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CSP Elite Baseball Development Podcast: Eric Hosmer on Rookie Success, Adjusting to Competition, and the Evolution of Hitting

We welcome recently retired 13-year MLB veteran first baseman Eric Hosmer to the latest podcast. We discuss his path to being a #3 overall MLB draft pick, and what made him not only a fast riser through the minor leagues, but also a guy who immediately "stuck" in the big leagues. Eric speaks to how a young Royals team ascended to a World Series championship, and how the game evolved - especially for hitters - over the course of his career. He also reflects on what strategies kept him durable, and how various coaches impacted him along the way.

A special thanks to this show's sponsor, AG1. Head to https://www.DrinkAG1.com/cressey and you'll receive a free 10-pack of Athletic Greens travel packets with your first order.

 

Sponsor Reminder

This episode is brought to you by AG1. AG1 is your daily foundational nutrition; it has 75 whole-food sourced ingredients designed to support your body’s foundational nutrition needs across five critical areas of health: 1) energy, 2) immunity, 3) gut health, 4) hormonal support, and 5) healthy aging. It is the new and future way of getting a multivitamin, and a whole lot more. Head to www.DrinkAG1.com/cressey and claim my special offer today – 10 FREE travel packs – with your first purchase. I use AG1 daily myself and highly recommend it to our athletes as well. I’d encourage you to give it a shot, too – especially with this great offer.

Podcast Feedback

If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.

And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for your continued support!

Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!

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CSP Elite Baseball Development Podcast: Pat Rigsby on Finding Value Where Others Miss It – in Baseball and in Business

We welcome accomplished baseball coach and businessman Pat Rigsby to the latest podcast. Pat brings a wealth of knowledge from the youth to college levels, and shares some excellent insights about lessons learned from the game of baseball that can be applied to any setting. I really enjoyed Pat's comments on how we can improve the modern travel ball landscape and keep kids engaged with the sport of baseball.

A special thanks to this show's sponsor, AG1. Head to https://www.DrinkAG1.com/cressey and you'll receive a free 10-pack of Athletic Greens travel packets with your first order.

 

Sponsor Reminder

This episode is brought to you by AG1. AG1 is your daily foundational nutrition; it has 75 whole-food sourced ingredients designed to support your body’s foundational nutrition needs across five critical areas of health: 1) energy, 2) immunity, 3) gut health, 4) hormonal support, and 5) healthy aging. It is the new and future way of getting a multivitamin, and a whole lot more. Head to www.DrinkAG1.com/cressey and claim my special offer today – 10 FREE travel packs – with your first purchase. I use AG1 daily myself and highly recommend it to our athletes as well. I’d encourage you to give it a shot, too – especially with this great offer.

Podcast Feedback

If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.

And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for your continued support!

Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!

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Email
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CSP Elite Baseball Development Podcast: Bill Parisi on Fascia Aware Training

We're excited to welcome Bill Parisi back to the podcast for a second appearance. He speaks to his expanded view on the fascia system, and some practical applications for improving training programs with "fascia aware" training.

This podcast is timely, as our collaborative course, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: Diagnoses and Interventions, is on sale for $50 off through Sunday. You can learn more HERE.

A special thanks to this show's sponsor, AG1. Head to https://www.DrinkAG1.com/cressey and you'll receive a free 10-pack of Athletic Greens travel packets with your first order.

 

You can follow Bill on Instagram at @Bill_Parisi, or visit FasciaTrainingAcademy.com.

Sponsor Reminder

This episode is brought to you by AG1. AG1 is your daily foundational nutrition; it has 75 whole-food sourced ingredients designed to support your body’s foundational nutrition needs across five critical areas of health: 1) energy, 2) immunity, 3) gut health, 4) hormonal support, and 5) healthy aging. It is the new and future way of getting a multivitamin, and a whole lot more. Head to www.DrinkAG1.com/cressey and claim my special offer today – 10 FREE travel packs – with your first purchase. I use AG1 daily myself and highly recommend it to our athletes as well. I’d encourage you to give it a shot, too – especially with this great offer.

Podcast Feedback

If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.

And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for your continued support!

Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!

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Email
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CSP Elite Baseball Development Podcast: Ryan Feltner on College Development, Cold Weather Pitching, and Altitude Adjustments

We welcome Colorado Rockies pitcher Ryan Feltner to the latest podcast. A Cressey Sports Performance athlete since college, Ryan speaks into his development, from growing up in the Midwest, to attending Ohio State, to being drafted by the Rockies. He shares the complexities of pitching at altitude and also discusses how the canceled MiLB 2020 season prepared him to jump from single-A to the big leagues in 2021.

