Liberty Road Baseball- Member Liberty Road Recreation & Parks

 

 

ALL COACHES, VOLUNTEERS, TEAM PARENTS, AND ANYONE THAT HELPS  WITH A TEAM OR THE LEAGUE ARE REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH THE BALTIMORE COUNTY VOLUNTEER BACKGROUND CHECK PROGRAM.

 In a web browser, visit the website: BaltimoreCountyMD.gov/RecreationVolunteers

 The “access code” is BCGRec16

 This will be an annual requirement.  If you have completed this for another sport or volunteer position for Baltimore County in the past 12 months, then you do not need to register again.  You will, though, need to register every 12 months.

 

 A GOOD BASEBALL PLAYER SHOULD…..

 

…..LOVE THE GAME OF BASEBALL

…..STUDY THE GAME OF BASEBALL

…..STUDY HIS POSITION/S

…..WATCH BASEBALL GAMES

…..WANT TO GET BETTER (GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL)

…..EAT RIGHT

…..GET ENOUGH REST BEFORE GAMES

…..BE A GOOD TEAMMATE

…..HELP HIS TEAMMATES

…..RESPECT HIS TEAMMATES

…..BE COACHABLE

…..COMMUNICATE WELL WITH HIS COACHES

…..ASK QUESTIONS

…..PAY ATTENTION DURING GAMES

…..PRACTICE AT GAME SPEED

…..RESPECT UMPIRES

…..RESPECT THEIR OPPONENT

…..HUSTLE ON AND OFF THE FIELD

…..BE READY ON EVERY PITCH (know the game situation)

…..THINK AHEAD

…..WANT AND EXPECT THE BALL

…..RUN OUT EVERY HIT AND OUT HARD

…..KNOW THE TEAM SIGNS

…..KNOW HIS STRIKE ZONE

…..HAVE A “DURING THE SEASON” WORKOUT ROUTINE

…..HAVE AN “OFF-SEASON” WORKOUT ROUTINE

…..REST DURING THE OFF-SEASON

…..ALWAYS BE POSITIVE

…..ALWAYS GIVE 100%

…..ENJOY THE GAME OF BASEBALL – HAVE FUN!

 

 

PROPER PREPARATION PREVENTS POOR PERFORMANCE!

 

 

Always be Positive!     Always Give 100%!     Energy Takes No Talent!

Persistence is more important than talent.

Respect the game as much as you want to be respected.

Practice hard, because you play the way you practice.

It doesn't take any talent to hustle.

Help your team win whether you play or not.

Don't tell people what you are worth, prove it to them.

Don't let anyone make an excuse for you.

Maintain eye contact with all adults when they talk to you.
Practice on your friends.

It is your coach's opinion of you that counts.
He makes out the lineup. Fail to understand this point and you will soon be out of the game.

Be passionate about your teammates. Love the game.

The only thing that coaches owe you is HONESTY.

Body language screams. It never whispers.

BASEBALL

Balance makes champions.
If you focus on hitting and ignore the defensive part of your game you will never be a complete player.

Be as diligent on defense as you are on offense.
(Defense wins more games than offense)

Games are lost - not won. Mistakes lead to losses.

Work on your game every day of the year.
(The guy who will beat you out for the starting job does)

Baseball reveals character it doesn't build it.

Character means doing the right thing when nobody's watching.

Show off your talent to your current coach and your future coach by doing the following:

(ALL THE TIME)

When you jog to warm up, finish first.
When you stretch, do your best.
When you play catch, throw to a target and hit it every time.
When you play catch, catch the ball or block the bad throw and keep it in front of you.
When you are doing a drill, do it perfect.
Go hard all the time.
Never walk onto a baseball practice field.
As a batter/runner, run to first as though it matters that you are safe.
Know the situation on defense and do the right thing.

"Put away" pitches are a pitchers bait
for the hitter. They are pitches located
just off of the corners of the plate so
that even if an umpire doesn't call the
pitch for a ball, a hitter may fish for it.

Early in the count, I like to see off-speed
pitches thrown for strikes. However, when
you get ahead with two strikes, it's often
effective to put away hitters with curveballs
in the bottom of the strike zone, fastballs a
few inches off the inside or off the outside
parts of the plate, or change-ups that drop
on the plate.

It is unacceptable to give up hits when
you are ahead in the count with two strikes,
but it is also unacceptable to waste pitches
0-2.

So get ahead early in the count, and put the
hitter away with quality put away pitches.

Work on it!

Catch players doing things right. This is harder than it sounds. You have to get into the frame of mind to ignore the little "wrong" things so you can reinforce players when they do the right things."

