Baseball Factory Blog

What’s in a Name?

2010-02-03T15:19:00.006-05:00

Steve Sclafani: All Access Pass

You probably didn’t notice, but we’ve changed the name of our “Signature” Program. As of this week, the Baseball Factory Signature College Recruiting Program (or SCR Program) has a new name. We are proud to introduce the Premium Video Program!

So, why the change? Well, it’s simple. We changed the name in order to clarify the main benefit of the program! Video, video, video! College coaches are leaning more and more on professionally edited video in order to start recruiting a player. Before going out to see the player in person, they are coming to Baseball Factory to see that player on video. While the Signature College Recruiting Program was the “signature” program at Baseball Factory, the video component was getting lost in the shuffle. By introducing the Premium Video Program we hope to make it easier for families to identify this program as a needed component in their college baseball search.

How does this program work with the Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryouts? Technically, the Premium Video Program is a part of our Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout series. The National Tryout series will tour both the US and Canada in 2010, making over 100 stops along the way. From Honolulu to Boston and Tampa to Seattle, we will scour the globe to find top prospects in every region of the US and Canada. For all of our stops along the tour we will hold the Premium Video Program in the morning (9 AM) and the Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout in the afternoon (1 PM). Players that participate in the Premium Video Program will receive all benefits from the National Tryout. They will also be considered for Under Armour Baseball Factory National Teams and Training Camps. For more info, check out our new page promoting both programs.

Has anything else changed about the program? No, just the name. The price remains $495 with a $100 extra position fee. This program has assisted our players in obtaining over $500 Million in scholarship offers, and we expect that number to keep growing each and every year. The benefits are still the same including a Pro Scout evaluation of each player. Our scouts don’t over-rate players. They offer a true snap shot of each player’s strengths, weaknesses and projectable tools. This evaluation is unbiased and straightforward, which is why college coaches respect Baseball Factory evaluations and turn to them as a recruiting reference.

We do have a new slogan attached to the program: Start Early, Promote Often. The landscape of college recruiting has shifted younger and younger over the last 15 years. It used to be a college coach started recruiting a player in his junior year. Now, we hear about juniors that are “verbally committing.” College coaches are recruiting players earlier and earlier in their quest to fill out their rosters. As such, it is even more important today than it was back when I founded Baseball Factory in 1994 that players Start Early and Promote Often.

This makes the Premium Video Program even more valuable because of the professionally edited video and pro scout evaluation it provides. Coaches can’t see every player in person, but they can watch video footage and read an evaluation from the comfort of their own office. In fact, coaches are recruiting Baseball Factory players more today than ever before, because they can get everything they need with the click of a mouse. Over the past six months, 1,100 college coaches have spent a combined 350 hours searching the Baseball Factory’s recruiting database for prospects. These coaches have viewed over 23,000 player profiles, videos and evaluations! I don’t think there can be any better evidence to the fact that if you are a player who wants to play college baseball, you need to get a video and evaluation from Baseball Factory in order to increase your chances of being seen. The Premium Video Program provides you with this opportunity, so remember…Start Early, Promote Often.

As the CEO and Founder of Baseball Factory, I am excited about these changes and hope that our families are excited as well. We continue to strive to provide the highest baseball product in the industry. We will work to our fullest capability to target schools where our players can be successful and provide them with needed exposure and guidance. We will also help each and every player to get the most out of their ability through our Player Development events. We will provide impeccable customer service at all times.

We want to hear your feedback. Please post a comment or email us at newsletter@baseballfactory.com.

Steve Sclafani is the CEO/Founder of the Baseball Factory. Sclafani’s ability to create new opportunities for baseball players nationwide and to develop exposure vehicles has led to over 20,000 Baseball Factory and Team One players competing at the college level, $500 million in scholarships, and over 2,000 players selected in the MLB draft. Sclafani was recognized as a member of Baltimore’s prestigious 40/40 Club, honoring 40 top executives under 40 years of age. Steve is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he played second base.

2010 Louisville Slugger Pre-Season High School All-American Team

2010-01-29T16:55:00.001-05:00

Justin Roswell: Where Are They Now?

The 2010 Louisville Slugger Pre-Season High School All-American team was recently announced.

Below are several former and current Baseball Factory and Team One standouts. We wish all athletes the best of luck for their 2010 spring season and the MLB Amateur Draft in June.

First Team – Pitchers
Jameson Taillon, RHP, The Woodlands H.S., TX
Under Armour All-America Game 2009
Baseball Factory Arizona Freshman/Sophomore Fall Classic 2007
Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout 2007

Henry Owens, LHP, Edison H.S., Huntington Beach, CA
Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout 2009
Team One West 2009

Drew Cisco, RHP, Wando H.S., Mount Pleasant, SC
Under Armour All-America Game 2009

Casey Mulholland, RHP, Pendleton School, Bradenton, FL
Under Armour All-America Game 2009
Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament 2009
Team One South 2009
Under Armour Southeast Tournament 2009
Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout 2009 & 2007

First Team – Catchers
Stefan Sabol, Aliso Niguel H.S., Aliso Viejo, CA
Under Armour National Tryout 2008 & 2007

Jacob Felts, Orangefield H.S., TX
Under Armour All-America Game 2009

Alex Ramsay, Severna Park H.S., MD
Under Armour All-America Game 2009
Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament 2010 & 2008
Team One South 2009
Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout 2007
Baseball Factory Christmas Camp & Tournament 2006

First Team – Infielders
Marcus Littlewood, SS, Pine View H.S., St. George, UT
Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament 2008

Garin Cecchini, SS/3B, Barbe H.S., Lake Charles, LA
Under Armour All-America Game 2009

Zach Alvord, SS, South Forsyth H.S., Cumming, GA
Under Armour All-America Game 2009
Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament 2009

Matt Lipka, SS, McKinney H.S., TX
Team One South 2008

First Team – Outfielders
Reginald Golden, Wetumpka H.S., AL
Under Armour All-America Game 2009

Austin Wilson, Harvard-Westlake H.S., North Hollywood, CA
Under Armour All-America Game 2009

Cory Hahn, Mater Dei H.S., Santa Ana, CA
Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout 2007

Michael Lorenzen, Fullerton H.S., CA
Under Armour National Tryout 2008

Alex Facundus, Catholic H.S., Baton Rouge, LA
Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament 2010

First Team - Multi-Position Players
Stetson Allie, 3B/1B/RHP, St. Edwards H.S., Lakewood, OH
Under Armour All-America Game 2009

Daryl Norris, 1B/RHP, Fairhope H.S., AL
Team One South 2008
Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout 2008

JaCoby Jones, SS/RHP/OF, Richton H.S., MS
Under Armour All-America Game 2009

Kevin Koziol, SS/P, Brother Rice H.S., Chicago, IL
Under Armour All-America Game 2009
Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament 2010 & 2009
Baseball Factory Signature College Recruiting Program 2008
Baseball Factory Arizona Freshman/Sophomore Fall Classic 2007
Baseball Factory Dodgertown World Series 2007
Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout 2007

Justin is the Senior 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.

Being a Tiger, Eating like Big Mac

2010-01-21T10:57:00.002-05:00

Doug Glanville: Lessons from the Times

I know it is hard to see what has happened to some of our most famous athletes in the last couple of months. As if the drug investigation into baseball (Mitchell Report) didn’t expose enough about the greed, insecurity, and rampant drug culture in baseball, now we are looking at athletes that broke records or are knocking on record doors and wondering why their lives are such a mess.

Mark McGwire admitted to taking steroids at various times during his career, including the year that resulted in his breaking of the single-season homerun record. He genuinely seemed tormented by making this admission, one that most of us knew was eventually going to come, but even after hearing the news, all I thought was that this was another question mark about the legitimacy of baseball.

It goes back to the same idea. What are you willing to do to be the best? How far will you go to be a legend? Is it worth any price?

Well, I hope you have limits and boundaries that have been shaped by what you value in your life. Things that you will not compromise no matter what the promise. That is what it means to “stand for something.” This “something” is what you would never give up.

Yet everyone has different lines in the sand as to where to draw that wall. But no matter where your line is, once you give in to temptation and peer pressure to use steroids, it is hard to go back. Once you pop that first magic pill, it becomes part of you and you will now wonder who you would be without it. Now McGwire cannot separate the man on the juice and the man off the juice and that is a bad place to be.

