Batting cages nets come in a variety of sizes but they are all rectangles. The net itself must have square corners to save construction time and cost. The sizes of a cage vary with the length, width, and height of the netting.
Be careful about buying cages that are too narrow. These cages do not allow older batters to take a comfortable swing and finish. The greater the width and height of the batting cage, the better sensation a batter has when a ball is hit.
The wider and higher cages allow the batter to read the path of the ball when it comes off the bat. A short and narrow cage tends to “smother” a hitter.
The higher and wider cages are also safer for the coach, player or parent throwing batting practice.
BattingCagesDirect.com sells batting cages of all size and weights. Save money, time, and energy by buying a "ready-to-assemble" batting cage system with net and frame included.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Bat Speed: What It Is And How To Get It by Jon Doyle
The term "bat speed" is all the rage these days among players, coaches, instructors and parents alike. Everyone is searching for the "Holy Grail" of hitting...bat speed. But wait, not so fast. Bat Speed is important, but a VERY generalized term. Let's break it down so you understand it and how to develop it... When most people say "bat speed" they picture Manny Ramirez, Gary Sheffield or any MLB with world-class bat speed putting a hurting on a baseball.
This is obviously the goal every hitter has. But please understand this is the end result, the culmination of hard work, being a student of the game and yes, of course, great genetics. It's not like you can take your average high school player, add 5-10 mph on their bat speed and all of a sudden they are Manny Ramirez. It simply doesn't work that way. While you can argue that player would be better, he still would have average mechanics and vision.
Now, I do believe if you increase your bat speed you have a better shot at raking than if you didn't. It certainly gives you a leg up on the competition and allows for a certain amount of error, which as you know will help any hitter. What I'm worried is bat speed is becoming like the radar gun for pitchers. Now all someone cares about is how fast their bat speed is on the bat radar machine.
One question…Who cares? Swinging as hard as you can in a cage without having to make contact with a ball has absolutely zero carryover to hitting. Sure your "bat speed" may have increase, but your mechanics are now down the toilet. I've seen it happen over and over and over again. And despite my warning the players, coaches, instructors and parents are left shaking their heads why Johnny is barely hitting his weight. Hard to believe, yes. But, sadly, also true. I'll make this statement and some self-proclaimed "expert" will argue with me but "You don't need world-class bat speed to be a world-class hitter". It certainly helps, but is not mandatory... However..."You do need world-class Game Bat Speed to be a world-class hitter" That's right "game bat-speed". Or how quick you can dial it up when you actually have to see the ball, locate it, decide what pitch it is, figure out if it's in your zone and then pull the trigger.
All in the matter of milliseconds. Some call it natural hitting ability. Others call it instinct. It's possible to have average, or even below average "bat speed" and have outstanding game bat speed. And it's VERY common to see players with great bat speed during practice and batting practice and then be terrible hitters. These players are called 5 o'clock hitters because they mash at 5 o'clock (the time pro teams take BP before a 7pm game) and stink when game time rolls around. You don't want to be a 5 o'clock hitter do you? Nobody likes that guy...
Here are 3 things you need to work on if you want to develop game bat speed, which is the REAL money-maker in hitting...
1. Baseball-Specific Vision I don't care how fast your bat is, if you don't pick up the ball early you can forget about becoming a great hitter. Sadly, 99.9% of coaches and instructors get this ALL wrong. You can't get it by sitting in front of a computer screen, hitting different colored baseballs (did I miss something? Does a baseball change color?) or any of the gimmicks sold today.
2. Proper Dynamic Flexibility and Range of Motion This one is so overlooked its ridiculous. Coaches and instructors spend hours upon hours trying to force hitters to do things their body simply cannot do. You can teach rotational hitting till you're blue in the face, if the hitter who you're teaching does not have proper dynamic range of motion throughout their hips, shoulder and lower body you can all but forget they will EVER pick up the mechanics. It's IMPOSSIBLE! Spend time developing dynamic flexibility and range of motion before you begin to engrain poor mechanics that will be impossible to break.
