The Internet is a sure fired way for you to find the baseball equipment that you need. If you are looking for name brand equipment such as Louisville bats or mobile pitcher’s mounds, the Internet will be your best friend. If you are an individual, looking for items on online auction sites may be the best way for you to go. If you are a team trying to purchase equipment then you can look at various stores that offer deeper discounts than your local sports store would.

Buying used equipment is a great way to save money on baseball training equipment. You can find used equipment online and locally from individuals and stores. Make sure, however, that if you purchase used equipment online that you ensure that there is a solid (preferably free shipping) return policy if any of the equipment is broken or defective. You should not be forced to accept anything but quality equipment.

Purchasing equipment with flaws on it may suit your team as well. Flaws are not defects but typically the result of a misstep during the manufacturing process. For example, if a uniform is being made and elastic around the legs is the wrong dimensions, then it would be considered an unsellable item, even though no one but a tailor or other sewing expert might notice the difference. If an impression made on a baseball bat is smeared or not evenly branded then a company will withhold that from retail stores as well. You can check online or contact a manufacturer directly to find out more about flawed products.

As you can see, there is no reason for you to pay full price for your catcher’s equipment, batting cages, or other baseball equipment. There are plenty of affordable options for individuals and teams everywhere.

Gunnar Bengtsson writes about cheap bats for Baseball Equipment.

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The baseball glove is for ballplayers the most important of all professional baseball equipment and accessories. In all walks of life, you perform only as well as the tools you use–the key is comfort, feel, and good fit. Carpenters have their hammers; twirlers have their batons; musicians have their instruments; and dancers have their shoes.

Proper equipment allows us to perform our best, no matter our venue. The same holds true for baseball players and the equipment they use. It has been documented that young baseball players learn the intricacies of catching a baseball if the sports equipment they have includes a new baseball glove that is supple, and a good fit.

Baseball Gloves – Evolution and Bonding

A century ago ballplayers used pieces of rawhide and cowhide sewn together. It is amazing that the forefathers of baseball were able to catch a ball with any degree of regularity. The sports equipment they used in order to catch a baseball was no larger than the winter gloves we wear today.

Today, parents recognize the need for involvement in their childrens activities. For parents, teaching their sons and daughters to play the game of baseball is a great way to develop lasting bonds. Baseball gives players an opportunity to develop social skills with other players and coaches, and to learn valuable lessons regarding teamwork and self-sacrifice. The game of baseball also teaches ballplayers, especially young baseball players, the art of winning and losing graciously.

Parents strive to purchase appropriate clothes, toys and educational tools for their children. When shopping for baseball equipment and baseball accessories for their kids, it’s vital that parents are prudent. During equipment selection for baseball fielding gloves, parents must shop for the “perfect fit” for their athlete.

Baseball Gloves – Factors That Affect Selection

A players age, physical development level, and position on the field determine the type of baseball glove that should be purchased. Todays’ technological advancements make it possible for baseball gloves to be manufactured for every type of player. Appropriate gloves for young baseball players are crucial to their development.

For example, gloves for Little Leaguers should be made of leather because of the speed of the throws. Leather also offers greater hand and finger protection. Generally, a baseball glove with an 11.5 inch span is a good fit for these players.

As players mature and the level of competition increases, ballplayers have a better idea of the positions on the field they regularly play, and they become more involved in their own equipment selection process. Baseball fielding gloves become a personal and integral part of their baseball equipment and accessories.

Baseball Gloves – Akadema Ranks No. 1

Quality gloves that fit correctly and are appropriate for the position played are directly associated with the fielding success of ballplayers, whether they are in Little League or the Major Leagues. Akadema, the leading innovator in baseball equipment today, has a huge selection of baseball gloves tailored to suit the needs of youth, amateur, and professional players.

YourBaseballSite.com offers discounted prices on a wide range of Akadema baseball gloves, baseball supplies, and baseball clothing and equipment. This discount baseball website, has experts available to assist you with your Akadema baseball selections on discount baseball equipment and accessories.

