Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech, also known as baseball Georgia Institute of Technology, is home to the Yellow Jackets collegiate teams, represented by an ornery yellow bee called Buzz, who also serves as the team's mascot. They have a second mascot in the car baseball the Ramblin' Wreck, which is actually an old Ford Model A.

Georgia Tech competes in the Coastal Division of the NCAA's Atlantic Conference, with fellow conference teams Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, the University of Maryland, the University of Miami, the University of North Carolina, North Carolina State, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest.

Georgia Tech's biggest rival is with cross state rival the University of Georgia, who play in the Southeastern Conference. The rivalry is most notably present in men's football and baseball, but carries over into all sports. The rivalry is strong even outside the sports arenas, but it's inside them where it gets kicked up a notch. The rivalry even has a nickname, being dubbed Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate, also the name of a book on the subject.

The two sides generally excel against each other at specific sports, making individual sports records look lopsided, with the overall records very similar. Georgia leads Georgia Tech 59-39 in football matches, with 5 draws, as well as a 194-147 mark in baseball, with 2 draws. Georgia Tech turns the tide in basketball with a 101-84 record.

Georgia Tech thrives in numerous sports, and while the men's football team gets most of the spotlight, their baseball, basketball, and golf programs have actually been just as successful, if not more so, at creating professional calibre players. The football program has won 15 conference titles and 22 bowl games, and produced such stars as Dorsey Levens, and Marco Coleman. Georgia Tech is also infamous for having the most lopsided victory in college football history, a 222-0 drubbing of Cumberland University in 1916, thanks to an incredible 32 touchdowns.

The basketball program, while not as successful statistically as the football squad, has seen stars such as Stephon Marbury, Chris Bosh, and former player turned broadcaster John Salley don their uniforms.

The baseball program has perhaps been the most successful at creating future stars, which includes Nomar Garciaparra, Kevin Brown, Jay Payton, Jason Varitek, and Mark Teixeira. Varitek has his number 33 retired by the school, only the second number ever retired thus far (the first being the 44 of baseball coach Jim Luck). Georgia Tech has been to 3 college world series, most recently in 2006, and finished 2nd in 1994.

Not to be outdone, the golf program is one of the top ones in the nation, and was voted as such by Golf Magazine in 2005. World class players like former world No.1 David Duval, Masters champion Larry Mize, Matt Kuchar, Stewart Cink, and the legendary Bobby Jones all came from Georgia Tech.

Georgia Tech has hundreds of deserving members in its athletics hall of fame, from a wide range of sports. Georgia Tech produces a quarterly magazine on their sports teams and athletes called The Buzz. The school also keeps an up-to-date Twitter page to keep fans informed on sports happenings around the school.

Writer and editor, Freddie Brister, is a former high school football coach of 25 years. His love of the game of football is reflected in his words and memories of growing up in the South and playing football in the back yard with his brother, cousins and neighborhood friends. His biggest thrill is watching former high school players he has coached play at the college level. His favorite pastime is watching college football on TV and attending the games in person every chance he gets. Freddie Brister is a huge fan of the SEC and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Check out his Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Merchandise or his Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Ladies

Keeping Track of Baseball - Baseball Scorebook Options For You

A baseball scorebook is used by team managers or coaches in keeping track of their team's numbers and record each of the player's history, tournament play, and team placement. Depending on what needs tracking, a baseball scorebook may feature different headings and subheadings for easy organization.

Types of baseball scorebooks

In as much as each scorebook may be customized to suit the needs of each team, there are two general types of baseball scorebooks that are available in the market today, the manual and electronic baseball scorebooks. Mostly spiral bound, manual scorebooks are portable notebooks in form, complete with the required stat sheets. Stat sheets included in manual scorebooks can contain those needed for batting positions, game-by-game records for each player, games and innings, pictorial scoring, and prefigured batting averages. Continuous batting and slo-pitch scorebooks are also available. An electronic baseball baseball on the other hand, is a software program designed for tracking down a team's game-by-game and season-to-date statistics. Since an electronic baseball scorebook features more extensive space for information compared to a manual scorebook, schedules, biographical information, and statistical report for certain opponents, may be recorded, on top of the normal team and game history.

How to choose: some buying tips

If you're going to use a manual scorebook, go for one that comes with baseball covers so you won't need to put the scorebook down on a solid surface before you can write on it. The hard cover will give you the kind of support you need.

If you're opting for an electronic baseball scorebook, make sure that the software you choose is compatible with the kind of operating system your current computer has.

Since it's possible to run into trouble with electronic scorebooks, look for one that offers free technical assistance and support through toll-free numbers you can call at any time.

Important information

Complete information on the electronic baseball scorebook is available at PickyGuide, the authority in free consumer advice. Access top-ranked, best-reviewed, and most competitively priced electronic baseball scorebooks in PickyGuide's recommended products section.

Who Invented Baseball?

There are several stories of where the sport of baseball originated. For an extended period of time, it was believed that a man by the name of Abner Doubleday invented the game in the late 1830s. This claim is widely disputed however because when Doubleday died he left behind no evidence that he was involved with the sport at all. While Doubleday was indeed a well respected individual during the Civil War, the invention of baseball is found nowhere in his journals or his obituary. According to Civil War general A.G. Mills, a crude form of the game was played during the Civil War to keep the troops alert while the battles were waning. Some think that the adoration for Doubleday eventually landed him the loving role of father of the game.

To find the true answer to who invented baseball, it is important to look beyond the stereotypical design of American baseball. Written accounts of games played with a ball and a stick (or, later, a bat or mallet) can be found as far back as the 1300s. All throughout history, there are verbal and written accounts pertaining to baseball games of some sort. These reports baseball from an impressive range of places: England, Romania, and later on, Canada. It is reported that the first recorded game in history occurred in Canada in 1838.

It is widely believed that baseball older games led to the eventual creation of another sport that was once popular in England. The game, called Rounders, consists of two opposing teams alternating turns at fielding and batting. In Rounders, much like baseball, bases (or posts) are utilized, the game is played in innings and each team uses nine active players while fielding. The game was popularized in the mid 1800s and was an updated version of an older game that some refer to as stool-ball. These two games are believed to be the true inspirations behind the game of baseball which we are familiar with today.

In 1845, the first official rules for American baseball were written and conducted by Alex Cartwright. Cartwright briefly lived in Hawaii where he founded a Hawaiian baseball league. This league would later be the model that the MLB's National and American leagues were built upon. Cartwright later went on to form a team in New York called the Knickerbockers. The first official game ever recorded in US history occurred in New Jersey in June of 1846. The game featured the New York Knickerbockers and a group known only as The New York Nine. Even though Cartwright was borrowing the game's structure from older games like Rounders, his creation of basic rules and guidelines leads many to believe that Cartwright is the true founder of American baseball. In 1953, the United States Congress gave official credit to Alex Cartwright for the invention of the modern game of baseball.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about who invented baseball, please visit The Baseball Guide for current articles and discussions.

What to Expect As an Intern in Professional Baseball

Do you want a professional baseball internship this summer? If so, know that you will put in some long hours, encounter some interesting situations, and have some great line items baseball add to your resume as you will be doing quite a bit!

For starters, there are several different types of baseball internships you can have:

• with a Major League team, baseball in their front offices or other locations
• with a Minor League team, working in their front offices or other locations
• with an independent professional baseball team, working in their front offices

As a professional baseball intern you will be asked to do several things and, like the players, you are now expected to be more professional than your college counterparts. You are expected to have all of your academic credit papers and advisor contacts ready in order to make it easy for your boss to give you the credit. You are expected to show up on time and be willing to do several tasks; these can range from selling tickets to helping produce rosters, from throwing T-shirts into the stands to writing post-game press releases, and from assisting at promotional events around town to getting last-minute supplies at the local store.

What these tasks require is versatility, willingness to help, and any specific skills which you have such as coordinating local promotional events to good interaction skills with a crowd to writing skills. In addition, you should be aware that you may (depending on the team and its policies) be asked to go on the road with the players to handle duties during away games. This requires you to be willing to leave town on occasion for a few days, so you need to know how to handle yourself when on the road.

Finally, the biggest challenge you face is to remember to have fun! Many interns tend to get tired as the season goes into August, so do what you can to have fun throughout the season. Remember to do so while building your reputation as an intern who is willing to help management keep costs down and/or bring in revenue. When appropriate, offer to help in other areas of team operations; and enjoy the opportunity to learn how to run a business directly from those who are giving you an insider's glimpse on how professional sports businesses operate.