3. Ability to Generate Force Here's another one that the greats do naturally and the coaches and instructors miss. If you can't generate force from WITHIN you won't be able to put a hurtin' on the ball. You'll simply be a "soft contact" hitter, unable to generate game bat speed and put the ball into play with authority. Learn correct strength and conditioning drills to do with your players in order to develop this. Not machines, not stupid "balance" exercises or bodybuilding workouts. Specific methods that will develop world-class force generation. Get these three aspects in order and you're well on your way to explosive game bat speed and huge triple-crown category numbers!
Jon Doyle, MA, CSCS is considered the world's foremost authority of effective baseball training. Make sure to visit his website to discover the most effective baseball drillsSource:www.isnare.com
This is obviously the goal every hitter has. But please understand this is the end result, the culmination of hard work, being a student of the game and yes, of course, great genetics. It's not like you can take your average high school player, add 5-10 mph on their bat speed and all of a sudden they are Manny Ramirez. It simply doesn't work that way. While you can argue that player would be better, he still would have average mechanics and vision.
Now, I do believe if you increase your bat speed you have a better shot at raking than if you didn't. It certainly gives you a leg up on the competition and allows for a certain amount of error, which as you know will help any hitter. What I'm worried is bat speed is becoming like the radar gun for pitchers. Now all someone cares about is how fast their bat speed is on the bat radar machine.
One question…Who cares? Swinging as hard as you can in a cage without having to make contact with a ball has absolutely zero carryover to hitting. Sure your "bat speed" may have increase, but your mechanics are now down the toilet. I've seen it happen over and over and over again. And despite my warning the players, coaches, instructors and parents are left shaking their heads why Johnny is barely hitting his weight. Hard to believe, yes. But, sadly, also true. I'll make this statement and some self-proclaimed "expert" will argue with me but "You don't need world-class bat speed to be a world-class hitter". It certainly helps, but is not mandatory... However..."You do need world-class Game Bat Speed to be a world-class hitter" That's right "game bat-speed". Or how quick you can dial it up when you actually have to see the ball, locate it, decide what pitch it is, figure out if it's in your zone and then pull the trigger.
All in the matter of milliseconds. Some call it natural hitting ability. Others call it instinct. It's possible to have average, or even below average "bat speed" and have outstanding game bat speed. And it's VERY common to see players with great bat speed during practice and batting practice and then be terrible hitters. These players are called 5 o'clock hitters because they mash at 5 o'clock (the time pro teams take BP before a 7pm game) and stink when game time rolls around. You don't want to be a 5 o'clock hitter do you? Nobody likes that guy...
Here are 3 things you need to work on if you want to develop game bat speed, which is the REAL money-maker in hitting...
1. Baseball-Specific Vision I don't care how fast your bat is, if you don't pick up the ball early you can forget about becoming a great hitter. Sadly, 99.9% of coaches and instructors get this ALL wrong. You can't get it by sitting in front of a computer screen, hitting different colored baseballs (did I miss something? Does a baseball change color?) or any of the gimmicks sold today.
2. Proper Dynamic Flexibility and Range of Motion This one is so overlooked its ridiculous. Coaches and instructors spend hours upon hours trying to force hitters to do things their body simply cannot do. You can teach rotational hitting till you're blue in the face, if the hitter who you're teaching does not have proper dynamic range of motion throughout their hips, shoulder and lower body you can all but forget they will EVER pick up the mechanics. It's IMPOSSIBLE! Spend time developing dynamic flexibility and range of motion before you begin to engrain poor mechanics that will be impossible to break.
