Spiders Elite

Imagine you have two evenly matched teams. Who wins and who loses will come down to two primary things:

1. Effort and Execution
2. Baseball Gods (hops and luck)

We don’t want to leave it to the baseball gods. So, how can we influence the opposition’s effort and, more notably, execution?

There are various plays that happen throughout a game that often go unnoticed. But these plays, when performed well, are meant to deceive. The end goal of this deception is to create uncertainty and confusion.

When you create uncertainty and confusion, the opposition becomes a step slower. They aren’t sure what to do. They make more mistakes which leads to more outs.

This isn’t about full-on trickery. I’m not talking about acting like you threw the ball into the outfield to catch a runner off base. I’m not talking about the hidden ball trick. Sure, you could lump those here if you want, but I won’t because they aren’t things that I’d do.

You won’t be accused of being bush league for doing any of these things. When executed, they will lead to more wins.

1. Variety of Pickoff Moves

One of the keys to slowing the running game is a pitcher’s pickoff move. But, this is one of the most under-appreciated elements of the game. Not enough time is spent on it.

Far too often, we look at a pickoff move as an attempt by the pitcher to get the runner out. While that’s a great outcome, that’s not really what’s happening. At least, that’s not the priority when you have a smart baserunner on first.

It’s not necessary that a pitcher has a move that can pick a runner off consistently. It’s not necessary that they ever pick a runner off at all.

The entire goal of the pickoff move is to create uncertainty and confusion. Is the pitcher picking off? Obviously, I don’t want to get out.

If a runner knows that the pitcher isn’t going to pick off, he might even take off early for the next base.

But he might also find a pattern in a pitcher’s pickoff move. It always looks the same. The pitcher always holds the ball for the same amount of time. The runner can simply pick up on these patterns, time it, and take off.

But, what if a pitcher uses different moves? Sometimes, as a right-handed pitcher, he steps off the rubber. Sometimes, he spins. Sometimes, he simply steps off and looks over. He holds the ball for a second. Next time, five seconds. Next time, seemingly forever.

The same goes for a lefty pitcher. He mixes in his “good” move that is meant to deceive the runner into thinking he’s delivering to the plate. He’ll also step off and flip to first.

And of course, you have your various moves to second base. The inside move, step back, spin. Mixing in a check of the runner once, twice, or not at all.

The whole point is to keep the runner guessing. To slow him down. To create confusion. And, if you have a good catcher, to give that catcher a chance to throw the runner out.

2. Variety of Moves to the Plate

If you are at a level where the runner doesn’t always go on the first pitch, here’s something to try…

On the first pitch, have your pitcher use a big, slow leg kick. Often, the third base coach is waiting to give a steal sign until he sees the pitcher’s move to the plate. Then, use that quick slide step.

Even if you go beyond that first pitch trickery, feel free to mix in a variety of moves to the plate. Sometimes a big leg kick, sometimes medium, sometimes, the ultra-quick slide step.

This can be especially effective for left-handed pitchers. Make the runner and coach at first think that they picked up a difference between your delivery and move to first. Then switch it up.

Keep the runner and coaches guessing. The better you are at this, the more you’re able to slow down the runner a step or two and make it more likely that 1) they will be thrown out trying to advance or 2) they won’t attempt to advance at all. If they don’t attempt to advance at all, it keeps double plays and force outs in order while keeping the runner out of scoring position, which is a very big advantage.

3. Pitch Selection

This is a very basic form of deception meant to keep the batter guessing. We want the batter to be off-balance. We don’t want them to time up the pitcher. If they are early or late or in between, they are much less likely to hit the ball hard.

This isn’t simply a matter of throwing an offspeed pitch during expected times (typically with two strikes). Smart, advanced hitters will be waiting for that.

Instead, it’s a matter of doing things unconventionally. Particularly if you have an aggressive hitter, throw that offspeed on the first pitch. If you do that, and you get him out front, he’s going to be guessing the rest of the at bat.

One reason we have our catchers call a game is that we find that they often approach pitch selection in an untraditional manner. This tends to be a good thing. It makes it more difficult for a batter to guess what’s coming.

