Category Archives: Baseball Basics

Reese Havens: Swing Evaluation

Posted on December 4, 2009 by Joe Janish

The 22nd pick of the 2008 draft — shortstop Reese Havens — has quickly emerged as one of the Mets’ top prospects. He is a strong all-around player, both in terms of talent and sound fundamentals, and has the “makeup” … Continue reading →

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Listen To a Pro Baseball Scout

Posted on November 18, 2009 by Joe Janish

What exactly does a pro baseball scout look for when evaluating a ballplayer? What kinds of things does a scout consider, in addition to raw baseball skills? How can an amateur ballplayer attract the interest of a pro scout? Find … Continue reading →

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Podcast with a Pro On Pitching

Posted on November 10, 2009 by Joe Janish

Do you know what LHP is the all-time leader with the fewest walks per 9 innings since 1900? Hint: it’s not Johan Santana. A few weeks ago I had a conversation on pitching with the lefthanded pitcher with the best … Continue reading →

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Can the Mets Use a Mental Coach?

Posted on October 22, 2009 by Joe Janish

If you are a Mets fan, you are all-too-familiar with: – Mike Pelfrey’s “yips” – Oliver Perez’s “Jekyll and Hyde” routine – Frequent mental lapses on the bases and in the field – Team-wide choking that led to late-season collapses … Continue reading →

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David Wright is Unorthodox?

Posted on September 29, 2009 by Joe Janish

At first I thought this was the reason Wright played on the high holy day of Yom Kippur. Then I realized I had read the quote too quickly, and also realized Wright isn’t Jewish (though he and many Mets had … Continue reading →

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Fernandog Revisited

Posted on May 29, 2009 by Joe Janish

Maybe I’m a weirdo, but wins don’t necessarily make me feel wonderful about a ballclub. For me, the process is just as, if not more, important as the result. Do not read on unless you have a good 5-10 minutes of time to waste — this is a long one. Continue reading →

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Basics: Bunting

Posted on April 25, 2008 by Joe Janish

While commenting on a replay of Oliver Perez dropping a beautiful sacrifice bunt in the third inning, Ron Darling brought up a fundamental that I don’t necessarily agree with. Darling said that you should hold the bat at chest level, … Continue reading →

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