Madison Baseball retweeted
“Set that thing up and turn the camera on.”
I noticed this giant crash mat as we were about to leave the gym after our cert ended.
I wanted to dive back to first… even if this mat was too tall. I hadn’t been able to dive working this technique all weekend.
You can see I hit the plyo-box pretty hard with my right hand. My left foot happened to be 14.5 feet away.
And I see things I didn’t do as well as they can be done.
Point is what happens when a baseball player who is twice the athlete I am learns this technique?
Could they extend their lead?
How far faster to second base are they from the jump with this WeckMethod start compared to convention?
I wonder… might it be possible to have a base stealer (with the speed and technical savvy) who can’t be thrown out?
Interesting question…
One that may never have been seriously asked before.
Note, I’m not a baseball specialist… I’m a biomechanist. I understand natural athletic movement - fundamental things that have been hiding in plain sight all along.
Baseball is a big stage… and this is a big story, but this goes way deeper and farther than baseball.
It’s time to respect and train natural athletic movement and put an end to the in-fighting in fitness.
Madison Baseball retweeted
I chased Major League Baseball for 11 years.
Never caught it.
I was a third-round draft pick. Made it to Triple-A. Had the arm, the stuff, and every reason to believe I'd eventually get there.
Then came the injuries. The setbacks. The surgeries.
For years, I wondered what could've been.
What if I'd stayed healthy? What if I'd worked harder? What if I'd done a few things differently?
At 43, I still believe I could've made it.
But I've also learned something far more important.
You can spend your entire life questioning the doors that closed and completely overlook the ones God opened.
I didn't accomplish everything I dreamed of.
But I've been blessed with things I never could've imagined when I was 18 years old chasing baseball.
Faith isn't believing God will give you everything you want.
It's trusting Him even when He doesn't.
Keep chasing your dreams. Work your tail off. Own your mistakes.
But don't become so consumed by what you didn't accomplish that you lose sight of everything you've been given.
Sometimes the greatest blessings in life aren't found at the destination.
They're found along the journey.
Happy Sunday. 🙏✝️⚾️
Madison Baseball retweeted
If you are a pitcher(Any level), a pitching coach or head coach or manager at any level, this is a MUST read. It was generated by Fred Corral who now works in development for 108 PERFORMANCE in Knoxville.
LETTER FROM “THE GAME”
A Message to the Pitcher
Allow me to introduce myself.
I’ve been around your clubhouse, your bullpen, your dugout—and most of all, your head—for a long time.
I am The Game.
I’ve seen better arms than yours.
Harder throwers. Better stuff. More talent. More opportunity.
And I’ve beaten plenty of them.
Not because they weren’t good enough.
Because eventually, I convinced them to stop doing what made them good.
That’s how I work.
I rarely beat you all at once.
I beat you one decision at a time.
I get you to stop preparing.
I get you thinking about results instead of execution.
I get you worried about velocity, mechanics, the umpire, the defense, your role, your ERA, who’s watching and what happens next.
Anything that takes you away from this pitch works for me.
Because I know something about pitching that sometimes you forget:
You are at your best when you attack.
So I try to make you defensive.
You call it being careful.
I call it winning.
I LOVE FEAR
I love when you fear contact.
When you forget that most balls put in play become outs.
When you start trying to avoid barrels instead of creating outs.
When you nibble.
When you guide.
When you hope.
When you try to make the perfect pitch.
That’s when the hitter becomes the House.
And I have you.
The great ones understand:
FAH: Fearlessly Attack Hitters.
Not recklessly.
Fearlessly.
Know your weapons.
Know the hitter.
Know where damage lives.
Know where chase lives.
Then make your pitch with conviction.
Be the House.
Establish the terms.
I LOVE 1–0
Want to know one of my favorite counts?
1–0.
Because the only path to 0–2 runs through 0–1.
So I whisper:
Be careful.
Feel your way into the at-bat.
Don’t give him anything too good.
Then you’re 1–0.
Then 2–0.
And suddenly you’re throwing what he wants instead of what you want.
That’s why I hate pitchers who understand the value of 0–0.
Win the first pitch.
Win the Race to Two Strikes.
Understand the 1–1 hinge.
Earn leverage.
Then use it.
On or off in three. Put away in four.
I LOVE INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT
This is one of my newer tricks.
I give you numbers.
Velocity.
IVB.
