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Baseball Instruction/Questions Answered by Expert John Priest
| Subject | Date Asked |
| mental block in the batters box durring a game | 5/30/2011 |
| Q: my son is an amazing baseball player. his dream is to play college and major league ball. he is a ... A: Trampas Mental blocks can be very difficult to get over. Repetition is very important and making ... | |
| Buying a Bat | 5/11/2011 |
| Q: My 8 year old needs a new bat, the one he has is too heavy 28"/22 (metal louisville slugger) he is ... A: Kayla, Check with your league first. Bats go by the difference between the length and weight. The ... | |
| 8 year old who loves the games | 5/4/2011 |
| Q: we live in the City of Boston, his dream is to play on a travel team and then on to college ball, ... A: Kevin, Thats great your son is so enthusiastic. As your son gets older baseball will become less ... | |
| a dream | 5/2/2011 |
| Q: I am 21 years old and interested in playing baseball. I never played in little league or in high ... A: Ricardo, Your chances of playing in the MLB are not very good and I am sure you know this. However ... | |
| Symptoms of a Too-Wide Stance | 4/11/2011 |
| Q: My question is: What are the symptoms of a stance that is too wide? Other than lowering the head, ... A: Mickey, In all sports the most important is the base. If you don't have a good base you cannot be ... | |
| Catchers | 4/9/2011 |
| Q: My son is an 11 year old catcher playing in a AA league. What should i expect from him as a ... A: Joshua, You should expect proper form and mechanics with receiving the ball, blocking the ball, ... | |
| Junior Cut From HS Team. Distraught! What to do? Help! | 3/27/2011 |
| Q: Basically, my son was cut from the high school baseball rooster. His goal has been to play college ... A: Sarah, Your sons college plans are not over. Summer baseball and showcase camps are just as ... | |
| Coach Talk | 3/25/2011 |
| Q: As a parent of a 13 year old, how is it best to survive the next 6 years of middle school, high ... A: Nancy, Coaches should do as they say and say what they do. A coach who contradicts himself is not ... | |
| My baseball improving | 3/12/2011 |
| Q: My name is Emanuele, I'm 21 years old and I'm playing college Baseball in a Junior College. In may ... A: Emanuele, Sorry for the late reply to your question. Your swing looks good on video but I never ... | |
| how to get strength throwing arm | 1/30/2011 |
| Q: What is the best exercise for a 7 yrs old kid to get some strength in his trowing arm? We practice 2 ... A: Randy, Don't be concerned about arm strength at this age. You should be concerned with the proper ... | |
| Youth hitting | 1/7/2011 |
| Q: My son, who will turn 11 in March, set his New Years resolution to be a better hitter. He's a very ... A: Jeff, With just a half hour per day your son should just touch the basics such as T work, soft toss, ... | |
| Pitching/control problems | 11/6/2010 |
| Q: I have read much on "Mackey Sasser Syndrome" a.k.a. "the Thing" etc. Recently I have read that it ... A: Tom, I have seen this "syndrome" and I have never seen coaching cure it. I have only seen this ... | |
| balk | 10/28/2010 |
| Q: IF HAVE RUNNER ON FIRST AND 3RD AND THE PITCHER PITCHING FRONT HE CAN MOVE THE HEAD TO 1 AND 3 A: Alfredo, I am a little confused with the wording of your question but I will answer it the best as I ... | |
| My Son wants to play baseball? | 10/27/2010 |
| Q: My 12 year old son has played football for the last 5yrs, and has decided that he wanted to give ... A: Mark, Keep playing catch and, hitting ground and fly balls to him. He needs to get comfortable with ... | |
| baseball conditioning | 10/19/2010 |
| Q: My 16 year old doesn't like to work out, but he thinks he can make the pros. He wants to be a ... A: Jay, Stretching is very important as a baseball player. The ultimate goal of a player is power. ... | |
| Pitching | 9/13/2010 |
| Q: Good morning, I have a son who turned 10 at the end of August. He is left handed and really would ... A: Diane, Sorry for the late reply. You are correct you can damage your arm and never play again, but ... | |
| mental preparation for a college baseball tryout | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: hey i am going to college to play baseball as a catcher/outfielder. i have passed the first round of ... A: Jamal, Do the same thing you did for the first round don't change your preparation. It seems like ... | |
| left handed pitching | 7/15/2010 |
| Q: My grandson is a left handed pitcher who throws a 3/4 side arm that is accurate and fast. His latest ... A: Lonny, The 3/4 arm slot is not side arm as long as the elbow is at the level of his shoulder. I ... | |
| Hitting | 7/3/2010 |
| Q: also is there a quick way to adjust to different speeds of pitching. A: Colby, (My answer below is assuming you are at least in high school) Power is the product of ... | |
| Working out in-season | 6/12/2010 |
| Q: hey John I'm a Varsity Catcher on my baseball team and its my last year playing for my High ... A: Christopher, Looks like a great workout. The best workout I have ever done is the bigger faster ... | |
| purposely dropped ball | 6/7/2010 |
| Q: Let's say there's a runner on first with no outs. A line drive is hit to the shortstop and you can ... A: Heather, This is called the Infield Fly Rule. The batter is out and runners can advance at their ... | |
| Teaching a 5 year old to bat | 5/27/2010 |
| Q: My son is 5 years old. My husband and I signed him up for baseball thru our city's recreation ... A: Claire, Not sure what the ages are for baseball with your recreation dept, but 5 year olds are ... | |
| sliding at home plate | 5/18/2010 |
| Q: My son plays Dixie Youth Baseball. He was running home and the ball was caught by the catcher who ... A: Karen, Yes you do have to slide to avoid contact, however if the catcher is in the baseline and as a ... | |
| pitchers mound | 5/15/2010 |
| Q: what is the box like thing just behind and to the right of the pitchers mound? A: Lee, If you can be a little more specific I could help a little better. The only thing that is ... | |
