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Strategies and Techniques
The Art of Catching
Here's an online catching clinic offered by Jason Vittone, the head baseball coach at Brescia University. Vittone offers suggestions and drills on giving signs, setting up for pitches, maintaining a proper stance, framing, blocking, throwing, and anticipating bunts, plays at the plate, and pop-ups.
Baseball Excellence
This site, created by former Atlanta Brave Derek Lilliquist, bills itself as an online baseball clinic for players, parents, and coaches. Post a message to the discussion forum, take a pop quiz on pitching, and learn how to identify bad advice given by a coach or trainer.
Competitive Youth Baseball
This site offers dozens of hitting and pitching tips for beginning baseball players. You'll also find reviews of baseball software, a message board where you can communicate with others interested in youth baseball, and a list of other links you might enjoy.
eteamz: Baseball Instruction
Whether you're a Little League coach or a high school All-Star, you'll find great suggestions for practice drills, fresh new plays, and pre-game rituals at this site. There are pitching, catching, and workout clinics, and special sections with offensive and defensive tips and drills. Try teaching online with chat rooms and whiteboards.
Hit the Ball: Free Tips
Send in a question to the editors of Hit the Ball and they'll try to answer it online and post it for other users to see. Scroll through the other questions answered; maybe you'll find a tip that will help you or one of your teammates.
Hitting for Excellence
Hitting for Excellence was created by former major leaguer, Dave Hudgens. Hudgens is now in charge of scouting and developing hitting talent for the Oakland Athletics. His site offers a free copy of The Hitting Report, as well as hitting advice and quizzes designed to help you hit the ball more accurately and more frequently.
Fitness, Training, and Sports Medicine
All About Pitching with Dick Mills
Pitchers require a special conditioning and training routine to improve pitching velocity. Learn how to spot a bad workout, focus on the most important parts of the body, build a training regimen, and avoid injuries.
Baseball Locker Room
Here's a chance to ask a professional trainer your questions and get a personalized answer. Read others' questions and then post your own comment in response.
eteamz: Baseball Workout Clinic
This online clinic offers a special four-part pre-season workout that can be adapted for any point in the season. Be sure to read the article cautioning against too much weight training and offering a suggested set of rotations and repetitions.
Favorite Exercises of the Stars
Performance Conditioning, Inc. has put one feature of its commercial training materials online. Here, New York Yankees conditioning coach, Jeff Mangold, lets you take a peek at the conditioning workout favored by Yankees pitcher Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez.
Houston Astros Fitness Tips
Eugene Coleman is the Director of Conditioning for the Houston Astros. At this simple site, he offers a variety of articles that focus on throwing, running, and hitting harder; conditioning and training properly; placing players in specific positions; and avoiding injuries.
WebBall
WebBall is an online baseball skills clinic. Search the site or visit their special sections for specialized information to improve your skills or team. Follow the guidelines for strengthening, conditioning, and nutrition, and then take to the field to practice hitting, pitching, catching, and running.
Equipment
Baseball Depot
This online store specializes in equipment, apparel, and accessories for the games of baseball and softball. Browse for bats, balls, gloves, masks, uniforms, and more. Adult and children's sizes and styles are available.
Competitive Youth Baseball: Product Reviews
The editors at this site have written reviews of software products, instructional materials, and practice equipment for parents and coaches of youth baseball teams. Take the guesswork out of choosing products to help your team. To order, click on the names of the products you wish to purchase.
Fogdog Sports: Baseball
At this popular online sporting goods store, you'll find everything you need to play America's favorite pastime. They offer a wide variety of bats, gloves, balls, bags, footwear, headgear, uniforms, and practice equipment. If you're not sure how to choose a brand or style, check out their special tutorials.
Little League Approved Equipment
Are you joining your first Little League team? Already have a team, but need new equipment? Be sure to consult this index of acceptable equipment, from balls and bats to shoes, gloves, and uniforms. There is also a list of trophies and awards to give to the big winners!
Louisville Slugger
At the official site of Louisville Slugger, you'll find much more than an online store. Although you can purchase bats from their latest line, you can also visit their online museum, get some tips for playing the game, or check out their catalog of Hank Aaron collectible bats.