Baseball is full of history and tradition. These are what make it our “American Pastime”. Storied past of players, stadiums, baseball equipment, World Series and All Stars.

Remember breaking in your or the feel of your fist hit. Softball and baseball continue to bring the kid out in us all.

A great to place for your professional baseball equipment needs I found here. Pro quality gloves, bats, shoes and more for every level.

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Effective baseball hitting or baseball pitching can only be achieved through baseball training.

What is considered as effective hitting?

In hitting, the very first thing learned is the batter’s stance when up on the plate. The stance determines the baseball pitching strike zone. The zone would be the area with the most probability of getting hit by the batter with the bat as it is within reach of the batter. So having a smaller strike zone by crouching would gain the advantage for the batter since there would be a smaller strike zone and thus more likely that the pitch would be called a ball or it would be hittable into play. But being too crouched would mean being impeded from swinging the bat and hitting the ball.

The second must learn for the hitter would be the correct baseball grip and weight. Baseball hitting is all about being able to swing the bat fast enough and hard enough to hit the ball into play. But if the ball is hit hard enough, the ball may just sail up and over the field fence within the lines and be called a homerun. This is baseball hitting’s prized achievement, to make a home run against baseball pitching. With this, the batter is able to score on his own or if others are on base then he can bat them in for the score, hence the statistic RBI for Runs Batted In.

How do you train for it?

The runs scored in baseball hitting determine who wins the game. So grip on the bat and the weight of the bat must be both comfortable and easy, as the bat merely becomes an extension of the arm. When the bat is swung, it must be in one sweeping motion without any wasted movement to generate the speed needed for the bat to hit the ball into play.

A further training issue is the hip swing. This is where the power for baseball hitting is generated to offset the skill of baseball pitching. The hip swing is all about being able to generate force and power to help the bat in hitting the ball. Having the larger muscle groups of the torso does this and the legs create a quick swivel motion to help the arms generate sufficient speed and power for the bat to hit the ball. In essence, the muscle groups of the legs and torso area acting like coiled springs can drive a bat at a much faster rate and a quicker pace.

The do´s and don’t s of hitting the ball

An effective baseball hitting technique is through the use of a hung baseball. In this exercise, a baseball is hung using a piece of rope or string. The training commences by studying the bat’s angle relative to the height and distance of the pitch from the batter.

Repeating the batting technique several times and each time increasing speed and recoil movement of the batter’s body create what sports scientists call as muscle memory. The baseball hitting technique allows the body to remember the exact adjustments that were in place to deliver the same movement and thus generate the necessary speed and power to hit the ball into play. By adjusting the baseball’s height and distance, the batter then can see the minute adjustment’s that need to be made in order to make contact between bat and ball.

Remember though, not to over train, as this could result to pain and even injury. As much as you may want to hit the ball perfectly every time, learning baseball really does take time.

Perhaps, the best form of baseball training that you could do would be live game play, through either scrimmage or experience in actual game situations.

Baseball hitting can be practiced time and time again through the use of a live pitcher or an automated pitcher to see what needs to be adjusted in the batting stance and swing to generate the optimum set of movements to generate the most power for the bat. It is here where legends are made and hall of fames become immortalized.

Chris Moheno has a long time passion for sports in general and for baseball coaching more specifically.

His goal is to spread the word about effective non-fluff baseball training techniques for both more experienced and young baseball players, to help them perform better during the game.

Discover more about baseball training secrets on http://www.baseballtrainingsecrets.com

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Baseball Gloves – A proper fitting glove is essential to every baseball player. Gloves come from many different manufacturers and with many different price points and features. Some of the most popular youth gloves are the Rawlings Primo Baseball Glove, Nokona Bloodline Baseball Glove or the Louisville Slugger Pro Flare. Other top baseball manufacturers include Rawlings Baseball Gloves, Akadema Baseball Gloves and Easton.

