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There are a number of advantages to using fastpitch softball bats and among them are the ability score more runs, add greater number of hits as well as win more at the sport. It is quite surprising to learn that many fastpitch softball bats can actually help you to hit the ball as much as twenty percent harder than your normal run of the mill softball bats. With such bats around, you can look forward to turning your ground outs into single runs scored, and you can also turn your single runs into doubles.

Most people that are interested in the sport of softball are keen to know which the best bats are. There are of course quite a few options to choose from and before you choose any particular one you need to do some comparisons. Some people prefer using a Miken while others will go for the Anderson RocketTech. Still others would prefer the Worth Mayhem and there are also many takers for Easton Stealth as well as Louisville Slugger Catalyst and it would also be wrong to discount the DeMarini Onyx.

With so much variety to choose from, it can be hard figuring out which fastpitch softball bats are the best. To make things simple you need to follow a few simple rules such as making sure that the bats are tested as well as held to the twenty percent rule. In other words it should not be possible for the ball to come off from your fastpitch softball bat at a speed greater than one hundred and twenty percent of the speed at which it came into contact with the bat.

Any differences that are noticed can be accounted to the way that the bats are weighed and also how they are balanced as well as the amount of flexibility that is ingrained in it which gives the bats their whipping effect. Another feature that you will need to look closely at when choosing your fastpitch softball bats is the numbers on it which include numbers such as minus 10, 9 and 8 and these numbers relate to the length versus weight. So, a bat with -10 will be thirty-one inches long and twenty ounces in weight.

To get the best out of your fastpitch softball bats you should go for ones that are longer as well as on the lighter side; however, if the batter is tall as well as lanky you may well have to choose a bat that is more compact. Another aspect to buying the correct fastpitch softball bats is that you should not expect to pay less for the bats and at the same time expect too much in return. There is bound to be a difference between a twenty dollar bat and one that costs upwards of fifty dollars. However, it may be more advisable to buy a bat that costs between one hundred and seventy-five dollars and two hundred and seventy-five dollars for which price you can expect to get premium quality fastpitch softball bats. If you are in need of saving some money; then consider buying a slightly outdated model which will mean having to pay between forty and one hundred dollars less.

The author’s web site http://cheapfastpitchsoftballbats.com/ provide information about cheap fastpitch softball bats & Easton Stealth Fastpitch Softball Bats.

It’s true, practice does make perfect. However, sometime practice gets dull, and predictable. Even coaches get board doing the same thing over and over. My suggestion, look for new drills to do, or coaches, get creative and make up your own. If you are not the creative type, then I have two drills that might help your infield out, and save you the time of trying to come up with something new.

The first drill is to help players improve in tracking and fielding ground balls hit directly at them, to their backhand side, to their glove side, and on short hops. The infielders should work as partners with one ball per pair. Have the players face each other three to five yards apart, on the infield dirt or outfield grass.

While facing each other, both infielders should get into good fielding position, knees bent, butt down, and hands out in front of the body. Fielders roll ground balls to each other. In round 1, they roll ground balls right at each other. In round 2, they roll ground balls to the back hand side. In round 4, they roll short hops. Each round should have ten rolls. Fielders should not move their feet but should stay in good fielding position, tracking the ball with their glove, work to get the glove under the ball when fielding it, and catch the ball in the web of the glove. Every third ball and infielder fields , he or she should flip back to his or her partner straight from his or her glove. This way the fielder learns to feel the ball in the web of the glove.

When you are coaching your players you should focus on fielders fielding balls out in front of their body, tracking the ball into their glove, and catching the ball in the web of their glove. Don’t let your players get sloppy with their fielding position. Remind fielders to work hard to stay under the ball with their gloves and to field the ball from the ground up. If you want to change it up a bit, have the fielders increase their distance to 7 to 10 yards apart. This allows them to roll the ball a little harder and makes the drill more game like.

Another great drill similar to this one centers around just the short-hop ground ball. Again, have the infielders partner up and face each other about three yards apart with a ball. Fielders should get into a good fielding position, knees bent, butt down and hands out in front of the middle of their body. One fielder tosses a short hop in front of his or her partner, about 6 to 12 inches in front of his or her glove. The partner fields the ball on the short hop, working on fielding it from the bottom up or getting under the ball with his glove. Have the fielders do 10 to 12 short hops each.