Nike: Baseball/Softball
Nike makes baseball cleats for men and women. At this online store, they also sell bats and baseball caps.
Rawlings: Baseball Products
Rawlings manufactures gloves, bats, balls, protective gear, apparel, and other accessories. Choose from products favored by Little Leaguers and major leaguers. Then visit their special resources on the history of baseball, selecting equipment, proper glove care, and more.
Sports A to Z: Baseball Equipment
Olympic baseball teams must use certain types of equipment, such as helmets with double earflaps. Check out this short list of other baseball gear you'll see in Sydney.
Sports 'N More: Baseball
Outfit your entire baseball team with the products offered by this Web site. In addition to the available gloves, bats, balls, helmets, and uniforms, this site sells instructional videos, scoring and statistics software, umpire and referee accessories, scoreboards, and more. Check out the special section on sizing, selecting, and caring for a glove.
Recruiting and Scholarships
High School Baseball Web
Parents, coaches, and student athletes will find a wealth of information about the process of college baseball recruiting. Check out the recruiting time line, and find out how to catch the eyes of college coaches. Also learn to avoid the pitfalls of improper recruiting.
NASR Recruiting Guidelines
The National Athletic Scholarship Registry offers NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA recruiting guidelines to parents, coaches, and student athletes. Link directly to the organization in which you're interested, or check out a few important definitions in the glossary.
Prospect Watch
At this site, high school baseball players can learn about the college recruiting process. Explore the independent and minor leagues, and learn about playing for college versus the major leagues, how agents work, and what impresses the scouts.
Resources for Coaches
BaseballCoach.net
Here's a variety of resources for baseball coaches at all levels. You'll find pitching and hitting clinics, a message board and chat room, coaching articles, and links to regional team sites. There are also sections on equipment and recruiting.
Baseball Coaches' Links
High school baseball coaches will find a wealth of information at this site. If you need help with your team, search for resources on drills, clinics, and conditioning. Prepare to send your players into the world with sites on recruiting, scholarships, minor leagues, and college admissions.
Coach Don's Baseball Page
Although this page is a little hard to navigate, it is home to some terrific analyses and drills for teaching young baseball players. Scroll down through the home page to find separate sections on pitching, catching, hitting, base running, and playing in the infield and outfield.
eteamz: Baseball Board
Join a discussion forum to talk with other coaches about equipment, rules, drafting, discipline, tips and drills, and more. Offer your opinion on a variety of ongoing debates, or throw out a new question for others to answer.
Sports News and Notes
Baseball America Online
Baseball America Online, an associate of ESPN.com, brings you the latest news from the world of baseball. Not only can you get scores and statistics, but also the latest polls, columns by the experts, transactions, and current information on your favorite major league or college team.
Baseball.com
Visit this site for live scores, news, team standings, player statistics, major league transactions, and more. Check the injury lists, spring previews, and team Web sites. Then join a bulletin board to discuss your favorite players and teams.
CNNSI.com: Baseball
The editors of CNN and Sports Illustrated have combined their talents to bring you thorough coverage of baseball. Not only do they provide you with statistics, scores, and stories from the major league, but they also keep you up-to-date on the minor leagues, college teams, and international conferences.
ESPN.com: Baseball
Stay on top of every pitch with ESPN.com's coverage of major league baseball. In addition to the latest headlines, you can read in-depth features and opinion columns from ESPN's sportswriters; chat with columnists, players, and coaches; and watch video highlights of recent games and press conferences.
FoxSports.com: Baseball
FoxSports.com brings you the latest news from the world of baseball. Scores, statistics, and headlines will keep you informed. Then meet the players who play all of the positions on every major league team. To keep track of a game-in-progress, check out GameTracker, which maps out every pitch so you don't miss anything.
The Sporting News: Baseball
Follow Major League Baseball from spring training through the World Series. Keep track of the top headlines, injuries, transactions, and scores. Read a report on each team's progress, read player biographies, and check out the viewpoints of your favorite sportswriters.
USA TODAY: Baseball
USA TODAY posts its daily sports page online. Don't stop once you've read the headline stories; be sure to check out their Diamond Nuggets, which are lists, indices, and columns that dig deep into the world of baseball. You'll find coverage of both the American and National Leagues, and you can also read a report on the farm teams.
