It’s no secret that to be successful in baseball, you must practice, practice, and practice some more. But Mike Roberts,
former college baseball coach and currently a consultant for the
Chicago Cubs, says many young players fail to grasp the importance of
putting in practice time, not just with their team, but by themselves.
“Repetition is great. Repetition done correctly is even better.
Repetition done many times has a chance to help you be much improved,”
explained Roberts, father of former Baltimore Orioles All-Star second
baseman Brian Roberts.
Instead of relying on coaches or parents to provide motivation or map out a structured activity, Mike Roberts said players should create their own practice habits to coincide with organized games and team workouts. Activities can be as simple as throwing a ball against a wall or playing whiffle ball with a group of friends.
Whether you hit, pitch, field, or run bases, Roberts recommends different techniques players can use to work on individual skills away from the team.
Hitting
Swing a bat as often as possible. You don’t always have to be in a batting cage, or even use a regular baseball bat. Pick up a Wiffle ball, plastic, or wooden bat, and just swing.
Get used to the feel of a bat in your hands, the proper grip, the rhythm of your swing. Learn to enjoy hitting, whether it’s off a tee or free swinging in the yard. As you become more comfortable with a bat in your hands, you’ll develop the proper motor skills and rhythm necessary to become a good hitter.
Pitching
Placement of the fingers is crucial to pitching success, and can minimize the risk of arm injury. All young pitchers should learn to throw with their fingers behind the ball. Chicago Cubs pitcher and Cy Young candidate Kyle Hendricks is a great example of this method.
“He doesn’t throw as hard as most guys do, but he is behind the baseball and has phenomenal control,” Roberts explained.
Even if you don’t have anyone to play catch with, you can pitch by yourself using a brick wall and marking a square with chalk or other similar substance.
Instead of relying on coaches or parents to provide motivation or map out a structured activity, Mike Roberts said players should create their own practice habits to coincide with organized games and team workouts. Activities can be as simple as throwing a ball against a wall or playing whiffle ball with a group of friends.
Whether you hit, pitch, field, or run bases, Roberts recommends different techniques players can use to work on individual skills away from the team.
Hitting
Swing a bat as often as possible. You don’t always have to be in a batting cage, or even use a regular baseball bat. Pick up a Wiffle ball, plastic, or wooden bat, and just swing.
Get used to the feel of a bat in your hands, the proper grip, the rhythm of your swing. Learn to enjoy hitting, whether it’s off a tee or free swinging in the yard. As you become more comfortable with a bat in your hands, you’ll develop the proper motor skills and rhythm necessary to become a good hitter.
Pitching
Placement of the fingers is crucial to pitching success, and can minimize the risk of arm injury. All young pitchers should learn to throw with their fingers behind the ball. Chicago Cubs pitcher and Cy Young candidate Kyle Hendricks is a great example of this method.
“He doesn’t throw as hard as most guys do, but he is behind the baseball and has phenomenal control,” Roberts explained.
Even if you don’t have anyone to play catch with, you can pitch by yourself using a brick wall and marking a square with chalk or other similar substance.