Coaches should focus on reminding their players to catch the ball out in front of their bodies with arms slightly extended and wrists flexed down. They are to field the ball from the bottom up, working on keeping their glove under the ball and keeping their head down.

If players have trouble throwing each other short hops, you might want to line up your fielders in a single-file line and give them short hops one at a time. This allows you to give fielders a proper short hop and correct them as needed. You can also slow the drill down for players who are struggling.

Looking for a new baseball glove? Baseball Gloves For You has a great selection of Mizuno Baseball Gloves , Easton Gloves and all the other manufacturers at discount prices.

Life as a Little League or Pony League catcher can be tough. You can read baseball tips on this, baseball tips on that, do drill for this and train for that. Listen to this person, listen to that person. Try this and try that.

But still, you find yourself not throwing many people out in games. It seems like there are always balls getting by you and going back to the backstop. You may have gotten whacked way more times than you’d like by wild pitches. Long games and hot games. Is catching really worth it?

Well, fear not young catchers! Here are a few baseball tips and advice for you on why you should hang in there if you really like catching.

Right now at your age in Little League or Pony League there are things going on that you really have no control over. This makes catching seem impossible at times. It can be discouraging to young catchers because at this age and in these leagues success doesn’t come often. You’re not throwing a lot of people out, balls are flying everywhere (and hitting you) and you many times feel like you’re the catcher only because no one else is stupid enough to do it. Well, those things may be true right now, but here are some things to consider:

* In Little League and Pony League the bases are pretty short. When someone takes off, you’re relying on a good pitch from the pitcher, a perfect throw from you and a perfect catch and tag from the second baseman or shortstop. These things don’t happen routinely in Little League and are just getting better in Pony League.

* Kids are bigger, stronger and faster these days. Look at the Little League World Series this year. They moved the fence back a good distance because the home runs keep increasing and there are just too many. (yes, those high tech bats played a role too!) My point is, the bases are short and there are a lot of fast runners. This is not a good combination for throwing runners out.

* Many young pitchers at these ages throw a lot of balls and wild pitches. You need good pitches to have any chance at all of throwing someone out. Wild pitches and runners advancing easily can be discouraging You can catch, but you can’t pitch and catch. So you are at the mercy of the pitcher too.

* Young pitchers don’t always know how to hold runners well or perform good pick-off moves to keep runners honest. Watch a Pony League game sometime. Smart runners will be more than half way down to second base by the time the catcher gets the ball. There’s nothing you can do here. Just do your best.

So if you are a young catcher and get a little bit discouraged from time to time, remember these baseball tips and keep your head up.

You can’t control the pitched ball. It’s going to go where it’s going to go. What you need to do is become very, very good at blocking the ball. So what if you don’t pop up and throw the runner out. That time will come. Just focus on becoming a technically good blocking catcher. This will always make you stand out from other catchers and this becomes even more true as you get older.

Throwing runners out? If it happens, great! But, what you want to do is develop fast, correct footwork instead of worrying too much about how many people you throw out. Learn correct footwork and practice it over and over and develop a technically correct delivery to second base. Wait and see what happens once the bases become 90 feet apart. You’ll be amazed.

Work on other things like:

* Handling bunts, or choppers in front of the plate
* Footwork to block home plate on throws from the outfield. Again, the Little League World Series had great plays at home this year.
* Handling passed balls

Also, and very important, work on that thing sitting on top of your shoulders! Be confident, know that you are a good catcher and believe in yourself and your ability.

When those bases become 90 feet apart, the whole game changes for catchers. If you really worked on being technically good, fast feet and good delivery, you’ll throw a lot of people out because now your pitchers and fielders are also much better.

Block everything. People will notice you for this. This will separate you from other catchers. This is true right into High School. Lazy catchers who won’t block balls will sit at that point, regardless of their arm strength.

