What Baseball Could Learn from a Former Skinny Kid

Today's kids are learning a tough lesson. They are watching baseball heroes suffer through some of the effects of steroid abuse. Those huge, powerful muscles Jose Canseco and other baseball greats developed to play the game are coming at a terrific price. That price includes public humiliation, loss of prestige and reputation, and probable financial loss.

What these kids are not seeing is the future health problems these baseball legends will almost certainly experience because of steroid abuse. These can include heart disease; several forms of cancers, impaired immune systems and other problems that will likely have devastating medical effects.

The problem is that many of these kids are themselves being pressured to “be better” at the games ­ baseball, track, soccer or other sports ­ they play. This is to say nothing of those kids who are simply too skinny and underweight to be good at sports or picked for the teams.

Anthony Ellis, a fitness consultant, was one of these skinny kids. He spent a lifetime trying to gain weight. He couldn't stand to look at himself in the mirror. He tried to hide his thin physique with baggy clothes. He wouldn't think of going to the beach and letting his friends see how skinny he really was. He was repeatedly rejected for sports teams because he was underweight and likely to be hurt. Baseball was out of the question.

“The news these days, it seems, is filled with stories about obesity and how people are overweight. I am trying to help people gain weight. What the media doesn't talk about is that segment of the population, people like me, who have trouble gaining weight. This is the group that suffers frustration and low self-esteem because they are underweight. They read the body building magazines and watch sports heroes pack on muscle. They turn to fad diets, unregulated diet supplements and steroids to gain weight.”

“I went through all of the fads, the low self-esteem and the lack of confidence that affects all areas of your life,” Ellis related. “I know how tough it is. But, I finally learned the proper way to eat and weight train.”

Since 1998, Ellis has gained over 60 pounds of lean muscle. His body fat has gone from 10 percent to seven percent. He looks great and feels great about himself.

He has taken what he has learned and put it into an easy to understand, easy to follow program that is entirely natural and entirely safe. It does not include so called “natural” supplements or dangerous steroids.

He has already helped thousands of “skinny guys”, guys just like he once was, gain muscle mass with the right diet and the right exercise. More than 70,000 people worldwide have already obtained results from the Gaining Mass! program. They have done it quickly, safely and without endangering their future health.

The program contains pure information telling users exactly what foods to eat and exactly which exercises will work to help them build muscle and body mass without fat. This is real information, without the fads and without the hype. It works. It has been proven to work again and again.

“Make no mistake,” Ellis says. “This program is not for everyone. It is only for those of us who have trouble gaining weight. We may not all become baseball home run sluggers, but we can look great and feel great. We can do it without all of the problems some of those guys are going to continue to suffer.”

The Gaining Mass! program is the fast and safe way for skinny people to gain muscle mass, greater confidence and heightened self-esteem. This program uses exactly the right diet and exercise. It does not use phony diet supplements or dangerous and illegal steroids.

Players On A Baseball Team

The MLB roster has forty active members. When spring training is completed, only 25 players will remain on the active roster. Minor league affiliates tend to reassign the remaining 15 players.

When the month of September rolls around, the active roster will consist of forty players. This is where the players have the chance to play at a major league level. The term of "having a cup of coffee", comes when a player shows up in September and plays one or two game and never shows back up. If you recall Moonlight Graham did just that. He is known for the Field of Dreams. In the New York Giants game , he appeared in that game and ended up with no at bats.

Line-Up

Before each game the manager gives the umpire a line up with the names of the players that will fill every position. This includes the batting order of the players also.

Nine players are on the line up.

Pitcher

Catcher

Four Infielders - This consists of a (first , second , third baseman and shortstop)

Three Outfielders - this consists of (left, right, and center fielders)

The pitcher don't bat in the American League , so this gives a tenth player. He is known as the designated hitter.

The remainder varies by team. This consists of four starting pitchers;, relief pitchers consists of five to seven; backup catchers can range between one and two; back up infielders consists of two; and two back up outfielders is needed . This completes the twenty five players.

Substitution

If for any reason a placer has to be replaced in the field or hitting order , this ends the game for them. They can't return and play in this game. A pinch hitter is brought in just to bat for another player in this situation. Utility infielders are players whose job is to substitute. Then you have utility outfielders that substitute. Relief pitchers are pitchers that come into the game after the starting pitcher. The closer is also a relief pitcher but only comes into the game during the ninth inning. Closing down the opposing team is his job.

Disabled

If a player on the twenty five roster becomes injured and permanently placed on the disabled list , that player can't return to help his team for a period of fifteen days. This allows time for healing. The more seriously injured is placed on a sixty day disabled list.

When a team don't want to lose a good player for fifteen days they allow this player to be put on a day to day list. If the injury seems to take longer to heal then the start day will be retroactive.

Rule Five Draft

If a player is on the 40 roster and has at least three years of service as of November 20th he can be drafted by other teams . This is for a fee of $50,000. This prevents stockpiling of prospects by teams. Under Draft five the player must make an appearance on the twenty five player roster for the next playing season. If that player can remain on the twenty five roster he can be drafted back by his original team for a fee of $25,000.

Baseball players make plenty of money , but they also pay out great amounts.

Outthinking the Batter When Pitching In Baseball

A boy may have a strong arm and know all the mechanics of pitching, but if he doesn't think about the hitter's weaknesses and strengths, he'll become nothing more than a "thrower" and will not help his team much.

A pitcher, even more than a catcher or manager, will know which of his deliveries the batter can or cannot hit. That is, if he studies the hitter constantly. This is just as true in Little League ball as it is in the Major Leagues. As a matter of fact, the younger the hitters are, the more faults they have. Thus, the young pitcher has a great advantage if he thinks about the hitters. Here are some general principles to follow.

