Kevin Millar

By Ron Baltazar

In the world of Sports TV, everyone tries to be a star. 95 percent of the humor sounds manufactured, like they have some writer creating their character, and some stagehand holding cue cards. As much ESPN as I watch, sometimes its feels like I’m watching bad dinner theater…these anchors are trying to “one-up” each other to become bigger than the story.. I think the best, funniest sportscaster are those who sound and feel real…this leads me the funniest man on Sports TV…

Kevin Millar played 11 years in the Major Leagues, and was a crucial part of the Boston Red Sox championship teams between 2003-2005 (and being one of the most popular players). After his playing days he joined The MLB (Major League Baseball) network, which by the way, is one the greatest channels out there as a studio analysis.

The thing that make Kevin Millar the funniest man, on the TV, is it doesn’t seems like he’s forcing anything. He on an outstanding show on the MLB network called “Intentional Talk” with Chris Rose. The premise is this two guys (Chris Rose and Kevin Millar) talk baseball issues split screen via their homes. Although I personal can’t stand Chris Rose, mainly cause I feel he takes every thing personally, the chemistry exhibited is high quality. They have tremendous flow which makes the show come off effortlessly. They’re always funny, but what makes them so great is they have just the right mixture of news and humor. Take Their interview with Braves Rookie Relievers Jonny Venters and Craig Kimbal when Millar says, “Does Dan Uggla own a shirt with sleeves cause everytime I see him he’s sleeveless” then ask Kimbal’s opinion about an awkward hug between Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward, “Are they that close??”

Millar also makes an occasional appearance on MLB TONIGHT LIVE, where he shines, especially when Chris Rose is hosting. Here an example of a funny exchange…They were running a “Double Play”, when they show two games at one…One game was a Rays/Rangers game in the bottom of the night and the score was 4-0 Rays. The other was an A’s/Indians game tied at the bottom of the 10th inning. Chris Rose was talking about the Rays/Rangers game, as Jim Thome (600 Career Homeruns) was batting in the A’s/Indians game, and Rose was paying so much attention to the Rays game and Millar finally stepped in and laughed, “IT’S JIM THOME!! JIM THOME…When Rose started paying attention to the game, Millar came back with “Rose is really into this Indians game” in a real smart-ass sarcastic way.

Article Source: Ron Baltazar
Kevin Millar: Funniest Man On Sports TV

5 Reasons Why the Boston Red Sox Will Win the World Series

By James D. Silver

Reason 1: Have you ever noticed that self proclaimed super-teams, like some of the old New York Yankee teams, past Indianapolis Colt teams, and most recently the NBA’s Miami Magic, have a tendency not to win their respective championships? There is a logical reason, and here it is: When so many people say they are going to win, and the teams win during the regular season and early in the playoffs, a sense of entitlement takes hold. There is a player expectation that they will win. However, these teams have a tendency not to deal well with situations of adversity, and when they run into adversity, they often aren’t prepared to deal with it.

So, the Philadelphia Phillies will make it into the playoffs, and probably will make it to the World Series, but they won’t win it all. Karma is against it.

Reason 2: The New York Yankees, with the exception of C.C. Sabathia, don’t have any post season heroes. Derek Jeter is too old, Curtis Granderson will probably collapse under that unique form of New York pressure and, well, Alex Rodriquez is Alex Rodriquez.

So, while it would not surprise anyone if the Boston Red Sox play the New York Yankees for the American League Championship, don’t bet on it. The Yankees may not even make it through the first round.

Reason 3: The Red Sox, Phillies, Rangers and Yankees are the high talent, top performing teams right now. Yes, the Milwaukee Brewers are on quite a run, but let’s not hold our breath on it. Let’s see where the Brewers are on September 30. The Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians are all fighting to see who will be the first team eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, although the Tigers have some interesting pitching attributes that could surprise a lot of people.

So, who do we think will be in the American League Championship Series? This is easy – Rangers and Red Sox. And, who do we think will be in the National League Championship Series? This is also easy – Phillies and some other team who the Phillies will beat.

There is a flow of mo (momentum). You can see where things are headed without a crystal ball. You just lock into the moment, and what do you feel? We are headed toward a Red Sox and Phillies World Series, and Boston will win it.