| Balks | 5/13/2010 |
| Q: With no runner on 3rd, can a pitcher make a legal pick move to 2nd base but not throw to 2nd but ... A: Will, I am not 100% sure, I have never been an umpire and I definitely don't know all the rules in ... | |
| Baserunning/Homerun | 5/9/2010 |
| Q: Varsity baseball- With a runner on first and one out, the batter hits a ball over the fence for an ... A: Angel, I believe that the hitter is out as soon as he passes the runner ahead of him. The passed ... | |
| arm exercise | 5/8/2010 |
| Q: i am currently 15 years old about to turn 16 and i play out field although i do not have the best ... A: Jeff, The best program for strength and flexibility is the Bigger, Faster, Stronger program. Check ... | |
| Dropped Third Strike | 5/4/2010 |
| Q: When the are less than two outs and first base is occupied, batters runs to first base. First base ... A: Al, If the fielder only tagged the base than the runner is safe. Since the runner running to first ... | |
| Hitting Mechanics of my 9 year old | 5/3/2010 |
| Q: Good morning. My 9 year old son is experiencing an hitting issue that I can't for the life of me ... A: Chris, I have seen this and it is extremely hard to fix. your son needs to learn to relax his arms ... | |
| arm exercise | 5/2/2010 |
| Q: i am currently 15 years old about to turn 16 and i play out field although i do not have the best ... A: Jeff, Long toss is the best. Also basic weight training will help just make sure you maintain and ... | |
| 8 year old being repeatedly violent during games | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: I've been volunteering in Little League for about 28 years. I'm currently coaching my older son's ... A: David, Sorry for the late reply, I hope this issue is resolved by now. It is amazing that something ... | |
| Arm strength | 4/26/2010 |
| Q: hey John I'm a Varsity Catcher on my baseball team and its my last year playing for my High ... A: Christopher, Long toss if the best for strengthening your arm. Weight training is also good ... | |
| Youth Pitcher vs Catcher | 4/20/2010 |
| Q: My son is 8 and is athletic, a good listener, and learns quickly. He is currently playing catcher ... A: Chris, The catchers arm motion and pitchers arm motion is very different. Catchers need a short and ... | |
| Wood Bats | 4/19/2010 |
| Q: I'm playing in a wood bat league for the first time. I'm interested in learning about the different ... A: Kevin, The 110, 271, and 243 models are the most popular and most widely used. These model numbers ... | |
| Pitching | 4/13/2010 |
| Q: Hey John, My son has a good speed for a 12 year old, but tends to constantly pitch high. How can I ... A: Rudy, Sorry for the late reply. Watch your sons follow through and release point. If you finish ... | |
| Offspeed Youth Pitchers | 3/31/2010 |
| Q: How seriously do high school and college coaches look at off speed pitchers? How do you get them to ... A: accuracy, pitch types, stats, and making outs. Speed always is a turn on for coaches but it all ... | |
| player rights? | 3/30/2010 |
| Q: Our local little league is supposed to be made up of 5 teams, divided on the map, all in the same ... A: Anna, You can contact the league commissioner. If this is a town league it may be the park and rec ... | |
| baseball bats | 3/25/2010 |
| Q: my baseball season is about to start. and i need a new bat and i don't know witch one to get, ive ... A: Gary, These bats are about the same. The only difference I have seen in them is that the demarini ... | |
| Catchers Arm | 3/24/2010 |
| Q: Sir, My 16 yr old son has a POP time of 2.10, his coach wants it at/or below 2.00 by his senior year ... A: To strengthen your arm it is a combination of long toss, lifting weights, and flexibility. I stress ... | |
| Throwing the ball | 3/15/2010 |
| Q: My son is not the greatest athlete but has the biggest heart and loves the game of Baseball. He has ... A: Amir, Throwing a baseball is something that has to be done repetitive. You should have your son get ... | |
| wooden bat recomemdations | 3/13/2010 |
| Q: Grand son 14 years old, 5"10' slender build, 150 lbs, I am trying to find the correct wooden bat for ... A: Jim, A 33 inch bat would be a good size for your grandson. Most wood bats are a -2 or -3 oz. drop. ... | |
| runner caught running home | 3/4/2010 |
| Q: What should a runner do at the 3rd (with less than 2 outs) if attempting to run home he gets caught ... A: Neil, I don't think there is a technique to not get tagged out other than being athletic and being ... | |
| Hitting a Baseball | 2/26/2010 |
| Q: Probably shouldn't get too hung up on it, but how come several coaches and websites and instructors ... A: Kevin, When I instruct a player I always use the bottom hand as power and the top hand as a guide or ... | |
| Bad Throwing Motion | 2/21/2010 |
| Q: My son has always had a bad throwing motion. He reaches back but he stops near the ear and just ... A: Melissa, Any question regarding pitching I always refer to http://www.thecompletepitcher.com. This ... | |
| bat size | 2/17/2010 |
| Q: My son plays high school baseball, he's 5'9 170lbs, and I'm wondering what size bat he should use. ... A: Clay, Based on height and weight the 32/29 and/or the 33/30 would be The right size(s) for your son. ... | |
| Size of bat for a seven year old | 2/16/2010 |
| Q: My son is 7 years old and starting coach pitch. What length and weight of bat should he use at this ... A: Sandy, I would think a 26 to 28 inch bat would be a good size. Age is a good starting point for ... | |
| Little League draft | 1/25/2010 |
| Q: I know that if you are a coach, your son plays on your team. My question is, if you coach and you ... A: Shawn, That's a good question but I would refer to the league commissioner. I am not sure if there ... | |
| Timely Hitting Problems | 1/3/2010 |
| Q: Hey John. My name is Brandon, I'm 16, and have been playing ball for nine years. I love the sport ... A: Brandon, I doesn't seem to be a timing issue but more of a confidence issue. If you excel at the ... | |