4. First and Third Situations

Managing first and third situations is all about deception, uncertainty, and confusion. I’ve written an entire blog post on this (I plan to write a second), so we won’t get bogged down in all of the details here.

At the youngest of ages and the lowest of levels, it might not even be worth bothering to defend first and third situations. But the moment you have a chance to throw out the runner at second, there are good reasons to mix in some plays.

If the other team thinks you will never throw down to second base in this situation, they will steal freely. They won’t care who is running, even if it’s their slowest runner.

If the other team thinks you will throw down to second every time, they’ll send their runner from third home without hesitation and take the run.

So, the key here is to keep the other team guessing. Create uncertainty and confusion. If you give them reason to believe you may throw the ball down to second, they’re less likely to steal if there’s a possibility of getting out. If you give them reason to believe you’ll cut the ball off, they’re less likely to send the runner home even when you throw down to second.

It’s important to disguise your plays. Regardless of whether we are throwing down to second or cutting off, everyone goes to the same place on the field.

When you win the game of deception, uncertainty, and confusion, the opposition is paralyzed. At minimum, they don’t try to score. But, they may not attempt to steal second at all. Or, the second-guessing and uncertainty gives you a chance to throw out a runner who takes off late.

5. Fake Bunts

It’s not a well-guarded secret that the Spiders aren’t a big bunting team. There are reasons for it, but we won’t go into them here. It doesn’t mean we’ll never bunt, but it’s a rare occurrence.

That doesn’t mean that we won’t use the potential confusion of a fake bunt to our advantage, however. Particularly since there are still plenty of teams out there who aren’t aware of our tendencies.

When a batter squares to bunt, it creates some initial chaos and panic. “BUNT!” the coaches yell. The infielders will then react. It could mean the third and/or first basemen charge. Maybe the second baseman runs to cover first. The pitcher, too, may be distracted.

We might use a fake bunt when a batter is already taking a pitch. That could be in certain 3-0 counts. Here, of course, the focus isn’t on the infield, but on distracting the pitcher.

But another time a batter may be taking a pitch is when a runner is attempting to steal second base. If it sends the infield into panic, it may result in fielders missing their responsibilities — or being late to cover the bag.

A final time we may use fake bunts is to test how well the third baseman and even shortstop are coached. With a runner on second, we may show a bunt to see what the infield does. A well-coached team will either have the third baseman stay home or have the shortstop cover third as the third baseman charges.

Oftentimes, the third baseman will charge, leaving third base wide open. This is a read play for the runner on second. When he sees this, he simply takes the empty base.

6. Cutoffs and Relays

A team that knows their cutoff and relay responsibilities and executes cleanly is a team that will get more outs on the bases. But this is more than simply having players in the right place to throw runners out.

The classic scenario: With a runner on second base, there’s a base hit to left field. The throw goes home. The third baseman is in position to cut, but it goes well over his head. The batter then advances to second base on the throw.

What if, instead, that throw was lower? What if it gives the third baseman an opportunity to cut or let it go?

When this happens, it creates uncertainty and confusion for the base coaches and runners. They aren’t sure if the third baseman is going to cut the ball. As a result, the batter reaching first has to wait. That hesitation could mean either staying on first or getting thrown out at second.

And, of course, the low cutoff throw gives the cutoff man some options. If the runner immediately goes to second base, he may be giving you an out at second.

Your Turn

The key with each of the items on this list is to slow the opposition down with deception. You aren’t sure what they are going to do. That moment of uncertainty and confusion can be critical in a game where one or two outs, bases, or runs will be the difference.

Any other examples you can think of that can be added to this list?

Let me know in the comments below!

Coaching is a challenging job. You need to be a teacher and strategist and organizer and motivational speaker all wrapped up in one.

I wouldn’t say that all coaches value the same things equally, but I’d say the vast majority think the following 13 characteristics are important.