3. Ability to Generate Force Here's another one that the greats do naturally and the coaches and instructors miss. If you can't generate force from WITHIN you won't be able to put a hurtin' on the ball. You'll simply be a "soft contact" hitter, unable to generate game bat speed and put the ball into play with authority. Learn correct strength and conditioning drills to do with your players in order to develop this. Not machines, not stupid "balance" exercises or bodybuilding workouts. Specific methods that will develop world-class force generation. Get these three aspects in order and you're well on your way to explosive game bat speed and huge triple-crown category numbers!
Jon Doyle, MA, CSCS is considered the world's foremost authority of effective baseball training. Make sure to visit his website to discover the most effective baseball drillsSource:www.isnare.com
Friday, October 10, 2008
Baseball Batting Cage: "Whether to Buy or Not to Buy"
Hello and Welcome,
The fact that you are reading this is an indication of your commitment to helping your child become a better baseball or softball player. You are doing your "homework" to help improve your home batting practice facilities. Your child is very fortunate to have a parent that cares so much about his or her game.
You are about to make one of the most expensive investments a parent can make in a players future hitting success. However, the purchase of a batting cage can be the single greatest thing that can happen to a player's life. It is the most logical and productive thing you can do if your son or daughter really loves the game of baseball or softball. Buying a cage can be like "putting-money-in-the-bank" if your child shows the potential to be a college player.
It is a known fact that players that have home batting cages, on the average, have more hitting success than those players that do not have home batting cages. I will admit that there are always exceptions. I am sure that we can all name a couple excellence hitters that did not have a cage in their backyard.
However, a high percentage of today's collegiate baseball and softball players had daily access to a batting cage when they were gowing up. Many of those players had their very own backyard batting cage.
If you can afford it and you have a secure place to set-up a cage, you would be well advised to order a cage as soon as you can. Our company seeks to make the batting cage buying and installation process as "painless and trouble-free" as possible. We specialize in selling "Total Batting Cage Packages" that have both net and frame included. Buying a cage this way saves you time and money and insures that you will have a top quality batting cage at the best price possible. Buy one of our systems and you buy a net and frame that are "made for each other". This insures quality performance and longevity.
At Nedco Sports we take great pride in helping hitters reach their potential. We have been helping hitters improve their game since 1999. We are here to help you make the right decision for your players needs. We do not wish to sell you something that you do not need or want. Please feel free to call Bill or Trey at 1-877-431-4487. They will help you in any way they can.
I wish you and your child the best of luck whether you purchase anything from us or not. In the future, if you ever need us, we will be here.
Happy Hitting,
Nick Dixon
President
Nedco Sports
Hit2win.com - CoachesBest.com
BattingCagesDirect.com
The fact that you are reading this is an indication of your commitment to helping your child become a better baseball or softball player. You are doing your "homework" to help improve your home batting practice facilities. Your child is very fortunate to have a parent that cares so much about his or her game.
You are about to make one of the most expensive investments a parent can make in a players future hitting success. However, the purchase of a batting cage can be the single greatest thing that can happen to a player's life. It is the most logical and productive thing you can do if your son or daughter really loves the game of baseball or softball. Buying a cage can be like "putting-money-in-the-bank" if your child shows the potential to be a college player.
It is a known fact that players that have home batting cages, on the average, have more hitting success than those players that do not have home batting cages. I will admit that there are always exceptions. I am sure that we can all name a couple excellence hitters that did not have a cage in their backyard.
However, a high percentage of today's collegiate baseball and softball players had daily access to a batting cage when they were gowing up. Many of those players had their very own backyard batting cage.
If you can afford it and you have a secure place to set-up a cage, you would be well advised to order a cage as soon as you can. Our company seeks to make the batting cage buying and installation process as "painless and trouble-free" as possible. We specialize in selling "Total Batting Cage Packages" that have both net and frame included. Buying a cage this way saves you time and money and insures that you will have a top quality batting cage at the best price possible. Buy one of our systems and you buy a net and frame that are "made for each other". This insures quality performance and longevity.
