Here are the counts of a ball game listed in order of urgency:

0 Balls 0 Strikes
First pitch strikes are essential to a successful battery. If a 1st pitch strike is thrown, you have an opportunity to not only have the batter put the ball in play, but to be ahead of the hitter for the entire at-bat.

1 Ball 1 Strike
This count is called a swing count. The pitcher has an opportunity to either get ahead or fall behind the batter. The 1-2 count will dictate many things. In a 1-2 count situation you have a lot of options as a signal caller, but in a 2-1 count you are challenged more.

2 Balls 1 Strike
This is called an action count. Many times you will see movement with runners in a 2-1 count. The reason being 2-1 is a fastball count, because the pitcher needs to throw a strike making it a perfect time for a hit and run or a chance to score easily from first on a double because the runner can get a running start. A pitcher and catcher do not want to fall further behind (3-1) so the count dictates the pitcher’s command pitch which, in most cases, is a fastball. A pitcher that can command a change-up can have some success in a 2-1 count because of the aggressiveness towards fastball swings.

0 Balls 2 Strikes
Once the pitcher gets into an 0-2 count, the hitter is really on the ropes. He must expand his strike zone slightly to protect from striking out. The options in this count are endless. In baseball, lead-off walks and 0-2 hits are deadly to pitchers so one must look at an 0-2 count as an opportunity to put a hitter away. 0-2 counts are a great time to, 1) Bounce breaking balls 2) Elevate fastballs 3) Paint a corner or 4) Move a batter’s feet to set up another pitch. Pitches above the head or way off the plate are wasteful and do not set up anything else. Let the pitcher know to 1) Miss down if trying to bounce a breaking ball 2) Miss up, shoulder high, if trying to elevate 3) Miss away if trying to paint an outside corner and 4) Miss in-off if trying to move the feet inside. All of these scenarios are basically saying keep the ball from the middle of the plate in this count, and if you follow these guidelines the worst that can happen is a 1-2 count in which you still have many options.

1 Ball 2 Strikes
1-2 is an action count even though the pitcher is still ahead, because he doesn’t want to get the count back to even (2-2). Another reason 1-2 is an action count is, being the 4th pitch of the at-bat, the pitcher is on the verge of throwing too many pitches to the hitter. If a starting pitcher averages three to four pitches per at-bat, he will be able to pitch longer into games not only qualifying for wins, but saving the bullpen from having to be over-worked. Most of the best hitters in the game average over four pitches per at-bat. At the All-Star break of 2009, Jason Werth leads the Major Leagues with 4.5 pitcher per at-bat. Kevin Youkilis averages 4.47. Chase Utley averages 4.1 and the Tampa Bay Rays average 3.99 per at-bat as a team.

2 Balls 2 Strikes
2-2 is another swing count. The pitcher can either get the hitter to put the ball in play, get a foul ball, get a strikeout, or the count runs full at 3-2. This is a count where you have to be sure you throw a command pitch. The command pitch is the pitch that one knows he can throw for a strike. The 3-1 count can be put in this same category.

3 Balls 2 Strikes
For obvious reasons this is an important count to throw a strike in. A ball equals a walk. Walks find many different ways to score and outs get the game over with. As a general rule, whatever pitch you threw 2-2 you should throw 3-2. The command pitch to make sure it is a strike. By throwing a strike, you put the pressure on the hitter to make something happen.

Ryan Sienko is founder and CEO of Catch and Throw, a catching instruction, information, and conditioning company. He played professionally for eight seasons with the Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox and in independent baseball where he was an All-Star. In early 2010 the Joliet Jackhammers inducted him as the inaugural player to their Hall of Fame. He is also an associate scout for the Baltimore Orioles. Ryan can be reached at ryan@catchandthrow.com a

