New Diamond Nation Magazine

IN THIS ISSUE:

THE DIAMOND NATION STORY PAGE 8

SOMERSET PATRIOTS A YEAR IN REVIEW PAGE 14

WORLD CUP SOFTBALL SUCCESSFUL SUMMER FOR TEAM USA PAGE 34

ANTHONY RANAUDO LSU’s STAR PITCHER PAGE 20

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DIAMOND NATION MAGAZINE FLEMINGTON, NJ 08822

CONTENTS 8

PUBLISHER ERIC CITRON

DIAMOND NATION The Pride of New Jersey

12

MLB SCOUTING

ISLAND COAST PRODUCTIONS

14

THE SOMERSET PATRIOTS

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

17

SPARKY LYLE

20

PLAYER PROFILE

22

REFLECTIONS OF A FATHER

26

HOW TO PRACTICE

29

BATTING TEE STATIONS

30

SOFTBALL

34

WORLD CUP SOFTBALL

38

MENTAL TOUGHNESS

40

THE ROLE OF A BASEBALL PARENT

42

JUST LIKE ANY OTHER KID

44

SILVER LINING

50

RAZOR SHINES

52

DN BAT BUYERS GUIDE

58

RUNNING BASES

60

DNM BOOK CLUB

64

HALL OF FAME NEWS

CREATIVE DIRECTION

ASHLEY CITRON

PRINTING HAIG GRAPHICS

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Diamond Nation Magazine is designed as a resource guide for the baseball community. Its intent is to present all types of businesses that cater to families. When you purchase or utilize a product or service that you saw within the pages of DNM let them know you found it in Diamond Nation Magazine. Thank You! In order to provide the Diamond Nation Magazine free to consumers that advertisements and this publication are paid for by the advertisers. Unless specially noted, no services, ideas, columns or concepts in Diamond Nation Magazine are endorsed by the publisher. Diamond Nation Magazine reserves the unrestricted right to refuse, edit or otherwise alter any advertisement submitted for publication.

All information in the magazine is copyrighted, including the text, the logo and the layout. All the content of the magazine or the website www. diamondnation.com may not be copied or distributed without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher of the publication does not warrant or make any representations concerning the accuracy or reliability of the information contained herein.

For information about having Diamond Nation Magazine distributed in your location or to advertise or submit a story contact 908-455-1613.

Q&A With Pat Shortt

Season In Review

Somerset Patriot Manager

LSU Star Pitcher Anthony Ranaudo

Doug Finch Speaks About Jennie

St. John’s Univ. Coach Ed Blankmeyer

Jennie Finch Softball Academy

Jordan Deitch - Determined Athlete

The Josh Hamilton Story

Steve Ditrolio

Good Reads for 2009

1969 New York Mets

66

HALL OF FAME NEWS

70

SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

Honus Wagner

Sponsored By Sigma Lenses

W

ell it took some time but the premier issue of Diamond Nation Magazine is now in print. We are very excited to bring this high quality magazine to all the Baseball and Softball fans in New Jersey and the surrounding areas. As with any new endeavor there were some challenges to overcome, but what you have in your hands is a collaborative effort of many people. As the months move ahead you can look forward to Diamond Nation Magazine covering many interesting people, places and things that make being a fan of these two great sports such a thrill.

Diamond Nation Magazine is a product of Diamond Nation, America’s premier Baseball/Softball complex located in Flemington, NJ. Diamond Nation is also home to the Jack Cust Baseball Academy and the Jennie Finch Softball Academy.

As a publisher I am very excited to be able to work with both Jack and Jennie and the rest of the staff. Being able to draw on these two great athletes and their experiences will provide our readers with insights into the worlds of both baseball and softball.

As part of the premier of Diamond Nation Magazine we have launched our new website diamondnationmagazine.com. Our website is designed to enhance and compliment our magazine and allows us to provide our readers with up-to-date information and articles as they become available to the baseball and softball community.

On a personal note I would like to thank Jack Cust and Keith Dilgard for the opportunity to be involved and publish this new magazine.

Lastly, I would like to thank my family who has sacrificed a lot to allow me to be involved in this exciting project.

For up to the minute information visit our website at www.diamondnationmagazine.com.

Eric Citron

Yours in Baseball and Softball

Eric Citron Publisher

GRAND OPENING

When my Dad and I opened the Jack Cust Baseball Academy in 1997, we had a vision of helping develop baseball locally and throughout the state of New Jersey. The academy was a small 5,000 square foot indoor facility that players could work out in during the winter months and learn hitting from myself, my father, and my brothers. Not everyone was as fortunate as I was to have a great hitting coach like my father who developed a program to help me reach my goals and potential.

There were a lot of talented athletes, but a lack of facilities for players to hone their skills on a year round basis.

For over a decade now, we have dedicated ourselves to providing individual programs that ensure the proper development, education, evaluation, competition, and exposure that is required to achieve your goals and dreams, and learn life lessons through the great game of baseball.

Welcome to a new era of baseball. Diamond Nation is here!

Dream Big – Train Smart – Play Hard!

From

Jack Cust

DIAMOND NATION I am extremely excited to become a part of Diamond Nation.

It’s always been a dream of mine to have my own softball academy. Softball has always been my passion and an enormous part of my life. It is a game that has taught me countless life lessons and has given me so many friends and memories that will last forever.

Our vision is to take softball in the Northeast to another level through the proper player development, education, evaluation, competition, and exposure that only we know how to produce.

Our training programs and curriculum will be the same teaching methods that we use at the Olympic level.

The facilities that Diamond Nation provides includes the outdoor complex, the dome, and the indoor academy which allow us to run all levels of tournaments including national championships and college recruiting events. We will bring you new and exciting camps, leagues and travel teams as well as many of my fellow Olympians as guest instructors.

Growing up on the west coast, we never had to worry about getting enough softball in. Now you don’t either. Dream & Believe!

From

Jennie Finch

Development Investment Turnkey Design/Build

J. G. Petrucci Co., Inc. Building first class commercial and industrial real estate since 1987 171 State Route 173, Suite 201, Asbury, NJ 08802 ƒ (908) 730-6909 ƒ www.jgpetrucci..com

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OUR COUNT ON

GREAT STAFF, GREAT FACILITIES AND GREAT PROGRAMS...

DIAMOND NATION THE PRIDE OF NEW JERSEY

By D.P. Benjamin

Park expanded the indoor batting area into a regulation Astro-Turf baseball field – with lights - as well as a pair of Little League fields.

The crown jewel was the construction of a dome, providing HealthQuest Park with the largest amateur sports dome in America.

But that was just the beginning.

The concept began more than 20 years ago as a diamond in the rough. Now it sparkles as Diamond Nation, the country’s largest turf baseball-softball complex in America.

Its roots are actually a collection of stones and pebbles, a dusty spot of ground in which Jack Cust’s three sons were introduced to a makeshift batting cage in a local warehouse.

As they took turns taking swings in the netting, foul tips would kick up tiny rocks that would bounce off their bodies.

Batting cage sites would bounce to a few other creative locations - including the basement of a hair salon – until the father, a former baseball player at Seton Hall University, invested in a small 5,000 sq.ft indoor facility just off Route 31 in Flemington, NJ. The Jack Cust Baseball Academy was founded in 1997, and in 2000 HealthQuest

8

A beautiful 35-acre layout, just around the corner from HealthQuest Park, opened this summer. Six playing fields, 12 indoor and outdoor batting cages, and 28 bullpens highlight the facility. The main building on the complex also includes a retail shop, parents’ lounge, reception area, six televisions, offices, a conference room and restrooms.

Prior to the opening of the complex was the announcement in early spring that the Jack Cust Baseball Academy had formed an alliance with the Jennie Finch Softball Academy.

The two academies together make Diamond Nation, perhaps the most unique combination of the two sports in the United States.

Cust and Finch. If those names sound familiar, they should. Cust, 30, has been the leading homerun hitter for the Oakland A’s for the past three seasons. Finch, 29, is considered by most as the best female softball player in

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the world. She has a gold and silver medal from the past two Olympics, holds an NCAA record 60 consecutive victories, and was a two-time National Player of the Year when she played at the University of Arizona.

She and her husband Casey also have a future baseball player Ace. And, interestingly enough, Cust and his wife Jen have a future softball player, Ava.

they didn’t have the opportunities we have.’’

Nor have the many baseball and softball players had the opportunities to practice 12 months a year, as little Jennie did when she was growing up in Southern California. In the Northeast, off-season workouts have for the most part consisted of little more than pitch and catch in school gymnasiums, or fielding grounders in grandma’s basement.

“This is truly a dream of mine, to have my own academy, to have maybe a Jennie Finch Little League and for it to have a home here on the East coast,’’ she remarked at Spring press conference in Flemington, N.J. “One of my favorite sights on an airplane is looking down at a baseball field, and now you usually see a softball field next to it.

“It automatically gives me chills, because 10-15-20 years ago that softball field wasn’t there. Our moms, our grandmothers, our aunts,

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9

Finally, Jack Cust and his dad did something about leveling the playing field with young ball players who forever had a weather advantage in the south and west. Now, kids in the northeast have an opportunity to learn and improve year-round.

“I really felt the kids in the Northeast were being shortchanged, and we wanted to do everything we could to help them. Years ago there were not many kids getting into Division I and getting drafted. Now,’’ said the founder/owner, “every year we get about eight kids drafted from our baseball teams and about 40 Division I scholarships. So we’ve come a long way.’’

of Diamond Nation. Their expertise and guidance is critical to the development of our young athletes. To that end, the new facilities are designed to be flexible and handle up to 10 games or practices simultaneously. Each field has it’s own backstop, dugouts, bullpens and scoreboards.

In addition, a centrally located building contains a state-of-art scout tower/press box for pro scouts and college recruiters. A walk-around deck provides the ability to view four games simultaneously. The scouting tower sits atop a full service concession stand. All fields are wired to provide future web casting of games.

Softball players can now go further, as Diamond Nation will play a part in their acceleration on all levels, with the potential to obtain college scholarships.

The two academies offer individual instruction as well as travel teams, and league competition, from t-ball right on up to college age. The Diamond Jacks represent the Jack Cust Baseball Academy and the Finch Aces represent the Jennie Finch Softball Academy.

An experienced staff of former professional and collegiate ball players is the backbone

The complex also hosts high school games throughout the year and New Jersey colleges

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also use the indoor facility during the winter.

Diamond Nation prides itself with a training curriculum that is comprehensive and deals with specific physical, mechanical and mental techniques. Its mission is to provide education, evaluation, development, competition, and exposure for its young athletes under the supervision, experiences, knowledge and direction of an outstanding staff.

The result is to advance the level of play in each of the students, while teaching life lessons through sports that help shape them into productive members of society.

“We combine great staff, great facilities and great programs in order to help students throughout the Northeast to get the most out of our academies, Cust Sr. said.

His son will never forget his opportunities of being an exception to most kids in this area during the cold and rainy seasons.

“Dad always gave me a place to hit,’’ Cust said. “I remember growing up, we would hit in the basement of one of his office buildings.

It might have been a makeshift cage, but that didn’t matter. He would pump up the machine to about 95 (miles-an-hour) and I’d hit with a little Thunder stick.

“He’s the reason I’m where I am, and we’re trying to do the same thing with the young baseball players and now the young softball

players – to give them the best opportunity to be the best they can be.’’

Looking back on the history of the Jack Cust Baseball Academy there have been hundreds of success stories both on the professional and collegiate levels. Some of our most recent notable players include: Billy Rowell, drafted 1st round by the Orioles (Bishop Eustace,H.S.) Jason Knapp, Drafted 2nd round by the Phillies (N.Hunterdon, H.S.) and Anthony Ranaudo, L.S.U, National Champions and projected first round pick in 2010 (St. Rose, H.S.). There are literally hundreds more that have received college scholarships.

With the completion of Diamond Nation the possibilities are endless and the dreams of countless athletes are more possible then ever before.

