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You do not swing down or “chop down” on the ball.  This technique was popular in the 90’s. There are coaches and “hitting instruction” web sites that still teach this method of hitting. It’s wrong – Why? Here are three simple facts about a pitched baseball: The pitching rubber is 10 inches above the ground therefore the pitcher is elevated/ ...

Bat speed is developed through strength training and repetition.  To improve our bat speed, we can use a number of hitting tools including a swingaway, an overload bat and a swing tracker.  Using a swing tracker is a great way to measure progress.   Bat speed is what separates high school players from college players, and college players from pro ...

Simple physics description of hitting a baseball: It’s the transferred energy from a batters body to his bat. Then from the bat to the ball. The transfer of energy from bat to ball creates Batted Ball Speed (BBS) which propels the baseball forward.  So how do we get optimal BBS? Let’s face it, BBS is what everyone cares about. BBS ...

How many times have you heard: “The game of baseball is a game of failure – even the best hitters fail 70% percent of the time.” This statement is wrong and factually untrue yet most believe it because you’ve been told it over and over. That belief alone already puts you in a negative mental state before you ever get ...

Bat Path Every time I work with a new hitter, I ask “How would you describe your swing to me?” I like to get their thoughts and see if they match the actions of their swings. I can honestly say most kids say, “Swinging down to create backspin.” It’s really frustrating for me to watch hitters start off hitting ground-balls ...

The Batter of Yesterday was Hall of Famer Hugh Duffy, Sir Hugh Duffy as the Royal Rooters knew him. In 1892 Duffy batted second for the Beaneaters, and statistics show he hit a legitimate .301/ .364/ .410 with an OPS+ of 124;  a worthy average.  Yet, 1892 was the last year of the shorter mound distance of 55’-6.” It was ...

We celebrate both Country and Player on this day. Oh, Canada John Thorn and Tom Heitz research notes that on June 4, 1838, the first recorded baseball game in Canada was played Near Beachville‚ Ontario‚ residents watch the first recorded game of baseball in Canada. Of course this is quite an issue for the mythical Abner Doubleday for he is ...

International baseball is not a new occurrence, and in the years before the First World War, major league teams played numerous exhibition games overseas. The focus is on Cuba, and the year is 1911, Three major league teams visited the Island Nation in November and December & January 1911-12; the World Champion Philadelphia A’s, their World Series rivals the New ...

As November means the end of the post season, the barnstorming season begins. In 1908 a special all star team, called the Reach All-American Stars began their 90 day journey from the shores of San Francisco to Hawaii, Japan, China, Manila, Hong Kong, and Honolulu before returning to San Francisco in time for Spring Training. It was the third major ...

For years the Pacific Coast League played the longest schedule in baseball, running from early April to the last week of October, with some years ending November 1st. In 1912 the season ended on the 28th with the Oakland Oaks winning the six team league title by 5 full games, 112 -79 .539 with Vernon Tigers coming in second at ...

With the Giants winning their Eighth World Series Title, or 10 if one includes the two from 1888 &1889, it brings forth the famous last stanza from Casey at the Bat. Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright; The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light, And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children ...

Today was the day Monte Ward joined the Baseball Tourists en-route. Ward had arrived late for his Giants had just gotten done with their successful 1888 World Series in Missouri, playing against the American Association Browns. It was the Tourists second game in Denver, and a day of acclimation did wonders for the players and the game, as Sporting Life ...

On this day in 1888 The All-American Stars were playing the Chicago National Leaguers on their American wing of their Around the World Tour of 1888-1889. This was Game 8 and was played at River Front Park in Denver Colorado. The score was Chicago 16 – All Americans 12. The Hitting Hero was the mainstay of the Chicago Nationals of ...

In the age when the Beaneaters were the toast of Boston and kings of baseball, their leader was once derided as being too small to play ball with the comment, “we already have a batboy.” Yet this diminutive player soon became one of the games titans, and set the highest single season batting average, and winning the Triple Crown. As ...

Discovered by Connie Mack from the halls of Columbia University Eddie Collins began his 25 year playing career as Eddie T Sullivan on September 17, 1906 on the south side of Chicago for the grand old Philadelphia Athletic. It was a pseudonym created to protect his amateur status and hid his collegiate status. It was rather common at the time, ...

Today the hitting hero is Giants Centerfielder Hank O’Day. Yet it also presents a great discrepancy that needs adjudication. On this day he led his team to a 6-2 victory over the then American Association Brooklyn Bridegrooms. A few years later when the National League absorbed the better American Association teams, the Bridegrooms will become the Dodgers. Thus, this game ...

