Uncommon Ways Draws Critics For Team Fastball and a lot of supporters.
The Story You Might Not Know....
It’s the 6th inning and it’s time to make a pitching change. I go out to the mound to change pitchers and I notice our infielders and outfielders doing something I have seen them do hundreds of times.
Instead of standing around and meeting in the middle of the field while the pitcher takes his warm up’s the fielders are all doing some type of activity. The outfielders as a group are running sprints. The infielders are doing agilities and some stretching.
The umpire comments to me as I return to the dugout, “your team is awesome.”
The umpires comments are the same comments I hear throughout the year from umps, college coaches, and even opposing coaches.
At the same time many of our routines during the game get some negative attention as well. It is common for opposing teams to stop everything they are doing just to observe what is going on. It's entertainment for them which makes them laugh.
We believe our warm up and staying loose is crucial when it comes to physical and mental performance. We spend a lot of time in our pre game getting the players physically ready to play.
During the game we will run sprints or do agility work every other inning as a team. Pitchers do not sit on the bench resting with a jacket on their arm. Instead our pitchers stay loose by doing low intensity activities such as doing shoulder tube work, band work, weighted ball arm care, stretching, sprints, or agility. All of our pitchers are different and will do different activities.
The reaction? I have heard many times parents on other teams comment on how we must be running because the coach is mad. I hear other players comment and say how they would hate to play for that team. They are getting punished all the time.
Of course when your winning, the activity of pre game, and in between innings, and during pitching changes makes the team look a little different.
When your losing or playing badly it provides the other teams with laughable entertainment.
The positive feedback far outweighs the negative. Our philosophy with Team Fastball USA is simply every time we go out to play baseball it is an opportunity to improve. We want to win. We don’t like to lose. The reality is if your winning or losing and not trying to improve it’s a waste of time.
Our pre game involves an in-depth extreme long toss routine that allows each player to extend out as far as feel on that day. It’s amazing to watch our players throw 250-320 foot long toss in pre game. It’s even more amazing to see one of our players throwing out an opposing base runner trying to take an extra base.
In fact it’s common when the opposing team is running for our guys to excited to see our player throw the ball to a base.
Activity during pitching changes was NOT my idea!
We have always implemented the importance of staying ready and extreme warm up’s before, during, and soft times even after the game. What’s amazing is the pitching change activity started because of one player.
About 4 years ago I was making a pitching change in Battle Creek, Michigan. All of sudden I looked out towards the outfield and saw our right fielder pumping out pushups. I thought that was the most unique thing I’ve seen on a baseball field.
After the game I had a college coach come up to me and ask me about our right fielder. He was very impressed with his ability and he also said his push up’s during the pitching change was awesome.
Forward 2 years later -
I was talking with our 14U squad on the importance of not blending in and how they should not be afraid to be uncommon. During this talk I used our Battle Creek, Michigan push up story as a way to help them see the importance of being uncommon.
Needless to say that conversation started a trend.
The very next game while making a pitching change I saw all of our infielders and outfielders doing agility work, sprints and everything you can think of. My chin dropped to the ground. I could not believe what I was seeing.
When I returned to the dugout I ask my assistant coach if he told them to do that ?
He replied, “No”!. The talk not only inspired them it also made sense to them.
Why on earth would you want to sit around for the time it takes for a pitcher to come to the mound and take his warm up pitches ?
What do most teams do ?
They meet in the middle of the field. I hate it! What the hell are they talking about? Going out after the game? Why we are playing so bad?
The pitching change is simply a waste of time for position players. Staying loose and mentally ready only makes perfect sense.
To those who are common baseball experts they think it’s a waste of time and embarrassing. They will laugh. They will roll their eyes. Our guys see it as a way to stay ready.
The very next day after this event I had another shocker. I was watching my daughter’s softball team play and sure enough the coach went to visit the mound to make a change.
During the change I saw my daughter leading the way with another one her team members doing pushups right in the dirt of the infield. I was now laughing that we may have started some type of national trend.
Since then I have explained this story to our Fastball players. Warm up’s during pitching changes is now becoming common with our players. IN our pre-game we work harder than any team I have ever seen. Once again every time we play is an opportunity to improve. Simply playing the game is not good enough.
We still get funny looks. People still stare at us and laugh. Others see it as a team that is serious about improvement.
Either way I see it as you have choice. You can be common or you can be uncommon.
You can do what everyone else does but you are very likely to receive the same average results that most everyone else receives. Take every opportunity to improve.
Are you a common player or on a common team ?
The average player jogs on a pop up in the infield and outfield
The average player at best jogs onto the field to his position (many walk)
The average player takes warm up and game prep as a waste of time
The average pitcher sits on the bench and will rest in between innings
The average fielders don’t take in between inning warm ups very seriously
The average player does not handle adversity very well
I personally find most people are uncomfortable with uncommon. Especially in a tradition rich sport like baseball.
One reason is uncommon loses the image of being cool for some.
At Fastball USA and Team Fastball we against average and being common.
Common People Go Nowhere Message From Herb Brooks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQXvWqOrxeM
Next week I will share some small concepts that can go a long way to improve while your playing a game.
Most (common) people believe the game is what makes you better. We view the game as simply a test. I will share with you several small ways to improve during the season and during the game.
Coach Ryan
