Summer Baseball Camp 2024
Summer Baseball Camp is open for Registration! Register before May 1st and get $70 off each week of camp. Get ready to hit it out of the park at the CMB Summer Baseball Camp! We're bringing the heat with an action-packed program covering all the bases – from...
“When baseball is no longer fun, it’s no longer a game.” Joe DiMaggio
Before any game begins, an umpire must utter the famous words “Play Ball!” The definition of play is defined as "engaged in an activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose." We are told to play with a ball. Play the game and have...
Baseball is truly a team sport:
In order for a ballplayer to have a successful career, it is important to remember all the exterior factors that go into that success. Multiple World Series champion Curt Schilling stated that “baseball is not a game you can achieve individually.” The game requires...
Take advantage of your opportunities
Legendary Detroit Tigers broadcaster Ernie Harwell stated that “Baseball is a lot like life. It’s a day-to-day existence, full of ups and downs. You make the most of your opportunities in baseball as you do in life.” Ernie Harwell like any person who has been...
The importance of getting your uniform dirty on a baseball field
A game played in the dirt. A game so engrossed in getting dirty that old time visiting baseball uniforms were originally dark colors that would hide the dirt because when players were on the road they could not launder their clothes. Thus we have home whites and road...
Problems with rushing your sons’ or daughters’ progress:
Presenting challenges to young players is essential towards them reaching their pinnacle in any sport. If we do not continue to challenge, then a young players talents can start to stagnate. A push in recent years has been to play your son or daughter up in age...
Simple drills to improve your baseball game by yourself
The beauty of some sports is that you can play it all by yourself. All you need in basketball is a ball and you can improve. All you need as a runner is to run. But baseball is complicated to a point where it seems like you always need someone else around to become...
So You Want to be a Catcher
How to determine if Catching is the right position for you Watching a young ballplayer strap on the tools of ignorance (catching gear) for the first time can be somewhat comical. Pads and straps seem to come from every angle completely encompassing the entire body of...
Are Defensive Shifts good for Youth Baseball?
In a previous post, I wrote about the effectiveness of Major League Baseball defensive shifts. This adjustment has trickled down to youth baseball where defensive shifts have become commonplace in high school baseball and even in youth travel ball teams. I recently...
Are Dramatic Defensive Shifts good for Major League Baseball?
As we move forward into a new age of baseball where analytics and statistics are starting to change and evolve, people in the baseball world are starting to ask the question. Are extreme defensive shifts good for the game of baseball? The answer is complicated. On the...
Are Players better today than in the past?
A couple of days ago a baseball fan friend of mine asked a simple question. Are players – hitters and pitchers better today than they were twenty years ago? The simple answer is “yes”. Some might argue that no one will ever compete with Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle or...
Using the Home Plate Angles to Improve your Bunting.
First, second and third base bases are all square. But home plate is a square with a triangle. The triangle is where we as a bunter can find one of our greatest tool for improving our bunting ability. The golden rule of bunting is to not bunt the ball directly back...
The Best pitch for a young ball player to learn? The Changeup
As I’ve stated in earlier posts, the most effective pitch is and always will remain the fastball. But there comes a time when a young pitcher will want to start to expand his pitching repertoire and experiment with off-speed pitches. My recommendation is to teach the...
What is the best pitch in baseball?
The answer is quite simple and one never needs to overthink this question. The best pitch is and always will remain is a well located fastball. It is the first pitch you ever learned. The first time you picked up a ball and threw it – it was a fastball. We have...
The Best Pitch to Hit:
What goes through the mind of a hitter during the split second from a pitcher’s release to the pop of the catcher’s glove has to be one of the most misunderstood, complicated, paradoxical, yet simple milliseconds in human history. In an average baseball game in 2010,...
Happy 4th of July Weekend:
On this celebratory weekend where we honor our independence and freedom, it is important to remember our national pastime. Baseball games will be played this weekend throughout our country. Players will play with a freedom and independence that symbolizes our great...
Aggressive or Patient at the Plate?
We are all wired differently. Every ballplayer is wired differently that helps them play at their optimal level. Some need to keep it simple while others need and crave the latest edge. Intrinsically we are either aggressive or patient. Some of us see what we want...