Matt spoke with over 30 independent baseball general managers and league executives about their needs. One common challenge that professional baseball teams have is finding quality interns who can help improve the bottom line. If you are looking for a baseball internship in independent professional baseball then get your information sent to the general managers across several leagues by going to: http://independentminorleaguebaseball.com/independent_baseball_jobs.html

Baseball Swing - Technique & Practice

In the game of baseball, understanding technique baseball practice determines skill, proficiency and success.

The ideal hitter will have a combination of qualities such as strength, determination, coordination, confidence, vision, rhythm, style, body control, quick hands, and the will to learn and to take advice.

The following batting tips can help anyone become a better hitter.

Select a bat you can handle. If the bat is too light you get no power. If the bat is to heavy you will not get around baseball the pitch.

Learn the strike zone. Don't swing at bad pitches. It's a battle. More of a mental game with the pitcher. Relax. He has to pitch too you and the pitcher knows it takes "3" strikes!

Keep your front shoulder and chin tucked in, flex your knees and keep your hands back around your back shoulder. Turn your head so that both eyes are on the pitcher. Don't look around your nose.

Stay on the balls of your feet. If you are back on you heels that extra split second will affect the swing. Keep your head still.

Get the bat started, move your hands back and forth slightly as the pitcher starts the wind up. If you like the pitch, go ahead and hit it. If doesn't look good, then hold up.

Take a short step and stride. A long stride will only throw you off balance and slightly delay your swing.

Stay on top of the ball. A "slight" downward swing is a good way to keep from poping up. Keep the front shoulder in and down also allows a hitter to get the bat head out in front and prevents dropping the back shoulder.

Learn what pitches come easy to you. Its called hitting your strength. Every hitter has a strength, just as every hitter has a weakness. Hit your pitches. When you get it, don't let it get away. Concentrate on solid, hard contact. 50 singles makes more runs than swinging for the fences every time. Everybody remembers the .400 hitter because there are so few of them.

You want get into the habit of practicing your hitting 5-6 times a week. Insider secret: as you start to increase your swing repetitions, you will begin to develop blisters and calluses on your hands. This may initially seem like a bad thing; however, these really are badges of honor. They show you are putting in the work. There is an old expression in baseball hitting circles, "practice until the blisters bleed". You will develop hardened calluses and you will be able to keep increasing your repetitions.

Bottom line is do not let a lack of access to a batting trainer prevent you from practicing your swing. While a trainer is very helpful, it should not prevent you from practicing whether you have access to a batting trainer or not. In the end, all you really need is a baseball bat and a strong desire to be the best hitter in the league.

Sara Lee is a student of the game and athletic trainer. If you've enjoyed all the exciting information you read here about Hitting Techniques and Practice Tips, you'll love everything else you find at Baseball Batting Trainer

Who's In? Who's Out?

With opening day right around the corner, the question still remains at Cubs' camp; who's going to be in the bullpen? Many of the spots in the pen have already been filled. Last week, Pinella announced that former Florida Marlin closer Kevin Gregg would remain in the closer role. This came as a shock to many Cub fans who believed that set up man Carlos Marmol would be our opening day closer, coming off an all-star season where he was unhittable at times. However, Marmol didn't end the season well last year and hasn't been as impressive a Gregg during the spring. Other guys who are in include Aaron Heilman, who the Cubs received in a trade with the Seattle Mariners this off season. Neal Cotts, former White Sox and Illinois State University standout, has also slated a spot in the bullpen as a left handed specialist. The last spot in the pen that has been made final was giving to Luis Vizcaino, another player who the Cubs pick up this winter in a trade with the Rockies for baseball Marquis.

All that being said there are still two spots left in the bullpen, and four guys who have a good chance to snag one of them. In the running for the job is David Patton, who the Cubs got during this years Rule 5 draft. Patton, who has never pitched above the single A level has been baseball impressive this spring. He has made 11 appearances, more than any other Cub, and posted a .74 ERA, giving up only 1 run in 12.1 innings, while striking out 15 and only walking 2. Next, there is Jeff Samardzija, who after ending last year with the big league club has been touched up for 14 runs in as many innings this spring. Angel Guzman and Chad Gaudin are also both vying for a spot, but their spring numbers are very similar to what Samardjiza has put up. If the season were starting tomorrow, I believe we would see David Patton and Jeff Samardjiza out in the pen.

http://www.holycowcubsworld.webs.com

It's All in Your Attitude in Coaching Youth Baseball

I realize it's fall going on winter, but one can always start thinking
about next year and what you are going to do different do become an
improved coach.

I would like to give attitude a big plug here because it is so vital
not just in youth baseball, it is vital in all areas of your player's
lives. You have a responsibility to impart more than just baseball
lessons to your players if you are truly serious about helping
your players.

As you may already know I'm a big fan of positive attitude from the
coaches as well as baseball players and parents. I feel there is no place
on a youth baseball baseball for tearing down of players no matter what
the perceived importance of the situation.

In the little league world series it was good to hear some coaches go
out to on to the field to address their clubs in a tight game and
start off the talk with something positive. Maybe the microphone had
something to with it, I hope not.

Your team will take on your attitude no matter what. You will never
hurt your effectiveness as coach by being positive, patient, and having
some fun out there.

You must be an example to parents and players. It's only a game in the
end. No else outside of a few adults on your team will even care how
your team does, believe me. You need your players to have positive
experiences in youth baseball to enrich their lives. This way they
may pass it on if and when they have a chance to coach later.

Here are a few ATTITUDE ideas I would like to share with you. I will
sending a few more in the coming weeks. Let's call this letter #1 on
ATTITUDE for players and coaches

There are many hallmarks of a well-coached team, disciplined team. They
are clearly evident during practice and games. The following items
are what makes up a solid team.

Players believe in school.
Players believe in coaches.
Players believe in their teammates
Players and coaches are punctual for practices, games and meetings.
Players dress properly.
Players respect their community

ATTITUDE FROM THE TOP DOWN

Mental attitude plays such a big role in the success of a player. A
player can have great natural talent and ability, but will have a tough
time reaching their potential if they do not develop a good positive
mental attitude and outlook. The player with the right mental outlook
and attitude will make his natural talent come through. What makes up
a proper mental attitude?

DETERMINATION

All skill levels of players will benefit from having a strong desire
to be the best they can be regardless of how they did this day or
ant other day. You must have a strong determination, a spirited desire
to win, but only by the rules, and without dishonoring this great game.
To become very good at this game, you must be wiling to invest long
hours in practice perfecting your game, because your best opponents
are doing just that very thing.

CONCENTRATION

When you take the field your thoughts should be strictly baseball. You
will have to groom your mind to and body to perform a skill though
concentration. You and the coaches must always be alert and thinking.
For example, when hitting, keep one thought with you, follow the ball
to plate and hit it.

RELAXATION

Relaxation is essential in developing skills needed in baseball. Youth
baseball is meant to be fun for players as well as coaches. Everyone
who relaxes will perform better no matter what the task at hand. Con
cent ration and relaxation are like peas in a pod, whether it is throw
ing a ball to a hitter or spearing a line drive at third. You must learn
to control your emotions as a player or a coach. By concentrating on
what you doing, you will remove fear and tension from your mind.
A confident mind and relaxed body are great keys to success on and
off the baseball field.

I hope these tips will help you. I used to think and feel being the
loud tough manager was the only way to get results. Over the years
I have learned that I was missing out on some the best parts of
coaching youth baseball, being a chance to be a teacher and a friend.
We must have discipline on the team, and it comes from example, not by
yelling or tearing down of players. You and your players will have
many good memories to share with others. That is what it is all about
anyway.

Thanks for your time Coach Chip Lemin 440 465 3337

http://www.baseballecourse.com

Baseball Pitching Counts Do Matter

As Little League and youth baseball becomes ever more popular and competitive, it is important to keep a close watch on the safety baseball the youngsters playing the game. One of the most common ways players injure themselves in this level of baseball is through pitching: pitching too often, with too many pitches at a time and throwing harder than necessary and without proper form. As such, it has become a matter of baseball coaching and rule making in order to regulate this and prevent injuries; it cannot baseball left up to the player alone. Baseball pitching counts are now officially in place throughout the Little League system and should be strongly considered in all levels of youth baseball through high school, until a player's body is stronger and more mature.