Try to get "ahead" of the batter with the first pitch. That doesn't mean to groove the ball waist high and over the center of the dish. That means get the ball in the strike zone where you think the batter is weakest. If the batter stands so far away from the plate that his bat will not reach the outside corner, there is only one thing to do - pour that fast ball over the outside! If the hitter crowds the plate, fire it over his fists! Now then, if he looks strong at the plate and you know nothing about him, your best pitch is always low and outside or high and inside. Once around the league, the average pitcher should know something about the hitters. Don't worry about not learning all there is to know about every hitter. If you find one or two with weaknesses and can get them out consistently, you've made a good start.

The "situation" (as covered in Chapter 16) tells the pitcher a great deal about what to throw. If he expects a sacrifice, for example, he should pitch high, which will increase the possibility of a pop-up.

If a runner on 3rd streaks for home on a "suicide squeeze" play, he has to keep the ball away from the batter and put it where the catcher can make the tag. (Throwing at the feet of a right-handed batter is recommended; pitch-out if a lefty is at the plate.)

If the pitcher suspects a steal, he shouldn't throw a slow curve but stick to the fast ball.

When a pitcher has a 3-ball 2-strike count on a hitter, he should go to his best pitch. If his "best" is the curve, use the curve. It it's the fast ball, use the fast ball. Remember, though, that the "best pitch" may vary from game to game.

Try not to throw the same pitch twice in a row. Change speeds. Move the ball around the strike zone, always shooting at the corners. In doing this, your objective is to upset the hitter's timing. This is especially important when the pitcher faces the league's best hitters. The long foul, remember, is just another strike.

The pitcher who gets two quick strikes on the hitter should "waste" the next one by putting it where the batter can't possibly hit it.

Don't curve ball a weak hitter! Don't let up on a weak hitter! If the hitter is really weak, the fast ball can overpower him usually. If you throw the curve, you're throwing a slow speed pitch and it may be the only one this hitter can get his bat on.

If you're getting a hitter out regularly with one pitch, don't start experimenting with another.

If you're striking a lot of batters out and the game is going well for you, keep that pitching foot on the rubber and pitch as fast as the umpire will let you. On the other hand, if things are going bad, stall all you can to "cool off" the opposition.

How To Prevent Baseball Injuries

Should you play baseball on very hot humid days? It might be fine to play if the intensity of the sport is decreased to a minimal . More practices are being performed in the early morning rather than in the heat of the day.

Wearing the proper clothing will help. Wear clothing that can breathe. Don't wear dark color clothing. When clothing is allowed to breathe , it helps the athlete rid themselves of the sweat. Plenty of liquids needs to be enforced.

Proper fitting equipment should be provided to reduce serious injuries. Athletic equipment consists of a helmet; shin guards and pads; and mouth pieces. Coaches need to check the athletes to make sure their equipment fits properly. Parents need to observe the equipment their athletes are wearing.

It is the coach's duty to teach the baseball athletes the proper techniques of the game.

Before any game , athletes need to warm up. This involves running laps or running in place; flexing all of the muscles; stretching of the muscles should be done and held at fifteen seconds.

Any athlete should be checked out by a physician before starting their baseball sport. Being in physical shape is required for baseball. Don't wait until the day the baseball season begins to start warming up your muscles. If you do , you will suffer some serious injuries.

Parents love their children and want them to be active in sports. In some cases , it isn't meant to be. Not every child will become an athlete. This may sound discouraging but it has to be said.

Don't freak out if baseball isn't your sport. It may be soccer or football. Tennis and track might be your sport.

Maybe sports aren't meant for you at all. Your place might be in church as a leader . This could be a great way to show other children that if you don't succeed at one goal, keep climbing the ladder. Eventually you will reach the top. This will be your goal in life that you strived to meet.

Remember this advise: It only takes one injury to prevent you from having a normal life. Use every precaution if you choose baseball or any other sport.

Growing up cripple and disabled is not the life you deserve. Listen to the advice your parents and coach offers you. They have your best interest at heart. When you head out into the sports world it requires a lot of your time, and family time.

The Game of Baseball

Baseball is a sport played between two teams usually of nine players each. It is a bat-and-ball game in which a pitcher throws (pitches) a hard, fist-sized, leather-covered ball toward a batter on the opposing team. The batter attempts to hit the baseball with a tapered cylindrical bat, made of wood (as required in professional baseball) or a variety of other materials (as allowed in many nonprofessional games). A team scores runs only when batting, by advancing its players—primarily via hitscounterclockwise past a series of four markers called bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot square, or "diamond." The game, played without time restriction, is structured around nine segments called innings. In each inning, both teams are given the opportunity to bat and score runs; a team's half-inning ends when three outs are recorded against that team.

Baseball on the professional, amateur, and youth levels is popular in North America, Central America, parts of South America, parts of the Caribbean, and East Asia. The modern version of the game developed in North America beginning in the eighteenth century. The consensus of historians is that it evolved from earlier bat-and-ball games, such as rounders, brought to the continent by British and Irish immigrants. By the late nineteenth century, baseball was widely recognized as the national sport of the United States. The game is sometimes referred to as hardball in contrast to the very similar game of softball.

In North America, professional Major League Baseball teams are divided into the National League (NL) and American League (AL). Each league has three divisions: East, West, and Central. Every year, the champion of Major League Baseball is determined by playoffs culminating in the World Series. Four teams make the playoffs from each league: the three regular season division winners, plus one wild card team. The wild card is the team with the best record among the non–division winners in the league. In the National League, the pitcher is required to bat, per the traditional rules. In the American League, there is a tenth player, a designated hitter, who bats for the pitcher. Each major league team has a "farm system" of minor league teams at various levels. These teams allow younger players to gain experience against opponents with similar levels of skill.