If you’ve been reading this blog for a bit, you know one of our themes revolves around mining for the answer to the question “why?” I believe strongly in this concept. The modern day baseball player does too, and we are lucky to be in a generation where players don’t blindly follow direction. They require explanations and data. This makes working with them more gratifying. It … [Read more…]

Todd Jones was a great teammate. He and I rode Vespa scooters to Fenway Park together for home games in Boston in 2003. That’s the shit you remember. Not the 319 career saves. He is a genuine human being and is a solid evaluator of character. Read below; you’ll see why I’m sharing this. So I’m flipping channels, ‘cause I’m old and that’s what I do now. I ran … [Read more…]

I learned a ton about playing catch from Pudge Rodriguez. He riffed on how important it was to throw the ball to your partner with authority. He said, “When I play catch, I’m trying to knock the other guy down. That trains my arm to know what to do when I try to throw a baserunner out instead of training it to toss the ball.” John Baker learned his lessons from Huston Street. … [Read more…]

Friends and loved ones often ask for advice. Whether it’s to lose body fat, get stronger physically or mentally, most folks are working toward a goal. I often ask them to start logging their behaviors and activities. Understanding our practices is critical when trying to understand ourselves. Matt Paré developed his mind’s strength when he didn’t expect to. He’s been taking a … [Read more…]

Many of the high school baseball players drafted to play professionally perceive an immediate decision. They must choose to either sign and play or return to school to pursue a degree in college. They have no idea the education the minor leagues provide. Chase Lambin does. He riffs in his own way below in a powerful guest post.When I was a kid, I dreamed of playing baseball … [Read more…]