Learning How to Scout Effectively

The last time I went to a high school baseball game I saw 5-6 men in the stands behind home-plate. They were armed with radar guns, charts, and stop watches. You couldn’t miss them -scouts. These are the guys parents dream and players long to have show up for their games.

The scouts you see at high school games are more than likely either area scouts, part-time scouts, or associate scouts. Every Major League Organization employs 20-40 full time area scouts. Depending on the organization an area scout may have as many as 8 states to cover. The area scout sees a prospect approximately 10-15 times over a 4 year span. Their primary responsibility is to find and report on prospects. A scouting report on individual hitting prospects includes some of the following:

•    Running speed
•    Hitting for average
•    Power potential
•    Hands – Defense
•    Throwing arm
•    Proper hitting mechanics
•    Ability to make adjustments
•    Mental make-up
•    How much money the player should sign for
•    Ability to make consistent contact

These tools are graded not only for their present ability but also for their future potential. Most organizations grade on a major league scale. For example a present hitting ability for a high school player might be a 3. This could equate to a .230 Major League Hitter at present time. However this same scout may project this same hitter’s future potential as a 6, which could be a .300 Major League Hitter. The 3 is a below average major league hitter, a 6 is an above aver-age major league hitter. This scale goes up to 8 for the superstar. Very few are rated as such because this is so hard to project.

A five tool player is one that ranks above average in every area listed (1-5). Keep in mind that the Major Leagues are filled with players with less than 5 tools, you really only need 1 great tool to get to the major leagues, or 2-3 average tools to be a good Major League Player.

Despite the fact of that this country is loaded with scouts looking for talent, there seems to be some talent that is always missed. Look at the list below to see who was almost missed.

•    Mike Piazza 61st round
•    Bobby Bonilla undrafted
•    Darryl Kile 30th round
•    Frank White undrafted
•    Don Mattingly 19th round
•    Tom Candiotti undrafted
•    Nolan Ryan 10th round
•    Ryne Sandberg 17th round
•    Jose Canseco 15th round
•    Dave Parker 14th round

It’s important to take note that no matter how elaborate a scouting system is, someone may be missed for one reason or another. As Bob Didier stated in his interview with us, the one thing that no scout has ever been able to do is to cut someone open and look at the size of his heart and his determination. These are 2 of the main ingredients that it takes to succeed with just marginal talent. However there are only a few willing to pay the price.

Under the area scouts are the part time scouts as well as the associate scouts. Part time scouts are basically more eyes for the area scout. Part time scouts draw either a small salary or travel expenses. Although their pay is minimal, they can be a valuable tool for an area scout covering a large territory. The part time scout usually scouts the area where he lives. If he is impressed with a player, he will tip off the area scout with the player’s profile.

Associate scouts do not get any compensation for their work. They basically work to try to get their foot in the door of a Major League Organization, they are better known as “bird dogs.” Bird dogs submit reports to the part time scout who in turn reports to the area scout. Associates may be coaches from different schools but occasionally one might be an older, retired gentleman with years of baseball experience.

You never know who may be in the stands, so always play hard and give 100%. Scouts will be initially drawn to you by talent but it is how you play the game and how you present yourself that will catch their eye. Let me give you a for instance. It is late in the game, nobody out, runner on 2nd base. Perhaps the game is tied.

You, as a hitter have a decision to make. Should you swing for a base hit and make either the headlines or an out? Or do you try to get the runner over to 3rd with less than 2 outs? Most scouts would take notice if you drove the ball to right field to get the runner over as opposed to pulling the ball, even if you got a base hit and scored the winning run.

The first scenario shows a selfish player – the other shows a team player. I tell my hitters to make sure they get the runner over. If they hit a line drive to right field, they may not only get the runner over, they may possibly get the runner in. These are the things that show scouts that you know how to play the game.

This segment has covered the associate scout, part-time scout and the area scout. In future issues we will advance on the scouting hierarchy and cover the regional scout, national cross checkers, and the scouting director. Your goal is to have the scouting director show up at your game to watch you!

Learning How to Cure Your Fear of the Ball

Question:

My son is on the young side of the playing age in Little League as his birthday is June. In all his years playing, he has never shown fear of the ball. This year we moved up into minor division – first year of kid pitch.  He is now showing fear at the plate by backing up in the box before the ball is even released from the pitcher’s hand. How do I help him? One of his coaches states, “You can’t coach fear.”

Answer:

Fear at the plate is something that many, if not all kids go through at one time or another. I disagree with your coach, this is something that he can get through with the right information.