 

 The official size of the diamonds will be:

Clinic League:   60 foot Bases,  40 foot pitching plate

Midget League: 60 foot Bases,  40 foot pitching plate

Minor League:   60 foot bases, 46 foot pitching plate

Major League:   70 foot bases, 48 foot pitching plate

Pony League:    80 foot bases, 54 foot pitching plate

Colt League :    90 foot bases, 60 feet, 6 inches pitching plate

A.1. Baseball Ethics:

A.1.1. Traditionally, baseball is the game of America. Therefore, only the highest standards of sportsmanship and conduct are expected of the players, managers and others associated with the game.
A.1.2. Baseball is, and should be, an aggressive, non-contact sport. Deliberately teaching players to violate the rules is indefensible. Such conduct is not only unfair to one's opponents, but is demoralizing to the players entrusted to a manager's care.

A.2. Manager's Ethics:

A.2.1. The actions of a manager or coach must be above reproach. Profanity by a manager will not be tolerated. Any manager or coach found guilty of using profanity on the field can be suspended from the league until a hearing is convened.
A.2.2. Discussions concerning rule interpretations will be between the manager or managers involved and the umpire. No coaches or players will become involved. If a fan or coach interferes, it will be the manager's responsibility to remove the uninvited participant. Failure to do so may result in action being taken against the manager as well as forfeiture of the game.
A.2.3. The manager's duties involve more than just what happens on the ball field. His actions and training should be aimed at developing not only good ballplayers, but also good citizens.
A.2.4. Teaching the runner to play the fielder or baseman rather than the base will not be tolerated. Remember that baseball is a non-contact sport.
A.2.5. Managers and coaches should be, and usually are, chosen for the job because of their maturity. Temper tantrums and childish manners by a manager or coach only brings him/her down to the level of the kids who are supposed to look up to him/her. Remember that it's only a game.
A.2.6. No manager or coach should criticize a player from another team.

A.3. Umpire's Ethics:

A.3.1. When not involved in the game, an umpire should not criticize another umpire's calls. When there are two or more umpires officiating, no umpire will reverse or overrule another umpire's judgment call, even if one of the umpires is an inexperienced volunteer. When it comes to judgment calls, there is no such thing as a “head umpire" on the field.
A.3.2. An umpire must be an impartial judge. He must be above reproach, and, to avoid criticism, he should not stand by, chat or kid around with one team's coaching staff while ignoring the other team's staff.
A.3.3. The umpire is on the field to officiate; not to tell the manager how to manage, nor to criticize players or coaches.
A.3.4. The umpire must not assume a dictator attitude, provoke antagonism when enforcing rules, or be hardheaded regarding interpretations.

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Solicitation:
A solicitation will be made to coaches within each division, to determine the interest in being considered for the Travel Head Coach positions. Candidates are not limited to Head Coaches of In-House teams, and the LRB Baseball Board may reach out to current assistant coaches or parents who the Board believes would be suitable candidates.

The criteria for selection are:

1.     Baseball Experience – The ability to teach and develop skills and educate the kids about the game and rules:

• Experience playing on a competitive level – high school, college, professional
• Experience coaching on a competitive level – high school, college…

2.    Coaching Youth Sports – The ability to lead and manage a team of kids and their families:

o    Experience Candidates will be assessed in the following categories:

coaching within the LRB or local little League

o    Experience coaching baseball in any travel youth baseball league

o    Experience coaching any youth sport – soccer, basketball, football etc.

o    Metrics: team performance, feedback from parents and fellow peers

3.    Sportsmanship – A mindset and orientation that balances winning with learning life lessons/life skills:

o    Ability to instill in players a positive attitude and behavior about themselves, their teammates, their competitors and respect for the game of baseball itself.

4.    Behavior – The proclivity to consistently role model the desired behavior:

o    Ability to comport themselves well, exhibiting self control, a love of the game and good sportsmanship. Service to League via a Board role or other volunteer role

5.    Interest – The display of enthusiasm for and interest in coaching

o    signing up to coach within the proper timeframe (player registration process).

o    Expressing interest in coaching to League officials, board members and fellow coaches

Mandatory requirements 

• Availability for all Travel-related activities
• Satisfactory history with the LRB Baseball Board
  
  Interview:
  All Travel Head Coach candidates who meet the minimum criteria established by the board will be interviewed by the LRB board and Travel Coordinator. Interview dates and times will be announced to the LRB Baseball Board members, whom are invited to observe or participate in the interview process at their own discretion.
  
  Selection:
  Following the interviews, the LRB Baseball Board will select a Travel Head Coach, based on the recommendations of the Travel Coordinator, and a vote by the LRB Baseball Board. All decisions are final.
  
  Assistant Coaches:
  Upon the completion of the Travel Player Selection process (see below), the Travel Head Coach may select assistant coaches from the pool of parents of players who have been selected to the team.
  
