Baseball/Softball Coach’s Corner

I would first like to start off  saying that I am a pitching coach at a high school in Omaha, Ne and I am a big believer in taking care of shoulders as well as elbows on my players whether or not they pitch. A sore arm of any kind needs attention.
 
We use a shoulder and elbow ice wrap from Elite Kold that is easy to use and put on.
 
The initial freeze takes about 6-8 hrs then after that 3-4 hrs. The wraps should stay frozen for up to 24hrs  in an insulated container or the bag that can be ordered to store the wraps.
 
After wrapping the shoulder and elbow it will last for an hour or so. The player should use it for about 30 minutes, it will be cold but it works better then a bag full of ice that will leak and very hard to wrap with an ace bandage. This should be used right after pitching or if a player has a sore arm and also the next day. 
 
The Elite Kold shoulder ice wrap comes in 2 sizes an adult and youth. The investment is minimum considering the price of a doctor visit when you can do your own  preventive medicine.
 
If you have any other questions on arm care please fell free to drop us a line or email us at WWW.PrimetimeSportinggoods.com

HITMATRIX what does this mean to aspiring players of today?

Once again Easton leads the field of baseball bat manufacturing with a new hitting system called the HITMATRIX,  The world’s first complete hitting system.
Easton’s research and development team worked painstakingly with players and coaches to develop a system that would encompass every player’s swing at all different levels.

Baseball fanatics the 2009’s are now on the shelf.  The highly touted and long awaited HITMATRIX system is now available.  4 new bats from Easton specifically designed for different players at every level.  These weapons range from all composite two piece, to all aluminum one piece with different flexes and vibration reduction systems. 

HOW DOES THE HTMATRIX  SYSTEM WORK? 

Easton maximizes the hitting area along the length of barrel
Vibration reduction that eliminates sting and produces solid feedback to the hitter.
Different handle flexes for different swings and preferences.
Bat swing weights are varied to allow players maximum bat speed.

STEALTH IMX 2 piece all composite with a massive hitting area. Maximum energy transfer with a flex rating of –75.  A vibration reduction of –95. Independent flexion handle to barrel. 

SYNERGY IMX  one piece all composite (single system composite) 
Massive hitting surface area.  Ultimate balance and control, with a solid feel
Handle flex rating of –90.  Vibration reduction rating –85

SV 12  (CXN alloy/composite handle) awesome bat speed, max energy transfer handle to barrel.  Ultimate vibration reduction.  Handle flex rating –65, vibration reduction –90.

V12  (100% V12 hybrid scandium alloy)  
Superior bat speed.  Perfectly balanced for control and solid feel. 
Handle flex rating –100
Vibration reduction system rating –80

The wait is over. All you have to do now is talk to one of the PROFESSIONALS at Primetime sporting goods any they will help you with your weapon of choice!!!

College baseball is heating up. All of the college teams have their sights set on the college world series and the road to Omaha.

Demarini launches its 2009 line of bats. 2009 promises to be Demarini’s most potent line up ever introduced. Exclusively used by Division 1 Oregon State Division 2 University of Tampa and Division 3 Kean University National champions.

CF3 Pitch Black composite touts 22% more carbon fiber than any other bat on the market with no fillers added. This enables Demarini to double re-enforce a vertical and horizontal weave. This process provides the strongest and tightest composites resulting in overall more power.

The 2009 CF3 comes in high school / college 31/28 32/29 33/30 34/31
Senior league 29/21 30/22 31/23 32/24

2009 Demarini Voodoo Black. Demarini has used a half and half recipe on bats for a number of years. The 2009 Voodoo black is no exception. Boasting a pitch-black composite handle combined with new SC4 alloy. The Voodoo black promises to be a sure hit in the road to Omaha. Demarini Voodoo Black comes in High School/ College
31/28 32/29 33/30 34/31 Senior league -9 29/20 30/21 31/22 32/23
Senior league –10 29/19 30/20 31/21 32/22

Attack the ball with a Vengeance is the motto for Demarini’s new Vendetta bat for 2009.

