Each batting cage needs a net to catch the balls that are hit.  There are a couple of things you will need to consider when deciding which batting cage net will best suit your needs.  Some of the things to look at when buying a batting cage net are knots, mesh, and color.  This article contains information that can make it easier to purchase a batting cage net that will meet your requirements.   

One thing to look at when buying a batting cage net it the kind of knots that are used in its construction.  Some batting cage nets will employ a platted knot while others will employ a twisted knot.  Nets which are created using twisted knots are usually harder while styles made using platted knots are less vulnerable to erosions.  The mesh is another significant thing to take a look at when buying a batting cage net.  Most batting cage nets will have holes of about 1.75 inches in diameter.  This is a good size to contain the baseball.  If you’ll be using the batting cage net with smaller balls,eg balls, you will need a net with a smaller diameter mesh.   

Batting cage nets can be discovered in a selection of colors.  The best choice in most circumstances is a batting cage net which is dyed black.  These will keep their color for a longer period and will be more immune to damage from UV rays.  It is also good to think about the strength of the batting cage net.  It makes sense to get the strongest net that your position will allow.  They are sometimes a better value since they can last longer than weaker nets.  When buying a batting cage net you could also need to consider getting a baffle net to protect the area behind the strike zone. 

For a youth baseball coach, one cannot emphasize enough the importance of a little bit of planning prior to a game or practice; it makes all of the difference for a smooth running event. A little bit of advanced planning for practices makes the time fly for the players. A little bit of good planning also makes it more fun; the players are kept busy and are not bored. Baseball practices are infamous for one coach and one player going through a drill, while the rest of the team looks on in boredom. A little planning prior to a game keeps players from being short changed on playing time and overlooked for the positions they might want to play. It also speeds up a game; coaches no longer have to gather the team outside the dugout to divvy up the positions every time they take the field.

Don’t be shy during practices – draft as many moms and dads as you can to be assistant coaches, then put them to work. Give each assistant a drill and teach them the way you would like it taught. Break the team up into groups that will visit each drill station. Keep the stations busy and keep the players moving between stations. Usually coaches will see plenty of parents standing around watching their players practice. But, there are drills even the most inexperienced mom or dad can run. And face it, the parents are probably bored also by just sitting around watching.

You will need two full time assistant coaches in addition to your practice parents. The three of you will have distinct and special roles: one coach will be the hitting coach, one coach will be the pitching coach, and the third coach will be in charge of teaching team defense, base running, and defensive scenarios. It is very rare a coach does not have two parents capable of filling those roles. As the head coach, assign each assistant to the duty he or she is most comfortable with, and take on the remaining duty, yourself.

To help keep games organized and running smoothly, buy two dry erase boards (8.5 X 11) to hang in the dugout. One board will have defensive positions for the upcoming inning and the other board will have the batting order, substitutions, and the score, by inning. It is hard to overemphasize how much this helps keep things organized and running smoothly. It gets rid of the delays that occur when coaches change the defense. It also gets rid of the confusion regarding the player that batted last. Merely put a mark next to the next batter and the confusion is alleviated when your team returns to the dugout to bat.

I think that the head coach belongs in the dugout. That is the only way he or she can truly control the game. Educate your assistants on how you want them to coach first base and third base. Delegate and put some faith in some of your parents; they won’t let you down and on the flip-side, the more your parents are involved in practices, the less complaining you will hear from the crowd at actual games.

We will include more details concerning game and practice planning in upcoming lessons.

This is the third lesson, of many, contained within the article “Lessons from a Youth Baseball Coach”. Upcoming lessons will include detailed planning for practices and games, choosing the right glove and bat, fielding, base running, philosophy, and a myriad of baseball subjects. All of the lessons can be found at Baseball Armory – “The Baseball Blog”. Baseball Armory sponsors Baseball Armory – “The Baseball Blog”. Baseball Armory is an online store that contains quality Akadema baseball and softball gear. Akadema produces high quality softball and baseball equipment, including outfield and infield gloves, catcher’s mitts, metal and wood bats, cleats, turf shoes, youth batting gloves, sunglasses, apparel, equipment bags, glove care products, and miscellaneous baseball and softball accessories.

