Winning Baseball: "The Three Run Theory."

There is a theory in Baseball Coaching that is widely known as the "Three Run Theory." 

Basically, what this theory means is if you have a Great Coach, your team begins the game leading 3-0, due to practice preparation, playing the game the right way, teaching proper technique, etc.  If your team has a Good Coach, the game is 0-0, and unfortunately for some, if you have a Bad Coach, your team is already losing the game 3-0 before the first pitch is thrown.

This rule also has a multitude of possibilities due to match-ups.  If a Great Coach meets a Great Coach, 0-0.  But if a Great Coach meets a Bad Coach, 6-0 before the first pitch.  Good Coach, Bad Coach, 3-0.  You get the idea.

Now, how does this theory help?  Think about your own team.  As we all know in baseball, numbers don't lie.  Are you a Good Coach, a Bad Coach, or a Great Coach?  The scoreboard will usually let you know.

 

Winning Baseball: "Slow the Moment Down"

 The other night, I made a trip to the mound to try and calm down one of my younger pitchers.  The game was tied, there were base runners everywhere, and the pressure was mounting.  The umpire was squeezing the zone (no doubt feeling the pressure himself) and the crowd had become a factor.   

As we stood there together on the bump, I told the young righty to take a deep breath, and gave him some of the best advice I ever received as a professional:  "Now, slow the moment down."
 
If you, as a Coach or as a Player, ever get "caught up" in the moment, you will more than likely make a hasty decision based on emotion, rather than rational, you will feel "out of control" and "tight", and as a result, you usually make a mistake. 


By "slowing the moment down", you are able to calm down your heart rate, clear your head, and relax in high pressure situations.  You are able to think, to process information and to make wise decisions.  And more than anything, you are able to go "back to the basics", "throw to the mitt", and ultimately, perform at your maximum ability in the most crucial of situations.

This same advice also works for hitters.  By "slowing the moment down", hitters can see the ball longer, can understand their zone better, and as a result, quiet down the noise that surrounds them on all sides with the game on the line.

So the next time you find yourself having to come through in the clutch as a player, or making a game-changing decision as a coach, remember..."Slow the moment down" and you will no doubt come through and make the right move!
 




 

How to Play Winning Baseball: Divide the Season into Thirds.

In order for your club to "peak" at the right time, you, as a Coach, need to look at the season as a process or an "evolution" of thirds.

  

The first third of your season should be a time where everyone plays, everyone gets an opportunity, and everyone has a chance to show what they can do.  If you have a young kid you would like to try in a certain situation, this is the time to do it.  If you have a lineup in mind, but aren't quite sure whether it will be the right combination or not, this is the time to try it out.  If you need to learn if a kid is better in a starting role or in relief on the mound, again, this is the time to run him out there.  Do not emphasize winning as much in this time period, because it is more important that everyone is given a chance to show what they can (or can't) do (which will serve you well later when you have to explain to "little Johnny's parents" why he doesn't play as much as he used to.) 

The second third is when you, as a Coach, begin "tightening the bolts".  You now know who can run, who can handle the bat, and unfortunately, who is a liability in the lineup and on the field.  Your defense should be set and everyone should understand their position and role in the lineup.  You now know who can throw strikes, who can't, and more importantly, how everyone on the team fits into the plans to make it to the Championship.  Be it as a pinch-runner, someone who bunts well, or as a left handed relief specialist, you have to find a way for everyone to contribute (even if it's just coaching first), and this is the time to do that.


The third third is when winning is emphasized.  Each and every player should know exactly what is expected of them, and your team should be prepared for every situation.  You should know if and when the hit and run will work, who can come through in the clutch, and who can get that much needed strikeout with a runner at third with one out.  You should now be able to relax and enjoy the harvest of your hard work; A championship team who is peaking at the right time and "rolling" into the playoffs ready to win a ring!