We coaches are constantly working to be better. I can tell you that I feel I’m strong in some of these areas but weak in others. It’s difficult if not impossible to nail all 13, and it’s also why it’s so critical for head coaches to have assistant coaches who complement their strengths and weaknesses.

We aren’t perfect. We strive to be better. But these 13 areas highlight the coach we want to be…

1. Organized

The coach we want to be is organized.

A disorganized coach is behind the eight-ball from the start. When is practice? Where is it? What tournaments are we playing in? Are they paid for? Where are we getting our uniforms?

There are so many things that a coach needs to keep track of behind the scenes. If you aren’t organized, it impacts everybody.

2. Prepared

The coach we want to be is prepared.

He has a plan for the practice, game, or tournament. The opponents, whom he’s researched, impact his decisions. He plans out lineups and where players will be in the field. He has a strategy for managing pitchers’ innings. He knows the rules of the tournament and how they impact his plans.

3. Knowledgable

The coach we want to be is knowledgable.

He understands the game. He knows all of the little details that most people don’t. He knows what he doesn’t know. If he isn’t sure about something, he researches it to make sure that he knows it.

When he has disagreements with an umpire, it’s because he’s read the rules and knows how they are applied. He has experience, information, and resources that can be shared with players to help them better understand the game.

4. Strategic

The coach we want to be is strategic.

An effective coach pushes the right buttons. He puts players in position to succeed. He manages without over-managing. He develops gameplans that his players execute to give the team the best chance for success.

5. Calm

The coach we want to be is calm.

In order for players to be calm under pressure, a coach needs to set the same example. A bad call or poor execution isn’t the end of the world. He watches his body language and doesn’t freak out over mistakes and missed opportunities.

He’s calm. He goes about his business in the big game and the small game like there’s little difference. That calmness rubs off on his players.

6. Fair

The coach we want to be is fair.

You may not agree with his lineup or who plays where, but he’s fair in how he decides roles and responsibilities. Players earn their time. He treats the star player the same way that he treats the weakest player; his son the same as everyone else.

Rules are clearly communicated, and he enforces them evenly and consistently. He plays no favorites. Expectations and punishments are reasonable.

7. Communicator

The coach we want to be is a communicator.

An effective coach communicates expectations clearly with parents. He communicates verbally and via email in ways that are easy to understand.

Most importantly, he can communicate with his players. He can get important thoughts across when explaining the how and why of baseball. This is where a coach is also a teacher. Complex ideas are easily explained and understood.

8. Motivational

The coach we want to be is motivational.

He’s able to remain positive when times are tough. He not only communicates well but in a way that inspires his players. When they’re down, he picks them back up. He’s able to get the most out of them during the most difficult times. He always seems to have the right words to say that will get results and action from his players.

9. Impactful

The coach we want to be is impactful.

We want to make a difference in the lives of our players. We want them to learn about life in addition to baseball. We want this time to inspire them to be great. We want them to look back on their time with our team fondly, and to tell stories of their time playing baseball for years to come.

10. Approachable

The coach we want to be is approachable.

Our goal isn’t to scare our players into action. We don’t want them to fear us. While it’s important they have respect for us, we also want them to feel comfortable approaching us with questions, problems, and concerns.

11. Example

The coach we want to be is an example.

The expectations we have of players and parents are reasonable. We model good behavior, positivity, and sportsmanship.

We know that we have the power to set an example, and that example can be positive or negative, for how players and parents behave. If we complain about the umpires, others will. If we freak out when things aren’t going well, others will freak out. If we exhibit bad sportsmanship, we give others to do the same.

Likewise, if we remain calm under pressure, others will. If we congratulate our opponents, our team will do the same. If we behave as role models, we’ll set the proper tone for others to follow.

12. Adaptable

The coach we want to be is adaptable.

We aren’t stuck in our ways. We see when an approach isn’t working and we try something else. We adapt to different environments, levels of play, and expectations.

But we also adapt to different learning styles and personalities. If we want to get the most out of our players, we understand that every player is unique and accepts feedback, instruction, and criticisms differently. Instead of demanding they adjust to us, we need to adjust to them.