Reason 4: The Red Sox have really good pitching and really good hitting and a pretty decent bullpen, all of whom are worthy of a World Series Champ.

Reason 5: Adrian Gonzalez, Justin Pedroia, and Jacoby Ellsbury are all really, really on a long term plan to win, and Adrian Gonzalez really, really wants to prove his worth, so he is highly motivated to win. It will be Adrian Gonzalez that leads the way through the playoffs. Don’t be surprised if he hits.450 and hits 8homers in the playoffs. He has the mo going for him, and this alone will be a prime reason why the Red Sox will win.

Bottom Line

American League – Yankees, Red Sox, Rangers and Tigers. Red Sox face Rangers and win.

National League – Phillies, Brewers, Braves and Diamondbacks. Phillies face Rangers.

Red Sox beat Phillies.

http://sportadore.com – where the world speaks of sports.

Article Source: James D. Silver
5 Reasons Why the Boston Red Sox Will Win the World Series

Which Should a Youth Pitcher Learn How to Throw First?

By Joshua S Stickel

This is a question that comes up all the time in youth baseball. Coaches, Parents, and Players are concerned about throwing the curveball because they are afraid of the damage it could inflict on their arm. However, some youth players decide to try to learn how to throw the curveball anyway because they feel it is a more effective pitch than the change-up.

There are multiple problems with this idea of learning the curveball first. The most important problem is youth pitchers try to teach themselves how to throw the curveball which almost always leads to arm problems. The arm problems usually originate at the elbow which can cause major damage and take a long time to recover from. If you want to learn how to throw a curveball I would suggest that you wait till you are 12 years old. In addition, you should always learn how to throw a curveball from someone who is a professional coach and knows what they are doing. I would still advise you not to start throwing a curveball too early.

So, if you can’t learn a curveball right away and you want to have more than one pitch to be a very effective pitcher you have to learn how to throw a change-up. The change-up is a much underrated pitch. It is very deceptive because it looks just like a fastball coming out of your hand, but is 5 to 10 mph slower. The change-up can also break down and away giving the pitch movement along with the change of speed. One of the best parts is the change-up will not do any additional damage to your arm and it is easier to learn how to throw. In fact the difference between a fastball and a change-up is a fastball is gripped on the finger tips and the change-up is gripped deeper in the palm. Your arm angle and arm speed stay the same, which is why the pitch is so deceiving.

I hope this article helped you decide to choose to learn how to throw a change-up before you learn how to throw a curveball for the sake of the health of your arm. It is an easy pitch to learn and once you learn how to throw it is an easy pitch to locate. I really hope that you learn the change-up first, then learn the difference between a two seam and four seam fastball before you learn the curveball. The difference between a two seam fastball and a four seam fastball is the grip. You grip the two seam fastball where the seams come together. You grip the four seam fastball on the side of what looks like a horseshoe on the seams. The two seem fastball will move more but the four seem fastball will be faster.

If you liked this article then you should check out my main site the #1 youth baseball site. In it there is one on one coaching, free tips, contests, practice equipment, the best baseball equipment, instructional programs, youth leagues and camps, and of course exactly how to throw a change-up. You want to be the best on the diamond? Then click here The Youth Of Baseball Once you learn the change-up how about you Add 5 to 10 mph on Your Fastball

Article Source: Joshua S. Stickel
Change-Up Versus Curveball: Which Should A Youth Pitcher Learn How To Throw First?

The Pirates Are in First Place, the Pirates Aren't in First Place

By Jerry Steege

The Top

Another milestone reached for this year’s Pittsburgh Pirates baseball club. The Pirates reached the top of the NL Central for the first time this late in the season in over a decade. Esteban Loiza was with the Pirates with a 11-11 season in ’97 when they were in the lead at this point. I remember Loiza and remember him being a pretty decent pitcher, but this year’s staff aces would have to fall pretty far to not outdo him.

First to Third

The Pirates are five games over.500 and in a first place tie with St. Louis, 1/2 a game better than the Brewers. A day later and the Pirates lost to the stros and back to third place. First to 3rd in a day. That’s how it will probably be in the N.L. Central this season because it looks like the top 3 are pretty evenly matched.

Fourth

Let’s not forget my most hated Division rival, the Reds too. My disgust at the Reds has to do with the natural rivalry that exists between the 2 cities sports franchises.