Hitting a baseball is acknowledged by many as the most demanding skill in sports. It is brutal because even the most successful baseball player, fails most of the time. That’s why it is important to let the kids play and allow the game be fun. During games, there might be opportunities to teach the mental aspects of the game. Mechanics, though, should be taught and corrected at practice (unless, of course, there are safety concerns). We’ll cover pre-game, soft-toss, and cage work, which should be considered an extension of practice, in future lessons. When game time rolls around, let the players concentrate on what they have learned and try to put them in a position to succeed. Praise them on attitude, hustle, “keeping their head in the game”, and determination. Don’t be engrossed in the mistakes. Help the players get past the mistakes; help the players have a “short memory”. Most mistakes in baseball are obvious to the players and the fans. As a coach, create a mental note of the mistakes and work on the solutions in practice. Every player knows when they have made an error or struck-out. Pitchers do not need to be instructed to throw strikes. Every pitcher wants to throw strikes; that’s what they are trying to do on every pitch.

Baseball relies heavily on the concept of muscle memory. The more player’s practice their mechanics, the more they become second nature. They become part of the player’s muscle memory. Baseball players use repetition to hone their mechanics. Things happen quickly in baseball and a player will revert back to whatever mechanics are set in their muscle memory. That is why it is crucial to save mechanics for practice and fun for the games. The absolutely worst time to be coaching mechanics is when a player is up to bat during a game. At that point in time, muscle memory is going to take over. If a parent or coach tries to correct mechanics, it only distracts the player and destroys their concentration. I have had to control many a parent that tried to change mechanics while their son or daughter was at the plate during a game. I only try to convey positive expressions while a player is at the plate. My favorite saying is “it only takes one”. It means that out of a possibility of six, or more, pitches, it only takes one pitch to make contact and get a hit.

After making a mistake at the plate or on the field, players will punish themselves. It is the coach’s responsibility to keep a positive attitude. It is a coach’s duty to let them know that strike-outs and errors happen in baseball and all players have to have a short memory. Coaches need to be aware that baseball is very much a game of momentum. Proficient hitting and proficient fielding are contagious; mistakes are also contagious. The more a player dwells on past mistakes, the more they will be affected on future plays. It is crucial to let the players play and have fun; if players play not to make a mistake, then mistakes will happen and the fun will disappear.

This is the third lesson, of many, contained within the article “Lessons from a Youth Baseball Coach”. Upcoming lessons will include planning, choosing the right glove and bat, fielding, base running, philosophy, and a myriad of baseball subjects. All of the lessons can be found at Baseball Armory – “The Baseball Blog”. Baseball Armory – “The Baseball Blog” is sponsored by Baseball Armory. Baseball Armory is an online store that contains quality Akadema baseball and softball gear. Akadema produces high quality baseball and softball equipment, including infield and outfield gloves, catcher’s mitts, metal and wood bats, cleats, turf shoes, batting gloves, sunglasses, apparel, equipment bags, glove care products, and miscellaneous baseball and softball accessories.

You want to improve your pitching with a pitching machine, but not sure where to start? Well, it’s inevitable isn’t it? After all, there are quite a few brands to choose from. In this article we’ll focus on different types of pitching machines that will really help improve your baseball swing or even your slow pitch softball pitching techniques.

Here are the major types:

(1) Real Ball Pitching Machines

As the name suggests, Real Ball pitching machines throws out real balls, basically the same softballs you see at your local commercial batting cages.

For these types of Pitching Machines, you are looking for an Arm Styled Wheel Machines or the Compressed Air Machines. Because the force of the pitch, it’s wise to have a batting cage when using this machine. Invest in an auto feeder and remote control if you’re opting for a one player mode and you’re good to go!