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Q&A WITH PAT SHORTT: NORTHEAST SCOUTING SUPERVISOR

MLB SCOUTING FOR MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

By Brett Mauser Although the summer’s over with, Pat Shortt’s job isn’t finished. The Northeast Scouting Supervisor for the Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau has AAU games to cover, fall ball, and much more. In his 19 seasons as a scout, he has seen hundreds of players at the prep and collegiate level who have gone on to be drafted and dozens who have reached the major leagues, from Brooklyn and St. John’s product Rich Aurilia to right-handed starter Carl Pavano. He took a moment to sit down to discuss the curious stage that is summer baseball.

BPM: What do you look for most from players in the summer?

PS: One of the things I look for is stick-to-itiveness, not just out in the Hamptons, in the Kaiser Division or the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League but everywhere.

It happens all over where players don’t realize the purpose of going and don’t look at it as a serious endeavor. I can’t prove it, but too many players find reasons for leaving before their commitment is completed. Some come up with phantom injuries, phantom summer school courses, dates they have to be back even though school doesn’t start for another two weeks … If you go out and play professional baseball, it takes a serious commitment. You’re living in small towns, you’re traveling in buses, you’re not on a meal plan, and you have to fend for yourself as far as your dietary needs. Commitment doesn’t stand out but a lack of commitment does. It gives us the indication of a potential issue – if things aren’t going as well as they want them to, is a kid going to quit? [Summer baseball] is a serious commitment.

It’s a game, it’s fun, but at the same time it can be grueling. Commitment isn’t a tool but it’s an intangible, a big intangible.

BPM: Talk about the difference between swinging aluminum and wood bats.

PS: The wooden bat is a great equalizer. One of the big things between using a aluminum bat against a wooden bat is you don’t have to hit the ball square dead-center with the aluminum. Mechanically, you don’t have to finish your swing as strongly either. Players aren’t used to that until they start swinging the wood long enough. They realize they have to make some minor adjustments. From an offensive standpoint, it’s a big difference.

BPM: How about from a defensive and pitching perspective?

PS: Defensively, I look for range, first-step quickness, arm strength and good hands of course. For pitchers, I’m looking to see if they can demonstrate the ability to locate the pitchers in their repertoire. The definition of control is the ability to put the ball within the strike zone more often than not. The definition of command is the ability to put the ball in that square where you want more often than not, and location is a result of command. I also look for raw arm strength, the ability to spin a breaking ball, throw a change-up with some deception.

BPM: What is the role of summer baseball in the scouting world today?

PS: Summer baseball is really used as a method of wetting your whistle, to see if someone shows a few tools and makes you want to go back and see them in the fall. The fall is the same thing – you’re looking to find players that you want to gout and see in the spring, especially those that are draft eligible in the upcoming spring.

BPM: How much do you take into account players’ fatigue from the spring collegiate season?

PS: I definitely do, especially with pitchers. I take fatigue more seriously in the fall because they’ve played all spring, all summer and then in the fall. Especially with pitchers, you see velocities go down.

BPM: What’s the best case you can think of where someone dramatically raised his draft stock over the course of a summer?

PS: Billy Wagner in Cape Cod. He went to a little Division III school called Ferrum College in Virginia and here’s this 5-foot-9 lefty that somehow gets out on one of those teams out there and was lights out.

He went from being an unknown guy to a big-time known guy.

BPM: What is the process you use once you identify a player that you or someone might be interested in?

PS: If I see a player that I feel possesses enough ability to warrant 30 teams following him – and it doesn’t matter when it is – I write a follow report. In the spring, I write a selectable report on a player that is draft eligible in June, whether it’s a high school kid or a draft eligible college player. The selectable reports are for kids teams should seriously consider for the draft to put in their organization. They’re the most important reports I write.

Brett Mauser is the director of communications for Hamptons Collegiate Baseball. He can be reached at bmauser@hamptonsbaseball.org.

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THE SOMERSET PATRIOTS 2009 Camden Riversharks. The team then received their championship rings and watched as the 2008 Championship Flag was raised in center field to join the ones commemorating the Patriots’ 2001, 2003, and 2005 Championship Seasons.

The Patriots would pick up right where they left off, dominating the first half of the 2009 season to clinch the Freedom Division First Half title and a playoff berth. Somerset locked up the Half Title on July 1st with seven games remaining in the half and finished 43-27, nine games in first place over the Newark Bears.

The Somerset Patriots opened the 2009 season at home in the newly named TD Bank Ballpark on Thursday, April 23rd with festivities to recognize the 2008 championship squad.

The pre-game ceremony honored the previous year’s Atlantic League Championship team with a video recap that concluded with catcher Travis Anderson’s walk off solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead the Patriots to a 3-1 series win over the

The Half Title was Somerset’s Atlantic League record tenth since the team began play in 1998 and it will be the Patriots’ league record eighth appearance in the playoffs during that span. In the Patriots previous seven appearances, the team has made the Championship Series and won it four times.

Led offensively by reigning Atlantic League MVP Josh Pressley, All-Star second baseman Matt Hagen, and the return of perennial All-

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Star third baseman Jeff Nettles, Somerset mowed through opponents to one of the best halves in league history. Center fielder Sean Smith added a spark on the bases and the consistent play of Teuris Olivares and Elliott Ayala made the line up a difficult one to get through from top to bottom.

Patriots pitchers were among the league leaders throughout the season, led by ace Jim Magrane, who entered the All-Star Break 8-0 with a 2.48 ERA. Somerset’s bullpen was highlighted by closers Travis Minix and Bret Prinz, who were each among the league leaders in saves with double digits when they held

Off the field, the Patriots continued the team’s success. The Patriots set a new Atlantic League single game attendance record with 8,537 fans on Friday, July 3rd. The game was billed as Break The Attendance Record Night, where the Patriots were aiming to break the franchise’s single game record of 8,062 set back on July 3, 2006 or the ballpark’s record of 8,290 set at the 2008 Atlantic League All-Star Game held at TD Bank Ballpark on Wednesday, July 16th. The night exceeded all expectations and allowed the Patriots to welcome a crowd above the Lancaster Barnstormers’ league mark of 8,485 on their Opening Day of their 2008 season.

The Patriots continued to rank among the top drawing minor league teams with between 5,200-5,400 fans during the season despite several rainy days during the summer.

The Patriots once again excelled at being a strong presence in the community, starting with the creation of the team’s non-profit arm, the Somerset Patriots Children’s Education and Sportsmanship Foundation to raise money for programs supported by the organization.

At every game, the Patriots provide non-profit organizations with the chance to raise awareness for their causes and raise money for their charities. Some of the highlights include Breast

the role. Strong years from local favorite Casey Cahill and Ryan Basner helped solidify the bullpen as one of the best in the league.

During the second half, the Patriots reached another milestone, winning the franchise’s 800th game on July 21st to be the first league team to achieve the mark, passing the Bridgeport Bluefish as the winningest franchise.

Starting pitcher Brian Adams added to his Patriots legacy during the 2009 season. Adams was named the 2007 Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year in a season when he set a franchise record for 15 wins and went an unprecedented 11-0 at TD Bank Ballpark. In 2008, Adams once again led the team in wins with 11 and entered the 2009 season just nine wins shy of the Patriots career wins record of 35 set by left-hander Justin Jensen, who played for the team during parts of five seasons. Adams tied Jensen at 35 wins and stood alone at 36 wins with a 3-0 shutout against the Lancaster Barnstormers on August 4th.

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Cancer Awareness Day on Mother’s Day to raise money for the Steeplechase Cancer Center at Somerset Medical Center and a weekend devoted to Operation Shoebox New Jersey, an organization that sends care packages to our troops serving in the Middle East.

With all the success the Patriots have had on and off the field throughout their history, the goal for the entire organization is to remain champions. The Patriots strive for their fifth Atlantic League Championship with the start of the Freedom Division Series at TD Bank Ball-

park on Thursday, September 24th at 7:05 pm. Somerset then hosts Game Two of the series at home on Friday, September 25th at 7:05 pm before playing the remainder of the games on the road.

Should the Patriots advance to the Atlantic League Championship Series, then the Patriots will host Game One at TD Bank Ballpark on Thursday, October 1st and Game Two on Friday, October 2nd. Both games are scheduled for 7:05 pm. The Championship Series would then continue on the road for the remaining three games if necessary.

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FORMER MAJOR LEAGUE GREAT IN HIS ELEVENTH YEAR AND GOING STRONG!

SOMERSET MGR. SPARKY LYLE

By D.P. Benjamin If Sparky Lyle wasn’t looking for a good deal on a truck, the Somerset Patriots might have never made a good deal on a manager.

Lyle was making a good living as a public speaker, working with Mickey Mantle at the Claridge Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, making appearances at golf tournaments and attending baseball card shows. After all, who wouldn’t want to be around a former Cy Young Award winner and guy with a few World Series rings?

But he still needed a truck.

And that’s when his buddy, the late John Vukovich, a former teammate with the Philadelphia Phillies, told him about a friend of his who owned a dealership in Hunterdon County. So up they went to Flemington Car and Truck Country, where in the fall of 1996 Lyle met the dealership’s chairman: Steve Kalafer.

Lyle returned to South Jersey with a burgundy Ford 150 truck, and soon after Kalafer asked Vukovich if he thought Lyle would be interested in managing his new independent Atlantic League team he had purchased.

In January of 1997 the Patriots announced Lyle as their first manager for the start of the 1998 season.

“Eleven years later, here I am,’’ Lyle said recently from his office at TD Bank Ballpark, five hours before the Patriots were to play a Friday night game

against Camden. He had just carried a sandwich in from the pre-game spread in the clubhouse, turkey and cheese on white bread, with a squirt of honey.

Lyle, an outgoing and engaging guy from western Pennsylvania, has the appearance of the baritone in a barbershop quartet, what with the legendary turned up mustache. You would never guess he had been one of major league baseball’s best relief pitchers.

And if you ran into him at the barbershop, neither would you guess he is one of the most successful managers in professional baseball.

But here he is, looking for his fifth league championship.

“I never gave managing a thought,’’ Lyle said, “but talking with Steve, I started to think that this was the perfect venue. I liked his reasoning, and I always thought it was a shame that so many players didn’t have a place to play when they were released.

“It was a great chance to get my feet wet, and I made a lot of mistakes early. But I’ve never been afraid to fail. The only person I had to answer to was myself. And the critics,’’ he said with a smile...“And critics are not a big deal with me.

Winning is the bottom line, and that’s all I think of and all I want to do.’’

Lyle does more than that, and his commitment to the Patriots is not lost on the team’s owner.

“One of the most important aspects of Sparky being the manager of the Somerset Patriots,’’

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Kalafer said, “is his deep commitment to the Somerset-Hunterdon-Middlesex communities at large, and all of the interactions he has with the youth of the area, and all the charitable participation that he’s involved in.’’

Lyle manages his teams in somewhat unconventional manners.

For starters, his two coaches played for him with the Patriots. When he hired Brett Jodie as pitching coach he basically told him he was completely in charge of the staff and Lyle would not interfere.

When he hired batting coach Kevin Dattola he told him to get to know the guys, and once accomplished to simply run the offense.

“I figure three heads are better than one,’’ Lyle said. “I give them a lot of responsibility. I’m not interested in walking back and forth to the mound for conversations during the game. I mean, I make decisions: the batting order, who to pinch-hit for, should we hit and run, bunt a guy over. I want to be like a good umpire. A good umpire is when you don’t even notice he’s there.

“I don’t have an ego; all we’re here to do is put numbers in the win column. Any decision I make is about what’s best for the 25 guys on the roster. If I do that all the time, I can’t be wrong.’’

He wasn’t wrong many times in the big leagues.

He won a World Series ring with the Phillies and two with the Yankees. His Major League career began with the Red Sox, for whom he played when they won the American League pennant in 1967.

Lyle, who turned 65 this summer, pitched 16 years in the big leagues. He earned 238 saves, won 99 games, struck out 873 batters and had a career ERA of 2.88. He walked off the mound 27 years ago this month, as a member of the Chicago White Sox. ”I left on my own terms,’’ Lyle said of his pitching career. ”I have no regrets.’’