Reasons to not like Cincinnati

Pittsburgh does not like Cincinnati, there’s the Steelers against the Bengals, the Pirates against the Reds, Pitt against UC in the Big East and the Penguins vs. oh, Cincinnati is not big league enough to have a hockey team. I just don’t like any of Cincinnati’s teams.

The cost of being second

I really dislike them because the number of championships they have cost the Steelers and Pirates over the years. The Pirates were good enough to win at least one or two more in the 70′s and unfortunately they caught fire in 90 when the Pirates were favorites to go all the way and the Reds ended up winning the whole thing.

Head to head

The Division may come down to how these teams do against each other the rest of the season. Here are their records against each other this year and the amount of remaining games against each other.

Pittsburgh – St. Louis

W-L Remaining Games

2-1 9 Home 4 Away

Pittsburgh – Milwaukee

W-L Remaining Games

0-5 4 Home 6 Away

Pittsburgh – Cincinnati

W-L Remaining Games

5-1 9 Home 0 Away

Looking at these games it’s easy to see what the Pirates need to do against their main competitors right now, the Brewers and the Cards.

The Pittsburgh Pirates baseball club needs to find a way to beat the Brewers, at least split the rest of their games. They have 10 games left and 6 of those at Milwaukee. That may be something the Pirates will look at very closely when deciding if they want to get another player for the second half. If they can find a player that may solve Milwaukee’s dominance against them that may be the key. Another key is how they play against the Reds. They have won 5 of 6 already against the Reds, and if they can keep anywhere near that ratio going it will go a long way in determining where they end up.

It’s great to be in the race at this point in the season and it will be even greater seeing these young Pirates compete the rest of the season. They’ve made it this far, let’s see what Neal Huntington can do to help this Pittsburgh Pirates baseball club out and bring a winning baseball team from Pittsburgh to the top of the NL Central.

Jerry Steege
I’m an aspiring writer and love to write about my favorite teams. I’ve been writing professionally in a business setting for over 10 years and am currently looking to take that to another level.
If you would like to read more about the Pirates visit the
Pittsburgh Sports Buzz

Article Source: Jerry Steege
The Pirates Are in First Place, the Pirates Aren’t in First Place

When Chicago Cubs Rumors Go Overboard

By Jeff Casmer

We all know the Chicago Cubs. They are the team that plays for Chicago, Illinois and is less successful than the other team in their city, the White Sox. Even though the Cubs are known to be the ‘Lovable Losers’, they are still one of the oldest teams in the city. They continue to play not because they like to win. They do it because they love their city and they love their fans.

However, the team still feels the pressure. Even if they have not won a championship for a hundred years, fans seem so be bummed when they have lost or their play did not go as well. Some fans take it to personally and this is where things get ugly.

What I am talking about is the recent Chicago Cubs rumor about its team players receiving racial discrimination. It is one thing if it is done within the team. Fortunately, that is not the case. However, most of the discrimination comes from its fans. And this has led people like LaTroy Hawkins, Jacque Jones, Milton Bradley and Dusty Baker to leave the team.

What is worse about the situation is that people do not believe their claims. They say that they are just sore losers who do not want to admit that they suck. Fans can go overboard like that. They think that a team’s player is there to entertain them and give them what they want. They bash them like there is no tomorrow even if it means hurting their feelings or hurting those around them. A player of the Chicago Cubs is a witness to this. Derrek Lee, one of the most loved players of the Cubs has seen his teammates receive hate mail. He says how bad they can be. He said that he is lucky that he had not received one yet but it is still unfair for fans to do this. They tend to forget that the team’s players are human. They commit mistakes, they get hurt and they have families.

Always remember that these guys are trying their best and they are doing it because they love their city. They also do it because they love the fans. Lee even said that the guys love playing because of the great fans. However, it cannot be prevented that some guys will not be able to take the pressure. And with hate mail, it just makes things worse. So instead of putting them down, support them. Tell them they can do better or perhaps offer some constructive criticism instead of just simply putting them down.

This is just an example on how Chicago Cubs rumors can go overboard. It is different when there is so much hate going around the team. It does not only make their play suffer, it also makes their own self confidence degrade. This is a call to baseball fans who is taking it too far. Please remember that this is not just a game. These people have feelings too.