13. Fun

The coach we want to be is fun.

Ultimately, baseball is a game. It’s not life or death. We want our players to keep that perspective. For them to do that, it’s important that the coach makes these things clear.

We want to help our players be their best while helping them have fun playing this awesome game. Sometimes that means having a sense of humor, highlighting the lighter side, and not taking everything so seriously.

Your Turn

These are the 13 things that I think of when I think about the coach that I want to be. I can tell you first hand that I’m not a motivational speaker. I’m not as calm as I want to be. I may not be as approachable as I want to be. And I’m not even as fun as I’d like to be. These, in particular, are things that I’m working on!

It’s also important that we accept that we have our own weaknesses, and that’s okay. I have amazing assistant coaches who fill in all of my gaps, and I’m lucky to have them!

Anything else you’d add to this list? What are you working on as a coach?

Let me know in the comments below!

It was a difficult finish. We led in the semifinal game by eight runs in the final inning. The wheels fell off. We allowed nine runs and went home.

The team was obviously distraught. But this was an important experience.

It was a new team. Many of our players had previously played lesser roles on top teams or played for lower-level teams. They needed this.

They played really well. Until, of course, the pressure began to mount. No one could make the play. No one could make the pitch. It was stressful, and I’m sure most players were hoping someone else would make the play to end it.

I didn’t want them to forget this game. I wanted them to learn from it.

A callus, defined:

a thickened and hardened part of the skin or soft tissue, especially in an area that has been subjected to friction.

When you swing the bat the first 30 times or so, you might get blisters. They hurt. But when you keep swinging over and over and over again, you get calluses. The skin toughens up.

We were soft. We hadn’t had enough of the “friction” of these difficult moments to toughen ourselves emotionally and handle it better. We needed this experience, and we needed more of them. With experience, the emotional pressure they feel would be less.

1. Experience Failure

You can’t replicate the pressure of a semifinal game in a practice. The stress. The nerves. The emotion. You have to experience it.

It’s not that I wanted to lose that game. Of course not. But you can learn some excellent lessons from that experience that you may ignore in victory.

Recognize the importance of experiencing failure. Recognize the challenge they face of performing under pressure. Help them understand that they needed this experience to get better.

2. Learn from the Failure

During the course of that high-pressure situation, many things happened. You received high-pressure reps. What did you learn from them? What will you do differently next time?

One of the lessons could be that every run matters. Handling that inning in the field could be improved, but what if we had scored more? What if we had allowed fewer when the pressure was low?

It could also be learning from how we deal with that adversity. How do we slow our heart rate? How do we remain focused?

3. Learn from the Pain

I wanted my team to remember that pain. I wanted them to see it as something that they didn’t want to experience again. Allow the pain to motivate them to work harder.

You don’t want to be on that side of it. Do what you can to make sure the other team experiences it next time.

4. Sometimes it takes Multiple Failures

As mentioned earlier, it takes reps to build these calluses. You can’t replicate high-pressure innings like this in practice. It will never be the same.

A fielder needs to take ground balls, not just when the pressure is off but when it’s on.

A pitcher needs to make pitches, not just when it’s a meaningless game but when a strike has to be thrown.

It will likely take multiple failures to get the reps necessary to start handling these situations more productively.

5. Experience Success

If you’ve experienced the pain of failure in these high-pressure situations, it will help you appreciate the success that much more.

Don’t take it for granted. Recognize how you overcame adversity to do it. Recognize that it’s easy to collapse when the pressure is on.

6. Learn from the Success

What is it that you did right that led to this success? Or is there something the other team did or didn’t do?

Sometimes, it might be a matter of the other team crumbling under pressure. Recognize it. Talk about our experiences that made us strong in that situation. Talk about how we can repeat that success next time.

7. Learn from the Joy

Once you’ve experienced the pain of failure, do not forget to fully appreciate the joy of success. Live in the moment.

Remember how great that feels. Soak it up. Bask in it. This is joy that is never guaranteed. There are things that you need to do to feel it again.