Neither do the Patriots.

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LSU’s STAR PITCHER ANTHONY RANAUDO

PLAYER PROFILE DIAMOND JACK ALUMNI LEADS LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

By D.P. Benjamin Anthony Ranaudo began to realize five years ago that he might actually be able to play major league baseball some day. It was the summer after his sophomore year at St. Rose High School in Belmar, New Jersey. But it wasn’t because he had tossed consecutive no-hitters that spring, and it wasn’t because he pitched his team to a state championship.

It was because of Jack Cust Baseball Academy.

“If not for them,’’ he said from campus earlier this month, “I wouldn’t be where I am today.

And that’s just the truth.’’

Where he is today is down in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He is a junior at LSU, playing baseball for the Tigers. Last season he led his team with a 12-3 record, won four games in the NCAA tournament and was the winning pitcher in LSU’s victory over Texas for the national championship.

He finished his sophomore year with a 3.04 ERA, striking out 159, walking 50. At 6-foot-7, 230 pounds, he has a curve ball and changeup to go with a fastball that a year ago was clocked as high as 96. His confidence and aggressive approach in challenging hitters are at an all-time high. According to Jack Cust “ We are very proud of Anthony’s accomplishments both on the field, especially pitching LSU into the National Championship. I look forward to 2010 draft were he is projected to be a first round pick”.

“They offered me a spot on the Diamond

Jacks,’’ said Ranaudo, who turned 20 on Sept.

9. “I also went for individual lessons, and made a big jump after that. I knew if I kept my head on straight, kept working hard and doing the right things that I’d be up there and probably have an opportunity to play.’’

He played two to three games on weekends and also made the trip from home in Jackson to Flemington a couple of times during the week. The following summer he was on the Jack Cust Baseball Academy Super 17 Squad, where he traveled south to take part in tournaments.

“There’s no way I would have gotten the exposure the way I did, no way scouts would have known me the way they did, there’s no way college coaches would know me the way they did without Keith (Dilgard) and Mr. Cust’s help; without everybody’s help there. Just working hard and working with those guys encouraged my development and made me into a good pitcher.’’

Ranaudo is now taking part in six weeks of fall practice, balancing that with school while majoring in Sports Marketing. He shut down over the summer after a college season in which he threw 125 innings. He spent about five weeks in New Jersey, mostly hanging out with his niece and nephew at his sister’s beach house in Belmar.

“I’m a big family guy, and a big reason I’m here is because of them. Everyone in my family has supported me and is real proud of me, and that’s really something that gives me a

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little motivation and stability.’’

He’ll now be supporting his buddies on the football team in their quest for a national championship.

Winning a national title remains a feeling he still can’t describe.

“In the championship game, for me, it was a grind. I didn’t have my best stuff whatsoever,’’ he said. “”I was fatigued more than I can even describe, but I had to go out there and give my team a quality start. I knew the bats would hit, because Texas was thin on pitching too. Those guys were going through the same stuff as us.

I went one inning at a time and pushed through the best I could.’’

LSU won the game 11-4, with Ranaudo lasting 5.1 innings. He allowed all four runs, walked four and gave up eight hits.

“By no means is that good, but it was good enough because our offense took a lot of pressure off because they were swinging the bats that day,’’ he said. “I think we played our best ball all year in Omaha.

There was so much pressure to get there, that when we got to Anthony Ranaudo with Jack Cust Omaha it was like we played like we could, and it was a lot of fun. It was just us playing baseball.’’

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21

DOUG FINCH SPEAKS ABOUT HIS DAUGHTER JENNIE

REFLECTIONS OF A FATHER

By D.P. Benjamin

two Olympics, at Diamond Nation, at St. John’s – wherever she goes.

The reason is simple.

She is arguably the most recognized and one of the best all-around player in the history of women’s softball.

On the final weekend of February last winter, Jennie Finch was on the campus of St. John’s University doing a softball clinic. A break in her schedule allowed her to take in the St. John’s-Rutgers women’s basketball game that Saturday afternoon. During the first half of the game she blended in with the crowd at Alumni Hall.

At halftime she was the event.

Young girls created a line in the bleachers as long as the basketball court, each waiting to get an autograph or the chance to say hello.

Security guards had to disappoint some of the kids, because the second half was about to begin.

Although Jennie resides in Arizona, her name is known world-wide. Autograph seekers have approached her as a two-time National Honda Award Softball Player of the Year at the University of Arizona, at the past

“There can’t be a higher compliment for a parent than to find out or realize that one of your children can be idolized or be a role model, or be looked up to in such a positive way,’’ her father Doug Finch says. “That’s what we as parents are most proud of.’’

He and his wife Beverly are the parents of two sons as well. Shane, 39, works for a California hospital as a product developer.

Landon, 34, is an instructional technology specialist for a school district in Colorado Springs.

Their younger sister just turned 29 this month.

She is married to pro baseball player Casey Daigle, and the mother of their three-year-old son, Ace Shane Daigle.

Her history as a softball player is unmatched.

In college she was a three-time All-America, following a freshman season in which she won 24 games, batted .353, and was then named Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA Region 2 tournament. As a

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sophomore she was 29-2 and hit 16 home runs. As a junior in 2001 she went 32-0 with an ERA of 0.54.

The Wildcats won the NCAA championship and she was voted MVP of the tournament.

Her winning streak continued into her senior year, and her NCAA-record 60 straight victories still stands. She finished her college career with 119 wins and struck out more than 1,000 batters.

Her college accomplishments should not have been a surprise, considering she came out of La Mirada High School in the suburbs of Southern California with a four-year ERA of 0.15. She threw six perfect games, 13 no-hitters and struck out 784.

her two brothers. And, trying and often failing to obtain players’ autographs would later impact her on the other side of those quests.

“She knows that girls look up to her, and she’s made a choice in her life to always try and do what’s right,’’ the father says. “All her choices are based on living on that narrow road. I don’t think there are too many role models out there, and not a lot who say, ‘I want to be a role model.’ And she’s very proud to take that role.

“She remembers wanting an autograph so bad like that,’’ he adds. “So she stays to the end signing, unless there’s a time limit or a cutoff. Otherwise, she’ll be the last one signing. She’s totally from the heart, totally genuine.’’

And as one might guess, that too was no surprise after what she did in Amateur Softball Association tournaments as a youngster. At age 12 she led her team to the ASA 14-andunder national championship. At age 11 she pitched her team to a fourth-place finish in the ASA 12-and-under nationals. And, as a 10-year-old, after slipping and hurting her knee, she wore an air cast as she pitched her team to second place in the West Coast ASA 10-and-unders.

“Her mother started taking her to tumbling classes, but by the time she was five she was playing t-ball,’’ her dad says. “From there it was the coaches pitching to the kids, and the next step was the child who could pitch the ball and reach home plate. She was the tallest, so, “Jennie, you’re the pitcher.’ We had been to all of her games, and by the time she was 10 people were telling us, “Your kid has potential. Your kid has talent.’’

Eventually that talent led her to pitching and playing first base for the U.S. Olympic team.

She was on the gold medal team at the 2004 Games in Athens, then part of the silver medal squad in 2008 at Beijing.

Her interest in the game started by attending Dodgers games in Los Angeles, along with ©2005 PHOTOSPORT.COM

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23

Š 2009 Wilmington Trust Corporation

ST. JOHNS UNIVERSITY HEAD COACH TALKS ABOUT INSTRUCTING TODAY’S YOUTH

HOW TO PRACTICE

By D.P. Benjamin

Playing catch with your son is one thing, coaching his youth baseball team is quite another. Coaching organized baseball includes organizing practice, which includes knowing how to practice as well as what to practice.

Ed Blankmeyer knows this as well as anyone.

He has coached St. John’s University the past 14 years and won 470 games. Prior to coaching in Queens, N.Y., he was an associate head coach at Seton Hall, the school at which he played college baseball.

At St. John’s he won two Big East regular season titles and one conference tournament championship, and took the Red Storm to four NCAA regionals. Just two years ago he was named Big East Coach of the Year – for the third time – as well as Northeast Region Coach of the Year. He’s had more than 40 of his players sign pro contracts “This outline is for a person looking to volunteer, who’s looking to get involved, and try and give them an understanding of what to do as a coach; what to do if you’re organizing, and how to be a better prepared coach’’ Blankmeyer says. “It’s like me trying to fix a car. I don’t know how to do that, but maybe with some instruction and guidance I’d have an idea of how to do it.’’

The initial planning involves knowing how much time you have available to practice, what exactly you want to accomplish, the equipment you need, where you can practice, and safety.

Skills that need to be covered: throwing, catch-

ing, fielding ground balls, fielding fly balls, running form, base running, bunting, hitting, pitching, position play mechanics, and working as a team. Coach Blankmeyer covers it all.

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There are hundreds of drills for each skill but the key to successfully practicing these skills is by going from “part to whole.” The way in which to do this is in progressive steps. Start each set of drills with the most basic action and work your way up to full development.

ing and follow through. Kids can hit off a tee, take cuts from side tosses, focus on “dry’’ swings and of course take part with routine batting practice. Pitching drills should accent the proper stance on the rubber, rocking to gain balance, arm swing, striding to power, the release and follow-through.

For example, throwing drills should range from a seated position isolating only the arm movement to a complete throw using all parts of the body. Some of these drills include (in succession): seated throw, knee with rotation throw, stand up rotation throw, arm tracking to power position, basic step and throw, crow hop, and long toss.

Team drills include position fielding, pop fly communication and fungo drills. Inter-squad games can be fun, and fun, Blankmeyer said, is one element that should always be incorporated into practice.

Again, with the same concept in mind comes Blankmeyer’s catching drills. Using a small glove begin by catching balls above the waist with the player’s palm up and below the waist with the palm down. After this, move on to backhands, forehands, reaction catches, and eventually throwing-side catches for fast glove to hand transfer.

“From an instructional standpoint, this really isn’t being taught,’’ Blankmeyer says regarding proper practice routines. “I don’t care if you are a high school kid, a college kid or in Little League. There are going to be components you need to work on, and if you can break down the teaching skills, the kid will be taught properly and become more mechanically sound.’’

Fielding ground balls works in the same fashion. Start with basic stance/position drills and then move to catch and funnel, fielding through the ball, and angle plays such as backhands and slow-rollers.

Fly ball tips include catching the ball above the eyes and away from the head, catching with two hands, catching with one hand on the run, and throwing footwork.

Base running drills should cover getting out of the box, tagging up, ground ball response, twoout response, multiple runner situations. Bunting practice can cover using the bat in the top of the zone, use of knees and setting an angle. Hitting starts with the basic stance, striding, swing-

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HOT TO USE BATTING STATIONS TO BUILD BASEBALL HITTERS

BATTING TEE STATIONS Batting Tees are for babies... you know, Tee Ball Players and any other serious player who wants to maximize his or her potential and see how far they can go in this way-toocomplicated game of hitting a round object with a rounded implement.

Recent Baseball Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn really did describe his off-season hitting workouts as (and I paraphrase) nothing but tee work until January of each year.... and remember, he was at spring training a month later in February!

Here's An Important Bottom Line in Building a Successful Hitter: You must hit a lot off a batting tee!

You must hit a lot in a soft toss station!

You must hit a lot in front toss drills!

(15 to 35 ft)!

You will take plenty of live batting practice...

It's the fun part!

Why? Think About Always Having A Building Block Approach: Batting Tee Stations teach the repeatable mechanics without the need for ALSO tracking a moving ball.

Soft Toss & Flip Stations build more repeatable mechanics but then adds the basics & confidence of tracking a moving object from its shorter distance. It builds confidence, strength and when done in parallel stations, can get an entire team the amount of swings that players really need to progress and improve.

Short Toss Stations (where a coach sits behind a screen from 15 or so feet in front of a hitter and tosses underhand from the side of the screen to replicate the approximate angle of a

pitched ball)... this adds more realism for the hitter and increases the difficulty while allowing the player to "see" where the batted ball is travelling).

