We're excited to welcome San Francisco Giants First Base Coach and retired MLB outfielder Antoan Richardson to this week's podcast. Antoan speaks about his path from the Bahamas to Vanderbilt to the Big Leagues - and also shares some insights on how we can best prepare baserunners and outfielders.

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

Show Outline

• How Antoan became the 6th Bahamian to play in the big leagues and what the process is for young ballplayers in the Bahamas looking to progress their baseball career
• What the baseball culture of the Bahamas is like, and how the game is growing on this island from the roots of softball
• Why Antoan is heartbroken when foreign players are married to the idea of signing contracts as the only means to make their baseball dreams a reality and how he is working to educate the youth of the power baseball can have for their future
• How Antoan became an all-state caliber baseball player in Florida after being cut from his 7th grade softball team in the Bahamas just years earlier
• How Antoan has used his passion for baseball to be an ambassador for the Bahamas and pave the way for future generations of Bahamians to grow through the sport
• Why Antoan chose to attend junior college out of high instead of accepting scholarships to play collegiate sports or pursuing early professional baseball pursuits
• How Antoan earned the opportunity to play at Vanderbilt out of junior college in 2003 and what role he played in laying the foundation for Vanderbilt to develop into the powerhouse it is today
• What differentiates Vanderbilt baseball and Tim Corbin from other universities in the country and how has the tradition of the baseball program progressed to and sustained greatness over the recent decades
• How Antoan was able to defy traditional wisdom and reduce the number of times he was caught stealing as he progressed through the ranks of pro ball
• What lessons Antoan has for young base stealers looking to sharpen their baserunning skills
• What it was like scoring the game winning run on Derek Jeter’s walkoff hit in his final game as a New York Yankee
• Why Antoan has learned to value the empathy, adaptability, and individualization needed to find success with each player with whom he works
• What core competencies Antoan works to establish in the baserunners with whom he works
• What skills Antoan emphasizes as important for outfielders, and why he stresses owning the first steps and remaining athletic
• What struggles minorities face in baseball and how coaches can better serve the needs of all their athletes
• What Project Limestone is, and how individuals can help the next generation of kids in the Bahamas

  You can follow Antoan on Twitter at @ARichardson242 and on Instagram at @AntoanRichardson242. You can also learn more about the great work he's doing with Project Limestone at www.ProjectLimestone.org.

Sponsor Reminder

This episode is brought to you by 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 www.AthleticGreens.com/cressey and claim my special offer today - 20 FREE travel packs (valued at $79) - 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.

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!

We’re excited to welcome sprint training expert Derek Hansen to this week’s podcast for a great chat on fundamental of sprinting training, his unique approach to managing hamstrings injuries, and much more. Derek shares some general principles as well as specific applications to baseball preparation. CSP-MA Director of Performance John O'Neil takes the lead as a guest host as well.

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

Show Outline

• How Derek has become the speed-focused coach he is today and how he has become involved coaching national and professional sports teams across multiple sports
• How Derek designs return to play programs for hamstrings strains and what success he has found transforming recovery times from 3-4 week to 7-10 days
• How his atypical, acceleration-based program works to not only recuperate the injured hamstrings but build resiliency from future setbacks
• What warnings Derek has for athletes overzealous to speed through a hamstrings recovery program
• How Derek recommends to specifically integrate and progress sprinting into hamstrings strain rehab and why he prioritizes stride frequency over stride length early in the rehab process
• Why Derek emphasizes stride frequency when training his athletes for speed and what tactics coaches should avoid and implement to encourage quality stride frequency
• What the “10x10” is and why Derek utilizes this return-to-play program as the foundation for all his rehabilitation work
• How coaches can best manage the volume of their athletes’ speed work
• How baseball players can preserve their speed qualities in season
• How the perspective of running has been tarnished in the recent history of sports performance and how Derek is working to transform the perspective on running
• Why sprinting and lifting are not competing entities and how coaches can manipulate running dosage to elicit training effects regardless of an athlete’s current circumstance
• What Derek’s advice is for athletes just beginning to utilize sprint work as their primary training approach
• How mastering the initial acceleration of sprinting and training short bursts of 5-7 strides can go a long way in the development of an athlete
• Where long distance sprinting (30+ yards) fits into the training of baseball players
• Why 100% effort does not necessary mean 100% performance and how relaxation plays a role in moving at high speeds
• What drills or cues coaches can use to teach being loose and relaxed as opposed to tensed and rigid when performing high-speed movements
• How sprinting distance influences the specific demands of placed on an athlete
• How sprinting can be programmed to address the different demands placed on baseball players by position
• Why running technique and communicating effort of exertion are crucial for maximizing speed work in any population
• What Derek’s coaching philosophy is and how he has learned to adopt a process-oriented approach for simplifying movement for his athletes
• How coaches and educators can maximize the retention of their training interventions and encourage self-awareness and learning that will stick beyond a single training session
• What common flaws Derek sees in baseball players’ running technique
• What technical landmarks Derek is looking for when evaluating an athlete’s running mechanics
• How posture directly influences an individual’s ability to put force into the ground
• What role the arms play in efficient running mechanics and how focusing on the upper extremities can create positive change throughout the entire gate cycle
• How coaching the hands can be used specifically to improve tempo and rhythm in the running motion without overcomplicating an individual’s thought process
• Why a lack of strength is a poor excuse for avoiding speed work with young athletes and how Derek integrates speed-focused, power drills into youth population’s training