Baseball Bats – You can’t hit the ball without a bat. Bats come in many different sizes and materials. Most of your youth baseball teams will use an Aluminum Baseball Bat. The better the actual aluminum alloy the better the bat and the more “pop” you will receive when you hit the ball. “Pop” refers to the distance the ball with travel when the bat strikes the baseball. In addition, you can purchase composite and composite/aluminum mix bats which give even better performance. Some of the best Youth Baseball Bats include the Easton Stealth bat, Louisville Slugger baseball bat, and the Rawlings EXOGRID baseball bat. Other manufacturers also include Worth Bats, DeMarini Youth Bats, and Miken bats.

Baseball Equipment – There are alot of training exercises teams should use when preparing for the upcoming season. Training videos and training aids will help develop young baseball players quickly and add enjoyment to the experience. Pitching Machines including base ball and combo pitching machines are available from the most popular manufacturers in the business. Choose from top of the line ATEC, JUGS and Zooka machines all for great prices.

About the baseballs – Baseballs are measured in circumference in inches and weight in ounces. They have either leather or synthetic covers that are glued to the windings and stitched together. Leather covers are the traditional choice because they offer the best grip, performance, durability, and shape maintenance. Usually, the more expensive the ball, the higher the grade of the leather, and the better the cover and the process used to bond the cover to the windings.

Synthetic covers are usually vinyl and less expensive than leather covers. Synthetic covers vary in texture and grip depending on the quality. The high quality synthetic covers have a grip and feel that is close to leather. Synthetic covers resist dirt, maintain color well, and do not absorb water.

Hit! Run! Score! for sporting goods including baseball equipment, baseball bats, baseball gloves and more http://www.hitrunscore.com

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Odds are stacked against the little league baseball player and the youth baseball player when it comes to playing college and major league baseball. Less than 1 out every 15 kids playing little league and youth baseball ever make their high school baseball’s varsity team. It is a known fact that less than 10.1 percent of all high school varsity baseball players go on to play college baseball. That figure includes both scholarship and walk-on players. Just 1 out of every 936 high school players is drafted to Pro Baseball each year. What all of this adds up to is this statement that says it all. Less than 1 out of every 15,000 little league or youth baseball players ever make a MLB baseball team. In, fact the percentage may be much lower when you consider the fact that less than 20,000 players have played MLB baseball in its 130+ year history. Chances are good, if your child is playing Little League, Dixie Youth, Babe Ruth or Cal Ripkin baseball, you are expecting your child to try out for the high school baseball team one day. What does it take to make the high school team? The main three things are body build, playing skill, and pure luck.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BODY BUILD IN BASEBALL

I know that many of you are saying “Body Build” is not very important in baseball. I know and realize that size and height are less important in baseball than basketball and football. You do not have to block or tackle to play baseball. Baseball is not a game played in the rafters of a gym. But, “Body Build” is not all about body size to me. When I talk about “Body build”, I mean more than height and size. Body build to me includes all of the results of a player’s work and training to build strength, stamina, endurance, power and speed. The players that dominate at each level are the ones that have the dominate bat speed, dominate pitch velocity, and the faster feet.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT IN BASEBALL

The next important key to becoming a great high school, college or major league baseball player is playing skill development. If you are going to get to the next level, you have got to learn to play the game! Personal instruction by a baseball hitting coach, baseball pitching coach, and great baseball instruction and teaching of baseball fundamentals, early in youth baseball, are so important to baseball skill building. Many advanced players today rely on baseball indoor hitting facilities, year round baseball training and travel baseball that’s played all year. These things help, but the main thing is for a player and his parent to take an interest in the game and become students of the game. You have got to do your baseball homework if you are going to maximize baseball skill development. Baseball homework is that extra work you do in the off-season and at home year round. Your baseball homework many include a backyard pitching mound, a backyard batting cage, baseball training equipment, or one-on-one training with a baseball instructor.

