"Ask Sam" Returns - More of Your Baseball Questions Answered By Phillies 1B Coach Sam Perlozzo

Philadelphia Phillies 1B coach and PBI advisor Sam Perlozzo periodically answers your baseball-related questions. Email Sam directly - AskSam@baseballclinics.com. Here's the latest from the "Ask Sam" mail bag.

Q: Sam, I have a 16 year old who plays high school and summer travel ball. He had a short session with you at PBI last December and that few minutes with you made a very noted postive impact on his pitching. He now has a problem at the plate. He has always been an accomplished left handed batter, with power. He had a terrible accident where a foul tip came up, hit him in the face broke his nose and eye socket. He has healed but since has had a very difficult time at the plate. He is lunging at the ball almost every pitch and with that pulls his head off the ball. Do you have any hint as to what he can do to stop this bad habit. I don't think it's related to the injury. I have had his eyes checked etc. Please help!!! Thank you and best wishes. Jack

A: Jack, the injury to your son sounds as if it has affected him mentally and he may be shy of getting hit again. Hence, why he is pulling out away from the ball. You must remember that this is a natural reaction, especially to younger kids. Give as much positive reinforcement as possible and have patience. The last thing you want to do is scare him off. It takes time and everyone is different. In the mean time, when he is practicing his hitting, try and pitch on outside of the plate and make him practice steppping into the ball and hitting it to left field. This should help him get back to normal and not as much pulling out. Like I said before, BE PATIENT, and best of luck.

Sam

Q: Sam, if you had a 10 year old son with strong aspirations of playing college and maybe even in the majors, what would you be doing with him or for him? For what it's worth, he is often the best or one of the best players on the field in any game he plays in.

Thank you in advance, George.

A: George, if your son is only ten years old and has big aspirations....then good for him. Sounds as if he is a good player at his age level. Let's hope his skill level grows with his age and his does get the chance to play college ball. My advice is just let him play as much as possible. Repetition is key at any level. When he gets into high school there are alot of camps and tryouts that help slot your son into college. I would be able to help better at that time. Let him play,play,play. Best of luck.

Sam


Q: Hi Sam,

My 8-year old son is a great hitter. However, he was hit twice in his first 2 games by the pitcher and now he is petrified of the ball. He steps out of the box and doesn't even swing his bat. I've been pitching to him as well as his coaches and he has no problems. He gets scared when a kid his own age pitches, I guess from lack of trust. It's taken a big toll on his game and playing time. What can I do to help him overcome his fear of the ball?

Thanks,
Laura

A: Laura, this is similar to Jack's issue above. I will tell you the same thing. He is definitely shy of getting hit with the ball. Have patience!! This happens to alot of kids and it just takes time for the fear to go away. Give plenty of encouragement and positve reinforcement. Each kid is diferent and each one takes his own time. BE PATIENT ! Hopefully he will come around sooner or later. Sounds like if he was good before he will be good again. Just hang in there and continue to give him chances. Good Luck !

Sam

Q: Sam, a rather fundamental question here. In what situations should a catcher run down to back up first base? Thanks.

A: The catcher should back up first on all ground balls to infielders with no one on base. Anytime there is a runner on base there is always a chance that the ball could kick around and the runner try and score. There are times that he can cover with man on first as long as he tells the pitcher to cover home.... General rule is never to leave home plate uncovered. Hardly ever will he back up first with a man on second. There are different angles and balls hit that backing up first by the catcher would be a wasted effort..ie bunt to 3rd baseman. Situations change during play, but generally, as long a a runner is on, he has a chance to come around and score. Hope this helps!!

Sam

Thanks to everyone for all the great questions. Hope you all have a great New Year and I look forward to hearing from you. Send your questions to me via email - AskSam@baseballclinics.com.

Registration is now open for the PBI Baseball League's 2012 spring season.

This is a Sunday league. Game times are determined by coaches. Games may be played on another day by agreement of both teams, but if you are not able to have a team of at least nine players on Sundays in the fall, this might not be the best choice for your team.

AGE LEVELS -

8U 40/60 - A, AA
9U 46/60 - A, AA, AAA
10U 46/60 - A, AA, AAA
11U 46-60 - A, AA, AAA
11U 50/70 - AA, AAA
12U 46/60 - A, AA, AAA
12U 50/70 - A, AA, AAA
13U 50/70 - A, AA, AAA
13U 60/90 - A, AA, AAA
14U 60/90 - A, AA, AAA
JUNIOR VARSITY - incoming freshmen and sophomores
VARSITY (wood bat) - incoming juniors and seniors

SKILL LEVELS -

AAA (formerly American Division) - top travel teams, including club
AA (formerly National Division) - talent equivalent to a town All-Star team
A (formerly Garden State Division) - talent level equivalent to a town recreation team

Please specify age, skill, and field size when registering.