HB.
VAA.
Whiff rates.
Chase rates.
Heat maps.
Count tendencies.
Pitch usage.
Matchups.
More information than pitchers have ever possessed.
And information is powerful.
The man with the most information at the end wins—not the man with the most toys.
But here’s how I turn your information against you:
I get you to keep analyzing when it’s time to compete.
I get you thinking about seven possibilities instead of committing to one.
I get you chasing somebody else’s movement profile instead of understanding your own.
I get you staring at the iPad instead of seeing the hitter.
I turn preparation into hesitation.
Paralysis by analysis.
That’s when your greatest advantage becomes mine.
Study everything.
Learn everything.
Know your arsenal.
Know the hitter.
Understand movement, damage, chase, counts and tendencies.
Gather information until it creates clarity.
Then when you step on the mound:
simplify.
The information has already done its job.
Now trust it.
See the target.
Make a decision.
Commit.
Pitch.
The smartest pitcher isn’t the one thinking about the most things when the ball leaves his hand.
It’s the one who used the most information to arrive at the clearest decision.
I LOVE WHEN YOU FORGET WHAT PITCHING IS
Hitters are trying to create timing.
Your job is to disrupt it.
Pitching isn’t owning a collection of pitches.
It’s making pitches work together.
Front to back.
Up and down.
In and out.
Hard and soft.
Run and cut.
Carry and drop.
You aren’t simply moving the baseball.
Madison Baseball retweeted
YOUR SENIOR SEASON WAS A FAILURE.
For thousands of high school seniors, last night was the final time they’ll ever put on that uniform. For others, that night is coming soon.
And for some of you, your senior season was a failure.
But not because of your record. Not because you missed the playoffs. Not because you didn’t get that scholarship.
It was a failure if you didn’t learn what the season was actually trying to teach you.
Let me explain.
I was fortunate enough to play high school football in a program where we won. A LOT. We won a state championship. Winning was practically an expectation.
And looking back, I think my senior season was a failure in some ways.
Why?
Because I thought life worked like football did for us. Show up, work hard, push the WIN button, and everything works out.
Life doesn’t have a WIN button.
I played high school football alongside guys who are now multimillionaires, doctors, lawyers, and successful business owners.
Know how many of them played college football?
None.
I was the only one.
But they took something from those Friday nights that was worth far more than a college scholarship.
They learned how to handle adversity. How to be accountable. How to work with people they didn’t always agree with. How to respond when things didn’t go their way.
And here’s what I promise you.
Someday, you’re going to face something difficult.
It might be in your career. Your marriage. Your friendships. Your family.
You’re going to get knocked down. You’re going to question yourself. You’re going to wonder whether all the work is worth it.
And somewhere in that moment, something will click.
“Man, my high school coach told me that 20 years ago.”
And you’ll realize that coach wasn’t just preparing you for Friday nights.
They were preparing you for life.
So, to the senior whose team went 2–7…
To the senior who never made the playoffs…
To the senior who didn’t get the accolades…
To the senior who didn’t get the college opportunities they dreamed about…
Your senior season was a SUCCESS.
IF you allow it to be.
Because the greatest thing you can take from high school sports isn’t a trophy, a record, or a scholarship.
It’s the ability to face the next difficult chapter of your life and know you’ve been there before.
Your season is over.
What it taught you should last a lifetime.
Madison Baseball retweeted
Hitters. I challenge you next time you get a bad call at the plate, have a stoic, unresponsive reaction. The benefit of this is immeasurable.
1. It looks mature and polished. Looking like mental toughness.
2. If this stoicism takes hold internally, you're better equipped to complete the at bat with a clear head. Unemotional and calculated.
The mindset becomes, "So what. I only need one anyway." You're no longer a victim, feeling sorry for yourself. You're not bringing baggage to the next pitch. You're defiantly confident.
Be a rock in the box.
If you must respond, ask the umpire respectfully, "Is that as far as it goes to that side?" Or, "Is that the edge?" The umpire will get the message (they know when they miss a pitch a lot of times and appreciate you not showing them up), and respect you for the rest of your days.
But plate presence, aura and confidence build. Teammates, coaches and opponents take notice. You become unshakable. Even if it's strike 3. Shake your head (yes or no, doesn't matter) and move on. It'll do wonders for your game (and life).