THE IMPORTANCE OF LUCK IN BASEBALL

Many people do not believe in luck. They say luck has nothing to do with winning or success. They say luck is made in practice time. Many others have a different opinion, they say that it is better to be lucky than to be good. I have a different attitude toward luck. I know that we are all lucky to get a chance to grow up in such a great country and to play such a great game as baseball, but I am talking about a different kind of luck a player must have to succeed in baseball. A player must be lucky and get top quality coaching early in life! Fate is a better word for what I am talking about. It is good luck that a player gets chosen on a little league team with a coach that takes special interest in a player and dedicates a great amount of time and energy in making that player better. It is good luck for a youth player to have a parent or coach that knows how to motivate and inspire that kid to keep working and practicing to get better. Players are extremely lucky to have the right inspiration and instruction during their childhood playing days. The coach they have may be a streak of good or bad luck depending on the attitude and competence level of the coach. Getting the right coach is a great stroke of luck! Yes, I believe body build, playing skill and luck are the 3 keys to high school baseball success. Good luck to your child and his or her team. Happy Hitting, Coach Nick.

Visit the Baseball Coaching Digest Blog for daily post and articles on every aspect of coaching baseball. The Baseball Coaching Digest Blog. Check out the Bat Action Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

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Coaching a team sure seemed like a good idea, maybe even easy…until you started thinking and getting into it deeper. All those players, parents, the draft, practices…and those game decisions…ugh.
Maybe coaching 3rd base might not be so easy…
What were you thinking?

SOLUTIONS:

Rule #1 – Relax, It will work out!

You’ll probably even turn out to be good at it.
How do I know? Why would I think this?

Well, first you are searching for information. Websites like ours with articles like this are sure signs you are at the very least trying, instead of sitting on your hands, ducking your head and relying on your Little League experiences from long ago. And because of…

Rule #2 – You will be organized…

And yes, you will have the time to do it. As a matter of fact, there is an article that I strongly urge you to read. It is about how to organize your team and yourself and is titled, “Plan To Succeed.”

Please finish this article before you jump there (I’ll include the link at the end of this article).

Rule #3 – You will have fun!

Look, the more fun you have, the more fun your kids will have…and yes, the opposite is true.

Personally, I think that some of the best things about youth baseball are the adults! I also think they are some of the worst things about youth baseball. I mean this because as we get older…we tend to forget how to have fun and play games. Life just does that to us. Here we are trying to solve problems on a baseball field like we do at work…UGH!
We get tight, our kids play tight. We say ugly things in the dugout…well, you get the picture…
Let’s move on (This lesson either hits the mark or it doesn’t).

One final thought (from someone who is privileged to be in baseball for 350 days each year)…
IT’S JUST BASEBALL! BASEBALL IS JUST A GAME!
(It just happens to be the best game ever!)

Rule #4 – You are here for every player!

If you are in this game for any reason other than those kids… every one of them…
GET OUT NOW! (This was paraphrased and stolen from a speech given by a friend, Gordie Gillespie, the winningest coach in college baseball history! He is absolutely correct!)

You will get more joy with that attitude than you can imagine!

Every player who doesn’t share your last name is not here for the entertainment and support of you and your son! (You have probably seen it happen).
Coaching your own child is a trick indeed.
I hope you will truly enjoy it (though it can test your mettle). But, I can assure you that embracing an entire team of kids can really give you an idea of how good a coach and person you might be or can be!
Personally, I can tell you that the early influences of my youth coaches are indelibly stamped on me…That’s how important you are.

Rule #5 – Winning is important…It is just not everything.

I determined something many years ago.
Take this for what it’s worth…

Few 10 year olds have a grasp of the concept of winning!
Half of the 11 year olds have a grasp of the concept of winning!
Almost all 12 year olds have a grasp of the concept of winning!

Every? All? No. I guess I wouldn’t include all players on some hot team of 9 year olds who travel the country vying for the many “World Series” out there (how many worlds are there anyway).
Those teams and families have adopted a lifestyle. It’s a language spoken at the dinner table. They are probably more the exception than the rule anyway.

