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Rookie Mistakes in Spring Training

February 19, 2016 by Chad Rodgers Leave a Comment

The time is here. For a baseball fanatic this is the greatest time of the year, and the only month that will be filled only with promise and positivity.

The regular season, by nature is a roller coaster marathon ride that only the resilient survive, both fan and player.

In my eight seasons of professional baseball, I attended seven spring trainings. In each of them, I had just a bit more knowledge from the previous season to use to my advantage. I relied heavily on my failures to fuel how I would approach each new season.

The first taste of spring practice elicits emotion unlike any other. Players are eager as ever to show off their efforts of the offseason and prove themselves alongside the organization’s elite.

With spring training, however, comes a large window for athletes to misstep. This time of year is also the most riddled with injury, and for reasons beyond offseason preparation (although that’s a huge factor).

Below are three of the biggest mistakes baseball players make in spring training and spring practices. I offer solutions to these issues as always.

Mistake #1 – Too many players try to “be the hero” or make the team on day one

For young players in their first spring training or even veterans trying to secure a job, the first few weeks on the field can take a toll on the body if you’re not careful. If you think about it, athletes are going from the comforts of their own gym, own home, and own field, most likely throwing and practicing in comfortable shorts and t -shirts…to then all of a sudden being thrust into one of the most competitive and cutthroat months of training in professional sports.

Usually, for pitchers, a 30-50 pitch bullpen will be thrown in the first couple of days. I don’t care how much training you do in the offseason, the adrenaline won’t compare to throwing in front of your employer and the decision makers of your career. Too many guys will try to impress the instructors, front office, and fellow peers, which is all normal, but it will set you back if you wind up too sore or fatigued.

The same goes for position players. You, like the pitchers, should have busted your ass in the offseason to be capable of handling the physical demands of the spring, but you still need to be careful to not overdo it on the swings, the throwing, and fielding. Keep a good tempo, don’t blow out your arm, and don’t be someone you’re not. You don’t make the team on day one.

Solution – For pitchers, follow these three tips.

#1 – Don’t do anything more than what your off-season throwing program conditioned you for. For instance, if you have worked up to 200 feet in long toss, don’t move it out to 300 just because it looks impressive or you feel good. Have a plan and stick to it.

#2 – In your bullpens, keep your off-season preparation in mind. If you haven’t spun many breaking balls, don’t go out and show off by trying to rip a bunch of breakers off. Take it easy, take your sweet time, and work on one thing. Get a feel for the dirt, the spikes, and being outside. Focus on throwing a bunch of strikes.

#3 – In conditioning and the weight room, stick to a routine that will keep you fresh. Now is not the time to set personal records. It’s a time to stay explosive, refine what you did in the off-season, and continue getting better, not worse. Too many times, testosterone kicks in, and makes it tempting to show off in front of your teammates and buddies. Now’s not the time, guys. Being sore and tight is the worst thing you can be in spring training besides sidelined from injury. If you try to be the hero, you might just end up sitting on the sidelines or even worse, jobless.

Mistake #2 – Players deviate from their plan because of peer pressure, coaching pressure, or added competitive factors

Often times young or inexperienced players fall into different spring training traps. The biggest one comes from their peers and competition. Every other player at your position is your competition.

It’s only natural to try and out do the other guy in drills, conditioning, and other practice, however staying healthy is the absolute most important thing.

If you’re constantly worried about impressing and showing off, injury is bound to happen. Even though there quite possibly is job security on the line, it’s paramount that you are at your best for game time. While the coaches might be pleased to see the ball jump out of your hand in the bullpen or rocket off your bat in the cages, it doesn’t matter until you get in the game and on the field against opponents.

Solution – Focus hard on suppressing the desire to show off or give more effort than is normal for you. In all the drills, conditioning, and other activities, focus on execution. Don’t be temped to do extra work just for the hell of it.

Do what needs to be done, work on your weaknesses, and have a game plan before you get to the field. Ask yourself, “What can I get better at today?”