Consider these baseball tips that you’ve just read young catchers. Stick with it. It will pay off and catching will become a lot more fun once the bases are 90 feet. Just be ready and prepared with your skills when this time comes. And when it does, those same kids that might have thought you were stupid for catching years ago will look to you for the big play, the bases loaded block of a wild pitch, or the big throw that turns the game around. This is when you’ll realize that it was all worth it being a catcher. The BEST position to play!

For Baseball Hitter

Many youth baseball players will have far too much hand and foot movement to achieve balance throughout the entire swing. These players could get away with these flaws when pitchers are just trying to throw strikes in younger leagues. As pitchers develop velocity and location these flaws will be exposed.Some young players will resist keeping their hands held up high. They resist keeping their shoulders stacked up over their feet. They may not have a wide enough base in their stance. These players like to stride out at the ball. A small controlled stride is acceptable. Many newer coaches are unaware that a long stride will hamper the player’s power base.Many of the top youth baseball hitters will no stride at all. They may use some front foot movement as a timing trigger to begin to “load up’ their swing.

I became a student of the baseball swing to learn all I could. When your gets professional instruction (which I encourage) pay close attention,and take notes.Many of the instructors are great sources of knowledge who are willing to help you too. After all, it is in their best interest for your players to improve. It is a reflection on his talent as an instructor.It may mean more business for him.It is the player’s responsibility to work on their swing. You can give them the tools and information. You can attempt to inspire them to work harder. Don’t feel any guilt about a player’s swing if they are not putting in extra work to improve.

Players must look at the pitcher with both eyes. Too often the player’s shoulder position will be turned so that both eyes are not on the ball. These batters may have hit the ball well at lower even with these flaws,it may take some strikeouts or weakly hit balls to get their attention. Just be a patient instructive leader. Focus on what the batter is doing right first, then move on to correcting mistakes. Most young players don’t get proper extension and follow through on their swings.They may be trying too hard to pull all pitches. This is a common mistake. When players wrap the bat around on their follow through, and it ends up below the front shoulder, it is a sign that they are “pulling off “of the ball. The finish should be up high, with the bat and the hands up near or above the front shoulder.

Power is not always generated just by size. It is a function of bat speed.The quicker the bat head can get into the hitting zone the better. The batter’s hands must lead into the zone, and the hips and torso will follow. The player must focus on extension through the entire hitting zone. This will help the player to finish the swing with a nice high follow through. Then the hips and torso will come along also. Professional instruction with a qualified instructor is worth every cent. I believe the coaching staff will get just as much help from it as the players. There will be more articles on hitting for youth baseball players coming up soon.

The author’s web site http://worthysoftballbats.com/ provides information about Worth Softball Bats, Worth Prodigy Softball Bats and Worth Clincher Softball Bats.

Whether you want a traditional wood baseball bat or a new, high-tech metal bat, there is a wide selection of discount baseball bats available. A baseball bat is a vital piece of equipment and its quality can greatly impact a player’s performance, so it is no surprise that many people are willing to pay a premium. Luckily, you can get a high-tech, top quality bat at discount prices. Discount baseball bats are available at most sporting equipment outlets, and especially at online stores.

Brand new aluminum baseball bats cost usually start at $200 and go up from there. Prices increase as technology introduces stronger and lighter materials. By crafting baseball bat barrels with cutting-edge metal alloys, manufacturers like Easton and Demarini arm batters with power while maintaining a quick, lightweight feel.

Discount baseball bats are abundantly available online. In many cases, online stores can offer discount baseball bats at great prices because there is less overhead than at a sporting goods store and, in many cases, there is no sales tax or shipping charged. When you shop for baseball bats online you have access to a vast and easily accessible selection user product reviews to help you get a feel for which bats are best for you, and also can save a great deal of time.

Don’t forget to check out blemished baseball bats. This little secret can save you 30 to 70 percent. Many baseball bat dealers offer blemished baseball bats at severely slashed prices due to a cosmetic imperfection such as chipped paint. Lucky for you, the baseball bat’s performance is untouched, but the price is hacked down significantly. Blemished baseball bats are available at many outlets and online. With a little looking, it is not that difficult to find a bat that offers premium performance at a reasonable price.

So, How Can I Choose The Right Baseball Bat?