👊🏾
Madison Baseball retweeted
The Bunt plays in championship baseball- You have to learn how to give yourself up for the TEAM. Manufacturing a RUN is HUGE in championship baseball. Learn to BUNT kids….thx MGMT.
Madison Baseball retweeted
Adam Jones reveals the blunt message Buck Showalter gave him after his first bad effort play about being who you say you are and the little things becoming the big things
“There’s two instances. It’s third day there. I hit a bullet ground ball to the third baseman. You’re watching a double play get turned right in front of you, but the first baseman happened to drop the ball.”
“Does it ever look good when you’re halfway through it and you know you ain’t running hard? Never does. You’re still out, but it never looks good.”
“So after the game, he brings me in and says, ‘Hey, I heard you’re supposed to be the star here. Bleepin act like it.’ I’m like, ‘All right.’”
“It was just an extra incentive like, hey, we’re always watching. The fans are always watching. People are always watching. You’re an example. Show it. Go out there and really play as hard as you can.”
“He was so anal about being fundamentally sound. When the outfield misses a cut, it’s two bases. When the infield does, it’s one.”
“Defense was our strong suit. We played phenomenal defense and it was an attitude every single day, because you’re not going to hit every day.”
“But you can play defense every day. You can run the bases hard every day. You can do the intangibles every single day. And that’s what Buck was always paying attention to.”
Madison Baseball retweeted
A message from every professional baseball scout to every high school and college potential baseball prospect.
We're always watching!
EVERY. SINGLE. LOOK.
Pregame work. I/O. BP. Bullpens. Intrasquads. Scrimmages and regular season games. Every one of those is a look — and every look is being written down.
How you run to first base… or do you run to first base. How you move on the field and off the field. How you throw between innings. How you take BP when you think no scout is watching. How you execute pitches in a side session or between innings warming up. How you handle or process a poor at bat. Whether you’re coachable or whether you’re not. And how you treat your teammates.
First one on the field?
Last one off the field?
It’s ALL being noted.
All of it.
Get to the Big Leagues first—before trying to act like those in the TV league. You’re not.
Scouts aren't just evaluating your tools. We're evaluating everything: your habits, your effort, your work ethic, and your character. The player who gives effort every rep stands out — because so few do it consistently.
Newsflash…Scouts don’t care about your “ranking” or what publications write about you (positive or negative). Scouts don’t care how much NIL money you’re getting, or if you’re getting any at all. We’ll make our own evaluations and our own decisions.
Be intentional. Play hard. No matter the setting, the score, the competition or who's in the stands. When you don't, you're only hurting yourself, and you’re to blame.
There is not much you can control in this game — but the one thing you can control is your effort, your work ethic, and your hustle.
Because when you least expect it, someone is ALWAYS watching, and you never know which look is the one that matters.
Winners Win!
Make. Every. Look. Count.
Madison Baseball retweeted
Woo Whoo!!! Congrats to the Varsity Girls Golf Team on finishing first place in today’s LCAA Championship tournament and securing The League Championship!!
Conference Champions !!
@965TheCave @lenaweesports @DonnellyDoug @Quinn_richa
Madison Baseball retweeted
LCAA jamboree hosted by Ida today
Our girls did great and tied for first place in today’s event!!
Our girls continue to rise up and grow !!
@965TheCave @Quinn_richa @DonnellyDoug @lenaweesports
Madison Baseball retweeted
The JV football team travelled to Whiteford this evening to take on the Bobcats.
Our Trojans did great and defeated the Bobcats 32-6
Congrats Trojans !!
@965TheCave @DonnellyDoug @Quinn_richa @lenaweesports
Madison Baseball retweeted
Madison Girls Golf - had a great showing on this beautiful Monday !!
They competed in the Clinton Invite today at Rustic Glenn Golf Course finishing first place !!! Olivia Garcia finished first and Anahi Baez 6th overall!
@965TheCave @DonnellyDoug @Quinn_richa
Madison Baseball retweeted
Ray Lewis shares what tearing his triceps taught him about pain and why most people quit too soon.
"There's 2 sides of pain that I don't think a lot of people really understand."
"There's one side of pain that's the suffering and the discomfort side of pain. That's why everybody raised their hands when I asked if they've ever been through pain. Because that hurts."
That's the pain we all know. The pain we run from.
"But then there's another side of pain. That's called effort. It's called glory. It's called - if you can find a way to push through pain, there's something greater on the other side of it."