Chicago Cubs Rumors is a Chicago Cubs resource on Chicago Cubs baseball. For the latest news visit Chicago Cubs News.

Article Source: Jeff Casmer
When Chicago Cubs Rumors Go Overboard

Best Seats at Wrigley Field for Cubs Tickets

By Keith J Hanson

Wrigley Field has been home of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. Since then, the stadium has created a pleasant fan experience for most visitors and has been nicknamed the “Friendly Confines”. When purchasing tickets for a Cubs home game, a few factors should be considered to have the same enjoyable game experience. Consider seat location, price, food, and the views.

Baseball season takes place during some of the hottest months of the year, making seat location an important factor. Besides the few air-conditioned areas in a ballpark, the only way to escape summer heat is shade. When purchasing tickets, keep in mind that certain sections of seating are in the shade, while others will leave you sweltering in the heat.

Pricing of tickets affects most everyone’s decision in choosing seats. Like most other baseball venues, tickets at Wrigley Field start around $10 and go all the way up to a few hundred dollars for premier box seating. Prices depend on seat location and the level of luxury offered in each section. The price of a ticket varies greatly depending on each fan’s expectation of the game experience.

A baseball game inevitably will involve food. Whether you are looking to sit down for a meal, or grab a snack on the way back to your seat, Wrigley offers a range of eateries. There are multiple fixed concession stands centrally located for most sections. There are also restaurants located inside the venue, which includes a bleacher patio with city and field views. In addition, the neighborhood around Wrigley offers many dining and bar choices.

Most people come to a baseball game to actually catch a glimpse of the action happening on the field. When buying tickets for games at Wrigley Field, be sure to account for the distance from the field and any obstructions causing a blocked view of the game. Given that Wrigley is an old ballpark, it has many obstructed views. In some sections, TVs are mounted to account for the loss of view, but in others there is no such luck. These instances can often be avoided with a small amount of time invested in the research of the section.

There are many options when purchasing tickets for a game at Wrigley Field. Seat location, pricing, food accessibility, and the view should all be considered when doing so. By taking a small portion of time to read reviews or ratings, a bad game experience can easily be avoided.

Avoid a bad experience at Wrigley Field and make sure you are making the right decision when purchasing tickets for a Cubs home game by doing a small amount of research on things like food, prices, and seat location.

Visit Rateyourseats.com for the best seats at Wrigley Field or for other sports venues and stadiums. You can read reviews from other fans and see rating for the seats in each section.

Article Source: Keith J. Hanson
Best Seats at Wrigley Field for Cubs Tickets

5 Bold Predictions for the Rest of the Season

By Scott Semmler

Another day, another man down. That seems to be the story these days for the World Series champion San Francisco Giants.

Freddy Sanchez was placed on the 15-day DL Saturday after dislocating his right shoulder diving for a ball, and continuing the voodoo-like coincidence of the best current Giants hitter going down to injury.

We witnessed this with Pablo Sandoval earlier in the season, Buster Posey a few weeks ago and now with Sanchez.

Tread lightly, Nate Schierholtz…

So how do the Giants mentally come back from losing their three best offensive players on a team that already lacks offense?

They sign Bill Hall, of course.

Hall may turn out to be a great signing by the Giants. In fact, Hall may be just the right player for this team at this point in the season.

At least until the trade deadline.

Until then, here are five bold predictions for the rest of the way.

1. Bill Hall Will Have An Impact.

How sexy was that headline?

The Giants signed Hall on Sunday after sending Freddy Sanchez to the 15-day DL, as well as learning that Sanchez’s season is in serious jeopardy.

Pat Burrell, Cody Ross, Aubrey Huff….Bill Hall?

Can the Giants continue the magic of having thrown away players contribute to their team?

Why not? It worked for the misfit winners of the 2010 World Series last season.

Hall plays nearly every position on the baseball field, which can help this ball club because, at this point, they will take every legitimate ball player they can find to play the field, since they seem to be consistently losing them.

It makes sense, though. Players with nothing to lose come to the Giants and prove themselves to the rest of the league.

It worked with Burrell at one point. Even Huff and Ross were technically cast-offs that made it big.

Why not add Hall to that list?

2. The San Francisco Giants Will Break the Single-Season Walk-Off Wins Record.

Just 66 games into a 162-game season, and the Giants already have nine walk-off wins.