Then we have Tiger Woods. Undoubtedly a force of nature and the greatest golfer on the circuit. He is dancing right up to legendary records set by Jack Nicklaus as a young man. So what happened? His “off the field” choices derailed him indefinitely. Is there lesson here?

There no doubt is a lesson. I still remember my days in high school and I understand how difficult it was to find your social life. You could be shy, you could be a late bloomer, you could be busy with other activities, you could just be scared. It is OK. I also remembered how nervous I was when I asked Christine Saunders to the prom. I barely could speak after she said yes. It is hard in high school.

So imagine you make it to the next level in baseball. Your confidence rises, you can now talk to all of those young ladies that used to scare you half to death. So you keep going, trying for a little cuter, trying to impress your teammates, trying to “one-up” yourself. But will you have the discipline to stop? Will you even want to stop as you keep going until you end up like Tiger Woods or many other pro athletes that have unlimited access to women all over the place. Maybe it sounds fun as a young man in high school. But it is important to pay attention to what has happened to Tiger Woods. It is important to separate ego from learning yourself and other people. Ego keeps score, measures conquests, compares to things that don’t really matter. Ego comes and goes, just like his career came and went in the blink of an eye. If you are rising in the world of baseball, congratulations, but make sure you keep a foot on the ground because there will be a lot of people telling you things and pumping you up, including in your new social circle, but they disappear when the music stops, leaving you solo. Just like Tiger is right now.

But there is always someone around in your life who is stable, who has your back, no matter what happens. Focus on them, listen to them, and stay close. It will help you when the attention gets addictive, the type of attention you may not have gotten in high school and are enjoying for the first time.

Opportunity will always be there socially, but the window for being a pro baseball players will not and even when you take advantage of it, it doesn’t last that long. I saw too many players fall apart from chasing the night life before they fulfilled the dream. The night life is just an illusion, people in that circle come and go, but will baseball be there?

McGwire, Woods, A-Rod, whoever. It matters how you do things on and off of the field. Treat people with respect no matter if you are hitting .400 or .200. Try and do an honest job, so you get honest results. Accept setbacks and struggles, it is how you grow. Have fun, but be smart about it. You can party from time to time and still get your rest.

Now that it is out, was it all worth it for McGwire and Tiger? Breaking a record by any means necessary or tallying up yet another woman is not a broken record at all, nor a score worth keeping. All you end up with is a broken soul and an empty scoreboard.

Doug Glanville joined the Baseball Factory as a Special Consultant at the end of 2007. Glanville attended and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Systems Science and Engineering. Glanville was drafted 12th overall by the Chicago Cubs in the 1991 amateur draft. Glanville played nine seasons in the Majors, getting his break with the Cubs. He also spent six seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies and a portion of the 2003 season with the Texas Rangers. In 1999, Glanville batted .325 with 204 hits, 101 runs, six homeruns, 73 runs batted in and 34 stolen bases. He led the league in singles with 149 that year. To review other articles from Doug Glanville, including his New York Times column, please click here.

LIVE: From the Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament

2010-01-17T20:53:00.002-05:00

Dave Lax: We're There

The 2010 Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament has come to a close. Over 300 players took part in this elite event and they did not disappoint. Outstanding performances were delivered during the final day of action. The day was capped off literally by a walk-off. The tournament rules stated that six batters would come to the plate each inning. The final batter, in the final inning, in the final game of the tournament took his place in the batters box. The final batter, Dan Denton of Newtown, PA, took a great swing at a fastball and knocked it out of the park. As Denton crossed homeplate all of the players from both teams gathered to shake hands. Baseball Factory wants to congratulate all of the participating players in this year's Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament. Check out some pictures from the final day of action:

Game action from the first round of play.

A scout gets the velocity of a pitcher.

Team "USA" pose for a team picture after their final game.

A Baseball Factory scout talks to two teams after their final game.

For premium insider content, you can also follow the event by becoming a Fan of Baseball Factory on Facebook or Following us on Twitter.

Dave Lax is the Assistant Director of Marketing at Baseball Factory. Dave started with Baseball Factory in June of 2006 having earned his degree in Business from the University of Maryland, College Park. He majored in Marketing and minored in Communication. At Maryland, he played on the Scout Basketball Team for three years, where he was part of the National Championship team in 2006. In addition to his marketing responsibilities Dave serves as the administrator for Baseball University and helps design and maintain the website.

LIVE: From the Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament

2010-01-17T00:13:00.002-05:00

Dave Lax: We're There

Day two is in the books. All twenty teams participated in a pro style workout and filming session. Along with the workout the players also took part in their first showcase style game. Check out some of the great action from Day 2 at the 2010 Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament.

Players warm up prior to starting their video workout.

A player takes batting practice during the morning workout.

Two teams battle in the first round of games.

Scouts look on during showcase style games.

The sun sets on Day 2 at the Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament.

LIVE: From the Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament

2010-01-16T01:08:00.007-05:00

Dave Lax: We're There

The 2010 Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament is underway. Over 300 of the nations best ballplayers gathered in Tucson, AZ to take part in this three-day event. This year's event has elite players from 33 states, Puerto Rico, three Canadian Provinces (British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta) and the Bahamas represented. During the first day's events players checked-in and received their Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Jersey, Hat and Cleats. They also recieved their commemorative certificate. After all the players filed through they were treated to a few opening ceremony speeches. Over 1,000 players, parents, friends and relatives packed into the Grand Ballroom to hear these speeches. The night was started off by Steve Bernhardt, Executive VP of Baseball Operations for the Baseball Factory. He was followed up by the Baseball Factory's CEO and Founder Steve Sclafani. The evening was capped off by Mac Seibert, National Cross Checker for the New York Mets.

If the excitement of the first night was any indication, we are headed for a great showcase and tournament.

Check back tomorrow for an update on the first day of on-field action.

For premium insider content, you can also follow the event by becoming a Fan of Baseball Factory on Facebook or Following us on Twitter.

Dave Lax is the Assistant Director of Marketing at Baseball Factory. Dave started with Baseball Factory in June of 2006 having earned his degree in Business from the University of Maryland, College Park. He majored in Marketing and minored in Communication. At Maryland, he played on the Scout Basketball Team for three years, where he was part of the National Championship team in 2006. In addition to his marketing responsibilities Dave serves as the administrator for Baseball University and helps design and maintain the website.

Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament Powered by Baseball Factory kicks off this weekend

2010-01-14T10:21:00.003-05:00

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

Let me start off this post with an embarrassing admission. The Baseball Factory is operating its 12th Pre-Season All-America Tournament this weekend in Tucson, Arizona and I will not be in attendance because I injured my ankle (high ankle sprain and torn ligaments). I wish I could say that it was a glamorous injury, something like skiing, snowboarding, or even basketball. Not the case, unfortunately. I just turned my ankle on a trail walk with my wife and kids and have been on crutches the past three weeks. So much for being a former NCAA Division I athlete!

I will be getting updates from the sidelines (back in Maryland) from the Pre-Season Tournament, and I am excited to hear how this group performs. Over 300 players will be in attendance and it will be a great way for them to jump start their 2010 seasons. These players will join a distinguished list of Baseball Factory Pre-Season All-American Alumni that include the following current MLB players: Gavin Floyd (Chicago White Sox), David Wright (New York Mets), Delmon Young (Minnesota Twins), and Bud Norris (Houston Astros). As a parent myself, I know that the parents of the players participating this weekend must be very proud. Best of luck to the participants!

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 14 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.

LIVE: From the Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament

2010-01-13T15:20:00.000-05:00

Dave Lax: We're There

Check back here for daily recaps from Tucson during the 2010 Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament, powered by Baseball Factory. Check out the official Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament Page. Here you will be able to find all the important information you will need to stay up to date on this event. Check out the over 300 players that will be in attendance. Also on this page are the Team Breakdown, Tentative Itinerary and a map of the Kino Sports Complex, Spring Training Home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament kicks off tomorrow evening. We look forward to a great event.

For premium insider content, you can also follow the event by becoming a Fan of Baseball Factory on Facebook or Following us on Twitter.

