Common Hitting Flaws

During this past weekend’s showcase/skills camp I was responsible for morning player check in and to throw batting practice in the afternoon. One of the deals I made with the director of the camp was that my hitting coaches and myself could evaluate each hitter and then use those evaluations to entice some of the players to take private lessons. As the day progressed I began to notice that almost every hitter was suffering from the same 3 or 4 flaws.

I was blown away almost every hitter, most of which have private hitting coaches, all suffered from the same 3 or 4 flaws. The hitters who didn’t have these flaws in their swing were the hitters who looked like they had never played before. So not only did they share the same 3 or 4 flaws that the other hitters had but they had a whole list of other problems as well. But I just couldn’t believe that every athlete had the same problems. That none of their hitting coaches could recognize where these athletes could improve and then make the necessary adjustments to their swing.

Like I’ve said before I believe much of this comes from coaches who just don’t know but also It has to do with the fact that if a player’s numbers are good then we have this belief of, “If it aint broke don’t fix it”. The problem is that regardless of what your numbers or accolades are it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have mastered the skills necessary to succeed at the next level. There is always room for improvement. You can always produce more power, more consistency, more repeatability. You can always improve your mind which will greatly improve your performance. There is always something to be worked on. So don’t assume that just because you hit .400 or were all this or all that, that you’ve got hitting mastered.

A couple of other theories that prevent coaches and athletes from striving to find higher levels of performance is the “Natural Born Talent Theory” and also the belief that, “Everyone’s different”. We have this belief that one thing might work for one person but it might not work for another. Unfortunately this is looking at it from an extremely limited perspective. Sure everyone is different and somethings work better for some than they do with others, but the main reason behind that is that they may have different flaws. Most corrections from hitting coaches merely cover up other flaws. They don’t fix the real problem. So in that regard one “fix” might work for one but not another.

If you look at hitting from a biomechanics perspective then everyone, whether they are 5’8” or 6’5”, are biomechanically the same. If you want to generate power it’s important that you do certain specific things to ensure that you are in the strongest position possible at the point of contact. Look at coaches in other sports. Take sprinters for example: There are specific ways of using your body to get the maximum speed out of it. Sprinting coaches don’t tell one athlete to run one way and another athlete to run a different way just because, “everyone’s different”. There has been proven ways to generate speed and maximize efficiency and coaches teach their runners accordingly. The same is in weight lifting. When you are working out there are specific mechanics you must perform in order to avoid injury and maximize strength. It is the same in hitting. If you want to maximize power and consistency then there are specific mechanics that need to be performed.

Unfortunately most athletes never learn these mechanics and as a result success is left up to physical size, strength, dumb luck, or anything else that might lend credibility to the “natural talent theory”. So what were the flaws each hitter was suffering from? What was it that each hitter could do better to drastically increase their level of success?

Base- I didn’t see a single player that had a strong base in their stance. This is primarily due to the “weight shift theory”. Most, if not all hitters are taught to rock their weight to their back leg during the stride and load phase and then it will transfer slightly forward during the swing. This has caused most hitters to have a weak base. They believe that the weight shift back and then forward produces power. The problem is it puts them in a weaker position at the point of contact. When a hitter has a strong base their swing is more repeatable and they are able to produce more power with less effort.
Hip Separation- In addition to a strong base there wasn’t a single player at the camp that got sufficient hip separation. This is an aspect of the swing that not many people talk about. Oh sure, we know that the power comes from the hips and that we must turn our hips to swing but what many fail to realize is that there has to be separation between the hips and hands in order to maximize power production and enable you to maximize your bat path. So more than just turning your hips make sure that you are getting separation between the hips and hands.
Bat Path- The bat path is one of the most difficult thing for the untrained eye to see. Most hitters believe they have a “short” swing but what they don’t realize is just how much shorter and direct they could be. My belief is that this is due to the old teaching technique of “get the hands inside”. While this is good advice what most coaches don’t realize is just how to accomplish this goal. As a result most hitters pull the bat through the zone trying to force the hands “inside” the ball. This forces the bat head down, lengthening out the swing, putting the hitter in a weaker position at the point of contact, and causing the hitter to produce top spin. In addition a small fluctuation in the degree of the bat path creates a massive result in what the flight of the ball will be. Understand that just because you may have a “short” swing doesn’t mean you are as direct as you could be. Worry less about being “inside” the ball and more about being direct to the ball.
Extension- Finally I didn’t see a single player who had good extension through the ball. This is primarily due to the bat path. If you bat path isn’t where it should be then you won’t be able to extend through the ball as well as you should. Most hitters cut themselves short and finish their swing shortly after they make contact. Using the analogy of a punch think of a boxer finishing his punch immediately after making contact with his opponent. The boxer wouldn’t hit his opponent very hard as he wouldn’t be transferring all of his available energy into the body of his opponent. The very same thing is true in hitting. When a hitter finishes his swing too early then he doesn’t transfer all of his available energy into the ball. Which limits the amount of power he is able to produce. This is important not only for hitting home-runs but also for producing more hits. The more energy transfered into the ball, the faster the ball exits the bat, the faster it gets through the infield or shoots through the gap.