At Nedco Sports we take great pride in helping hitters reach their potential. We have been helping hitters improve their game since 1999. We are here to help you make the right decision for your players needs. We do not wish to sell you something that you do not need or want. Please feel free to call Bill or Trey at 1-877-431-4487. They will help you in any way they can.
I wish you and your child the best of luck whether you purchase anything from us or not. In the future, if you ever need us, we will be here.
Happy Hitting,
Nick Dixon
President
Nedco Sports
Hit2win.com - CoachesBest.com
BattingCagesDirect.com
Thursday, October 9, 2008
6 Essentials Of A Great Baseball Team by: Arthur Raise
The US lives and breaths baseball, the game runs in the blood and young and old are hooked up to the sport. There are baseball leagues major and little, baseball journalists and reporters, fans who own teams others who collect memorabilia and record histories. With the advent of the World Wide Web baseball has embraced cyber space and now there are websites that cover every aspect of the game and keep a pulse on current as well as past seasons and teams.
Baseball is a team sport and every player and team needs to be committed and passionate about the game. To succeed every team whether major league, minor league, or local needs the following:
1. A team spirit and commitment to the game. The team must work as a single unit and be devoted to the game. They must live and breathe baseball.
2. The team must have a good support system. It is not enough for a team to be devoted to the game, families, team owner, sponsors, the coach, school and college authorities and more need to understand the psyche of the team and create a strong impermeable support system.
3. The team must have a good coach who will lead the team in every way. The coach is the backbone of the team and needs to be tough and yet loving. He or she must care for the team and its every player. The coach must understand the team and its members better than he understands himself or herself.
4. The team must be devoted to the sport and yet understand that there is a world beyond baseball. So, every member must simultaneously prepare for life beyond baseball. Be trained in skills and have qualifications that will allow the player to live a fulfilled life after baseball.
5. Great focus must be placed on balanced nutrition and mental strength training. A strong mind and body makes a great baseball player. Team training must include aspects of health, nutrition, and mental strength. The team must have a balanced diet, a balanced exercise routine that includes breathing exercises and meditation techniques.
6. While winning can be the goal every team must play for sheer joy and each player must focus on his strengths and work out his weaknesses. The team must become an impregnable fort so that the opponents can never use kinks in the armor.Baseball is a team sport that is often used to teach students and children life values and more. Baseball has gone beyond being a sport it is a way of life.
About the Author: Arthur Raise is a writer for Discount Baseball Equipment , the premier website to find Baseball, baseball America, baseball history, baseball equipment, baseball field, baseball players, baseball trivia, baseball teams, baseball records, American league baseball teams and many more. by Arthur Raise
Buy a Batting Cage For Less at CoachesBest.com
BattingCagesDirect.com
Complete Cage and Frame Packages
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Be a Better Batter Through Repetition
By: Anthony Stai
All parents want their children to reach their full potential in anything that they do. If you have kids playing baseball or softball then you know that one of the most exciting and difficult aspects is hitting. And since you may only get 3 to 5 at-bats per game then you want to make sure that they count.
Whether your kids are playing baseball or softball, if they can hit the ball like they want then they will enjoy playing so much more. There's nothing worse than watching a player walk back to the dugout dejected and sad.
So what can you do as a parent to instill confidence at the plate? The best way to accomplish this is with repetition. Unless you are willing to pitch to your kids 200 balls a day then they won't get the kind of repetition that will improve their batting. Plus, unless you have Nolan Ryan accuracy, you won't be doing your kids any favors by having them swing at pitches outside the strike zone. And, you'll save your arm for throwing that football in the fall.
The best tool for repetition is a pitching machine. Pitching machines come in a variety of types and costs. Some have large wheels and run on gas motors and can feed up to 12 baseball sized balls. Some are just for baseball and others just for softball. These are usually expensive for a parent to purchase and are bulky and can't be self-operated safely by young batters.
