Do You Know When Not To Slide Into Second Base?
If you are a runner on first base and a ground ball is headed to the second baseman, make a quick observation as to where the second baseman is going to field the ball. If the second baseman has to go pretty far to his left to field the grounder, it would be very wise […]
Baseball Tips On Hitting: This Probably Gets My Vote For Number One!
The directness of the baseball swing should be right near the top of your list of baseball tips on hitting if you are seriously trying to be a very successful baseball hitter or if you are coaching baseball hitters. You must swing directly to the baseball and the front elbow should be pointed downward when […]
Baseball Tips On Hitting: Productive Outs Win Ballgames!
Sometimes it’s a little thing that helps win a baseball game. It’s not always what makes the headlines in the newspapers or something that draws the most attention. “Productive outs” definitely fit into the category of little things that aren’t so little at all. Possibly what you thought was a very big hit in a […]
How To Advance An Important Base Runner Can Win The Game!
With an important runner on second base and no outs, try to drive the ball the opposite way if you are a right-handed batter or try to pull the ball if you are a left-handed batter. You have a much better chance of advancing an important runner on a grounder to the second baseman or […]
No Glove Fielding Drill In Little League Baseball
Growing up playing baseball, I always loved the infield. I started out playing shortstop and then ultimately ended up playing second base. I loved fielding grounders. It was my favorite part about practice and come game time, it was always exciting to have a grounder come my way. Sometimes though, as I think everybody […]
Little League Baseball Scorekeeping
Have you ever been asked to do the scorekeeping for your kids’ team at a little league baseball game? Maybe it’s one game or maybe it’s the whole season. Either way, were you totally confused when you got the book and looked inside to see that it wasn’t necessarily what you were thinking? If this […]
Baseball Umpiring In High School: How To Communicate With Your Partner!
For the many who have read my many articles on playing and coaching baseball, hopefully you believe that I have a pretty good understanding of how baseball should and should not be played. At least I hope you feel that way. Now that I have become a certified high school umpire, I have found that […]
Baseball Umpiring In High School: You Blew The Game Coach And Not Me!
I umpired an extremely competitive and closely fought high school baseball game a couple of days ago. My assignment was to be the field umpire and my partner was assigned to home plate. We had our pregame conference with both head coaches and they both seemed like terrific guys. We shake hands and we all […]
Deep Sleepers: Catcher and the Infield
A few weeks ago Chris McBrien offered a great list of fantasy baseball sleepers, as well as an excellent explanation of their role on your team for the 2012 season. However, as we all know, you can never be too prepared for your fantasy baseball draft! With that said, I have decided to dive in […]
Keystone Keepers: Fantasy Baseball Sleeper Second Basemen in 2012
Second base is an interesting position for fantasy baseball owners to be sure. There are very few elite players at the position (Robinson Cano andDustin Pedroia), so it is often a position that is left until the later rounds to be filled on most fantasy squads. As a result, finding a fantasy sleeper pick at second base can go a long way to […]
The Hit And Run Play: How To Execute It Perfectly!
Starting at square one, it is the responsibility of the batter to swing at anything, no matter where the pitch is located. If possible, hit the ball to the opposite side, whether it’s toward the second baseman if you are a right-handed hitter or toward the shortstop if you are a left-handed hitter. At the […]
Top of Phillies Lineup vs. Bottom of Phillies Lineup
We all knew that losing Utley and Werth would hurt the Phillies offense, and losing Ruiz just exacerbated the issue. Their injuries have created a gaping hole in the bottom of the Phillies lineup. But there is a silver lining to the ineptitude of the last four hitters: the 2011 Phillies team […]
Daniel Murphy: The Savior at Second Base
The Mets have found a second baseman, and his name is Daniel Murphy. Historically, the Mets have had trouble finding second basemen. With the exception of guys like Edgardo Alfonzo, Wally Backman and Felix “The Cat” Millan, there has not been much stability to the position. Recently, it’s been comical. […]
Fantasy Baseball Digging Deep: Desperate Times, Desperate Measures
We’re sitting in mid-August and the chase for fantasy pennants are in full throttle. Several trade deadlines have passed, the main 2010 surprises have already been snatched up and most of the impact rookies have been claimed as well. Who are the guys, especially in deep and competitive leagues, that can provide you with some […]
Akadema’s Praying Mantis Catcher’s Mitt, Designed by Hall of Famer Gary Carter
Here is the next installment in my series of recommended Akadema Gloves. This, like the last one earlier this month (the Prodigy AOZ 91) was designed by a Hall of Famer, this time, catcher Gary Carter who use to play for the Expos, Mets, Giants and Dodgers before finishing his playing career back with the […]
Mariners On The Verge of Signing Chone Figgins. Whither Adrian Beltre?
he AP reports that Chone Figgins has signed a deal with the Seattle Mariners that would guarantee him $36 million over 4 years, with a vesting option for a 5th year to make the deal worth up to $45 million. Figgins would likely be the Mariners opening day third baseman and slide nicely into the […]
Playing Good Idea/Bad Idea with the Cubs Offseason
It’s really hard for me in the midst of a brutal Chicago Bears season to take a step back and relive a brutal Cubs season. What a disappointment 2009 was for the Chicago Cubs. So much anticipation, so few results. I posted my thoughts on Derek Lee and his contributions to the Cubs season in […]
Free Agent Tracker: 2B
The market for second baseman in the offseason is one of the few that have significantly more supply than demand. Last season, players like Orlando Hudson entered the offseason expecting a major pay raise, and didn’t get it because the economy caused several free agents to remain unsigned for most of the offseason. Hudson is […]
The Tommy John Interview: Part 3
Tommy John and His Thoughts on the Game Today I started off the conversation in part 1 talking about how he became affiliated with the increasingly popular children’s book, “A Glove of Their Own”. Part 2 was a conversation on Tommy’s great career (in my humble opinion, he should be inducted into the Baseball Hall […]
Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Focus: Three Players To Sell High On
In my last Fantasy Focus, I outlined three pitchers whose slow starts made them prime buy-low candidates. This week I’m going to nominate three players whose hot starts make them excellent sell-high targets. Keep in mind that obvious choices, such as Kevin Millwood, will be left off the list. I would like to think that […]
Arizona Diamondbacks Off Season Report
Season Wrap Up After a red hot start to the 2008 season, the team in the desert cooled off come June and never really struck fear into anyone in the NL West from that point forward, but theacquisition of LF Adam Dunn must have turned a few heads though. April did show a look into […]
