties because they didn’t want to disappoint their son.

As painful as it might be to have these types of discussions, I always think it is better to talk it through then to leave these thoughts unsaid. It also is better to be open, direct, and thoughtful with your communication instead of being passive aggressive and elusive. In the end, it may create some interesting discussion around the dinner table, but you will be happy that you effectively got what y