In order for the game to change and become better then it’s up to us as players and coaches to pay more attention to the details that create success. There’s an old saying that if we do things the same way we’ve always done them then we’ll continue to get the same results. Our game has become stagnant, it isn’t open to new techniques or new ideas and as a result it lends more credibility to the “natural talent theory” leaving success up to luck or size or strength. Unfortunately many athletes aren’t living up to the potential that resides inside them and even sadder still is that they won’t realize all of their dreams. If you want to perform better, if you want to reach the levels of performance you know you can reach then you must pay attention to the details. Don’t be satisfied with your current level of performance or just try and explain it away by making excuses about your size or genetics. Change these four aspects of your swing and you will begin to produce results that you once didn’t believe were possible.

The Truth about “Showcase Camps”

What a crazy weekend I had. This past Sunday I was asked to work at a college showcase/skills camp. I wasn’t there to do any instruction but just check people in and then abuse my arm by throwing two hours of batting practice. The camp ran from 7am-5pm and featured 16 college coaches. I could not believe how many athletes showed up and from how many different areas. The camp was held here in Southern California and while most of the athletes were local or from just a short drive away there was athletes from Northern California, Arizona, and Nevada in attendance. The basis of the camp was supposed to be that the athletes receive instruction from top college coaches and at the same time were able to showcase their skills in front of these schools.

150 athletes showed up, all of them believing that they had been invited. That these schools were actually interested in recruiting them and that they had a legitament opportunity to showcase themselves and impress these coaches with their abilities. I myself bought into the idea that this camp was something more than just a money maker. I went into the day thinking that this camp was a genius idea. I mean not only is the coach that is running it going to make some good money but he also has the opportunity to get all of the athletes he is interested in recruiting in one place at one time which would only make his job as a recruiter easier.

As the camp progressed it became painfully clear to me that this camp was nothing more than an opportunity to make a lot of money and fast. There were only a few recruitable kids at this camp and the level of instruction that was offered was terrible. Of course the consumers were happy, each one leaving the camp believing they received top level instruction from some of the country’s top college coaches and that they just showed each school that they were deserving of attending and receiving a scholarship to a Division 1 university.

As I walked away from the experience I was bothered by how these coaches preyed upon the dreams of these athletes. Each athlete dreaming of earning the opportunity to play major college athletics and each coach with no intention of signing a single player at that camp. My thoughts raced back to my experiences in college and professional baseball. Each showcase event you attend you are filled with the feeling of hope. You feel excited for the opportunity that awaits you and you just know that someone at this camp will see you and want you to sign with them. Sadly, the majority of the coaches and scouts have checked out long before they even take a look at you. Either because they looked at your bio and have already made a judgement on you before ever seeing you play or because they don’t really have a need for you and they are just attending the event to collect a paycheck. Which is what happened at this camp. I spoke with one coach of a major university who told me that their recruiting is done on players who graduate in 2010 and 2011 and they only need two more players for 2012. Which means they only need to recruit two more high school sophomores before they’re done recruiting for 2012! That’s crazy, especially when you consider that the majority of the kids at this event were seniors doing everything they could to get noticed.