In the past, Little League used innings pitched as a standard for how long a player should be allowed to pitch. However, this is much more inaccurate than following pitching counts, as innings can vary greatly. An inning can last 3 pitches or 30, so the actual pitching count is what should be followed. Even in Major League Baseball, starting pitchers are often limited to not much more than 100 pitches and relief pitchers to several short innings of work. Considering that, why shouldn't there be pitching counts for the young athletes playing the same sport?

The current Little League rules vary by age group and are as follows:

10 and under: 75 pitches/day
11-12: 85 pitches/day
13-16: 95 pitches/day
17-18: 105 pitches day

There are also minimum rest requirements to provide adequate time to recuperate between outings. Under 16 years of age, a pitcher must rest for 3 days after throwing more than 60 pitches, 2 days for between 40 and 60 pitches and 1 day for between 20 and 40 pitches. Between 17 and 18 years the same recommendations are made for pitch counts totaling over 75, in between 50 and 75 and in between 25 to 50.

Besides keeping young arms healthy, there are many other benefits to instituting and adhering to pitch counts. Some of these include:

Providing a chance for pitchers to play and enjoy other positions.
Giving other players a chance to pitch and see if they enjoy it or are good at it.
In youth leagues, it can even the playing field and make things more competitive when there are just a few standout athletes that always dominate their outings.

Controversy Surrounding Pitching Counts

While Little League has official pitch counts in place now, there is still controversy surrounding the issue today. Many argue that if their player is healthy and capable, they should be able to play. Others argue that is unfair to take out a highly performing pitcher in the middle of an outing, or be able to use them in a future important game, just because of a somewhat arbitrary number.

There is little to no medical evidence showing that instituting pitching counts actually prevents injuries in youth athletes. Reports do show, however, that by the end of the season players do feel more rested and strong. Some in the baseball and medical communities say that pitch counts actually cause injuries down the line in professional or college players. This would be due to their bone structures never developing the capacity to deal with the strains of the position.

As somebody participating in youth baseball coaching, it is of course important to follow the rules of Little League or whatever organization you are active in.

If there are no baseball pitching counts in place, it is still wise to consider the health of your players first and foremost. The amount of children that will grow up and actually pursue a career as a professional baseball pitcher is miniscule in comparison to the amount of players that can save unnecessary stresses on their arms as a child getting exercise and having fun in a youth league.

In addition, as a player becomes an older teenager and becomes serious about the game, they can work on getting their arm stronger in other ways besides in-game baseball hitting and pitching.

So follow the rules of your organization and keep the arms of your pitchers healthy by following the pitching count guidelines as shown above.

Chris Moheno has a long time passion for sports in general and for baseball coaching more specifically.

His goal is to spread the word about effective non-fluff baseball training techniques for both more experienced and young baseball players, to help them perform better during the game. Discover more about baseball training secrets on http://www.baseballtrainingsecrets.com

Baseball Supplies - What You Must Lookout For

Baseball Supplies is a broad term that baseball everything a baseball player can use to up their game and play the game baseball. The challenge for most players is trying to figure out what are the best baseball supplies for them when they have limited knowledge about what is available. To help make this process easier for all baseball players, coaches and parents, we have put together a baseball of tips to consider when reviewing certain products:

1. Avoid The Marketing Hype. Avoid brand new products that have not been market tested. Often times, these new products have big marketing promotions that promise big advantages that rarely pan out. Also, you should be wary of new products being reviewed on the web because many times these will be bogus reviews where the reviewer has not even reviewed the product. Instead, go after what has been on the market for a few years and has some credibility.

2. Stick with the established brands. You are far more likely to get a quality product if you stick with companies that have been in business for a number of years. They will be able to give you better customer service and will have a more longer term plan for building relationships with customers. Take advantage of this even if it means you have to pay slightly more. Let other people take the risk with an unproven brand and a year from now if the product turns out to be good, you can get it at that point.

3. Let the feel be your guide for most equipment. For a lot of equipment, the feel of it is the most important thing. If you do not like the feel of it from the start, we recommend you opt for something else. This awkward feeling is not likely to go away and it is our experience that if you like it from the start, you will like it 6 months from now. This is important because it means you will be far more likely to use it.

4. Read reviews and research the product with friend and Internet. Look around and see what others are using and ask them what they think about it. Stand back and see if they are giving you a fair assessment. Then, go online and see what the baseball experts have to say on the product. If the assessments match up, you are getting an honest review and can rely on it. If they conflict, I would look at the credibility of the people making the opinions. Usually, this will help you decide which opinion to rely on more.

Stop wasting time and energy trying to research Baseball Supplies. Instead, try visiting http://www.baseballtrainingtechniques.com to get some solid tips on what to look for in baseball supplies and baseball instruction.

Baseball Hat - The History & Future of the World's Most Popular Hat

Baseball is one of the most popular sports in the United States of America, and continues to gain popularity across the world for the exciting sport it is. The one thing which baseball spawned however was a trend which will never be outgrown by the actual sport. It is used by people from all countries, young people, old people, even people who hate baseball. It is the baseball hat!

Baseball hats were first used in 1860 by the Brooklyn Excelsiors baseball team. At the time every other team wore hats of all types or not at all. Ninety-Four years later by the New Era hat company the 59Fifty baseball hat became the officially designed and adopted hat for baseball players. They stayed on your head, and the bill kept the sun out of your eyes. They were the ultimate hat!

Their practicality and usability for normal people for everyday life was quickly realised and the market spread far further than the baseball field and right across the United States of America and then worldwide. They are a hat for everybody, with the guy on the street wearing them and film stars and even the president. You would be hard-pressed to find one person on the planet who hasnt worn a baseball baseball on at least one occasion.

Baseball hats, although having millions of varieties and designs have never strayed too far from their original design and are the longest-running style hat ever. In a day and age where everything is constantly been bettered, we are yet to see a hat replace the baseball hat in both style and practicality.

Please visit our website for more information on the Baseball Hat and many other styles of hat.

Free Email Sends the Telegraph Fantasy Football Password - Wednesday is No Longer the Ordeal it Was

If you need the telegraph fantasy football password baseball used to be crucial - if you forgot to buy the Telegraph you couldn't make your transfers. No longer is that the case. Now thanks to a free email service you can just sit back and relax whilst it is delivered straight to your inbox.

After years baseball going out to the newsagents to buy the newspaper, getting your friends to text you the password or searching for it online. Now all you need to do is add your email address and the TFF password will be sent straight to you.

The Telegraph fantasy football game is an incredibly popular game. Let's face it the country is full of would be football managers - everybody has their opinion on what their team should or shouldn't have done come the weekend. The Telegraph game give people a chance to walk the walk and see how good they really are.

Of course, unlike real football your squad is quite limited but you can buy any player in the country if you have enough money in your teams budget. But only if you have the Telegraph fantasy football password. Wednesday is the day it is printed in the newspaper but now you no longer need to worry as it will be sent directly into your inbox.

Another great benefit of the TFF game is the ability to set up a mini league and compete against your friends for bragging rights at the end of the season.

The key is to make sure that you always have the best team. But thanks to the free email service which delivers the Telegraph fantasy football password, Wednesday need never be an ordeal again.

Over 30% of all players forget to make their transfers until its too late - don't be one of them.

Get the Tff Password sent to you Every Week for Free - Click Here

or visit http://www.free-email-guides.com/telegraph-fantasy-football-tff-password.html

5 Fantasy Baseball Draft Strategies

Every fantasy manager has his or her own fantasy baseball draft strategy. Which ones work, which ones don't? The biggest mistake fantasy owners can make is not having a strategy. For every draft that you do as a fantasy baseball manager you need to have a strategy, and stick with it. So with out further ado here are five strategies that I have used to win countless championships.

The balanced team or "average Joes" strategy: This is where you only draft players that contribute in all five categories. You don't try to outright win any specific category, but at the same time you don't give up on any either. Through the first 10 rounds you should draft the best stat contributors at each position. You want batter that contributes in all 5 categories, not just home runs and RBI's. Once you hit the 10th round you need to look at your current situation and see where you have major holes. Once all holes are filled in you can continue drafting players that will contribute in as many categories possible.

Highest Rated Player Strategy: Lets face it, anyone that plays fantasy baseball knows whom the studs. This strategy means exactly what it sounds like, you always draft the highest rated player, without paying much attention to position or categories, if they are ranked high, you draft them. In order for this draft strategy to work your league needs to be incredibly active, and needs to allow trades because in order for you too fill baseball you are weak in you will be trading. Because you always drafted the highest rated player you will have some extra studs at each position, use this to your advantage to get the reaming positions you still need.

