By GARY WARD
Special To Collegiate Baseball

STILLWATER, Okla. — As a general rule, people feel more responsible for their actions than they do for their inactions.

If they are going to err at something, we would rather err by failing to act. 

Since we didn’t do anything, we feel less responsible for the outcome that follows. We give our power to control our action to others who will be responsible.

Through decades of coaching, the thing that is the most striking is how seldom players change their minds about their skills. 

They constantly overestimate their skill of execution by rather large margins in the 20-30 percent range.

The coach learns not to give them the answers, but asks them to experiment with some trial and error and through personal ownership…self-direction…self-discovery…bring back their answer after some training. 

Aha! When they come back, they usually have a new awareness of their errors and can voice the changes that they have discovered in training. 

The majority of the players after making changes will want to believe that they had always thought that. 

Coach, merely smile and say, “I appreciate your desire to take ownership…I see your choices…I hear your voice…I see you working.”

The memory system of coaches and players all contain systematic distortions. Like the gambler, the stories told will tend to favor the speaker.

In fact as time passes, the story always grows. Memory becomes much more of a reconstruction of the facts than a reproduction of facts. Hindsight is not 20-20. It is not even close.

Research on memory and hindsight has shown that not only do people exaggerate what they knew at the time of the decision, they actually reconstruct what they knew to improve the narrative.

Double that if they were wrong in the first place. 

We all make many predictions about events in our daily lives as a coach and a player. When revisited in hindsight, we adapt and adjust the full transcript of those predictions to save our self-image as seer and sage.

Training with activity recording in a personal journal is important. It allows a player to have a private record of the specific things that the coach and player desire to accomplish.

It is strongly recommended that that journal be private because it contains our dream missions in life. 

These executive functions of each individual remain with that individual and establishes an honest baseline of factual information whereby the player or coach can have an adult relationship with the truth.

Celebrate your successes and examine your failures in silence and move on.

Rules Of Conversation
People talk at three levels.

The intelligent discuss ideas.

The bored talk about things like the weather or their health.

The insecure talk about others.

These are basic rules of conversation that make up a part of our team culture.

To read more of this article, purchase the Jan. 8, 2021 edition of Collegiate Baseball or subscribe by CLICKING HERE. Gary Ward, former Hall of Fame Head Coach at Oklahoma State, explains how to turn mistakes into gold on the baseball field.

By LOU PAVLOVICH, JR.
Editor/Collegiate Baseball

BOONE, Iowa. — Iowa was the only state that saw high school baseball played for an entire season in 2020. Every other state shut down high school baseball because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The protocol the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) utilized for players and coaches is filled with useful rules for every baseball playing state.

Only a small number of high school baseball players tested positive for COVID-19 during the past summer in Iowa despite thousands of games being played.

The exact number of players who tested positive is not known, but only 22 teams were asked to stop playing for a period of time. That factors in varsity, JV and freshmen teams.

There were no players or coaches hospitalized. Nobody was put on a ventilator, and no deaths took place to coaches or players, according to Todd Tharp, assistant director of the Iowa High School Athletic Association.

He and Jared Chizek of the IHSAA oversaw the protocol plan through the June 15—Aug. 1 season.

Tharp said there are approximately 300 schools in Iowa that play high school baseball, and the teams average 15-20 players per squad. There were approximately 6,000 players and 900 coaches who were being protected with these protocols for every game during the season and playoffs.

“We didn’t have much time to put a protocol together,” said Tharp.

“Initially high school baseball in Iowa was suspended for two months because of COVID-19 concerns. Then on May 20, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced that summer athletic seasons could be conducted in high schools.

“Typically our high schools play a 40-game season. But because of this late start, our schools were only able to play over four weeks. I believe the most any team played in the regular season was 26 games. The majority of our varsity teams were able to play 15-20 games.

“We had roughly 7-10 days to put a protocol together, and that was a difficult challenge to accomplish. We needed to have conference calls with all of our athletics directors, coaches and umpires go to through all of the new protocols and procedures to keep everyone safe.

“With practices starting June 1 and games beginning June 15, we only had a short window of time to put everything together.