This years’ baseball season is here and parents I understand how you feel. It almost as if you’re buying a new baseball bat every year, especially if you have younger kids playing that are literally growing right out of their equipment right before your eyes. When it comes to purchasing a new baseball bat though, it can really wear on you when it comes time to pull out your wallet. It’s understandable; these aluminum baseball bats nowadays are very pricey. It then becomes that much more important to choose the right baseball bat.

The quality is there if you consider the amount of use you can get out of an aluminum baseball bat. Most aluminum baseball bats will last through a rigorous season of many practices and games, but some are a better bang for your buck than others. The big question is which bat to get? There are so many makes and models to choose from that it is not always an easy decision. Of course you will be looking for a bat that suits every need. It has to be a bat that is a controllable size and feels comfortable. The bat should be very responsive and most importantly it should last.

How do you know you have covered all of these points? By doing some research and perhaps a little ‘trial and error,’ you will find the best bat to buy. See if your child can ask a teammate to swing their bat a few times to see what an appropriate size is. If they can somehow actually hit with it a few times, that’s even better.

Try and notice how much ‘pop’ some of your top choices are when others are using them. Obviously if a particular bat works for one person, it doesn’t guarantee the same results for the next person. It is just another way of getting an idea. You can certainly ask around or look for sources offering baseball bat reviews that will discuss the components of the bats and give reviews about the durability and expected performance. Most websites with reviews will have Louisville Slugger, Demarini, Rawlings, and Easton baseball bat reviews because they are the more common bat makers.

The author’s web site http://baseballbatsandsoftballbats.com/ provides information about Easton Bats and Stealth Softball Bats.

I have been through many baseball/softball games where I play as the pitcher. Being one is fun as long as you know when and where to cross the lines of pressure. It is a very crucial role. You lead the game. Each hit, score and run from the enemy entirely depends on you. I’ve been to wins and losses but I just knew I had to survive.

Here is some advice from my experience as a pitcher:

Conquer your fear

My greatest fear as a pitcher is to let somebody hit my pitch. I strive too hard to never allow anyone hit anything. But thinking about this has brought me to frustrations. I learned it the hard way. This adds to the pressure build-up. What I had to do to conquer my fear is never easy and that is to shut my mind off from every thought except the game. Too many cheers, negative pulses and yells from the crowd can get you distracted. I let it distract me too many times and it leads me to my loss.

Take control

I don’t really think of how fast I can throw the ball. Some would think that the faster you pitch, the harder it would be hard to hit it. It’s a myth. It’s wrong. Truth is the faster your throw is, the harder it will be to take control of the ball. Fast balls (especially when you’ve not mastered it yet) could either go to three directions. It would be either too high, too low or if you are lucky enough, inside. So you have to know your capacity of handling and controlling the ball otherwise never try it while on the game. Of course you can practice for it.

Throw inside

By this would mean throwing a strike. As soon as you’ve learned how to take control of your pitch, another step is on throwing inside. What I do is have a spot to throw to, like in hitting bull’s eye. My spot always fall just between the arms and the knees. You should be able to know where your spot is once you go inside your pitcher’s base. I don’t look anywhere else except in that spot. Looking somewhere else would shake your line of view. Imagine yourself and that spot are the only ones existing and nothing else. This would really help.

Finally, in closing, Practice and be confident that you can do it. I always believe that practicing always makes everything perfect. I was never born a good pitcher and neither was I trained to be one but I do believe that I have the skill and practiced my way to hone it. I got bruised, muscle cramps and trembling hands but it pays off. It is the reason why I am confident that I can do it, that I can win games and that I can take control of the game. Remember having a good pitcher in the team is the best defense you got. I’ve seen so many teams with pitchers who just pitch just for the heck of pitching and it brought them losses. So be flattered, be a real pitcher and do your thing.

James Brown writes about Football Fanatics coupon codes, Mitchell & Ness coupon codes and FansEdge.com coupon codes

Softball bats were at one time made chiefly of wood, but advances in technology have introduced materials such as aluminum, graphite, and composites. Each material has its positive and unique features.