As we know, that baseball was not “invented” but evolved as a game most notably in the baseball incubator of the New York Metropolitan area. While the Giants –Dodgers rivalry commenced with 1889 “World Series” between the National League Champion Giants and the American Association’s Brooklyn Atlantics, won by the Giants 5 games to 3; the baseball rivalry between Brooklyn ...

Today in the 1911 World Series the first World Series nickname was created. John Franklin Baker entered this World Series Frank “Home Run” Baker left this World Series. He was the hitter of the day back in August when he was a Yankee. Today Baker is in his glory days with the A’s of Philadelphia. 1911 was a good year ...

Given the intensity of the game, some World Series heroes are lesser known players who rise to the occasion. The hero of the day fits that description and in the 1912 World Series that batter was Olaf Hendriksen. One such player has perhaps the most unique background. He is the only World Series player born in Denmark. When he was ...

Yesterday was the last time the Cubs won a championship, today is the first time the Yankees did. On October 15, 1923, in the Polo Grounds the Yankees beat the Giants, 4 games to 2, and won their first World Series. The batter of the day was Yankees outfielder, Bob Meusel, who hit a two-out double with the bases loaded ...

Leading the way in 1908 World Series was the irascible second baseman, Johnny Evers. He went 3 for 4 that cold afternoon in Detroit. His one run scored and one RBI accounted for all the runs the Cubs would need as they won the game 2-0 and the Series 4-1. In each of the four Cubs victories Evers had at ...

October 13 is the day for the Pittsburgh Pirates, because three unique World Series events occurred on this day.   In the 1960 World Series, at 3:36 PM with one swing of a bat joyful elation was unleashed in the steel city like never before. 1909 was the Year of the Pittsburgh Pirates. On the first day of the year, ...

Today was the day the Indians won their first World Series, in fact the Indians won their first world series before the Yankees won their first. The Indians beat the Dodgers in a best of nine series 5 games to 2. Yet it is a World Series remembered more for three individual plays, a crime, and the series played in ...

If your team is from Beantown and wears red stockings, October 11 is your day; for better or worse. In the era before baseball playoffs this day was a day of joy, however, with the expanded post-season, the 11th is the day to avoid. In the playoffs it’s a day of angst as the team is winless: ’86, ‘02, ‘07 ...

In 1887 the season ended on the ninth so the Batter of the day for the 10th is Tip O’Neil. He played just ten seasons from 1883 to 1892, with the Gothams, Browns, Pirates and Reds. His best years were from 1885 to 1889 with the American Association St. Louis Browns. The Browns, who later became the Cardinals were the ...

Clarence Williams of the Cuban Giants went 3 for 4 with two runs scored in an exhibition game between the Original Baltimore Orioles, and the best and first professional Negro Leagues team, the Cuban Giants. On this day the Cuban Colored Giants beat the original Baltimore Orioles in an exhibition game on Long Island in New York. I picked this ...

This October 8th illustrates the best and worst of the Baseball business.  And it ties together two Hall of Famers; Honus Wagner and Yogi Berra. First is the worst part of the Baseball business, it’s the selling of illegally gained or unethically altered memorabilia at auctions. Some of the more unique items have been stolen from public institutions such as ...

The World Series is the stage that etches great players into the national consciousness. The Babe set the mark for home runs in a World Series game today at three. In fact Ruth did it twice, 1926 and 1928, in the same park, Sportsman’s Park, and of course against the same team, the Cardinals. The first home run occurred in ...

October 5 is part of the baseball lexicon for an off the field and on field events. First at bat is the off-the field noteworthy events. Henry Chadwick, “the Father of Baseball” was born in Exeter, Devon, England on October 5, 1842.  He introduced the box score to baseball.  With his mighty pen his efforts to keep the game clean ...

Rather than being a post season date, in 1925 it was the last day of the season. Today is a day of infamy for Cubs fans for this proud franchise and the Team that won the first National League Pennant, and had for the first 49 seasons and never finished in last place. On this day the last day of ...

October 3 has been the date for epic contests between the Giants and Dodgers. While the current teams date from the 1889 World Series, New York and Brooklyn based teams have been playing against each other from the early days of baseball. While they are many more critical games in this rivalry, here are five games played on October 3. ...

It’s October, which means that it’s the month that belongs to the Yankees.  Baseball history contains more references perhaps to the Yankees on this day than any other team, it’s either the Yankees have just won, or somebody has done a superhuman effort and the Yankees lost. Such superhuman events are Sandy Koufax’s 15 strikeouts in leading the Dodgers to ...

Since it’s always good to start with The Bambino, today was the day in 1927 that number 60 was hit, cementing the legend and a establishing record that while broken still stands the test of time as the original home run record. In 1972, the Mets were in the Pittsburgh and more than happy to oblique the future Hall of ...