| Pitch Speed | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: My name is Luke and I'm a freshman in high school. I'm about 5'10 175 and am pushing it in there ... A: Luke, I cannot guess what you will be throwing by your senior year, there are too many variables. I ... | |
| Making a team | 10/31/2009 |
| Q: my son tried out for the 14 boy's travel baseball team. He made the C team with only 10 players. ... A: Judith, I don't think that you would be damaging your sons reputation. However I would be concerned ... | |
| age | 10/27/2009 |
| Q: My son was born sept, 28, 1998. In the upcoming year what age group would he have to play. Someone ... A: Stephen, I am sorry for being so late on the answer. I never got an email notification about the ... | |
| 1st Base positioning | 9/20/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could clarify where the first baseman should be playing when there is no ... A: Benny, With no runners on base (no matter how may outs) or if there is 2 outs play deep to give ... | |
| throwing a knuckle ball | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: because i can only throw about 75 mph in high school. i have been on a couple sites and have learned ... A: Mike, Sorry I am not in any way an expert on the knuckle ball. I can throw one but I think its ... | |
| baseball throw speed | 8/28/2009 |
| Q: I am a male aged 16 and weigh 140 lbs. I just had a quick question to ask you regarding my throwing ... A: Rolly, I would say if you look into averages you are below average for your age with a max throw of ... | |
| bat speed | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: do you know of any drills to increase bat speed and help with the swing having a complete follow ... A: Power is the product of strength and speed. Strength is the product of physical strength (slow ... | |
| Fundamentals kids 6-8 yo | 8/2/2009 |
| Q: My son (6 yo) really loves baseball and we have been practacing alot. At this age is there something ... A: Tony, At your sons age I would make sure he has fun, learns the basics, and to remove any fear he ... | |
| bat speed and power | 8/1/2009 |
| Q: i am a sixteen year old baseball player looking to find a little more power in my swing. over the ... A: John, Sorry for the late reply. Power is the product of strength and speed. Strength is the ... | |
| Training | 7/3/2009 |
| Q: Hey John my question is regarding training for pitchers. can you please tell me what kindof training ... A: Jose, Sorry for the late reply. I recommend everyone to check out www.biggerfasterstronger.com. ... | |
| pinch hitter/pitcher | 6/10/2009 |
| Q: say for instance the home pitcher just finished the top half of the 7th inning down 2-3, and with ... A: David, I would check with you leagues rules first. The Official Rules of MLB (Rule 10.17 b) states ... | |
| Baseball home run | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: In major league baseball, if an outfielder catches a fair fly ball and falls over the outfield ... A: Devin, I looked through the MLB rule book and I can't find anything. I am sorry I cannot give you ... | |
| Late Swing | 6/8/2009 |
| Q: My Son is 11 years old and he has always been a pretty good hitter, this year he has seen more hard ... A: Steve, This is no problem and it is a perfect time for this to happen. Having a late swing is ... | |
| pitching from the stretch | 6/7/2009 |
| Q: Mr. Priest In L/L Majors I believe that the player has progressed far enough that coaches/umpires ... A: Joseph, I believe a pitcher can receive their sign and become set before the hitter is ready. The ... | |
| pick-off to 2nd (indside move) | 6/6/2009 |
| Q: My question is about the inside move to second base. It was my understanding that as long as the kid ... A: Rob, In my opinion some balks can come down to the opinion of the umpire. If the umpire makes the ... | |
| Catcher's Mitts | 6/1/2009 |
| Q: My son is a senior in HS and currently uses a Nokona catchers mitt, and the mitt has formed a bump ... A: Bob, I can say this because I don't work for Nokona anymore but I my opinion they have improved but ... | |
| Basball Scoring Scenario | 5/30/2009 |
| Q: Bases Loaded. Two Outs. Infield pop fly w/o fly rule in effect. Ball is dropped by SS. Batter ... A: Patrick, I believe both runs count because they crossed the plate before the third out. However I ... | |
| balks | 5/29/2009 |
| Q: He pitches almost every game for our USSSA team and pitches every game for our league. My question ... A: Sandy, Below is the USSSA rule for touching your mouth or lips while on the mound. I don't see ... | |
| Catchers equipment | 5/27/2009 |
| Q: I am 13 and i wanted to try the helmet all the pros use the skull caps w/ a face mask as you ... A: Kevin, I am sorry I cannot answer this question. I have tried to get an answer for you during the ... | |
| looking at ball hit | 5/10/2009 |
| Q: I have a question that probably has no right or wrong answer,just want to know what you would ... A: Jim, I have never told someone not to look, except like you said, if they admire the ball. The ... | |
| baseball instructions | 5/9/2009 |
| Q: I umpire little league 9 and 10 year olds and have a lot of kids jumping out of the box during the ... A: Michael, If the batter is stepping out of the batters box without getting time called then it is an ... | |
| pickoff attempt by catcher | 5/7/2009 |
| Q: If a catcher attempts a pickoff throw to third base, and batter is still in batters box and catcher ... A: Bob, According to MLB rule 6.06(c): "A batter is out for illegal action when- he interferes with the ... | |
| win requirement | 5/4/2009 |
| Q: It was an away game, and our starting pitcher had pitched 7 complete innings. after 7 innings we ... A: Ryan, I would check with you leagues rules first. The Official Rules of MLB (Rule 10.17 b) states ... | |
| Throwing | 4/7/2009 |
| Q: I play ball at my high school and i play infield but everyone tells me that i throw wrong but it ... A: Marquez, The proper arm motion also includes the proper foot work, and rotation. Speaking only of ... | |