The less expensive options are portable whiffle ball pitching machines. Most of these use the golf ball sized whiffle balls and run on rechargeable batteries so they can be used almost anywhere. Plus, they are just as effective for softball players as baseball players.
Many ask, "Why golf ball sized whiffle balls?" The small balls force the batter to concentrate more and to aim for a smaller target. When you can hit a small target consistently then a larger target will be even easier to hit. Plus the small balls are inexpensive and can still be thrown at high speeds.
The whiffle ball pitching machines are lightweight, some hold up to 100 whiffle balls, adjusts from 20 mph to 60 mph, pitch consistently, can pitch curve balls and sliders from both right hand and left hand pitchers.
Best of all, the whiffle ball pitching machines are FUN! Kids and adults of all ages have fun hitting from these machine and it truly has the ability to increase the confidence and ability of young and older batters in a matter of minutes.
About The Author-- Anthony Stai is a proud contributing author and writes articles on several sports related topics including baseball. To learn more about the Personal Pitcher and a unique opportunity to get a FREE Personal Pitcher visit Free Personal Pitcher Pitching Machine at http://www.squidoo.com/personalpitcher for all the details and a personal review.
Batting Cages and Pitching Machines at CoachesBest.com
Jugs Pitching Machines and Jugs Complete Batting Systems
All parents want their children to reach their full potential in anything that they do. If you have kids playing baseball or softball then you know that one of the most exciting and difficult aspects is hitting. And since you may only get 3 to 5 at-bats per game then you want to make sure that they count.
Whether your kids are playing baseball or softball, if they can hit the ball like they want then they will enjoy playing so much more. There's nothing worse than watching a player walk back to the dugout dejected and sad.
So what can you do as a parent to instill confidence at the plate? The best way to accomplish this is with repetition. Unless you are willing to pitch to your kids 200 balls a day then they won't get the kind of repetition that will improve their batting. Plus, unless you have Nolan Ryan accuracy, you won't be doing your kids any favors by having them swing at pitches outside the strike zone. And, you'll save your arm for throwing that football in the fall.
The best tool for repetition is a pitching machine. Pitching machines come in a variety of types and costs. Some have large wheels and run on gas motors and can feed up to 12 baseball sized balls. Some are just for baseball and others just for softball. These are usually expensive for a parent to purchase and are bulky and can't be self-operated safely by young batters.
The less expensive options are portable whiffle ball pitching machines. Most of these use the golf ball sized whiffle balls and run on rechargeable batteries so they can be used almost anywhere. Plus, they are just as effective for softball players as baseball players.
Many ask, "Why golf ball sized whiffle balls?" The small balls force the batter to concentrate more and to aim for a smaller target. When you can hit a small target consistently then a larger target will be even easier to hit. Plus the small balls are inexpensive and can still be thrown at high speeds.
The whiffle ball pitching machines are lightweight, some hold up to 100 whiffle balls, adjusts from 20 mph to 60 mph, pitch consistently, can pitch curve balls and sliders from both right hand and left hand pitchers.
Best of all, the whiffle ball pitching machines are FUN! Kids and adults of all ages have fun hitting from these machine and it truly has the ability to increase the confidence and ability of young and older batters in a matter of minutes.
About The Author-- Anthony Stai is a proud contributing author and writes articles on several sports related topics including baseball. To learn more about the Personal Pitcher and a unique opportunity to get a FREE Personal Pitcher visit Free Personal Pitcher Pitching Machine at http://www.squidoo.com/personalpitcher for all the details and a personal review.
Batting Cages and Pitching Machines at CoachesBest.com
Jugs Pitching Machines and Jugs Complete Batting Systems
Friday, October 3, 2008
Hitting a Baseball - Which Stance is Best?
By Nate Barnett
There are a lot of professional baseball hitters setting up with an open stance today. If you're not totally sure what an open stance is, it's when the front foot is back further away from home plate as compared to the back foot. Sometimes the front foot will also be pointed slightly toward the pitcher.