MLB Rosters: Analytics (New School) vs. Old School
There has been a change brewing in baseball over the past decade. It has been a slow brew, behind the scenes, but in recent years and even recent weeks, it has catapulted towards the forefront of storylines in Major League Baseball. The story is the argument...
True Success
If you have been over to the Scottsdale Batting cages lately, you might have noticed a sign that hangs towards the entrance of the facility. It embodies every aspect of being a parent on this day (father’s day) and every day. “Your child’s success or lack of...
Happy Father’s Day:
Father’s day in the United States always occurs on the third Sunday of June. The origins of Father’s Day is a little murky but it might lie in a mining origin occurring in West Virginia in 1907. But in my mind, father’s days occurs in June because of baseball. When...
Choosing your passion:
When the St. Louis Cardinals selected ex-catcher Mike Matheny as their new manager when Tony La Russa retired in 2012, people were perplexed because he had never managed before and had just retired from the game in 2006. People knew he was an intelligent baseball man...
Pre-pitch Set up for an infielder:
The difference between a great play and an almost great play is often found in the pre-pitch setup of an infielder. But far too often, young players do not pay attention to their pre-pitch set up. I can still hear little league coaches saying “hands off your knees,...
Pre-pitch routine for an infielder or outfielder:
Generally speaking, an infielder has about twenty seconds between each pitch. During this time, an infielder has many obligations to accomplish. Below is a short list of reminders to make sure you get done before the next pitch. Know the outs and communicate it with...
Keys to an effective Run Down:
A run down accomplished properly is a thing of beauty. A run down gone wrong is not only ugly but also costly. The art of the run down is simple and can only become complicated when the defensive team does not work as a unit and remember their fundamentals. Below...
Pivot the back leg and simplify your swing:
Hitting a baseball might be the most difficult thing to do in all sports. Everyone has their theories about the proper way to accomplish this feat. Everyone has their keys to a proper swing. So let me add one more to the list. This simple key somehow always...
On this day 80 years ago
Eighty Years ago today, June 2nd 1935 – George Herman Ruth – most commonly known as Babe Ruth or quite simple “The Babe” retired from Major League Baseball. The most iconic ballplayer of them all. Possibly the most famous athlete in the history of the modern world...
Right left catch – Right left throw:
Defensive footwork on a baseball field often separates the winning team and losing team. Defensive footwork on a baseball field allows players to commit less errors and record more outs. A simple saying is the title of this entry. Right Left catch - Right left...
Be in charge of your area
I recently came across an interesting quote about the difference of baseball compared to other sports. The quote was written by Harvard graduate and writer Chad Harbach. The quote states that “Baseball is a team game but, at the same time, it is a very lonely game:...
What type of ballplayer will you be?
Hall of Fame Manager Tommy Lasorda can spin a line that could rival the great writers. Tommy Lasorda, quite simply loves to talk and this was his greatest asset as a manager. He could motivate any player and often would lift his teams to heights that were above...
Respect all the work that is put in:
I recently was at a Holiday tournament and I took a moment to realize a simple fact that I had not for some reason realized before. There is so much work that goes into making a young baseball player’s career happen. So much effort by adults who will never get any...
Memorial Day Baseball:
Memorial Day is a Federal Holiday meant to serve as a day to remember the people who have died while serving in the country’s armed services. It was originally called Decoration Day where we would decorate the graves of our fallen soldiers. It is a day to remember...
Ninety feet is close to perfection
Famed columnist Red Smith stated that “Ninety feet between home plate and first base may be the closest man has ever come to perfection.” Red Smith was only the second sports columnist to ever win the Pulitzer Prize. He was the most widely read columnist of his day...
Not Just one way to coach:
Many who played this game and eventually went on to coach this game were greatly influenced by someone who taught them the game. Every one of us has been taught this beautiful game a little different. And every one of us is wired a little different. That is why it...
The easiest way to throw a ball where you want to
Accuracy in baseball is key. Can we throw strikes? Can we throw the ball on the outside corner of the strike zone at the knees of the hitter? Can we hit the first baseman in the chest with our throw from shortstop? Can we hit our cutoff man in the chest for an...
Why do Home Teams Wear White and Visiting Teams wear Grey?
“Home Whites” and “Road Greys” are synonymous with baseball. You can turn on a game any night and know within seconds which team is the home team and who is the visiting team. The rule is very simple: If you are the home team – your team is wearing white. If you...
