Great Baseball Drills: A Baffled Parent's Guide
by Jim Garland

"An in-depth tool for instructing youngsters to improve their fundamental skills in the great game of baseball."--Bill Hunter, manager, Texas Rangers, former shortstop, New York Yankees

"A must-read for inexperienced AND experienced coaches. As a former professional player, my toughest job when I started coaching Little League was transferring my knowledge to the kids so they could develop their skills and a love for the game. This book allows coaches to do just that."--Gene Hiser, Chicago Cubs, 1970 - 76

Did we say "drills?" Sorry, we meant games. That's right. Games your young players will love. Games that teach them more effectively than the tedious drills you endured as a kid.

Great Baseball Drills includes 125 step-by-step illustrated games that will keep your players moving, motivated, and most of all, having fun. The basic skills of throwing, fielding, hitting, and pitching are covered in a way that enhances team communication and decision-making skills. Other games focus on bunting, baserunning, fielding by position, and practice games. You'll even learn a thing or two about coaching style, and how to make improvement the goal of your season rather than winning or losing.

• Use Garland's Ten Commandments of Practices to improve your players and team
• Find answers to common problems in the Q&A sections
• Pinpoint weaknesses using the Troubleshooting Chart
• Create a positive attitude, team spirit, and good parental communications
• Make practices fun and rewarding
• Match drills to age and ability

"Coach Garland has done a great job designing a way for kids to learn basic skills while having fun."--Mike Edge, clinician, Motion Concepts Sports Camps

The Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Baseball and Softball (The Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Sports, 3)
by Robert G. Price, Maryanne Haselow-Dulin (Editor)

I'm a multi sport athlete who trains all year round regardless of what sport I play. I bought a few of these Ultimate Guide to Weight Training books, and they definitely helped me train specifically for the different sports that I play. Then about a year later I received an email from amazon that there was a new edition out. These upgraded editions are even better than the originals, with more articles and a lot more sport-specific information. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who plays a lot of sports or wants to specifically focus on training for one sport in particular.

Baseball Skills & Drills: American Baseball Coaches Association
by American Baseball Coaches Association

Baseball Skills & Drills is both a comprehensive instructional guide and a useful practice tool for coaches and players at all levels. Written by three of baseball’s top teaching coaches-Pat McMahon of Mississippi State University, Mark Johnson of Texas A&M University, and Jack Leggett from Clemson University-and developed in cooperation with the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), this is a book that you’ll use as often as your favorite bat. Master all the fundamentals through the book’s expert instruction, numerous photographs, and essential drills. The 17 chapters cover all the bases in teaching the best techniques for

• hitting,
• baserunning,
• fielding,
• pitching
• catching.

Winning baseball teams are solid in all facets of the game, whether at bat, on the mound, or in the field. Use Baseball Skills & Drills to develop the consistent, proper execution of the fundamentals needed to be a winner.

Defensive Softball Drills
by Jacquie Joseph

Many softball teams showcase a big hitter or a power pitcher, but the backbone of any championship softball team is a solid defense. In Defensive Softball Drills, Coach Jacquie Joseph provides proven drills for establishing this winning edge. She presents drills for learning and mastering skills at each position and for developing players into a finely tuned defensive unit. Maximize your chances of success and shut out your opponents with Defensive Softball Drills.

Jacquie Joseph is recognized as one of the top coaches in NCAA Division I softball. She has coached at Michigan State University (MSU) since 1993 and also is a USA Softball National Team coach, having participated at the USA Festival and for the Pan American qualifying team.

At MSU, Joseph has led the Spartans to their best record and best Big Ten finish in school history. Prior to her MSU career, she coached Bowling Green University to a Mid-American Conference championship.

Joseph was elected President of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association in 1994. This association represents all fastpitch coaches at the NCAA Division I, II, and III, junior college, NAIA, high school, and summer league levels.

When she’s not coaching softball, Joseph enjoys playing golf and reading.

The Baseball Drill Book
by American Baseball Coaches Association

Features 198 drills porven to improve individual and team performance. Additional chapters explain how to effectively and efficiently incorporate drills in practice sessions, and to simulate game situations.