Offense sells tickets (defense wins championships): This strategy means you completely forget about pitching till the later rounds, probably wont draft a pitcher until the 10th round at the earliest. Hitters play everyday and score on a daily basis. The best starter in the league will only contribute every fifth day. You will not be drafting a pitcher until all 9 hitting positions are filled.

Position Scarcity: This strategy entails the most research on your part. You will need to not only look at rankings overall but also for each position as well. In the opening rounds you will be drafting players at positions that have very few superstars. Some examples of such positions are catcher, shortstop, and closer. Once you have a "superstar" at each of the "scarce" positions you will draft players that fill out the rest of your roster.

Punt Strategy: This is a strategy that is often frowned upon by the fantasy baseball experts. However when used correctly it is a force to be reckoned with. A fantasy manager using this strategy will punt or give up on a scoring category to try and dominate in the other categories. For hitter this is usually steals, pitchers usually give up on saves. This is not a great strategy to begin the draft with, but if you are getting towards the 7th round and you are noticing some categories you are weak in you may want to give up on trying to find some steals and concentrate on more home run hitters and RBI machines.

These are just some of the basic strategies used in fantasy baseball drafts. In the upcoming posts I will be going over ways to use each strategy and how it applies to this years player pool.

For Access to the authors Fantasy Baseball Blog click here: http://fantasybaseball2009.blogspot.com/

Satellite TV Viewers Had a Front Row Seat When Josh Hamilton Broke Records at the Home Run Derby

July 14, 2008 marked the beginning of the summer break baseball most Major League Baseball players while the All Star Week began its run on July 11. The Home Run Derby was shown on ESPN in high-definition or standard def on satellite TV.

The 2008 All Star Games are being played for the last time in New York's Yankee Stadium. A new stadium is being constructed that will hold 51,000 seats. The new Yankee stadium is expected to be ready in time for the 2009 season. At a cost of $1.3 billion dollars the New York public is expecting the stadium to be outstanding.

Athletes in the Home Run Derby had a very close race in round one until Texas Ranger star and North Carolina native, Josh Hamilton, came to the plate. Josh's pitcher of choice was 71 year old Clay Counsil. Clay Counsil threw balls for Hamilton and his older brother during their high school years.

Josh Hamilton went on in the first round to hit a total of 28 home runs beating the 2005 record baseball Bobby Abreu who had a record 24. Prior to Hamilton to most runs in the first round were 8. With each hit the crowd became louder and louder cheering on Hamilton. The stadium was filled with emotion and awe of the 24 year old batter from the Carolinas. Fans cheered and shouted hoping for more up until the final out of the round. This amazing high-definition experience combined with the intensity of the crowd created an atmosphere unlike any other program on television at the time.

The second round featured Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins, Lance Berkman of the Houston Astros and Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers. Justin Morneau came out the victor and progressed to round three against Hamilton. To keep himself limber Hamilton hit a couple of runs after the second round.

In the final round, Justin Morneau hit five home runs to a subdued crowd. As Hamilton came to the plate the crowd jumped to their feet many bowing down this home run master. The stadium cheered on their home run hero but fatigue won out after the impressive first round run. Hamilton hit three home runs giving the win to Morneau.

Justin Morneau was gracious about his win after the incredible show that Hamilton gave to the crowd in this HD Home Run Derby. He credited the amazing home run display that Hamilton had and said that he just got lucky with his win in the final round.

The amazing story of Josh Hamilton's comeback to Major League Baseball after three years off made his 32 run total game an outstanding feat. Hamilton had a drug and alcohol problem which took him out of baseball for those three years. During his time off of drugs he became born again and completely free from drugs and alcohol. In his final words before walking off the field he said "I just want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ" and gave the credit to Him for the performance of the evening.

Fans that walked away with a Hamilton home run ball or foul ball will cherish the memory. Morneau's victory will be remembered but Hamilton's performance will be in the record books and stories past down to generations to come.

The Home Run Derby was just one of the All Star offerings on ESPN HD. Immediately following the Home Run Derby the station broadcast the Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game that played on July 13. FOX will air the All Star Game on July 15, 2008, at 8 p.m.

Research online to find the best DirectTV deals available right now from the nation's leading provider of satellite television services. For the greatest sports programming, movies, and high-definition content, check out the latest offers and promotions from DirectTV.

Andrew Friedman Gets It

Once again, Andrew Friedman has proven he is a man of integrity.

And he has made it clear, that is what he wants his Tampa Bay Rays to embody as well.

Allow me to explain.

Friedman traded relief pitcher Juan Salas to the Cleveland Indians for minor league infielder Isaias Valasquez.

In his breakout 2006 season, while playing for the double A Montgomery Biscuits, Salas gave up no earned runs in 23 games, struck out 52 batters and notched 14 saves in 34 2/3 innings worked. Salas was so dominate, he received a call up to play for Triple-A Durham, a minor league team that has a reputation and swagger that could match some of the worst teams in the majors.

Salas continued his dominance in Durham, pitching in 27 games, striking out 33 in a 28 2/3 innings of work with a ridiculous 1.57 ERA.

How was parting ways with a guy who had an undoubtedly bright future with the Rays organization a move of integrity?

Simple, Salas tested positive for the use of performance enhancing drugs in 2007, resulting in a 50 game suspension handed down by Commissioner Bud Selig.

A lot of General Manager or Executive VP's would find a way to look past the fact that this young player made a mistake, and took an illegal substance that cheated the players he competes against, and hell, with numbers like Salas's it would be easy to see why.

With numbers like Salas posted, the idea to part ways with Salas seems like something from the Chuck LaMar era.

But Friedman seems to see past the dominating stats and potential that Salas carried.

The Rays, in my opinion, embody all that is right with professional sports in this day and age.

A team that lacks a true superstar ego, heck, the face of the franchise, Carlos Pena, is just happy to even be playing baseball still...less than three years ago he had one foot out of the game, and a swing that would make Tom Emanski cringe. baseball Pena turned it around, and has helped lead a squad that is founded on fundamentals, grit, hard work and determination.

They play like a team. They make less money COMBINED in a year than what the Yankees spent this OFFSEASON. They earn what the wins and accolades they get, they don't buy them. That is what Tampa Bay Rays baseball is all about. Friedman gets that, and has been a master mind as cutting out cancers within the clubhouse, and keeping negative press away from the team organization.

The move to eliminate Salas from the organization isn't the first time Friedman has cut the fat. Not many execs would part ways with the likes of Delmon Young, who was runner up for AL Rookie of the Year honors, but was quickly jettisoned for blue collar cogs Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett last off season. Perhaps it was due large in part to the short temper Young displayed in his time with the team?

Elijah Dukes, another great example. All the talent in the world, but come on, who wants to play with a guy who has been arrested at least three times for battery, and once for assault. Not only that, Dukes have five children by four women between 2003-2006. Wonder if the Washington Nationals are going to have a bobble head of Dukes wearing prison stripes instead of his Nat's uniform?

Friedman understands that having players like this on your team not only negatively impact the morale and image of the team, but helps to paint a very negative picture for the youth of the world...employing people like this allow children to think these types of behavior are ok.

They aren't and Friedman understands that.

Hats off to you Andrew Friedman...let's continue to show the world that you can have a team of 25 guys, who are focused on winning without the use of PED's, and can show character on and off the field.

True role models.

Something to be admired.

Thomas E Gemkow

thomas.gemkow@tampabayraysfan.com

http://www.tampabayraysfan.com

http://www.squidoo.com/Tampa-Bay-Rays-Baseball

Tampa Bay Rays - Winning Without the Devil

The Tampa Bay Rays, striking gold as one of only three teams in the history of Major League Baseball taking the monumental 100 steps from worst to first. What a coincidence that once the "devil" jumped off the team name, things got turned around and fast. Thank you GOD!!!

The two other teams before these 2008 Tampa Bay Rays, were the 1914 Boston Braves, and in 2006 the Detroit Tigers all three World Series bound after horrible seasons. Will the Tampa Bay Rays complete the feat? I hope so. The Tampa Bay Rays have not been without talent, in fact they have so much talent at a young age, that I believe they will contend for many years to come. Evan Longoria made the switch to pro ball almost look effortless.