You can follow Derek on Twitter at @DerekMHansen and Instagram at @DerekMHansen.

Sponsor Reminder

This episode is brought to you by 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 www.AthleticGreens.com/cressey and claim my special offer today - 20 FREE travel packs (valued at $79) - 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.

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!

We're back with Episode 61 of the Elite Baseball Development Podcast. In this solo episode, I speak about considerations relating to injuries as the baseball world opens up across multiple levels.

A special thanks to this show’s sponsor, Rawlings. We’re ecstatic to announce a new partnership between Rawlings and Cressey Sports Performance, and they’ve set up a 20% off discount code on select products for our listeners. Just head to www.Rawlings.com and enter coupon code CRESSEY20 and you’ll receive 20% off on your order. Certain items are excluded, but there’s still a ton of great baseball training gear to make you a better player and coach.

Sponsor Reminder

This episode is brought to you by Rawlings. If you want to develop faster, and train better, you need the best gear. Well, we have some good news for you. The #1 baseball brand in the world, Rawlings, has partnered with Cressey Sports Performance to make getting the best training gear for you more affordable. Simply head to www.Rawlings.com and use the code, CRESSEY20, at checkout and you’ll save 20% off your order! This offer is only valid on select items, but there’s a ton of great gear you’ll save 20% on that will help you become a better player, so shop now!

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!

We're excited to welcome Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Lou Trivino to this week's podcast. Lou is an awesome story of a minor league breakout player who quickly became an impact player at the MLB level.

A special thanks to this show’s sponsor, Rawlings. We’re ecstatic to announce a new partnership between Rawlings and Cressey Sports Performance, and they’ve set up a 20% off discount code on select products for our listeners. Just head to www.Rawlings.com and enter coupon code CRESSEY20 and you’ll receive 20% off on your order. Certain items are excluded, but there’s still a ton of great baseball training gear to make you a better player and coach.

Show Outline

• How being a three-sport athlete in high school impacted Lou’s early athletic development
• How Lou ended up at Slippery Rock University out of high school
• What transformed Lou from a Division 2 arm into an 11th round draft pick in 2013
• Why Lou was unimpressive initially in pro ball but soon found himself as a transitioned from a starter to a reliever
• How getting more rotational in his sparked a jump from 89 mph to 96 mph overnight
• How Lou’s reason for coiling is rooted in maintaining counter rotation and feeling tension, and what thought helps Lou to coil effectively in his delivery
• How Lou managed the switch from a starter to reliever
• Why Lou has decided to showcase five pitches out of the pen, and what type of flexibility affords him
• Why Lou cut back on throwing his cutter early in his professional career
• How Lou reincorporated the cutter back into his game in 2017, at a higher rate than years prior, and how this pitch has defined his game since
• Why he utilizes his cutter to gauge how in sync his delivery is, and how throwing an effective cutter is impacted by the movements earlier in the chain
• How Lou taught Blake Treinen to throw his cutter and how a quality cutter is less about the perfect grip, and more about the approach behind the pitch and feel for the ball out of the hand
• Why Lou oddly throws his 2-seam faster than his 4-seam fastball and how he has learned to differentiate these pitches
• What Lou’s routine is for getting hot in the pen
• How Lous structure his throwing in-season to remain prepared to throw in-game any day of the week
• What Lou’s recovery process between outings and daily training sessions is
• How Lou attacks strength training in-season without compromising his performance on the field
• Who Lou’s favorite player to watch is

You can follow Lou on Instagram at @LouTrivino.