Your Turn

Some people may be better wired to handle high-pressured situations. But, more often, this is a learned skill. You need to build emotional calluses through multiple pressure situations and multiple failures. You will handle these situations better each time, assuming that you learn from them.

Anything else you can add about performing under pressure situations?

Let me know in the comments below!

The most successful teams have more than talent. They are able to achieve at the highest of levels because they are able to consistently overcome adversity.

What is adversity? Let’s define it…

Adversity is when internal or external forces work against your efforts to complete a task or accomplish a goal.

Generally, adversity is outside of our control. But sometimes, specifically when adversity is an “internal” force, we can control it, though we believe we cannot.

Adversity is no more than an excuse to fail. Because of this thing, I might as well give up now. Hope is lost. It’s the easiest path.

It’s all in the mind, of course. Overcoming adversity and rejecting excuses to fail are what mentally tough players and teams do.

Let’s take a look at some examples of adversity, and how we can better deal with it.

Competition

We’ll start with an easy one. Competition is an external force that works against our efforts to win the game. Any team, good or bad. They want to win, too. Their efforts to win create adversity.

Respect the opponent. Appreciate that they won’t just roll over and let you win. Always give your best effort, regardless of the quality of the opposition.

Superior Opponent

You’re playing against a far superior team. They’re bigger than you. They’re stronger than you. They’re faster. Everything about them says that they’re better.

It’s an excuse to quit. A reason to not even try. Don’t give in!

This is your moment. I like to call it a “heat check.” Find out how good you actually are.

Even the best teams make mistakes. They may underestimate you. They may have a bad game. Give them all you have and let the chips fall where they may. What’s the worst that can happen? You lose? So what? Everyone expects that already.

The same argument goes for facing an elite pitcher or elite hitter. Don’t use their ability as an excuse to fail before it happens. See it as a challenge.

Weather

“It’s so cold!” Players huddled in the dugout, shivering.

“It’s so hot!” Players exhausted, unable to move.

“It’s so windy!” Players frustrated as the dirt blows in their face, and fly balls become adventures.

“It’s so rainy!” Players, soaked and miserable, try to find cover.

Both teams play under the same conditions. Which team will deal with it? Which team will let the conditions beat them?

Whenever we are playing under challenging weather conditions, I’ll mention it once before the game. I say that this is the last time we’ll talk about it. I don’t want to hear about the weather. This is your challenge. This is your second opponent.

Don’t let the weather beat you.

Noise

Maybe the other team’s fans are especially loud. Or the other team engages in a ton of chatter. They may do the sing-songy stuff that is mostly harmless, even if it’s annoying. Or they may push the lines of sportsmanship and scream while you pitch.

How do you handle the adversity that this creates? Do you let it agitate you? Do you start focusing more on the noise and less on the game?

If so, you let the noise win.

This is a challenge. Stay focused. Stay within yourself.

Self-Doubt

The only time, at least within this list, when adversity has an internal source.

You’re in the midst of a batting slump. You’ve made two errors this inning. Or you’re struggling to throw strikes. What happens next?

Self-doubt is when the voice in your head tells you that you can’t do it. You’re slumping, and that slump isn’t going to stop now. You’re not going to get a hit. If the ball is hit to you, you’re going to make another error. You’re not going to throw another strike.

This is one of the biggest challenges of all. For players to remain consistent, it’s important that they don’t allow self-doubt to win. Remain confident in your training and ability. Stay focused on your approach and your responsibilities.

Mistakes by Teammates

You are going to make mistakes. Your teammates are going to make mistakes. But, if you’ve been around youth baseball long enough, you’ve likely noticed that these things snowball.

One error happens. Then another. Then another. Suddenly, no one can make a play. Gasps from the parents. Coaches start freaking out. It’s a neverending inning.

This is adversity that needs a leader. The leader recognizes that the rate of mistakes isn’t normal. He does two things in an effort to stop the bleeding.

First, he shows support for his teammates. He works to keep their confidence high. He stays vocal. Maybe he calls a timeout and leads a team meeting among infielders. He assures them they’ll be fine.