Also, take inventory on how you feel. If you’re run down a bit, take the necessary measures to warm-up and recover. Make sure you’re getting your rest, and show up to the field ready to perform.

Mistake #3 – The players physical preparation doesn’t match up to off-season

This is without question the biggest cause of injury in spring training or pre-season practices. Obviously, it is optimal to take complete advantage of every day in the off season to improve your body and game. The team expects you to show up in better condition than the previous season, and expects you to be free of injury.

With this being said, the weight training, conditioning, pre-hab, and recovery strategies should NOT do a complete 180 when you get to camp. If you haven’t squatted in the off-season, don’t go and squat just because your buddies are. Be very clear with the coaches and trainers about what you’ve done in the offseason, and be sure not to push it past the ideal volume point. Remember, it’s about feeling good, not showing off.

The same goes for the training room stuff. Don’t make it habit to hang out in there. If you weren’t doing a bunch of shoulder exercises, don’t start crushing those just because everyone else is. Do what make’s YOU perform at high level, and that’s it. More is the enemy in spring training. Optimal for you is the aim.

Solution – Cover all your bases to make sure you aren’t doing anything that will make your body hate you. Keep it a goal to maintain your mobility, strength, and conditioning levels, but don’t shoot to make gains anywhere unless it’s needed.

For instance, you might need to get your aerobic capacity up a bit, but don’t do it at a cost for on field performance. If running 20 sprints will get your conditioning level up, but hinder your body on the field, don’t do it. I understand that coaches will be in charge of telling you what to do, but auto regulate your own intensity and effort to keep your body feeling as fresh as possible.

Make sure also that you are eating just as well as the offseason, or at least to the best of your ability. Sometimes you’ll be on the field for hours on end, so the time at the hotel or away from the field is crucial for recovery and keeping the calories at the right level.

One of the worst things you can do is drastically change your body weight set point and lose performance. Wherever you feel best bodyweight wise, do whatever it takes to stay there.

These strategies are so crucial to keep in mind as you enter spring training or practice. I hope that you have prepared hard in the offseason, and continue to refine things in the spring.

This is NOT the time to try and get into shape.

It’s time to ramp slowly into game ready, season form. The only thing that matters is that you are healthy, feeling good, and performing at your best. The rest is eyewash. Cut out all the extra nonsense, and do whatever it takes to feel good everyday. For everyone, it’s completely different.

Remember, you don’t make the team on day one.

Good luck.

If any of you need guidance this spring, or this season, we are available to help. Learn more here

The Biggest Problems With Your Offseason

November 18, 2015 by Chad Rodgers 1 Comment

I’ve got a bone to pick. A few actually..but as a relatively newish retired baseball player, I’ve grown to see my past, the current state of the game, and the future of the sport in a different light.

When playing, I had blinders on. I was totally wrapped up and obsessed in accomplishment and achieving the highest level of my own individual human potential that I could give two shits about anything anyone else was doing.

I was in love with the game and the process.

I’ve ironically been very hesitant getting back into the baseball world post career for a few reasons. The first is that I became psychologically bored and aggravated with the game. Loads of being on the “other side of the fence” so to speak with rehab and being sidelined due to injury has a way of making a player iritable and hungry for something else..anything else besides baseball.

Long road rehabilitation has a way of detaching a competitor from the game or at minimum, inducing reflection on his or her craft.

Thats what the journey back from Tommy John, several shoulder setbacks, and a hamstring tear will teach you. The compilation of the hours alone, not competing, and drooling to get back give you no choice but to reflect and watch the game from a distance. It’s either that or drive yourself nuts worrying and overanalyzing to the point of insanity. It’s like keeping a tiger in it’s cage with all the necessary items to survive but not thrive. Taking competition away from a competitor is frustrating.

Anyways, being away has allowed me to see clearly the mistakes I’ve made, in addition to things I did really, really well which kept me in possession of a job as long as I possibly could have.