Sponsor Reminder

This episode is brought to you by Rawlings. If you want to develop faster, and train better, you need the best gear. Well, we have some good news for you. The #1 baseball brand in the world, Rawlings, has partnered with Cressey Sports Performance to make getting the best training gear for you more affordable. Simply head to www.Rawlings.com and use the code, CRESSEY20, at checkout and you’ll save 20% off your order! This offer is only valid on select items, but there’s a ton of great gear you’ll save 20% on that will help you become a better player, so shop now!

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!

We're excited to welcome Nick Winkelman, Head of Athletic Performance & Science for Irish Rugby, to this week's podcast. Nick is extremely well versed in motor learning and how to best get through to athletes, and you'll see why in this interview. It's timely, as his new book, The Language of Coaching, was just released.

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

Show Outline

• Where Nick’s original interest in improving the way coaches coach movement began
• What observations Nick made while watching his athletes compete on NFL Combine Day – and how they transformed his perspective on coaching
• What the lowest hanging fruit is in terms of how coaches can improve their communication with athletes
• Why coaches need to add a column for cues in their program and how coaches plan their language to maximize their influence on athletes
• How motivation influences motor learning and how language can be leveraged to create engagement, investment, and motivation
• What simple tactics coaches can employ to increase buy-in and give individuals an active role in their training experience
• Why coaches need to focus their time and attention on coaching the athlete and not the program
• How understanding purpose – specifically more purposeful coaching – transformed Nick’s coaching philosophy, strategy, and interventions
• Why Nick has learned to watch more reps and talk less, and how coaches can create a safe environment for athletes to explore movement and “fail forward”
• How each word spoken and action communicated to an athlete either builds or erodes the coach-athlete relationship and how professionals can avoid the detriments of overcoaching
• When the right time to communicate with an athlete is and how Nick models the timing of his coaching communication
• What the difference is between short loop and long loop coaching communication
• How understanding the coaching communication loop can give us a better understanding of how to teach, challenge, and progress athletes
• What research states about the impact of cue frequency and cue type on performance and long-term athletic development
• What simple, actionable strategies coaches can use to help concepts stick with athletes, such as recalling clients’ names and celebrating small wins
• How coaches can use analogy, an athlete’s language, and emotional hashtags in the learning process to enhance memory
• How emotions influence our memory and how coaches can tap into emotion to allow their interactions with athletes to be memorable
• How analogy can be specifically leveraged to tie previous learned knowledge into the learning of new abilities
• Why internal cueing isn’t inherently bad and where external and internal cueing fit into an athlete’s learning

You can follow Nick on Twitter at @NickWinkelman - and be sure to check out his awesome new book, The Language of Coaching.

Sponsor Reminder

This episode is brought to you by 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 www.AthleticGreens.com/cressey and claim my special offer today - 20 FREE travel packs (valued at $79) - 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.

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!

We're excited to welcome New York Yankees quality control coach and catching coordinator Tanner Swanson to this week's podcast. A special thanks to this show's sponsor, Athletic Greens. Head to http://www.athleticgreens.com/cressey and you'll receive a free 10-pack of Athletic Greens travel packets with your first order.

Show Outline

• How Tanner evaluates a catcher’s ability and what key competencies he analyzes to draw conclusions on players behind the plate
• How Tanner’s methods for analyzing players and principles for building elite catchers have evolved as he has progressed through his coaching career
• Why the focus with youth catchers should be on developing a general scope of catching-specific abilities and how this general foundation of skills allows for premium skills to be leveraged later on in development
• What new age data says about the importance of receiving skills
• How new metrics on receiving are changing how we define high-level catchers
• How the player evaluation and scouting of catchers is evolving as more information is available on catchers beyond pop times
• Why catchers’ performance is significantly impacted with runners on base and what this insight says about how we currently coach catchers
• Why coaches should consider whether we are teaching catchers to receive out of their best blocking and throwing position, or to block and throw from their best receiving position
• How catchers can find their optimal stance and balance functionality with comfort behind the dish
• How factors stance and pre-pitch glove rhythm influence a player’s ability to receive
• Why new age catching is more than a lazy set-up behind the dish on one knee and how catchers can find their best position to both block and receive
• Why the toughest challenge in catching is getting caught in between pitches and how finding the most effective stance and approaching blocking as an extension of receiving mitigates this challenge
• How the sheer volume and frequency of work for catchers offers a unique opportunity to watch adjustments organically play out and fine tune strategies that are meaningful for individuals
• How coaches can preserve a player’s uniqueness behind the dish while still instilling the nonnegotiable characteristics of being a catcher, such as starting in a good position, mastering timing, working below the ball, and dominating the bottom third of the strike zone
• Why present-day catching demands players have authority over the bottom third of the strike zone and what the increase use of high fastballs and secondary pitchers means for catchers
• How catchers can best prepare to handle the physical and mental demands of their position, arguably one of the most demanding roles in sports
• Why the game of baseball is moving away from catchers with weak bats and how catchers can develop a true edge at their position

You can follow Tanner on Twitter at @TannerSwanson and learn more about him at www.D1Catching.com.