The current record is held by the 1959 and 1977 Pittsburgh Pirates, who finished their respective seasons with 17 walk-off wins.

The Giants are more than half-way to that record and not even half-way through the season yet.

There are two reasons for why San Francisco will break the single-season walk-off wins record: Good pitching and terrible hitting.

That combination makes for a ton of one-run games, and a ton of one-run games makes for many walk-off opportunities.

3. The San Francisco Giants Will Win the National League West.

This is more of a prediction based on the process of elimination.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres are dead in the water. Neither team has enough of a good mix of consistent pitching and hitting night in and night out to contend the entire season.

The Colorado Rockies are having their own injury woes. Although everyone knows they will be making a good run sooner or later, there is still a bit of magic missing from this team that the franchise has had in past seasons.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are off to a great start, but the fact that their players are playing out of their minds so early in the season has some scratching their heads and questioning whether this team can continue this run for the entire season. Their recent trip to the east coast does not seem to be convincing anyone either.

From what we have seen so far, it would seem as though 88 wins could take the division.

The Giants have been through mental and physical pain from losing their three best hitters. Yet, they keep staying afloat in the division.

They have made it through this turmoil and are still eight games above.500.

From a Giants’ perspective, it can only get better from here.

4. Tim Lincecum Will Be the Only San Francisco Giants’ Pitcher With 15 Wins.

I feel like I am going out on a limb with this one, especially since Madison Bumgarner is starting to get his stuff back, Cain is Cain and Ryan Vogelsong has been stellar ( Plus, Barry Zito was dealing against Single-A players the other day…..).

However, the Giants do not score runs and are constantly in one-run games that are decided late in the game.

As great as that is for the walk-offs wins record, this does not bode well for the Giants’ starters.

More often than not, we will see guys like Ramon Ramirez and Javier Lopez earning the win in a 3-2 Giants’ victory.

Even though Lincecum has not been pitching well lately, he still has five wins and a fairly decent ERA of 3.41.

We have all seen this before. He makes a few tweaks in his delivery and comes back to pitch lights out on the Giants’ way to a World Series championship.

I have got to think that with those few tweaks, Lincecum can muster up 10 more wins.

With runs being scored at a minimum, this does not seem so certain for the rest of the Giants’ starting staff.

5. There’s Still Magic Inside.

Despite the injuries, the Giants are still legitimate contenders to repeat as world champions.

The playoffs are a far different beast than the regular season.

With a pitching staff like the Giants have, it will be hard not to start believing again if they make the playoffs.

There is still magic inside because the Giants are still the same team of misfit ball players trying to earn respect in this game, despite already winning a World Series.

Losing three of the team’s best hitters will not change that because it is instilled in that clubhouse.

It has caused this team to feel a lot like last year’s team, except with a few more nail-biting walk-off wins.

Torture. It is here to stay in San Francisco, no matter who is on the field.

***If you like this article, follow my Bay Area sports blog @ http://www.bayareasportstalk.blogspot.com

Article Source: Scott Semmler
San Francisco Giants: 5 Bold Predictions for the Rest of the Season

Yankees' Chavez Will Have a Shorter Time on the Bench Thanks to Correct Diagnosis of a Bone Bruise

By Animesh Bhatia

Ohio’s Major League Baseball team, the Cleveland Indians, will not be facing the Yankees until July, but many fans staying updated on the future opponent may have heard about an interesting injury of Eric Chavez, the team’s backup third baseman.

On May 5th while running the bases, Chavez began limping and was helped off the field to get x-rays. The initial diagnosis by the Yankee’s team doctor was a small fracture of the 5th metatarsal of the left foot. However, this week, it was discovered that Chavez’s bone was not broken, but he had suffered a less severe injury called a bone bruise.

People may not be aware that you can bruise the outer lining of bone, the periosteum, resulting in a periosteal bruise. A bone bruise can also be called a stone bruise, because patients will often describe it feeling as if they are stepping on a pebble or small stone every time they put pressure on the affected area of the foot. A bone bruise, periosteal bruise & stone bruise are all describing the same injury in which there is a trauma that damages this superficial bone layer and the blood vessels coursing through it that supply nutrients to the bone cells. In many cases, including Chavez’s, the trauma is simply an excess of pressure hitting the bone while running. Underlying causes of this excess pressure on the foot can be from overtraining, underlying bony deformities such as metatarsalgia, or flat foot, the wrong type of athletic shoes, or shoes that are worn out.