My frustration stems from the blatened disregard for the feelings of the athletes. Most of these showcase events take advantage of the athlete’s desire to play at the next level. They play off of the athlete’s and the parent’s desperation to get noticed or get a scholarship usually costing the family thousands of dollars when there really was never any ligitament chance of the athlete getting recruited.

So here is how it works. Athletes in their desire to play will sign up for websites that claim to help them get recruited. Coaches then go on these sites and download hundreds of email addresses from the athletes who have signed up. They then tailor an email to the athlete or the parents making it sound as though their school is legitimately interested in the athlete, which usually isn’t very hard to do as most athletes and parents (because of their ego) are so excited of “being recruited” that they are willing to believe that this coach really is interested in them. The email will then invite them to their “showcase” event which only costs an arm and a leg but “you might get a scholarship out of it”.

I think it’s important for you to understand the real process of recruiting. What really goes on and what you can expect when you do start getting calls, letters, and emails. I’m tired of seeing good athletes taken advantage of and dumping tons of money into something that isn’t going to produce a result. So here are somethings to think about.

If you are entering the second semester of your senior year and you still have not committed to a school your dream of playing at a major Division 1 school is probably over. Unless you attend a Juco and transfer in two years most major Div. 1 schools have already signed their players years in advance. Are there exceptions? Of course, I’m just saying it’s not likely that they are actively recruiting you. You should consider a smaller school, a lesser known Div. 1 or consider attending a Div. 2, 3, or NAIA school. I know it doesn’t sound as sexy but other than your own ego the level in which you play doesn’t really matter.
Just because you receive a letter, email, or phone call from a college coach it doesn’t mean they are recruiting you. With the internet today there are multiple player lists available to coaches. Many times a coach will access one of these list and just mass mail a number of players. Many times they go based on stats and accomplishments but if you’ve read any of my other blogs then you will know that neither is a good way to determine ability. I once played with a guy who his senior year in high school was first team all state and lead the state of California in hitting. We recruited him based on his numbers and when he got to our school we quickly discovered that this player could hardly hit in batting practice. He even didn’t make it one semester. You compare that to myself who never won any awards or even played a single day of varsity baseball but was able to play four years of college and for 5 professional teams then you will understand that your stats really don’t mean much. They send out these mass emails to players with decent stats to try and entice them to attend the “showcase” camps.
Be wary if you are asked to attend a “showcase” camp where you have to pay to attend. In my experience with my players who have been legitimately recruited and signed they were never asked to pay for the showcase event. The schools that recruit them did have them attend their showcase event but it was never one they had to pay for. In addition the event they attended didn’t have anyone else who paid either. Meaning that the schools obviously have multiple events, one for the players they are really recruiting and one for the players they ask to pay.
College recruiting has become a science. Colleges have coaches whose main responsibility it is to find players and convince them to come to their school. As such the chances of you getting seen without attending these events is very high. Now the smaller schools don’t necessarily have the budget to travel all over and recruit which works in your benefit. They are more likely to sign you off of your stats or a video which means either way you don’t need to attend an event. The major schools probably won’t sign someone out of a camp and the small schools aren’t there so what’s the real reason to go? Unless you attend an event hosted by a highly reputable company (like Perfect Game) a high profile school probably won’t sign you out of a camp. Even if you attend the PG event the likelihood of you getting a scholarship immediately is highly unlikely. Most of the time the big showcase events just peak the school’s interest in you and then they will follow you more closely. But it is a combination of things that gets you signed not just the “showcase” camp.

So does this mean all showcases are bad? Well no, there are some reputable companies out there (I can only think of two) that major universities will attend and recruit players. However you are better served to play on a quality travel team and attend showcase tournaments over showcase camps. If you play in these events, play travel ball, high school, and so on chances are you’ve already been seen by college coaches a number of times. If you are nearing the end of your high school career and there is still no interest don’t be frustrated, it’s not over, you just need to adjust your approach and begin to consider smaller universities and schools in less populated areas, such as the midwest or the northeast.