Completely re-designed, the Vendetta uses RAILS technology to redefine bat handle technology bringing it into the future. 4 flat composite rails with varying flexes through the handle reduces vibration, increased bat speed and delivers the perfect combination of handle to barrel flexion. Exclusive SC4 alloy in the barrel rounds out this weapon of choice for the top Division 1 College teams throughout the country.

The Demarini Vendetta comes in High School/ College –3 31/28 32/29 33/30 34/31
Senior League –9 29/20 30/21 31/22 32/23

How many home runs do you have to hit to be a member of the WRECKING CREW?
A question you can pose to David Ortiz, Vladimir Guerrero or Miguel Cabrera.New from Nokona for 2007, authentic game day pro wood maple bats with the same specifications that David, Vlad and Miguel use. Nokona hand selects its maple used
for the WRECKING CREW from Pennsylvania forests. A maple billet that is harder and more durable than Northern white ash. Offered in 32, 33, 34 inch lengths featuring a 1 to 3 ounce length to weight ratio. 8 of the 9 bats offered come with a cupped end cap.

WRECKING CREW bats were a big hit (literally) at this year’s home run derby during the All Star break. David Ortiz and Vladimir Guerrero both used them in a power hitting display that night.

A great choice for a “wood bat tournament” that you may play in this season. WRECKING CREW bats would also be a very durable training bat choice. Excellent for the high school or college player that wants to learn how to swing a wood bat, or prepare themselves for a minor league system. Becoming a member of the WRECKING CREW is easy just pick up one of these bats and see for yourself!!!

For the first time ever, you can have the 7 time CY young award winning pitcher Roger Clemens as your personal pitching coach.  Parents spend literally tens of thousands of dollars a year nationally on personal pitching instruction for their child.

A truly amazing new product called Strike out Strippz is a glove that is placed on the throwing hand.  What makes the Strike out Strippz so great is the instant feedback the user gets from the first they use the Strike out Strippz.  Complete with a DVD containing over 60 minutes of instruction.  Taking you step by step through the drills with inventor and former major league pitcher Jack Kucek and 7 time CY Young award winner Roger Clemens.

Strike out is also a great tool to be used by every player on the field.  It teaches perfect throwing mechanics for infielders, outfielders and pitchers.  Working on the principals of muscle memory this provides instant feedback.

Strike out Strippz can be used anywhere.  It requires no baseball to throw.  No catcher is needed to catch for you.  Simply put the DVD into the player and follow along.  By developing muscle memory over repetition the body will start to perform the skill automatically.

“Our program uses Strike out Strippz, not only for our pitchers but for our position players too.  I fully endorse Strike out Strippz and recommend them for every program.”                                                                                     Danny Hall- head baseball coach GeorgiaTech
“We believe so much in our Strike out Strippz we guarantee results”
Jack Kucek- former major league pitcher and Inventor of Strike out Strippz

Hitters 1-9 are consistently making the pitcher earn every out while they methodically pick apart the other team’s game plan. Soon after wearing down the teams pitching staff out trout’s the Sand man to nail down another save. Get use to this because this is what the second half of the season looks like for the Yankees and for the rest of the American League. Truly fitting all awhile ESPN is showing The Bronx is burning the story about the 1977 New York team that had its shares of ups and downs and came together to win it all and returned to greatness.

I think this team has all the tools to do the same, and will. So just remember on July 17th you heard it first, the New York Yankees a true underachieving team of 2007 will make the play offs. Once they make the post season the slate will start clean as everyone’s record will be 0-0 symbolizing a fresh start. The post season magic that helped win 26 Championships will come to the forefront and once again the Yankees will be victorious. The giant has awoken.