This is key because baseball is not a game of perfection. It is not linear. It is abstract, strange, and messy. It will screw the player who thinks it should be perfect. It will reward the player who respects it but doesn’t bow to it.

Unfortunately, I was one of those players who thought it should be perfect. I wanted the work I put in to be directly equal to the outcome I saw on the field. As I said before, the game is messy and doesn’t really mesh well with perfectionists and over achievers at all.

From being away for awhile, I see clearly the gaps that need filled in the game. I see what the underachievers do wrong, and I see where the overachievers screw themselves.

The ones that lie somewhere in the middle are the ones that survive. They are the ones that are rewarded in the game of baseball, and I suspect other sports as well.

Here’s one of those “gaps”..

Enter the offseason…A clean slate…A time to rejuvenate, relax, and recharge….right?….Kinda. The game goes on without you whether you like it or not. It’s a brutal business, and everyone who ever plays has a day when the game says it’s time to hang em up. As a ballplayer you have a pre-sized window in which you can either optimize your potential or spit it out like like a sunflower seed from the dugout on an August afternoon.

There are ceilings.

We haven’t found what they are yet, and YOU certainly haven’t discovered them in your athletic career unless of course you have truly given your soul to discover what the best of the performance world has to offer.

A big step, in my experience, is having a plan for when the season is over that basically outlines how to dominate the next one.

The following is a list of 4 ways many baseball players sabotage their offseason, and give away their potential to the universe along with solutions to mitigate the issues…

Most of your problems are as follows. Listen up baseballers..

1.) You don’t begin your preparation soon enough. – When the season ends, there is no question there are issues to resolve from a fitness standpoint, a movement standpoint, and likely a rehabilitation and arm care standpoint. I know the last thing you want to do the day after the season ends is get back in the gym, but the reality is your window closes on your human potential one day at a time…and it closes faster than you think.

No, this doesn’t mean go squat the world and run 10 miles on day one, but you should already have a plan of action. On day one or very soon their after, you need to get to work on your weaknesses. You must solve your aches and pains, and you must have a plan of action with your nutrition and strength/conditioning.

Action Step – Before your season ends, have a plan for how your offseason will evolve. Some questions that need answered are –

Where will I be training? Is it the best place available for the resources I have and have access to? Where will I throw once my throwing program begins?

On what date will I begin my skill work, my throwing program, and strength & conditioning program? Will this give me plenty of time to be more than prepared?

What are the core issues I need to address with my body and mind to make myself a better player?

What are the issues in my game that need improvement?

What are the nutritional deficiencies and gaps that I have? Do I need to gain muscle mass and weight or lose weight and become more fit?

What weight do I feel best playing at? What are my goals in this game, and how can next season get me closer?

Write these questions down. They all need to be answered before the offseason begins.

2.) You don’t get started soon enough on your skill work – Improving your weaknesses in the game can be a humbling experience. It’s like the cold. We avoid it at all costs, and seek the warm comfort. The same goes for sports. If we are good at throwing curveballs, we tend to throw a ton in practice to boost our egos. If we are a good hitter but a horse shit infielder, we find comfort in staying in the cage taking b.p. We stay away from the cold that is our weaknesses. Deliberate effort on the weak parts of our game is a grueling but necessary step during the offseason months.

The season sneaks up on you before you know it, so you better have some of these deficiencies addressed whether it’s hitting to the opposite field, a pickoff move to first base or getting a jump when stealing a base. If you’re not any better than you were at the end of last season, you don’t deserve a spot on the team or a job in your organization. It’s a simple as that. Brutal truth, but it’s the truth nonetheless.

Get to work and progress toward efficiency at these weaknesses as the offseason progresses. The physical issues like mobility restrictions, imbalances, and strength and conditioning improvement should be priority number one at the beginning, however.

3.) Your nutrition doesn’t have performance or even health in mind – Fellow Show Me Strength writer, and resident nutrition expert, Andrew Ferreira has written extensively on this topic as it pertains to performance in the baseball sphere.