You simply need to have a strong grasp of the competitive nature of your league and your team.

Rule #6 – You will be the boredom police.

Looking for a great way to turn a perfectly good baseball player into a soccer player? (God forbid)… BORE HIM!

A young boy begins his day by opening his eyes with a first thought of…”HEY, WHAT’S FUN TODAY!”
And we dare to bore them? Remember my comment on how we tend to want to solve problems in baseball as we do in the office?
They are kids. It’s a game…and games are fun…
It’s fun OR THEY FIND A GAME THAT IS MORE FUN!

Rule #7 – Ask for help from other parents.
Women are right…Men do not ask for directions. We need to be rock steady and have all the answers…yada, yada!

Personally, I have never had a coach come up to me after a game and ask me anything on how or why I played a situation the way I did! I MEAN NEVER!

WHY? Because this is baseball…and we are guys. We played Little League (20 TO 30 YEARS AGO). We watch Pro Baseball on TV…UGH. What a bad idea to try and teach a group of kids to play the same way the greatest players in the game do.
So, we don’t ask…and that cheats our kids.

SOLUTIONS:

Aside from reaching for information such as reading articles such as this and finding videos, books, etc (did you check out our video and book library?)…
Why not incorporate and embrace some of the parents.
Have a parents-only meeting for 10 minutes after one of your very first practices.
Let them know who you are and how you envision the season (in general).

A team mom is worth her weight in the dozen roses you had better buy her at the end of the season.

Make note of the dad(s), hopefully plural, who hang around the fence during practices. Many really want you to ask for their help. They don’t want to horn in so it’s up to you to ask because they may not!

Some parents are better served as your scorebook keeper instead of your BP (batting practice) pitcher.
Another may be most comfortable helping you set up the dugout and raking and lining the field before games.

Yet others really want to be on the field hitting fungoes or infield.

The bottom line is that I believe that adults play better when they work together…and as a byproduct, you will all be richer for actually developing relationships with your new-found friends.

WARNING: There is one rule I highly recommend…
You are the coach, they are the team’s parents.
One guy has the final say so. You, the coach!
This is a no lobbying area, disputes are handled away from the kids and the action and decisions of management (you) are final. There are no politics, just honest decisions made by you…the coach!

Note: Baseball is the greatest game in the world to second-guess!

One Last Important Suggestion Regarding Communication:

Get all of your parent’s email addresses and use them for two things:

Communicate – Communicate – Communicate. Not necessarily lengthy, just frequent.

Subscribe all your player’s parents (and maybe players, if they are a bit older) to our Baseball Tips Newsletter. It is a quick read 2 times each month. We do not rent or sell their names and just want to supply our 14,680 (at last count) baseball families with some added knowledge and fun.
Of course, they can delete us easily if they so choose. (You can add them individually. The sign-up box is just below our logo on the http://www.baseballtips.com home page).

Rule #8 –Good Teams Practice Well!

Every league is different. Some restrict practice times. Others have limited fields. Some coaches have limited time as well. HAVE A PLAN!
Plan tomorrow’s practice today. Plan next week, this week.
Planning is the operative word. I don’t think that any drill should take longer than 20 minutes! (OK, excluding BP – more on that later).

TIME ANYTHING & EVERYTHING!

If you will keep a watch, you can get their blood flowing even more. More as in, “OK guys, 10 more minutes, let’s do it right. Pick up the pace…Ok, 5 more minutes…Keep it going”…you get the idea.
And it becomes more fun!
The blood is pumping, the kids are focusing. Just be sure to tailor it to your player’s age and skill level.

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW!

Teach something new each practice.
As importantly, review and drill a particular skill taught in a previous practice using one of your 20 minute segments.

Quality repetitions are vital and incredibly important!
Too many coaches teach a skill and then next season, they teach it again; once a year…need it or not! If you think about how counter-productive this is, you will never do it…or do it again.