First, teach him how to get out of the way of the ball. He should understand that he is going to be able to react to the ball better if he knows how to get out of the way of an on coming pitch. Teach him to turn away from the ball, you can do this by throwing tennis balls at him and mixing in strikes and balls, up and in.

Second, start teaching him a more aggressive attitude. That he is going to be the one that hits the ball right back at the pitcher and he is going to have the most aggressive attitude on the field, even if he is the youngest.

I know what your going through, my son’s birthday is July 31 – the Little League cut off day.

Find What SwingAway is Right for You

We’ve just launched a comparison chart so that you can find what SwingAway is right for you. Click below to see the chart:

SwingAway Comparison Chart

SwingAway vs. Solohitter

Improve Your Hitting with the SwingAway Batting Tool

Improve Your Batting with the Swing Away – Celebrity bloopers here

Learn Where to Stand in the Box

Have you ever watched hitters on TV or at the ball park and wonder why one stands forward in the box and another stands deep in the box? Why one is close and the other far from the plate? There are various places to stand in the box. One of the most important concepts to realize when choosing where you are going to stand in the box, is that you must have good plate coverage. You need to be able to cover the outside corner of the plate, however you do not want to stand too close to the plate. So where is the ideal place for a hitter to stand? Part of the answer to this question has to do with the length of the bat you use and also the length of your arms.

To determine how far to stand from the plate:

• Place the end of the bat on the outside corner of the plate.
• Lay the bat down, placing the knob of the bat on the ground.
• Put your front foot where the knob of the bat starts.
• Put your back foot slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
• Lastly pick up the bat and see if you can touch the outside corner.

SwingAway Sports Products announced the Next Generation of Batting Stations by launching their most affordable machine simply named “The SwingAway”. $199.99.

The New SwingAway – The Ultimate Hitting Machine was announced today and will soon be available for the retail price of $199.99… This Patented Machine has all the credentials and the structural integrity that is associated with the SwingAway Brand and Reputation without the cost. This machine is intended for home training for all Baseball and Softball Players regardless of age and skill level.

Atlanta, GA, February 04, 2009 — (PR.com) — SwingAway Sports Products announced their newest Hitting Machine “The SwingAway”. The SwingAway is the newest and most affordable Batting Station to date from this new and exciting company.

The SwingAway Hitting Station was designed and engineered for home training for all Baseball and Softball players regardless of age or skill level. The New SwingAway is built to take the constant use and demands of the Professional Athlete and now it is available to ALL PLAYERS who possess the drive and determination to Get Real Good, Real Fast.

The New SwingAway will be available March 1, 2009, priced at $199.99. Don’t let the price of this machine fool you. This machine has all the benefits of the other models in the SwingAway Product Line and features a Bottom Boom and a new Revolutionary Hitting Mat. This Machine Rocks!

The bottom boom feature will perfectly align the Patented Pulley System to increase the life of the Bungee System. The SA Hitting Mat – replicates the inner portion of the Batter’s Box. The mat is marked for both Right and Left handed Hitters and numbered baseballs showing the “Proper Contact Points” plus Directional Arrows to show where to drive each Pitch Location.

“The New SwingAway acts as a Personal Hitting Instructor that will make any player a Better Hitter, Period, end of story, GUARANTEED”, states John J Flading, SwingAway’s President and CEO. “It is SwingAway Sports Products Goal to make the very best training aids plus offer all the tools to help our customers achieve their dreams and goals. The new SwingAway combined with the SA Hitting Mat, the SA University (SwingAway’s On-Line Hitting Academy), plus the privileged access to Baseball’s and Softball’s Greatest Hitting Coach’s, will make it possible and now affordable to make every SwingAway customer a better Hitter. The Price of this machine makes it a Great Entry Level Batting Station but it still will take the pounding of older and more experienced hitters”.

SwingAway Hitting Systems has always been the Batting Machine of Choice by Professional and Scholastic Programs, now it’s finally affordable for all Players who possess the drive and determination to be the Best.
We as a company are extremely proud to produce the only hitting machine that actually teaches and re-enforces the proper swing fundamentals and mechanics that makes our customers better baseball and softball players and we continue to be successful in doing something Real Good for the Game of Baseball and Softball.