Dave Lax is the Assistant Director of Marketing at Baseball Factory. Dave started with Baseball Factory in June of 2006 having earned his degree in Business from the University of Maryland, College Park. He majored in Marketing and minored in Communication. At Maryland, he played on the Scout Basketball Team for three years, where he was part of the National Championship team in 2006. In addition to his marketing responsibilities Dave serves as the administrator for Baseball University and helps design and maintain the website.

An Often Overlooked Secret to Avoiding Injury

2010-01-04T13:15:00.002-05:00

Guest Blogger: Inner-Sports

by Garret Kramer

Wayne Gretzky weighed only 170 pounds during the better part of his hockey career. He obviously played a bruising sport, was often the focus of the opposition’s “tough guy,” and during the course of the season, logged an incredible amount of ice time. While Gretzky did have teammates that watched his back, he wasn’t however, one of those athletes who protected himself by spending countless hours in the gym or weight room. How then would you explain the fact that he was rarely injured during the 22 years that he played professional hockey?… As the number one tennis player in the world, Roger Federer plays a grueling schedule in which his body is put to the test, tournament after tournament, often reaching the finals against now younger and equally hungry rivals. What then is his key to consistently staying healthy?

Players with the keenest of mental games naturally conserve energy during play.

The answer lies in the overlooked truth that players with the keenest of mental games naturally conserve energy during play. Clearly, when you are conserving energy your body is far less susceptible to injury compared to those players who are consistently fatigued. While this notion might seem obvious, let’s take a closer look at why athletes, who play the game in a relatively fluent state of mind, rarely spend time on the disabled list…. Quite simply, players get hurt when their minds are not present to the task at hand. Much like when we fail to live in the present moment in our daily lives, when an athlete dwells on a past mistake or looks ahead to what’ s coming, he or she will get sloppy. When we get sloppy we open ourselves up to being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and in the wrong physical position. You can figure out what often comes next! So, while the gift of living in the present moment has clearly allowed both Gretzky and Federer to consistently excel, it has also served the essential purpose of allowing them to stay in the game to do so.

Players who “grind it out” or rev up their bodies will be more vulnerable to injury, as compared to those who play with a lightness or ease.

Moreover, there is one other important factor at work here that should not be overlooked, and is unfortunately often confused by coaches. That is, players who force themselves to get psyched up for a game, or who believe that success will come from grinding it out or revving up their bodies, will ultimately be more vulnerable to injury than athletes who play their game with a lightness or ease. And please don’t make the mistake of separating lightness and ease from hustle. For, players who compete with a natural resiliency and effort are those who operate from a clear and unencumbered (light) state of mind, and thus tend to stay healthy. Brett Favre, anyone?

A modern example of a pro athlete who exhibits this type of mind set is another fine hockey player, Zach Parise of the NJ Devils. I have had the good fortune to work with Zach over the past two years, and one of our primary focuses is this very concept. In other words, if you have ever watched Zach play you know that he is virtually all over the place out on the ice. I mean he never stops hustling, no matter what the game situation is! And unlike Gretzky, Zach is more than willing to throw his body around. Why then is Zach rarely injured? Now, a rigorous off- ice training routine is indeed part of the explanation, but more significantly, Zach is learning to play the game from an unbounded place of freedom in action. This lightness allows Zach to be more conscious in his effort as the perceptual field expands for him. As a result, he often finds himself in a positive position to make a pass or score a goal, but also to avoid being open for a hit (or to be in an errant physical position when he is hit) that might lead to injury.

A “bound up” or “tight” level of psychological functioning will lead to a “bound up” or “tight” level of physical functioning.

Finally, I am hoping that in this post I have provided food for thought for sports teams, training staffs, parents, and individual athletes. For, while it is truly necessary to train your body to avoid injuries, understanding your mind for this overlooked purpose is at least of equal relevance. Clearly, a bound up or tight level of psychological functioning will lead to a bound up or tight level of physical functioning, thus leading to the susceptibility for injury. Think about your own life, when we are uptight, worried, or just down, we tend to lack energy and often fall victim to illness. Therefore, if a player wants to consistently stay on the field of play, my suggestion is to develop an understanding not only in your physical attributes, but also in the principles that allow for an unencumbered, free flowing and keen state of mind as well!

Garret Kramer is the founder and Managing Partner of Inner-Sports.com. Inner-Sports evaluates and then coaches athletes of all ages on the behavioral characteristics that lead to peak performance on and off the field of play. Inner-Sport’s evaluative partner has created the behavioral assessment used at both the National Hockey League and the Major League Lacrosse scouting combines. Inner-Sports and Garret work with Baseball Factory players at select player development events.

If Tiger Woods was your son, what advice would you give him right now? (Part 2)

2009-12-30T10:00:00.000-05:00

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

OK, so here is my answer to the question above.

Tiger, you are arguably the most recognizable name and face in the sports industry, so you can’t hide behind your website and standard press releases and think that the public, your sponsors, and the media will be satisfied.

You have made some choices that certainly paint a negative picture of your character and your ability to make good decisions. However, the only chance you have to win back some grace and dignity is to stand in front of the camera, make a statement and answer the media’s questions. You need to say that you made some poor decisions, and you are now forced to deal with the ramifications of your decisions. Even if this means that you have done irreparable damage to your marriage and to your sponsor’s business arrangements.

Tell people that even highly successful people, who seemingly have the world at their fingertips, make poor decisions. No one is immune to general human emotions like insecurity. Sometimes people make bad choices, but how we deal with those choices is usually how we are judged the most.

You don’t have to make the statement long and you don’t have to answer the questions for days. Just get out there and be honest and human. Don’t try to be a robot without any emotion.

Hiding isn’t going to solve anything or help you in anyway. At some point, you are going to have to face the music and it is better to get it over with so you can focus on what is really important. That is, repairing your family and image.

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 14 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.

Your New Year's Resolution: Clean Up Your E-mails!

2009-12-29T12:00:00.001-05:00

Woody Wingfield: Your Link to the Colleges

We’re coming up on the New Year, which means it’s resolution season. While there’s plenty to be done in the gym to get ready for the spring season, now is a good time to make a New Year’s Resolution to correct some common “e-mail etiquette” mistakes.

In the college recruiting game, these mistakes often distract coaches from what they’re meant to see, or send the wrong message entirely. How you come across in an e-mail, which is called “tone,” can be a crucial factor in whether or not these coaches look at any videos you send them or come to your games. Take a look at some suggestions that the College Recruiting Staff has put together:

Use an e-mail address with your name in it. Suggestive e-mail addresses such as “partydawg1091” or “sportsfreak11” don’t tell coaches anything useful about you, but they can make an impression before you get to introduce yourself properly.

This is an e-mail, not Facebook. So, let’s leave out “haha,” “lol,” “omg” and the emoticons- those little smiley faces. Use your words to set the tone of the e-mail.

Please don’t forget to say “please” and “thank you!” While people tend to gloss over these words when they’re present, it’s certainly noticeable when they’re absent. When you write e-mails, you want to come off as respectful and approachable, and when you forget to include either of these words, you sound demanding.

Avoid using capital letters at all cost. As far as tone goes, using all caps IS LIKE YOU’RE SHOUTING AT SOMEONE THROUGH E-MAIL.

Don’t forget punctuation. E-mails devoid of punctuation are typically difficult to comprehend, and are almost like listening to someone mumble.

The only punctuation you should be using, however, is a period and a question mark, so let’s leave out the exclamation marks. In addition, make sure to avoid using “…” to end statements or “??” to end questions. Both of these add unclear tones to your e-mail.

Last, but certainly not least, PROOFREAD YOUR E-MAIL. Yes, I was shouting there. While it’s so easy to rely on the little red squiggly line underneath errors, Spellchecker won’t catch everything. Many times, people will use an incorrect word, such as “there” instead of “their,” and since it’s spelled correctly, it’s not picked up. Your best bet is to read through your e-mail backwards, then read it normally. This way, you’ll read each word individually, instead of as a phrase.

Most times, your e-mails will be a college coach's first impression of you. Take some time this winter to practice proper e-mail etiquette, and you're sure to receive a few more responses!

