In this episode, we discuss the separation between parents and their players in the dugout. Some coaches recently were arguing on twitter about handing off drinks during a game, so Dan weighs in. Also discuss how much extra work to do following a bad outing, and should 11 year olds learn sliders? To submit a […]
EP88 Parents Giving Their Kid a Gatorade in the Dugout? Is It a Big Deal? Read More »
To submit a question for the Q&A segment, email a voice recording to Dan at hello@danblewett.com. Want to support the show? Buy a copy of Dear Baseball Gods on Kindle or Paperback, or listen on audiobook. Or, pick up Pitching Isn’t Complicated, his advanced-but-understandable pitching manual. Enroll in one of Coach Dan’s online pitching courses or his mental
Are olympic lifts good for baseball players–are they worth the risks? Should players swing at the first pitch of an at-bat? What does lifting look like after a baseball career comes to an end? These questions and more are answered on Dear Baseball Gods 86. To submit a question for the Q&A segment, email a
EP86 Olympic Lifts for Baseball, Swinging at the First Pitch & Lifting After Baseball Read More »
At some point in my athletic career I learned it: No one cares why you didn’t. You said you could — that you’d execute and get it done. But, you didn’t. So own it and accept the blame. You earned it, don’t pass the blame to someone beside you or beneath you. Take total ownership, then go fix
What Playing Through Pain Taught Me About Leadership & Excuses Read More »
Diamondbabble: when baseball coaches describe things in overly complicated ways. Why is the game overflowing with it? In this episode, Dan reads examples of diamondbabble from Twitter and explains the road forward. And, what should a pitcher be thinking on the first pitch of an at-bat? Lastly, should pitchers throw two different breaking balls? Or
I recently wrote and shared An Open Letter to Young White Athletes. This was what I’d say to a kid about what’s happening in America right now–the protests against racism and police brutality. A lot of people understood, but I also received a lot of criticism, notably a number of calls to “stick to coaching.”
EP84 – “Stick to Coaching” Read More »
“Hey Dan, I need to speak with you in my office.” I knew what that meant. I hadn’t been pitching well for a number of weeks, and we had just taken the bus back from Southern Maryland to our home ballpark in Long Island, New York. It was maybe 2am when we returned home from
What The Sports World Taught Me About Saying Goodbye Read More »
Baseball season arrived, then quit on us. But, this is a bigger heartbreak and a more confusing time than some parents may realize. Identity as an athlete is tricky, and in today’s episode we dive into why so many ballplayers are struggling, how identity as athletes comes into play, how to identify work ethic, and
EP83 – Why We Actually Miss Baseball and What To Do About It Read More »
Dear Athlete, I was you before I hung up my cleats and left my jersey hanging with a lonely drape in my locker. In the last decade, I’ve coached many like you. In doing so, I always seemed to take on an unofficial role as explainer of adult life. Growing up is hard, and I
An Open Letter To Young White Athletes Everywhere Read More »
The slide step is a pretty straightforward thing, if it’s taught correctly. The thing is, though, that most coaches teach it incorrectly, and/or don’t have a real sense of what’s necessary and good from the stretch. In this short post, we’ll go over what we do and don’t want from our slide step pitching mechanics,
Slide Step Pitching Mechanics: Learn How to Do it Right Read More »