Play Better Baseball

This straightforward, easy-to-understand book helps prepare coaches and players to meet the challenges of tough competition. New revised, Play Better Baseball is the state-of-the-art source for baseball fundamentals and mechanics, illustrated with hundreds of photographs and accompanied by helpful new drills. Based on actual team situations drawn from author Bob Cluck's 20-plus years of coaching, this reader-friendly handbook emphasizes the fundamentals that produce winning baseball teams and offers a wealth of advice on: Coaching baseball at all levels

• Developing winning players
• Using videotape and high-speed film
• Using practice time efficiently

• The psychology of coaching

  Pitching: the foundation of every team - Pitching mechanics

• The pitches: Tools to get hitters out
• Setting up hitters: The game within a game

• First-pitch strikes, from Little League to the Majors

  Playing the infield - Using the right glove

• Throwing with strength and accuracy
• The game situation and positioning

• Fielding mechanics for infielders

  The catcher: team leader - The tag at home

• Blocking pitches in the dirt
• Pop-ups, bunts, and cutoffs

• Helping the pitcher get hitters out

  Playing the outfield - Backing up plays

• Throwing from the outfield
• Balls hit in the gaps
• Outfield positioning

• Playing the sun

  Baserunning - The steal and the hit-and-run

• Effective and safe sliding techniques

• Running the bases

  Hitting - Bats and grips

• Stances
• Stride and weight transfer
• Tracking the ball
• Bunting

• Situational hitting

  The playbook - Defensive assignments

• Infield pop flies

• Bunt defenses

  The athletic machine - Weight training for baseball players

• Conditioning for baseball

  Bob Cluck is a major league pitching coach and scout and the founder of the San Diego School of Baseball.