If Tiger Woods was your son, what advice would you give him right now?

2009-12-23T11:19:00.003-05:00

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

How things have changed for Tiger Woods after Thanksgiving 2009. The man that sat on top of the sports world has had everything come crashing down with a personal scandal.

I thought this question might spark some interest from our readers. If Tiger was your son, what advice would you give him right now? Would you tell him to stay in hiding? Would you tell him to keep making posts on his website as his form of public communication? Would you tell him to hold a press conference to have people hear directly from him? Would you tell him to give up golf and focus on repairing his family?

I would like to hear from our readers by posting comments below with your advice. Next week I will come back and post a follow up entry to let you know what my advice would be.

Happy Holidays!

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 14 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.

What Everyone Can Learn (and I was reminded) About the Power of our Thoughts

2009-12-21T10:41:00.001-05:00

Guest Blogger: Inner-Sports

by Garret Kramer

Last week my family found out that my son Ryan needs Tommy John surgery; quite an overwhelming piece of news for a senior in high-school, to say the least. In this post, I want to talk about my reaction, in particular one thought that raced through my head, as soon as the doctor relayed the news. For, I believe that the following personal insight provides the perfect illustration as to what the principle of thought truly is and what it can lead to…if we don’t understand its influence in the first place.

My thought was downright deceitful and embarrassing.

I have said before that thought is the creative agent that directs us through life; the illusionary link between what happens in the world outside and the inner reality that we paint for ourselves. Now understand that Ryan is a pretty accomplished high school pitcher, and he has committed to play college baseball next year. When I heard the news, my first thought was sadness for my son; it’s not easy to miss your senior season in high school, especially when you love your teammates, coaches and your school. My next thought however, was downright deceitful and embarrassing to put it mildly. I actually thought that we shouldn’t tell his future college coach about the surgery until Ryan had the official college acceptance in his hands. I reasoned in the moment, that if the coach found out he might just pull his commitment and then what would Ryan do?

The thought popping into my head was out of my control, acting on it was the opposite.

Luckily, as I have discussed often, in an instant the above thought produced an awful feeling inside my gut and as a result, I knew what to do and what not to say to Ryan. For, while the errant thought just popping into my head was clearly out of my control, acting on it (or not) was completely the opposite. Quite simply, my insecurity in the moment, due to the elbow surgery and Ryan’s future, led me to see a problem with his college acceptance when I had no idea if one actually existed or not.

I “back burnered” the issue and found reason.

I then made the decision to “back burner” the issue, and several hours later two conscious scenarios played out in my mind. One was that both Ryan’s and my gut instinct told us that his college coach was a “stand up” guy, and that was one of the reasons he picked the school in the first place. There is no way this coach would pull his commitment. Or two, if we were wrong about the coach, then this situation was merely a good opportunity to realize our mistake before Ryan showed up on campus. And he will simply find the “right” school and baseball team in the next few months. So, the next day and with my mini thought attack behind me (and thus from a clear state of mind), I called the coach to inform him of Ryan’s surgery. Before I could even ask the question, the coach said the following: “Garret, I just want you to know that we made a commitment to Ryan and he made a commitment to us, no matter what happens with the surgery he’ll be right here beside me come next fall!” Well, those words just blew me away! I guess our intuition was right about the coach and thank god I knew better than to buy into my erroneous thoughts and feelings. Can you just imagine what could have happened if I had played victim to the innocent but awful thought from the start?

As a result, hope for the future.

Through this personal illustration I am asking you to step back, like me, and try to see your own personal thoughts for what they truly are and where they come from. That is, while your thinking is powerful enough to produce errant feelings, it is by no means powerful enough to produce errant behaviors. Consequently, although Ryan is certainly not happy about his upcoming operation (me either), the situation is already starting to show glimpses of positivity and hope for the future… All because of a brave young man, a true “stand up” coach, and my understanding of the power, or lack thereof, of my own thoughts.

Garret Kramer is the founder and Managing Partner of Inner-Sports.com. Inner-Sports evaluates and then coaches athletes of all ages on the behavioral characteristics that lead to peak performance on and off the field of play. Inner-Sport’s evaluative partner has created the behavioral assessment used at both the National Hockey League and the Major League Lacrosse scouting combines. Inner-Sports and Garret work with Baseball Factory players at select player development events.

My Choice: Picking the Right School

2009-12-16T11:51:00.002-05:00

Guest Blogger: Bryan Hoffman

When I stepped onto campus at the University of Maryland in 2005 I was determined to make the best of my four years as a member of the Terrapin baseball team. I had a good high school and American Legion career and was fortunate enough to earn the opportunity to play baseball in the ACC. This was it, college baseball, I had finally arrived at the end of the enduring journey that is college recruiting.

It was the first day of fall workouts and the first day to make an impression on the coaching staff. My bullpen session was going well until about 15 pitches in. I had just placed a 2-seam fastball on the inner half of the plate, but when I went to throw the next pitch something felt wrong. My next 10 pitches were considerably slower and my control had just disappeared – I knew something was wrong. I met with my trainer and we thought I had a little tendinitis, but a few weeks later we came to find I had a torn rotator cuff.

On December 29, 2005 I underwent surgery on my left shoulder to repair the tear and hopefully get back to full health in time for 2006. As the months passed I regained arm strength, improved my conditioning, but the life on my fastball just simply did not return.

This led to extremely tough times for me mentally as my hopes of one day being a big leaguer faded with each passing day. I went on to be a member of the team for two more seasons, finally seeing my first game action as a red-shirt sophomore in 2008 (my first collegiate pitch was a fastball high and away to the second overall pick in the 2009 draft, Dustin Ackley). As I recorded the final out in what proved to be a much longer inning than I had hoped, I expected myself to be embarrassed and angered, but as my abilities changed, so too had my mentality. For as poor as a showing as that inning was, it was definitely one of the high points of my life. Not only had I refused to listen to my peers telling me to just give it up for the past three years, but I also got to pitch against a top five team in the nation!

I ended up “retiring” after that season to turn my complete attention to academics. The NCAA is not lying when it says most athletes do go pro in something other than sports. My experience at the University of Maryland is irreplaceable in my mind, and at one point was something that may have never happened.

As I was going through the recruiting process my parents would continue to remind me to choose a school that not only offered the right baseball program, but also the academic and social atmosphere that I would enjoy if somehow baseball did not work out. I remember questioning them at the time and repeatedly telling them that baseball was my primary focus because it was going to be my job one day, and as long as I found a program with good competition and the opportunity to succeed, that was all that mattered.

Now as I look back I realize how important those words of wisdom truly were. As a young student athlete the college recruiting process can force you into pressured decisions that are going to impact your life in the long run. We all remember our mindset as teenagers and the focus was not always on the future and planning. So families, as you go through this process I urge you to assess each and every opportunity as much more than a baseball decision, but a life decision.

Bryan Hoffman is a Signature College Recruiting and Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout Representative for Baseball Factory. Bryan joined the Baseball Factory in September 2009. He played his collegiate ball at the University of Maryland for three years before focusing on academics. He currently resides in Severna Park, MD.

Two Former Team One West Standouts Sign National Letters of Intent with Cal State Bakersfield

2009-12-15T11:15:00.002-05:00

Justin Roswell: Where Are They Now?

Recently, two former 2009 Team One West participants signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners. Cael Brockmeyer (Vineyard Haven, MA) and Oscar Sanay (San Diego, CA). CSUB is in their second year of independent division one competition under the tutelage of Head Baseball Coach Bill Kernan.

Coach Kernan is a tremendous recruiter and an excellent coach. I remember sitting with him during our Team One West Showcase and he said to me, “Justin, your event is the best scouting environment a coach could ask for. I can come to your event and do six months worth of recruiting in two days.”

Brockmeyer is a 6-5 C/1B from Avon Old Farms High School in Avon, CT, where he was named a 2010 Under Armour Pre-Season All-American. He has led the Beavers to Founders League titles in 2007-09 and Colonial League titles in 2007-08, and he was named the team’s most improved player in 2009.