“We worked with our baseball advisory committee which resulted in many suggestions. Then we bounced some things off them. We brought in a few athletics directors to talk about their aspect of things. It was a real cumulative effort between our staff at the IHSAA, coaches, ADs and umpires.”

Tharp said what made it extremely difficult to come up with a protocol is that nobody had really come up with one yet that they could tap into.

“We were starting from scratch on what to do. It was definitely uncharted territory for all of us.

“The two things we learned from this whole situation was that you can’t put teenage kids in a bubble,” laughed Tharp.

“We are social creatures. Our coaches did a wonderful job of making sure all of the protocols were adhered to. Each school put kids into pods of 6-8 kids and separated the freshmen coaches from the JV and varsity coaches as well as teams.

“There were some coaches who were working 5-6 hours a day. The varsity would practice. Then they made sure all of the equipment was sanitized. Then the JV team would arrive for a couple of hours. Then equipment would once again be sanitized again.

“After that, the freshman team may have practiced. It made for some long days. I know of one coach who went down because of dehydration. He didn’t bring enough water for himself and was there for 5-6 hours.

“Kids by and large did a great job all summer at the baseball field. But they would still go home to parents who might have been at work all day and were exposed to someone who had COVID-19. They might have gotten in a car with someone who wasn’t a family member and didn’t have a mask on.

“Or they might have went to the pool, beach or whatever.”

Problem Develops
Tharp said one situation took place the IHSAA didn’t anticipate.

“Of the 99 counties in Iowa, each department of public health did their tracing or mitigation a little bit different. There were a lot of inconsistencies between counties. One county might say that if you have one case of COVID-19, they would shut down an entire program. Other counties might be able to do a little more contact tracing. They might just hold out two or three kids.

“Dealing with 99 health departments was a big ordeal for us. That was the biggest thing our staff at the IHSAA had to deal with because their rules and regulations were not consistent.”

To read about the extensive protocols that were put in place by the Iowa H.S. Athletic Association for baseball last summer, purchase the Oct. 2, 2020 edition of Collegiate Baseball or subscribe by CLICKING HERE. The rest of the story explains how balls and equipment were sterilized, what the bus transportation plan was, who took temperatures, what happened when a player tested positive, hand sanitizers allowed, why nobody was allowed in dugouts during practices and why players and coaches after games never shook hands and simply gave a tip of the cap to opponents, plus much more.

By LOU PAVLOVICH, JR.
Editor/Collegiate Baseball

PLANO, Tex. — If you can shut down the running game of opponents, the chances of winning grow substantially.

Nine years ago, Collegiate Baseball did an extensive 2-part series on the best lefthanded first base pickoff move in history devised by Mike Maack, current head coach at Prestonwood Christian Academy (Plano, Tex.)

As a southpaw pitcher in the Minnesota Twins’ minor system in the early 1980s, he picked off 90 runners at first base in three seasons prior to being injured.

Since no league records were kept at the time for actual pickoffs by pitchers, it is not known if this was an all-time record or not by a professional pitcher.

His highest pickoff total in any one game was five during a professional game and five in another contest when he pitched for Tulane during a contest against Florida State.

Maack was previously the pitching coach at the University of Central Florida as his pitchers picked off an NCAA record 287 over five seasons at first base. That is over 50 first base pickoffs a year.

The sad fact is that very little information is ever presented on what righthanded pitchers can do to pick off runners at first base.

For the first time ever, Collegiate Baseball has compiled an in-depth plan to shut down running games by righthanded pitchers courtesy of Mike Maack.

He will go into detail about all aspects of making righthanders weapons in holding runners at first and picking them off instead of being easy gateways for stolen bases.

“We have shut down the running game of opponents with our lefthanders as well as our righthanders,” said Maack.

“Obviously, it is important to have a catcher with a good arm behind the plate as well who will make opponents think twice about stealing.

“The righthander’s goal isn’t necessarily to pick off a runner. His mission is to shut down the running game.

“The bottom line is that righthanders must be willing to work on their pickoff moves every day in practice with eight specific techniques.

“As far as coaching, all you need to devote is 10 minutes a day in practice so they keep refining their moves as they get quicker on moves as the timing between pitchers and infielders becomes sharper.