By no means do I mean to discourage you about your chances of playing in college. My goal here is to educate you on the process so that you and your parents can spend your money on things that are more beneficial for your career. Spending your money and time on quality instruction is far more beneficial. Playing at a small school in no way hurts your chances of playing professionally. What it does is allow you time to develop your skills and since baseball is a skill sport this time is valuable. Don’t get caught up in the ego part of the game. Don’t put importance on the name on the front of the jersey when choosing a school or even getting excited about getting a letter from that school. The name on the back of the jersey is what matters after all it’s your career and you are the only one who will really care about it. Coaches are concerned about their careers and if they don’t feel like you can help them win or make money then they don’t have any use for you. Understand the process and do what’s best for you. Coaches will find you and by no means do you need to spend thousands of dollars trying to be seen. Chances are they already know who you are.

Holiday Infield/Catching Clinic

This year's Holiday Infield Clinic will be on Tuesday December 29th from 10am-1pm at Sunny Hills High School in Fullerton, Ca. In addition to focusing on infield fundamentals we are also opening our clinic up to catchers. The infielders will be instructed by UPB Founder Ryan Dambach while the catchers will be instructed by UPB's Director of Catching Instruction Kenny Dobbs. The cost of the clinic is $75 and is open to athletes 14 and up. Anyone interested should contact Ryan Dambach at: ryan@unlimitedperformancebaseball.com.

Holiday Infield Clinic

This year we will be hosting our annual Holiday Infield Clinic. The clinic will be a one day event lasting 2-3 hours depending on attendance. Right now we are trying to get the field reserved but our plan is to either hold the clinic on Saturday December 19th or Sunday January 3rd. Last year we had a great turnout and all of our athletes learned a lot. We will let you know when more info is available. The clinic will be run by UPB founder Ryan Dambach and we hope to have some special guest instructors attending.

UPB Still at 100%

For the second year in a row every freshman athlete that UPB has consistently worked with has made their high school team. In our 2 years of existence UPB has had 100% of their incoming freshman make their high school baseball team. Congratulations to the following athletes:

Trevor Townsend Yorba Linda High School
Tyler Maloney Corona Del Mar High School
Tyler Beutel Mater Dei High School
Carlos Quintana Mater Dei High School


Also a quick player update of two of our college athletes. Taylor Richardson is finishing up his first semester at Oklahoma State University. All reports are that Taylor had an unbelievable fall and just may have won the starting centerfielder job as a true freshman. Alison Kooistra from Boston College is entering her junior year at BC. Going into this fall she was slated to bat 7th for the Screaming Eagles softball team. But after a great offensive fall and a meeting with her coaches where she basically told them to leave her swing alone (I love it) she is now slated to bat second in the line up. A goal she had set for herself at the beginning of the summer. Great job to Taylor, Alison, and our freshman class keep up the good work. We here at UPB are proud of you.

UPB Development Pyramid #2 (General Physical Development)

When an athlete reaches the General Physical Development portion of the pyramid they are beginning to learn about the aspects of their skill however they still don’t take ownership of the development of that skill. They may attend private lessons but once the lesson is over they don’t give what they learned a second thought. There is no extra work done on the part of the athlete and they usually have to start over from square one at every lesson.

You can find athletes at this level in every level of baseball but they are usually found from high school to the major leagues. Their mechanics are better than those at the “Natural Talent” level but they are still below average. Athletes here exhibit a good performance followed by a poor performance. They show flashes of what is possible but they have no real understanding for either their successes or their failures. They may know what they need to do in a particular skill such as “stay back” or “stay inside” but they won’t have an understanding as how to get themselves to execute what it is they need to do.

These athletes usually suffer from the ego mindset. They believe that they are they last performance. Many will lie and over exaggerate their abilities or their accomplishments to fit in or feel like they are the athlete they desire to be. Their self confidence is based on at bat to at bat or inning to inning which means they really don’t have any self confidence. If things go well they feel good if they don’t they feel terrible. They experience extreme highs and lows in both their performance and in their emotions and may be prone to outbursts of anger during games.

They are limited in their thinking and believe that if they hit .300 then this means they are a good player and that they don’t need to improve. As such they may have success for the majority of their lives but when they first begin to experience struggles they usually have nothing to go back to. They will make excuses and ultimately quit because they, “just weren’t good enough”.

In order to move to the next level on the pyramid these athletes need to begin to take ownership of their physical skills. They need to do the extra work on their own and begin to think about what it is they are being taught.