ARMS – ARMS – ARMS!

There are more throwing errors than fielding errors!
It may not sound correct and it is not my opinion…It is a fact!
Teach proper throwing and work on arms every practice.

Have them constantly throwing to or at a target.
(The exception will be when teaching one of your pitchers a new pitch.) You begin by throwing to a tarp, net or fence. The reasoning is that accuracy will not be great until a skill like a new pitch is learned. Accuracy will follow proper mechanics and you can avoid unnecessary shakes in confidence.

THE LAST 10 MINUTES OF PRACTICE IS JUST FUN!
Preferably doing something that requires players to use oxygen. Leave them with their tongues hanging out. I learned this many years after I began coaching.

Many players think baseball is boring…and that is why they leave the sport too soon. They are kids…and kids want to run, play games, have contests, run races, hit balls, etc. You know…fun stuff.

Well, drills can get boring if that’s all there is to a practice. But drills are really important, vital lifelines to improvement and success of both player and team…or not!

But let’s not forget the fun aspect and the prime reason most kids play. (It is play ball, not work ball, right?)

Get creative!
Here are some of my ideas. (Do not limit yourself to these, got it?)

Relay Races – ½ of team at home plate and ½ at 2nd base with hats on backwards. 1 simple relay race. Then 1 race backwards, then 1 final race for all the marbles, running sideways (or heel to heel side-kicks like basketball teams do….you may have some better variations).

Ball In The Trash Can – Find a trash barrel from the dugout or near the practice field and place it on home plate on its side. Now take your team to a distance where most all players can throw to the target at least on a bounce or two.

Now toss them a short fly ball where they can make like they are the centerfielder throwing the runner out at home. They ooh, aah and cheer on close throws (there are always a bunch of these). I have no idea why but they really like to do this…Go Figure!

Home Run Derby – Find a spot where about ½ or more of the team can hit one over the fence and soft toss 3 per each player (soft toss, also known as flip drills, is the drill our automated Wheeler Dealer machine does automatically. It can be seen on our training aids page if you are still unsure how to do this.) Have a second round, then have a finals. Maybe the player who comes in 2nd gets to go after all the homers. Watch ‘em cheer for each other.

Basketball Game – If there’s a court or a hoop nearby, simply produce a hidden basketball AFTER dividing them up into teams. Announce a 10 minute game. Watch ‘em go. Totally unexpected…and a lot of fun

Water Balloon Toss – Pick a hot day and have a supply of filled baseball-sized water balloons (make sure they are small balloons to begin with so they remain taut). Partner them off in lines (like you do when warming up their arms) with players about 6 to 8 feet apart and with a partner on one row having the balloon.

USE 2 HANDS!

Express to players that in baseball, every ball you can catch with 2 hands should be caught with 2 hands. Also, display how the pinkie fingers of both hands should be near and parallel to each other with hands being parallel and held below the waist.

SOFT HANDS

Explain that all infielders must have soft hands. This begins when both arms are outstretched (elbows are not locked) and then cradled toward the body as the underhand toss comes toward you. Water balloons will require special focus on soft hands to keep from breaking.

READY…GO!

On coaches command…
Player underhand tosses to his partner who catches and holds the balloon. His partner then tosses it back to his partner.

After 2-4 rounds, teams with a full balloon step 2 feet further apart.
Repeat.
Then 2 steps further apart!
Keep going until you have a winner.

Once you have a winner, coaches produce as many extra full balloons as there are coaches and the winning team gets to “blast the coaches.” Yes, turn around coach…and do use typical precautions as boys will be boys. (Now you tell me that 10 or 20 years from now those players won’t remind you of how much fun that was?!)

It’s not all about baseball…but it is all about fun!

Thanks for reading.

Best of luck this season.

Now get out there and Have Some Fun!

—-Coach JP

http://www.baseballtips.com/

Baseball tips & youth baseball equipment, training aids & instruction!
It’s all here for baseball coaching of pitchers & hitters, little league to high school.