| Too late for baseball? | 4/5/2009 |
| Q: I'm Raymond. I'm 14 years old, and I am extremely weak, and have never even touched a baseball ... A: Raymond, It is never too late to try baseball. It may be too late to tryout for your high school ... | |
| help me | 3/26/2009 |
| Q: i can hit it ok but i need to hit higher and further so can you please help me A: Jordan, Like I said in my previous answer hitting has many details. I could write about ... | |
| Playing Down | 3/24/2009 |
| Q: My son is 12, he's in the 7th grade and a pitcher for his Middle School, 6th,7th & 8th grade. They ... A: Diana, If your son plays on the 40-60 field this year it will be the last. He will never play on ... | |
| fast pitch softball hitting | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: my daughter who is 13 and hits the ball very well. presently steps to about 32inches half her ... A: Aaron, I have never heard a hitting coach tell a player to not step. There should be some type ... | |
| pitching adjustments | 3/22/2009 |
| Q: My son is 12 and in the 7th grade, he's a pitcher for Middle School, 6,7, & 8 grade. (60-90 field). ... A: Diana, If your son plays on the 40-60 field this year it will be the last. He will never play on ... | |
| Arm slot | 3/21/2009 |
| Q: Hey John my question is regarding a pitchers arm slot, I throw from a Low 3/4 arm slot and my elbow ... A: Jose, Every player I have see that drops their elbow usually develops some kind of arm pain. It is ... | |
| My son didn't make high school baseball team because he plays for the wrong AAU team. | 3/20/2009 |
| Q: My 10th grade son just tried out and didn't make his high school baseball team for the second time. ... A: Rob, My first response is to focus on the summer/fall baseball and forget about the high school ... | |
| Tryout turndown | 3/12/2009 |
| Q: My son, age 16 and a sophomore, recently tried out for the JV high school team. He made the first ... A: Julie, The sophomore year is the hardest year to make the team and it is also one of the least ... | |
| start the swing | 3/6/2009 |
| Q: my boy plays high school baseball,he bats lefthanded. my question is how do i stop him from pulling ... A: James, Sounds like your son hits more with his upper body similar to that of a linear style. The ... | |
| Need to find a coach | 3/5/2009 |
| Q: Mr. Priest: You are the best. Your advice is always SPOT ON. I live in Southern California (91501), ... A: Jose, Sorry for the late reply, it has been a very busy week. This is hard because I live in the ... | |
| Tryout Cuts | 3/2/2009 |
| Q: I want to know how to go about this: I tried out for my school baseball team, and I got cut. I'm a ... A: Kenny, To add to the last answer. The sophomore year is the hardest year to make the team. You ... | |
| Tryout Cuts | 3/1/2009 |
| Q: I want to know how to go about this: I tried out for my school baseball team, and I got cut. I'm a ... A: Kenny, Don't make this harder than it is. Just ask the coach why you didn't make the team. Also ... | |
| Getting training and exposure to play pro baseball | 2/22/2009 |
| Q: Im 23 years old and i havnt played baseball since 10th grade.im talented and in trainable shape.i ... A: Merrell, If you are looking to play in college first (which would be a very good idea) you ... | |
| pitching | 2/21/2009 |
| Q: im 6'1, 180 and im 19 yrs old. I throw about 85 now and wanted to know how i can gain velocity. Im ... A: Chris, To gain velocity there are a couple of things you can do. Number one is to make sure you ... | |
| Fielding grounders. | 2/20/2009 |
| Q: First thanks for your time. I found this site and am grateful people can find spare time to help. ... A: David, I also agree, if playing shortstop and you glove is touching the ground you may have to come ... | |
| Fielding grounders. | 2/19/2009 |
| Q: First thanks for your time. I found this site and am grateful people can find spare time to help. ... A: David, There are many ways to lead up to a ground ball. Some coaches only want their players to do ... | |
| Best Bats | 2/13/2009 |
| Q: It's Jacob again. My baseball season is starting up and I have a DeMarini Vexxum. I was wondering ... A: Jacob, I have not used a metal bat in many years, I have been using wood. The high school and ... | |
| A school project | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: I'm doing a rearsh paper on how to make aluminum baseball bats. I need to know if different brands ... A: Jacob, Yes, bats from different companies are made different. Metal bats vary from company to ... | |
| Strength Training | 2/8/2009 |
| Q: I am the father of a 12 year old pitcher. He has pitched for 3 seasons. Outside of the throwing ... A: Ray, I wouldn't worry about weight training drills yet. Your son is young and still growing. You ... | |
| Throwing | 2/1/2009 |
| Q: My son is 12 yrs old and he is on the 7th & 8th grade school team. He has always played ss, 2nd, and ... A: Paula, It may be nerves or bad habits in front of the older players and coach. Your son may be ... | |
| Baseball Practice Guide | 1/17/2009 |
| Q: I coach an 11U baseball team in Michigan. I believe in being well prepared/organized for practices ... A: Dave, The best book that I have ever used has been Ron Polks Baseball Playbook. My book was from my ... | |
| hitting | 1/14/2009 |
| Q: Hey John, My son is 11 yrs. old. He seems to have multiple problems with his hitting. I've never ... A: Scott, Question 1: Make sure his front foot stays closed with a firm front side and his head ... | |
| arm strength | 1/2/2009 |
| Q: I'm a sophomore in high school and play outfield. Our season starts some time in February. I am ... A: Ryan, These drills are lead-up drills often used by pitchers to practice their arm motion and angle. ... | |
| arm strength | 12/29/2008 |
| Q: I'm a sophomore in high school and play outfield. Our season starts some time in February. I am ... A: Ryan, Depending on where you are from will depend on what you can do at this time. If you live in ... | |
| batting help | 12/2/2008 |