Front Toss (coach stands behind an L Screen and tosses average speed pitches to particular spots). This, again increases the degree of difficulty while creating game-like conditions.

Live Hitting is probably the most fun for players and coaches alike but just as kids progress from a tricycle to a bicycle with training wheels before flying down hills on a full size bike...the steps along the way are so very important.

You may never forget how to ride a bike but because of the huge degree of difficulty in consistently hitting a moving round ball with a rounded stick... bad habits creep in almost unnoticed and we must stay with the basics as long as we play this game!

You will be best able to maximize going into a batting cage or take live batting practice from "official pitching distances" and carry these great habits and the confidence these lessons will build‌right into your games and entire seasons too.

Shortcuts - There are none if you want to stay in the game. There just comes a time when even the better athletes will face better trained players and previous successes give way to mediocrity and perhaps failure when.

Summary: Make these simple stations part of your routine and that of your entire team too!

If they are good enough for High School, College and Pro Players‌ they should serve you well too!

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SOFTBALL

THE JENNIE FINCH SOFTBALL ACADEMY

July 24th, 2009 rang in a new era for softball in the Northeast region. Diamond Nation and the Jennie Finch Softball Academy held their first softball tournament at the brand new state-of-the-art complex in Flemington, NJ. Over 400 young athletes, representing 28 teams, hailing from 6 states competed in the weekend long Jennie Finch ASA Open Eastern Qualifier.

14U, 16U, and 18U Teams traveled to the largest turf softball complex in America where up to 10 games can be played simultaneously for a chance to qualify for ASA Eastern Nationals and to meet Jennie Finch. Many of the girls had just watched Jennie on

television taking the Gold Medal at the KFC World Cup of Softball and were thrilled at the opportunity to meet, arguably, the most famous softball player in the world and to most their role model.

Role model is a term that Jennie doesn’t take lightly. Games were halted at 12:45 to allow Jennie to speak to the mass of softball players, coaches, family members, and fans. The teams were assembled for the talk ( to see a video of Jennie’s talk go to www.diamondantionmagazine.com) on the premiere softball field at Diamond Nation, as Jennie addressed the crowd from home plate. She was greeted with thun-

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derous applause and videos and pictures being snapped by amateur photographers and the softball players’ cell phones.

Finch’s words were informal and engaging. She connected with the girls over the perils of the softball tan lines, crazy dads and coaches, and their passion and devotion to the sport they love. Finch knows the sacrifice of weekends during the summer being spent on the softball field instead of the beach, school dances being missed, and the grind of school and home work and practice. But she, as well as the softball players in the tournament, wouldn’t have it any other way.

Jennie Finch played ASA softball her entire youth. Her teams have taken home National Championships at 12U, 14U, and 18U Gold. Also in attendance at the tournament were NJ ASA State Commissioner- Leo Spirito, Junior Olympic Commissioner- Pat Spirito, and Umpire-in-ChiefJames Peters. All were excited about the

possibilities of the new facility and the Jennie Finch Softball Academy.

Some of the girls in attendance are on a path to chase the same dream that Jennie has achieved. The New Jersey Breakers – Houston 18U Gold used the tournament as a warm up to ASA Gold Nationals in Oklahoma City, OK. Joe Salvatore’s team is sending players to softball power houses such as Cal State Fullerton, University of Virginia, Georgetown University, University of Maryland, Nebraska and other fine institutions of higher learning.

The Ken Fry’s EC Elite 18U Gold team are sending players to UMass, Bucknell, Hofstra, Rutgers, Fordham and Princeton just to name a few.

The winners of the tournament were: 14U age group: The Staten Island Panthers 16U age group: Top Gun 18U: NJ Breakers-Houston

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SOFTBALL 32 FOR ADVERTISING CALL: 908.455.1613 . ON LINE: WWW.DIAMONDNATIONMAGAZINE.COM

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SOFTBALL

WORLD CUP

Finch & Co. Cup Runneth Over.

Successful Summer for Team USA

Compiled from NFCA and USA Softball Sources

always to get better, both as a team and individually,” Miller said. ”We’re looking forward to the world championships next summer and improving our team as a whole.”

Team USA proved its dominance on the international stage once again, winning all

four events it entered in the summer of 2009. The American teams, which gave 33 different players the opportunity for international experience, went 35-1 during more than a month of competition.

The one loss was to Canada in the first game of the medal round at the Pan Am Qualifier in Maracay, Venezuela. Canada had been knocking on USA’s door all summer, almost defeating the Americans in the finals at Canada Cup, as Team USA came back in the bottom of the seventh to take a 3-2 victory. Australia and Japan also challenged, with close games in the finals at the World Cup (3-1 win over Australia) and Japan Cup (2-0 victory against Japan).

“There was good competition this summer in all the events, and it was a big challenge since it put us in tough situations and we had to respond,” USA National Team Head Coach Jay Miller said. “I was pleased in how we faced those challenges, and was especially happy with the way our veteran players really stepped up and took charge, helping out the young players who were having their first experience wearing the USA Jersey.”

The following briefly recaps the summer competition; for full stories, please visit usasoftball.com.

Canada Cup – Surrey, B.C. (July 3-12) With Canada just two outs away from beating the U.S. on their home soil, a sac fly by Kaitlin Cochran and a walk-off single by Jennie Finch that plated Caitlin Lowe gave Team USA the run it needed take a 3-2 decision over Canada in the championship game.

Cat Osterman earned the win for the U.S., allowing no earned runs with 14 strike-outs.

“It didn’t start out as the best night but (Lauren) Lappin and I worked well together in keeping the Canada hitters off-balance.

We got in a groove and wanted to keep us in the game and keep the damage to a minimum when runners did get on. The team did a great job of staying in the game and fighting back,” said Osterman. “This is a great building block for our team as the new kids were tested and it was good for them to see some tough international competition.”

The USA went 12-0 in the competition, with two wins each over The Netherlands and Venezuela, three wins over Australia and four wins against Canada. The USA also defeated the California Gold Rush.

Natasha Watley received the MVP and offensive awards, Lappin won the Suzy Brazney Award for most outstanding catcher while Osterman was named the Lori Sippel Award winner for most outstanding pitcher.

Team USA again will face the world’s top competition next summer when USA Softball hosts the International Softball Federation’s XII Women’s World Championship July 16-26 in Oklahoma City. “Our goal is 34 FOR ADVERTISING CALL: 908.455.1613 . ON LINE: WWW.DIAMONDNATIONMAGAZINE.COM

The final out came via a strikeout by Monica Abbott as the USA Softball Pan American Qualifier team defeated Canada, 3-1, to win the gold at the Pan American Qualifier in Maracay, Venezuela. It was a team full of heart that had to battle back with two victories on the final day after suffering an early loss in medal round play to Canada.

World Cup – Oklahoma City, Okla. (July 16-20) Team USA secured its third World Cup title with a 3-1 decision over Australia in front of 4,737 fans at the ASA Hall of Fame Complex. The KFC World Cup of Softball presented by Six Flags was a success with over 20,000 fans attending the five-day event with the final standings as follows: United States (gold), Australia (silver), Canada (bronze), Japan (fourth), Netherlands (fifth) and Italy (sixth).

“We lost early and had to come back and battle through extra games to get to the championship game, so it made it that much sweeter. This team today showed a lot of heart. The younger players to USA Softball really stepped up and the older ones were great leaders”, said Abbott. “Overall Venezuela put on a great event and the fans were amazing every game coming out in support. Also on qualifying here, we know we will be back in 2011 to fight for the world championship on our home soil in Oklahoma City.”

After knocking off the home team Venezuela 2-0, the U.S. faced a familiar foe in Canada for the championship game. Despite leaving seven runners on base,

Monica Abbott made that start in the championship game, recording seven of the first nine outs via the strikeout. Abbott allowed a hit in the third, by Clare Warwick, but two strikeouts swinging left a runner stranded. Australian starting pitcher Justine Smethurst did her part in circle allowing only one USA runner to reach, Alissa Haber off a single, through two innings.

Lauren Lappin came through when it really mattered, launching a home run over right field to lead off the third inning and begin a scoring drive that saw the USA score three runs. Overall, the USA went 6-0 in the competition.

Japan Cup – Sendai, Japan (July 31-August 2) It was the Jennie Finch show in Sendai, Japan, as the 6-1 right-hander pitched and hit her way to the gold medal at the 2009 Japan Cup. Defeating the Japanese 2-0 in front of 2,600 fans, the USA took home the hardware for the fifth time in the six-year history of the event.

the United States came through when it counted, with Abbott allowing only one earned run – a home run in the third by Melanie Matthews. The U.S. had already scored in the second after Langenfeld took the first pitch of her at bat for a single to left field and was eventually driven in on a sac fly by Maggie Viefhous.

Finch, who doubled to drive in the game’s only two runs in the first inning, had a no-hitter going until the top of the seventh before leadoff batter Rei Nishiyama hit a change-up for a single. Finch got the next three batters to clinch the win and earn Most Valuable Player honors. “I wasn’t focused on the no-hitter,” Finch said.

“I was just trying to execute one pitch at a time and get outs, trying to keep the hitters off-balance and use all the pitches I have. Lauren Lappin called a great game for me behind the plate, and it was really a lot of fun.”

The tie was short-lived as the U.S. took the lead back 2-1 in the bottom of the third with Tammy Williams scoring on a double to right field by Langenfeld.

Williams singled to shortstop to get on base. It looked like more runs would go up as the bases were loaded, but two consecutive outs left three stranded. An insurance run went up in the fourth when the U.S. faced a new Canadian pitcher, Jenna Caira. A Williams single to centerfield scored Vicky Galindo who had singled up the middle. That was all the U.S. needed as Abbott was phenomenal in the circle with eight strikeouts, allowing just three hits.

The USA went 4-0 in the competition, defeating Japan twice, and Australia and Chinese Taipei one time each.

Pan Am Qualifier – Maracay, Venezuela (July 31-August 8)

Langenfeld received the tournament honor for best hitter while Caitlin Lowe made the all-tournament team for the outfield. The USA went 13-1 to close out the 2009 international competition.

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WHAT IS MENTAL TOUGHNESS AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR ATHLETES?

MENTAL TOUGHNESS

By Mike Posey The concept of understanding mental toughness is evasive for many. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to coach many players and one thing I can tell you without reservation is the best players were mentally tough. It’s a hard concept to explain until you see it, but it’s obvious when you see a player that has it.

To clarify my point, not all of the best athletes have it. Not every big league player is mentally tough and there are plenty that never make it to the big leagues that have great mental toughness. It’s not about ability, I’ve coached many great athletes that didn’t have a clue about being mentally tough and would fold under pressure.

They could perform well when there was nothing on the line, but when the game was in balance, or the competition was tough, they usually failed.

On the other hand, I’ve witnessed many players with average skills, but mentally tough, perform in ways no one thought they could perform. A clutch hit, a key bunt, a great defensive play that stopped a rally, mentally tough players get the job done. In fact, the greater the pressure, the better they perform.

One thing I’ve come to understand with experience is that mental toughness is not an inborn DNA trait, but rather one that is developed over

time and exposure to adverse conditions.

Preparation in mental toughness begins with experiences at a young age. Parents can play a key role to begin the process of training mental toughness, but they need help along the way. A disciplined educational system with high expectations and good classroom rules, along with tough, but fair coaches (or mentors in other activities) with a positive mind set, is essential to developing a child mentally and building their self confidence, whether they are an athlete are not.

This is one of the many reasons why it’s important for all children to be involved in balanced organized extra curricular activities at a young age: Karate, gymnastics, ballet, music, scouts, children and youth activities at church, or youth sports will play a part in beginning to instill the discipline and structure that is needed to develop mentally. Notice I said begin to play a part. It takes time and preparation.

Mental development is also a reason that athletes need to be involved in a proper training program by the time they are 14 or 15 years old.

A training program not only helps to build power, strength, and agility, but is important in developing mentally. Players should be accountable to a mentor (trainer, coach, etc…) as well as the camaraderie and pressure of a small peer group, even if it’s only one or two others.