The American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) is the largest baseball coaching organization in the world and includes coaches from every U.S. state and hundreds of international members. The association’s mission is to improve the level of baseball coaching worldwide. The ABCA assists in the promotion of baseball and acts as a sounding board and advocate on issues concerning the game. In addition, the ABCA promotes camaraderie and communication among all baseball coaches, from the amateur to professional levels. The ABCA also gives recognition to deserving players and coaches through several special sponsorship programs. It is an organization that has grown steadily in membership, prestige, and impact in recent years. The ABCA’s headquarters is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.

The Mike Schmidt Study: Hitting Theory, Skills and Technique
by Mike Schmidt, Robert Ellis

Former Philadelphia Phillie third baseman Mike Schmidt's Hall of Fame career was fueled by an unshakable work ethic and an intelligence that allowed him to sift through numerous hitting theories and choose the elements that best complemented his physical abilities. This book is the result of more than 20 years of study and application on Schmidt's part. It is designed to assist little-league coaches with the difficult task of teaching young players how to hit. Schmidt combines elements of three major systems into one: the early weight-shift system (think of films of Ty Cobb); the Charlie Lau weight shift; and the Ted Williams rotation. The analogy Schmidt uses to differentiate between the shift and rotation systems is the difference between a shot-putter and a javelin thrower. The javelin thrower generates force via running and a final thrust (weight shift); the shot-putter requires a torquing movement (rotation) in a small space. Through text, photos, and line drawings, Schmidt explores the mental aspects of hitting, situational hitting, the strike zone, hand action, and how to recognize ball rotation, among other elements. This is an excellent text for hitters--young or old--and their coaches.

Art of Pitching
by Tom Seaver

Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver is the acknowledged master of both the psychology and the technique of making a living at the corners of the plate. The Art of Pitching, a product of Seaver's twenty-one years of expertise on the mound, details what it takes to get to the top -- and stay there -- in terms of conditioning, mechanics, and concentration.

Sport magazine has said of Seaver, "Future pitching textbooks will be based on his career. He is his own best pitching coach." Now, with The Art of Pitching, he can be yours too.

The Baseball Coaching Bible
by John Winkin (Editor), Jerry Kindall (Editor)

“The Baseball Coaching Bible is a must read for any person serious about the game of baseball. I especially found the pitching section to be outstanding and informative.”

Ed Lynch Chicago Cubs General Manager

“The years of experience assembled in one book is simply an invaluable asset for coaches, players, and parents.”

Marty Bystrom Former National League pitcher Philadelphia Phillies New York Yankees

Jerry Kindall coached 24 years and posted a 860-580 record at the University of Arizona, where he was the winningest coach in the university’s history. He led the Wildcats to three NCAA Division I National Championship titles (1976, '80, and '86), and was named National Coach of the Year after each of those seasons. He was inducted into the ABCA Hall of Fame in 1991. Kindall is currently USA Baseball’s Senior Advisor to the National Team. Kindall played eight years in the major leagues with the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, and Minnesota Twins.

John Winkin coached for 42 years in Maine, first at Colby College (1954-1974) and then at the University of Maine (1974-1996). He amassed a 943-670 career record and appeared in 12 NCAA Regional Tournaments and 6 College World Series. Winkin received the College Division Coach of the Year award in 1965 and the prestigious Lefty Gomez award in 1986. He is a member of the ABCA Coaching Hall of Fame, Maine Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Maine Sports Hall of Fame. He currently has a fellowship in sports leadership at Husson College.

Catching Fundamentals and Techniques (The Art & Science of Coaching Series)
by Bob Bennett

One of the winningest Division I coaches of all time brings you this comprehensive guide to the fundamentals and techniques essential to effective catcher play.

Bob Bennett is the former head baseball coach at Fresno State University. His career record of 1302-759-4 ranks seventh on the NCAA Division I all-time victory list.

During 34 seasons (1970-2002, plus a year as FSU’s interim head coach in 1967), at Fresno State, Bennett led his teams to 1302 victories (an average of 40 wins per season), and made two trips to the College World Series. He also served as head coach of the U.S. National Team in 1983 and 1986 and served on the national team’s coaching staff in 1977 and 1979.

