Life as a low-level professional ballplayer is pretty sweet. How would I describe it in one word? Lazy.   Read the rest of this entry »

When you succeed, go out the next day and work even harder; hard work was what got you there. If you press, you’ll ensure that your breakthrough didn’t occur by happenstance.

When you fail, go out the next day and work even harder; your work ethic is the only thing of which you have full control. Understand that your preparation is the hand with which you grasp your own destiny.

Satisfaction incubates mediocrity.

Need to get stretched out and ready to go in a hurry? Don’t have time for a big, full-body stretch? You’re in luck; I have a video for you with 5 great stretches that are ideal for baseball players, and can be done with comprehensive flow in a short time.

I don’t do a lot of videos, partly because I don’t have an omnipresent assistant and partly because I prefer to lay things out in writing. But, my friend and strength coach Nick Tumminello and I made a little how-to before I left the city for my flatter, more opportunistic midwestern town.

So check this out, and hopefully you learn a few things about the sleeper stretch, hip mobility, thoracic mobility and a few things you might have been doing incorrectly.

It’s great to go to the mound, fully rested, and have your entire arsenal ready and able to dice up a lineup. Unfortunately, few of us take the mound under such utopian circumstances, and we pitchers usually toe the bump with less-than-perfect stuff. Less-than-perfect is standard; however some of those days, you just plain suck. But, you just can’t give up when your curve won’t bite, your changeup doesn’t change, and your fastball has the life of a 35-year old playing World of Warcraft in his parent’s basement. So how do you go out and win when you haven’t got much? Read the rest of this entry »

I feel that there is a ton of value in sharing stories about coping with injury. I’m ashamed to say that this section of my site has not taken off like I had hoped, but nonetheless, everyone goes through injuries during a long career in sports, and it’s good to know how things feel from someone who has lived it before.

One of my closest friends, fellow ballplayer and trainer, and occasion contributor to this site, Andrew Sacks, just underwent PCL surgery on his right knee. He is chronicling his recovery, which I think is a great idea – one that I wish I had done myself with my elbow. Unfortunately, Andrew has an even longer road than most, as his left knee needs at least one ligament replaced as well, so two or three months into rehab on his right, he is going to be on the surgeon’s table again to get his left knee repaired. For a lifetime athlete, he is in for a long battle with inactivity and rehab.

Apparently Andrew bruises easier than grandma.

So, check out his blog entitled Life After Knee Surgery. Andrew writes well, and if you’ve ever laughed at one of my random thoughts or jokes, then you’ll enjoy his brand of humor as well (we basically share that brand). And if you further find yourself wondering about the difficulties of going to the bathroom while in a straight-legged knee brace, look no further.

This is my first season pitching within a true 5-man rotation. In college and summer ball, there often are too many off-days to make the rotation stable. Weekend series in college mean that starters generally pitch once a week, giving ample time for physical and skill work in between outings.

But in the professional season, off-days are few and far between, and the rotation gives each starter 4 days to prepare for his next outing. Everyone is different in what he needs to prepare, but I’ll share my own preparation schedule that I feel gives me the best chance to succeed and stay strong throughout the season. Read the rest of this entry »

Some of the best philosophical and psychological writings on sport come from the ancient masters of Asian martial arts. One of my favorite books is The Unfettered Mind: Writings from a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman,
and it was written by a Zen monk named Takuan Soho in the 1600s. The lessons one can learn from this short (about 90 pages) book are applicable to all sports, especially those with a highly mental aspect that can cause a physical lapse in times of pressure (fighting sports, baseball pitching and hitting, golf, football kicking, etc.). While this book is short and in many parts very straightforward, it isn’t something most people would pick up and get much out of. Philosophy readings are difficult, and this is no exception, so most athletes are not going to find this an easy read while sitting in the clubhouse. But, I’m here to give you the Americanized version that you can take out onto the field with you today… Read the rest of this entry »

Every kid growing up playing baseball wants to someday be a pro; a Major Leaguer, really, but I guess being a minor leaguer counts too. Aside from living the dream, playing a fun kid’s game for money, and living devoid of the job responsibilities most of the world endures, there is one other, big perk: All the PB&J your face can handle. Read the rest of this entry »

I’m going to revisit a piece I wrote about eight months ago with regards to the ever-burning question: what drives you to train? If it’s a little dramatic, just bear with me and it will make sense once you finish reading.

I scream. Lights dance in my eyes with each step, and in this moment of primal agony I am propelled by just one thought: onward. My pounding legs nearly falter as another frenzied wave of fire courses through my legs – and then it’s all over. The tire sled skids to a stop. Clenched hands release as the metal links clatter dully on the concrete, my body following suit just moments later. Read the rest of this entry »

Starting pitchers are given plenty of time between outings to build a scouting report and game plan for facing their opponent. Our season started last week, which meant we had to figure out what our opposing hitters had on the fly. As an expansion team, we didn’t have scouting reports already laid out for us, so we were faced with assessing all of the hitters ourselves.

So as the pitchers leaned on the railing, watching the games, we bounced ideas off each other and our pitching coach about each hitter. Some of the things discussed were: Read the rest of this entry »