Sanay preps at Bonita Vista High School in Chula Vista. The 5-8 middle infielder hit .423 with five doubles, three triples and 13 stolen bases in 2009, earning second team San Diego Section and first team All-Mesa League honors. Sanay was also a first team all-league selection in 2008 and earned the Barons’ Offensive Player of the Year award as both a freshman and sophomore. “If you want to see a young ballplayer light up a baseball field all by himself, come see this young man play next year,” Kernen said. “Being tough, fast and intense on both sides of the ball, we expect Oscar to have a major impact immediately.”

In addition to Cael and Oscar, there are several former Team One players also playing for Coach Kernan. We wish both Cael and Oscar all the success in their new ventures as collegiate baseball players.

Other Team One Alums at CSUB:

• Gaston, Mick – RHP/OF, R/R, 6’5”, 210 lbs, Soph., Quartz Hill, CA, Quartz Hill HS
• McCarthy, Mike – RHP, R/R, 6’3”, 185 lbs, Junior, Brentwood, CA, Liberty HS
• McIntyre, Ryan – OF, L/R, 6’0”, 190 lbs, Soph., Henderson, NV, Coronado HS
• Montoya, Jonathan – LHP, L/L, 5’7”, 157 lbs, Soph., Chino Hills, CA, Chino Hills HS
• Sanchez, Eric – SS/2B, R/R, 5’11”, 170 lbs, Soph., Corona, CA, Santiago HS
• Smith, Stuart – OF/1B, L/R, 6’0”, 210 lbs, Ventura, CA, Buena HS

Full Team Roster

Justin is the Senior 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.

Change Happens…The Decision to Transfer

2009-12-07T15:42:00.001-05:00

Julie Thompson – A Baseball Factory Parent’s Perspective

Sometimes Plan A doesn’t work out. When that happens, your son may want to get a fresh start by transferring to a new school. The work begins again, but rest assured, the world doesn’t end when the original plan doesn’t go as expected.

The first thing to do is determine why things didn’t work, and give your son some reassurance about himself and his ability. What can you take from this experience so history doesn’t repeat itself? Maybe the size of the school wasn’t right; maybe the location was wrong.

Baseball can be a little harder to clarify, though. Your son may personalize the difficulties with the program or the coach. Now more than ever, your son needs to know he’s talented and able. Let him know there are many factors that comprise a program’s fit. The program itself may have turned out to be less competitive than he originally thought. Perhaps the work-outs were more rigorous than he expected, or the schedule too demanding for him to succeed academically. The coach that he thought would be a great fit may have over-recruited, or preferred a style of skills that upon closer examination, didn’t match your son’s. Whatever the case, the fact that it didn’t work doesn’t mean your son failed—it means the program wasn’t a fit. And that’s all it means.

Brian, a friend of Kyle’s, recently found himself interested in transferring. Brian loved the school he attended, but didn’t find the opportunity he believed he would have in baseball. He began a new college search in the fall, hoping to transfer for second semester. Brian hoped to find a school that met all his expectations. First and foremost, though, he wanted the opportunity for a successful baseball experience.

Brian began his research in October, but didn’t really get started sending out letters until around Thanksgiving. He sent out 15-20 emails to coaches, basing his selections on his own research and Baseball Factory’s recommendations. He received about 12 responses back. Those who wrote back did so promptly—some took a couple of days, but several came, literally, in minutes. Brian’s letter said that he was writing to introduce himself, explaining that baseball at his current school had not worked out and he was exploring new situations. It was short, sweet and to the point. Brian provided a link to his Baseball Factory player page, and attached both his resume and a waiver from his current college.

The calls began and the next steps happened fast. Brian quickly learned that despite disappointment at his original college choice, a lot of other doors were open to him. The trick would be to find the best fit—and the eternal question, ‘What trade-offs am I willing to make to play baseball?’ once again lurked silently in every conversation and decision. Some fits were better than others. Brian can play several positions, and a few coaches were interested in him for what Brian considers his secondary position. Others had interest in Brian for the following fall, rather than the upcoming spring. As always, trying to evaluate the amount of quality playing time he might get was paramount.

College visits tended to differ from those that took place in Brian’s senior year of high school. For Brian, there was less time for visits. His college academic schedule was demanding and he couldn’t take time away from school. There also seemed to be less firsthand information. Several visits took place on long week-ends, or even after school had closed for breaks. As a result, Brian had less of a chance to meet other players or other students—or sometimes even to check out classrooms and dorms. Much of his decision became based on his belief in the coach and program, the connection he felt with the coach, Baseball Factory’s input and the academic reputation of the school. He traded off many factors that had drawn him to his original college choice – such as location and campus atmosphere – weighting the transfer decision more heavily on potential baseball opportunity.

Transferring mid-year also prompted a few unique questions because the school year was well underway. Brian encountered two distinct situations. The admissions office of one school contacted him before he had made a decision, letting him know they had academic counselors available to help him select classes. They even had scheduled a date for him to meet with the counselors. The other school waited for him to make a decision, leaving scheduling for orientation. As you might guess, housing and classes were pretty well spoken for by current students by the time orientation rolled around. Brian received no assistance from the school once he was in-the-door. In fact, he had a hard time finding classes that were open that coordinated with his baseball schedule. As a transfer, you might want to ensure you won’t get the ‘bottom-of-the-barrel’ in housing and classes, because that’s often all that’s left.

The decision to transfer can be one filled with new beginnings. It’s not without unknowns, however, or the likelihood that your son will be leaving at least a few things he likes about his old school. Guide him and help him adopt a forward focus. His ability to be flexible, confident and realistic, combined with your ability to support his new choice, are key factors for his success. Finally, as always, let the decision be his. He is the one who will be living with the decision each day. Make peace with the past and then, let the new journey begin.

This blog is dedicated to Kelly Kulina. Kelly – we are so grateful for all the support, guidance and friendship you gave us. What a blessing to have known you! We miss you and will remember you always.

You are indeed, Heaven’s Prize Recruit.

Julie Thompson is a parent of a former Baseball Factory Exclusive Program player. She has volunteered to share her opinions, observations and general thoughts regarding the college recruiting and player development process. She will share what worked and what didn’t for her son, in the hope that other parents and players may benefit from her experience.

Switch Hitting

2009-11-23T10:46:00.004-05:00

Guest Blogger: Inner-Sports

by Garret Kramer

Several months ago when I was driving to where I’m not sure, a crazy insight about my 15 year old son’s baseball career popped into my head. I envisioned my son Jackson as a switch hitter. Now to be forthright he has fooled around in our backyard batting cage with this thought before, and he always plays wiffle ball home run derby lefty with success, so why not give it a real shot? Jackson is a pretty solid shortstop who dreams of playing college ball, and surely college coaches are attracted to players who can hit from both sides of the plate… Problem is that when I excitingly revealed my insight to my son, he thought I had totally lost my mind!

While at first glance it looked to me that the concept was intriguing to him, in the next instant Jackson reacted and blurted out all the reasons why this change wouldn’t work. He was too old to do it, he’s a natural righty and if switch hits then he would be forced to bat lefty 85% of the time (due to his estimation that 85% of high school pitchers are right handed), his high school coach would never allow it, and lastly, “Dad you must think that I’m not a very good hitter for you to come up with this suggestion now!” To put it simply, the young man had a major thought attack right on the spot. One negative thought led to another, then to another and pretty soon the brilliant insight that I believed would help had been transformed to a threat against his life!

Luckily, I know better than to try to reason with anyone when their state of mind is all over the place, and while I wanted to tell Jackson that I was simply making a loving suggestion, he didn’t even want to look at me in the moment. Calling in the thought police at this point would also pay no dividends because if I (or even he) tried to show him how off his thinking was or offer a solution, his revved up thoughts and our relationship at this point in time, would only get worse. Thus, I made the decision to get as far away from my son as possible, which was easy due to the fact that he wanted no part of my presence any way. The next morning the sun came up, my family had breakfast together, and we all went about our day. Several days came and went with no mention of the switch hitting incident at all. Then about a week later, I was sitting right here in my office and the following text message from Jackson came across my Blackberry: “Shane Victorino (the Phillies centerfielder) started switch hitting 4 years into his professional career!” That’s all he said. And that’s all he needed to.