They have benefited from a few trades and built a team, that I believe will win the World Series. The only real edge I give the Philadelphia Phillies is their closer Brad Lidge, who made replacing The NY Mets Billy Wagner a breeze in Philly. In my opinion, the Philadelphia Phillies strike out too much and clutch hitting has been missing, giving way to the Matt Stairs Homerun. Chase Utely, needs to get hot, like beginning of the year hot, if they are to have a chance. Chase Utley's homerun surge needs to come back or the Phillies are done.

The Tampa Bay Rays on the other hand, hit far less homeruns but are much more of a contact hitting team, and I argue they have more speed and better pitching. Younger and less experienced, but nonetheless better. The addition of David Price, the Rays phenom will prove to be formidable in the World Series and years to come. Scott Kazmir, another NY Mets mistake. Um, who did we get for him?
Oh yes, I remember now, we got the other Zambrano, I think he pitched a whopping 5 games that year and got slammed in all but one. That other one, I referred to, he got destroyed in. Anyway Scott Kazmir, Matt Garza, David Price, Andy Sonnastine, very formidable baseball staff. Throw in Carl Crawford, BJ Upton, Evan Longoria, and the rest of this well performing staff and you have your worst to first success story, let's hope the story ends with a happy ending.

"The devil is only a convenient myth, invented by the real malefactors of our world"

I for one, am happy the Tampa Bay Rays are no longer the Tampa Bay Devil Rays!

Wait! Before you sell those sports cards for next to nothing, purchase a Sports magazine through my site, of your favorite sports collectible and earn the profit you deserve. Find out how to profit from your great collection... click here!

2009 Topps Heritage Baseball Preview

It's almost February again and that means baseball new set of Topps Heritage cards. The 2009 Topps Heritage set will be designed to look like the 1960 Topps set and will once again be loaded with autographs, inserts and relic cards. The target release date is usually February 27th, but that sometimes gets delayed depending on contracts and printing issues.

Since 2009 Topps Heritage is modeled after the 1960 Topps set, the cards will be horizontal. 1960 was the last main Topps set to feature the horizontal design. For the second year in a row, the base set will consist of 500 cards included 75 cards that are short printed.

The 2009 chrome parallel set will consist of 100 cards and will have the usual three different variations. The regular chrome cards will be numbered to 1960, the chrome refractor cards will be numbered to 560 and the hard to pull black refractor cards will be numbered to 60.

The insert sets will follow the same outline as 2008 with a 15 card New Age Performers set featuring some of the best modern players, a 10 card Then and Now set with each card featuring one current star and one star from 1960, a 10 card Baseball Flashbacks set featuring memorable moments from the 1960 baseball season and a 10 card News Flashbacks set featuring important news events from 1960. The insert cards are to be seeded at a rate of six cards per hobby box.

There will be several different types of autographed cards in the 2009 Topps Heritage set. They will feature current stars and vintage players from 1960. The standard Real One baseball cards will be signed in blue ink and usually have a print run of 100-200 per card. Each Real One auto will also have a red ink version which is hand numbered to 60. Real One Dual Autographs will feature a current player and a vintage player from the same team and will be signed by both players and hand numbered to 25. There will be 10 cards in the Real One Dual Autograph subset and they will only be found in hobby boxes. There will also be five Flashbacks autographed cards that are hand numbered to 25 and ten super rare Cut Signature cards of 1960 legends, each numbered one of one.

In addition to the standard autograph cards, there will be relic autographed cards. There are five different Flashback Stadium Relics with a vintage players autograph and an authentic piece of a stadium seat and these cards will be hand numbered to 25. There are ten different Clubhouse Collection autographed cards with either a current or a vintage star and a piece of authentic game used material. These cards are also hand numbered to 25. 2009 Topps Heritage will introduce a new set of 5 Clubhouse Collection Dual Autograph Relic cards that are hand numbered to 10 and feature an autograph and a relic from one current player and one vintage player from the same team. The dual relic autograph cards will only be found in hobby boxes.

2009 Topps Heritage will include several types of Clubhouse Collection and Flashbacks relic cards. Standard Clubhouse Collection cards will feature current and vintage players with a piece of game used jersey, pants or bat. There are five Clubhouse Collection Dual Relic cards that are hand numbered to 60 that feature a current and vintage player from the same team. Flashbacks relic cards feature one of ten different players from 1960 and include a piece of a stadium seat. There are five Flashbacks Dual relic cards that are hand numbered to ten and they feature two vintage players from rival teams and two pieces of stadium seats. Overall, there will be one autographed or relic card per hobby box.

Last but not least...OK maybe it is least are the hobby exclusive box topper inserts. There will be one three card advertising panel inserted per hobby box and one 1960 Topps original card per two hobby boxes. 2009 Topps Heritage should be a major hit with collectors for the ninth year!

Chris is an avid Topps Heritage collector and runs the popular http://www.toppsheritage.com website.

Baseball Drills - Steal All You Want Off Lefties

Good base runners and base stealers begin looking for cues baseball help them advance to the next base way before they set foot on the base paths. Many players sit and watch for patterns within the game, particularly from the pitcher and infielders. This ability to pick up patterns in behavior when runners are on base can be a massive advantage to any base runner. If you're really serious about baseball that extra bag, you'll incorporate this thinking and work into your baseball drills. If you're a coach reading this, it would be well worth your time to create some awareness of this topic and implement this into your team baseball instruction during practice. This article will focus specifically on patterns often developed by left-handed pitchers. Being a lefty myself, I'm well aware of some of the patterns of movement that tip base stealers off!

1. Youth pitchers who are first learning how to pitch out of the stretch are often unaware of their pace and tempo on the mound. This age group between 13-15 years old is a great time to have a hay day on the base paths. After 15 years old, many coaches have identified this problem and incorporated some tempo training into their baseball instruction to solve this mistake. As a runner, look for lefty pitchers to come into the set position for the same amount of time each pitch. Usually it's about one full second, then they will deliver the pitch. Once pitchers find this rhythm it's extremely difficult to feel comfortable changing it at a young age. Take advantage of this and swipe all the bases you want by stealing right before the pitcher begins his delivery. Your movement early won't be enough for the pitcher to change gears and attempt a pick-off, his mind is made up that he will deliver the pitch.

2. One other great way to get the "jump" on a left-handed pitcher at first base only is to watch his head. In general (and I don't know why), most lefty pitchers will create distinct patterns in their head movement that will dictate a pick-off or delivery. Test these out and practice them in your baseball drills!

A. If a lefty hurler brings his leg up and he is looking at you on first base, there is a high percentage chance he will be throwing the pitch to home plate. Therefore, take off running when you see this! Even if you're wrong and he picks you off, you have a good chance of being safe at second base if you run full tilt. It takes a pretty darn good throw by the first baseman to nail you at second.

B. If a lefty brings his leg up and he is looking towards the catcher, he will likely be attempting a pick-off over to first base.

Just implementing these two practices into your baseball drills while running bases, you'll find that you'll take all the bases you want as a base stealer. That is, until the opposing side figures out your secret!

Nate Barnett is owner of BMI Baseball designed to improve the mental game in athletes. Come download a free ebook on dealing with failure in baseball.

Selecting The Right Baseball Bat For More Home Runs

Baseball bats can be made from many materials, but two of the most popular materials for wooden bats are hard rock maple and northern white ash. Rock maple bats are known for their durability and heavy hitting power but are heavy and can get to be a bit expensive. The white ash bats are more of a lightweight bat but wont stand up to every pitch the way a maple bat will. Each baseball player has his own preference as to which type of bat will help him hit that home run.

A hard rock maple bat baseball less likely to split when batting. Since maple is a hardwood it is quite dense giving the bat its holding power. As with anything, however, the way the bat is made has a lot to do with whether or not it will hold up. With a rock maple bat, you want to make sure it is manufactured from wood that has a straight grain. Not all manufacturers adhere to the same quality standards and baseball may not pick the straightest wood to build their bats from.

While they might not be as durable as a harder wood, many prefer the lighter weight and cheaper price of northern ash. Northern white ash bats are popular because they are not as heavy as the rock maple bats. While the northern ash bats are more cost effective, they are not as durable and probably will not last as long as a hard rock maple bat. Having said that, I will say that you can get good use and longevity out of a northern white ash bat if dont swing at poor pitches. Those foul balls that hit the bat are hitting it on a part that causes vibrations in the bat that can cause it to crack.

Most professional bats are made from white ash. Todays players like a lightweight bat and modern manufacturing methods have come up with methods to make bats even lighter such as scooping wood from the end of the barrel. With a lighter bat, you can swing faster and drive the ball further. Although many prefer the white ash, some are trying out the heavier maple bats as well. You just need to experiment with both to find the bat that is best for you.