Sponsor Reminder

This episode is brought to you by 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 www.AthleticGreens.com/cressey and claim my special offer today - 20 FREE travel packs (valued at $79) - 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.

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!

We're excited to welcome Seattle Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger to this week's podcast. A special thanks to this show's sponsor, Athletic Greens. Head to http://www.athleticgreens.com/cressey and you'll receive a free 10-pack of Athletic Greens travel packets with your first order.

Show Outline

• How being a multi-sport athlete helped Mitch develop into the outfielder he is today
• Why Mitch chose to attend Cal Poly and how his experience there shaped him into a big leaguer
• How Mitch worked through the ups and downs of his college career and what key competencies he has focused on to take his game to the next level
• Why smart guys often struggle with being analytical at the plate and how Mitch is working to simplify his process and focus on competing in the box above all else
• How stumbling upon hitting coach Bobby Tewksbary’s work inspired Mitch to revamp his swing and what “aha” moment propelled Mitch into a breakout 2016 season
• How being sent down to High A, transforming his swing to hit the ball in the air, and incorporating a leg kick ignited his career and gave him the success necessary to advance through the professional ranks
• What the commonalities between the elite hitting coaches Mitch has worked with
• What inspired Mitch to become such a student of the game, and how his studies influenced his preparation and daily routine for nutrition, rehab, training, and game prep
• Why and how Mitch prioritizes "controlling the controllables"
• Despite the nationwide shut down, why Mitch has been setting aside more time to attune his attention, focus, and mindfulness and what ways he practices mental skills on a daily basis
• How players can leverage the resources they have within their organization to develop their mental skills
• What Mitch’s game day routine is
• How Mitch is often overlooked defensively and what skills are important in order to play great defense
• How Mitch works to hone his defensive capability and what motivates him to want to be a complete player
• What hitters Mitch likes to study and why

You can follow Mitch on Twitter at @M_Hanny17 and on Instagram at @M_Hanny17.

Sponsor Reminder

This episode is brought to you by 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 www.AthleticGreens.com/cressey and claim my special offer today - 20 FREE travel packs (valued at $79) - 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.

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!

We’re excited to welcome Auburn University head coach Butch Thompson to this week’s podcast for a multi-faceted discussion that covers rising through the college coaching ranks; transitioning from a pitching to head coach; managing submarine/sidearm pitchers; analyzing fear; building a winning culture; assisting families through the recruiting process; and reflecting on the unprecedented times in the current baseball world.

This week, in lieu of a sponsor, I just wanted to pass along a friendly reminder that Cressey Sports Performance is now offering online consultations for baseball players who can't make it to our facilities. For more information, click here.

Show Outline

• How Butch transitioned from player to coach and begin his coaching career
• How the idea of range – being a generalist before a specialist – applies to becoming a baseball coach
• What Butch’s biggest mistake was in his early years of coaching
• How Butch managed the transition from pitching coach to head coach
• What non-negotiable characteristics make a great pitcher great
• How spin has always been a noticeable quality in a pitcher’s arsenal, but how advances in science and technology have allowed numerical values to help guide player development
• How Butch defines a coach’s role
• What Butch has done to have success with submarine and sidearm pitchers and how coaches can recruit a different look to add an edge to their team
• How the business of college baseball has changed since Butch first started as a college coach
• What differentiates Butch’s baseball program, Auburn, from other college programs
• What the challenges facing college recruiting coordinators are today
• Where parents and athletes are falling short in their pursuit to get recruited by SEC-caliber schools
• What Butch’s ideal prospect email includes
• How Butch creates unity and manages attitudes in an SEC locker room and why he instills the idea of responsibility over pride
• Why Butch’s work as a head coach now involves more managing than skill development
• Why Butch has been intrigued by fear and what five principles he recommends for minimizing and managing it
• How players can find comfort with the current uncertainty in college baseball currently
• How individuals can look past their fear and find opportunities to advance in tough times

You can follow Butch on Twitter at @3Strikes_AU.