The expert in this game was once a beginner.
Baseball is a game where there is always something to learn. Every game you play in or every game you watch has the possibility for discovery. Vin Scully, the legendary broadcaster for the Los Angeles Dodgers has uttered the phrase numerous times during his career...
“Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.” Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth might be the greatest home run hitter this game will ever see. He often out homered entire teams. He also might be the most iconic sports star in any sport. He was quite simply a superstar. He was larger than life on the field and off the field. He...
There is always someone in the stands who has never seen you play
Joe DiMaggio is often viewed as one of the most graceful, dynamic, and consistent baseball players who have ever taken the field. He was capable of doing things on a baseball field that others could only imagine. When asked why he plays the way he does, his answer...
How to score from third base? The options are endless
I was recently watching MLB tonight and I heard Harold Reynolds and Eric Byrnes dive into the territory of multiple ways to score from third base. Their conversation was centered on the importance of aggressive base running and how if you as a baseball player can...
Leads, secondaries and working back to the base:
Taking the proper lead and getting an aggressive secondary are two of the most important yet overlooked aspects of offensive baseball. I can still hear my college coach explaining over and over – we get on base by hitting the ball but we score runs by running the...
How to Run the bases more effectively: With your eyes:
Excellent baserunners are made not born. A fast baserunner is not always the best baserunner. Being fast is only one component to becoming a great baserunner. Too often, young players look only to their speed to distinguish themselves but being a valuable...
What To Say to your Kid on the Way Home from the Game
One of the most important times in a young player’s career does not occur during the game or even directly after the game. It occurs when the baseball bag is thrown into the trunk and the young player climbs into his seat and drives home with mom or dad. This ten...
The importance of the hard 90
“Give me a hard 90.” Ninety feet is the distance between home plate and first base in a major league baseball game. The trip from home to first can tell many stories. It has seen many successes and many failures. But if the base path could teach one thing – it...
It’s Baseball Season!
“People ask me what I do in the winter when there is no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.” Rogers Hornsby Rogers Hornsby was possibly the greatest shortstop to ever play the game of baseball. Look up his statistics...
How to Choose a Bat by Weight
How do I know what weight bat to buy? I have often been asked by parents and young players about the weight of a bat. The conversation often goes something like this “I want to buy my son a bat but how do I know what weight and length of a bat I should...
A Five Step Swing:
One of the most valuable fundamental lessons that I learned at a young age came from a little league coach. He had what they call a Little League Dynasty. His teams seemed to win the championship every year. I never had the chance to play for the man except for in...
Stick to your Fundamentals: A Tim Duncan Story
Often times we feel that we have to keep all our knowledge to ourselves because if we let someone else know what we know, they might gain an advantage over us in sports; and by no means are we ever allowed to let an opponent in on our secrets. We hold our game plan...
Execution of the Hit and Run: A flawless slice of beauty
“Man may penetrate the outer reaches of the universe, he may solve the very secret of eternity itself, but for me, the ultimate human experience is to witness a flawless hit and run.” Branch Rickey Branch Rickey was an innovative Major League Baseball executive who...
Great Baseball Movie Moments: Moneyball
Moneyball has been celebrated as a revolutionary look into the world of baseball analytics. The movie that followed also has been hailed as an intriguing look into the world of Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane. The movie follows the 2002 Oakland...
The game grips you and will never let go
“You see, you spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball, and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time.” – Jim Bouton, Ball four, 1970 You are two or three years-old and you pick up your first baseball. You grip this white ball...
The silence of Baseball:
The Chicago Cubs made some offseason splashes but no bigger splash was made than the hire of manager Joe Maddon. He has long been known in the game as a forward thinker who consistently puts his players in positions of success. He is known as a well-read man who...
Jackie Robinson: Specialization in Sports:
On Sunday, April 15h, Major League Baseball celebrated the 60th Anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s first game as a Brooklyn Dodger. Every Major League Baseball player donned the number 42 on their backs as they celebrated and paid tribute to a man who broke the color...
The Game of Life: Advancing the runner Edition
Poets, novelists and Playwrights have been writing for the last century about a great muse. This inspiration is the game of baseball. It is a resource for writers that can never be drained. It always keeps giving and giving and never seems to empty. The reason it...