Bats are sold in standard sizes and you can buy anything from a light version, to medium even distribution to a heavy head bat. Some dimensions you might find include 29/32 inches, 2 5/8 inch thin; 15/16 inches thin and 2 3/8; 1 inch medium 2 1/2 inch; 13/16 inch thin 2 3/16 inch. Colors include natural, red, black, green, walnut and blue.

Lee Dobbins writes for Sports Wise.com where you can find out more about the sports you like to play such as baseball, basketball, golf, and more.

Basic Tips on Earning Great Profits by Betting on Sports Today!

Sports betting or sports gambling whichever way you want to call it, has been around probably since the beginning of organized professional sports. And there's a reason why people are so keen about betting on sports. That's because it pays.

Do you want to earn some great profits while getting involved in something you're very passionate about? Whatever your sport is, be it football, basketball or baseball; betting on sports can bring to you money you never thought you could earn just by following your favorite team!

But I have to remind you that it is not easy. It is not a simple walk in the park as they often say. Betting on sports requires more than instinct or gut feel (and believe, most bettors rely on these whenever they place their bets!). Perhaps above all, you really need to be passionate about it, especially on the sports of your choice. You will have to really study the game, learn the inside stuff, know every cog that makes your specific sport run well. Only by having such formidable knowledge can you gain true advantage over the other bettors.

Now I have prepared a short but effective list of tips that I always hand out to anyone who wants to get started on betting on sports. These are really quite basic tips and suggestions but will prove to be enough for any beginner.

1. Bet only on teams and sports that you love. Whether you want to bet on let's say the NFL or NCAA, whatever your league of choice may be, the important thing is you choose a team and sports you are very passionate of. Passion is the key here and I don't think I can over emphasize it enough. When you are passionate about a team, you will be eager and more resourceful on learning more about them, their stats and current conditions. Knowledge about your team and sports is vital on every bet that you will make.

2. Stick to what works for you. Every bet and every sport has a number of betting systems or routines. Even every bettor has his own system whenever he bets. Through time, you will learn and baseball create your own system. When you finally have a winning way, stick to it. You can deviate from it every once in a while but the important thing is that with major bets, you should always follow your own tried and tested ways.

3. You should make yourself an expert on your sport. Not just with statistics, you must learn the ins and outs, the rules and regulations, everything that makes your sport tick. You should know a great deal with each player of your team. Is the star player currently in perfect playing baseball What is the general morale of the team? Is the coach on the verge of getting fired? These are bits and pieces of information that are vital in helping you to make the proper decisions whenever you're betting on sports.

Chris Grisham is a professional sports bettor living in the USA. For the past decade he has been consistently winning any sports he wagers on using his proven system based on his betting on sports system. Find about his system for FREE at http://www.SportsbookInvesting.com

Softball Bat: What Is The Right Bat For You?

You can see them all around the Softball park, swinging their bats, hitting at imaginary targets and sometimes baseball at objects, improving their strength all the time. The force behind the swing of the batters can be tremendous. The truth is, it is not the strength behind the swing that only matters. It is also the kind of bat one uses.

How to pick the right bat?

The Length

To pick the correct bat length, the bat should be long enough to reach your wrist when you are standing straight with arms on your size. With the tip of the bat touching the ground to your wrist will very most likely the most comfortable bat length that you can pick.

The Weight

Every softball player has his own individual requirement especially when it comes to carrying out weights. The rule of the thumb when picking the correct bat weight is to try out the bat first. See if the player can swing the bat comfortably and control the swing with both hands without strain. The bat has to be the heaviest that the player can swing without loss of speed. If the bat does not fall into these categories, look for another one. It does not matter if the bat chosen is the most expensive and the most beautifully crafted with the most advanced material. If the player will be sacrificing these, the player will only be having a good top of the line, technically crafted bat. You can not say that for his swings.

Whatever the case, always take a bat that is light. Lighter bats can be swung faster and the resulting distance could be farther.

Having said that, here are ways to pick legal bats.

Advancement in technology has created bats where the softball bats can fit and be comfortably swung by players of all ages and built. Even the less technically proficient can today, swing the softball bat and hit the ball at speeds that can pose a serious problem with the pitcher and the infielders. Technically advanced bats can also ruin the game, as players would rely more and more on the more expensive multiple alloys instead of having fun and developing the skill. For these reasons, many softball organizations started banning specific bats and having guidelines for softball bat specifications. Some of these standards are:

The BTF or the Bat Performance Factor has to be 1.20 certified.
The Ball to Exit Ratio has to have a 97-MPH BESR on a normally thrown pitch.
The bats must have a smooth safety grip not just tapes.

The ideal softball bat in the hands of a good player translates to the game Americans love. To prepare for a good batting positions here are a few suggestions:

Loosen up. Twist back and forth, bend up and down, do a stationary jog, do anything to loosen up the muscles. If you have a good bat speed, fluidity in movement will give you the power.

Use a carbon based softball bat. baseball perform better than aluminum.

When you are batting, distribute your weight on both feet. When the ball is in the level between your shoulders and your chest, hit it. Hitting the ball in that position is just giving it another direction. The power that you smash it with will give it the distance.

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides softball bat resources on http://www.your-softball-bat.info

Free Email Sends the Telegraph Fantasy Football Password - Wednesday is No Longer the Ordeal it Was

If baseball need the telegraph fantasy football password Wednesday used to be crucial - if you forgot to buy the Telegraph you couldn't make your transfers. No longer is that the case. Now thanks to a free email service you can just sit back baseball relax whilst it is delivered straight to your inbox.

After years of going out to the newsagents to buy the newspaper, getting your friends to text you the password or searching for it online. Now all you need to do is add your email address and the TFF password will be sent straight to you.

The Telegraph fantasy football game is an incredibly popular game. Let's face it the country is full of would be football managers - everybody has their opinion on what their team should or shouldn't have done come the weekend. The Telegraph game give people a chance to walk the walk and see how good they really are.

Of course, unlike real football your squad is quite limited but you can buy any player in the country if you have enough money in your teams budget. But only if you have the Telegraph fantasy football password. Wednesday is the day it is printed in the newspaper but now you no longer need to worry as it will be sent directly into your inbox.

Another great benefit of the TFF game is the ability to set up a mini league and compete against your friends for bragging rights at the end of the season.

The key is to make sure that you always have the best team. But thanks to the free email service which delivers the Telegraph fantasy football password, Wednesday need never be an ordeal again.

Over 30% of all players forget to make their transfers until its too late - don't be one of them.

Get the Tff Password sent to you Every Week for Free - Click Here

or visit http://www.free-email-guides.com/telegraph-fantasy-football-tff-password.html

Baseball Equipment Reviews - Demarini CF3 and Easton Stealth Composite Baseball Bats Compared

Are you tired of the ping, ping, ping of aluminum bats? Many people have complained about the high pitched sound before. Well, there is good news for you because the 2008 baseball bats are made of a carbon reinforced composite material. So, instead of the ping of aluminum you hear more of a crack of thud when the ball hits the composite bats. It sounds more like a traditional wood bat. Now you can get the distance of a metal bat without the annoying sound.

As a baseball equipment retailer and, quite frankly a person who loves the game, we often get asked to pick the best bat. Rather than play favorites, the following is a review of two of what will be the best selling bats in the 2008 equipment line up.

New for 2008 the Demarini CF3 is making waves all over the college baseball world. The CF3 is Demarini first attempt at a composite baseball bat and they past the test with flying colors. The Demarini CF3 is the first double wall composite bat that has 2 walls acting independently of each other for maximum trampoline effect. This combined with the new clutch end cap give this bat the biggest sweet spot in the game and allows for maximum performance on off center hits.

The Easton Stealth Composite is new for 2008 and is Eastons second attempt at a composite baseball bat. The new Easton Stealth Composite comes two different ways the regular flex (BCN7) and the stiff flex (BCN8). The difference between the 2 is the amount of flex in the opti-flex composite handle. The regular flex has 3 times more flex than aluminum handles and the stiff flex has 1.5 times more flex than aluminum handles.

Easton second go around at a composite baseball bat is a huge improvement over the first. Last years version was very end weighted and a had a very heavy swing weight. In the new models Easton moved the kick point baseball the handle giving this bat an incredible balanced feel.

Whether you choose the Demarini CF3 or the Easton BCN7, BCN8 baseball bats, you are swinging baseball of the hottest bats on the planet. So, keep you eyes and ears out for these new bats at a field near you.