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If a player is involved in a training program earlier than 14 or 15, it should be for the purpose of agility and speed training, along with teaching the proper techniques in strength conditioning without weights. Before any training program is started, please consult your child’s physician during their annual physical, as the development of each child is unique.

DEFINITION of MENTAL TOUGHNESS Being mentally tough is having the psychological edge that allows one to perform at peak maximum effort and efficiency during the demands that are placed on them during training, practice, or competition. Specifically, when the demands are greatest or the conditions become adverse.

Whenever the demands are the greatest is when the characteristics of mental triumph are the most evident. Some of the many characteristics that are evident include:

SELF-CONFIDENCE SELF-MOTIVATION FOCUS CONCENTRATION COMPOSURE CALMNESS POISE SELF- CONTROL POSITIVE ENERGY DETERMINATION PERSISTENCE LEADERSHIP Please note, this doesn’t mean that the outcome is always a win, in many cases these attributes can show up the most during a loss, especially a close loss to a tough opponent or during adverse conditions. But over time and with careful training the mental toughness of skilled players comes to light in championship games.

DEVELOPMENT To have mental toughness one must practice attributes that lead to mental toughness. I wish there were a formula to follow, but there is not.

It takes time and patience under the right leadership to develop mental toughness. Parents, educators, coaches, and other mentors must be systematically involved in the training process.

Also, it takes failure and the ability to bounce back. Many people develop mental toughness through the experience of failure. Good

parents do not want their children to fail and I understand that. But today, too many blame others for the failure. Parents are quick to blame the teacher for problems in class or a coach when the child is not excelling in an activity. Mental toughness can not be developed properly when blaming others. In fact, the opposite is the case.

Here are a some examples of those that worked through failure to develop mental toughness and succeed: “Every strikeout got me closer to my next homerun”. Babe Ruth Babe Ruth grew up in an orphanage. During his playing career he struck out a record 1330 times on his way to hitting 714 career homeruns. “…..Failure makes me try harder the next time”- Michael Jordan.

Jordan was only 5’ 7” when he entered high school. Because of his speed and athleticism (and an older brother named Larry that the coaches knew well) he was invited to try out for the varsity, but didn’t make it. He was placed on the JV team where he routinely scored 25 - 30 points a game. By his junior year, he was 6’4” and made the varsity team. By then, he not only had the skill to play, but the drive and determination to be successful, while demanding the same from his teammates. (Michael's older brother Larry played a big role in helping with him develop mental toughness on the court.)

Edmund Hillary failed three times before finally being the first to climb Mt. Everest.

Bill Gates (Microsoft) and Steve Allen (his Microsoft co-founder) failed at their first business, Traf-O-Matic, which was developed to analyze traffic patterns.

Walt Disney’s first animation business in the 1920’s failed after only one month, forcing him to take a job from another company at that time.

Ten Free Tips on How to Develop Mental Toughness in Your Players at www.expert-baseball-tips.com/ mentaltoughness Article Source: http://www.youthbaseballinfo.com

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39

BE KIND - TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WISH TO BE TREATED

THE ROLE OF THE BASEBALL PARENT Mike Raymond is the Director of Baseball Operations at Diamond Nation and is the Head Baseball coach at Hunterdon Central Regional High School. His teams at Central have won 15 championships including back to back Group IV State Championships in 2008 and 2009. In 2009, they went 29-1 and finished the year as the #1 ranked team in the state. He was personally selected the New Jersey Coach of the Year for 2009 by the National Federation of High School Coaches.

Mike Raymond Hunterdon Central Regional High School Health and Physical Education Department Head Baseball Coach (908) 782-5727 ext. 8552 “My son is better than that kid but his father is a board member.”

“That guy only coaches to make sure his son plays all the time.”

“Why put this kid in to pitch, he is terrible.”

“That kid should not have even made the team, let alone be a starter.”

If you have not uttered one of these phrases to your husband, your wife, your friend, or possibly even your son’s coach, you are in the minority of today’s Little League parents. In today’s society when the pressures on the baseball field pale in comparison to the pressures often put on by parents and peers, I find it essential to keep the goal of amateur athletics in perspective and to reinforce the role of parents in amateur sports.

Participation in amateur athletics provides children with the opportunity to have fun while learning valuable life lessons through the competition of sport. Some of these lessons may come in victory while others may come from a poor individual performance or a loss. To me, any loss or poor performance is not bad as long as you learn some-

thing from it. This is where the role of the parent plays an integral part of a young athletes learning experience.

As parents we all want our children to experience the highest level of success their sport has to offer and will do everything in our power to give them an advantage. Some parents pay for private lessons and elite travel teams, others spend their hard earned money on strength and speed training, and many provide all of the above in the hope that their child will become the next Derek Jeter, Ryan Howard, or Johan Santana. While all of these things will undoubtedly make your child a better player, it can not guarantee that they will not experience failure. To be honest, it’s just the opposite. Better players must challenge themselves to face a higher level competition but should understand that this competition will drastically increases the chance they will experience a slump, make an error in a key part of a game, or give up the winning run in a big game. It is through these tough times that good players learn and become great.

Parents can help this process along by following a few simple rules.

1. Understand that failure is part of the game. The first step to helping your son understand this point is to make sure you understand it yourself. Do not let a good game or performance get you too high or excited. Try to maintain an even keel after games regardless of the outcome or performance.

2. Don’t focus on the end result. Help your son understand success is not measured solely by statistics but more importantly by improvement.

Everyone’s goal should be to improve in at least one area of the game every time you take the field whether it is a game or practice. While winning in competitive sports is the ultimate goal, it is the product of daily improvement.

3. Acknowledge the little things. While slumps do occur in baseball, there are two things that never slump – hustle and sportsmanship. Remind your son there are many ways to help a team and let

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him know that it makes you proud to see him running on and off the field or cheering up a teammate in between innings after an error or strikeout. The best teams usually have the best teammates.

4. Promote good character and sportsmanship.

Regardless of the situation, everyone from coaches, to parents, to players must exhibit the highest level of character in order to keep the integrity of this great sport intact. This includes not cheating to gain an advantage, supporting teammates and players and cheering for everyone even if they are competing for the same position.

If parents and coaches model this type of behavior both around the field and at home, it will lead to children who learn and understand these valuable life skills at a young age.

5. Remember it is called the “Game of Baseball.”

When the game is not fun to play anymore, most players will call it quits. It is sometimes difficult to remain positive during the tough times so parents need to often remind their children of this. It is the lessons your child learns during these tough times that will make him stronger and teach them

valuable coping tools they will need in their everyday life.

Now, let’s get back to those phrases at the beginning of this article. I have heard them often but must say, “Who cares.” As time goes by, no one will care how much playing time little Jonny had or that he was the best player on his nine year old All-Star team. What does matter is that every year he plays this game, he grows as a player and as a person. If this growth is combined with a lot of hard work, good teaching, a passion for the sport and some luck, your son will hopefully have a great high school career and possibly play in college. Anything after that is a great goal but totally a bonus.

The dream of becoming a major league baseball player is the goal of many kids but the reality is most will not reach that goal. But, the thing that makes all the sacrifice and energy worth it is the friendships, the memories, and the life skills they attain during their endless hours on the practice field and during games. No one can predict what the future holds for any individual, but I promise you, the future will be much easier to deal with if you follow these simple rules.

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PROFILE IN GUTS AND DETERMINATION

JUST LIKE ANY OTHER KID By Eric Citron

With so many negative stories in the news these days regarding athletes, it’s nice to be able to bring you a story about a player who personifies guts and determination.

Jordan Deitch is not unlike your average 13 year old athlete, he plays football, basketball and pitches for his travel team. The thing that is most remarkable about Jordon is he was born with just 1 finger on each hand. By the time Jordan was 8 years old he had already experienced 5 different operations to give partial use of his hands. Through all types of reconstructive surgery the doctors were able to give him a pinky, thumb and index finger on his left hand (which he can’t bend) his right hand they had to unfist.

This is not a story about a young man who is handicapped, because to meet Jordan you would never know it. This is a story about triumph and determination. Jordan started playing t-ball when he was 5 with a custom glove his dad bought for him over the internet.

He continued his love of sports not only playing football, basketball and baseball but playing them at a high level.

I had the good fortune to meet and watch Jordan play baseball recently at

Baseball Heaven where he is the starting pitcher for the 13yr. Long Island Inferno travel team.

When you watch Jordan pitch you would never know he has a handicap.

His ball has tremendous movement on it, which makes it very hard to hit according to opposing batters. Last season he sported a 3.00 ERA and averaged more than 1 strike out per game.

His pitching ability is only surpassed by his hitting. This kid can hit with any of his teammates. He is currently batting .333.

I have to admit I don’t know how he does it.

Overall his father tells me Jordan is just like any other 13 year old kid, he has great grades, is a pain in the butt, and his friends love him.

We can all take a lesson from Jordan in the way he approaches life, he exemplifies guts and desire. I don’t know how far Jordan will go in baseball, but in my book he already is an ALL STAR.

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FAITH AND A BASEBALL RAT HELPED HAMILTON BACK TO STARDOM

SILVER LINING

By Joel Poiley/Baseballamerica.com CLEARWATER, FLA.—As Roy Silver watched the laser beam of a line drive rise from just above his head at the pitcher's mound to its landing about 500 feet away beyond the center-field wall, he had no doubt that Josh Hamilton still had the ability to play in the major leagues.

It was Hamilton's mental state Silver was concerned with. During those dark days in early 2006, when baseball had given up on the thrice-suspended former phenom, Silver reached out to Hamilton at his lowest ebb, offering him one last shot at redemption.

The amazing story of Hamilton's descent from uber-prospect into the abyss of cocaine addiction and alcohol abuse, and his subsequent revival, has become the stuff of baseball legend. Less well known is where it all began, in an empty ballpark in Clearwater.

Silver, 46, runs a baseball academy called The Winning Inning at Jack Russell Stadium, where the Phillies trained from 1955-2003.

His baseball pedigree is vast, having played, managed and coached in the Cardinals organization for 14 years. He also served as a manager in the Florida State League for the Rays when they were born in 199899. It was there he met Hamilton, when the then-Devil Rays made him the first pick in the 1999 draft.

But 2006 was light years removed from that bright beginning, and Silver reached out to Hamilton when he seemed finally to have reached rock bottom, offering him one last shot at redemption. Hamilton arrived about two weeks later, and Silver put him up in the converted Phillies executive offices in a 10-by12-foot room with an air mattress. The arrangement was rent-free, and Silver provided all of Hamilton's food. In return, Hamilton would have to earn his keep, doing everything from cleaning toilets to pulling weeds to dragging the infield. His reward in the afternoon was time in the batting cage.

"He wasn't allowed to leave," Silver said. "His truck was behind a locked gate at night. He lived here under our rules. He could leave any time he wanted and go back to North Carolina. But as long as he was here he did what we said.

"If he didn't get up some mornings to work, he lost privileges just like you would discipline your child.

Money, his keys, everything was under our jurisdiction. And he wanted it that way."

Hamilton, who by that time had drained most of his $3.96 million signing bonus on his addictions, said he was impressed with Silver's faith-based philosophy and motto: "Developing players from the inside out."

And he felt it would be the right place to attempt his comeback in earnest.

"Roy was offering me what amounted to a stay at a ballplayer's halfway house, and right away it sounded like the perfect opportunity for me," Hamilton said in his book, "Beyond Belief, Finding the strength to come back."

Hamilton is the most high-profile case, but Silver has helped countless kids in the Tampa Bay area, including Nationals pitching prospect Tyler Clippard. Clippard drew considerable attention entering his senior year at Mitchell High in nearby Trinity, in 2003. But a drunken-driving arrest early in the baseball season almost derailed his budding career until his father brought him to Silver.

"My world came tumbling down because baseball was my life," Clippard said. "I was like a lost puppy and Roy led me in the right direction. I got a head start on professional baseball my senior year in high school because I go to this guy who teaches me things I'm still using today as far as mechanics. And he made a bunch of calls to scouts on my behalf.