The month of July is a busy one for fastpitch softball players. Most areas are running their state and regional tournaments. National tournaments are just around the corner. Many select or travel softball teams are gearing up for the next seasons team tryouts.

Some advice for girls that are trying to make a select or travel team they would really like to play on are:

1. Show your passion for the game at the tryout. GO ALL OUT !! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

2. Prior to the tryout work on the parts of the game you are the weakest at. Many girls will work on only the things that are fun or what they are good at. If you do that then your weaknesses will never become strengths.

3. Go into the tryouts CONFIDENT. Psychologically think you are just as good as the girls that are currently on that team.

4. When you are asked what positions you play, don’t limit yourself to 1 or 2 positions. If you have played a number of positions let them know how many positions you can play. This will not limit you and give you a better chance at making the team

5. When you are at the tryout HUSTLE, ( you are only there for a short period of time) do every drill fundamentally correct. (Good coaches can SEE your athletic ability. Good fundamentals shows them you can be taught and are easily coached.) On ground ball and fly balls throw the ball HARD. Arm speed and velocity are VERY hard to teach.

6. Remember you only have about 1 hour to 11/2 hours to show the coaches what type of player you are. Don’t forget you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Oregon State wrapped up an impossible season by winning their second straight National Championship. The Beavers found themselves a number 3 seed in the Regional after a disappointing regular season. They actually had a losing record in the Pac-10 conference. But they saved their best baseball for tournament time and was a team riding a hot streak when they got to Omaha.

So, I know what you are saying “How can this be such a shock if they won it last year?”

Well when Oregon State started spring practice they had to replace all but 2 position players and their top 3 pitchers. Two of whom combined for 26 of the teams 50 victories.

Not only did the Beavers come to Omaha and win they dominated. When North Carolina took a 1-0 lead in the second inning of the championship game, it marked the first time the Beavers trailed in 62 innings. The back to back titles marks the first time in 10 years a college baseball team has defended the title.

Has anyone ever heard of the UC Irvine Anteaters? I did not even know that an anteater actually existed. After two straight victories they are the toast of the town in Omaha, who tends to root for the under dog. Under Dog is a understatement for UC Irvine dropped their baseball program in 1992 only to be reinstated in 1999 vote of undergraduate students that increased quarterly fees by $33 million to fund the program and three women’s sports. This is truly a rags to riches story that continues tonight as they face the defending Champions Oregon State Beavers to see if the story will go on.

Anteaters vs. Beavers tonight, fitting since Omaha’s world famous Zoo is about 150 yards away from the stadium.  Truly a case of David versus Goliath but it is no different then the path it took to get here. They beat the Texas Longhorns and then the Wichita State Shockers in the Super Regional to get here. Pretty good that the Longhorns give the Beavers a reason to be afraid of the Anteaters. So sit down and watch some of College Baseball’s most interesting match up’s in beautiful Omaha, NE.

Wilson A2000 ball gloves are making their presence felt in fastpitch softball.

New for 2008, Wilson sports, legendary makers of the A2000 line of baseball gloves are setting their sights on the fastpitch softball market.  Introducing the A2000 fastpitch softball gloves offered in 3 different models.  These gloves are exactly like their baseball counterpart, but designed for the female athlete.  Wilson sports are making a 12” closed back and dual hinge web style. A 12.5” pattern with the same closed back and dual hinge web design.  Finally a closed back and close web double laced web fastpitch catcher’s mitt.  Of course as you would expect form an A2000 no detail was overlooked.  The fingerstalls are made narrower to accommodate a female’s finger size.  The new A2000 fastpitch is still made from top grade 100% steer hide leather.  Using steer hide leather ensures the glove will break in slower and keep the glove from breaking down fast.  So you will have a glove that will last you for many seasons to come.

The legendary Wilson A2000 line has been used in the major leagues since 1957.  Wilson ball gloves are the #1 used ball glove in the major league baseball and soon to be making their mark in the fastpitch market.