Defense gets the ball and the offense doesn’t
Baseball is the only game in the world where the offense never touches the ball and the defense always has the ball. “Baseball is the only sport I know that when you are offense, the other teams controls the ball.” Ken Harrelson, Sports Illustrated, September 1976....
The Foundation: The Feet
I recently went shopping for children’s shoes and realized that I had been putting my daughter in shoes that were almost a size too small. After getting over the realization that she is much tougher than I sometimes give her credit for, I started thinking about...
How a Pitcher can Disrupt a Hitter’s Timing
This entry is dedicated to the art of pitching backwards. First off, I am not recommending for any kid to stand backwards on the mound and deliver the pitch not facing the hitter. Pitching backwards is a way of pitch calling. In a previous past, I talked about...
The Game of Life: Pitching patterns
Poets, novelists and Playwrights have been writing for the last century about a great muse. This inspiration is the game of baseball. It is a resource for writers that can never be drained. It always keeps giving and giving and never seems to empty. The reason it...
The game of Life: (A Sacrifice Bunt)
Poets, novelists and Playwrights have been writing for the last century about a great muse. This inspiration is the game of baseball. It is a resource for writers that can never be drained. It always keeps giving and giving and never seems to empty. The reason it...
Be on Time and Be Prepared
The tenet above has been stated for generations and generations. Schoolteachers, mothers, bosses, coaches and every leader has uttered these words with the hope that the pupils that were listening would take this phrase and implement it into their lives. The phrase...
The Cron Boys: Baseball Runs in the Family
On March 22, 2015, CJ Cron took the field for the Los Angeles Angels and hit a run scoring double. His younger brother Kevin Cron also took the field for the Arizona Diamondbacks in his first Major League Spring training game. This is not a first and it...
The Layers of a Ballplayer
Author Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote “I cannot remember the books I’ve read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me.” As we go through our lives, we undoubtedly forget what brought us to the point we are now. In the case of a ballplayer, we...
The Objective of Life is to Play
Famed English author, journalist and essayist G.K. Chesterton wrote that “the true object of human life is play.” Apparently, the mysterious creators of baseball Abner Doubleday or Alexander Cartwright must have read this quote as they implemented “Play Ball”...
Ordinary People do Extraordinary Things
Reverend Bob Richards, the second man to ever pole vault 15 feet stated that “every day ordinary people do extraordinary things. That is why the Lord made so many of us ordinary.” This statement might be shocking to hear but upon further inspection, this statement is...
Investing in your Teammates
In 1995, the UCLA Bruins won the NCAA basketball tournament and Ed O’Bannon was named the tournament MVP and was celebrated for his leadership on and off the court. This post is not about the efforts of that team 20 years ago, but instead it is about a comment...
Success before Promotion
In an age where colleges are looking at middle school athletes and getting verbal commitments from 13-year olds, I am reminded of a lesson my mother taught me at an early age. She said that one needs to find success before they take the next step and expect...
The Importance of Team Goals
Setting team goals is not a new strategy. In fact, setting team goals have been around since the Ancient Greeks and Romans fought for the city of Troy. From the beginning of “team” coaches, leaders and generals have been setting team goals. Team goals give...
The infinite wisdom of Yogi Berra
Legendary New York Yankee Catcher Yogi Berra just recently celebrated his 90th birthday on May 12th. Yogi Berra is known for two reasons. He was a hall of fame catcher. He could receive, call a good game and he was always a clutch hitter for the Yankees during the...
More Weird Baseball Rules!
Catchers – don’t use your masks to retrieve the ball As I have stated in a previous blog - If you play this game long enough, as announcers love to say, you will see something that you have never seen before. You can add, that if you watch this game long enough,...
Weird Baseball Rules!
Don’t throw your glove at the ball If you play this game long enough, as announcers love to say, you will see something that you have never seen before. You can add, that if you watch this game long enough, you will see rules that you never knew were rules before....
Negative vs. Positive Phrases in Coaching Youth Baseball
“Don’t use don’t?” This entry is dedicated to an old high school baseball coach who implemented a rule unto his players. He stated we will not encourage or instruct starting with a negative. For example: “Don’t be too aggressive” “Don’t take a called third strike.”...
Sport Parent Code of Conduct: Part 10
This is the tenth review of the sport parent code of conduct that many parents have signed in order for their child to participate in little league baseball. At Chad Moeller Baseball – we are looking at this document in a deeper reflection with the hope that we can...