Wood: Wood softball bats are very rare but are slowly regaining favor with softball enthusiasts who would rather hear a whack and not a ping when the bat meets ball. A wood softball bat is bottle-shaped and can weigh between 32-35 ounces (around 8 ounces heavier than an aluminum bat). Traditionally, wood bats have been made from ash. However, ash is light and soft and bats made from ash tend to splinter and dent fast. Wood from maple, oak, and bamboo is also used for these bats. Maple is harder and its grain is denser as compared to ash, making it less susceptible to splintering and chafing. Bats made from Chinese bamboo are the closest wood bat equivalent of an aluminum bat. Bamboo is extremely light-weight and ha a tensile strength higher than that of steel.

Aluminum: The increased research and engineering in the science of bat making has resulted in high-tech aluminum softball bats that can cost upward of $300. Aluminum bats are lighter thereby enabling batters to generate greater bat speed and control. They are stronger and more durable than wood bats and they do not break; however, they may dent or crack over a period of time. Aluminum bats are available in different alloy and weight combinations. Light aluminum alloys that are thinner are more resilient and provide a larger hitting zone or “sweet spot”. Aluminum bats are made in single-layer and double-layer combinations; double-layer bats are used by the power-hitters.

Graphite/Titanium lined: Aluminum bats are lined with graphite or titanium. These light, durable, and strong materials are added to aluminum bats with thin walls in order to make the bats lighter. Lighter bats help batters to generate more power in their swing. Bats lined with graphite or titanium have a greater hitting zone or “sweet spot”. These materials are shock-absorbent as well and aid in reducing the shock felt when a stroke is mistimed.

Composite materials: Bats made from composite materials such as carbon, glass, or Kevlar are light weight, rigid, and sturdy. Composite materials enable bat manufacturers to incorporate varying strengths and stiffness in different parts of a bat. The result is a bat with stiff bat handles for greater control, low stiffness hitting areas for better performance and reduced shock, and differentiated swing weights. Bats made from composite materials have a large hitting surface with a more pronounced “sweet spot”. However, the extreme velocities at which the ball rebounds off the bat can pose a safety hazard to the pitcher who has to react in a very limited time.

Softball Bats That Are Prohibited

If your league is anything like most leagues in Colorado, you probably receive a list of illegal bats at the beginning of each softball season. Maybe the list is handed out at your manager’s meeting, or maybe it is posted on your softball league’s website, either way, you need to be conscience of that list when selecting a bat.

Why are there illegal bats?

There are two main reasons that softball leagues issue illegal bat lists. The first is for the protection of the players, mainly the pitcher. Every day the bat companies are inventing new technologies that are equipping players essentially with bats that more resemble artillery launchers than traditional softball bats. This puts the pitcher, in particular in danger. Depending on your league rules, the pitcher will be around 40-50 feet from the mound after the release. (Also, depending on your league rules, the pitcher may be 4 or 5 beers into the evening after the release).

The strength of some of the players, combined with the new technology of the bats put the pitcher in a very precarious position as a line drive comes scream towards his/her head. And don’t forget the pitcher isn’t the only one who should be concerned for their safety, infielders, particularly third base and shortstop, when righties are up, and second base and first base, with lefties, also can get quite a lump on the noggin from a hot shot off some of these enhanced technology bats.

The second reason behind issuing illegal bats is fairness of play. Recreational softball should not be won by the team that can pay the most for bats, and rest assured the newer the technology, the higher the price.

Recreational softball is played by millions so that they can go out and have fun for an hour or so a week. If a team is plunking homerun after homerun into the lake on the other side of the fence, the game will get tedious and boring. Restricting the power behind the bats, will keep more balls in the park and make the game more fun for both teams.

These are the two main reasons that recreational softball leagues issue an illegal bat list. Before you purchase a bat, make sure you check the illegal bat list for your league.

The author’s web site cheap fast pitch softball bats provides information about cheap fast pitch softball bats and Stealth Comp Fastpitch Softball Bats Sale.

You’ve heard me talk about this before: middle relievers are the red-headed step-child when it comes to fantasy baseball. If Rodney, Dangerfield were still around, he’d say: “middle relievers just don’t get no respect.”

While stud middle relievers may help your WHIP, they don’t pitch a lot of innings and they rarely earn a save given today’s era of relief specialization. Hence, the tremendous decline in fantasy value of a player like Joba Chamberlain when Joe Girardi announced that Chamberlain would start the year as the Yankees set up man rather than as a starting pitcher.