| Q: alright with my batting stance i have my arms full extended but loose i stand far enough that i get ... A: Chris, Look at the picture on my profile to this web site. this is the proper hand positioning when ... | |
| bat speed | 11/23/2008 |
| Q: I'm Logan and I'm wondering how I can improve my bat speed this off season? I live in Wisconsin. A: Logan, Your needs to start (if not already) with a weight training program that can be ... | |
| Tips | 11/21/2008 |
| Q: hey John ima catcher for my high school baseball team and ima junior and i was wondering how can i ... A: Chris, Keep practicing your throw. Accuracy comes from repetition and and getting your release ... | |
| What size baseball bat to use. | 11/16/2008 |
| Q: My son is 10 yrs old and weighs about 65 lbs. He wants a new baseball bat, but how can I tell what ... A: Sean, There are arguments to both using heavier and lighter bats. Most importantly is getting ... | |
| Out of Bounds Question | 11/11/2008 |
| Q: I played in a game where a ground ball hit to the 3rd baseman went off his leg and into the dugout. ... A: Mike, The runners should have advance two bases according to the MLB rules. Your league may have ... | |
| hitting | 11/10/2008 |
| Q: I see you answered one fathers question abouting hitting. My son took lessons from a batting coach ... A: John, You will see that every coach has their own view of how to hit a baseball and if you ... | |
| SUBMARINE PITCH | 11/3/2008 |
| Q: IF THE BALL HITS THE GROUND BEFORE IT PASSES THE HITTER AND BOUNCES, IS IT A STRIKE,BALL,OR WHAT? ... A: Joe, If the ball hits the ground before it passes the hitter it is a ball unless the hitter swings ... | |
| why would tape be needed it a game | 10/30/2008 |
| Q: all the time i see MLB players with tape on there fingers and i dont fully understand why they have ... A: Brandon, The tape that you see is for support. You may see wrists and thumbs taped the most and its ... | |
| Decisions before season | 10/28/2008 |
| Q: How can a coach be making decisions and relaying those to players before try-outs? Our coach is ... A: Carolyn, Unfortunately this does happen but usually not often. You could turn the coach in for ... | |
| pitching | 10/27/2008 |
| Q: I asked a Q to John Mc this year at th beginning of the year about breaking pitches im 14 have ok ... A: Taylor, I mainly deal with hitters but arm speed and bat speed are closely related. To get ... | |
| submarine pitching | 10/26/2008 |
| Q: Are there any advantages to pitching submarine, if any? And how do you go about to improve on ... A: Nick, I don't know anything about submarine pitching. I would think that one advantage is that not ... | |
| Pitching | 10/24/2008 |
| Q: I would like to know more about a pitch that I have seen at the 11 and 12 year old level. Some boys ... A: Ed, I teach this pitch to some little league players. If a curveball is thrown correctly you will ... | |
| outside hitting | 10/23/2008 |
| Q: My son is hitting only groundballs and seems to get stung way to often. He does not strikeout and ... A: Lee, If he is getting stung on the outside pitches then he is trying to pull all pitches in all ... | |
| outside hitting | 10/19/2008 |
| Q: My son is hitting only groundballs and seems to get stung way to often. He does not strikeout and ... A: Lee, Your son may be getting too comfortable with the hitting machines, start pitching to him ... | |
| Rotator Cuff Tendonitis | 9/27/2008 |
| Q: Hey Coach Priest- I'm Joey Tavana and I'm a 17 year old senior from Connecticut. I am just under ... A: Joey, I am also from Connecticut. I grew up in Cheshire, CT and lived their until 2003. I played ... | |
| Baseball - Transition from Youth Baseball to High School | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: Mr. Priest, Like oh so many other kids, my son has played baseball since he was 4 and this is his ... A: Steven, Usually a high school tryout (at least the ones I have ran) will last for two weeks. ... | |
| Instruction | 9/4/2008 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could suggest anyone in upstate ny who could help me advance my game for ... A: Anthony, For the past couple of days I was trying to find out if any of my contacts were in the ... | |
| Baseball Pitching Accuracy | 8/28/2008 |
| Q: I am a graduate student and for my thesis I am studying the effects of a proper warm-up on pitching ... A: Ian, If I understand your experiment then you would have a control group of pitchers, and a certain ... | |
| positioning of 3rd baseman | 8/18/2008 |
| Q: Co-ed softball. Runner on first. Ball is hit to right field, runner rounds second and heads for ... A: Andrew, Since the runner clearly beat the throw the third baseman could have come off the bag. ... | |
| offseason | 8/15/2008 |
| Q: I am a catcher and i would like to condition for high school. I am also very slow and i would really ... A: Billy, Any drill that involves quick feet will help. A speed ladder is a great investment. ... | |
| side arm pitching | 8/11/2008 |
| Q: My daughter is 10yrs old. She plays on a travel fast pitch baseball with the boys. She is a very ... A: Stacy, I don't think it is important for her to change her pitching style. If she is going to ... | |
| pitching and stuff | 8/10/2008 |
| Q: In my league next year wee can trow curve alls. but i dont want to screw my armup. is there any ... A: Jordan, The most important and hardest pitch to learn to throw effectively is the change-up. Even ... | |
| Changing arm slot | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: Two year ago, I was playing entirely infield, my coaches changed my arm slot to about 75. Now they ... A: David, The tail can come from your grip, your release, or not staying on top of the ball. If you ... | |
| Changing arm slot | 8/5/2008 |
| Q: Two year ago, I was playing entirely infield, my coaches changed my arm slot to about 75. Now they ... A: David, I don't believe you have to change your arm slot because of a position change. the outfield ... | |
| strengthing my arm | 8/2/2008 |