Sport Parent Code of Conduct: Part 9
This is the ninth review of the sport parent code of conduct that many parents have signed in order for their child to participate in little league baseball. At Chad Moeller Baseball – we are looking at this document in a deeper reflection with the hope that we can...
Sport Parent Code of Conduct: Part 7
This is the seventh review of the sport parent code of conduct that many parents have signed in order for their child to participate in little league baseball. At Chad Moeller Baseball – we are looking at this document in a deeper reflection with the hope that...
Sport Parent Code of Conduct: Part 8
This is the eighth review of the sport parent code of conduct that many parents have signed in order for their child to participate in little league baseball. At Chad Moeller Baseball – we are looking at this document in a deeper reflection with the hope that we...
Sport Parent Code of Conduct: Part 6
This is the sixth review of the sport parent code of conduct that many parents have signed in order for their child to participate in little league baseball. At Chad Moeller Baseball – we are looking at this document in a deeper reflection with the hope that we can...
Sport Parent Code of Conduct: Part 5
This is the fifth review of the sport parent code of conduct that many parents have signed in order for their child to participate in little league baseball. At Chad Moeller Baseball – we are looking at this document in a deeper reflection with the hope that we can...
Sport Parent Code of Conduct: Part 4
This is the fourth review of the sport parent code of conduct that many parents have signed in order for their child to participate in little league baseball. At Chad Moeller Baseball – we are looking at this document in a deeper reflection with the hope that we...
Sport Parent Code of Conduct: Part 3
This is the third review of the sport parent code of conduct that many parents have signed in order for their child to participate in little league baseball. At Chad Moeller Baseball – we are looking at this document in a deeper reflection with the hope that we...
Sport Parent Code of Conduct: Part 2
This is the second review of the sport parent code of conduct that many parents have signed in order for their child to participate in little league baseball. At Chad Moeller Baseball – we are looking at this document in a deeper reflection with the hope that we...
Sport Parent Code of Conduct – Part 1
I was recently looking over the Sport Parent Code of Conduct sheet that many little leagues have mandated their parents to read and sign. I became so intrigued by the message and the professionalism of the document that I decided that I would spend a few blog...
MLB Playoffs: When Fundamentals take Center Stage
October is coming and with October comes the Major League Baseball Playoffs. A time where stars will shine and the hottest team will advance to the next round. Most of the time, the hotter team will advance. Our team needs to play well through 162 games...
The NEW Face of Baseball – Mike Trout
As one legend walks away from the game. A new legend and quite possible, the new face of baseball has walked in. Derek Jeter exits and in walks Mike Trout. Derek Jeter in a previous post represented consistency and fundamentals. He was never blessed...
Derek Jeter – The Face of Baseball
At the end of this baseball season, the greatest modern day shortstop will take off his number two uniform for the final time. He will walk out of the locker room and down the steps and into our memories. The face of baseball will finally retire. Derek Jeter will...
The Importance of Long Toss
** I'd written earlier this year about HOW to play Long Toss... Now I'd like to expand on that and discuss the IMPORTANCE of playing Long Toss! A couple of days ago I was talking to a high school baseball coach about throwing and injuries that seem to be happening at...
Injuries: What Happens When You Are Not Able To Play?
I had a coach tell our team that there is a difference between injured and sore. Injured – you can’t play and sore you can play. If you are trying to figure out if you are injured, below are four easy ways to distinguish. 1. Swelling that is limiting your joint...
Accountability By Teammates:
The baseball dugout is a sacred place and the rules and regulations of a baseball dugout and a baseball team are different but similar to anywhere else in the world. When a player dons the uniform and enters the dugout for practice or a game, different rules apply. ...
Learn To Love To Compete:
It is a feeling inside your gut and chest. It is filled with nerves, excitement, past experiences, future thoughts are all bundled up in a tight knot in our stomach. The feeling can spread throughout our entire body reaching our fingertips and toes. Our mind begins...
What is a good teammate?
One of the greatest compliments a ballplayer can receive is the simple statement “he’s a good teammate.” Often overlooked by people not in the locker room, this simple statement can justify your worth as a ballplayer. I recently asked three high school baseball...
OPENING DAY
It comes to us when we most need it and it will fill our days and nights with familiar sounds. It will fill the spaces in our lives when we need it most. It will get us through the last couple of months of school. It will get us through the hot, humid months of...