• #1 BE EMPATHETIC- Let your athletes know that YOU understand what THEY are feeling and having to go through. Understand where their anger, frustration and disappointment comes from and allow them time to mourn. Do NOT expect them to just “suck it up”, “shake it off and “be strong!” Instead, let them have their feelings without indulging them in self-pity. One of the more powerful things that you can do as a coach is to care enough about your player so that you take the time to really understand what they are feeling and going through. Your genuine empathy and caring will go a long way towards strengthening the coach-athlete relationship and aiding the healing process.
• #2 WORK WITH THEIR SELF-ESTEEM – Understand that the injured athlete has just suffered a major blow to his feelings of self-worth and is therefore feeling quite vulnerable. Let him know in BOTH your actions and words that you still value him as a person, NOT just as an athlete. Do NOT avoid or act disinterested in that individual. Remember, it is YOUR responsibility to reach out to him, not vice versa. You are the “qualified adult and professional. You must act like one. Far too many coaches completely ignore the injured athlete, which ends up truly destroying his already shaky self-esteem. Reach out and help that athlete feel important and valuable.
• #3 GIVE THEM A ROLE ON THE TEAM- Help the injured athlete fight the their feelings of worthlessness and identity confusion by giving them another role on the team. Assign them a job as “assistant coach” or consultant into team functioning. Seek out their opinion and “advice” during practices or competitions. In fact, your injured athlete may have some valuable insight into the inner workings of the team. Actively utilize his “expertise” in this area. Make him feel important and that he still has a vital role to play on the squad.
• #4 DON’T ALLOW THE ATHLETE TO ISOLATE HIMSELF FROM THE TEAM – Insist that the athlete continue to function as an important member/part of the team. Assign other athletes on the squad to monitor the injured athlete’s involvement and to intervene whenever that athlete begins to withdraw and/or isolate him/herself. As mentioned previously, take it upon yourself as the coach to actively reach out to this individual. The coach can have a powerfully positive impact on the injured athlete’s feelings of inclusion. Be there for him and do not allow him to withdraw.
• #5 LET YOUR ATHLETE KNOW THAT YOU CARE – Increase contact and communication with the injured athlete. Call him if he is unable to show up at practice. If he is recovering from surgery, visit him in the hospital. A little of your time at this point in the recovery process will dramatically help ease the emotional and psychological pain that the athlete is experiencing.
• #6 WHEN APPROPRIATE, EXPECT THE ATHLETE TO “PRACTICE” – Whether it’s limited physical or purely mental, let the injured athlete know that you expect her to continue her training, however modified. When possible, assign her a special workout that fits the limitation of her injury. Take an interest in her “training” and regularly check on how it’s going.
• #7 HELP THE ATHLETE GET IN TOUCH WITH OTHER AREAS OF PERSONAL STRENGTH – Help the injured athlete understand that excelling in her sport demands a tremendous amount of success and life skills that she has already developed and that she can learn to transfer to other areas in her life. Clearly spell out for her what these areas are and help her begin to see their application in other arenas.
• #8 IF THE ATHLETE’S DEPRESSION DOES NOT LIFT OR IF THERE ARE WARNING SIGNS IMMEDIATELY REFER HIM/HER TO A PROFESSIONAL- If the athlete is seriously depressed (has lost interest in activities, shows changes in eating and sleeping habits, or is having suicidal thoughts or feelings), it is critically important that you refer him/her for professional counseling. If you are particularly concerned about your athlete, you may need to play a forceful, advocate role where you enlist the parents’ aid in helping their son or daughter get the professional help that is needed. The eating/sleeping warning signs of depression must be taken very seriously.

CONCLUSION

Athletic injury, whether temporary or permanent, is and always will be a painfully disruptive and uncontrollable interruption in an athlete’s life. If you follow some of the guidelines put forth in this article you can speed up the rehab process and lessen the psychological and emotional pain that normally accompanies most athletic injuries. Keep in mind though that the rehab process is more often times than not very slow and painful.

Understand also that when you as an athlete first get back out there on the field or court you will naturally be preoccupied with worries about hurting yourself again. Don’t be alarmed by this. Fear of re-injury is absolutely normal. It’s also pretty common for the recently recovered athlete to find herself mentally replaying the injury over and over again in her mind’s eye. This tendency to focus on “what you are afraid will happen” will distract you from the task at hand and leave you performing physically tight. In this condition, you’re actually far more vulnerable to re-injury! To counteract this natural tendency, discipline yourself to concentrate on what you WANT to have happen, NOT what you’re afraid will. Focus on what you need to do in order to execute perfectly. While this may be far easier said then done in the beginning, discipline yourself to maintain a positive focus on your performance.

Dr. Alan Goldberg is a nationally-known expert in the field of applied sport psychology, Dr. Goldberg works with athletes and teams across all sports at every level, from professional and Olympic caliber right down to junior competitors. He is the author of 25 mental toughness training programs and Director of Competitive Advantage. His website is www.competitivedge.com.

“Most coaches lack either experience or time to prepare, or both. However, if you give a busy volunteer coach a DVD or book, he’s going to think, “this means more work,” and put it on the shelf. If you give him a CoachDeck he really will look through it and use it at practice.”

“CoachDeck is portable. It can be carried in a pocket, making it more likely to be used.”

“A coach who didn’t have time to prepare a practice plan can literally show up straight from work and pull a few cards out of the deck and run a great practice.”

“CoachDeck can be divided up. If a coach has a couple of helpers they can each take a card and break the players into stations, providing more concentrated activity and better training.”

“We only get a percentage of our coaches to attend clinics, and those who do go forget most of what was shown by the time their first practice rolls around. Now our volunteers always have professional coaching support whenever they need it.”

“Kids will benefit from more consistency. A player who has you as the coach this season will have a new coach next year. But if all of the coaches are using the same drills and calling them by the same names year after year, kids won’t have to waste valuable practice time relearning new systems each season.”

“Most of our rookie coaches are scared to death because they don’t know what they’re supposed to do at practice. CoachDeck is a confidence-builder and roadmap to ensure they run a quality practice each time.” “For veteran coaches, CoachDeck is a quick, handy review of many drills they already know and some new ones they’ll love to try.”

“Every drill has a unique, “Make it a game,” feature that turns an ordinary drill into a fun and exciting competition that simulates game-day intensity. Many coaches run drills but don’t turn
them into games that kids love.”

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“Our parents commented that this was the best season of coaching they’d ever had.”

Shouldn’t your league’s coaches have the finest tools available to make this a successful season for all?

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