(2) Wheel Style Pitching Machines

Ever seen those pitching machines used in high schools or even simply someone else’s backyard that runs with a spinning wheel that spits out the ball? One of the most popular choices, wheel style pitching machines can be used for baseball or softball or even slow pitch softball!

The rubber wheel pushes out the ball with a motor propelling the wheels’ movements. Most machines come with mechanical pieces that control speed and direction. The machine stands on a metal frame attached to a tripod and run on 110v power. They run on electricity so you’ll always need to have the machine close to a power source.

(3) Single Wheel Machines

These are basic machines used to throw a slow pitch or throw a fast pitch in a speed ranging from 25-70 mph. Priced usually above $900, these are one of the more expensive options. Some of these machines even are equipped to throw out a slow pitch curve ball. But this upgrade will cost you at least $300 more than the base

All in all, the single wheel option can still end up being less expensive and still very portable. However, if you prefer higher speeds or a greater variety of pitch throws, you may want to consider the Wheel Style machines instead.

I was a youth baseball coach for many years. I became a coach because my son’s first coach did not give him enough playing time to increase his skill set. I was also frustrated by the way his first coach ran practices. I found that he was only making progress when he worked directly with me. So, in his second year of baseball, I became a head coach.

I knew how to play the game, but I didn’t know how to teach the game; the first thing I realized, very quickly, was my inability to transfer my knowledge to the players. I began to attend all the coaching clinics possible. Coaching clinics can be a little frustrating because you will find they are not consistent in the mechanics they teach. I found that simple mechanics, with the least amount of movement, helped alleviate frustration for both the coach and the player. In addition, simple translates into success faster. Success translates into fun.

The second thing I learned very quickly was the age group you are coaching determines the coaching style. The younger players have a shorter attention span than older players. For example, a coach should not spend more than 5 minutes on any one drill for 7 or 8 year old players. Demonstrate the proper technique, let them practice that technique a few times, and then move them onto another drill. Don’t let frustration lead you to think that there is no way they can pick up any technique that quickly. The progress of your players will constantly amaze you if practices are organized, fast-moving, and fun.

The importance of having fun, yourself, was the third thing I realized very quickly. The more fun you have coaching, the better coach you will be. Fun is contagious; players will learn quicker if they see the coaching staff having fun teaching them. A coach should strive to teach baseball, make the game fun, so players will stick with the sport, and to be fair with playing time. Youngsters practice to play; so, reward practice with playing time.

Fairness was the last thing I learned, very rapidly. Be fair with the players and be fair with your own son or daughter. Attempt to treat your son or daughter no differently than you would treat someone else’s son or daughter. The best way to accomplish this is to have someone, not attached to coaching staff, observe, and give you feedback. I was lucky in that respect. At least one grandparent and my wife were always at the games. After every game, I had immediate feedback. If I was too hard on my son, I heard about it after the game. Please remember, getting your son or daughter a college scholarship should not be goal. It is important that your son or daughter stick with the sport because they are having fun. In addition, be fair with playing time for all of your players. The reality of baseball is that mistakes happen. The only way to alleviate mistakes is playing time. So be fair. Remember that it is not where a player starts that is important, it is where they finish.

This is the first in a series of lessons from “Lessons from a Youth Baseball Coach”. All of the lessons can be found at Baseball Armory – “The Baseball Blog”. Baseball Armory – “The Baseball Blog” is sponsored by Baseball Armory. Baseball Armory is an online store that contains quality Akadema softball and baseball gear. Infield and outfield gloves, catcher’s mitts, metal and wood bats, cleats, turf shoes, batting gloves, sunglasses, apparel, equipment bags, glove care products, and miscellaneous baseball and softball accessories are some of the equipment in the Akadema product line.

Hitting for power has always been associated with the big strong player.But in our research, we have discovered it is not so much the size of the player, but rather the strength of his hands.