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Does it enhance performance and what are the side effects. Are records today the result of steroids. And are athletes harming themselves.

First of all, we need to understand what is a steroid. And why do players use it. Anabolic steroids are a synthetic version of the male hormone testosterone. Testosterone in it’s normal state promotes and boosts muscle development and growth. When it is supplemented with steroids, you have an increase of muscle mass, reduction of body fat, and enhanced endurance. It is used by athletes to try to have the edge on the competition. It is believed that by using a steroid in baseball it will cause you to hit the ball further. And longer.

What are some of the side effects? They range from psychologically to physically. From a psychological standpoint, they can range from a feeling of well-being to depression. Mood swings. And even rage. Sometimes called ‘roid rage’. Other adverse psychological effects can include intense aggression and violence.

From a physical standpoint, you can have all kinds of changes. You will have increased muscle mass and increased endurance, but the side effects can include a plethora of problems. The worst being liver damage, and cancer. You can have acne, excessive hair growth or loss. Testicular atrophy (shrinking), etc.

What is the reward vs. risk? The reward being a quick avenue for increased muscle mass, increased performance, and increased endurance. A feeling of invincibility. The risk is permanent physical morbidity and psychotic episodes that include aggression, violence, and rapid mood swings. Also feelings of depression and suicide. Is the reward worth it? Absolutely not! Yet it is abused by athletes today for the quick gain of fortune and fame. It is believed that by using a steroid in baseball it will lead you down the path of fortune and fame.

There has been a lot of controversy whether Mark McGwire or Barry Bonds or Gary Sheffield and others have used a steroid in baseball. There is the infamous BALCO incident where there are accusations that Barry’s long time friend Greg Anderson was supplying Barry with an untrackable steroid, sometimes called “the cream” or “the clear”. Which raised a lot of questions in the baseball world. Did they use a steroid in baseball and is there proof it enhanced their game? We can draw several conclusions from this.

First off, is there any proof that a steroid in baseball has enhanced the record book with unfair records. At this time, no. We have to remember a couple of things before trying to point fingers, etc. Barry Bonds went on to have an unbelievable season setting a single season record of home runs that will probably never be surpassed in my mind. This happened from a guy that usually averaged around 35 homers a season. Can you explain the sudden jump in home runs? Probably not. But you can make the assumption that he has matured to the top of his game and that he had a dream season.

Now, let’s look at Roger Maris. When Roger went on to hit 61 home runs from a guy that usually never hit that many. Did everyone in the world suddenly start saying there must be a steroid in baseball that he is using? Or he must be doing something to enhance his game. No they did not. They assumed that he just had a magical season that only comes around ever so often. Can we draw the same conclusions about Barry, and about Mark? Yes, we can. Could it be that they had magical seasons? Absolutely.

Until the evidence comes out, we don’t know what any athlete is doing. What I do know as a former major leaguer is how difficult it is to perform at such a high level day in and day out. In my mind, whether they are doing steroids or not, you still have to hit the ball over the fence. You still have to make solid contact consistently. You still have to have great fundamentals. I think what has happened on the baseball field has been remarkable and we are lucky to be able to witness such great athletes perform daily.

Steroids in my mind take away from the game. Even though they provide a quick explosion of muscle mass and endurance, over the long run, they will harm you. They will cause psychotic events, and physical damage that will last a life time. The bottom line is simple. Play the game the way it is meant to be played. Play with honor and pride and dignity. And above all, leave steroids out of it.Using a steroid in baseball is simply not worth it.

Bill Bathe- former major league ballplayer who played in 1989 world series. Been coached by Eddie Matthews, Harmon Killebrew, Billy Williams, and Dusty Baker to name a few. You can learn more by visiting http://www.pro-baseball-drills-and-equipment.com which provides tips, advice, drills, equipment and video analysis of your swing. Also, inspirational stories and pictures of the journey to the big leagues.

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