NOTE - your team should pick the appropriate level based upon the combined skill of your players, not where they are from.

BAT REGULATIONS - On December 30, 2010 Little League International issued a moratorium on composite bats from the Majors Division on down. The PBI Baseball League will follow suit for the 2012 spring season at the 46/60 and 40/60 field levels. For ALL 50/70 divisions (11U through 13U), the PBI Baseball League will follow the guidelines that Little League International will be using for either their Junior League level or "transitional" 50/70 Pilot Program. Up-to-date information is available on the PBI home page.

PITCHING REGULATIONS - 9U through 14U uses a pitch count through all divisions. 8U has a 2-inning per pitcher rule. For the sake of clarification, an inning pitched consists of 3 outs. There is NO pitch count rule at either of the high school levels (JV or varsity). NOTE - New York public schools began using a pitch count at the high school level in 2011. If New Jersey public schools follow suit, the PBI Baseball League will then do the same. Until that happens, there will be NO pitch count at the high school level.

AGE CUTOFF - The age cutoff for the 8U through 14U levels of the PBI Baseball League's 2012 spring season is April 30, 2012. Whatever age a player will be on April 30, 2012 is that player's "league age." A player may "play up" an age level; he cannot "play down" under any circumstances.

REGULAR SEASON - The regular season for all age levels (8U through high school) will begin Sunday March 25 and continue through Sunday May 20 - 8 game schedule.

THIS IS A SUNDAY LEAGUE. IF YOU CANNOT COMMIT TO SUNDAYS, THIS IS PROBABLY NOT THE LEAGUE FOR YOUR TEAM.

PLAYOFFS - The top four teams in each skill division of each age level will meet in a single elimination tournament. Playoffs and championship games will take place Sunday June 3 and 10 respectively. PBI provides individual awards for players on the first and second place teams.

COST - REGISTRATION FEE - EARLYBIRD PRICE $200 if paid by FEBRUARY 1st.

AFTER FEBRUARY 1 - $225 if paid by MARCH 1.

AFTER MARCH 1 - the registration fee is $275.

NO REGISTRATIONS WILL BE TAKEN WHATSOEVER AFTER MARCH 9.

The league fee includes free insurance for teams that are in need. PBI cannot hold a space for you; teams are taken on a first-paid, first-served basis.

INSURANCE - FREE from PBI. If you need insurance, or for more information on the league, please contact Jim Monaghan directly - jim@baseballclinics.com

TO REGISTER CLICK HERE - https://www.skiltech.com/orders/pbi/leaguereg.html

"How Does My Son Get To the Next Level?"

Your son has been playing baseball for a few years; he's progressed from his town team to a summer town travel team or maybe even a club team. Each time he's moved up the ladder you've noticed that he steps his game up to match the new level of competition. You're starting to look ahead to high school, maybe even college and beyond. How do you balance your expecations with his talent, his own level of interest in baseball and the desire to take his game to the next level?

That's a question we think about all the time here at Professional Baseball Instruction. Obviously we're in the business of training baseball players. But we're also in the business of being realistic. The chances of playing baseball at the Major League level are so small as to almost be ridiculous. Think about it - there are only 750 jobs at the Major League level. But for someone who wants to play at the high school level, or even in college, the odds are more in favor of the player.

With that in mind, here are some suggestions on how to help your son get to the next level of his baseball career.

First, have a conversation with your child. Find out how much he really likes the game of baseball. Find out what his own expectations are. It's very easy to live vicariously through our children. A child's expectations shouldn't necessarily be the same as a parent's, but it helps if each understands the other.

Second, consider professional training. That does not always mean private lessons. They certainly work, but they can also get VERY expensive VERY quickly. Our winter training clinics here at Professional Baseball Instruction have a low enough player-to-coach ratio that your child will get the needed repetition of the basic core skills needed to play the game as well as some personalized attention. Baseball is a game of repetition. Major League hitters work off a tee all the time, in fact some hitters do tee work every single day. The reason? The constant repetition of the skills needed to hit a baseball.

