PawPaw’s Training Center

(#111)

My two grandsons are playing baseball this spring and summer. Houston will soon be 7 and is playing “coach pitch”, a game where the coach actually tries to hit your bat and nobody ever makes an out. Dean is 4 and is playing tee ball. Not sure what the purpose of tee ball is, but Dr. Clyde Muse takes the credit for inventing it. Not one of his best innovations. We’ll try to learn how to smash balls off the tee.

So Josh and I have a couple of years to help “H” learn some stuff before he turns 9 and the pitchers start trying to get him out for the rest of his life.

Let’s learn how to catch and throw, run the bases, and develop a great swing… a short stroke on the plane of the ball with an emphasis on getting barrel in the right place at the right time.

Here’s my initial investment:

A real leather baseball glove for both (Shoeless Joe) that is already broken in; age appropriate- 9″ or 10″. Learn to catch the ball with two hands and throw. Play a lot of catch. Two hand catch.

An instructional batting tee. Not just a tee. I chose the Advanced Skills Tee. A guide for the swing plane, one to keep the hands inside the flight of the ball and not cast it around the ball, and a brush ball holder that won’t impede contact like the traditional tee does. All are “self-coaching or self-correcting” properties. Will try to get the coaches to use the tee in practices and games. I’ll buy a bunch.

A SwingAway 2.0 – Hundreds of swings a day. We’ll make a game out of it. Hit it and three to five seconds later it’s ready to hit again. Nobody has to chase the balls down and every pitch is a strike. High and low pitches, inside and outside pitches. In the back yard, on the patio, in the garage, etc.

Last but not least, the “Tire Drill” (Barrel Attack Drill) that we used in the old days. Attacking the tread of a tire with the barrel. Chopping the tree down. Quick, strong hands taking the barrel right to the point of contact. (Working on it now. Photo later).

Come to PawPaw’s Training Center, work out a little, jump in the pool, play some video games. Hang out. Have fun.

The Goal: Learn to play the game well so it can be fun, too.

What a great spring and summer coming up!

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