Most people never get there. It's resilience and pushing past adversity.
"If you never tap into it, it's because the first time you felt that, you backed off...And we rationalize with ourselves to where we automatically stop."
"That's why a bunch of us give up so much in life so quickly."
To overcome adversity, you have to be willing to face it. It takes courage.
"That's why kids have a problem finishing things in today's time. Because as soon as they feel a small bit of discomfort - of things ain't right - they're gone. 'I can't do it no more.'"
Then he said something everyone needs to hear:
"But suppose I told you - the greatest pain of my life is the reason I'm standing here today."
Resilience is a muscle you build. It isn't something you have, but something you develop.
It's built when you show up even when it's hard. You build it by overcoming adversity and challenges.
(🎥 TedX Talks)
Madison Baseball retweeted
Which one are you?
Me or we?
I've found that when hitters focus on the team and how they can help score runs and win games.
They lessen the pressure they put on themselves.
Madison Baseball retweeted
Don't Take 100 Swings When 30 Will Do
As a player, you never stay the same. Every day you're either getting a little better or getting a little worse.
But here's the mistake a lot of players make:
They assume more work = more development.
It doesn't.
Taking 100 mindless swings is worse than taking 30 great ones.
I'd rather see a hitter take 30 swings where he's completely engaged, has a plan, pays attention to what the ball is telling him, gets feedback, and makes adjustments from swing to swing.
That's actual development.
Taking 100 swings just so you can say you hit today might make you feel like you worked hard, but work and improvement aren't always the same thing.
Every rep is teaching your body something.
The question is: What are you teaching it?
If you're tired, going through the motions, losing focus, or repeating poor movement patterns, more reps can actually move you in the wrong direction.
Volume does matter. There are times when you need a lot of reps. But volume without intent is just volume.
Don't count your reps. Make your reps count.
Madison Baseball retweeted
So many athletes train power for their lower body
But they make this one HUGE mistake in the rest of their training
They neglect dynamic upper body & shoulder training
Sports are full of explosive upper body movements, you better train it!
👇 Save & use these 9 exercises
Madison Baseball retweeted
I would’ve trained rotational power, not just lifted heavier.
Med balls. Jumps. Explosive throws.
Baseball rewards how fast you create force — not how much weight you can move.
3/10
Madison Baseball retweeted
Urban Meyer believes people should stop claiming they want to reach their dreams when their daily habits say otherwise
“I always like to say, you’re here, and you want to get there. The fastest way is draw that straight line and stay away from anything that pulls you off of that straight line.”
“There’s a great quote actually right over there that says, ‘Do your habits reflect your dreams and goals? And if not, then change.’”
“When I had my son, I changed that quote. My son has it up in his bedroom right next to his bed: ‘If your habits don’t reflect your dreams and goals, change your habits, or change your dreams and goals.’ Don’t lie to yourself.”
“I hear people say, ‘I want to go play in the NFL,’ but you’re acting like this. Don’t lie. You lie to me, it’s fine. But don’t lie to yourself.”
“Then you’ve got to look in the mirror and say, ‘Do I really want to be a first-round draft pick and I’m doing this?’ That’s when usually it hits home.”
Madison Baseball retweeted
Sat and watched pro infield practice.
The gap at the next level isn’t mechanics.
It’s movement.
You can’t train like a robot and expect to play like an athlete.
The nervous system doesn’t know the difference between training and the game — it plays how it practiced.
Better movement = better player.
Madison Baseball retweeted
Tim Tebow explains how to compete with someone for a job without secretly rooting for them to fail:
“I would try to show up with the mindset of, ‘I’m competing with Chris Leak, but also for him as a team.’ I’m on his team, and he’s on the same team I’m on.”
“When I get to go in the game, I’m trying to do good for him so he gets to come back on the field.”
“We’re competing FOR each other.”
“Average competitors, and I mean this more in mindset, not talent, want to beat someone when they’re weaker.”
“Elite competitors want to beat people at their best.”
“I want him to do good. I just want to do better. I’m going to root for him. I’m going to praise him. I’m going to encourage him. I’m going to want the best for him.”
“Am I going to want to do great? Yes. But I’m going to choose to root for him. It’s a choice.”
“It’s not always emotion. Your emotions, your pride and your ego, it can get to you. Fighting against it is a daily, moment-by-moment thing.”