Third, let your child know that it's OK to fail. Baseball is a game of failure. Former Major League pitcher David Wells says that the reason he was as successful as he was during his professional career was that he wasn't afraid to fail. Think about it - a hitter with a .300 batting average in effect failed 70% of the time.

70%!

But hit .300 for 10 years at the Major League level and you stand to make an insane amount of money and hear whispers about making the Hall of Fame. Pittsburgh Pirates manager (and PBI advisor) Clint Hurdle is very fond of saying that there are two kinds of people in baseball, "those who have been humbled, and those who are about to be humbled." How your child reacts to that experience will help him not only on the baseball field, but in life, too.

And finally, let him have fun. Baseball is hard enough to play - Ted Williams believed that hitting a baseball is the single hardest thing to do in sport - without the added pressure of having to succeed. Kids have a difficult time living up to not only their own expectations, but also what they think our expectations as their parents are (never mind what a parent's actual expectations may even be). Maybe he's ultimately good enough to play at one of the local parochial power house high schools, or maybe his skills are better suited to the town high school. Further down the line, maybe a D3 college might mean being able to continue playing baseball while getting a good education. Keep the options open and the expectations reasonable.

We'd love to hear your thoughts. Comment below or call us at 800-282-4638 with your thoughts.

Eagles Baseball Association SUPER RAFFLE Grand Prize Drawing

Very exciting! The Eagles Baseball Association's 50-week Raffle wrapped up with the SUPER GRAND PRIZE DRAWING on July 18, 2011.

GRAND PRIZE - $5000

2nd PRIZE - $2500

3rd PRIZE - $1500

Thanks to all who took part and helped to support the Eagles Baseball Association over these past 50 weeks.

PBI 2011 Fall League Details

PBI BASEBALL LEAGUE 2011 FALL SEASON INFORMATION.

The PBI Baseball League fall season is a Sunday league. Game times are determined by coaches. Games may be played on another day by agreement of both teams, but if you are not able to have a team of at least nine players on Sundays in the fall, this might not be the best choice for your team.

FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF FALL TEAMS CONFIRMED, CLICK HERE

AGE LEVELS
8U 40/60 - A
9U 46/60 - A, AA, AAA
10U 46/60 - A, AA, AAA
11U 46-60 - A, AA, AAA
11U 50/70 - AA, AAA
12U 46/60 - A, AA, AAA
12U 50/70 - A, AA, AAA
13U 50/70 - A, AA, AAA
13U 60/90 - A, AA, AAA
14U 60/90 - A, AA, AAA

JUNIOR VARSITY - incoming freshmen and sophomores
VARSITY (wood bat) - incoming juniors and seniors

SKILL LEVELS
AAA (formerly American Division) - top travel teams, including club
AA (formerly National Division) - talent equivalent to a town All-Star team
A (formerly Garden State Division) - talent level equivalent to a town recreation team

Please specify age, skill, and field size when registering.

NOTE - your team should pick the appropriate level based upon the combined skill of your players, not where they are from.

BAT REGULATIONS
On December 30, 2010 Little League International issued a moratorium on composite bats from the Majors Division on down. The PBI Baseball League will follow suit for the 2011 spring season at the 46/60 and 40/60 field levels. For ALL 50/70 divisions (11U through 13U), the PBI Baseball League will follow the guidelines that Little League International will be using for either their Junior League level or "transitional" 50/70 Pilot Program. Up-to-date information is available at the top of the PBI home page.

PITCHING REGULATIONS
9U through 14U will use a pitch count through all divisions. 8U will have a 2-inning per pitcher rule. For the sake of clarification, an inning pitched consists of 3 outs. There is NO pitch count rule at either of the high school levels. NOTE - New York public schools began using a pitch count at the high school level in 2011. If New Jersey public schools follow suit, the PBI Baseball League will then do the same. Until that happens, there will be NO pitch count at the high school level.

AGE CUTOFF
The age cutoff for the 8U through 14U levels of the PBI Baseball League's 2011 Fall Season is April 30, 2012. Whatever age a player will be on April 30, 2012 is that player's "league age." A player may "play up" an age level; he cannot "play down" under any circumstances.

REGULAR SEASON
The regular season for all age levels (8U through high school) will begin Sunday September 11 and continue through Sunday October 30 - 8 game schedule.

THIS IS A SUNDAY LEAGUE. IF YOU CANNOT COMMIT TO SUNDAYS, THIS IS PROBABLY NOT THE LEAGUE FOR YOUR TEAM.