If strength needs to be improved, it is in the hands and wrists. The ability to use the body is also imperative.From the biggest player to the smallest, if you use your body you will hit for more power and distance.Big guys and little guys can both use their hips (1st) and hands (last), with a forceful snap motion.  

It is imperative that the batter develops a quick pivot and quick hands.

Many young players never develop power because they are taught to just “meet the ball.” It’s a common phrase from baseball coaches. As a result, many hitters stop their hands during baseball hitting drills on contact and they never hit through the ball.

A hitter must be aggressive. Hitting is controlled aggression, while maintaining balance and control

Another problem young hitters have comes from watching baseball on TV.Baseball hitters will let the top hand go too early.Tip - you should be finishing with both your hands. This will further incorporate hitting through the ball.

Add to this the problem that many players are taught how to hit a baseball by getting their hands out over the plate on contact. Some times this is as a result of being taught incorrectly to get extension over the plate.Extension does not occur on contact, but rather after contact.When hitters try to extend on contact, it is like sawing wood, using too much arms and shoulders.This technique will not help you hit for more power.

In order to learn how to hit for power in baseball the hitter has to get his hands out in front of the body to contact the ball, with the top hand over the bat, and the bottom hand under the bat.The top hand is then like a hammer on contact.

Using the hands like this will increase bat speed at least 30-40% more than the arm swing. 

Baseball Hitting Tips:

1. A strong body
2. Quick hips
3. Especially quick hands, out front on contact
4. Hitting through the ball
5. Being aggressive 

Former Tulane Hall of Fame Baseball Coach, Joe Brockhoff, fully explains his baseball hitting tips with the Super 8 Hitting System, completely demonstrated with videos and hitting drills to help you hit with more power and raise your batting average.

 There is no doubt that is baseball is conceived to be America’s national pastime all over the world. One of the necessities of the game, apart from having someplace to play, is having the right baseball equipment. If you want to have a friendly game with your pals on the weekend or want to practice with your kids, you are still going to need a bat, ball and a mitt at the particularly minimum. The bis serious your game is, the more equipment you are going to have to purchase. Having the right baseball equipment is a requirement to joining almost any league, from junior to senior amateurs to secure that the game is as safe as mortal.

League teams usually have some baseball equipment that is available for all of their players to use. These are often paid for by the sponsors that specific team. These include the uniform, bats, catcher’s equipment and helmets. However, it is up to the individual players to buy the rest of their equipment such as running cleats for their boots and gloves. The cost of a new baseball kit can be extremely high, especially if you want the best. Representative, a glove can set you back around a $99 and buying top quality running cleats will not give you much change out of seventy dollars. However, it is possible to find these and other pieces of baseball equipment available second hand online at eBay. Other items online to look for are Baseball Books, Baseball DVD’s  and Posters of famous baseball players.

You might be surprised at some of the bargains that you can pick up around your town. Chosen cautiously, used baseball equipment can last as long as new would, but at a fraction of the cost. One of the benefits of buying second hand equipment, particularly gloves or mitts, is that they have already has-been* broken in and are ready to be played with straight away. New gloves need to be made supple and worked on before diehards* are up to game fitness. If you are looking to buy second hand baseball equipment, there are a number of pointers that you need to look out for. Defy gloves, you should inspect the surface thoroughly and ensure that there are no splits in the leather and that the glove itself is still firmly stitched together. The top important piece of advice is if in doubt, don’t buy it.

The same applies to running cleats. It is main that these are the correct size for your shoes and that there is little disintegration. Your running performance, and safety is affected by incorrectly relevant or immensely worn cleats..

Running bases may be one of the simplest baseball skills to master, but a lot of times, it’s neglected among the amateur ranks.  However, to be the best you can be when it comes to baseball, you need to be able to do this right.

As with any other aspect of baseball, what develops after you’ve hit the ball tells you what to do when it comes to running.  If you’re trying to beat an infield roller, for example, you need to get to first ahead of the throw.  If the ball goes to the infield as a single, you want to make a turn at the base.  If you drive the ball over the outfielder’s head for a double, there’s one running pattern, or if it’s a triple, there’s another.  And if it’s a homerun, there’s still another pattern to be used.