"And the most important thing, outside of the baseball knowledge that he has, is that he gets you to look beyond what's happened to you and gets you to look at the bigger picture. Him getting me to look at those

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things at 18 had a huge impact on me being successful after I was drafted."

become a responsible father and reunite with his wife and daughters.

Clippard was drafted in the ninth round by the Yankees and reached the big leagues in 2007. He's currently pitching in relief for the Nationals' Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse. He wasn't surprised Silver not only reached out to Hamilton, but also helped him find his way.

"Getting his life back together was more important, by far, than baseball," Silver said. "I've been around a lot of first-rounders, and when someone throws a lot of money at you and you're 18, it changes you— most of the time in a negative way because it's not normal and you don't always fit in socially with older teammates.

"Roy's a genuine individual who does things because he wants to, not because he expects anything in return," said Clippard, 24.

Randy Holland, Silver's partner in The Winning Inning, said Silver has been helping young men who need a second chance for years, often with little compensation.

"Roy's a big-hearted guy who doesn't seek the recognition," Holland said. "Roy's heart, and mine, is for these young men to grow up to be responsible people down the road—fathers, husbands, leaders in their community—and they have a great experience playing baseball.

The Josh Hamiltons are few and far between. Ninety-five percent of the kids that we see here aren't going to play professional baseball, and Roy wants them to go on and do something positive with their life."

Undeniable Skills Silver said when Hamilton came to Clearwater, he obviously wasn't in playing shape, only months off his last drug binge. But the baseball skills were undeniable, even hidden beneath years of rust and neglect.

"His skin color was off, and he had just put his weight back on while he was living with his grandmother, but it wasn't a healthy-looking weight," Silver said.

"He didn't look like an athlete."

None of that mattered when Hamilton stepped into the batting cage for the first time, though.

"The first ball he hit sounded like a shotgun," Silver recalled, smiling. "Even though visually he wasn't Josh, he was still Josh. When that ball hit the back screen, he was excited. It put a lot of joy in his heart."

Hamilton was drug-tested three times a week by Major League Baseball while living with Silver, a practice that's still part of his major league routine.

The main goal, Silver said, was to help Hamilton

"Josh made some bad choices. He's been public about that. And he knew when he came here the scholarship was over. This was a second chance; but also a last chance. And he wanted it bad enough that he made it happen."

Hamilton, who went through eight attempts at rehab, said Silver and Holland kept an eye on him, yet were also able to give him his space, which he appreciated.

"Roy and Randy ran after-school camps and other group activities for kids in the area. It was part of their mission, using baseball as their ministry," Hamilton said. "This became one of my favorite things about the place.

Being around the little kids reignited my love for baseball and made me realize why I had to give myself another chance to get back into the game."

After several months with Silver, Hamilton attempted to hook on with an independent league team, but MLB wouldn't allow it.

Upon reviewing his case, and hearing from doctors that being around baseball might speed his recovery, MLB did allow Hamilton to work out with Rays minor leaguers in June 2006. By the end of the month he was allowed to participate in minor league games and was assigned to short-season Hudson Valley.

The rest is history. At the 2006 Winter Meetings, the Cubs picked Hamilton in the major league Rule 5 draft and sold him to the Reds. After a scintillating spring training, he completed his miraculous ascent to the majors when he made the Reds' Opening Day roster a little more than a year after Silver took him in.

The Reds traded him to the Rangers before the 2008 season, when he made the American League all-star team and took the baseball world by storm in the Home Run Derby. He hit 28 home runs in the opening round, breaking Bobby Abreu's record of 24 set in 2005, though he eventually finished second in the final to Justin Morneau.

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"I thought it was a little soon, honestly," Silver said of Hamilton's return to the pro game. "But that special natural ability was always there, he just had to tap into it. He's in a class by himself. The only other guy scouts will put in that class is A-Rod. Older scouts will compare him to Mantle. No one else is close.

Silver's baseball mentor and close friend was George Kissell, the longtime Cardinals coach, manager, scout and field instructor who died last year at age 88.

Signed by Branch Rickey in 1940, Kissell was employed by the Cardinals until his death, the longest affiliation with one club in baseball.

"Josh is the type of athlete that could've played wideout or tight end in football, point guard in basketball; he threw 97 mph lefthanded off the mound. Hands, feet, coordination; he had it all."

Silver got to know Kissell during his tenure with the Cardinals, was with Kissell when he died, and presided at his memorial at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg.

Just as important, Silver found Hamilton a willing student and good listener as he worked on his mental recovery.

"He was my baseball father," Silver said. "He took time for all the little guys. He hung with the big guys, but he was more comfortable being around the little guys.

"We just had to iron out a couple minor mechanical things he might've picked up in high school, but he's very easy to coach," Silver said. "We were maybe a month or so into it and I said, 'I feel like I've run out of things to say.' And he said, 'I want you to keep talking to me about baseball, the Bible; I want to get back into God's word.' " Silver doesn't push his faith on people, but religion has been a big part of his life since his minor league days. He runs Baseball Chapel services for the Blue Jays and Phillies on Sundays during spring training, then performs the same service for their Florida State League clubs during the regular season.

He was glad to reach out to Hamilton.

"He's a good kid, easy to like," Silver said. "The original bond was baseball, but I had gone down a similar road as Josh at one point in my life and he could see a model that was living a productive life.

"It's a privilege to play in the major leagues, and it was important for Josh to realize that and be accountable for his actions. As long as Josh stays connected to God he's going to be fine."

"I learned balance from George. Earl Weaver and Sparky Anderson both wanted him on their staffs. But he was loyal to the Cardinals and his family, that's why he remained in Florida all those years. He's a big reason I started The Winning Inning, because it was a way to stay close to my family but still be involved in baseball."

Silver has also lived a rich life in the game, even though he's unknown to many in the sport.

A recent highlight for Silver was throwing batting practice for Team USA as they prepped in Clearwater this spring for the World Baseball Classic. He also served as a bullpen catcher during the team's training and said it was educational.

"From a scouting standpoint it kept my eye sharp as to what major league pitches do—the slider, the breaking ball, the fastball—and the mental approach those guys took," said Silver, who also helps coordinate Yankees fantasy camps. "And I got to watch the hitters during BP and how they approach certain situations."

Holland, a certified athletic trainer who worked 18 seasons in the Blue Jays organization, said Silver has a unique ability to connect with kids and get them to confront their problems.

Silver and Hamilton remain close, communicating by phone and e-mail and seeing each other when the Rangers play in Tampa. Silver does not want credit for Hamilton's recovery; he's just glad to have helped him and many other youngsters like him get back on their feet.

"There's nobody better in baseball in the mental part of the game than Roy Silver," Holland said. "He can pull out things from kids, either in a group or one on one, about baseball, life, whatever it is to get them to focus on being a better person and player."

"It's a neat story and I was happy to be a part of it, but it was just the right time, part of God's plan," Silver said. "Had he come here a year or two earlier it would've been a different story because he hadn't hit rock bottom yet."

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THE MAN WITH THE GREAT NAME – NEW YORK METS THIRD BASE COACH:

RAZOR SHINES

By Eric Citron Anthony Razor Shines (born July 18, 1956 in Durham, North Carolina) is currently the third-base coach for the New York Mets. Shines is also a retired baseball player who played first base for the Montreal Expos for four seasons, from 1983-1985 and 1987. He had a significant career in the minor leagues, where he spent parts of sixteen seasons. He spent the majority of nine seasons with the Indianapolis Indians, and he became a local legend and fan favorite within the city of Indianapolis. His minor league career also included stops in Memphis with the Memphis Chicks, in the Mexican League and in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization with the Buffalo Bisons. He later became a minor league manager, where he managed the Birmingham Barons of the Southern League and the Clearwater Threshers of the Florida State League.

On May 16, 2006, the Indians honored Shines, who was managing the visiting Charlotte Knights, with a "Razor Shines Night". This kind of honor, for a player of an opposing team, is quite rare in minor league baseball. Shines kept his residence in Indianapolis during his playing years and for a few years afterwards.

After retirement, he began his coaching career there at a local baseball academy and at Bishop Chatard High School.

In 2007, he was back in the Major Leagues coaching at third base for the Chicago White Sox. On December 12, 2007, Shines was named manager of the Phillies single-A Clearwater Threshers team. He managed the Threshers to a 64-76 record in 2008.

On October 23, 2008, it was announced that Shines would replace Luis Aguayo as the third base coach for the New York Mets.

In my mind Razor Shines is what baseball is all about. He is upbeat, talkative and fun to be around. I was covering the Mets vs. Tampa game and had the chance to spend about 15 minutes talking to him on the field before the game and this is a guy who loves baseball and loves to talk about it! I can honestly say he is one of the nicest people you want to meet and his pure love of this game comes through with every word.

In four Major League seasons he played in 68 games and had 81 at bats, 15 hits, one double, five RBI, one stolen base, five walks, a .185 batting average, .239 on-base percentage, .198 slugging percentage, 16 total bases and one sacrifice fly. He also pitched an inning in a blowout loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1985.

I might have missed his love affair with the fans had I not been sitting in the photo box – each and every time Razor walks out to the third base coaching box he carries with him a ball, Then the ritual begins: he walks over to the photo box, looks into the stands and studies all of the young fans shouting to him, he carefully picks one fan out, points to him/her and then tosses the ball to their waiting hand and makes their day. He does this every inning, and it’s quite a ritual he has developed.

Shines has over 500 wins as a minor league manager.

The man with the great name – welcome to New York – we are glad to have you on our team!

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RUNNING

FLEET AFOOT

RUNNING BASES Steve DiTrolio is currently the Instructor and Coach for Diamond Nation. He is the Head Baseball Coach for Wardlaw-Hartridge Prep 2007-2009, and was the Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for Bloomfield College 2004-2006.

Sixty yards. That’s it. Sixty yards stand between you leading off second base and you crossing the plate. It’s sixty yards going first to third on a base hit.

Sixty yards. That’s it. Sixty yards stand between you leading off second base and you crossing the plate. It’s sixty yards going first to third on a base hit.

It’s a important number, 60. Why? Because baseball is effectively a two-base game. It’s how baseball coaches measure speed—two bags at a time. But sometimes, beyond straight-line track speed, it’s speed on the base paths that can make the difference in a bang-bang play. It could all happen in the blink of 60 yards.

When you think about it, running the bases should be simple. And at its core, it is just that: The ball is hit, you run as quickly as you can to the next base. If only life between the lines were so easy.

BASE RUNNING HAS BECOME A LOST TOOL. A PLAYER SHOULD TAKE PRIDE IN HIS BASE RUNNING ABILITY.

Base running has become a lost tool in the modern-day game. Perhaps it’s that most young players do not understand that team offense stops not at the plate, but continues when you reach base. It’s a skill set so easily overlooked, yet one that can so easily be improved. Often it boils down to desire that separates quality base runners from the pack. Desire that spells the balance between first and third, safe or out. Work hard enough, and your base running can change the dynamic of a game by creating havoc for the defense and opposing pitchers.

A player should take pride in his base running ability. Unlike at the plate or in the field, when he’s running the bases, he is in total control of his own success. He

Steve DiTrolio

will decide how aggressive to be, how hard he will run, and how smart he will play each situation.

In other sports, say football or basketball, when you’re on the offensive, you’re constantly moving. Baseball’s different. It’s a slow moving game, one of patience. It’s easy to become complacent and idle.

That’s where the smart base runner strikes. He will be looking to advance on every pitch. Like a fielder setting himself on every pitch to receive the baseball should it be hit in his direction, a base runner should have an up-tempo approach and should know what to do in every situation after a pitch is thrown. For example, if a ball is hit to the left side, the base runner will take a different approach versus when a ball it hit to the right side. He runs differently with one out versus two, one strike versus two.

He’s plugged into the flow of every second of the action and should run the bases with the same urgency.

As a coach, I try to emphasize several key points to my players during the season: 1) You don’t always need to be a thief.