“For righthanded pitchers, you want runners at first base to extend their lead. This is so different than lefthanded pitchers trying to set runners up. The lefty is trying to get the runner to be at a distance he is comfortable with so the runner doesn’t believe he can be picked off.

“The righthander has to be patient enough that he can make the runner believe he can take one more step. Then the runner gets himself in that danger zone.”

To read more of this article, purchase the Oct. 2, 2020 edition of Collegiate Baseball or subscribe by CLICKING HERE. Mike Maack explains the 8 pickoff moves that are essential to picking off runners at first base. He also delves into moves that will pick runners at second and third.

By LOU PAVLOVICH, JR.
Editor/Collegiate Baseball

TUCSON, Ariz. — For the first time in 27 years, Miami (Fla.) has been crowned the national recruiting champion by Collegiate Baseball.

It marks the Hurricanes’ fourth national recruiting title by Collegiate Baseball with other top-ranked classes in 1993, 1991 and 1988.

It is the first time in 17 years that a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference has landed the top class.

In 15 of the last 20 years, a team from the Southeastern Conference has won top honors. Thirteen SEC teams are ranked in the top 40 this year.

It is the 38^th straight year Collegiate Baseball has evaluated NCAA Division I recruiting classes. Athletes who initially signed letters of intent with a school but then signed a pro contract after being drafted do not count in the overall evaluation.

Only athletes who came to school this fall are factored in.

Miami landed a star-studded class that includes 23 newcomers (15 freshmen, 6 junior college transfers and two 4-year transfers).

“This is a great class,” said Hurricane Recruiting Coordinator Noberto Lopez.

“We had a lot of top end players come to campus and join the program like RHP Victor Mederos (Westminster Christian H.S., Miami, FL), RHP Alejandro Rosario (Miami Christian H.S., Miami, FL), SS Yohandy Morales (Braddock H.S., Miami, FL), C Carlos Perez (Florida Christian H.S., Miami, FL), RHP Jake Smith (State College of Florida), 1B/OF C.J. Kayfus (Palm Beach Central H.S., Wellington, FL), OF Chad Born (Orange Lutheran H.S., CA), RHP/DH Ben Wanger (grad transfer from Univ. of Southern California) and LHP/OF Mike Rosario (St. Johns River State College).

“We feel we brought in an elite class this year that adds several outstanding pitchers and hitters to our program both from high schools and junior colleges as well as two grad transfers who can be key contributors.”

Mederos, Alejandro Rosario, Morales earned high school All-American honors and are high profile pro prospects. They could be high draft picks in the 2023 MLB Draft if they continue to progress.

“We got some guys on campus who are very, very high prospects,” said Miami Head Coach Gino DiMare.

“I mean extremely high prospects who in a few years could be top 10 picks in the draft or top half of the first round.

“That’s saying something about the kind of players you’ve got coming in, and we have a few of those guys. Along with those elite prospects, we got a lot of other very good players who we feel can be impact guys for us.

Wanger, a graduate transfer from the University of Southern California, was a second team All-American by Collegiate Baseball last season. In a season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, he hit .410 with 4 doubles and 8 RBI. He also had 3 saves with 8 strikeouts and posted a 0.00 ERA.

Other quality players the Hurricanes landed include:

• OF C.J. Kayfus (Palm Beach Central H.S., Wellington, FL).
• C Carlos Perez (Florida Christian H.S., Miami, FL).
• RHP Nick Regalado (Columbus H.S., Miami, FL).
• RHP Nate Thomas (St. Thomas Aquinas H.S., Fort Lauderdale, FL).

Collegiate Baseball’s Top 40 Recruiting Classes

1. Miami (Fla.)                                        
2. Vanderbilt
3. Louisiana St.
4. Arizona
5. Florida
6. UCLA                                                               
7. Texas
8. South Carolina
9. Arkansas
10. Arizona St.
11. Mississippi St.
12. Florida St.
13. Texas Christian
14. Texas Tech.
15. Georgia Tech.
16. Georgia
17. North Carolina
18. Mississippi
19. Auburn
20. Virginia
21. Louisville
22. Oklahoma
23. Oklahoma St.
24. Houston
25. Tennessee
26. Stanford
27. Southern California
28. Clemson
29. Washington St.
30. Duke
31. Florida International
32. Wake Forest
33. Missouri
34. San Diego
35. East Carolina
36. Michigan
37. Kentucky
38. Texas A&M
39. Oregon
40. N.C. State