The hold statistic was invented in 1986 by John Dewan and Mike O’Donnell as a way to measure the effectiveness of middle relievers. A hold is defined as “any time a relief pitcher enters a game in a save situation, records at least one out, and leaves the game never having relinquished the lead.” In short, a hold is equivelant to a save in middle reliever lingo.

Brandon Lyon of the Diamondbacks appeared in 73 games and pitched 74 innings last year. He was 6-4, with a 2.65 ERA, and converted 2 of 5 save opportunities. Not exactly the kind of stats that would propel you to the top of the pitching charts in your fantasy league. But, add Lyon’s 35 holds and you have yourself a strong performer. Lyon was certainly instrumental in the D-Backs’ 2007 success.

When the internet came along so did a myriad of statistical categories that could be added to your fantasy baseball league since it was no longer the commissioner sitting at his kitchen table at 2 AM compiling fantasy team stats. While most leagues stuck with the basic 4 x 4 or 5 x 5 leagues, some opted to add as many as 40 obscure categories. With the power of the internet, it wasn’t difficult to devise a system that would give differing levels of points to give credit to guys who excelled at sacrifice flies and assists or to punish those with large amounts of balks or triples allowed.

If your league decides to reward the important role that middle relievers play by adding a holds category (and we think it should), you will probably need to balance it out with another offensive category. The best one to add: probably walks or on base percentage. I think all of us who have read MoneyBall understand the importance of working a walk and getting on base. Red Sox manager Terry Francona sure does; he’s a believer and who can argue with Francona’s recent success.?

And, if your league decides to go crazy and add 40 categories, pick Troy Tulowitzki who led the MLB in assists last year with 561. If you add sacrifice flies, Carlos Lee was awesome with 13 last year.

As for triples allowed or balks: if your fantasy league commissioner proposes adding these categories, find another fantasy baseball league to play in.

http://www.fantasybaseballdugout.com Anthony Wayne is a writer for Fantasy Baseball Dugout. He is also an ex-middle reliever in high school and doesn’t feel like middle relievers get the respect that they deserve.

If you are a fit young man who is famous and also happens to be a millionaire, it would make sense that you would have a very attractive wife, wouldn’t it?

Wives of Major League Baseball players are some of the most beautiful and often talented women in the world. There’s no doubt about that once you view the post on Fantasy Baseball Dugout.

Many of them are famous like Lisa Dergan, wife of Scott Podsednik, who is a former Playboy playmate. One look at Dergan and you can see why she is well qualified for that job.

Alejendra Tejada, wife of Miguel, is a Latin singer with several albums to her credit. Her web site is full of photos and videos that you’ll enjoy even if you don’t speak Spanish.

Tomoyo Shibata, wife of the Red Sox’s Dice-K, was a journalist before moving to America. She was a reporter for Nippon TV and actually met the now Red Sox pitcher when he was pitching for the Japanese Olympic team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. They married in 2005 and now have two children.

And, then there’s Jennie Finch, wife of Casey Daigle, probably the greatest American softball player of all time. If Finch didn’t have such a great riser, a pitch that struckout the likes of Barry Bonds and other MLB stars, she’d probably have become a model.

Ashley Drane is the cute wife of David Eckstein. Drane appeared in the remake of The Brady Bunch as Marsha and in That 70’s Show with Ashton Kutcher. The petite beauty has also appeared in Dance Dance Revolution, and That’s So Raven.

Debbie Clemens has been in the news a lot lately, mostly standing by her husband in two unfortunate controversies. The steroids investigation targeted Debbie as having used the drug in an effort to get ready for her Sports Illustrated shoot which is featured in the Fantasy Baseball Dugout article.

And, Anna Benson has become famous for her tell all details of her marriage to her husband and Phillies’ pitcher, Kris. Benson, a former Penthouse pet, clearly loves being in the limelight even to the point where she wrote details about having sexual intercourse in major league stadiums with her husband.