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!

We’re excited to welcome Cressey Sports Performance - Florida associate pitching coordinator and strength and conditioning coach Mark Lowy to this week’s podcast for an in-depth discussion on how we create comprehensive development programs for our professional pitchers. Mark flies under the radar, but he's a tremendous asset to our offerings at CSP-FL and has built a loyal following of elite arms.

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

Show Outline

• How Mark Lowy and Brian Kaplan have expanded analytics in the off-season preparation of pitchers at CSP-FL
• What work the CSP-FL pitching staff is doing to create individualized pitching reports for their pitchers
• How Mark approaches collecting and compiling each pitcher’s pitching report and what makes CSP’s model and application of evaluating pitchers unique
• How Mark’s role at CSP involves the translation of data and biomechanics into simple, understandable recommendations
• Why Mark aims to be subjective before objective and apply a human element to his coaching and analysis of pitchers
• Why you can’t make pitch design or pitch usage recommendations based purely off data
• How understanding a pitcher and their approach influences how data is applied to their game
• What is Mark’s primary focus when developing pitching skills with younger athletes and why building pitchability should evolve from what an athlete’s body allows them to do and what their delivery does for them
• Why coaches need to appreciate pitchers’ unique attributes and avoid coaching towards average
• How a player’s movement capabilities influence their mechanics and why appreciating how a player moves can explain the authenticity of their throwing motion
• What aspects of the delivery impact horizontal and vertical release points in pitchers and how identifying and understanding specific release point trends can lead to the proper mechanical fixes
• What vertical approach angle is and how it impacts how a hitter perceives a pitcher
• When diving into player analytics, what are some numbers that blew Mark’s mind and caught his attention to look into further
• How coaches need to appreciate how a pitcher’s arsenal plays uniquely to hitters
• Why synergy between skill development coaches, strength and conditioning coaches, and sports medicine professionals is differentiated at CSP and how Mark uses his resources to create the best experience for his pitchers
• What high school and college pitchers can do to best prepare themselves for success in baseball

You can follow Mark on Twitter at @Mark_Lowy and on Instagram at @CSPFL_Pitching.

Sponsor Reminder

This episode is brought to you by 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 www.AthleticGreens.com/cressey and claim my special offer today - 10 FREE travel packs (valued at $79) - 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.

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!

We’re excited to welcome renowned hitting instructor Doug Latta to this week's podcast for an awesome discussion on hitting set-up, mechanics, and approach. Doug's one of the best in the business and he shared some tremendous insights in this discussion.

In lieu of a sponsor for this episode, we've got an exciting announcement. With this being our 50th episode, we're running a $50 off sale on my popular resource, Sturdy Shoulder Solutions. You can get the discount through this Sunday at midnight by heading to www.SturdyShoulders.com and entering the coupon code podcast50.

Show Outline

• Why Doug was one of the pioneers for hitting the ball in the air and what resistance he faced as he advocated for this approach
• What the misconceptions are about hitting the ball in the air in the hitting community
• How coaches should reevaluate their methodologies and practices to ensure athletes are practicing swings that “play” in game scenarios
• How the use of data in hitting instruction has brought a more outcome focused training approach
• What hitters can do to stay on top of the revolutionary work in pitch design
• Where the world of hitting is headed and where the industry is falling short for hitters
• How Doug defines the concepts of getting to 50/50 and having balance in a swing, and why these concepts are so important
• Why telling hitters to stay back is terrible advice and how players can create a backside-driven swing without compromising their balance
• What coaching cues and interventions Doug utilizes to change old habits that are hindering a hitter’s ability to swing the stick
• What key characteristics are non-negotiable for having an elite swing
• Why the solution for movement patterns is often in the set-up, and how this principle relates to creating dominant hitters
• What are some of the physical roadblocks Doug encounters in players’ movement profiles that limit their ability to get into the proper positions in the batter’s box
• How a good swing looks consistent from younger levels all the way up to the big leagues
• Why age 13-14 is a critical time to receive good coaching
• Why young hitters should spend less time buying tokens and practicing their swing in a cage and more time mastering their set-up and move into their swing
• What parents of young hitters can do to put their kids in the best position to be successful as a hitter
• How 90% of what you do to become a good hitter doesn’t involve swinging a bat
• What resources and professionals Doug recommends checking out for those interested in taking their knowledge of hitting to the next level

You can follow Doug on Twitter at @LattaDoug and learn more about him at www.BallYard.net.

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!