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Often times, when our thoughts, feelings, or even our relationships go astray, we feel the need to come up with a solution right on the spot. After all, if we don’t feel right, why wouldn’t you want to fix the feeling? The best solution however, is to actually do nothing in that moment, for all we really need is a little space to find the meaning and proper path to any apparent predicament. Our natural state of minds is truly crystal clear, and like a murky fishbowl, if we allow the sediment to sit, the water will eventual filter all on its own… All my determined son Jackson needed was a little time to discover, independently, that trying to find a way to do, is always better than finding a reason not to. Oh and by the way, he’s really smacking it from the left side of the plate these days!

Garret Kramer is the founder and Managing Partner of Inner-Sports.com. Inner-Sports evaluates and then coaches athletes of all ages on the behavioral characteristics that lead to peak performance on and off the field of play. Inner-Sport’s evaluative partner has created the behavioral assessment used at both the National Hockey League and the Major League Lacrosse scouting combines. Inner-Sports and Garret work with Baseball Factory players at select player development events.

When to Apply: A Crash Course

2009-11-19T15:01:00.003-05:00

Woody Wingfield: Your Link to the Colleges

Dan Mooney and I enjoyed working with and learning from Kelly over the past few years, and I certainly enjoyed helping him to produce “Your Link to the Colleges.” So, when we were approached about carrying on his blog, we jumped at the opportunity to continue the tradition of helping young players achieve their dreams of playing college baseball. In honor of Coach Kulina, here are the first of many new installments to the “Your Link to the Colleges” blog.

When to Apply: A Crash Course

One question that the Exclusive Program staff has been receiving this fall is when to apply to schools, and more importantly, which ones? While it’s a good idea to apply to a few schools before January, there should be a rhyme and a reason to which ones you start with, and when to send in the application.

If you’re looking at selective academic schools, then the admissions process is pretty straight-forward. These institutions have tough admissions standards and low acceptance rates, and in order to have a better shot of getting in, you’ll need to apply early decision. Applying early decision is similar to committing to a college coach, in that it is a binding agreement that tells an admissions committee that if you are admitted, you are definitely enrolling. Most early decision deadlines are in November and December.

Typically, coaches from these selective schools base their recruiting on who can get in, but you should get an idea of where you stand with a program’s needs before you apply. Most times, coaches that want you in their program will encourage you to apply early. I would suggest that if you do have a #1 school in mind that likes you as a recruit, you should apply early decision there. Many schools will feature TWO early decision deadlines, so if you are denied or deferred at your #1 school, you still have time to apply elsewhere.

For all other players, this process will be more drawn out. Many times, the recruiting process will not line up with admissions deadlines, so don’t panic just yet. It’s helpful being a recruited student-athlete, and having a coach in your corner can get you through those application deadlines.

So, if you’re going to apply to schools before January, which ones do you start with? Take a look at your college list and ask yourself the following questions:

1. Which schools could I be happy at, even if I’m not playing varsity baseball? Which of those schools is my dream school?
2. Which schools can I definitely get into?
3. Which schools have I heard from the most for baseball?

While not everyone can play at the State-U they grew up watching and loving, it doesn’t hurt to get an application in, as long as you’d be happy there regardless of what happens with recruiting. The next school(s) should be under the “academic safety” category, to ensure that no matter what, you will have a home next year. A great way to take care of a safety school application it to apply to an institution that features rolling admission. For those that are hearing this term for the first time, rolling admission is an open-ended deadline for prospective students to apply to the school. There is no set time to get the application in, and no set date for an admissions decision. Rather, the sooner you get your application in, the sooner you hear back. So, if you apply early, say in September, you will hear back faster than if you applied in December, when the volume of applications is higher.

Finally, look at the schools you’re being recruited to play baseball at- these applications will depend entirely on where you’re at in the process. Many times, college coaches will simply tell you when you need to apply. If you’re hearing good things and you’re not sure, then it’s OK to ask. If you’re having conversations with college coaches that haven’t seen you play yet, then you should apply to a few of these schools to move the process along. Being accepted at a school DOES help you with the recruiting process, and when coaches come out to high school games in the spring, accepted players will be the first that they will scout.

Remember, the recruiting process is very much a marathon, and it takes many, many steps to find the perfect fit. If anything, your first applications should concentrate on the “sure thing” as well as your “reach” schools. Just stay patient and proactive with the process, and you will find that “fit!”

Woody serves as the Director of Exclusive Program Operations, working with players and parents in the Exclusive Program. His role is to assist all families with questions they may have throughout the recruiting process. Woody is a graduate of the University of Virginia where he worked as an intern with the Cavalier Baseball Team.

There’s Always Next Year

2009-11-17T16:34:00.002-05:00

Jason Budden: Un-Common Sense?

Finally, the season is over (no, this isn’t going to be a blog about Cole Hamels asking for the season to end). If Chase Utley had hit another home run in game six and the Phils had made a comeback, we really would have had a Mr. November. Isn’t there something drastically wrong about that?

Don’t get me wrong, I am a diehard baseball fan, but there has to be something that the commish can do to shorten the season. I am not advocating for the league to cut any games, just figure out a way to end the season in October. Schedule some double headers. Cut out a few travel days. Eliminate the extra off-days during the playoffs. I’d even settle for October 31.

A few other end of season comments:

Just because he finally performed in the post season, doesn’t mean ARod won’t get booed next year at Yankee Stadium. The first night he goes 0 for 4 and strikes out in a clutch situation, the fans will let him know about it.

Cole Hamels should make sure he does more off-season workouts than off-season commercials (those Comcast commercials are horrible)

When is Fox going to realize that Tim McCarver is past his prime? He’s been past his prime for 10 years. I’m sure he’s a great baseball guy, but there are so many other analysts I’d prefer to listen to during the World Series.

I’m sure ratings dictate the start time, so I don’t see this changing, but these games don’t end until midnight most evenings. This wasn’t a problem when I was 23, but I’m not 23 anymore.

A few interesting stats to keep an eye on for 2010:

Alex Rodriguez is only 17 home runs away from 600 for his career. He is likely to pass three more players on the all-time list and should finish the season in 6th all-time behind only Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Ken Griffey, Jr.

Albert Pujols has hit 366 homeruns in his career. He turns 30 years old this January. Only Rodriguez (401 home runs), Ken Griffey, Jr. (398), Jimmie Foxx (379), Mickey Mantle (372), and Eddie Matthews (370) hit more home runs prior to turning 30 years old. Pretty good company to be in and he should get to 400 next year.

Don’t expect anyone to reach hit 3,000 in 2010, but Derek Jeter is getting closer to adding this stat to his Hall of Fame resume. He is 253 hits away and he’s averaged 203 hits per year over the past five seasons. The next player to do it after him will likely be Ken Griffey, Jr. (237 hits shy), Pudge Rodriguez (289) or Alex Rodriguez (469). Griffey and Pudge can get there if they play another 2-3 seasons of healthy baseball. Rodriguez is 2+ seasons away.

At age 43, Tim Wakefield is only 11 wins away from 200 for his career. Pretty good for a guy that tops out at 70 MPH. Only 110 other pitchers in the history of the game have reached 200 wins.

At 122-60 for his career, Johan Santana is #11 overall in win-loss% for pitchers with a minimum of 1000 innings pitched. His .6703 percentage is only .0011 behind #10…Babe Ruth, who was 94-46 in his career.

Early prediction for 2010:

Yankees over Dodgers in five games

MVP: Alex Rodriguez and Chase Utley

Cy Young: Roy Halladay and Clayton Kershaw

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.

NAIA Baseball Pre-season All America Team

2009-11-16T16:47:00.001-05:00

Justin Roswell: Where Are They Now?

Recently, two former Team One Showcase participants were named to the NAIA Baseball Pre-Season All America Team. Senior Brice Cutspec (Azusa Pacific University) and Senior R.L. Eisenbach (Lubbock-Christian) will be fighting hard to return to Lewiston for the College World Series.

Both Brice and R.L. participated in a Team One Showcase along with the Arizona Fall Classic. Those events became platforms for them to receive exposure to college recruiters, which in turn generated numerous scholarship offers from schools across the country.

We wish both Brice and R.L. the best of luck in their 2010 seasons and hope to see their names come across the ticker during the 2010 MLB Amateur Player Draft.