Here’s what you do, starting with trying to beat a throw to first.  If you’re a right-handed batter and you hit the ball, your weight is on your front foot.  To go to first, drive off that foot, taking the first step with your right foot, too.  A left-handed batter is going to have his weight on his front foot and can usually start on that foot to first.

Whether a batter is right or left-handed, he or she is going to start running like a sprinter just taking off the starting blocks.  He sees where the ball is going, and then concentrates on running, with his weight forward and body low.  The first steps are choppy, short, feet well spread.

About a third of the way to the first base, his stride becomes longer and he straightens up.  At the halfway point, the batter is running fully upright and at full power.  When the batter gets to first base, he keeps running as though the finish line is 15 feet on the other side of the base.  The runner runs through first, stepping on the base with either foot as he passes.

Runners shouldn’t jump at the bases, though, because this wastes energy.  Sliding is not appropriate, either, unless someone is attempting a tag.  After the base is crossed, the runner goes back to it.  If you miss a move toward second, even bobbing your head toward it, the opposition can play on the runner and he may be called “out” and as off base.

Some advocate that the batter should turn to the right after he or she crosses the bag so that there’s no misunderstanding about what the batter had in mind.  This isn’t always good practice, however, because a runner will lose steps if he does have the opportunity to go to second base.  Most important, the runner should remember not to move to second base unless he’s actually going there.  The batter should want to crack out a base hit and then stretch it, and draw a throw to first base to take advantage of an error if possible.

It saves steps and gets the batter in a good position to advance if he approaches the first base and he does any other until he’s some 15 to 20 feet in front of it.  At that point, the runner makes a small move to the right so that when he hits the base, he’ll be right on target for second and not right field.

How should runners touch bases as they circle them?  There’s a lot of dispute about that, and many baseball coaches and managers say that the runner should put the inside of his foot on the inside corner of the base, turn left and then cross over with the right to continue to the next base.  However, others say that this requires breaking stride to do that.  Because of that, the best method may be to strike the bag with whatever foot is up first when the base is arrived at.

What’s most important is that if the base is missed, the runner should go back and touch it.  Touching the base is the most important thing to learn.

If you learn to be an expert at base running, you can be one of the best players on your team.

One of the things you’ll need to learn to do if you want to learn how to be great in baseball training is to slide. There are two basic methods when it comes to sliding, the “leg under” or “bent leg slide,” and the “hook slide,” or “fade away.”

First, let’s talk about the baseball hook slide. Sit down with your legs out and turn to the right so that all of your weight is on your right hip. Bend your left leg so that the calf is at right angles to your thigh; the toe of your foot is your “hooking foot.” Raise your arms over your head and lower your body until your back is touching the ground. Move your right foot to the right ever so slightly and raise it a few inches off the ground. That’s a hook slide to the right.

To do a hook slide to the left, just change the instructions so that they’re appropriate to the other side.
When you do the hook slide, remember that you need to spread your weight out as much as you can, and get your back on the ground. Keep your outside foot, the one not touching the base, off the ground. If you don’t, your spikes will probably catch in the dirt and you can turn your ankle badly because your body will be sliding forward and you won’t be able to stop it. You might even break your ankle if you make this mistake, so be careful. And don’t “jump” the base. Instead, slide and keep your hands up as well.

If you don’t keep your hands up, you might cut or scrape yourself, or end up with a sprained wrist. If you can’t remember to keep your hands up, just pick up some dirt with each hand when you get on base and then make sure you don’t let go.

Now, let’s talk about the “leg under” slide. Sit down with your legs out in front of you and double your right leg under your left so that your right shin is facing what would be the base. Roll over on your right hip ever so slowly, raise your hands over your head, get your back down and reach for the base with your left toe. Switch these instructions to the opposite side if you want to switch your position.