Spring Has Arrived:
Spring training has arrived and so has the hope for every fan that this is their year. There is something special about baseball and spring training. Spring symbolizes life and rebirth. The flowers start to bloom and the grass starts to yearn for a mow. The days...
Have Vision Over Visibility
Have vision over visibility. The rock band U2 has a line in their last album that states “vision over visibility” This line was not intended to relate to a baseball player’s life but upon further inspection, it definitely does fit perfectly. Often in baseball,...
Train your Feet by Playing Catch
Rarely if ever does a baseball player make a throw in a game flat footed and stationary. But watch most teams play catch. Most of the time you will notice players catching the ball flat footed and take two or three steps and throw the ball back in a flat...
The Benefits of Playing Catch
Playing catch before a game or practice is not just an activity to get you warmed up; it might be the most important aspect of your pregame or practice. I had a freshman coach who loved the phrase “Play Catch, Not Shag!” I always thought the phrase was funny and...
How to Play Long Toss
9 Keys to Playing Long Toss Playing loss toss can be one of the most effective ways to strengthen your arm. Long toss occurs after you have played a good game of catch and your arm is properly loose. Depending on your age, long toss can occur anywhere from...
5 Steps to Throw a Baseball with Accuracy
Best Baseball Throwing Motions Throwing a baseball can be seen as the easiest yet sometimes most difficult aspect of the game. Often times, a kid can pick up a ball and throw it to any spot they want. But sometimes the action of throwing a ball accurately...
Baseball Relationships
Enjoy the relationship Every baseball player or coach will eventually take off the uniform and walk away from the field. It is a long, lonely walk and one that we try our hardest to put off as long as we can. Our thoughts run back to those earliest stages of the...
Running the Bases
Run Hard! The old adage is “control what you can control.” Baseball players have been reciting this phrase for years but sometimes, we forget the simplicity of the statement. In a normal nine inning baseball game or a shorter youth game, a hitter gets to hit three...
Batting Tee and Soft Toss Drills
Getting your work done in the batting cage is often accomplished from the earliest stages in baseball to the highest level of the big leagues with two simple drills: Hitting off a tee and hitting soft toss. If you are reading this, chances are that you have worked...
Taking Risks in Baseball
Author and poet Rudyard Kipling, most famously known for writing the beloved classic “The Jungle Book” wrote a simple yet profound poem titled “IF”. At the beginning of the third stanza Kipling writes “If you can make one heap of all your winnings, And risk it on one...
Push the Boulder up the Hill Everyday
Ancient Greek Mythology taught many lessons that continue to be applied everyday in our world. One of the most applicable stories that I have always related to baseball is the ancient story of Sisyphus. Despite the funny name, this story is not a funny one, but a...
Rise to the Challenge
A Russian Author named Franz Kafka was famous for writing odd short stories and parables. He went through his life as a mostly unnoticed writer. It wasn’t until after his death that he gained notoriety for his literary genius. One of his most famous...
Control What You Can Control
One of the old adages in baseball is to control what you can control. If you are playing baseball and signed up to play baseball, then you didn’t sign up to umpire. So don’t try and umpire. You can’t control the umpire so it is a waste of your effort. If you...
Courage and Commitment in Baseball
Baseball demands total commitment and courage to every moment. It demands its athletes to have the courage to compete even when success is impossible. In baseball, if you fail 7 out of 10 times, you are considered a good hitter. Baseball demands the courage to try...
Pitching the Fastball
Control and Command the Fastball while Pitching The most effective pitch, yet overlooked pitch, in the game of baseball is the fastball. It was the first pitch invented way before Mr. Doubleday made a sport called baseball. From the beginning of time,...
How to Choose a Bat
Choosing a Baseball Bat With rising bat prices and hundreds of different choices – How do I choose the right bat for my son or daughter? The first and most important rule when choosing a bat is the weight and length of the bat. Go to a sporting goods store and grab a...
Versatility on the Baseball Field
Play Anywhere There are nine positions on a baseball field. More importantly, there are nine opportunities to get on the field. As a Little Leaguer, certain players become fixated with playing one position. If you ask a 9-year-old what positions do they...