Stealing bases is a great way to create pressure and advance runners without a swing of the bat. The threat of the steal, however, can be just as important as the steal itself. A player with an ability to steal impacts the game without even breaking for second. A pitcher may change his delivery to prepare for the threat of a steal attempt. Pitch selection too; he may elect to throw more fastballs versus curves. He may lose focus, following the runner with his mind instead of focus squarely on the batter. The threat of a stolen base also forces infielders to

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move position. They often give up ground to defend the steal, thus creating bigger holes for the hitter.

2) Be a student of the game.

A good base runner will study their surroundings: How deep are the fences? What surface is the game being played on? How much foul territory surrounds the field? A good baseball player will sit in the dugout and study a pitcher’s tendencies. As I tell my players, you should always be looking to gain an advantage, be it at the plate, in the field or on the bases. By studying a pitcher’s tendencies, you may find, for example, that he always throws an off-speed pitch in certain counts. Or perhaps he drifts towards the plate before he lifts his front foot.

By studying, you’ll be armed with pivotal knowledge that will help improve your chances of advancing successfully on the base paths.

3) Your secondary lead should not have secondary importance.

As much as the threat of a steal can create pressure and generate offense, it’s still a gamble. This gamble looms even larger for runners on teams without a ton of speed. As mentioned earlier, one of the

most overlooked skills among young players is the ability to go first to third. The “two-base game” looms large, because you can generate runs without risking outs. A base runner’s secondary lead is the foundation to get in better position to go from first to third, or to score from second base.

4) As baseball players, we must not forget our overall objective—scoring runs.

Good base running does not—nor will it ever— command the same attention and accolades as hitting home runs. But it can create the same result: scoring runs. Although base running can often become an afterthought to observers of the game, it should never live as a postscript within your overall game. You should always hustle and look to create pressure. You should always anticipate the next play. You must understand game situations.

If you work on all of these tools, and if you treat running the bases with the importance it requires, you will develop an aspect of your overall game that will set you apart. It will make you a much better overall player, and it will help prepare you for the next level.

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59

GOOD READS FOR 2009 FROM DIAMOND NATION MAGAZINE

DNM BOOK CLUB Yogi Berra: Eternal Yankee (Hard Cover)

By Alan Barra Publisher: WW. Norton & Co. Available Amazon.com $27.95 In the introduction to his latest effort, Barra (The Last Coach: A Life of Paul Bear Bryant) says that one of his goals was to create the first comprehensive work written about Yogi Berra, the greatest ballplayer never to have had a serious biography.

The result is not only comprehensive but also incredibly engaging, as Barra narrates the life of one of the most eccentric ballplayers of the 20th century.

Starting with his modest Italian upbringing in St. Louis, Mo., Berra quickly took a liking to what his father called a bum’s game. And after a short career in the navy, he parlayed his talents into one of the most decorated athletic careers in history, leading the New York Yankees to 10 World Series championships and winning three MVPs. Each of Berra’s baseball highlights is meticulously described, as are his stints as a manager for both the Yankees and crosstown Mets, his relationships with men like Casey Stengel, Mickey Mantle and George Steinbrenner, and his ability to create some of the most famous catch phrases of our time, Yogiisms, as they’re called.

Barra’s love of the catcher with the similar name is evident throughout this deserving biography of Yogi. (Mar.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Complete Game

By Ron Darling with Daniel Paisner $24.95 Published by Alfred A. Knopf Available: Amazon.com This is a wonderful book that details both the highlights and lowlights of Ron Darling’s career both as a pitcher and a broadcaster.

He tells wonderful stories, often self-deprecating, about how different managers handled his tough situations and devotes an entire chapter to the famous college game in 1981 between Yale (Darling) and St. Johns (Frank Viola) where Darling pitched 11 innings of no-hit ball but lost in the 12th. Great detail about how Darling would pitch different batters in different situations.

This book is almost impossible to put down. A great read!

The Rocket That Fell To Earth

By Jeff Pearlman Publisher Harper $26.95 Available at Amazon.com He was supposed to be the next Nolan Ryan: Roger Clemens, the fearless, hard-nosed Texan with a 98-mph fastball and a propensity to throw at the heads of opposing hitters. Yet shortly after his arrival in the major leagues in 1984, it became apparent that the Ryan comparisons were simply unfair—Roger Clemens was significantly better.

Over 24 seasons, the Rocket would go on to win 354 games, an unprecedented seven Cy Young Awards and two World Series trophies. In 1986 he set

the major league record with 20 strikeouts in a nine-inning game, then matched it a decade later.

He would be routinely praised for representing the game in a just and righteous manner—a living, breathing example of the power of determination and hard work. “Roger Clemens,” a teammate once said, “is an American hero.” But the statistics and hoopla obscure a far darker story. Along with myriad playoff chokes, womanizing (including a 10-year affair with thenteenage country singer Mindy McCready), a violent streak (most famously triggered by former Mets star Mike Piazza) and his use of steroids and human growth hormones, Clemens has spent years trying to hide his darkest secret—a family tragedy involving drugs and, ultimately, death. The author of the New York Times bestsellers Boys Will Be Boys and The Bad Guys Won!, Jeff Pearlman conducted nearly 500 interviews with Clemens’ family, friends and teammates to present a portrait that goes beyond the familiar newspaper stories and magazine profiles.

Reconstructing the pitcher’s life—from his childhood in Ohio to college ball in Texas and on to the mounds of Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium—Pearlman reveals the real Roger Clemens: a flawed and troubled man whose rage for baseball immortality took him to superhuman heights but ultimately brought him crashing to earth.

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Forever Blue

By Michael D’Antonio $25.95 Hardcover Published by Riverhead Available: Amazon.com Although Walter O’Malley has been dead for nearly 30 years, D’Antonio’s latest work is perhaps the most meticulously detailed and comprehensive account to date of the former owner of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers. Through research in O’Malley’s letters, documents and myriad interviews with those close to him, D’Antonio (Tin Cup Dreams) presents a well-rounded portrayal of one of the most polarizing figures in baseball history: one New York writer referred to O’Malley as one of the three worst human beings who ever lived, while a Los Angeles journalist described O’Malley as a man who did more for baseball than any commissioner. D’Antonio paints the whole picture, starting with O’Malley’s early days as a lawyer who originally began working with the club in a troubleshooting capacity, to taking total control of ownership in 1950. During O’Malley’s tenure with the Dodgers, the team had some of its most famous moments in history—the debut of Jackie Robinson, the club’s first World Series title in 1955 and, of course, the team’s infamous move to Los Angeles. D’Antonio explores everything—O’Malley’s business dealings, his personal relationships with Robinson and Branch Rickey, the on-the-field fortunes of the Dodgers. With D’Antonio’s access to O’Malley’s most personal documents, even baseball historians will find something to learn. (Mar.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Becoming Manny

By Jean Rhodes & Shawn Boburg $25.00 Published by Scribner Available: Amazon.com

Straw: FINDING MY OWN WAY

By Daryl Strawberry $26.99 Hardcover Published by Ecco Available: Amazon.com

Authorized by the future Hall of Famer himself, and written by a clinical psychologist and an award - winning investigative journalist, Becoming Manny is the incredible story behind one of the greatest baseball sluggers of all time. Manny Ramirez ranks seventeenth in career home runs and eighth in career slugging percentage — the only players above him on both lists are Barry Bonds, Jimmie Foxx, & Babe Ruth.

Becoming Manny brings an unusually thoughtful analysis to the territory of sports biography, examining Manny’s life through the lens of larger issues such as mentoring and immigration, while also telling the story of a great career. Manny has perplexed the baseball world for years now with his amazing hitting and his unique approach to life and to the game. Incredibly focused at the plate yet carefree everywhere else, Manny has become a constant topic of discussion on national sports radio and television, on sports websites, and in print. With unprecedented access, Jean Rhodes and Shawn Boburg have uncovered fascinating stories and family photos spanning Manny’s early years to the present. This is an authorized inside look at the roots, development, and career of an individual and player on his way from the Dominican Republic and Washington Heights to the Hall of Fame.

Former baseball slugger Darryl Strawberry, whose achievements on the field were often overshadowed by his struggles off the field, recounts the highs, the lows, and the lessons of hope and survival he learned along the way. The youngest son of Henry and Ruby Strawberry, Darryl grew up in a workingclass neighborhood in Los Angeles, where he channeled his energy into baseball and basketball. The New York Mets drafted him in 1980, and he won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1983.

Strawberry became the first National League player voted to the All-Star Game in each of his first four full seasons. Throughout the eighties and nineties, however, Strawberry faced many personal challenges, including drug use, tax evasion, solicitation, and allegations of domestic violence. His seasons with the Dodgers, Giants, and Yankees were interrupted by suspensions, visits to rehab, and treatment for colon cancer. But in 2006, Strawberry’s life changed course dramatically. With his wife, Tracy, he devoted himself to his church and to his work with children and adults affected by autism and other developmental disorders. For the first time, in his own words, Darryl Strawberry delivers his inspirational narrative — the extraordinary story of his life.

2009 GOOD READS

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New York Mets

HALL OF FAME NEWS Seaver, 1969 Mets won as a team.

Amazin’s celebrate 40th anniversary of World Championship

By Craig Muder National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – It might be the greatest team accomplishment in a game built on team play. And the 1969 Miracle Mets certainly became one of the most celebrated teams in baseball history – thanks to a collection of players whose sum was greater than their parts.

Only one other Mets pitcher, Jerry Koosman, won more than 13 games that year – due in part to an offense that produced no players with more than 76 RBIs, just three players with at least 100 hits and totaled an on-base percentage of only .309. But under the direction of manager Gil Hodges – and with Seaver pitching every fifth day – the Mets stormed down the stretch and through NLCS.

But at the center of that team stood a superstar of the highest magnitude, a pitcher who became the definition of a Hall of Famer.

George Thomas Seaver was the very embodiment of his team. And as the Mets celebrate the 40th anniversary of their 1969 World Championship, the contributions of Seaver to that title are more evident than ever.

“We knew we had the potential for a pretty good pitching staff going into the season,” Seaver said. “I don’t think anyone had any idea what was going to happen, though.”

What happened were 100 regular-season victories, the National League East title and a sweep of the Atlanta Braves in the firstever National League Championship Series.

Seaver went 25-7 in the regular-season with a sparkling 2.21 ERA. He was later rewarded with the National League Cy Young Award and a second-place finish in the NL MVP voting.

The Mets’ 1969 World Series program played on the team’s quick rise, winning 100 games and making the Fall Classic in the franchise’s eith season after posting the worst record in modern history by losing 120 games their first season in 1962.

Credit: National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY

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“Gil Hodges changed everything when he became the manager,” Seaver said. “That’s when we became a team.”

But to complete the miracle, the Mets had to defeat the Baltimore Orioles – who won 109 games and were just two seasons removed from a World Series title.

In Game 1, the unthinkable happened.

Seaver, who had lost just seven of his 32 decisions during the regular season, allowed four earned runs in five innings and was saddled with the loss. Surely, this would derail the Mets.

to the Museum, as well as access to exclusive programs, such as the Voices of the Game Series. Additionally, members receive a subscription to the Hall of Fame's bimonthly magazine, Memories and Dreams, the 2009 Hall of Fame yearbook and a 10% discount and free shipping on retail purchases. For information on becoming a member, please visit baseballhall.org or call 607-547-0397.

But this team would not allow it.

Koosman and Ron Taylor combined for a two-hitter in Game 2, and Gary Gentry and Nolan Ryan – the only other future Hall of Famer in the Mets’ lineup that year – shut out the Orioles in Game 3. That set the stage for Seaver, who allowed just one run in 10 innings in Game 4 – a game that ended when the Orioles misplayed J.C. Martin’s bunt, allowing Rod Gaspar to score from second base.

The next day, Oct. 16, Koosman pitched a complete-game five-hitter to give the Mets their improbable title.

Seaver pitched 17 more seasons, winning two more Cy Youngs with the Mets before being traded to the Reds during the 1977 season. He finished his career in 1986 with 311 wins and a 2.86 ERA. In 1992, Seaver garnered 98.84 percent of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America Hall of Fame vote – the best percentage ever.

