OLSH BASEBALL
**Game vs. Freedom rescheduled for 4/26; Game @ New Brighton rescheduled for 5/3
**Neil Walker WPIAL Showcase for Juniors - Friday June 7 - Russelton, PA.
Registration: https://wpialshowcase.wordpress.com/
Upcoming Schedule:
Mon 4/22 - DH vs. Aliquippa 5:30 YT; players report to YT by 3:50; white pinstripe unis/purple hat for Game 1, switch to purple jersey for Game 2.
Tue 4/23 - Practice 4:00-6:15 YT, study hall 2:35
Wed 4/24 - Practice 4:00-6:15 YT, study hall 2:35
Thur 4/25 - Practice 4:00-6:15 YT, study hall 2:35
Fri 4/26 - Game vs. Freedom 5:30; study hall 2:35; players report to YT by 3:50; White pinstripe unis/purple hat
Sat 4/27 - JV Game @ Serra Catholic 11:00; players report to AAC by 8:30; purple jersey/hat, white pants; roster TBD; Varsity Practice TBD
Sun 4/28 - No Activities
Mon 4/29 - DH @ Northgate 3:00/5:00
**Good book on the mental game of baseball (recommended by Coach Craig): Heads-Up Baseball 2.0; 5 Skills for Competing One Pitch at a Time. By Ken Ravizza and Tom Hansen.
https://headsupbaseball2.com/
**Good article on hitting...players must read....
https://www.beabetterhitter.com/lost-secrets-of-hitting/
**For the spring, players are required to have a purple helmet. I will have purple helmets available for purchase (at a good price).
OLSH Baseball apparel and gear:
Catchers chest protectors: NFHS/PIAA regulations on chest protectors state that all chest protectors must be NOCSAE certified with proper heart protection. The other option is a special undershirt with padding that is NOCSAE certified is permitted. https://www. .org/articles/high-school-baseball-rules-changes-focus-on-player-safety/
A PLAYER WHO WANTS TO BE GREAT CANNOT ONLY PRACTICE AND PLAY THE GAME ITSELF, BUT HAS TO BE A TRUE STUDENT OF THE GAME!
(Otherwise it's just a hobby, and the player will never achieve greatness.)
**Video by Alex Rodriguez on hitting. [Very good except I would explain that the hands do go to the ball, but they need to level off and get on the plane of the ball and go through the ball for square contact. He is correct in saying that a "launch angle" approach is total garbage for the high school player. But chopping down to "get backspin" I don't agree with either. The truth lies more in the middle.]
**Excellent article on a great hitting book (The Mike Schmidt Study), pointing out some of the key takeaways:
The book is out of print but can be bought used if interested:
Other great timeless hitting books:
The Science of Hitting (by Ted Williams):
Rod Carew's Art and Science of Hitting
Great book on the mental approach to baseball
The Mental Game of Baseball
Pitching:
Nolan Ryan's Pitchers Bible
https://www.amazon.com/Nolan-Ryans-Pitchers-Bible-Performance/dp/0671705814/ref=sr_1_1?crid=19VEFBWWD224Y&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Uz-Sbr8tF_A-GqzCz8zIgG9QbPVFOuc3bt9vkJGLHM3NUX4iUE5W0ZxPjNMkLm06hzB-J0Dq57Wi5BUwFx6abWgcEIa8i2sj9tijYKPWDFIdQ-sR0qT0hDa4QTxlsbkX94pvghRgbRHAnrxo7glozuUYThxEl-c5hOMmbaQ7lKwnHxcvCDFev7BWsRfkk7su94jcGl2OqXuJKiHrwJm-aBauMkINtlQ5Z2s9_hAuUq4.8is9g-0uMcsmoJmDmOyx7BxL31xSSjmy8bc5jj7LZsU&dib_tag=se&keywords=nolan+ryan+pitchers+bible&qid=1710263280&sprefix=nolan+ryans+pi%2Caps%2C100&sr=8-1