PLAYOFFS
The top four teams in each skill division of each age level will meet in a single elimination tournament. Playoffs and championship games will take place Sunday November 6 and 13 respectively. PBI provides individual awards for players on the first and second place teams.

COST
REGISTRATION FEE - EARLYBIRD PRICE $200 if paid by AUGUST 1st.
AFTER AUGUST 1 - $225 if paid by August 19.
AFTER AUGUST 19 - the registration fee is $275.
NO REGISTRATIONS WILL BE TAKEN WHATSOEVER AFTER AUGUST 31.

The league fee includes free insurance for teams that are in need. PBI cannot hold a space for you; teams are taken on a first-paid, first-served basis.

INSURANCE - FREE from PBI. If you need insurance, contact Jim Monaghan directly - jim@baseballclinics.com

2011 PBI Baseball League Rules

The entire PBI Baseball League Rule Set with full index.

REGISTER ONLINE! - online registration available using our secure server. PBI Baseball League Registration Page

"Ask Sam" - More Of Your Baseball Questions Answered By Sam Perlozzo

Philadelphia Phillies 1B coach and PBI advisor Sam Perlozzo periodically answers your baseball-related questions. Email Sam directly - AskSam@baseballclinics.com. Here's the latest from the "Ask Sam" mail bag.

Q: Hi there Mr. Pelozzo! My name is Omaira, and I have an 8 year old son, who I believe has natural talent with baseball. The reason I say this is because he tends to hold a bat and swingwith this incredible style; he is a good hitter. He is a good runner, has tremendous speed, good with his feet, he dives into bases.

My son also has ADHD. My question is do you think that having ADHD is an impairment , or have other people with ADHD succeeded in baseball? Also I live in Bergen County NJ, is there a place where you would recommend that he go for an evaluation as a player, or somewhere he can go to further his talent, and love for baseball?

A: Omaira - This is my 25th straight year as a major league coach and I can tell you I have had the pleasure of watching plenty of players like your son. We have a very productive star player on our team now that has the same thing. And I have been on other teams with very good players who have ADHD. So I would clear your mind of that issue and just worry about getting your son as much baseball as he can. I would contact PBI to see if they can help your son with more exposure. PBI is very connected with all facets of the game and have a tremendous facility. I have done clinics there and I know they can help guide you in the direction you desire.

So best of luck to you and your son !!! Sam

Q: Sam, I would love to guide my just-turned 10-year old son whose dream is to be a professional baseball player. Local coaches feel he has potential. He is a lefty pitcher, stands at 5’2” and 110 lbs with the potential to be at the minimum 6’ 3”. He throws any where from 50-55 mph with excellent accuracy. He also plays first base and center field. He has had no professional lessons or guidance. Any advice? Thank you. Lenora

A: Leonora - Sounds as if your son is moving in the right direction. He just needs to keep playing and learning. When he gets a little older, you can find places for him to play as much as possible. I will tell you that it sounds like he has the making of a good arm. I would tell him to play alot of long toss to keep his muscles stretched out and continue to build arm strength.

Where most kids go wrong is not using what they have. Getting him around someone who teaches proper, healthy techniques that reduce the chance for injury would be a good idea. Allowing him to play other positions as well, is a good idea. That also helps him to develop other skills that he will need down the road. Sounds like he really just needs to keep playing as he is still young and developing.

I am sure as he matures things will fall into place and finding someone who can evaluate his talents and help with his development will be a good idea. Going to some camps that instruct will be valuable in the long run. Keep him healthy and he will be fine. Good luck. Sam

Q: Sam - With the Red Sox just having been in to play the Phillies, I wanted to get your thoughts on interleague play. Fans seem to like it, but how do the players and coaches feel about it? The whole concept would appear to favor the National League teams. Are American League teams really at a disadvantage when they come to a National League city? Kim

A: Kim - Interleague play can work both for you and against you. Seems like the luck of the draw. Each year alot of the teams you play are rotated and some are not. Drawing Boston, Yankees, & any other real good team makes it harder for you. Drawing teams that aren't as good always works in your favor. It's nice once in awhile to face some different teams and go to different cities, but the goal is always to win the most games. American league teams don't like going to National league towns because they lose their DH and pitchers have to hit, which they aren't used to.