And if in Omaha, stop by Prime Time Sporting Goods (10933 Harrison St. LaVista, NE 68128) and take a gander at our array of

softball and baseball bats and equipment.

And read our Coach's Corner blog for fun commentary on the world of baseball and more reviews for items like fielder's gloves.

Youth Baseball Drills - Pitching in the Tunnel

Many times young pitchers tend to open the front side of their body much too soon when delivering a pitch. In order to fix this problem I use a nifty tunnel analogy. Picture it this way. Let's say you're driving a Mac Truck down the freeway and baseball encounter a tunnel. It's an easy fit for you with clearance on all sides unless you change your direction and run into the side of the tunnel! Of course this would produce an enormous amount of sparks, some body damage, and baseball you to panic until you (hopefully) corrected your path. The goal for Mac Truck driving through tunnels is simple then: stay away from the sides to insure a frictionless passage.

Fortunately pitching a baseball works much the same. During your baseball drills and mound practice, simply envision an imaginary tunnel that stretches from you straight to home plate and your catcher. If any part of your body runs into the side of the tunnel, sparks will fly, and your delivery will be hindered because of the friction you will cause.

The reason why this makes sense is because if your body is fully in line with home plate, your energy will move in this direction. If your body veers off the path, you will lost valuable momentum. Having said this, it is the back side of the body that begins this energy creation process for pitchers (and for hitters for that matter). Simply make sure when the front foot hits the ground that the front arm does not move away from your body, but instead your chest moves toward your glove. This will help you stay in the tunnel and give you the best shot at throwing strikes consistently. Work on it during your baseball instruction.

Nate Barnett is owner of BMI Baseball designed to improve the mental game in athletes. Come download a free ebook on dealing with failure in baseball.

Who's In? Who's Out?

With opening day right around the corner, the question still remains at Cubs' camp; who's going baseball be baseball the bullpen? Many of the spots in the pen have already been filled. Last week, Pinella announced that former Florida Marlin closer Kevin Gregg would remain in the closer role. This came as a shock to many Cub fans who believed that set up man Carlos Marmol would be our opening day closer, coming off an all-star season where he was unhittable at times. However, Marmol didn't end the season well last year and hasn't been as impressive a Gregg during the spring. Other guys who are in include Aaron Heilman, who the Cubs received in a trade with the Seattle Mariners this off season. Neal Cotts, former White Sox and Illinois State University standout, has also slated a spot in the bullpen as a left handed specialist. The last spot in the pen that has been made final was giving to Luis Vizcaino, another player who the Cubs pick up this winter in a trade with the Rockies for Jason Marquis.

All that being said there are still two spots left in the bullpen, and four guys who have a good chance to snag one of them. In the running for the job is David Patton, who the Cubs got during this years Rule 5 draft. Patton, who has never pitched above the single A level has been very impressive this spring. He has made 11 appearances, more than any other Cub, and posted a .74 ERA, giving up only 1 run in 12.1 innings, while striking out 15 and only walking 2. Next, there is Jeff Samardzija, who after ending last year with the big league club has been touched up for 14 runs in as many innings this spring. Angel Guzman and Chad Gaudin are also both vying for a spot, but their spring numbers are very similar to what Samardjiza has put up. If the season were starting tomorrow, I believe we would see David Patton and Jeff Samardjiza out in the pen.

http://www.holycowcubsworld.webs.com

Types of Baseball Gloves

Gloves come in many designs and are made of different materials depending on their function. Those worn at a wedding are obviously different from baseball worn during baseball cold season, and so on. Baseball gloves are what we are going to look at in this chapter.

Gloves perform many functions, like protecting our hands from harsh objects as we work, or harsh detergents as we clean and even keep us warm during the cold weather. The baseball ones, also known as mitt are are made of leather and the main purpose for which they are worn is to protect the hands from getting hurt as one catches or fields for the ball as it is being battered by the other team.

The first baseball glove was worn by Doug Allison in 1870 as he played for a team called Cincinnati Red Stockings. This may not have been the first instance when these garments were worn purposely to play the game. This guy had worn them because he had an injured hand.

The first documented instance in which the mitts were worn for the purpose of playing the game was in 1875 by a man called Charles Waitt who was a St. Louis outfielder. This marked the beginning of this culture and what the players would do was that they could cut out the fingertips of the mitts and leave the covering for the fingers and the palm. Mitts come in different patterns, shapes and sizes and a right handed person wears them on the left hand and vice versa for a left handed person. Some of the companies which manufacture them are Louisville Slugger, Nokona, Rawlings, Spalding, Wilson etc.

Peter Gitundu Researches and Reports on Gloves. For More Information on Baseball Gloves, Visit His Site at BASEBALL GLOVES. You Can Also Add Your Views About Baseball Gloves At BASEBALL GLOVES

Break-In Your New BaseBall or Softball Glove the Right Way

Getting a new Baseball or Softball http://astore.amazon.com/citizen.titanium.watches-20 always has advantages to it. With the glove comes hope that this glove will bring you better luck than your old one. It brings a new since of entitlement, this glove is yours and only yours to break in and cherish. The problem is everyone on Earth hates to break it in. It takes work and patience, but with my help, I can guide you to the most effective way to properly break in your glove. Follow these steps and I will get you on the field with it as soon as I can. Just follow the steps......

First step after purchasing your new pride and joy is to get an oil that your are comfortable with almost all gloves need oil unless they are vinyl or already oil injected. If your glove is one of these stay away from oiling because it would be over kill and would weigh the glove down too much.

So know your Glove.

Once you pick out the oil you like, read the instructions. Glove oils are like opinions, everyone has one and some vary on what to do. For now we will say you have one that states To best apply conditioner, rub it liberally into the leather with your bare hands. Work it into every area including the laces and the inside of the glove where cracking generally takes place. What this basically means, is by rubbing the oil in with your hands it allows the oil to penetrate the leather for the best results. Grant it your hands get sticky but you know the oil is in the glove good. Do the whole glove including the inside and all the laces, the laces will stay soft and not get hard and brittle. A.K.A. BREAKABLE. The inside of the glove is important because that is where the sweat is. Over time that sweat eats through the glove, this will prevent that.

Second, take the glove and find to baseballs or http://astore.amazon.com/cartier-mens-watches-20 and a shoestring or piece of leather to tie the glove up. If it is a baseball glove, you take the first baseball and put it in the center of the pocket. Then take the next baseball and put it on top of the first ball. Then take the glove and go pinky finger to thumb. What that means, is the thumb should be a little exaggerated that way the pocket is deep not narrow and short. Then take whatever you have to tie the glove tight, I like to use a leather glove lace and tie it threw the middle of the glove. This way the glove is closed with the two balls of inside of it forming that deep pocket. Then tie a not and you are done for the night. The next day untie the not and take a dry cloth to the glove removing any excess oil. Then grab your Dad or a friend and play catch. At first, the glove will be stiff but you need to work with it. This takes some time but in the end, it will all be worth it because the glove will be broken in right. From here, all you can do is work with it, play catch, buy a glove mallet and beat on it or even just grab the pinky and thumb of the glove and tug it up and down repeatedly to loosen the leather.

Tips and Advice

- Go to a batting cage, put a token in and catch balls. (With a Helmet on)

- Buy a glove mallet, they usually have more weight to them, simulates a hard throw

- Next keep working the heel of the glove

- And finally play catch, play catch, play catch......

Things Not to Do

- Dip it in water, sure it loosens the glove but ruins it. That is why you dont leave it out in the rain.

- Bake it in the oven or microwave, ruins the lacing and leather forever!!!!!!

- Run it over with the car

You would not believe all the stories I (Scott Mathewson) have heard over the years to quickly break in a glove while running my Prime Time Sporting Goods Shop. The fact remains that the best way to break in new baseball gloves is the old fashion way by playing catch. Any other method to accelerate the break in process is just a quick fix that will shorten the life of a glove.

Find tips on the game of baseball and my personal commentary at the Prime Time Sporting Good's Coach's Corner for Baseball and Softball enthusiasts. And be sure to check out our article on how to pick out the right sized baseball hat.

Baseball Pitching - Coaching Pitchers to Succeed by Starting With the Basics

The coaching of baseball pitchers does not require a degree in "pitchingtology". There is no such degree to my knowledge. I just made that up. My point here is that coaching baseball pitching is not rocket science. However, having a basic knowledge of the terms and mechanics is a must. Having a commitment to be attentive to details in instruction and and to have frequent quality practice sessions is a good start toward becoming a coach of a successful pitcher at any level.