5 Strategies For Winning the Minor League Nutrtion Battle on Eric Cressey’s website <– Part one

5 Strategies For Winning the Minor League Nutrition Battle on Eric Cressey’s website <– Part two

10 Nutrition Thoughts For the MLB Offseason

I don’t need to delve further into the subject, as A.F. has written everything that you need to get started and successfully dominate the nutrition aspect of the season and offseason for baseball.

It’s a huge issue, however because you keep showing up to camp looking less than intimidating, and your insides aren’t functioning in a way that promotes performance.

In baseball, we must control the controllables which clearly means that we need to keep eating with on field and in gym performance/recovery in mind. As I said before, the door closes fast on your time to make a mark in the game, so you wouldn’t want to cite poor eating habits as a reason why you never reached your maximum potential.

Give those reads above some thought and start eating like a savage on a mission.

4.) You’re training doesn’t evolve with the spring in mind – There is nothing wrong with training hard and heavy as a baseball player. The timing of going hard and heavy, however, matters quite a bit.

I am guilty as charged with making the mistake of training too slow and too heavy late in a few of my offseason’s. As a result, I had a hard time feeling explosive right out of the gate in spring training. This was my own wrong doing, as I just love to lift heavy, but got caught up in pushing that specific training envelope too far into my winter.

The early winter months (typically Nov, Dec, Jan) long before your first practice is the time to make significant strength improvement. Waiting too long to train hard or continuing to train heavy too close to go time can cause you to be slow and unprepared as an explosive athlete on the field.

Here is a bare bones, simple guide to structuring your offseason training. This is by no means a specific program, but as a baseball player, you need to appreciate the different stages in the off-season process.

Beginning “restorative phase” (First 4-6 weeks) – Restore mobility and soft tissue restrictions. Take care of pain. Dial in nutrition as well as caffeine reliance. Begin strength and conditioning ramping toward the middle phase. Pick a date to get started on a throwing program, and build your body and prepare your arm accordingly. Get on a solid sleep schedule. Starting on day one of your offseason, you need to start the process of resetting your body after a long season that has deteriorated your health. Foam rolling alone might get you sweating, but that’s exactly why you must get started right away.

Middle “gains phase” (The middle chunk of your offseason. At least a month after the restorative phase, and ending around 4-8 weeks weeks before your first official team practice.) Primary focus on strength development, energy systems development, arm strength, and throwing volume. This is where the deposits are made into your performance bank account. This is where you make the biggest changes to your body and your capabilities in terms of resiliency and performance. These winter months will make or break your offseason, and will truly determine if you reach your potential or not. By now you should be getting significantly stronger, more powerful, and more healthy. You should be eating with your goals in mind, and sleeping/recovering like a beast. Leading into the final phase, you should be moving optimally, have plenty of applicable strength for the sport, and be free of nagging pains. This will be huge as you dedicate the next phase to working yourself into game shape.

End or “refinery phase” (Last 8-12 weeks before spring training, tryouts, or first practice) – Primary focus on skill work, explosive/speed work, maintaining strength gains, and increasing arm speed. In my experience, this is the most fun part of the offseason if timed correctly. There were a couple situations where I pushed my strength end of the continuum too hard and got started too late on the refinery phase. Big mistake. On the flip side, when I did time it right, I went into this stage excited and more than prepared for the ensuing skill, speed, and refinery work. This is the time to start ramping up the sprint work to a appropriate level, increase your intensity off the mound, and get your swing dialed in. Strength work should be fast, not get you too sore, and mimic the explosiveness required on the field. Of course we are still hammering the mobility and soft tissue stuff, but more from a maintenance standpoint. Everything you do at this stage should be geared around feeling good, feeling fast, and feeling ready for the demands at your position. You’ve put the plan in place, done the restorative work on your imbalances and restriction. You’ve put on applicable strength. Now’s the time to become the athlete.

Don’t screw up these phases.

Know the time to ramp, train, and refine the animal you intend to be this season.