Second, the leader wants the ball. He knows that someone needs to step up, and he’s willing to be that guy.

Coaching Mistakes

Hey, guess what? Coaches can create adversity with our mistakes, too. We send a runner who gets thrown out. We call a steal that is unsuccessful. We make a play call that fails.

We make mistakes. We should own up to them, and make sure that players know when they did everything right, even though the result was bad due to our call.

Players can’t worry about it. Just keep fighting and remain focused.

Baseball Gods

A big one! The baseball gods have a significant say in how a baseball game goes.

I’m not talking about actual baseball gods, of course. I’m talking about things that can be chalked up to luck or circumstance that we can’t control.

Bad hops. A swinging bunt that ends up in the perfect place. Weak pop-ups that find no-man’s land. A random gust of wind that blows a ball foul or away from your fielder’s glove.

When things are going badly, it seems like the baseball gods want you to lose. Don’t give in to that thought. Don’t ever say that “nothing will go our way!”

It’s the law of averages. Things will, hopefully, even out. The baseball gods don’t have a thing for you. Stay focused, and keep fighting.

Injuries or Shortage of Players

We don’t have our best player. If we did, we could win this game.

With that attitude, you’ve already lost.

Injuries happen. Absences happen. You won’t always be at full strength. This will test your depth. Someone else may need to step up. Will it be you? Or will you simply lament the loss of your star and dream about what could have been?

Trailing Early

The opposition jumps out to a quick lead in a big game. What will you do? Do you assume you’re going to lose?

Keep the energy high. Realize you have LOTS of time to come back. It’s youth baseball. Crazy things happen. Imagine it’s a scoreless game, and get back into the game.

Trailing Late

When a team is down late, it’s often difficult to convince young players that it’s not over. But it’s not!

The last inning is like any other inning of any other game. You’re down five. So what? You’ve scored six runs in an inning plenty of times. You can still do this!

You can’t give up now. You get three outs per inning for a reason. Use up each one.

Bad Calls from Umpires

It’s not a matter if umpires will make bad calls, it’s a matter of when, how often, and how it will impact the game.

That’s nothing personal against umpires. Some of them are really good. But they’re poorly paid and often have limited training and experience. This ain’t the big leagues, and even there they’ll make mistakes.

Don’t argue with the umpires. Don’t react with big eyes and arms extended (you know the look!). Don’t talk about the umpire making bad calls to create a built-in excuse for losing.

The umpire has a wide or inconsistent zone? You’d better be swinging at anything close with two strikes.

The field umpire seems to be flipping a coin in close calls on the bases? You’d better bust your butt to make sure that no call is close.

It kills me when a batter initially loafs down the line, then starts to hustle when he sees the play is going to be close. He may have beaten the throw, but the umpire called him out. You have no right to argue. You created the close call on your own.

On the flip side, use that uncertainty to your advantage. Hustle. Make every routine play a close call. You’ll get the benefit of some of them.

Both teams deal with calls from the same umpires. The bad calls will be close to evenly distributed. This challenge is nothing unique to your current game.

Game Deciding Moments

It’s the bottom of the sixth and final inning of the tournament championship. It’s a one-run game. Runners at second and third with two outs.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re the team in the field or the team at bat. Whether you are the hitter, pitcher, or one of the players in the field.

This is an insanely high-stress situation. It’s what we probably think of most when we talk about adversity in the game of baseball.

How will you handle it?

It’s not an easy moment. I can’t say that everyone is capable of handling it well. But ultimately, confidence and focus are key.

You have to believe that you’ll get that hit. Believe that you’ll get that batter. Believe that if the ball comes to you, you’ll make that play.

And you need to look at this as any other moment. Any other at bat. Deep breaths. Slow the game down. Take your time. Think through your approach and the situation.

The more pressure you put on yourself, the harder it will be.

Someone will win and someone will lose. You’re going to do everything you can to execute. Whatever happens, you’re going to be okay.

Your Turn

Do you have any other examples of adversity in youth baseball, and ways to handle them?

Let me know in the comments below!