Baseball is a notoriously difficult game to understand, especially those who haven’t been inculcated in its unique language from an early age. Just getting used to the terminology and statistics require a secondary education in themselves, let alone actually being able to play the sport. You would think that throwing a ball and running from base to base would be pretty straightforward, but there’s a lot of technicality and skill that goes into one of the US’s favorite sports.
Pro baseball players want new players to join the sport and expand its reach, especially overseas. Here’s what they want them to know.
When Buying A Bat, Observe League Rules
Bats are constructed from a range of different materials. Some are old-fashioned wooden types, but many new materials have found their way onto the market in recent years. However, different leagues have different rules when it comes to baseball bat size, weight, and materials, and so it’s worth checking with your league what type of baseball bats are allowed. The last thing you want to do is splash out on a new bat, only to find out that it’s banned by your governing body.
Practice In Less Critical Positions To Begin With
Some positions in baseball are essential for the success of the entire team. Catcher or first-base markers are essential to making sure that the opposing team doesn’t pick up easy runs. Find other positions to play in first which allow you to observe and don’t require you to take such an active role. Use practice time to hone your catching skills so that you can build the confidence you need to take up key positions when the time comes.
Focus On The Pitcher’s Hand, Not The Eyes
Pro baseball players never focus on the pitcher’s eyes. Instead, they try to focus on the spot where the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand. This allows them to more effectively track the position of the ball as it flies through the air so that they can make contact with their bats. Try practicing by focusing on the point where the ball is released. Over time, you’ll develop an intuition for things like spin which slightly alter the flight of the ball as it comes towards you.
Buy A Glove That Fits
Advice purchase a glove that fits might sound like a statement of the obvious, but often, parents buy children gloves which are too large for them, hoping that they will eventually grow into them. This is a bad idea, according to pro baseball players. The reason has to do with the way muscle memory works. People who wear gloves that are too big or too small for them automatically make small compensations in their technique. Then, as they grow into larger gloves, they have to modify their old techniques, which can be difficult. The best solution is to always buy gloves that fit and then sell them on eBay if finances are an issue.
Great Gloves Need To Be Broken In
Though the idea that you might need to break in a glove might seem farcical, it’s something that pro baseball players insist on. The reason has to do with the way the glove is constructed. When gloves are new, they tend not to have a natural pocket in which to catch the ball. Instead, the new material can often deflect balls and make catching them harder. The best approach, therefore, is to play a few rounds of catch with friends at the park before embarking on your first game.
According to a review at http://www.thebaseballdiamond.com/akadema-baseball-glove-reviews/, it’s also important from a safety perspective. When broken in, top gloves help to protect fingers and palms from balls in flight.
Practice With Your Gloves Every Day
In baseball, you need your strongest arm for throwing. Thus, if you’re right-handed, you’ll be catching with your left hand, and vice versa. For many people, getting used to catching with the opposite hand is extremely difficult. However, according to pro baseball players, it’s essential. The ability to catch a ball in flight and transfer it to your strongest arm is key to ensuring that your team wins the derby. Practice every day catching the ball in your weaker hand. It’ll take some time to get used to, particularly at first, but with the help of the glove, the learning curve shouldn’t be as steep.
Don’t Have Time To Break In Your Glove? Then Improvise
Sometimes, especially before a tournament, you don’t have time to break in your gloves. But the good news is that you don’t need to spend hours in practice slowly bashing your new glove into shape. Just use a DIY method.
First, grab some shaving foam and a baseball. Rub the shaving cream into the pouch that holds the ball and then place the ball on top. Then secure the ball in place using a rope or elastic bands so that there is pressure between the glove and the ball. Finally, leave the chemicals in the shaving foam to soften the material and create a pouch for the ball. The whole process should take about 12 hours.
Learn From Your Mistakes
Baseball is a game where people never stop learning. Even professionals make mistakes which they use to improve their game. The same is true for people just starting out. If you make a mistake, don’t worry: consider it a learning experience. The best players in the world got to where they are today by making mistakes, diagnosing where they went wrong, and then correcting their technique. You can do the same. Professional baseball players want you to know that there’s no point getting caught up in mistakes and engaging in self-attack. Instead, use mistakes as a way to learn how to become a better player.
There’s No Need To Spend Hours In The Gym
Pro baseball players often spend a lot of time in the gym strengthening key muscles. However, this isn’t necessary to get a stronger throwing action according to https://www.realbuzz.com/articles-interests/sports-activities/article/top-10-tips-for-new-baseball-players/. Regular drills a few times a week is often enough to significantly improve your throwing distance.
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