While playing SS in Little League I had the BIGGEST glove you could find. Maybe a 13" or so Rawlings. I loved it and thought that with every extra inch I could get to more balls. It didn't matter how quickly I turned a double play (they hardly ever happened) just as long as the balls I dove for found my glove. At that point in my career, a 13" was the right fit. As I got older and entered the high school ranks I changed my perception of glove sizes and went SMALL, an 11" ZETT . The thought then was that the smaller the glove, the faster my hands would be. Wouldn't you know it, as I went on to college I moved up. I was back to an 11 1/4" - 11 1/2" TPX and Rawlings. Without much rhyme or reason it seemed to work. So once in professional baseball I moved up yet again to an 11 3/4" Rawlings. I felt as though I could reach the balls I was supposed to get to as well as turn a relay throw as quickly as I needed to. It worked for me. I've been there, done that in all ...

I'm uncertain as to why there is still a debate regarding how the feet should be situated when fielding a ground ball backhanded, but there is. I personally am an advocate of the right foot forward for RH and left foot forward for LH. My reasons are as follows ...   1) Eight out of ten times you have taken your last step.  2) From there, you should be able to field the ball and use your right foot (RH) to either plant and throw (ie. ball in the hole, slow hit ball, fast runner or a combo) or plant and shuffle quickly in the direction towards your target and  3) Visually you have the ability to keep both eyes on the ball and forward. Notice I stated that 8 times out of 10 we may be able to set our feet. Reason being, there are going to be times you're going to have to field a ball in full stride, on the run and not get your feet situated for a standard backhand. In such cases, practice fielding the ball and gaining body control as fast as possible (break down your feet quickly). Or, throw it like Jeter. Unfortunately most of us ...

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to play professionally for three years with the Florida Marlins Organization and develop my infield play within one of the best infield systems taught in the game, by Perry Hill. Mr. Hill had 4 Gold Glove Award winners to his credit while with the Marlins and is still touted as one of the best infield instructors in the game. He is also known for his 6 F's of fielding ... Feet, Field, FUNNEL, Footwork, Fire and Follow. Notice where in the process FUNNEL fits. One of the biggest mistakes young players make when fielding a ground ball is attempting to "funnel" the baseball before fielding it. It's extremely important to remember to field the ball first, out front and use the funnel to soften your hands and create a repetitive hand separation point at the belly button. Chances are that if you're trying to funnel too early you may be letting balls go through your legs or bouncing them off the tip of your glove. Field first, then funnel, replace your feet, fire and follow your throw.

My thoughts regarding batting tees are short and sweet. (1) It must not be stiff and unforgiving at the area on which the ball rests (2) It must be light weight and easily transported and (3) It's got to be able to withstand a beating. So you may be wondering what tees I would recommend and those which I would try to avoid. You got it ... The "Tanner Tee" @ www.tannertees.com By far the BEST TEE on the market! When playing minor league baseball there was not another tee in any ballpark. I've since purchase a Tanner Tee almost 3 years ago and have conducted 1000's of lessons without a break, bend or problem. Light weight and extremely forgiving upon contact. Easily adjustable and man it's durable. No doubt about it, a tee that lasts a lifetime. Price: $50 + SH   The Atec Tuffy@ www.atecsports.com Easily my least favorite tee on the market. This tee is made of extremely hard, heavy plastic that makes it very susceptible to falling over with contact and ringing obnoxiously loud when struck. Teaching the proper swing with this tee is nearly impossible because users will alter their swings to avoid the noise and frustrations of picking it up after every swing. Price: $70-$125 The ...

I often hear coaches (youth in particular) talk about keeping "the barrel of the bat above the ball" from start to finish of the swing. In some regards I agree, but I must clarify. "Keeping the barrel above the ball" can be a good mental note, cue, thought process or what ever you may want to call it. I do agree that you must mentally think down to the ball and such words may just do the trick. HOWEVER, believe it or not the barrel does NOT and WILL NOT STAY ABOVE THE BASEBALL! Put a swing on video, watch it in slow motion and find out for yourself that a good swing ends with the barrel below the ball before and upon contact. Check out a few images below. Thoughts? Remember, I agree that you must mentally THINK of a downward direction to the ball, but in actuality the barrel NEVER remains above the ball...So why then have we created hitting aids that force the barrel to remain above or level to a stationary ball? I sure as heck don't have an answer if you're asking me. Check out our reviews for more info regarding hitting equipment. [gallery columns="2"]

This is going to be there first of a three part series (maybe more depending on how much I ramble on!).  A lot of people have different philosophies about how you should spend your time taking bp.  Listen to what people have to say and take from it what you like.  I've heard and or been a part of just about every differnt way you could possibly think of taking a round of batting practice.  Let's see if we can figure out what you should do.

One of the most frequently modified parts of a pitcher's motion is the shoulder "tilt." So many coaches/instructors continue to teach parallel shoulders which creates several problems. Parallel shoulders practiced repetitively on flat ground and transferred to a sloped mound turn into  negatively "tilted" shoulders. Such an inadequate angle leads to significantly decreased velocity and increased strain on the arm. Check out this picture of the highest paid pitcher (CC Sabathia) in the game and discover how important it is to establish an upward "tilt" with the shoulders prior to delivery. Add "tilt" and you may just add MPH.

I know you've heard it ... "Squish the Bug." Or how about 60/40, maybe 70/30? All of these sayings refer to a hitter's weight distribution and transfer both before and during the swing. Are there certain "extreme" situations where these metal keys may be useful, possibly. However, the biggest point I am out to make is that on contact during a Major League swing there is NO such thing as "Squish the Bug." The weight is transferred from the back foot to the front with a strong angle of the front leg and hip rotation. Therefore, your back foot should not simply rotate in the dirt, make a loud noise twisting on turf nor fatigue from trying to "stay back." With the advancements in technology (video and photo) we are now able to learn more about a baseball hitter's mechanics. For hitters with both GREAT POWER and HIGH AVERAGES, there is NO SUCH THING as "SQUISH THE BUG" in the Big Leagues. Check it out for yourself ... [gallery]

I often hear coaches refer to a catcher's throwing motion as "hand to ear," or "glove to ear" to create a shortened arm action. I've seen numerous catchers try to do what they are asked and miss out on discovering their true arm strength and accuracy. Take a look at the picture below and be the judge. To me, a catcher's throwing position looks very similar to that of an infielder. So why teach it differently? Quick hands (separation), quick feet and a good solid foundation will give you a chance.

I often hear coaches tell infielders to "get their butts down," but to also keep their feet shoulder width apart. Have you ever tried to practice what you preach? If so, you'll find that it turns into quite a squat and is both extremely uncomfortable and nonathletic. How about this, in order to get your butt down and glove out in front ... SPREAD YOUR FEET WIDER APART. By doing so fielders are able get their gloves down, eyes down and ... butts down. You won't see any Big Leaguers with their feet shoulder width apart! Stay wide, stay athletic and stay out front!