Advice for baseball next year

[Degenerate39]

I'm a junior in high school and I've only played a year of little league. I want to play for the High School team next year but I suck at baseball I won't lie. What can I do to improve? I lift weights 4 days a week (but that was for wrestling though I'm not wrestling next year). I'd probably be training by myself so if there's any info I'd appreciate it. And for the record I was god awful in little league that's why I quit after that year. I'm really regretting not playing though and I want to make that up next year.

[Redlegs23]

If you're training by yourself hit the batting cages every day. You're going to have to get used to seeing and hitting. It'd also be very wise to get a buddy who you can do some long toss with a few days a week to build arm strength. Have him hit you some ground balls and pop flys too. If you weren't good before and you want to make the high school team, it's going to have to take practice every single day. Good luck.

[Degenerate39]

I doubt I'll make the team but it's worth a shot.

[MaineRed]

If you are going in with that attitude it might be time to just skip the workouts and ask the coach if you can help the team as a manager or something.

You are not going to make the team if you currently stink and have a bad outlook on improvement.

Forgetting the attitude, what position are you looking to play? And what does the team you are looking to join, look like? Are they the defending state champs or the Bad News Bears?

[Degenerate39]

I'd probably be right field and right now there record is 11-2 and they were ranked 5th in the state but there's alot of seniors on the team this year.

[MaineRed]

OK. Is the current RF a senior?

So what is the problem? Can you not hit? Do you trip over the chalk lines? Do you scream mommy and duck when a flyball is coming your way?

What is your biggest obstacle as far as being a player good enough to make the team? Identifying some weaknesses to work on would be step one.

[Degenerate39]

I couldn't hit water if I fell out of a boat but that's about it. I think I'm a decent fielder.

[MaineRed]

Do you have any sort of relationship with the coach? Without seeing your swing it is hard to identify any issues. It might be a good idea to pass along your desire to improve enough to make the team. Maybe the coach would be willing to throw some BP over the summer or something like that? Maybe he knows of a summer team you could join or some private workouts you could hook up with.

Are you friends with the members of the team who will be returning?

But perhaps a book on hitting would do you some good. How about this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Science-Hittin.../dp/0671621033

[paintmered]

Soft toss.

[reds44]

As a junior in high school myself, who played high school baseball before injury, I think I can help you out a bit.

1. Change your attitude. Not going to get qnywhere with that.
2. Go talk to your baseball coach and ask him what you should do.
3. Work on your defense. Defense can get you places.
4. Do you have a swing? If not, try to find one. Go out and see what feels comfortable. Make sure you have good mechanics though, and you have a consistent swing.
5. Spend more time (alot more time) on actual baseball activity then lifitng weights.
6. Can you run well? That's always a nice tool.
7. Research. Watch the game. Make sure you know what play should always be made.

[OSUmed2010]

I'm not a baseball player, but I've had to practice hard to achieve things in other fields (mainly, music). I know it might seem an odd stretch to make an analogy from music to baseball, but you'd be suprised. Both fields require a great deal of focus and intensity over a long period of time to get your results. So anyway, I can't give you really detailed description of baseball specific things, hopefully some of the general ideas of preparation can carry over.
1. Be aware of what you're doing when you are practicing to make sure it's effective towards your goal. For example, batting for hours with poor form or little attention to why things are or are not working is pointless. Always focus on what you are doing so you can maximize your efforts.
2. Focus more on improving your weaknesses rather than your strengths. For example, if you can throw, you shouldn't spend all your time doing this. Hopefully this is pretty obvious.
3. Even when going gets tough, always stay positive and remember the final goal. If you have a week or two of disappointed practice, don't let that discourage you. Look back, try to figure out what's going on and work out of it.
4. Finally, don't spend too much time thinking about your shortcomings or failures. Although this seems contradictory to number 2, it really isn't. It's important to focus on the progresses you have made rather than things you still haven't accomplished. This will keep you motivated even in your bleakest moments.
Anyway, hope this helps. If not, you can ignore it. I won't be offended

[Degenerate39]

I'm not 100% positive I want to do it. I love lifting and I really don't want to give that up for baseball. I really don't know what I'm going to do. And my attitude doesn't have anything to do with the coach not wanting a senior who has a year of experience on the team.

[Razor Shines]

I'm not 100% positive I want to do it. I love lifting and I really don't want to give that up for baseball. I really don't know what I'm going to do. And my attitude doesn't have anything to do with the coach not wanting a senior who has a year of experience on the team.

How would lifting interfere with baseball? You'd probably be better off in baseball if you kept lifting.

If you have a little bit of money, I'd suggest you find a baseball complex near you and have an instructor give you some help. Because other than the basics you're going to need someone to watch you swing and see what you need help with.

As far as the basics: Like others have said throw and throw and throw. If you want to play the out field have someone hit you fly balls and work on hitting a cut off man, high school coaches will not put up with an outfielder who misses the cut off man. Also you could get a board a few inches larger than your hand, drill a rubber strap on it and use it as a "glove" and have some one roll you ground balls. Even if you're not going to be an infielder it will help make your hands "softer".

But most importantly try to get to an intructor.

[Caseyfan21]

At my high school, our coach would never cut a senior who played hard with a good attitude. Surprisingly, if you are a smart player, work hard, and set a good example, I'm willing to bet the coach will keep you on the team. If you can play good defense and be a smart base runner (both fairly easy) that will get you some looks. If you practice grounders and throwing to give you more flexibility on defense that can only help. I think a big thing is to make sure you are at every off season program whether it be lifting, batting practice, whatever. I know this makes a huge difference in most coaches' eyes.

When I was in high school, the coach never really gave me much of a chance. I played JV 3 years (is that a record?) hitting poorly my freshman year, hitting around .300 my sophomore year (after changing positions by coaches request) and then hitting .400 my junior year. My junior year I was literally the last person cut (night before first game) and because the coach respected me as a hard worker he told me I wouldn't be getting at bats on varsity, and even though I was a varsity caliber player he wanted me to play every day (hello Denorfia?) and he also wanted the first year JV coach to have a team leader he could depend on (exactly what I wanted - to be the JV leader ). I never got any time on varsity any of those years. I stuck with it and was the only senior to go to every off season program and, being the only senior, I was the leader at all of those lifting sessions and open gym sessions. The coach definitely noticed and I not only made the team my senior year but got plenty of chances to play at various positions on a team that set the school record for wins. He even gave me one of his post season awards and gave my name to a few college coaches although I ultimately decided not to pursue baseball after high school.

You'd be surprised how far being a hard worker and having a good attitude will get you, especially on high school sports' teams.

[WMR]

Try to find/take some photos of your coach in some sort of compromising situation.