Teeth are little things, but the more there are of them, the bigger their impact. In baseball, the little things stack up and lead to big success. Take a couple minutes to read my latest about the teeth of a team over the course of a season.

There's a generational exceptionalism in baseball that didn't exist when I was growing up or when I played. The belief that the current generation is better than those that came before them is missing baseball wisdom. Hitters hit, pitchers pitch. The stuff or athleticism might look better, but the cream always rises to the top. Stuff & athleticism are nice, but actual baseball skills (pitching & hitting the ball) are still needed to play the game well. True hitters excel because of their approach and execution of that approach. True pitchers excel because of their ability to identify the hitter's exploitable areas. This has not (and will never) change about the game.

In hitting (baseball), power is the last thing to develop. Amateur scouts used to say that a good statistic that projects future power potential is the amount of Doubles a player hits. As the hitter gets stronger and matures, they will learn how to create loft and maximize distance. Chasing power at a young age is a tough task for developing hitters that don't have the prerequisite physicality and building blocks that go into a power stroke. They are putting the cart before the horse and wondering why progress is stagnant. Learn how to hit line drives on various locations and power will come, naturally.

Most coaches will tell you that players learn the most by talking to teammates in the dugout/clubhouse about the game. "How are you so good at driving the ball the other way?" or "What's your approach when you face a lefthanded pitcher?" Etc... Asking players that are good at something about how they did it to better yourself is a great way to absorb someone else's info and methods into your own game. When a player retires, he doesn't just lose all that info (learned or practiced) and forget how to be a teammate.

I don’t know anything about PFF grading, I simply said that I graded him far from perfect also… I don’t just score highlight plays, but every play! I also said grading should be for improvement, not to compare players - every game is diff and QBs asked to do different things! We spend too much time comparing instead of just analyzing to teach!

99.9% of baseball is played below the major league level. Saying pitchers are "too good" for a less SLG based approach is like sacrificing the heart to prioritize the brain. If players aren't focusing on being more well rounded, eventually the ones that show up at the top will be less complete.

Silky smooth swing that clears the bases. Excited to see this guy get more comfortable/confident in the box. Big things ahead!

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A statistic that is highly valuable is 2-out RBI. Teams that can drive a run in with 2 outs break the opponent's will. Those forgotten RBI stack up and become crucial at the end of the game/series/season. This is why batting average is important. Even though RBI don't require a hit every time, a hit is required for a 2-out RBI. Teams with players that consistently get hits (even singles) have a higher rate of getting those crucial 2-out outcomes.

This is why I want to challenge you in public: boys and girls are tuning in to this sort of guidance. Please, there is no one way to hit. There are many variables. Everyone's body is different. Citing the greatest hitters ever does no one any good. Hit based on your skill set.

Joey Votto's explanation of how difficult it is to pull the ball in the air is exceptional. Fly balls and line drives to the pull side have a .584 batting average and 1.313 OPS this year, so more and more players are being encouraged and taught to do it. But it's not easy.

Common ground is needed. Trying to win arguments stops it from being found. But the love of the game and passion for being the best IS that common ground. I try to explain what's going on between two distinct camps in baseball.

Attention! If you get a message like this from a dear friend or former colleague, do not click. Its a scam and your account and information could be compromised. Spread the word!

Every team has a player that just gets the job done. He takes initiative when someone needs to, taking team on their shoulders. In baseball, we call them ballplayers. Without these special players the game isn’t exciting. What makes a ballplayer?

Did you know that getting a base-on-balls adds to a player's WAR but getting an RBI doesn't? The thinking is that walks are a skill contributed to plate discipline while RBIs are dependent on the team you're on. Runner at 3rd with 2 outs, bottom of the 9th, down 1 run. To have a better WAR, it's beneficial to walk. 🫠

"Fake it til you make it" is better stated as "Faith it til you make it". Belief precedes accomplishment, even if it's "maybe I can". The more "maybe" turns into "inevitably" the better.

A day is like a dollar … It can be spent wisely or foolishly, but once it’s spent, it cannot be spent again.