| Q: I am a 15 year old junior playing left field and i want to know the best way possible to play long ... A: Jordan, In the off season you shout long toss 2-3 times per week with no more than 50 throws per ... | |
| pitching | 7/30/2008 |
| Q: does practice pitching with a rubber ball help your pitching command or does it just throw you off. ... A: Chris, I would recommend pitching a real baseball when you can. The rubber ball may not be the ... | |
| baseball swing | 7/28/2008 |
| Q: Hellp John, I was just wondering is a big leg lift in your swing good because ive noticed ive been ... A: Hayden, It doesn't matter if you take a big or small step. The step can be either as long as you ... | |
| Throwing | 7/26/2008 |
| Q: I am 14 and last fall was starting SS, and never made a bad throw, but when I returned this season ... A: Jake, Throwing everyday may not be what you need to fix the problem, it may add more stress and make ... | |
| skull caps? | 7/21/2008 |
| Q: what levels of play are skull caps allowed are they allowed in AAU,ECTB and little league? A: Emily, I assume you are asking about the two piece catchers mask when you say skull caps. I believe ... | |
| Pitching Rules | 7/18/2008 |
| Q: This year our league has had alot of arguments over rules. Tonight was no exception. In the 2nd ... A: Laura, I am not sure if this is an official little league rule. Many leagues put in rules ... | |
| catching drills | 7/15/2008 |
| Q: I'm an 11 year old girl playing AAU baseball and i really want to be the starting catcher for my ... A: Emily, Any drill that involves quick feet will help. A speed ladder is a great investment. ... | |
| gaining speed | 7/14/2008 |
| Q: I am 13 years old, and last year I blew out my arm? Now this year, the fastest I can throw the the ... A: Anthony, Definitely do some long toss throwing. Talk to you pitching coach for the correct ... | |
| Bratt Bats | 7/14/2008 |
| Q: Could you recommend specific drills for the bratt bat? Thank you A: Brian, The bratt's bat can be done with any drill. I usually use it on the batting T, soft ... | |
| Throwing Error or Catching Error | 7/13/2008 |
| Q: If an infielder (15-16 y-old's) picks-up a ground ball at shortstop which is otherwise a regular ... A: Mike, I am really not sure on the ruling of this, I would think that it is more of a judgement call ... | |
| Coaching/training | 7/11/2008 |
| Q: John- I have been coaching baseball for the past 7 years and next year look forward to coaching a ... A: Matt, One of the greatest baseball books is Ron Polk's baseball handbook. This book is great for ... | |
| gaining speed | 7/10/2008 |
| Q: I am 13 years old, and last year I blew out my arm? Now this year, the fastest I can throw the the ... A: Anthony, Before trying to gain speed make sure you are 100% healed from your injury. Usually ... | |
| the baseball swing | 7/9/2008 |
| Q: what is the deffence betreen slapping and driveng the baseball? A: James, Sorry for the late reply, my vacation had lasted longer than expected. A slap hitter is ... | |
| Pitching - velocity now? | 6/24/2008 |
| Q: My 11 yo son pitches for his AAU team. He has great movement on his ball, and low ERA - forces the ... A: Jack, You and your son shouldn't need to be concerned at this point with velocity. Your son is only ... | |
| Hitting Mechanics | 6/22/2008 |
| Q: How do we repair a flaw. My daughter who is 20 plays fastpitch softball. She is an excellent ... A: Deby, You are correct, she is loosing power and bat speed by only using the arms and it does make ... | |
| fix me | 6/21/2008 |
| Q: I have a long swing and cant fix it. my hands go too far back and my barrel wraps behind my head. ... A: Joe, Check where your hands are when you step. You are probably making too much separation of your ... | |
| Grounding out | 6/21/2008 |
| Q: Lately I have been grounding out to third base. My last 20 atbats I have 4 Strike Outs 7 walks, and ... A: Shawn, Work on hitting the ball to the opposite side. Stay inside the ball and make sure you let it ... | |
| home plate sliding | 6/19/2008 |
| Q: if a player is tripped up 2 ft from homebase, and ends up on his stomach, is he allowed to tag up by ... A: Susan, My opinion would depend on the level of play you are referring to. If it is older little ... | |
| home plate sliding | 6/18/2008 |
| Q: In a minor league game, we had a girl overrun home plate while the ball was in the box. Is it true ... A: Susan, You league may have a slide to avoid contact rule. This rule means that any close play the ... | |
| Playing In The Majors | 6/17/2008 |
| Q: I'm a Freshmen in high school and I was wondering what I have to do to be Major League material. A: Marcus, What scout look for are the five tools. The five tools are (1)hit for power, (2)hit for ... | |
| pitching instruction | 6/16/2008 |
| Q: I live in Napa,ca. I have a 14yr.old son that played jv high school ball. He is a right handed ... A: David, I usually don't like to give instructors names without meeting the instructor. This is ... | |
| getting short | 6/13/2008 |
| Q: i am a very stalky player, about 5'8 and all butt and thighs. i just completed my first college ... A: Cameron, First check your mechanics, make sure you have rotational mechanics and allowing your hips ... | |
| BALL 4 on batter | 6/10/2008 |
| Q: Batter at plate had a 3 and 2 count.A runner at second base with one out.On the next pitch to the ... A: Joe, Yes, you are correct the runner should be able to go to third base on a passed ball. I would ... | |
| 8U batting - pulling everything | 6/9/2008 |
| Q: My son is 8 and is a very good hitter for his age group, with lots of power. But recently he has ... A: Luke, Try to get your son to transfer the tee to soft toss, soft toss to batting practice, batting ... | |
| BALL 4 on batter | 6/9/2008 |
| Q: Batter at plate had a 3 and 2 count.A runner at second base with one out.On the next pitch to the ... A: Joe, Depending on the league the runner may be able to take 3rd base. Some lower level little ... | |
| 8U batting - pulling everything | 6/7/2008 |
| Q: My son is 8 and is a very good hitter for his age group, with lots of power. But recently he has ... A: Luke, My favorite drill is off the batting tee. The tee is very basic but it can cure any ... | |