To stop at the base, slide until your bent leg touches the base and then let your top foot go over the base, bringing it down on the other side. Then you should simply be able to spring to your feet and continue on.

To get an idea of that, sit in the bent leg position and have someone grab one of your hands and pull you up. You can see that you come naturally up to your feet without a problem.

If you’re going to slide, slide

One hard and fast rule about sliding is that if you start, don’t stop.

And if a play is being made and you are on second or third base, you should always slide. Overrunning the base means you risk being tagged out, slowing up so that you won’t overrun the base will be a risk to you too, because you could be tagged out then, too. Overrunning home plate of course is not a problem, but don’t go into the base standing up unless you know the catcher is not going to try to take you. If you have any doubts, slide.

If you can only slide on one side (right or left), you should use a hand to tag the base. If you’re going to go into second base and beat a throw from left field, the second baseman leaves the left side of the base open. If you can only slide on your right side, do that and go to third base’s side of second, grab the base with your right hand as you go by, and ensure that you’re safe.

You can practice sliding in two places: in a jumping pit used for track and field events, or at the beach. In either case, don’t jump at the base, a habit you can form easily in either of these two places.

In baseball training, when the ball gets hit, the catcher has a job to do. Most of the time, the catcher guards the plate. On bunts and pop-ups, though, oftentimes, it’s his job to do that play. No matter what, though, the catcher needs to toss the mask aside as quickly as he can.

When it comes to fielding the bunt, if the catcher is right-handed, he or she should always try to go for the left of the ball. That means he’ll be in a good position to throw it when the time comes. If the ball is still rolling when the catcher gets to it, putting the glove down in front of it to stop it and then grabbing it up with his glove and bare hand together for the pickup is best. If the ball has stopped, the catcher can make the pickup with his bare hand.

“Catching the ball with your nose”

When it comes to doing pop-ups, the catcher wants to get control of the ball as quickly as possible and should be waiting when the ball comes down. Pop-ups to the catcher are often caused by a sharp undercut to the ball, so the ball is spinning at a really high speed. The spin makes the ball move in one direction or another, but usually it goes toward the infield. The catcher knows this and has to be careful when the ball comes down so that he doesn’t catch it with arms out. There won’t be enough arm to do what he wants to do.

If the ball “floats” out of reach, the catcher can avoid this by “keeping his nose under it.” As the pros say, “Catch it with your nose.” Blink your eyes rapidly as you watch the ball come downward, because this prevents what are called “light staggers.” If pop-ups go to the back of the catcher, the ball’s spin will often make the ball curve as it goes upward.

A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is that if the batter undercuts an outside pitch away from him, it’s going to curve toward the batter. Therefore, the catcher should turn to his right and go back and under if the ball goes up and over the catcher’s left shoulder. This means that the ball will usually be curving in his direction, which makes his catch much more simple. If the ball goes up over his right shoulder, the catcher should turn left to go get it.

Covering third

When you are baseball catching on third base, it’s a special occasion, but there are several times this happens. First and most importantly, he is on bunt defense with a runner on first. They catcher goes into the diamond on the bunt, but he goes to his left and goes to third if the third baseman fields ball. If he doesn’t do that, it’ll open up the base and runners going from first to second can go on to third.

Catchers may also occasionally find themselves on third during a run between home and third. Again, the catcher will go to third when both the second baseman and the shortstop are chasing a pop fly by second with runners on base. In that case, the pitcher covers home and a third baseman takes second. Catchers should back up first base when the bases are not occupied and the batter hits a grounder to infield. This is especially imperative if the game is close. In order to make this backup play, catcher should start running when the bat first cracks and go for a spot at least 20 feet to the foul side of first. If the ball gets away from the first baseman, the ball and catcher will arrive at about the same time and the catcher can either keep the runner on first or get him going into second if he tries to continue and tag him out.

As a catcher, you have to be very thoroughly educated in these techniques and in the skills required.