Bennett was named Conference Coach of the Year 14 times and NCAA Coach of the Year in 1988. He also received the Lefty Gomez Award for his lifetime contribution to baseball.

Bennett was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1992.

Maximizing Baseball Practice
by John Winkin, Jay Kemble, Michael Coutts

Learn how to get the most out of your practices from the master, John Winkin, who has racked up more than 900 wins by preparing his teams for optimal game performance even when practice conditions were far from ideal!

Maximizing Baseball Practice will help you field the most competitive team possible. You'll find everything you need to help you set priorities and plan practices, improve player skills, and develop teamwork. Fifty-nine illustrated drills and more than 160 photos and figures will show you how.

Spring Training : Baseball's Early Season
by Jr., Cal Ripken (Foreword), Dan Shaughnessy, Stan Grossfeld

Before the purpose-pitch that zips inches from the batter's head, before greenfly autograph-seekers stalk hotel lobbies, before thousands of fans stand up and boo in 50,000-seat stadiums, before the proverbial dog days of summer and the pressure-packed moments of October . . . there is sweet spring. The long hello. Baseball's early season.

The words spring training have long held special power over baseball fans. They signal the arrival of fresh air and sunshine after a long winter devoid of bare feet and box scores. The chance to see the game up close and personal, in beautiful slow motion. No other sport undergoes this slow, glorious unfolding. And no other book captures baseball's rite of passage in all its magic.

Come on a wild ride through spring training's many attractions and peculiarities, from Florida to Arizona, the National to the American League, the dugouts to Section D. Glimpse retirees in Hawaiian shirts singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," million-dollar players taking it easy on the field and in the bars, young rookies flashing their skills, grizzled vets going through the motions, wide-eyed children dressed from head to toe in their favorite team's garb.

It's all here, from Alligator Alley to Cactus Way, sit-ups to sunblock, home runs to hangovers -- a lively tribute to America's favorite pastime in its purest, most wonderful form.

52 Week Baseball Training
by A. Eugene Coleman, Gene Coleman

Get in top condition for baseball—just like the pros! Major League players are getting bigger, stronger, and faster every season. Their conditioning level is at an all-time high, resulting in more towering home runs and blazing fastballs than ever before. With 52-Week Baseball Training, you can use the same baseball-specific training regimen to improve your performance and reduce the risk of injury.

As the strength and conditioning coach for the Houston Astros, Gene Coleman has helped develop the careers of Major League stars like Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio. In 52-Week Baseball Training, Coleman provides a complete year-round conditioning plan to keep in shape in the off-season and for peak performance when it counts, during the season and playoffs. These day-by-day, week-by-week, season-by-season workouts include resistance training, total conditioning exercises, and position-specific activities.

The training plan can be used for high school, college, and summer-league competitive levels and schedules, and it organizes workouts into five sequential phases:

• Postseason—Active Rest and Recovery
• Off-Season—Fitness Training
• Preseason—Training to Play
• In-Season—Training to Win

Take the guesswork out of your training program and get the results that will pay off on the field. Use 52-Week Baseball Training to perform better at the plate, in the field, and on the mound—every game, every season.

Complete Conditioning for Baseball
by Pat Murphy, Jeff Forney

Train like the pros and top college players! This comprehensive, sport-specific training program will help you hit, throw, and run like an all-star. It features 85 exercises and drills, 10 training workouts, and 4 sample 12-week training programs.

Arizona State University’s baseball coach, Pat Murphy, and the Arizona Diamondbacks’ strength and conditioning coach, Jeff Forney, share the game’s most effective training secrets. Complete Conditioning for Baseball is the training guide you need for more power and speed.

Offensive Baseball Drills
by Rod Delmonico

Let Rod Delmonico, Baseball America’s 1995 National Division I College Coach of the Year, show you 68 of the offensive drills he uses to take his teams to the top.

Offensive Baseball Drills includes 35 hitting drills, 20 baserunning drills, and 13 team drills for coaches to use in practice or for athletes to do at home. Coach Delmonico also explains the purpose of each drill, equipment needs, proper procedures, coaching points, and how to tailor the drills to older and younger athletes.

Use Offensive Baseball Drills to develop solid hitting, bunting, stealing, and running skills--and score more runs in every game.