| Baserunning | 6/6/2008 |
| Q: Situation: There is one out or no outs and a runner at second and third. The batter misses a suicide ... A: Jerry, I would keep the runner at second base. Depending on the level of play you are talking ... | |
| Igloo cooler refresher | 6/6/2008 |
| Q: I had a coach that during the summer he would provide our team with a cooler clearly marked not to ... A: Brian, I have heard of this and have tried it. The water, ice, and mint provide a cooling ... | |
| Hitting - rotation of hips | 6/5/2008 |
| Q: John, My son is a 10 year old, and is a pretty consistent hitter. However, there are many times ... A: Jay, Pivoting both feet will make the hips open up more, but it will also pull your head and ... | |
| Hitting out in front | 6/5/2008 |
| Q: My son plays high level 13U travel baseball and has always been an excellent hitter. However, he has ... A: Joe, Most importantly is hitting the ball to the opposite side. If your son is pulling the 70+ ... | |
| Getting a short swing | 6/4/2008 |
| Q: my question is about how to make my swing short and compacted...my whole like my swing has been long ... A: Josh, First, you should video your game swings vs. batting practice swings. If you are able to ... | |
| Catching | 6/1/2008 |
| Q: I was wanting to know if it is ok to stagger your feet whenever a runner is a threat to steal, why ... A: Aaron, With your feet staggered your shoulders will also stagger. You still want to be ... | |
| Catching | 5/31/2008 |
| Q: I was wanting to know if it is ok to stagger your feet whenever a runner is a threat to steal, why ... A: Aaron, When a runner is on base and you go into the secondary receiving position the feet ... | |
| small but talented | 5/28/2008 |
| Q: My son is a great ball player, but he is small. He is 10 yrs old and only ways 55lbs. I have a few ... A: Gina, Sorry for the late reply Nokona has been updating their email server and since then I ... | |
| catching &feilding | 5/26/2008 |
| Q: my son is 9 and has played 2 yrs. t-ball, 1 yr.machine pitch then moved up to pony ... A: Stanley, One thing that may work is getting a safety ball. You may have seen these balls ... | |
| pitching | 5/26/2008 |
| Q: I am working on pitching and I have good speed but not good accuracy. What can I do to have better ... A: Caeden, Make sure your mechanics are perfect. Just like a hitter, make sure your lower half is ... | |
| Mechanics | 5/23/2008 |
| Q: I have a 6 year old son and he loves baseball. I want teach him about the game, specifically the ... A: Tim, I just recently finished writing an instructional book about hitting that should be ... | |
| Special Bat | 5/20/2008 |
| Q: My coach to me to go and buy a specialized bat used for hitting popflies into the outfield but he ... A: Jimmy, This special bat is called a fungo. They are made to hit groundballs and fly balls easier ... | |
| Intentional Walk | 5/20/2008 |
| Q: If a pitcher goes to his mouth,it is called a ball. If he goes to his mouth 4 times,can this be ... A: Joe, I am really not sure about this because I have never heard of any pitcher doing or wanting to ... | |
| bat speed or power | 5/18/2008 |
| Q: my boy play high school baseball,how can he get more power or speed with the bat ANSWER: James, ... A: James, The slow twitch muscles fall into the category of the "big muscles". These muscles are ... | |
| bat speed or power | 5/17/2008 |
| Q: my boy play high school baseball,how can he get more power or speed with the bat A: James, Power is the product of strength and speed. Strength is the product of physical ... | |
| Catcher Obstruction | 4/26/2008 |
| Q: John, I recently umpired a JVBB game by myself. During the game on three occasions the catcher came ... A: Dale, The catcher's box is the area in which the catcher must stand until the pitcher delivers ... | |
| batting stance | 4/22/2008 |
| Q: My son is small, but a power hitter. He is a lefty that bats right handed. (he is a Pujols fan) ... A: Jacki, To comment on the first part of your answer, you son has the perfect combination of ... | |
| batting stance | 4/22/2008 |
| Q: My son is small, but a power hitter. He is a lefty that bats right handed. (he is a Pujols fan) ... A: Jacki, To comment on the first part of your answer, you son has the perfect combination of ... | |
| Pitching | 4/20/2008 |
| Q: I am 13 years old and I am pitching in little league. I have two questions to ask. First of all what ... A: Joel, I would recommend any pitcher at any age to perfect the change-up and focus on that pitch ... | |
| infielders moving on the pitch | 4/16/2008 |
| Q: I want to work on the fundamentals of fielding balls with your hand under the ball. I also am ... A: Tom, When I teach infielders I start with the 3 positions. These positions will keep the ... | |
| current baseball techniques | 4/15/2008 |
| Q: Are there differences in the techniques of baseball within the past 20 years? I have been searching ... A: James, I just recently finished writing an instructional book about the stance and swing that ... | |
| Bat Size | 4/13/2008 |
| Q: This question is a bit after the fact but here goes. My son is 17. He's 6'3" and approximately ... A: Margaret, Judging by his height the 32 inch bat is too short. When picking a bat you have a couple ... | |
| catcher interference call | 4/13/2008 |
| Q: The catcher on our team was called for interference on the batter in the following situation: player ... A: Gary, Yes the umpire was right with the call he had made. Just like the hitter has a batters box he ... | |
| baseball | 4/13/2008 |
| Q: JOHN, MY QUESTION IS THIS. MY SON ZACH IS NINE YEARS OLD AND PLAYING TOURNAMENT BASEBALL. WHEN ... A: John, Yes, you are correct. His load is very early. When a hitter creates his load or ... | |
| current baseball techniques | 4/10/2008 |
| Q: Are there differences in the techniques of baseball within the past 20 years? I have been searching ... A: James, There are many difference in the teaching of the swing in the past 20 years and ... | |