“It was an honor to have so many people think you were deserving of the Hall of Fame,” Seaver said. “You don’t think about that when you’re playing. You’re thinking about winning. In 1969, that’s what we did.”

Members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum receive free admission

The 1969 Miracle Mets beat a favored Baltimore Orioles team in the World Series, providing not only the franchise’s first World Championship, but its first-ever winning season.

Credit: National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is open seven days a week year round, with the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the Museum is open from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. seven days a week. The Museum observes off-season hours of 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. from the day after Labor Day until Memorial Day Weekend. Ticket prices are $16.50 for adults (13 and over), $11 for seniors (65 and over) and for those holding current memberships in the VFW, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion and AMVets organizations, and $6 for juniors (ages 7-12). Members are always admitted free of charge and there is no charge for children 6 years of age or younger. For more information, visit our Web site at baseballhall.org or call 888-HALL-OF-FAME (888-425-5633) or 607-547-7200.

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Honus Wagner

HALL OF FAME NEWS Wagner card still popular at age 100.

Baseball’s most famous trading card thrills collectors.

By Trevor Hayes National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – It may be fitting that the man who is known as the greatest shortstop of alltime is immortalized on the greatest baseball card of all-time.

A single card, called the T206 Honus Wagner which features the legendary Pirates shortstop, changed the baseball card industry forever. In September 2007, the most famous version of that card, the Gretzky T206 Honus Wagner, sold for $2.8 million. With the auction’s closing, the evolution of baseball cards was complete, going from cigarette packs, to chewing gum for kids to glossy packaging.

In their earlier days and innocence, they were put into bike spokes and swapped without a thought about their value. Now they are auctioned, and locked away behind plastic and glass to preserve their condition.

Most historians trace the roots of baseball trading cards to the 1880s. Cards depicting baseball were around earlier than that, but mass-production and distribution didn’t start until two decades after the start of the Civil War. What is believed to be the earliest known card was produced sometime between 1800 and 1830 and features an illustration of boys playing an early version of the game with a caption that says “Boys delight with ball to play.”

The industry almost died when the American Tobacco Company gained a virtual monopoly on tobacco products in the 1900s, but by 1909 they had competition and started including a single card with each pack of 10 cigarettes. ATC’s first series of cards, the “White Borders,” produced from 1909 to 1911 became known in the card industry as the T206 series, for the catalog designation assigned by Jefferson Burdick in his book The American Card Catalog.

The T206 Honus Wagner, of which less than 60 copies are known to exist, is the most expensive baseball card in the world, sellinf for $2.8 million in 2007.

Credit: National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY

The T206 series features over 520 cards depicting players from the National League and the American League, including 70 Hall of Famers like Ty Cobb, Cy Young, Walter Johnson and – of course – Wagner. Its closest competitor is the 1911 T205 “Gold Border” set which has only 209 cards. The T206 collection became known as “The Monster” and the Wagner card became the Holy Grail.

All of the T206 cards are illustrated with white-bordered lithographs, many of which are portraits – including Wagner’s – taken by one of the more notable baseball photographers of the era, Carl Horner. Some players are featured in more than one pose, like Cobb who appears on four different cards. Their backs feature 16 different cigarette brands which lead to much more than 520 combinations.

Michael O’Keefe and Teri Thompson wrote in their book The Card that the T206’s vary in size. This has lead to many allegations that they’ve been altered to increase their value, but the cards are typically 1 7/16 by 2 5/8 inches. Estimates are that as many as 370 million cards were produced be-

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tween 1909 and 1911, but most were probably discarded by consumers more interested in cigarettes. Scot Reader, author of Inside T206: A Collector’s Guide to the Classic Baseball Card Set, speculates 1.6 million may remain.

The series also includes a few other cards whose rarity has frustrated collectors. They range from the Eddie Plank card whose reason for scarcity is clouded; the Sherry Magee card, whose initial card was produced with his name spelled “Magie”; cards for Bill O’Hara and Ray Demmitt, who were traded after the 1909 season and had a few cards produced with their new teams; and “Slow Joe” Doyle who appears with two different caps on his card. One version features “N.Y.” to identify him as a New York Highlander, but another version reads “N.Y. Nat’l.” Reader believes the error was caused by the factory confusing “Slow Joe” with “Laughing Larry” Doyle of the New York Giants.

But Wagner is the coveted card of the series, the Mona Lisa. There were probably less than 200 produced and it is estimated that there are only 50 to 100 in existence – including two at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. The reason for their scarcity isn’t completely clear. One reason is that the Wagner printing plate broke early into production, a likely scenario for the Plank card, but an unlikely cause for the rarity of the Wagner card due to the popularity of two other reasons.

One version of the story is that Wagner didn’t want his image used because on a card that would help sell cigarettes. The other reasoning is that he wasn’t paid for the use of his image. Wagner was at the top of the game when the T206 series came out. His Pittsburgh Pirates won the World Series in 1909, beating Cobb’s Detroit Tigers. Wagner batted .333 during the Series. His likeness appeared on a number of consumer products ranging from chewing gum to beer, analgesic balm and even gunpowder. Some companies

paid him for his image, but Wagner never expressed a lot of interest in endorsements, which weren’t a big money-making venture for players at the time.

According to the Oct. 12, 1912 issue of The Sporting News, when the American Tobacco Company hired John Gruber to get Wagner’s permission for use of his image on the cards, Wagner told him no, writing he “did not care to have his picture in a package of cigarettes” and threatened legal action.

Wagner’s image had appeared on cigarette trading cards before and his face had been on cigar boxes in both Pittsburgh and Louisville. He had even appeared in a newspaper ad for Murad cigarettes with a caption that read “A hit every time,” during the 1909 World Series.

The Flying Dutchman was a known as a tough negotiator and was shrewd with his money. He announced his retirement at age 33 in 1907, which helped win him a 100 percent raise in salary for the following season. Though he didn’t quit the game until 1917, he always said he was sincere about the 1907 retirement.

A counter argument to Wagner’s attempt for more money can be found in The Sporting News article. It reported that Wagner wrote a check to Gruber for $10, a large sum at the time and the amount Gruber would have been paid if he’d gotten Wagner’s permission. Gruber, however, never cashed the check, but framed it, which is one of the first known instances of check collecting in sports memorabilia.

It is also true that Wagner chewed tobacco and enjoyed cigars, but he may have also been sincere about not wanting to endorse cigarettes. In

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1900, they were illegal in 14 states and looked upon both as low-class and a health risk. His manager, Fred Clarke, and Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss – both future Hall of Famers – hated cigarettes enough to pass over signing future Hall of Famer Tris Speaker because he smoked.

By 1909, Wagner was such a force in western Pennsylvania that politicians wanted his endorsement. He was building a reputation as a star and a beloved figure in the eyes of children too. He would often let children slip in the gate as he entered the stadium, so they could see games for free.

Members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum receive free admission to the Museum, as well as access to exclusive programs, such as the Voices of the Game Series. Additionally, members receive a subscription to the Hall of Fame's bi-monthly magazine, Memories and Dreams, the 2009 Hall of Fame yearbook and a 10% discount and free shipping on retail purchases. For information on becoming a member, please visit baseballhall.org or call 607-547-0397.

“He loved children,” his granddaughter Leslie Blair said in The Card. “He wanted to teach kids good sportsmanship. When it came time for that card to come out, it wasn’t that he wasn’t paid.

He didn’t want kids to have to buy tobacco to get his card.”

Whatever the true reason, production was stopped. By 1933, The American Card Catalog estimated the T206 Wagner at $50, the most expensive card in the world at that time. The most successful version of the card became known as the Gretzky T206 Honus Wagner. The Gretzky card, which is a mint condition printing with a Piedmont cigarette ad on the back, surfaced in 1985. It was sold by a man named Alan Ray to memorabilia dealer Bill Mastro for $25,000. The card’s origin is shrouded in mystery. Ray said in 2001 that he got it from a relative and Mastro has said he purchased it from a printer – not Ray. There has even been speculation that it was cut from an original printer sheet during the 1985 deal.

Mastro sold the card in 1987 to Jim Copeland for $110,000. This transaction revitalized the industry. Copeland sold his entire 873-piece card collection through Sotheby’s auction house, including a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle which sold for $49,500. Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky bought the Wagner card for $451,000, which was almost four-times the pre-auction estimate.

With the purchase, the card became known as the Gretzky T206.

Since then, the card has continued to escalate in value. In 2000 it was sold for $1.265 million on eBay. By 2007, it had more than doubled again with the record $2.8 million price. Only the Hall of Fame’s T206 Wagners, one of which is on display, may be more widely known than the Gretzky card. The Hall of Fame will hold a celebration in 2009 honoring the card’s 100th anniversary.

For more information, visit www.baseballhall.org.

Honus Wagner was one of the five original members of the Hall of Fame after being inducted in 1936.

Credit: National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, NY

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is open seven days a week year round, with the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the Museum is open from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. seven days a week. The Museum observes off-season hours of 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. from the day after Labor Day until Memorial Day Weekend. Ticket prices are $16.50 for adults (13 and over), $11 for seniors (65 and over) and for those holding current memberships in the VFW, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion and AMVets organizations, and $6 for juniors (ages 7-12). Members are always admitted free of charge and there is no charge for children 6 years of age or younger. For more information, visit our Web site at baseballhall.org or call 888-HALL-OF-FAME (888-425-5633) or 607-547-7200.

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SPONSORED BY SIGMA LENSES

SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY INTRODUCTION TO

By Eric Citron Sports have universal appeal, and are a natural subject for photography at all levels. A child’s baseball game and a big league match-up share many of the same characteristics that photographers seek in order to make great images - drama, involvement, excitement, suspense, action and interest.

The professional sports photographer has numerous advantages over the average picture-taker, not the least of which is equipment selection. Most photographers who make their living from shooting sports use expensive, topof-the-line 35 mm SLR cameras equipped with fast, superlong telephoto lenses that bring them close to the action.

They are generally able to shoot from field level, ringside or wherever the best camera angles can be found. They are practiced in their techniques, experienced with their equipment and have in-depth knowledge of the sport and its players.

You may think you’ll never capture images that can compare with those the pros get, but you can. If you wish to get serious about sports photography, an important accessory is a fast, medium telephoto lens or a fast, quality zoom lens that ranges from around 80 mm to 200 mm or more. Such lenses will bring you close enough to sports action to take many a good picture, particularly at smaller, local events where you can position yourself nearest to the play .

Two fantastic Lenses you should look into are the Sigma 70-200mm 2.8. This will be your go to lens for everything from team portraits to action stopping base stealing.

This lens can be purchased for around $1,000. I would highly recommend this lens.

The Next lens you should consider if you have the budget is the 300mm 2.8. This baby is a thing a beauty, you feel like a Sports Illustrated sideline photographer. You will need a monopod to support the weight, but the photos you will get will be well worth the effort. Now this is a

what is called a “Prime” lens, so no zoom you will have to use your feet to get closer or move further away. It’s not cheap around $3,500 at any good camera store.

Visit Sigma’s website at www.sigmaphoto.com for all the details.

KNOW THE SPORT The photographer who understands the game and has knowledge of individual players' styles will find it easier to anticipate the action and will know where to be positioned for good photographic opportunities. Effective camera angles will not only include key elements in the composition, but will be chosen for lighting that works to your advantage.

INDOOR SPORTS Wouldn't it be great if all sporting events took place outdoors under balmy skies with just the right light for action stopping photography? Wishful thinking.

Sports activities that occur in enclosed arenas, gymnasiums, aquatic centers, etc. place an additional challenge on the photographer. Lighting is generally dimmer, and has different characteristics than sunshine. Shutter speeds must remain fast to stop action, requiring faster film or larger apertures, which means sacrificing depth of field.

Although shallow depth of field is often desired when shooting an individual participant in order to separate the player from a busy background. Electronic flash may be a solution, although the distance from flash unit to sports action is often too great to affect exposure.

Most of all have fun. Please send us your best photos so we can share them with the baseball community.

Send your photos to: ecitron@diamondnation.com

www.sigmaphoto.com

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