Some of the most beautiful wives in baseball have made their mark by raising money for charitable organizing. The stunning blonde Shonda Schilling has helped raise millions for ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. The Schilling’s even named their son Gehrig after the Iron Horse whose name has been attached to this dreadful disease.

So, next time you go to see your favorite professional baseball team play, remember that there is more going on than just what you see in the field. Behind many of the great athletes you see on the field is a beautiful woman with a story of her own.

http://www.fantasybaseballdugout.com/hot-wives-baseball
Anthony Wayne has published an article about the Hottest Wives in Baseball at Fantasy Baseball Dugout. Included are photos of the most beautiful women in baseball.

Juicing in baseball occurs on two levels. First is the newer baseballs with composite rubber compounds that enable the ball to behave stronger. Better flight and response to the bat which results in more home runs. Second, juicing the player with steroids for increase red blood cells that allow more oxygen metabolizing and muscle growth.

For any baseball fan that has a subscription to Scientific American you can appreciate how they bring in subjects that in one aspect are very in line with their thinking. But even the best minds can have trouble putting together the simplest concepts.

In April 2008 issue they go to great lengths to discuss the compound effects of steroid use. Some of these effects are well known and others you may find surprising.

As a young man just entering college I was fortunate enough to be able to have my exercise regime overseen by the then bench press world record holder. Under his watch I put on 30 lbs and took my bench press to doing repetitions with 450lbs and perform the squat with 680lbs. At 5 foot 11 inches it was impressive.

What I learned most from my mentor was that the stories about steroids were true. Within a few years of taking steroids he developed testicular cancer which resulted in the loss of one. He constantly fought roid rages which brought stress to his whole family. In that Gym, even the discussion of steroid use was frowned upon.

Aside from the emotional and physical trauma steroids put on the athlete, the article in Scientific American points out a lesser known truth. In the periods from 1994 through 1996 world class bicyclists were dying in their sleep. These guys are at the top of all sports when it comes to overall cardio conditioning. They ride for hundreds of miles daily at paces the average Joe can only keep up for mere minutes.

Steroids create additional red blood cells. More red blood cells, the more oxygen the bodies circulatory system has available the harder the muscles can work and recover. Every thing gets stronger down the line. Lungs become larger to pass more oxygen and the cycle goes through again.

What was pointed out is that with all these new red blood cells and athletes with superior cardio is that they were having heart attacks in their sleep. You will have to read the article to get all details on how the heart attacks were actually caused. But so far as it to say, cyclists on steroids were now sleeping with heart monitors to wake them up should their heart stop.

While this is all interesting you are wondering what it has to do with baseball. Simple, steroids are a short term gain and long term loss. How short and long the terms are depends on your unique chemistry. But have no doubt, you will pay a price that you never expected.

The current controversy surrounding baseball really should be laid to rest. The lure of steroid use is so great to these top athletes as it can be the difference between a multi year multi million dollar contract or minimum wage work at Home Depot. The solution to stop steroid use in professional athletics is out there. But today, no one has been able to find it.

For athletes who are not paid but want to take their game up a level. Simple, do it without steroids. Performance enhancement through chemistry is no solution. It just may be that you are not a premium athlete. Believe in yourself that your level of play, how ever frustrating it may be to your self image, is okay.

To break it down even farther; steroids without a prescription are contraband and the mere possession of them can get you jail time. If you have convinced yourself that your body chemistry is suitable for steroids then you are a candidate for instant hire at the human gene research center, they do not even know how it all works together.

Steroids are a hurricane. Once introduced into the body you have now idea when or how bad the storm will hit, but be sure, the storm is coming. No one can be prepared for what it will bring.

As athletes mature and move on into other fields were they are successful other than sports, being brought down from a mistake in the past can wreck havoc on all their current successes. Look forward to your life at 40 or 50, do you really want your kids with you in the hospital waiting for cancer surgery. How about having your heart stop on your wedding night.

As a person you are not an island. Many people are connected with your life and are affected by what you do and go through. Be patient with yourself. There are those you may never meet but your live will impact them. So if preserving yourself is not a good enough reason, maybe they are.

Mr. Dowdy is an Official Distributor for NW Kelley USA Baseball you can also click over to Hirsch Group for more tips/articles or even Hirsch Group Blog for current events.
Thanks for reading my article!