Justin is the Senior 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.

Fact or Fiction

2009-11-12T10:42:00.002-05:00

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

One of the best pieces of advice I can give a family that is going through the college recruiting process for baseball is to focus on the facts and try hard to ignore the fiction. The college recruiting process is filled with its ups and downs. At certain points, players may receive emails from coaches, camp invitations, invitations for unofficial or official visits, or phone calls. For other players, that process may take longer to develop and they may not receive as much initial interest or feedback. Whether your family is experiencing an “up” or a “down” in the process, my same advice applies…focus on the facts and try hard to ignore the fiction.

Let me give you two examples. While these examples are not 100% based on specific case studies, I have participated in these types of conversations hundreds of times over the past 15 years.

Parent 1: Johnny just received a phone call from XYZ University. Since the call was received on July 3rd (and July 1st was the first day that Johnny could be called by a college) this must mean that he is going to receive a scholarship offer. This would be great because XYZ University is Johnny’s first choice!

Parent 2: It is August 15th and my son hasn’t received any phone calls or emails from college coaches. He is getting very frustrated because he has been told that if you are not contacted quickly after the July 1st date, that must mean he is not a recruitable player and at best he will need to walk on. Maybe we have been kidding ourselves this entire time since we were convinced he could play in college.

Let’s focus on the facts in each example.

For Parent 1: The fact is that their son got a call from a school on July 3rd and July 1st was the first time they could call. This is certainly encouraging. The fiction is that he will get a scholarship offer because he received this call. Let’s keep things in perspective, be excited and enthusiastic about the phone call, but don’t put the cart before the horse. Johnny may still need to visit the school, conduct a meeting with the coaching staff, do an overnight visit, possibly retake a standardized test, etc. Many things may still need to fall in line before a scholarship is discussed.

For Parent 2: The fact is that their son hasn’t received any interest so far from a college coach. This doesn’t mean he won’t play college baseball and it doesn’t mean that he won’t eventually receive some interest. Many players sign in the Spring signing period, and a good number of those players may not have started to be recruited until later in the game. This family just needs to continue to be proactive and step up their efforts to educate coaches about their son and his potential. Always stay positive!

Keeping your eye on the facts and staying away from the stories or fiction will help keep your family balanced during this college recruiting process, which at times, can feel like an emotional roller coaster!

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.

The College Essay

2009-11-10T15:53:00.000-05:00

Bernadette Bechta: Blackboard Basics

This time of year is sometimes called the college application season. Seniors are feverishly working on them while balancing difficult classes and showcasing their baseball skills. The college essay seems to be the stumbling block. When a senior sits down to write their essay, they stare at a blank screen or paper for a long time and just can’t seem to get started. This is understandable because the essay does have an impact on their acceptance or rejection. For some stellar students, a poorly written essay can raise doubts on your suitability despite good GPA and SAT/ACT scores. A borderline student can capitalize with an engaging essay that stands out and helps them avoid getting cut.

So, what is the purpose of the college essay?

The college essay must be authentic, engaging, and error-free. The application process includes your GPA, a measure of your high school performance. Next, the SAT/ACT examines your critical thinking skills and gives the college another indicator of your potential success in college. An Academic Resume allows you to summarize your extracurricular involvement, skills, hobbies, and goals. The Letters of Recommendations validate your academic performance in the classroom. Teachers will write about your potential and evaluate you in relation to other students they teach. The college essay, however, is your opportunity to give the Admissions Committee insight to your personality, your character, your own personal journey. It may take many forms. Finding the right topic is the first crucial step. Keep in mind that the essay should be “a slice of life” rather than a summary. Your resume is the summary; the essay is a close up of an activity, a relationship, a victory or a defeat. You want to stay away from the typical essay topics. That is, your homerun in a big game, the buzzer beater to win the championship, explanation for your bad grades, and essays about relationships with people that rarely mention you. Remember, the essay is supposed to make the reader want to meet you.

I remember attending a presentation for a top notch university and someone in the audience asked the Admissions Counselor about the best essay he read this year. He replied that the question was “Tell us about one of your collections.” A potential applicant replied that she had a collection of paperclips that she collected over her high school career that symbolized different accomplishments, obstacles. She had a color code for them. At the end of high school, she arranged them into a sculpture and that is what she wrote in her essay. I was stunned at first, but when the Counselor said she sent a photo of the collection and he couldn’t wait to meet her, it made sense. So that is the first goal. Your essay should be sincere and make the reader want to meet you. Let’s examine some other dos and don’ts.

1. Do pick a topic that shows your passion. You can write about baseball, football, your sister, your Eagle Scout Project, your summer internship, really anything, but it must be written to show passion and detail about some aspect of this activity.

2. Do include some specifics. One essay question that intrigued me was “Write about page 268 of your 500 page autobiography.” Perhaps there is a single incident that you could detail. Include some dialog. Describe the setting. Tell the impact the scenario had on you. This is the purpose of the essay question.

3. Do check your spelling and grammar. Several times. Also, have at least two people review your essay and critique it. Don’t be overly sensitive. It is an important part of the editing process.

4. Do watch your word count. Most essays need to be between 300 and 750 words. Each application tells you the limit. Adhere to this limit; otherwise, your essay will truncate when the school prints it out. Be mindful of this as you write. Get your ideas down the first time, and then consolidate your ideas and sentences into more concise sentences.

5. Don’t include all your extracurricular activities in your essay. Your resume and application detail those elements. Instead choose a single topic.

6. Don’t be too trivial. A little humor is fine, but don’t overdo it. Your topic can be light but be respectful of the purpose here.

7. Don’t include essays that reveal controversial topics like religion, politics, personal stands on war, abortion, etc. You could subconsciously alienate the reader.

8. Don’t write about your grandmother, grandfather, sister, brother, and not define what impact they had on you. Although the committee is glad to see your have had good relationships with your family, they want to know something about you.

9. Don’t be a braggart. Somehow find a way to incorporate your success into a meaningful story.

10. Don’t use too many commonly used words. There are some overused words you should avoid. These words include some of the following: amazing, awesome, bad, beautiful, big, good, great, happy, interesting, nice, quite, really, so, very, well.

As you write your college essay, try not to consider it a chore. It really is a blank canvas that you can create in any direction you choose. Just follow the do’s and don’ts and you will be proud of your finished product. Also, remember that an important essay like this can take several hours. Few people can write a polished essay the night before an application is due. Use the tools provided in Microsoft Word: word count, spelling and grammar checks, and the thesaurus, Good luck to you!

Bernadette Bechta serves as the main academic contact for all players and parents in Baseball Factory's Exclusive Program. With over 20 years of experience as a teacher and advisor at the high school level, Bernadette will provide families with guidance on topics ranging from application essays to financial aid. In addition, Bernadette’s two sons have both gone through the Exclusive Program, so she knows the ins and outs of the process from a parent’s perspective.

The Rock Game

2009-11-03T10:07:00.003-05:00

Guest Blogger: Inner-Sports

by Garret Kramer

When my brother and I were young boys we passionately competed in many sports. Eventually I settled into my true passion (at the time) of playing hockey, later it was amateur golf. Through all the contests, training, and practice however, perhaps the game that I went after with the highest degree of reckless abandon was a backyard baseball game created by my father; later termed (by my kids) the ‘rock’ game. The game goes like this, 2 or more players take turns fielding a play: a ground ball, a pop fly, a hard line drive. Each play is scored on a scale of 1-5. However if you make a super duper, once a season type effort, there is a chance for a 6. The game is played to one hundred and my father, then later me, served as the only judge. Complaining about a call or any negative language results in a 5 point deduction, and you must hustle and tap gloves with your opponent as you run on and off the field. How great a catch and throw you make is important, but persistence and creativity are weighed much more heavily. Oh and by the way, the game is called the ‘rock’ game because in our backyard there is a large flat rock where the players stand as they await their turn.