I've seen and heard quite a bit of discussion within baseball circles about the positioning of the stance as far as what works and what doesn't in preparing a hitter. The question I will answer is: Does a particular style of stance give a hitter a better chance at hitting a baseball hard versus the other?
The quick answer is no it doesn't make a difference on how a hitter stands when determining his eventual success in hitting a baseball. Having said that, here are a couple thoughts of caution to pay attention to if you work with a hitter who chooses to stand with an open stance. 1. An open stance will take a little bit more time to move into the preparation or load position when a hitter shifts his weight to his back leg. Because of this extra time, the hitter must make sure his timing is right and he generates movement sooner than he would if he was in a regular stance position (with both feet parallel and facing home plate).
2. An open stance often times provides the hitter with a better and more clear view of the pitcher as the eyes of the hitter are facing the pitcher more equally. Because the front part of the hitter's body is opened slightly, he will need to make certain as he moves into the load position that he closes his front side off to the pitcher.
*** I realize that I'm using terminology (load position) that may not be familiar to you. There are other articles I've written on that topic if you find yourself confused.***
About the Author
Nate Barnett is owner of BMI Baseball http://bmibaseball.com and is based out of Washington State. His expertise is in the area of hitting, pitching, and mental training. Coach Barnett's passion is working with youth in helping expand their vision for their baseball future. After finishing a professional career in the Seattle Mariners Organization, Nate pursued his coaching and motivational training career. His instructional blog is located at http://bmibaseball.com/blog
His new FREE ebook, Toxic Baseball: Are you polluting your game? can be found on the main BMI Baseball website.
Hitting 101, an ebook on complete hitting mechanics will be released by June 1st, 2008. Features include numerous illustrations, video clips, and a special offer to discuss your hitting questions over live on the phone strategy sessions.
There are a lot of professional baseball hitters setting up with an open stance today. If you're not totally sure what an open stance is, it's when the front foot is back further away from home plate as compared to the back foot. Sometimes the front foot will also be pointed slightly toward the pitcher.
I've seen and heard quite a bit of discussion within baseball circles about the positioning of the stance as far as what works and what doesn't in preparing a hitter. The question I will answer is: Does a particular style of stance give a hitter a better chance at hitting a baseball hard versus the other?
The quick answer is no it doesn't make a difference on how a hitter stands when determining his eventual success in hitting a baseball. Having said that, here are a couple thoughts of caution to pay attention to if you work with a hitter who chooses to stand with an open stance. 1. An open stance will take a little bit more time to move into the preparation or load position when a hitter shifts his weight to his back leg. Because of this extra time, the hitter must make sure his timing is right and he generates movement sooner than he would if he was in a regular stance position (with both feet parallel and facing home plate).
2. An open stance often times provides the hitter with a better and more clear view of the pitcher as the eyes of the hitter are facing the pitcher more equally. Because the front part of the hitter's body is opened slightly, he will need to make certain as he moves into the load position that he closes his front side off to the pitcher.
*** I realize that I'm using terminology (load position) that may not be familiar to you. There are other articles I've written on that topic if you find yourself confused.***
About the Author
Nate Barnett is owner of BMI Baseball http://bmibaseball.com and is based out of Washington State. His expertise is in the area of hitting, pitching, and mental training. Coach Barnett's passion is working with youth in helping expand their vision for their baseball future. After finishing a professional career in the Seattle Mariners Organization, Nate pursued his coaching and motivational training career. His instructional blog is located at http://bmibaseball.com/blog
His new FREE ebook, Toxic Baseball: Are you polluting your game? can be found on the main BMI Baseball website.
Hitting 101, an ebook on complete hitting mechanics will be released by June 1st, 2008. Features include numerous illustrations, video clips, and a special offer to discuss your hitting questions over live on the phone strategy sessions.
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