Banjo hitters are always on the look out for hot bats to get them out of the cellar. What they do not realize is that getting on base at a higher frequency outweighs the over the wall thrill of crushing the baseball.

At the amateur level the playing field was leveled by having bats certified. The figures and ratios for these different levels of certification were designed to protect defensive players. Once the batter puts the ball into play, the defender only has their glove, skill and ability to keep them out of harms way.

Yet even with these protections there are fatal results. Most notably was a promising college pitcher that for what ever the reason was not able to protect himself from the ball being struck. Sadly, a line drive to the forehead resulted in a fatal injury.

Ball Exit Speed Ratio (BESR) is required to be listed with all non-wood bats used in the NCAA which is the limit of the liveliness. Certification process is performed by the University of Massachusetts at Lowell Baseball Research Center. UMLBRC is the official certification center for non wood baseball bats used in NCAA and NHFS leagues. Manufacturers previously were allowed to certify their own bats but his was eliminated in 2006. BESR is a mathematical prediction based the physics by applying the law of conversion of angular momentum to the ball-bat interaction.

Which is completely a mouthful but if you want all the nitty gritty equations, you can find them at the Baseball Research Center web site which is hosted by the University of Massachusetts - Lowell. All the technical information about how the BESR gets its name and what procedures are taken to certify bats are in the White Paper there.

Every year the marketing experts will tell you that theirs is the best bat for the buck. It is their job to convey to the public why theirs is the best and why you should have no issues with spending upwards of $400 to improve your game.

Marketing folks tend to pass over the fact that all non-wood bats require proper break in and temperatures to perform to the levels established in the lab. Add to this that batting cages are great for swing development they do little if noting to facilitate bat break in. Batters must simply hit real leather covered baseballs to break in new baseball bats.

Most baseball bat owners do not need to worry about varying weather as it is the select few that travel outside their dominate weather region. The accepted rule of thumb is never use composites under 65 degrees. So, for those in the northern states, wood and metal a better as they can handle the temperature ranges. Also, what may be a killer bat for a player that uses it in Arizona can be a complete dud should they travel to western Washington as the coastal air is heavy and generally cooler. This combination reduces ball flight via friction and weight in the ball while in tandem reducing the sweet spot on the composite and metal bats.

Manufactures look for ways to improve performance while attaining the BESR ratings. Backroom machinist have developed ways to “juice” or “roll” metal and composite bats to gain several feet of ball travel. All in the name of gaining a mechanical advantage over the opposition.

The scary part of shade tree bat modifiers is they may be creating something that is so un-safe it verges on dangerous. Not being a metallurgists and changing the way a baseball bat is shaped or designed to respond to high velocity impacts can lead to serious injury. Everyone in the vicinity of the impact is now at risk. Batter, Catcher and Umpire are all relatively close to where a 9 ounce ball traveling upwards of 75 miles per hour collideswith a 28 ounce bat rotating at 70 miles per hour. That is a whole lot of energy being redirected in an instant.

Worse yet would be the change in ownership of the bat. If an individual wants to modify their bat and place themselves at risk is one thing, but to sell it off at a garage sale to an unsuspecting baseball player is ludicrous. No conscientious person would hand someone a live grenade minus the pin. Not knowing when, how or to what extent a bat will fail is not different.

Player bat selection needs to be made on the basis of feel, comfort and confidence. These three things must be present at the approach to the plate, waiting at the plate, through the entire swing until the bat is released from the hands as the player make progress to fist base.

Lighter is generally better and the player can develop greater rotational velocity. Changes in mass do affect the response of the ball. Do not sacrifice sure footedness and balance for weight. Players may have short term or inconsistent gains with heavier bats. Trading for higher batting averages will always outweigh the occasional home run.

So, what makes for a hot bat? Hot bats are those that each player individually selects which provides for the best possible batting average at their skill level. Be it wood, metal or composite, if the player can consistently make contact with the ball from various pitchers, you indeed have a hot bat.

Mr. Dowdy is an Official Distributor for NW Kelley USA Baseball you can also click over to Hirsch Group for more tips/articles or even Hirsch Group Blog for current events.
Thanks for reading my article!