You are Never to Young to develop Perfect Swing Mechanics

www.swingaway.com

www.swingawayblog.com

Contact Information
SwingAway Sports Products, Inc
John J Flading
800-999-1968, 404-825-7063
jflading@swingaway.com
www.swingaway.com
www.swingawayblog.com

SwingAway in the News

Click the link below to read a great article on the SwingAway.  The link will download a PDF document:

Click to Read

How to Get Into the Position of Power

Q:

When my 16 year old tried setting her hands in the Position of Power, she feels like it’s harder the pull down with the bottom hand, getting that short path to the ball. She feels “trapped” a bit and has too much top hand, her swinging loops under the ball. How can we get the hands set and still get that pull down angle with the bottom hand?

A:

The Position of Power is a position that every hitter should be in when the stride foot lands. The hands do not need to move very much, as long as the hands are just behind the back foot when the stride foot lands. The hands should not feel “trapped”. This should be a fluid movement that is not segmented.  It sounds like your daughter is not properly staying inside the ball.

The easiest way to correct this problem is to not think of cocking the wrists, just think about taking the hands back. This will allow for a free and easy swing, when she thinks about the wrists, she would probably have a tendency to be stiff.

How to Be a Well Rounded Hitter

You want to train yourself to become a complete hitter. Part of being a complete hitter is being able to hit the ball to all parts of the field. This is important because when you are capable of using the whole field, the pitcher is not able to pitch you in one particular way. In other words he will have to work harder to keep you off the bases. Additionally, the defense can not shade you to one particular area in the field.

DARRYL STRAWBERRY
In the 1996 World Series, you might have noticed how the Atlanta Braves defense was playing Darryl Strawberry. The defense shifted to the right side of the field, except for the third baseman, Chipper Jones, who moved to the shortstop position. This left the whole left side of the infield open. The reason for this was because:

• Darryl was basically a pull hitter.
• They were trying to get him out by pitching him on the inside part of the plate.

This is what can happen to a pull hitter – they can be easily defensed. Darryl was basically a pull hitter, but he had a lot more success when he used the whole field.

HITTING THE BALL TO THE OPPOSITE FIELD

To hit the ball to the opposite field:

• Get a pitch on the outside part of the plate
• Hit the ball deeper in the contact zone
• Keep the barrel of the bat above your hands
• Stay inside the ball

Most young hitters have the ability to pull the ball. However, to be a complete hitter and on your way to being a master hitter, you must develop the ability to hit the ball to the opposite field. One of the reasons that young hitters have a difficult time hitting the ball to the opposite field is that coaches are always telling them to pull the ball and to hit the ball way out in front. In order to handle the ball on the outside part of the plate, you must wait for the ball to get deeper into the zone. Contact for the outside pitch should be made even with the front foot or slightly deeper. You will find that this will help you to hit the curve ball as well.
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Your stance may show the pitcher where your strengths and weaknesses are. For example

a right handed hitter that stands off the plate in a closed stance and strides towards the plate is going to handle the ball on the outside part of the plate better than the inside pitch. His weakness would be the inside part of the plate. This is opposed to a right handed hitter who has an open stance, and stays open on his stride – his strength will be the inside pitch. His weakness will be the ball on the outside part of the plate. This holds for left handed hitters as well. This is why I recommend that no matter how you stand at the plate, when your stride foot comes down, you should be at a parallel stance. Some hitters have to use the open or closed stance because of flaws in their approach. If you are one of these hitters, make sure that you are disciplined enough to swing at the pitches you can handle (your strengths) and do not swing at the ball in your weak area until you get two strikes.

AREAS OF THE ZONE

Let’s examine areas of the zone that you may be pitched. If you are being pitched inside, and you are looking inside, you will want to hit this particular pitch to the pull side of the field. f you are being pitched middle away, look to go to the opposite field.

A key point here, and many Major League hitters do this, is to look for the pitch down the middle.  By doing this, it is easier for you to adjust off the ball down the middle, than it is looking on the extreme outside or the extreme inside. There will be times when you will look inside or outside. For example, if a pitcher consistently throws you on the outside part of the plate, it is to your advantage to look on the outside part of the plate and hit the ball to the opposite field. If this is the case, you need to let the pitch on the extreme inside go.

If you feel the pitcher is trying to work you outside, then look outside. Do the same with inside.

Many youth league pitchers do not have great control yet, so it is best to look middle. However, at the high school level or above, the pitchers are starting to gain better control.

A point to remember is that you can look outside and still have a chance to hit the inside pitch, but if you look inside, you will have virtually no chance to hit the outside pitch. This may sound complicated and as if it were for advanced hitters only, however, all young hitters should start to learn how to use the whole field and to look for pitches in different areas. The chart picture illustrates the areas of the strike zone. Take note of where the high averages are. Find the area that you hit best.

Next Page »