  Assistant coaches may be chosen from the list of Travel Head Coach applicants who were not selected for that position, however, there is no obligation to do so. All assistant coach candidates are subject to the same criteria as the Travel Head Coach (described above) and all selections must be approved by the LRB Baseball Board

Evaluation Explanation: There are (4) major areas that players will be evaluated on. Fielding, hitting, pitching, physical movement & baseball knowledge. There will be a number rating system for each area. The evaluator will use the criteria for each specific area as a means for arriving at the number rating for each players attempts. These criteria are not only for evaluation purposes but also should be used by coaches and parents as a starting point when working players on baseball basics.

I. Fielding Criteria

A. Throwing
B. Defense
C. Fly Balls/Outfield

II. Hitting Criteria

A. Stance
B. Step
C. Swing

III. Pitching Criteria

A. Before The Pitch
B. Motion
C. The Pitch

IV. Baseball Quiz

*Players will be asked five (5) situational baseball questions. The questions are multiple choice. Players should pick THE BEST answer available.

Draft Night 2010

Rules for draft selections

1. Managers may choose one coach to help with the team.
2. The manager’s child and the assistant coaches’ child will play on that team. Those players evaluation will be used to determine when that manager will be skipped in the draft.
3. Managers will draw a number to see when they select in the draft. They will go in order starting from 1 thru 4, 5, or 6. After the last person picks, the order goes in reverse from last (6, 5, or 4) thru first (1). This is repeated until no players are remaining in the draft.
4. After the draft is completed, managers may only trade players of equal talent and the commissioner must approve the trade.

Items that must be addressed before the draft starts:
• Evaluate unrated players
• Assign team coach
• Remove manager’s son and coaches son from the draft
• Assign managers a selection number
• Divide players into draft rounds (highest total scores equal the early rounds)
Notes for managers:
• Managers must receive practice assignments
• Managers must get equipment info.
• Managers must give e-mail addresses
• Distribute coupons to managers
• Distribute rules and league By-Laws
• Allow time for Q & A

Pitching Forum Videos- Clay Slaughter

FIVE LINKS TO THE PITCHING CHAIN

1. Feet- Middle of rubber with heels, small side step with tempo 45 degree, place foot parallel to rubber. Key coaching word: Tempo

2. Balance- Controlled leg lift. Hand and glove come together with pause. 2 second pause with eyes focused on catcher's mitt. Key coaching word: Control

3. Power- Get front elbow up pointing toward target. Get back elbow out and up forming an "L". Hand above ball (4 seams). Weight stays back. Key coaching word: Push off

4. Rotation- Hand stays behind ball, above shoulder with "L". Both feet on ground. Front shoulder on target. Replace led elbow/glove with ball pointing towards catchers mitt. Release ball while pointing at catchers mitt, not at the top of the "L". Key coaching words: Stay on line.

5. Follow through- Back foot on ground parallel or ahead of front foot for momentum. End in fielding position. Head still on target with catcher's mitt. Key coaching word: Finish.

Sample Practice Plan

Here’s a great practice plan with some good examples of drills you can run to keep everyone moving through multiple stations. Take this plan and use it yourself, or treat this plan as a template and drop in your own drills and stations. For every practice, you should come prepared with a plan like this one. Organization is a big key to coaching young players effectively.

Duration Description

5 minutes Dynamic Warm-Up
Skipping, high-knee skipping, high-knee jogging, bounding, backward running, jogging.

5 minutes Stretching
Hamstrings, quads, groin, back, shoulders, triceps.

10 minutes Throwing and Catching
One-knee Drill (4 min) - Players work on arm action while throwing with their throwing-side knee planted on the ground.

Power Position Drill (4 min) - Players stride into their throw and plant their front foot where it lands, pointing towards their target. Holding that position, players work on good trunk rotation in their throwing motion.

Regular Catch or 21 (2 min) - Focus playing catch on delivering the ball to the chest or head. Playing the game "21" is a race to see which player can deliver the most accurate throws - one point is awarded for a throw to the chest, two points for a throw to the head, and no points for anything outside that area. First player to 21 points wins.

20 minutes Team Fundamentals
First-and-third offense and defense - Put your infielders in their positions and have everyone else run the bases. Work on both offensive and defensive plays in the first-and-third situation.

30 minutes Stations (3 groups, 10 minutes at each station)
Hitting - tee work and soft toss.

Backhand Drill - players roll groundballs to each other, focusing on using the backhand with the proper form (wide base, butt down, glove out in front).

Communication Drill - Players go to outfield positions. A machine or coach throws fly balls into the gaps. Players must use proper communication to make sure the fly balls are caught without confusion.

5 minutes Big League Baserunning
Players begin lined up at home plate, then progress through a series of running situations: (1) running from home through first base on a single; (2) lead off first, shuffle, crossover and run first to third, then jog home; (3) players line up at home again and then run out a double; (4) simulate scoring from second on a base hit; (5) finally, run out a triple or a home run.

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Tball/Midget Coaches Practice Kit

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