BUILDING THE BASEBALL ATHLETE

So where do you begin a blog that is designed as a forum for discussion on building the next generation of baseball athlete?

Well, I’ll tell you where…somewhere we have probably neglected for a while but important to review.

What is Baseball?

By that- I mean- what are the PHYSICAL demands of the game? How are these adjusted for the MENTAL aspects of performance and how then, do we manage this MARATHON (season) with a system of SPRINTS (game and in game activities) and adjust this to the individual athlete?

During the 2009 Season, I was fortunate to work with an intern (nice work Lionel) at our AAA level who was as devoted as I was to the process of assessment of our game. To that end- we developed a log- a movement screening analysis to understand the total physical displacement of our athletes in linear- lateral and multi-directional sequences- by position- every game. We timed athletes in sprint modes (home to first- inning one vs. inning 9, etc.) and re-assessed the entire volume of movement production to create a picture of the AAA baseball athlete.

As Vern Gambetta once said- “what are you training for?”

I think we now have a pretty good "eyeall objective"- idea.

Analysis of the game demands, AND analysis of the individual athlete is critical in any sport.

Boston may have found this out during 2009 with the issues surrounding Daisuke Matsuzaka. I have little knowledge of the program that was pressed upon him- but I do know- his individual athletic ability and genetic and developed muscle fiber types where non-considerations.

Our reductionist mindless approach to strength and conditioning has got to change. Today- most coaches are a “spice rack” of exercises and programs and have forgotten the big picture. Organizations spit-out In-Season and Off-Season Manuals (bound and copied at Kinkos for $5.95 each) in an effort to guide players. These are great intentions-and needed for a number of reasons-but most however- end up filed next to the empty NO XPLODE containers in the large trash cans inside the clubhouse.

The organizations “1 program for 24 players” has found its place…

In baseball- we need to get to the point of 24 individual programs for our players, based upon the known demands of their position. Before the off season begins...what are the imbalances that may have been created during 144- 162 game schedule- what are we doing to offset these?

I connect with athletes that want to be the best they can be. It starts with them- and the journey is endless.