The Curveball: Part 4

Matt Schilling: From the Batting Cage

We have been discussing the curveball and how to hit it and how pitchers are trying to use it to get you out. Today we are going to discuss some different ways to practice hitting the curveball.

If you think about it, most hitters practice hitting fastballs about 99% of the time. Therefore it is no shock that most hitters are better at hitting fastballs than any other pitch. Imagine if in your daily routine or practice sessions you could change that to 75% fastballs and 25% off-speed pitches. You would make great improvement in your ability to hit off-speed pitches. What I have found is not only does it make hitters better at hitting breaking balls but it actually enhances their ability to hit the fastball and use the whole field. When you only work on hitting fastballs it is easy to develop the habits of lunging at the pitch, not keeping your weight centered, and not keeping your hands back; because you can get away with some of these flaws to hit a fastball. There is no way you could get away with these flaws when facing a pitcher who changes speeds (which most pitchers do).

So what can you do to work on hitting breaking balls? Here are a few ideas for you:

1. Change of speed side toss
Have a friend flip you normal good old fashion side toss; however, he will need to vary the height of the flips. A low flip will get to you quicker, much like a fastball. A high looping flip will be slower and take longer to come down into the hitting area, much like a curveball. Sometimes have him simply pump fake the pitch without telling you. If you can take the pitch centered and balanced you are in good position, if you have commited yourself forward, your in trouble. This drill will help you to feel yourself get to your launch position without commiting to a fastball or curveball and will give you the chance to hit either one.

2. Change of speed front toss:
Have your buddy set up behind an L-screen about 15 feet in front of you and flip you front toss, but rather than just pumping you straight pitch after straight pitch, have him loop the tosses up a little higher with a little spin on it. This will simulate a slower, looping pitch much like a breaking ball and it will get your eyes in tune with looking for spin.

3. Machine curveballs:
If you have access to a pitching machine, set it up to throw you curveballs. But don't set it up to throw the nasty sharp down breaker. Set it up to throw you hangers. A hanging curve is a mistake, HITTERS MUST KILL MISTAKES! The really good, tight, sharp breaking balls are great pitchers pitches. First train yourself to hit the mistakes, if you get good at that you can start working on the pitchers pitch.

4. Live BP:
If you have a friend or coach who can throw a decent breaking ball in batting practice, have him throw it to you. Have him throw you regular fastball batting practice, then breaking ball batting practice and then have him mix it up.

5. Pitch recognition:
Simply play catch with a buddy who pitches. Get about 60 feet apart and have him throw fastballs, breaking balls and change ups to you. It does not have to be full speed and you can do it standing up. Work to try to recognize the pitch in his release point. Shout out what pitch it is as fast as you recognize it. Sometimes you will be wrong...so what. The goal is to train your eyes and brain to recognize what pitch is coming to you as quickly as possible.

I hope these tips help you. Implement these drills into your practice sessions and see your batting average and hitting ability rise. Good luck!

Quote of the week:

Before everything else; getting ready is the secret of success.

-Henry Ford


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

A Plan of Action - Part 3

Steve Bernhardt: Building the Better Ballplayer

Last week I discussed two new steps from our player development action plan. So far we have covered the following steps:

Week 1
Step 1: Create an honest evaluation
Step 2: Formulate long-term goals

Week 2
Step 3: Develop a game plan
Step 4: Formulate short-term goals

This week I want to touch on the last two steps in our plan to develop successful young players.

Step 5: Execute the game plan through quality practice – It all looks good on paper, but now it is the player’s responsibility to execute the game plan and begin reaching those short-term goals. Proper repetition at the right intensity is the key to executing the game plan. In order to change muscle memory, the body must perform the task in the new, or proper way, over and over again until it becomes the natural, engrained way for the body to react. Players and parents can benefit from seeking out expert instructors to assure that their practice time is being used most efficiently. Working on swinging the bat is usually a fun exercise for all players, the tougher thing is for catchers to spend time working on blocking balls to the glove side or infielders to perfect fielding slow rollers. Making fundamental changes requires hard work and patience.