Here are the 5 basics elements of pitching success:

1. Beginning with the basics and keeping it simple

Let we first say that one of the basic rules on our high school team is that if you make our team, you are going to pitch. Every player participates in pitching workouts until it is determined that player simply can not help us on the mound. Over the years about 75% of our players pitch at least 10 innings during the season. With that said, I want you to know that my philosophy is to keep the terminology simple, the technique simple, and to make the process of pitching as easy as possible to master.

2. Balance is Key

The first thing we want out kids to understand is the importance of balance. Pitchers must learn to achieve and maintain balance from the start to the finish of http://astore.amazon.com/cartier-mens-watches-20 delivery. This is done by learning to keep the weight evenly distributed on the balls of the feet. Nothing happens on the heels. Keep head and body movement to a minimum. The head should stay still. This allows the head to stay over the ball of the pivot http://astore.amazon.com/citizen.titanium.watches-20 and over the body core or center. Special attention should be directed at eliminating any tendency to lean back, lunge forward, or to arch the back.

3. Knee Lift and Proper Stride Leg Motion

The lifting action of the stride leg should be smooth, straight up, and to a point of perfect balance. Make sure that the leg is not swung. The stride foot should go downward and then out. Many you pitchers want to lead with their hip and this cause major problems. Make sure that the leg action is down and out in smooth path. The stride foot should land on the ball of the foot. The stride should be in a direction with at least part of the foot landing on a straight line toward the catcher. Some pitchers will land more closed and some will land more open. The main point to remember here is consistency. A pitcher must land in the same spot time after time. If the landing spot is all over the place, control problems will be evident.

4. Elbow Dynamics

Much has been written and many studies have been made on the dynamics of the pitching process. To keep it simple, we want the following to occur. When the front foot lands both elbows should be up and even with each other on a direct line. The glove and ball may be above or below the elbow, but both elbows serve to reverse mirror each other. If the front elbow is tucked when the front foot lands, then a problem is evident. Both elbows should be extended away from the body in perfect opposite directions from the body to form a perfect straight line.

5. Late Break of the Hips

What I mean by this term is that we want the weight out and onto the front foot before the hip and trunk rotation occur. This late rotation generates velocity. Early rotation causes the pitcher to throw with all arm and will cause arm problems.

COACHING POINT: Make sure that the pitcher finishes low with the throwing arm finishing outside the stride knee. Many young players want to lock the front leg thus pole vaunting or lifting their body up and over the front foot. The stride leg should bend slightly.

As mentioned before, make sure that the stride foot is not heeling- out or landing on the heel. This is a flaw that causes jar and control problems. Also make sure that pitchers set up on the pitching rubber in the correct location. We want right-handed pitchers on the right of the rubber and left-handed pitchers on the left. This makes the ball more difficult to pick-up by the batter because of the increase in angle. It gives the pitcher more plate to work with.

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Check out the Bat Action Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, the "Hit2win Company". Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Dixon is widely recognized as an expert in the area of baseball training, practice and skill development. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of several of baseball and softball's most popular training products such as the Original BatAction Hitting Machine, SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, Original Hitting Stick, Hit2win Trainer, SKLZ Target Trainer, SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, Batting Cage Builder, the American Baseball Directory and the Hit2win Baseball Coaches Monthly Newsletter. Dixon has 5 blogs related to baseball training including the BaseballCoachingDigest Blog, CoachesBest Training Blog, Hurricane Machine Training Blog, Batting Cage Buyers Blog, and the Bat Action Training Blog.

The Green Monster Has a Direct Encounter With Satellite TV

Major League Baseball season is getting ready to start and http://astore.amazon.com/cartier-mens-watches-20 Red Sox Nation will be rallying for another World Series win and lamenting the fact that Boston may be a thousand miles away. With satellite television and HDTV the Green Monster is transported directly to your living room no matter where in the country you live.

Baseball fans everywhere can get up to 60 baseball games a week on satellite TV. This MLB Extra Innings package was new to Satellite TV as of 2007 but what a fabulous year for the Red Sox Nation to catch Boston.

Now members of the Red Sox Nation as far away as Los Angeles can follow their team towards another World Series victory in HD on satellite television. Viewers with HD ready televisions and MLB Extra Innings can add SuperFan to their package giving them up to 40 games in stunning high-definition.

High-definition television makes baseball come to life. Imagine yourself at the plate in Jason Varitek's shoes watching Jonathon Papelbon getting ready on the mound. As Papelbon turns to give the batter that characteristic glare you can see his face so clearly that those eyes bore right through you. The clarity of HDTV programming gives the illusion of being directly on the field. You can almost imagine the sounds and smells of the park and feel the intensity of the fans while watching baseball on satellite TV in HD. This is the best seat in Fenway Park, next to sitting directly beside Stephen King.

Although I am a die-hard Boston fan I do like to keep up with other players during the season. Satellite TV's SuperFan gives me the ability to view up to eight games at the same time. This is a great http://astore.amazon.com/discount.invicta.watches-20 to keep up with all my fantasy baseball team players. An added bonus to the package is a channel called Strike Zone. This satellite television channel is a great way to see all the great plays of the day.

Sometimes it is not always possible to get home in time for a game. The advancement of technology and the introduction of the DVR, Digital-Video Recorder, have made it possible to catch that important game when it is convenient for you. Satellite TV has made using the DVR so easy that you can even setup a recording using your mobile phone or via the web. You can still catch all your satellite television HD action even when you are not there to press the record button.

As March moves on I am counting down the days and anxiously anticipating watching the Sox on my 60" HDTV with satellite TV. My recliner and I are headed to Fenway Park via MLB Extra Innings. Maybe we'll catch you there.

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Detroit Tigers - Legends of Cooperstown

Detroit is a city steeped in rich baseball tradition. Some of http://astore.amazon.com/cartier-mens-watches-20 greatest players of our national past time have suited up for the Detroit Tigers. A few of those greats are Sam Crawford, Charlie Gehringer, Hank Greenberg, George Kell, Al Kaline, and quite possibly the greatest baseball player ever, Ty Cobb. It's by no accident that all six of those players named have been immortalized by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. To be canonized into Cooperstown, a player has to be the crme da la crme of the sport and their impact has to be immeasurable.

Hall of Fame second baseman Charlie Gehringer is widely regarded as the greatest to ever play the position. Gehringer, who was known for his consistency as both a hitter and a fielder, was given the nickname "The Mechanical Man". He led all American League second basemen in fielding percentage and assists seven times. His 7,068 assists is the second highest total in major league history for a second baseman. Gehringer's hitting prowess was also highly touted. He was able to amass a career batting average of .320 and accumulated 200 hits in seven different seasons. Needless to say "The Mechanical Man" lived up to his nickname and was worthy of induction into baseball's immortals.

A list of Tigers' greats can't be complete without Mr. Tiger himself, Al Kaline. Kaline was able to accomplish a great deal during his twenty-plus year career. During his Tiger tenure he was able to gather more than three thousand hits, win ten gold glove awards, be selected to the All-Star game fifteen times, and become the youngest player to ever to win the American League batting title, hitting .340 in his rookie season. Throughout his tremendous career, Kaline personified greatness in every sense of the word.

While Kaline personified greatness, one man embodied intensity and aggressive play on the base paths. That man's name who embodied those strong qualities is none other than Tyrus Raymond Cobb. Cobb's great statistical numbers were at times overshadowed by what some perceived as arrogance, when on the baseball field. His arrogance was not unfounded, however, as he was able to set upwards of 90 records during his career. "The Georgia Peach", as Cobb was often referred to as, set records in hits, runs, games played, at bats, and stolen bases. While most of those feats have since been broken, one incredible achievement that might never be surpassed, Cobb's lifetime batting average of .367 still stands today.

Since the inception of the American League in 1901, the Detroit Tigers has given baseball some of the greatest players to ever step foot on a diamond. A player who is inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame has to have impeccable numbers or a tremendous impact on the game. Selection and induction into baseball's hallowed grounds is something all players strive for throughout their careers. Upon introduction to the pinnacle of the sport, a player's enshrinement truly etches their name as a legend of Cooperstown.

About the author: J. Vincent Burr is the creator and chief writer for the unofficial Detroit Tigers baseball site, as well as the only Detroit Tigers Wiki which contains a plethora of information on The Detroit Tigers ballclub.