What it Takes to Play Like a Pro in Baseball

Today's topic will be on the 13 to 17 years-of-age range. This could also go over into your 18th year, too, though.

First things first (and this I can not say it enough): good school habits and study habits are a must! Do not miss too much school time, whether it be for practice or not, as it can affect grades adversely. Students cannot play baseball at their school if grades slip below around a 2.5 GPA (usually).

The player also needs to eat right (getting the salads at McDonalds is not healthy, either) and get a long, quality sleep every night. This is for both school and baseball, as the body and the mind work together to produce results. Without one, the other is doomed!

Now is the time that the players in the teen age group will begin to notice the pitch-out play, and if the player is a pitcher than he or she will need to work on the pitch-out to the bases. The players will learn the dos and don'ts of base stealing around this age.

To The Next Level (8 to 12 Years)

OK we talked about the 5, 6 and 7 year old Baseball players.

Let’s now talk about the 8 through 12 year old baseball players and what they need to be doing to make it on a team and the next level in that area and to make it onto the ALL-STAR team at the end of the season.

1. Get the right amount of sleep.
2. Eat right.
3. Get a daily work out (this is for the off season only), so you are in top shape when regular season practices start. When you do your work out in the off season, you will be in the top of the group when it comes to being ready, and that could mean a starting spot on a team.
4. Study how baseball is played and played right, like watch videos on "The Right Way to Play Baseball" and read on it as well. When you go to your next practice, and when I say “practice” I mean practice, because that is the only time you should try your new moves you think you learned from the internet or by reading, and when you feel like you mastered it is when you take what you learned to your next game and see if it works there too, now you just made yourself a better ball player, and that's why they/we call it practice.   
5. And lastly, but mostly, important is your school work. Start now so you have good study habits for high school, because in high school you have to have a 2.00 GPA (grade point average) or better to play baseball and/or any other sport (read up on CIF rules) for high school sports. Also, this would be a good time for the 11 and 12 year old to start practicing on the "lead off" (on the bases) and the "steal".

PITCHERS: You need to start learning the "pitch-out" to the bases. I know... I know. You don't start doing it until you are 13 years old, but you need to start now to be ready for that next level. Stand out to the coaches in try-outs, too.

Note: ALWAYS take something to drink, preferably water or some kind of water replacement. No, I don't mean sodas or energy drink.

TODAY'S QUIZ

Where was the first Major League Baseball night game played?

Pujols is an Angel

I am going to turn to the MLB for this post, and the only reason why is because a momentous event happened on December 8th, 2011, at about 4 AM: Albert Pujols and the Los Angeles Angels agreed to a $254 million deal today, signing him on to with the halos and officially nabbing him from the World Series winners, St. Louis Cardinals.

With that agreement, Pujols becomes the second most-paid player in baseball, and only the second to break the $200 million line in Major League Baseball history. That is a lot of cash, and nothing to joke about, especially when it comes to a player like Albert Pujols.


This is where I have to say that the Angels did well signing on Pujols. The decision is one that definitely would have hurt the Angels to turn down, even if he is getting a lot more than I think he should. However, we do not control that part of baseball and, hey, if the players can get that much, then go for it. Back to Pujols, though.


He is the one that I said in the last World Series needed to be walked (readers of my blog may remember that post), and the manager did just that the next game, three times that night. As a coach and a pitcher, I learned that when you can't strike 'em out, you gotta walk 'em! In the end, that was a great game.


So I was rooting for the Texas Rangers during the Series, but my favorite team of all is the Angels. If I had to put my favorite teams in a line-up, I would say that the AL West Los Angeles Angels top it off for sure, followed also by the AL West Texas Rangers. Next is the NL Central Chicago Cubs, and finally the AL East Baltimore Orioles.


So this is one of (if not the) best players in the sport right now is going to my favorite team in baseball. Well, I do not think there is any better way to get my pumped up for the 2012 season, and who knows, maybe this will be the year the Angels take their second world series. If that is the case, I will try my hardest to make it the first World Series game I go to.


I cannot wait to see this year's start at spring training, and to see how the Angels and Pujols work out together on the field. I really hope it is like a match made in heaven, and the Angels pitchers can hold up as well while the rest of the team gets energized by Pujols' presence in the club house as their teammate. If all goes well, he may just get them to play on the next level, if you know what I mean.