Bone bruises should be treated to reduce the inflammation of the area which can often be swollen, tender, and painful. Resting the affected area, icing it and possibly taking anti-inflammatory medication are all recommended as part of a successful treatment regimen. Patients should consult with their podiatrist to ensure the most appropriate route of treatment depending on the severity of the bruise. It is also important to eliminate the cause of the excess pressure before returning to activities. This may be done by getting custom athletic orthotics, new shoes, or surgery in cases with severe underlying foot deformities.

Luckily for Chavez, it seems as though the Yankees had him consult with a podiatrist and the team physician to obtain an accurate diagnosis. It is always great news for any athlete to discover that an injury is less severe than initially believed, and that their shorter recovery period will allow them to get back in the game at an earlier date!

Animesh (Andy) Bhatia, D.P.M., C.W.S., Columbus Podiatry & Surgery
117 Lazelle Road E., Columbus, Ohio 43235
614-885-FEET (3338)
http://www.columbusfoot.com

Article Source: Animesh Bhatia
Yankees’ Chavez Will Have a Shorter Time on the Bench Thanks to Correct Diagnosis of a Bone Bruise

Baseball Drills to Increase Bat Speed and Hitting Power

By Dustin Peek

Baseball drills that create head-turning power at the plate are something that every baseball player can benefit from. Sure, good hitters are known for making consistent contact with the baseball, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that the harder the ball is hit, the more likely it is to find a hole or a gap. This power at the plate is the difference in being a good hitter and a great hitter, and great hitters get noticed. Just one single extra base hit for every ten at-bats can mean the difference in a 0.200 batting average and a 0.300 batting average, and that little extra “pop” on the ball is the easiest way to get those extra hits. Power is everything, and it is well known that hitting power is created with bat speed. Luckily, there are some great hitting drills and techniques that can be used to harness this power in any player. There are two specific baseball drills that are very good at increasing bat speed and hitting power.

Before discussing these specific hitting drills, it is first important to understand how a hitter creates power. A hitter creates power through bat speed, and a hitter’s bat speed is created through the efficient transfer of energy from the batter’s body to the bat. Many people believe that this energy is created with the batter’s arms, but in fact, this energy is created through efficiently transferring a hitter’s body weight from his back foot to his front foot during the swing. The important term to remember is “efficient.” Every batter that swings a baseball bat shifts his weight when swinging, but power hitters have strong cores and excellent balance. This keeps their bodies compact so that almost all of the energy created though the weight-shift is transferred directly to the bat. So the two keys to increasing bat speed and hitting power are balance and having a compact swing.

Hitting Power and Bat Speed Drill #1

This first hitting drill addresses one of the biggest problems that many hitters have when trying to hit for power. They simply do not have a compact swing. What do I mean? Weak hitters do not keep their elbows close to their bodies, and they over-stride when stepping toward the ball. This “flailing” of limbs results in a very weak swing because so much energy is being lost in the additional motion instead of being transferred directly to the bat. To transfer the maximum amount of energy to the bat, a hitter must keep his elbows close to his body and he must take a short, balanced stride. This allows the energy from the weight-shift to be efficiently transferred from the legs, up through the core, and finally to the arms. This creates the greatest amount of bat speed and hitting power.

An excellent drill for keeping a compact swing is to place small objects under the hitter’s arms and between his knees while practicing hitting from a tee or during soft-toss. The objects under the arms can be anything small and soft that the hitter can hold against his body with his elbows while not interrupting his swing. Rags or towels rolled up into tubes and taped work great for this drill. The object between the knees should be a light and soft spherical-shaped object. For older players, a volleyball works great. For younger players, you might need to find some other small ball-shaped object. The idea is for the player to hold these objects under his arms and between his knees during soft-toss or while hitting from a tee to practice keeping his limbs close to his body. This drill forces the batter to have a compact swing and an efficient transfer of energy from his body to the bat.