How to Choose Baseball or Softball Cleats
Choosing Baseball or Softball Cleats: Being around a baseball field all day almost every day allows me to hear questions from many different people. A lot of these questions come from parents. An often-asked question revolves around cleats. Below is...
The Tradition of Baseball
Be a part of the tradition Below is a quote by former Major League Baseball Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti titled “The Green Fields of the Mind." “It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins...
How to be a Better Baseball Player
How to get better in Baseball: Stick to the fundamentals I recently received a question from a player who attended my Baseball Camp and it read “I really like playing baseball although I may not have the same natural abilities as some of my teammates. What do I need...
Should Boys and Girls Play Multiple Sports or Specialize?
Playing multiple sports: The question of whether or not to play multiple sports has turned from a simple question into a raging debate over the past decade. Parents, coaches, players have argued vehemently on both sides of this decisive issue. I believe the answer to...
How to Get Ready for an At-Bat in Baseball or Softball
Many people talk about when an at bat begins and when it ends. There are many theories, many failed attempts, and many new ideas. A simple way to look at an at- bat is as follows: The at-bat begins when the helmet goes on the head. This should trigger the mind that...
Being Coachable in Baseball or Softball
Being Coachable, Baseball can be a very humbling game. It is a game filled with failure. Any player who plays this game realizes that to be a successful hitter, one will get out seven out of ten times. A fielder will make errors and a pitcher might throw a great...
Being a Good Teammate
Being a good teammate In the history of athletics and team play, one single title every athlete should strive for is the title of being a good teammate. Be tough to play against and be easy to play with. But how does one become a good teammate? First off, always put...
How to Run the Bases in Baseball or Softball
Running the bases and making turns A college coach once told me that you get on base by hitting the ball but you score runs by running the bases. A simple statement, yes, but running the bases seems overlooked by too many players. The goal of baseball is to score...
Baseball The Perfect Game
The Perfect Game: Baseball has been called “America’s pastime”. It has been called the “grand old game.” These statements are true but another word for baseball might be “the perfect game.” From the beginning of this grand game invented by Mr. Doubleday, little has...
Sacrifice Bunts – Baseball and Softball
Sacrifice Bunts: One of the most overlooked, yet essential plays in baseball is the sacrifice bunt. First off: A sacrifice bunt is in the name a sacrifice. You as a baseball player are sacrificing your at-bat to the betterment of the team. It is one the coolest...
Commitment in Sports – Baseball and Softball
Commitment: The word commitment is thrown around quite often in the sport’s world. Often announcers, coaches, teachers, and even parents throw around the word commitment in very broad terms. Commitment is an essential part of success in every aspect of life. But too...
Summer Camps
I will be running weekly indoor Summer Camps the whole month of June and possibly a couple in July. The camps will run Monday - Thursday from 9am-12pm. There will be an hour break and then a second camp will run from 1:00 pm - 2:30pm. The morning part will will be...
There’s More to Life Then Baseball
“Baseball is Life” is a catchy phrase for a t-shirt or maybe even a bumper sticker, but what happens to the boys or parents who live the slogan. As a father and former player, I understand the pressures that boys and parents face with sports. I had a...
Catching – Hitting – Pitching Clinic Dates and Times
Upcoming Youth Baseball Clinics Upcoming Youth Baseball Camps
How to Take Care of Your Glove
Baseball season is right around the corner. Players are getting in shape for the upcoming season. Most players will be reporting around Valentines Day. The same is true for youth baseball. Little Leagues are having tryouts and teams are being formed. Maybe not...
Staying focused on the Baseball or Softball Field
Staying focused on the Baseball or Softball Field Maybe I’m unique but I find it difficult to focus for a couple hours straight and even simple tasks seem almost daunting. Yet we want the boys or girls on the field to stay focused the whole game. We want...
Baseball Workouts – Throwing Program
Dana Cavalea Throwing Program There is nothing for valuable to the ballplayer then their arm. So how do you take care of it? The NY Yankees Major League Strength and Conditioning Coach Dana Cavalea was kind enough to share this workout with Chad Moeller Baseball. ...
Burn Out in Baseball and Youth Sports
The game of baseball can be fantastic for teaching teamwork and working toward a common goal. It can also wear down the brain because of the intense focus that is required to perform in a competitive atmosphere. As a player, I would experience this in the middle of...
