Carney Pirates as you settle into your post graduation mode, think about college life, and watch the College World Series, visualizing being there one day, please pay close attention to the importance of well executed baseball fundamentals. Those of you who have attended Train Your Brain sessions have seen for years now that when you get to the level of play of The College World Series, the athleticism of the players is pretty much equal across the board. These games are often closely contested see-saw battles that frequently aren’t determined until the last two or three innings. Another very obvious observation is how much the ability to effectively execute baseball fundamentals (which often are taken for granted until so desperately needed to clinch a victory) determines the outcomes of extremely important games. The most successful executioners of the following baseball skills the past two years were the Oregon State Beavers who both years had only good (not great) regular seasons and last year barely qualified for the Regionals, but stayed focused throughout the tournament, creating their own momentum and not coincidentally, winning World Series Titles back to back.

1) Watch how many teams must lay down the successful bunt – third or foul when advancing a runner to third; sacrificing not confusing it with bunting for a hit; bunting only strikes to avoid the deadly popup doubleplay, and catching the ball with the bathead in front of the plate rather than behind the plate which 95% of the time leads to a foul or worse.

2) Watch how many times a pitcher has to ‘get over’ in order to complete the putout of an excellent play by the right side of his infield often a key out in a key inning in a vital (aren’t they all at this point?) game.

3) Observe how the good baserunners are actually looking for the pitch to hit the dirt and take off or are focused enough to get that good jump. The focused good jump is vital to baserunning success, when you gain the first step you are really adding your last stride which is at least a foot and a half – watch how many plays are determined by less than a foot and a half in this World Series.

4) Watch how the good teams drive the ball to the right side of the field when it’s vital to advance the runner, who then goes on to score on a sac fly, groundout or a single (which wouldn’t have scored him otherwise).

5) Watch how the successful teams have their second baseman, catcher, and rightfielders backing up ALL throws to first either preventing the runner advancing to second or at the very least keeping him from going all the way to third.

6) See how the good centerfielders never allow a baserunner to go from first to third on a catcher overthrow.

7) Note how the best teams are “verbally aggressive” talking to each other about where to throw, whether the runner is tagging or not, or what to look for.

8 ) Watch how many games the winning team has come from behind three runs or more and how important it is for a pitcher and his team after giving up three runs in an inning not to get wimpy and feel sorry for themselves and give up the fourth run. See how the best teams pitchers keep them in the game even when it looks like in the third inning down by three or four, they haven’t (think LSU-UC Irvine).

9) Watch and see how many times ‘freshmen’ who at this point (60 plus games) aren’t really freshmen, are put in crucial situations where they are expected to THINK like a senior, there are no excuses for ‘inexperience’ at this point.

10) And last and most enjoyably, watch how exciting and thrilling it is for the World Series team once they actually win it all.

Little Things Become Vitally Important

These items listed above are not theoretical, seriously, watch and see how much of this stuff happens game after game, it’s remarkable. The ‘little things’ that ballplayers take for granted and frequently don’t really work on as much as they should, become so vitally important in these most meaningful games. You guys have a tremendous opportunity to get a jump on your college careers by working with and following your talented coaches this summer to maximize your excellent athletic ability. As these World Series games will clearly demonstrate, your athletic ability will not be your competitive advantage at this level, your focus and muscle memory could be. Hup, hup, ballgame!

Now Take a (Little) Click-Break

If you have read this far you deserve a fun break – dig up more NCAA Baseball details with a click here to see the NCAA Baseball website. By the way – that website is included on our own Links page – check it out!

Special thanks to the College World Series website for photos.