Assuming that you have the picture, one can only imagine what my brother and I went through whenever our father had time to oversee the battles. We are talking about blood, sweat, and even a few breaks and sprains! We competed so freely that, in the moment, nothing in the world mattered but catching, throwing, and hustling our rear ends off. Now flash forward 30 years, I am happy to say that when my sons where slightly younger (they are 17 and 15 now) they took this competition to a whole new level. For, baseball is their sport and current passion, and I am certain that the ‘rock’ game is one of the reasons why…

Sure our ‘rock’ game helps with the basics of catching and throwing a baseball, but far more importantly, my father was insightful enough to realize that in stressing effort, creativity, and poise, we would be learning far more significant life lessons. My brother and I uncovered in ourselves the art of being persistent, while at the same time knowing that it was potentially positive to make a mistake. And in learning how to keep our composure (or risk a 5 point deduction) in the heat of combat, we became aware that settling our minds gave us the opportunity to overcome any seemingly negative situation. This game is so etched in my mind that I can vividly remember competing full bore, but with such a sense of freedom and peace, that I cared and I didn’t care about winning at the exact same time.

I suppose the reason that I recall these impactful memories is not to dwell on them, but to illustrate how powerful reflection can be. I now look at this innocent game, created by my father, and realize how conscious we actually were in play and the unlimited lessons that were at our disposal. Today, when I watch my own children compete, even my daughter on horseback, I look out for signs that they are expressing their freedom fully. That they are indeed trying their best and want to win, but more importantly that they are composed with imagination soaring. The ‘rock’ game represents truth in competition for me and my family, pure wisdom in action. And looking back it set the stage for all the principles that I now hold so dear.

Garret Kramer is the founder and Managing Partner of Inner-Sports. Inner-Sports evaluates and then coaches athletes of all ages on the behavioral characteristics that lead to peak performance on and off the field of play. Inner-Sport’s evaluative partner has created the behavioral assessment used at both the National Hockey League and the Major League Lacrosse scouting combines. Inner-Sports and Garret work with Baseball Factory players at select player development events.

Watch and Learn

2009-10-29T10:28:00.004-04:00

Joe Lake: Youth to Pro

Throughout my life, baseball has been something I have lived and breathed. Growing up as a young ball player, I would always find myself imitating some aspect of baseball. Whether it be in my house, out in the neighborhood, or even in the grocery store, I would try to imagine myself at the plate or on the pitching mound in a pivotal situation in a game. What would I do? I always found myself imitating the players I saw on TV. Don Mattingly was a player I always looked up to and I would study his swing just by watching him play. The more baseball I watched, the more I would learn about the game, and I would attempt to try things I saw big leaguers do. As a young player I wasn’t able to do a lot of the things the professionals did, but I did learn more about the game by just being a spectator as a young kid.

As an instructor, I see young baseball players almost everyday of the week and one thing I have learned is that a lot of kids aren’t watching that much baseball anymore. With new technology like video games and the internet, I feel like young ball players are missing out on learning by just watching. I have challenged a lot of my players—youth and high school—to go home, watch a game, and tell me something they learned. It could be something situational or mechanical. With the playoffs heating up, it is an opportunity to see the game played by not only top players, but also some of the best teams in the league. I challenge both players and parents to watch and strike up a conversation about something you noticed during the game. Mom and Dad, there is no better way to get your children in tune with the game of baseball then spending a night by the television watching and learning together. Who knows, you might catch your son in the grocery store working on his hitting mechanics.

A few examples of things to look for during the game:

- Did you notice how the positioning of the fielders changed based on the various situations in the game? Who covered first on a bunt? Where did the pitcher go on a ball hit in the gap? Did the outfielders play deeper when the middle of the lineup was at the plate?
- When did the base runners look to pick up their base coach?
- On a base hit how did the runner round first base?
- Did you notice how infielders stay low to the ground to field the ball?

There’s something you can learn on every play, you just have to watch!

Joe Lake is the Lessons Coordinator at Baseball Factory. Joe's first experience with Baseball Factory was in 1995 at age nine when he attended a youth camp held by CEO and Founder, Steve Sclafani. Even at age nine, it was clear that Joe was a standout performer. Joe went on to participate in various Baseball Factory events including the Baseball Factory All-American Tournament and the Exclusive College Recruiting Program. Joe went on to have an outstanding career at Long Reach High School in Columbia, Maryland, where he twice received the team MVP award. Through assistance from the Exclusive Program staff, Joe received a scholarship to play his college baseball at James Madison University, where he became a two-time team captain. In addition he was named an All-Conference and All-State (VA) player after his senior season. Upon graduating from JMU, Joe rejoined the Baseball Factory team where he provides instruction through lessons and the Baseball Factory Player Development camps.

Kelly Kulina: Eulogy

2009-10-20T13:24:00.002-04:00

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

While today is certainly a very sad day as we mourn the loss of a family member, dear friend, and trusted colleague I am here this morning to speak about the wonderful man that Kelly Kulina was and to celebrate everything he stood for. As the President of Baseball Factory and someone that helped to bring Kelly into our Company, it was an honor to have been able to work with a man day in and day out that exemplified so many wonderful qualities. Kelly was loyal, honorable, incredibly hard working, dedicated, sympathetic, and had such integrity. He will be dearly missed by everyone that was blessed to know him.

Back in 2001, when Kelly decided to work full time with us, it was such a tremendous turning point in our history. He was so well respected and connected in the college baseball community and his addition to our team really helped to put us on the map. To use a sports analogy, it was like a middle market MLB franchise that landed a big time free agent in the offseason. It totally changed the face of our Company and Kelly’s impact and legacy continues to live on today and will be indelible into the future. I knew he would do a remarkable job when he told me during his interview that he always wanted to help players that tried out for the Univ. of MD baseball team while he was the coach, that weren’t quite ACC caliber players, but had a chance to play somewhere in college if they had more direction and knowledge of the college recruiting process. With that conversation as a backdrop, Steve Sclafani and I knew we had found the right man for the job.

If we fast forward to today… through his work at our Company, Kelly has made the dream of playing college baseball a reality for thousands of players across the nation. What a tremendous gift he was able to provide for these families that will last for a lifetime.

I will miss Kelly dearly. More than a co-worker he was a true friend and confidant. Over the 8+ years we worked together, I think we traveled almost 40 times on various business trips, many of which we flew, roomed, ate, and drove around together in our rental car. Our routine on these trips was to get up early and workout. Kelly would always scout out a gym that was close to a smoothie place. We would grab a smoothie and head out. Kelly and I were a dangerous combination in a rental car because neither one of us were blessed with a strong sense of direction. Almost every trip we took we were bound to get lost at least once as we were trying to find a baseball field. Thankfully GPS came out a few years ago to give us a better chance of finding our way. We would always laugh about how before GPS we had to use “the force” to find out where we were going.

He was such an incredible communicator, but he was an even better listener. For all the years I knew him, I don’t think he ever interrupted someone even once. He always gave you his full attention, and made you feel special. We all can learn a valuable lesson from Kelly. He was a great example of living in the present moment. On our trips, we often spoke to large groups of Baseball Factory players and their parents about the college recruiting process and I always enjoyed having to keep Kelly on track because everyone that knew him knew that he loved to talk, and if you weren’t careful we could have been there all night. We had a system where I would give him a sign and he would quickly wrap up from telling one of his “quick” stories that we all enjoyed listening to so much.

I think many people dream of having a fulfilling career where they can honestly look themselves in the mirror each day and say they went to work at a place they loved, for a mission they were passionate about, and doing work that truly made a difference in the lives of the people they touched. We all can have some peace knowing that this was the case for Kelly. Coupled with the loving support of his wonderful family (Le Ann, Kell, Lavin, and Josh) he truly lived a remarkable life.

From spending time with him and Le Ann, it was evident to all that they had a special marriage built on mutual respect, love, and affection. We would talk frequently in the office about how excited he was for their date nights and their quality time spent together. He was a committed father and loved his three children dearly.

It is amazing and inspiring to see the number of quality friendships that Kelly had in his life. Looking around this room today, and reading the numerous emotional and touching memorial blog posts that have poured in, his relationships were everlasting from his childhood, baseball playing career, his coaching years, and time spent providing professional service to families across the country. What a great legacy he has left during his gracious lifetime.

I know I speak for everyone at Baseball Factory when I say…Kelly, you will never be replaced, and you were truly one of a kind. Rest in peace my friend, and may God bless you and 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 14 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.