Hitting Power and Bat Speed Drill #2

The second baseball drill to improve hitting power at the plate addresses a hitter’s balance. Similar to having a compact swing, balance is critical because having bad balance also causes a batter to have poor energy transfer to the bat during the swing. We’ve all seen the young batter that tries to swing too hard and actually loses his balance while stepping back away from the plate. While this is a very common problem for young hitters as they try to hit the ball farther, this poor-balance approach actually prevents the batter from hitting the baseball as far as he could.

A great drill for practicing good balance is to have the hitter stand on a flat 2 x 12 inch board while hitting from a tee or while taking soft toss. This board should be about six feet in length and can be purchased at any lumber yard or most home improvement stores. The idea is for the hitter to stride directly forward toward the ball without falling off the board. Over time, this baseball drill teaches the hitter to have good balance, and it prevents stepping backward. This improved balance will absolutely improve a hitter’s bad speed and hitting power.

To summarize, to improve a hitter’s bat speed and hitting power, one must focus on having a compact swing and good balance. The above two baseball drills focus on these two factors, and over time, they will ultimately help a hitter improve his power. However, this only scratches the surface of improving bat speed and creating power at the plate. If you are interested in further improvements, I encourage you to keep learning about this incredibly important baseball skill!

Do You Want To Learn Even More About Baseball Drills To Increase Bat Speed And Hitting Power? Whether You Are A Player, A Coach, Or A Parent, You Can Learn Exactly How To Start Crushing The Baseball Today Without Any Expensive Equipment Or Hitting Camps. Click On The Following Link To Discover The Most Effective Program Ever Created To Increase Your Hitting Power!
http://www.BatSpeedandHittingPower.com

Article Source: Dustin Peek
Baseball Drills to Increase Bat Speed and Hitting Power

Cliff Lee

By Steve Stavish

Spring and Baseball are finally back and hopes are high for every fan. Come up with a prediction – why not, no one can prove you wrong now…it’s the beauty of a 162 game season. So what player will rise to the top this year? And will your favorite player be the next Most Valuable Player? Here’s what’s going to happen.

In the National League, the usual suspects still will be prominent players – Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard, Joey Votto, Ryan Braun – and we can expect a select few pitchers to also make a case for themselves like Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Tim Lincecum but surprise-surprise a new day has arrived and his name and your National League MVP at the age of 22 by season end can now be revealed – it’s none other than Jason Heyward! When a 20 year old can hit 18 homers, drive in 72 runs with an on base percentage of.393 you need to jump up and take notice. We are looking at the next superstar.

There’s a lot to like about Jason. One he hits in the clutch, his Runs In Scoring Position stats for a 20 year old are nothing short of amazing with an OBP of.443, slugging percentage of.484, driving in 51 of his RBIs in just 124 at bats. Can you imagine this from a 20 year old? It gets better in 2011 because now he has Dan Uggla, with his 30 plus homers and 100 plus rbis on board which will force pitchers to pitch to Heyward not around him like in 2010 when he had 91 walks in 520 at bats. Will Jason be able to lead the Braves to the NL East Crown? As good as the Phillies starting pitchers are, and they are superb, the Braves will be led by Jason and likely to make it close. So Jason Heyward is our pick for National League MVP.

In the American League, there are a large number of players coming into their prime to challenge Josh Hamilton, last year’s MVP. The M & M boys – Mauer and Morneau – of Minnesota are back, along with Evan Longoria, Jose Bautista, new Red Sox like Gonzalez along with old Red Sox like Dustin Pedroia and the breakthrough year players like Cano and Andrus. But the one to watch out for and this year’s likely MVP is Yankee first baseman Mark Teixeira who will finally get out of the starting gate on time and display his tremendous abilities over a full season not just the last 2/3rds as in past years. Teixeira can do it all, even last year his RISP was better than Robinson Cano’s was, who was championed by many to be 2010 MVP. Teixeira compiled an amazing OBP of.438 with runners in scoring position versus Cano’s.407.

So will Mark take the Yanks to the World Series? Boston on paper has clearly improved but the Yankees are probably not done trading. Nonetheless, the Yankees will be tough to match run for run as we see Mark Teixeira dominating in this his career MVP season.

It’s always fun predicting, a combination of confidence, knowledge and LUCK. And with every fan, hope springs eternal. So who’s your pick for MVP?

Your comments are welcome to s.stavish@verizon.net

Article Source: Steve Stavish
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