Associations
American Amateur Baseball Conference
If you're a kid and you like to play baseball, join an AABC team. Nine divisions are geared toward players from age 8 and under to adult. Compete against other AABC teams for a chance to play in state, regional, and national tournaments.
American Baseball Coaches Association
The ABCA strives to provide a community for amateur and professional baseball coaches. Membership brings you invitations to conventions, opportunities to join specialized coaching committees, and the chance to be inducted into their Hall of Fame. You'll also get their newsletters and a subscription to Coaching Digest magazine.
American Legion Baseball
The American Legion sponsors this special league for teenagers aged 15 to 18. Get involved with this organization, whose participants often go on to play ball at the top colleges and pro teams. Learn how to form a team, which rules to follow, how to participate in the national tournaments, and how to become eligible for their annual scholarships and awards.
Babe Ruth League, Inc.
Register your local team to join your age group's division of the Babe Ruth League. Boys aged five to 18 can learn how to play the game and work their way up to the league's World Series. Girls, be sure to check out their softball division.
MajorLeagueBaseball.com
Grab some peanuts and Cracker Jacks and visit Major League Baseball online. There's news and features about the teams and players, an online scoreboard, live game audio, and daily video highlights.
Little League Online
Although many local Little League clubs have their own Web sites, this is the national organization's site. If you coach or sponsor a team, you'll find information here on donated equipment, team expansion, the World Series, and the Hall of Excellence.
National High School Baseball Coaches Association
This organization offers a variety of resources to high school baseball coaches. Most importantly, they provide national rankings of high school teams and lists of upcoming tournaments. Additionally, members receive specialized newsletters and newspapers.
United States Amateur Baseball Association
The USABA offers nine baseball programs for children aged 18 and under. Registered teams can play in tournaments at state, regional, and national levels. Join online or send them an email for information on registration or hosting a tournament.
Rules of the Sport
Sports A to Z: Baseball Rules
Even if you closely follow American baseball, you'll find that international baseball follows slightly different rules. International teams follow the designated hitter rule and players may use aluminum bats. Find out how else Olympic baseball differs from the major American leagues.
eteamz: Baseball Rules
Need to brush up on the rules of baseball in case of a bad call? Want to join a team, but don't know how to play? This site offers several different sets of rules depending on the type of organization you join. There are basic rules for beginners, as well as the Official Baseball Rules, rules for the National Federation of High School Associations, and the NCAA rules.
General Information
Baseball: The Game and Beyond
Baseball is a fun way to learn physics and statistics. This site offers lessons that demonstrate the paths a baseball can take depending on where it is hit, how a pitcher throws a curveball, how the calls are made and the stats recorded, and more. Don't leave without listening to Red Sox announcer Ed Brickley talk about his job.
Casey at the Bat
For many, this famous poem by Ernest L. Thayer represents the golden age of America and baseball. Thayer's description of the fateful day in Mudville will delight any baseball lover as they read about mighty Casey's trip to home plate.
Little League Online Just 4 Kids
This section of the official Little League Web site is for kids only. There's an online word search, a Tournament Q & A, and a variety of online games. Also, find information on joining the Dugout Club.
Science of Baseball
This fantastic online exhibit from the Exploratorium teaches you all about the physics and biology behind baseball. There are articles about baseball history, equipment, and famous faces. There are also simulation games and activities that show you how to throw a curve ball, find a baseball's sweet spot, grip and bounce the ball, and more.
Soul of the Game
In 1947, the Brooklyn Dodgers made history when they signed Jackie Robinson, a young shortstop playing for a farm team. Robinson was the first black athlete to play in baseball's major leagues. Read some of the news stories that discussed this controversial move, comb through a photo gallery, and see how Robinson's courage affected other players through history.
Sports A to Z: Baseball
Baseball debuted as an exhibition sport at the Stockholm Olympics in 1912, but it wasn't until the Barcelona games in 1992 that baseball gained the status of an official Olympic sport. Learn all about baseball's history, check out the rules, and if you have any questions, see if the glossary can help.
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