Today the focus is on batters and in this case the batting hero the day from September 29 comes from the 1942 Negro League World Series. The batting hero of the day is Barney Serrell of the Kansas City Monarchs. His 10 hits in a 4-game World Series ties the Babe’s record set in 1928. Serrell’s hitting lead the Monarchs ...

Yesterday’s Hitter Award goes to the Captain, Derek Jeter.  Though he only went 1 for 2 with an RBI, he ended a sure Hall of Fame career on a high note.  You will be missed Derek.  There will never be another player who plays with the respect for the game that you have.

September 28 was one of the busiest days in the history of the game. I want to highlight two items that represent the worst and best of the game before we get to the batters of the day. On the evil side of the game, today in 1920 with immunity given to their star witness, former White Sox pitcher, turned ...

In the long history of the game, I know of four people who have teams named for them. Two are indirect, and three more direct. For the indirect names we start in the 1880’s with the National League Gothams being renamed after a rousing victory against the Phillies, and a giant of the times, Roger Conner, a past Batter of ...

It seems the last week in September as the season is winding down for the teams that have not clinched a post season berth; the six month long team sport becomes a person game.   The relationships between players and fans comes to forefront as the realization that the season or a career is about to come to an end. Updike ...

On this day in 1931, baseball again rose to the occasion and performed a Charity Series in New. Unlike yesterday, in 1931 the Dodgers lost to the Giants. The round-robin playoff among New York City’s three major league teams, to raise money for the unemployed, concludes with Brooklyn losing to both the Giants and the Yankees at the Polo Grounds. ...

Yesterday’s Hitter Award goes to Baltimore Orioles outfielder Nick Markakis.  Markakis was a very tough out for Yankee pitchers last night.  He went 4 for 5 with a homerun and 3 RBI’s, as the Orioles held on to beat the Yankees 5-4.

Yesterday’s Hitter Award goes to the Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista.  Bautista was perfect last night, going 3 for 3, hitting his 35th homerun of the year and also driving in 2.  The Blue Jays blasted the Mariners 14-4.

On this day back in 1883, Long John Reilly hit the cycle. What is more remarkable is this was the second cycle he hit this week, for hit for the cycle seven days ago on the 12th. He would end his career by being one of just three players to hit for the cycle three times.  The three for Big ...

There were a lot of good hitting performances last night, so picking out one was impossible.  I decided that Yesterday’s Hitter Award would be shared by two teammates who were unstoppable!  Colorado Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau and centerfielder Charlie Blackmon went a combined 8 for 9 last night with 2 home runs and 8 RBI’s.  They out hit, and ...

In a game not noted of its pitching, Red Ruffing is the batter of the day. It was a nail bitter with the Yankees winning 7-6 in 10 innings at St. Louis’s Sportsman’s Park. The St. Louis star this day was Hall of Famer Goose Goslin who hit a double and triple in the losing cause. But it was the ...

Yesterday’s Hitter Award goes to New York Mets short stop Wilmer Flores.  Flores went 3 for 4 yesterday, with 2 home runs and 6 RBI’s.  It’s the second time this year that he has 6 RBI’s in one game! The Mets beat the Marlins 9-1.

On this day in 1924, Hall of Famer Jim Bottomley of the St. Louis Cardinals went 6 for 6 and bats in a record 12 RBI’s as the Redbirds took the nest of the Brooklyn Robins. Back then the Brooklyn Nationals called the Robins due to their manager last name Willie Robinson, and had a good year wining 92 – ...

Yesterday’s Hitter Award goes to Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Mark Trumbo.  Trumbo went 2 for 4 yesterday, with a homerun and 5 RBI’s.  Trumbo started Arizona’s scoring in the third with a Grand Slam, then finished it with a single to center in the seventh.  The Diamonbacks beat the Giants 6-2.

Yesterday’s Hitter Award goes to Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts.  Bogaerts went 3 for 4 yesterday, with a home run, 4 RBI’s, and 2 runs scored.  The Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 8-4.

Baseball has been played in Boston since 1871 as a professional sport. On this day in 1887, perhaps the first old-timers game was played in Beantown. With over 2,000 fans present, it’s clear the New Englanders have been baseball mad since the beginning of the sport. While the game was billed as a benefit for Jack Manning the outfielder of ...

Cy Who? Seymour who? Cy was short for given nickname cyclone, his given name was James Bentley Seymour, one of the best unknown ballplayers to play the game. Today in one of most unique hitting events occurred. In fact, in the 145 some years of professional baseball this has occurred only once. A father and son hit a home run ...