Personally, I would like to see a balanced schedule where everyone plays everyone. That way, no one has any advantage either way. Settling on a DH or no DH is also an issue. I suppose that's what makes for the great game of baseball !!! Thanks. Sam

Q: Sam - A little off the baseball beat, but do you still play golf & have you ever played Eagle's Landing? Maggie, Snow Hill MD

A: Nice to hear from you, Maggie. As you know well, I have played Eagles Landing many times. My brother Tom & I hosted a celebrity golf tournament for many years in Ocean City Md. , raising money for the youth recreation programs. They were very successful and a lot of fun. I still play golf and have moved to Tampa so I am able to play a lot more in the winter but I will tell you I have only gotten a little better....Ha. So what are you doing these days??? And thanks for getting back in touch. Sam

"Ask Sam" Returns - More Of Your Baseball Questions Answered By Phillies 1B Coach Sam Perlozzo

Philadelphia Phillies 1B coach and PBI advisor Sam Perlozzo periodically answers your baseball-related questions. Email Sam directly - AskSam@baseballclinics.com. Here's the latest from the "Ask Sam" mail bag.

Q: Sam, I got a chance to watch a lot of spring training games this year, plus the MLB Network's "30 Clubs In 30 Days" series. I got to wondering if the spring training regimen has changed in recent years. When I was a kid I seem to remember pitchers and catchers reporting a full two weeks before position players. Now it seems as if they report within a few days of each other. Also, what's your favorite part of spring training? Tom

A: Well, Tom, spring training has changed somewhat in certain areas. The most visible one is the fact that players used to come to spring training to get into shape. Nowadays, players come "in shape"and are more concerned about getting their timing down, pitch control, and other baseball activities. Players want to win jobs in spring training more than ever. Since the players come in shape now there is no need for the position players to come too much later. I think most players still think spring training is too long; their season is such a grind that they really are ready much quicker because they report to camp in shape. The day-to-day routine still remains somewhat the same. You still have to allow for time for all the fundamentals to be covered.

I love teaching, so my favorite part is being able to work with some of the youngsters who are so eager. And even some veterans want some skills to be refined. It is really fun and rewarding to see your players accept and implement your own work ethic and talents. Best of luck. Sam

Q: Hi, Sam. Thank you for this opportunity allowing us to ask you some questions. I'm a father of a 16yr old HS junior, I know this is a big year for recruiting. Right now he's 6' 1' and 205lbs with a strong arm, with three solid pitches and if I had to guess his velocity is in the low to mid 80's. He hasn't been on the gun since his freshman year because I didn't want him to get to hung up on his velocity. He plays in Bergen County in a Group 1 school and his team is made up of mostly under-class-men this year. His era was the lowest on the team as a sophomore with a winning record. My question is what can we do as a (parent/school) to get his name and talent out there for colleges? Not knowing if he's good enough for Division 1, 2 or 3 and trying to find the right fit for him. Should we be going to showcases, club teams etc. to get him some attention? I don't want to waste our time or money. Thank you. Chris

A: Chris - If your son wants to go to school and play baseball then I would suggest he go to some showcases or even better, to a place where they actually work out your son and help him get into a college for his level of play. PBI would be the best place to ask. I know my son went to one and they sent film out, evaluated his talent and suggested schools that were of his talent level so that he would be sure to get the best chance to play.


His ERA does not concern me. It's just a number. I am more concerned about his velocity, secondary pitches , movement , and control. His size is certainly something in his favor. Scouts will project him as time goes on. If he is good enough now, trust me, someone will have seen him. Nothing beats an education though. Let me know how things progress and I will be better able to help you along the way. Good Luck! Sam



Q: Hi Sam. Question - what do you think is the best transition in weight drop for My son that is 11u '5 ft - 4inch and about 110lbs. At the moment he is training with a -9 30/21 inch bat for travel ball and I'm thinking about buying a -11 for in house ball? Thanks. Phil

A: Phil, I have to be honest with you...I have no idea of the weight differences that you speak of. There are certain regulations in some leagues that only allow for a certain ratio difference for safety's sake. What I do know is that bat speed is what generates power. Therefore, the faster your son can swing a bat through the strike zone, the more power he will generate. And that doesn't always means home run power. Good hard line drives could very well be what we may be talking about. Always, always remember that bat speed is the key. Never take a bat up to the plate that you can't swing fast. Swinging slow with a bigger bat will not increase power!! Whatever your son swings the best....is the best bat ratio. His, nor your, ego should come into play. Hope this helps....hoping for lots of hits!!!!! Sam