A special thanks to this show's sponsor, AG1. Head to https://www.DrinkAG1.com/cressey and you'll receive a free 10-pack of Athletic Greens travel packets with your first order.

 

Sponsor Reminder

This episode is brought to you by AG1. AG1 is your daily foundational nutrition; it has 75 whole-food sourced ingredients designed to support your body’s foundational nutrition needs across five critical areas of health: 1) energy, 2) immunity, 3) gut health, 4) hormonal support, and 5) healthy aging. It is the new and future way of getting a multivitamin, and a whole lot more. Head to www.DrinkAG1.com/cressey and claim my special offer today – 10 FREE travel packs – with your first purchase. I use AG1 daily myself and highly recommend it to our athletes as well. I’d encourage you to give it a shot, too – especially with this great offer.

Podcast Feedback

If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.

And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for your continued support!

Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!

Name
Email
Read more

CSP Elite Baseball Development Podcast: Developing College Pitchers with John O’Neil and Eric Cressey

After a brief podcast hiatus to stockpile some content, I'm back with a new episode, this time with Cressey Sports Performance - MA co-owner and Director of Performance John O'Neil as my co-host. We dig in on key competencies with developing college pitchers, highlighting the important considerations that have paved the way for success in our summer development programs (you can learn more about them: Massachusetts and Florida). This is an invaluable listen for players, coaches, parents, and support staff alike.  

A special thanks to this show's sponsor, AG1. Head to https://www.DrinkAG1.com/cressey and you'll receive a free 10-pack of Athletic Greens travel packets with your first order.

 

Sponsor Reminder

This episode is brought to you by AG1. AG1 is your daily foundational nutrition; it has 75 whole-food sourced ingredients designed to support your body’s foundational nutrition needs across five critical areas of health: 1) energy, 2) immunity, 3) gut health, 4) hormonal support, and 5) healthy aging. It is the new and future way of getting a multivitamin, and a whole lot more. Head to www.DrinkAG1.com/cressey and claim my special offer today – 10 FREE travel packs – with your first purchase. I use AG1 daily myself and highly recommend it to our athletes as well. I’d encourage you to give it a shot, too – especially with this great offer.

Podcast Feedback

If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.

And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for your continued support!

Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!

Name
Email
Read more

CSP Elite Baseball Development Podcast: Dan Swinscoe on Essential Clinical Skills and Rehab Approaches

We welcome physical therapist Dan Swinscoe to this week’s podcast for a great in-depth conversation on the unique needs of rotational sport athletes and key sports medicine considerations across the baseball lifespan. Dan also offers some great insights for up-and-coming rehabilitation specialists looking to become well-rounded practitioners, highlighting key competencies and emphasizing the importance of openmindedness. Dan's been an awesome resource to me over the years, and I'm excited to share his expertise with a larger audience.

A special thanks to this show's sponsor, AG1. Head to https://www.DrinkAG1.com/cressey and you'll receive a free 10-pack of AG1 travel packets with your first order.

 

You can follow Dan on Twitter at @DanSwinscoe and Instagram at @DanSwincoe.

Sponsor Reminder

This episode is brought to you by AG1. AG1 is your daily foundational nutrition; it has 75 whole-food sourced ingredients designed to support your body’s foundational nutrition needs across five critical areas of health: 1) energy, 2) immunity, 3) gut health, 4) hormonal support, and 5) healthy aging. It is the new and future way of getting a multivitamin, and a whole lot more. Head to www.DrinkAG1.com/cressey and claim my special offer today – 10 FREE travel packs – with your first purchase. I use AG1 daily myself and highly recommend it to our athletes as well. I’d encourage you to give it a shot, too – especially with this great offer.

Podcast Feedback

If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.

And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for your continued support!

Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!

Name
Email
Read more

CSP-FL Summer 2024 Pro Experience Registration is Now Open!

Cressey Sports Peformance - Florida is home to hundreds of pro baseball players from all over the world, at all different levels of play throughout the off-season. They move to FL to train and develop with our awesome team of coaches that collaborates to create the synergy players need to thrive. We're able to individualize the experience from start to finish, as we feel that is what makes athletes successful. Whether we’re working with a first-year minor leaguer or one of our Cy Young Award winners, the right “mix” is slightly different for everyone. It is this detailed individualization – along with our world-class facilities, coaches, and services – that we bring to our summer program, The CSP Pro Experience.