The Impact of Baseball and Softball Coaches
The Impact of Coaches The impact a coach has on his or her player may have effects lasting a lifetime. As a player, I had coaches that would build me up and I had others that simply tore me down. Both coaches wanted to win but these are two different angles trying...
Baseball or Softball- Batting Practice vs The GAME
Batting Practice vs. At Bats in Games The art of hitting a baseball frustrated me for most of my life. This love affair gives you enough, to keep you coming back. You practice and practice and it feels great and then we leave batting practice or the cage and...
Baseball Hitting or Batting with Two Strikes
Hitting with 2 Strikes Hitting with two strikes is what separates the truly great hitters form the rest of us. Many coaches teach to choke up or widen your stance with two strikes. Both of these techniques can be effective. I tried them both and used them both at...
The Love and Frustration of Hitting a Baseball
The art of hitting a baseball can become a lifetime love affair. But at the same time it starts a journey filled with frustration and failure. Hitting is often called the most difficult thing to do in all sports. The challenge of hitting a baseball is what drives so...
WHY PRACTICE BASEBALL FUNDAMENTALS?
Why Practice Baseball Fundamentals To the naked eye, baseball is not all that complex. You “catch the ball,” “throw the ball,” and “hit the ball.” Not all that difficult, until you start to play the game. It is then that you realize you are constantly...
Looking for Your Pitch
Looking for your Pitch- Most hitters know what pitch they hit best. That being said most hitters know what the holes in their swing are. The question becomes what do you do to maximize your strengths and try to hide our holes? If you don’t know...
Game Calling
Most important- Get the most out of your pitcher on that given day Who is your Pitcher? Strength -What does your pitcher do best? -Don’t ask him to do something that you don’t think he can do. Weakness -When does he struggle?...
How does a Catcher Catch the Ball?
From Behind the Dish, Receiving So what is the most important part job of the catcher? In my opinion, the name of the position says it all. CATCHER. Catching the ball from the pitcher is the most important job of the catcher. I can still hear my high school...
Catcher Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the catcher are almost endless and I will try to cover some of them in no particular order. 1. Back up first base on every ground ball unless there is a man on second or third. 2. Give signs to the pitcher for pitch and location 3. Remind the...
Testimonials
“Chad has a done a tremendous job with his website. He has established a solid foundation for the mechanics of the baseball swing through his online videos. If a parent can sit down and review the videos, they can work with their son or daughter at home on the...
What is the Biggest Problem in Youth Baseball?
What is the Biggest Problem in Youth Baseball? Baseball can be a fantastic opportunity for parents and their children to share something special together. From watching a game on TV, a city park, a major league baseball game, or coaching your son or daughter....
Baseball Workouts – Arm Exercises
Dana Cavalea Arm Exercises for Baseball Workouts How a Ballplayer takes care of there arm can determine if they stay healthy or can play in the next game. Without a healthy arm the ballplayer will not be on the field and baseball is not as much fun when you are not...
“Just See the Ball and Hit the Ball” ?
“Just see the Ball and Hit the Ball”? Some one long ago made the statement and it has continued to this day “ just see the ball and hit the ball.” If you have played this game long enough you have heard this phrase uttered to many times to count. There are times...
Chad Moeller Baseball and Dick Mills from Pitching.com “Teleseminar” on the Pitcher-Catcher Relationship and More…
Hello Friends I want to invite you this Tuesday the 21st of February from 7pm-8pm to learn about the Pitcher-Catcher relationship in a special Teleseminar on Pitching.com. Join myself Chad Moeller and Dick Mills former MLB Pitcher with the Boston Red Sox and founder...
Dana Cavalea NY Yankees Baseball Running Program
Dana Cavalea Baseball Running Program Ballplayers need to be in shape and one of the best ways to do this is running. How much should you run, how far and how fast? Once again the NY Yankees Strength and Conditioning Coach Dana Cavalea has shared a great running...
The Baseball Catcher’s Set Up
Baseball Catcher Set Up What is the proper way for a catcher to set up? How do you stand, squat and prepare to do your job most efficiently? Let me be clear: all catchers should have their own style that works best for them. One should not be a clone. The same is true...
Baseball Positions
What is the Best Position on the Field? What are the best baseball positions on the field? I will give you a hint. He is the only player that sees the entire field. Some say he has the best seat in the stadium. He has his back to no one, and is involved in every...