New Players Preparation for Tryouts:  

 

Two articles you should read if you plan to try out for FTS Baseball are below.  These were written by veteran coaches with collegiate and professional experience who now work with high school players. Read these articles and make sure you are prepared to give your very best when you tryout.   

 

Article 1:  Every year, thousands of youth leaguers try out for their high school baseball teams across the country. If you want to make the team, you must display the advanced skills and knowledge demanded by high school coaches to make the team.

 

Described below are eight (8) skills that High School coaches evaluate when selecting their freshman squads.

 

Hitting

1) Bat control. By the time you reach high school, you should be able to drive a pitch on the outer half of the plate to the opposite field. Prep coaches emphasize hitting "behind" a runner at first or second base in order to move him over into better scoring position

 

2) Bunting. Major league teams can rely on power hitters to generate runs. Most high school teams, however, must manufacture runs with well-placed singles and sacrifices. Be able to lay down a sacrifice bunt, and be willing to give yourself up for the sake of the team. Know the difference between a sacrifice and a drag bunt, and the appropriate game situations for using each technique.

 

3) Selective Swings. Hitters must be patient enough to wait for a quality pitch to swing at, and be ready to "pull the trigger" when one comes their way. Know when to take a pitch, e.g., late in the game when your team is behind. Be just as skilled at taking bad pitches as you are at hitting good pitches!

 

Pitching

4) Location, Location, Location. What do coaches and scouts rank as the most important tools of a successful pitcher?

 

a) Location

b) Movement

c) Change of speeds

d) Velocity

e) Mental Toughness

 

High school coaches look for hurlers who spot their pitches and force batters to hit the ball to certain parts of the field. Consider the example of an opposing team who has a runner on second-base and a right handed batter at the plate intending to hit "behind" the runner into right field. In this situation, pitchers should be able to jam the batter low and inside so he'll ground out to the left side and prohibit the runner from advancing.

 

5) Straight Change -Up. A good change-up will disrupt a hitter's timing and make him more tentative about taking a strong cut at any pitch. A pitcher with only a decent fast-ball can still excel at the high school level if he has a straight change that is 8 - 12 mph slower than his fast ball. But, he's got to be able to throw it for strikes.

 

6) Pick Off Moves. Most prep teams have at least a couple of players who run fast and aggressively try to steal bases. Of all the defenders, the pitcher has the primary responsibility for shutting down the other team's running game. High school pitchers should be able to shorten the leads of base runners and stop walking leads by sporting an effective pick off move to all three bases.

 

Defense

7) Cuts & Relays. With runners on base, outfielders must be able to hit their cut-off men, infielders must be able to turn a quick relay, pitchers must be able back up third base or home, and catchers must be very vocal about what to do with the ball.

 

Beyond being able to master the mechanics of cuts and relays, position players also need to demonstrate good judgment about which base to throw to.

 

8) Throwing Accuracy. Pitchers are not the only players who must throw strikes. From a distance of ninety feet or more, be able to throw the ball within a couple of feet of any target. Generally, throws need to arrive about chest high so the receiver can see the ball clearly.

 

 

Article 2:  For most of you, tryouts will be starting soon and the only reason someone should get cut from a team is cause they weren't good enough. 

But, some people get cut for other reasons.  It usually comes down to these reasons when it's between you and another guy
for a spot.  If all things are even on talent, the coach is gonna look for intangibles.  You know what I mean. Things like..

1. Did you hustle on every play
2. Is your shirt tucked in
3. Are you a team guy or a me guy
4. Do you show up early
5. Stay for extra work. 
6. Have a positive attitude
7. Are you respectful 
8. Are you a gracious winner AND loser. 
and on and on....

If it comes down to you and another guy and you don't hustle out a play...I'm taking the guys who hustles. 

If you're not good enough... you're not good enough. At some point everyone (at every level) is gonna get cut. Just don't give them any other reason to cut you.