Here's what this 10-week (6/3/24 - 8/9/24) program entails:

  • 2 Movement Assessments (1 entrance and 1 exit)
  • 2 Proteus Power Tests (1 entrance and 1 exit) and accompanying reports for targeted force-velocity profiling for rotational athletes
  • Weekly Force Plate Testing
  • 10 weeks of Individualized Strength & Conditioning Programs ALWAYS monitored by our team of coaches
  • 3 Nutrition Meetings, alongside regular nutritional checkins/guidance
  • 10 Manual Therapy Session (once per week)
  • 3 Pitching Meetings (1 entrance, 1 halfway check-up, 1 exit), featuring Video Analysis, Mechanical Breakdown, and Data Analysis (if available)
  • 3 Theia Markerless Motion Capture Sessions and Associated Reports (detailed below)
  • 10 weeks of Individualized Throwing Programs Including:
  • Detailed warmups, weighted ball programs, & throwing progression ALWAYS monitored by our coaching staff
  • Trackman (with reports)
  • Edgertronic high-speed camera (with reports)
  • All bullpens will take place on dirt mounds in cleats with supervision from our coaches – and applicable technology present.
  • Pitchers who need to get innings as part of their overall developmental plan can easily throw against live hitters on the showcase field adjacent to our facility.

 

Athletes participating in this program will begin and end by throwing a bullpen on Theia, our biomechanical markerless motion capture system. Our system records the athlete using an 8-camera setup. The cameras give us the ability to upload the data collected and produce a 3-dimensional visual model of their bullpen session. Using the markerless motion capture system, we will be able to provide a service to athletes at arguably the best quality/accuracy in the country in a real life, on-field environment. That model will explain, in detail, what the athlete is doing on the mound with respect to biomechanics, and provide a number of visual tools that will help us better understand the pitcher’s delivery. We will use this to put together a report outlining what they do, how they do it, why they do it, and – most importantly – coaching interventions.

We will be capping this program to ensure exclusivity and to make sure each athlete gets the time and coaching they deserve. This program will sell out quickly, so delaying enrollment may restrict your ability to gain access. You can learn more by reaching out to CSPFlorida@gmail.com.

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2024 Cressey Sports Performance Collegiate Elite Baseball Development Program

Registration is now open for the 2024 Cressey Sports Performance Collegiate Elite Baseball Development Program. This event takes place at our Hudson, MA facility, and runs from 6/3/24 through 8/9/24.

This will be the eighth year we’ve run the program, and each year, we’ve had pitchers move to Massachusetts from all around the country. This summer, we anticipate another awesome collection of motivated athletes who’ll push each other to get better in conjunction with the same training opportunities and expertise we provide to our professional athletes.

This program is a good fit for pitchers who need to prioritize development over just getting innings or exposure. In other words, it’s a suitable replacement for those who still need to throw, but also need to gain 20 pounds, learn a new pitch, sort out old aches and pains, or improve their mobility. The average ten-week velocity increase for participants over the last five years has ranged from 4.1 - 4.4mph.

Each athlete will begin with a thorough initial movement and pitching assessment that will set the stage for individualized strength and conditioning and throwing programs, respectively. Speed and power testing - via force plates, Proteus Motion, and velocity-based training - are integrated into the assessment process and tracked throughout the summer to ensure that progress is being tracked consistently.

Your individualized programs will correspond to six days a week of training. Generally, four of the six training days per week are double sessions, with throwing in the morning and strength and conditioning in the afternoons.

A typical training week would look like the following:

  • MON: AM throwing, PM Strength and Conditioning
  • TUE: AM throwing, PM Strength and Conditioning
  • WED: Late AM throwing and movement training (at field)
  • THU: AM throwing, PM Strength and Conditioning
  • FRI: AM throwing, PM Strength and Conditioning
  • SAT: Optional AM Mobility Work and Recovery Session, AM Throwing and movement training
  • SUN: Off

In our throwing programs, we integrate weighted ball work, long toss, and bullpens (including video analysis). We’ll utilize detailed Trackman breakdowns and high-speed camera work in these bullpens as well. Pitchers also have opportunities to throw live to hitters, and we have historically placed a few arms in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League late in the summer in light of the improvements they’d made.

All the athletes will receive manual therapy with our licensed massage therapist or physical therapist, as well as nutritional guidance throughout the program. Also to help with recovery, athletes have access to MarcPro, Normatec and red light therapy.

Last, but not least, we’ll incorporate regular educational components to educate the athletes on the “why” behind their training. Previously, this has consisted of not only staff presentations, but also conference calls and in-person meetings with Major League players and established coaches from around the country.