Other Top Recruiting Classes: Oregon St., San Diego St., Baylor, Washington, U.C. Santa Barbara, Connecticut, Minnesota, Iowa, West Virginia, Coastal Carolina, Alabama, Brigham Young, Tulane, Nevada, Long Beach St., Cal. St. Fullerton, Dallas Baptist, U.C. Irvine, South Alabama, Hawaii, Seton Hall, St. John’s, Nebraska, Wichita St., Grand Canyon, Cal Poly, Illinois, Maryland, Notre Dame, Gonzaga, Charlotte, Florida Gulf Coast, Cal. St. Northridge, Stony Brook, Virginia Tech., Southern Mississippi, Louisiana-Lafayette, Pepperdine, Fresno St., Florida Atlantic, Kent St., Nevada-Las Vegas, Indiana, Rice, Ohio St., Michigan St., Troy, Winthrop, Ball St., Central Michigan, Kansas, Central Florida, Sam Houston St., Creighton, California, Bradley, Stetson, Radford, South Florida, New Mexico, Western Kentucky, North Dakota St., Dayton, Butler, Louisiana Tech., Oral Roberts, Rutgers, Tennessee Tech., Utah, Davidson, Northern Kentucky, Samford, Gardner-Webb, Boston College.

To read more about the top 40 NCAA Division I recruiting classes that came to school this fall, purchase the Oct. 2, 2020 edition of Collegiate Baseball or subscribe by CLICKING HERE.

By LOU PAVLOVICH, JR.
Editor/Collegiate Baseball

STILLWATER, Okla. — The goal of every coach is to shut down the opponent’s offense so no runs score.

Rob Walton, one of the elite pitching coaches in college baseball at Oklahoma State, has made this subject his life’s work.

He pitched at Oklahoma State in the mid-1980s and also in the Baltimore Orioles’ organization. Then he became area supervisor for the Cleveland Indians and assistant coach and head coach at Oral Roberts from 1999-2012 before becoming the pitching coach at Oklahoma State for the past eight years.

At every step, he has studied the game as few have to find out how to stop runs from scoring.

His plan of action is intriguing.

“Pitchers not only have to slow down the running game of opponents by keeping runners close to bases and picking them off. But your infielders and outfielders must limit runners to one base at a time.

“Whether the third base coach makes the decision to hold a runner or send him home will be dictated on when the defender in the outfield is touching the ball and where he is. With good scouting information, our infielders can catch more ground balls hit up the middle and in the holes. Then we are more likely to have the third base coach stop the runner at third instead of sending him home.

“One year when I was at Oral Roberts, we had 16 more assists than the year before, and our ERA dropped 1.5 runs. However, the pitching numbers as far as strikeout to walk ratio and hits to innings pitched were virtually identical to the year before.

“Another important factor is the slide step in our system. We use it with a runner on first and also with man on second so they can’t get a big secondary lead. We also slide step with runners on third in case the batter wants to safety squeeze. We are trying to create the longest run possible for their offense.

“If we can create the longest run for a base runner and can close distance from our fielders, we are forcing our opponents to go one base at a time except for obvious extra base hits.

“We also play ‘do or die’ outfield. The slide step for pitchers is incredibly important in our system. With our pick moves, runners are cautious. Many runners at first base are in that 10-11 foot lead area instead of 12 foot. With a slide step by our pitchers, they aren’t really expanding leads.

“It then allows us to have more double plays. On base hits, runners at first trying to go to third and are getting thrown out left and right.

“The second thing that happens is that runners from second base can’t score on a base hit with our outfield positioning. They usually stop at third. We will either throw them out at home or the third base coach will stop them because the outfielder is too close to the plate.

“By slide stepping and playing fast in the outfield, it completely changed our dynamic. Our pitchers really bought into it because they saw runners stop at third often. Then they would strike out the next guy, and the inning was over. They should have given up a run, and they didn’t.”

To read more of this article, purchase the Sept. 4, 2020 edition of Collegiate Baseball by CLICKING HERE.