| My son has an upper cut in his swing | 4/9/2008 |
| Q: Do you have any suggestions on how to get my son not to upper cut his swing. He swings level when ... A: Brian, There is no such swing as a level swing. This is a myth that everyone thinks is a ... | |
| coach pitch | 4/8/2008 |
| Q: I have signed up for coaching my sons coach pitch team, now i am the head coach, but the ... A: Kristi, Your question of teaching the player the right way is an answer that I don't think ... | |
| Swing Correction | 4/6/2008 |
| Q: My son is five years old and is playing T-ball for the first time. He doesn't make a full swing and ... A: Jeff, I would not worry to much as your son is only 5 years old. At his age the most ... | |
| Advice, encouragement for h.s. sophomore baseball player | 4/4/2008 |
| Q: What causes high school coaches to pick a player for the team and then rarely or never give him a ... A: Laurie, This is a great question that many parent and players have. One of the things ... | |
| Hitting | 3/30/2008 |
| Q: My grandson is in coach pitch this year and in pitching to him I find that he is behind the pitch at ... A: Duane, Being behind the pitch is one aspect of hitting that all great hitters have. Being ... | |
| bunting | 3/27/2008 |
| Q: What is the correct position of the batters feet when squaring to bunt? Referring to 9 and 10 year ... A: Vernon, Here is a portion of the bunting section of the fundamentals book I am currently writing. ... | |
| little league pitching | 3/25/2008 |
| Q: Can a little league player pitch underhand and if so, is the windmill style allowed (as opposed to ... A: Steve, I am not sure if their is a rule as to how a pitcher may pitch. I have never see a player ... | |
| arm shot? | 3/24/2008 |
| Q: I am returning to slowpitch softball at 48 yrs old and an absence of many years. Despite my age, I ... A: Dave, My first response is to go see your doctor. Make sure that you don't have any injuries to the ... | |
| pitching | 3/20/2008 |
| Q: i just started pitching but whenever i pitch, the ball doesn't go where i want it to go. How do i ... A: Chris, One thing you never want to do is to aim the baseball. Aiming the ball will never work and ... | |
| catching | 3/19/2008 |
| Q: My son is 7yrs old. He is playing coach pitch this year after two years of tball. He is coming ... A: Tom, You are in a tough position but don't worry your son is so young and has many years of baseball ... | |
| Infielder | 3/14/2008 |
| Q: Coach, Recently at my son's LL practice a lot of the boys were hurrying their throws to first base ... A: Lou, I believe that you should field the ball the same way every time no matter if you ... | |
| Hitting - Babe Ruth | 3/13/2008 |
| Q: Did Babe Ruth have normal mechanics? if yes or no please explain how he hit A: Mitchell, I have never really studied Babe Ruth's hitting mechanics. After looking into ... | |
| Shortstop, drills and tips | 3/13/2008 |
| Q: I play Shortstop and I'm 16, How do I get quick hands and quick feet? I would also like to know the ... A: Itch, Quick hands and feet come from repetition. Hands and feet work together so one ... | |
| Draft Rules | 3/10/2008 |
| Q: I have a question regarding "drafts". It has always been that our league has drafts for players who ... A: Kim, I am not entirely sure about the rules of little league baseball. I can see that having drafts ... | |
| Hitting Mechanics | 3/4/2008 |
| Q: My son is 11 years old and a pretty solid hitter. He was picked for travel baseball this season. My ... A: Scott, Rolling the right foot over could be a balance problem or a front foot problem. ... | |
| baseball bat size | 2/27/2008 |
| Q: We are getting ready to invest in a bat for our 11 yr old. He is 4' 10' just shy of 80 lbs after ... A: Trish, Their are arguments to both using heavier and lighter bats. Most importantly is getting the ... | |
| Tryout turndown | 2/13/2008 |
| Q: Maybe you can help. My son who tried out for his high school baseball team got turned down today. ... A: Missy, I have coach numerous years of high school baseball and I have never cut a player based on ... | |
| hitting transition | 1/31/2008 |
| Q: what is the best way to get a little leaguer used to erratic kid pitch, from coach pitch ANSWER: ... A: Rob, Its not so much avoiding getting hit as it is being able to turn away from the ball so you ... | |
| hitting transition | 1/29/2008 |
| Q: what is the best way to get a little leaguer used to erratic kid pitch, from coach pitch A: Rob, This is a tough situation for little league coaches. At the little league level you want to ... | |
| Baseball Bats | 1/14/2008 |
| Q: Priest, Hi! My name is Timmy. I am nine years old and in 4th grade. I am doing a project on ... A: Timmy, Thank You for the question. This subject is not my expertise. I don't know too much about ... | |
| hitting | 1/10/2008 |
| Q: what starts the swing? hands? hips? A: Tom, Thank You for the question. Depending on which type of swing you have will determine if ... | |
Baseball Instruction
Answers by Expert:
John Priest
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I can answer all questions regarding baseball fundementals from the little league to the professional level. I have the most knowledge in hitting mechanics and fundamentals and the development of power and batspeed. I can also answer all questions for catchers, pitchers, infielders, and outfielders. I also have experience coaching at the high school and AAU levels. Please no questions about rules and/or rule interpretation. English only please.
Experience
I have played through college, and semi pro baseball. For the past 10 years I have been coaching and providing instruction for all age and ability levels. Numerous clients of mine have gone on to play in college and some are playing in the minor leagues. I have provided coaching and instruction for high schools, training facilities, and the Nokona Baseball Factory.
Publications
http://jpbaseball.blogspot.com/
Education/Credentials
Graduated 2009 Associates degree in Science
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