The best part is that it’ll take place in a motivating environment where athletes can push each other to be the best they can be. By optimizing the situation, you can help change the person.

Interested in learning more? Email cspmass@gmail.com – but don’t delay, as spaces are limited and this offering has sold out in summers in past. We’ll be capping the group size again this time around.

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The Best of 2023: Podcasts

2023 marked year 5 of the Elite Baseball Development Podcast. In all, we released 36 episodes in 2023 - and I learned a ton from some great guests. That said, here are our top five episodes from the year:

1. Creating a Culture for Sustainable Success with Tim CorbinVanderbilt University head baseball coach Tim Corbin discussed transforming cultures in a team environment, and what key standards must be present to provide for sustainable success. Tim also spoke to college recruiting, long-term player development strategies, and the evolution of the student athlete.

2. Optimizing Athlete Physiology with Dr. Andy Galpin - California State University – Fullerton Professor and Human Performance scientist Dr. Andy Galpin shared many great insights on the physiological assessment of athletes. Andy has worked with athletes from across many high levels of sport to develop a comprehensive set of research-backed solutions for those seeking peak performance. We touched on the benefits and drawbacks of technology, and where he sees the health and human performance industry going in the decades ahead.

3. The Broken Business of Baseball Showcases with Dr. Peter Kriz - Sports medicine orthopedist and researcher Dr. Peter Kriz took an in-depth look at how showcase participation relates to injury rates in pitchers. This conversation drew heavily on Dr. Kriz’s two landmark studies on the topic, and yielded some crucial insights to help players, parents, and coaches plan for safe long-term development of pitchers. We also chatted about the diagnosis and treatment spondylolysis (stress fractures) of the lower back in extension/rotation sport athletes.

4. Using Archetypes to Individualize Baseball Training with Rick Franzblau - Clemson University Director of Olympic Sports Strength and Conditioning Rick Franzblau covered innovative ways to assess, program, and coach in a baseball population. Rick’s insights related to infrasternal angle, mechanical vs. fascially driven athletes, and the development of college athletes are all outstanding. This conversation will help you to see individualized development through a new lens, and also appreciate how you might have gotten “accidental” positive results in the past.

5. How Pitching Injuries Occur - In this podcast, I discussed some of the causative factors for modern pitching injuries. Everyone wants to heavily scrutinize mechanics, but there are a lot of other considerations we have to take into account.

Finally, while I've got your attention, be sure to check out our foremost sponsor from the past year, AG1 (formely Athletic Greens). It’s an all-in-one superfood supplement with 75 whole-food sourced ingredients designed to support your body’s nutrition needs across 5 critical areas of health: 1) energy, 2) immunity, 3) gut health, 4) hormonal support, and 5) healthy aging. Head to https://www.drinkag1.com/cressey and claim my special offer today – 10 FREE travel packs – with your first purchase. I use this product daily myself and highly recommend it to our athletes as well. I’d encourage you to give it a shot, too – especially with this great offer.

We're back to the regular EricCressey.com content this upcoming week. Thanks for all your support in 2023! We've got some great stuff planned for 2024.

Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!

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The Best of 2023: Guest Posts

I've already highlighted the top articles I put out at EricCressey.com in 2023, so now it's time for the top guest posts of the year. Here goes…

1. Grip Strength for Baseball Hitters - Physical Therapist Dan Swinscoe writes about how we can better prepare our hitters' hands and wrists for the demands of baseball.

2. Combining Physical Assessment with Motion Capture to Optimize Pitching Cues - Cressey Sports Performance – Florida pitching coordinator Matt Hinkley discusses how we create synergy across departments by integrating our strength and conditioning evaluation with our markerless motion capture technology from Theia in order to individualize coaching interventions with our pitchers.

3. 10 Nutritional Considerations for High School Athletes with Dan Rosen - Cressey Sports Performance – Florida strength and conditioning coach Dan Rosen guest hosted this podcast for me. Dan heads up the nutrition coaching for our athletes at CSP-FL, and I asked if he’d be up for delivering important nutrition messages for the younger athletes (and their parents and coaches). He came through with an excellent summary of the basics – and more importantly, some actionable items relating to them.

4. Pitch Grading: a Stuff+/CSP+ Case Study - Pitch grading is a hot topic at the high levels of baseball right now, and while it can be super helpful for guiding players to best evaluate their pitching arsenal, it can sometimes lead you down confusing rabbit holes. In this video, Hinkley provides some context.

I'll be back soon with more highlights from 2023.

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