Step 6: Perform in games – The final piece to the puzzle and ultimate goal is to be successful when it counts: IN GAMES. By concentrating on the process of player development, successful results will emerge during the games. These game results will provide feedback that will show players the continual adjustments that must be made to their game plan, goals and practice routine.

The process of building a better baseball player is not a short or easy one. Players, coaches and parents must all share in the responsibility of saying no to the seventh tournament of the summer and yes to more practice time. The long-term results will be much more rewarding.

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.

A Plan of Action – Part 1

Steve Bernhardt: Building the Better Ballplayer

Last week I wrote about the need for more practice time for young players trying to get better. If you are committed to that idea of true player development, then follow the steps I’ve outlined for you this week. There is no overnight fix, but dedication to this process will make you a better player for sure.

Step 1: Create an honest evaluation – This should include a self-evaluation as well as an objective evaluation from a baseball professional. In the self-evaluation phase, players must be honest with themselves. They know their own abilities and shortcomings well, but are often hesitant to admit any weakness. Without addressing these things they can’t formulate a truly helpful game plan. A professional scout is the best person to offer an objective evaluation of the player, but coaches and former players also have the ability to outline a player’s strengths and weaknesses. A player who wants to improve must be able to put away his ego and accept constructive criticism during the evaluation process. Moving forward he must be willing to work not just on accentuating strengths, but on attacking weaknesses as well. Knowing these strengths and weaknesses is the first step.

Step 2: Formulate long-term goals – Players need very specific future goals to work towards. These goals should be realistic and encompass the big picture. They must be more than game statistics; they must drive the player in all areas on and off the field. Once a player determines where he is now as a baseball player and where he realistically wants to be in the future, he is ready to move forward in the player development process.

Check back next week as I will touch on two more steps in the player development process: Developing a game plan and formulating short-term goals.

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.

The Lost Art of Player Development

Steve Bernhardt: Building the Better Ballplayer

Twenty high school games, sixty-five summer league games, eighteen fall league games and a handful of practices mixed in. Too many young players follow a schedule that nearly mirrors this one. With many of the practices being relaxed batting practice sessions with a round of infield or a scrimmage included, it is no surprise that youth baseball today is turning out more experienced players but not necessarily better players. Game experience is an extremely important aspect of developing a player, but it is only one of many elements involved in truly building a better baseball player. By shifting more of the already designated “baseball time” from games to practices players can accelerate their development process.

Take a look at what players at higher levels are doing. Professional players at the absolute pinnacle of the sport spend over a month before the season in Spring Training. Most college programs practice exclusively for a full six weeks in the fall and then practice for several more weeks leading up to their spring season. With this being the case, why do younger players—those still needing the most skill development—practice intermittently through their high school season and only a handful of times throughout the entire summer and fall? It’s simple: games are easier and more fun.

Building a better baseball player is a large undertaking that takes a major commitment from both player and coach. It takes desire and time. It takes hours on the field and in the gym as well as the passage of time to allow the hard work to turn into results. The misconception today is that the players have the desire, but not enough time. Quite the opposite is usually true. They want success but don’t have the deep down desire to really work for that success. They have plenty of time, but they just don’t use the time they have the right way. They are spending enough time on the game, but the ratio of game time to practice time is too lopsided.

Baseball should certainly be fun. We want more young players playing the game and that comes from enjoying their time on the field. In most cases, the fun of baseball in a player’s eyes is the result of team or individual success. A player’s chance for success increases by either becoming a better player or by playing more games. Unfortunately the latter is chosen more often today—let’s just play as many games as possible and eventually everyone will have a taste of success. If coaches learn how to make an instructional practice environment fun and effective we can get back to the true development of young players.

This commitment to the development process encompasses much more than hitting in the cage during the winter and showing up for every game throughout the season. Developing as a player involves improving not only baseball skills, but also speed, strength, conditioning, mental understanding of the game and the ability to deal with both failure and success. To truly maximize one’s ability, all of these areas must be addressed. Stressing development more will produce better players, better teams and a better brand of baseball at the high school level.

If you’re ready to commit to becoming a better baseball player then check back next week when I outline the six-step process you’ll need to make it happen.

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.