If you need more help, we’ll be right here showmestrength.com/coaching

Baseball Physical Preparation : Oxidative Fitness For Baseball by Pat Davidson

October 29, 2015 by Chad Rodgers 3 Comments

Note from Chad and Andrew: We are absolutely fired up that Pat Davidson and Doug Kechijian have decided to come on board at Show Me Strength and address all things physical preparation for the baseball athlete. Pat and Doug are two of the most knowledgable, yet humble professionals we know, while also doubling on the side as savages. We couldn’t be more pumped to have them on board.

For this follow up to Doug’s installment yesterday, Pat thoroughly dissects the science from a series of questions we posed on the topic of oxidative fitness in baseball. What follows are his thoughts on the subject.

The baseball athlete does not appear to be one who would benefit greatly from focused oxidative training. The activities within a baseball game are ones that feature brief bursts of high intensity and high velocity movements interspersed with great rest.

If we examine muscular behavior below surface level observances, a case may be made for benefit coming from possessing oxidative fitness.

The model presented in this article will focus primarily on the benefits of possessing higher levels of mitochondria and capillary density found in the musculature associated with baseball movements, and in an enhanced ability of the athlete to recover post training/competition with a more robust cardiorespiratory system. Possessing more mitochondria and a greater network of capillaries in baseball specific muscles would create a situation where these muscles would be able to alternate between excitation and inhibition from an electrochemical perspective.

Scientists such as Stuart McGill, and coaches such as Charlie Francis have explained that the primary difference between lesser athletes and greater athletes from a neurochemical/neuromuscular perspective is the rate at which muscle is able to inhibit following excitation at a local level. The content of mitochondria found in specific musculature appears to be related to inhibition rates. From a recovery perspective, the ability to replenish the components of the phosphagen system (ATP and Creatine Phosphate (CP)) is accomplished through oxidative energy system capabilities.

The movements performed in baseball are powered through the actions of the phosphagen system. The ability to repeat these movements with the same level of power would be largely based on the capacity to replenish the substrate associated with the phosphagen system, which is driven through oxidative means.

Finally, the recovery and regeneration of the organism is accomplished in the post exercise time period through parasympathetic derived means. The ability to reach a deep parasympathetic state is primarily based on allowing the system to relax fully. Tissues that are operating through oxidative means will have lowered physiological cost associated with their behaviors, and a lower resting heart rate would allow the autonomic nervous system to function in a greater parasympathetic manner.

Baseball is a sport where athletes must be able to demonstrate biomechanical proficiency to perform the sporting movements with fluidity and power. The ability to rotate the lumbo-pelvic-femoral complex, the thoraco-abdominal complex, and the temporo-mandibular-cervico-cranial complex smoothly and gracefully are the hallmarks of a baseball player who can achieve optimal mechanics in throwing, fielding, swinging, and base running.

These movement capabilities are driven through the ability to demonstrate optimal joint positioning, which is highly related to the ability to inhibit chains of musculature.

Inhibition of musculature is a neuro-chemical process. This neurochemical phenomenon is greatly linked to the energy system demands of the tissues. Tissues that are working in a non-oxidative manner for prolonged periods of time (particularly at rest) will largely be unable to relax, and will have reduced ability to achieve electro-chemical inhibition. This reduction in inhibition capacity will reduce the fluidity of movement and will delay the ability of the tissues to recover post training and competition.

Increasing the number of mitochondria found within muscles will allow them to work oxidatively to a greater extent, which will foster an enhanced ability of these tissues to inhibit. Greater inhibition capabilities can then feed into an enhanced ability to smoothly execute the mechanics of the movements associated with the game when the athlete is practicing these movements.

Fitness gains can only be maximized if proper recovery from exercise takes place.

The recovery process is based on anabolic processes. Anabolism is the storage mode of the human body. The human organism cannot go into an anabolic storage mode unless a parasympathetic state is reached. Parasympathetic states are permitted to take place when heart rates decrease substantially, the emotional setting is one of comfort and control, and the organism is safe and relaxed. Reaching a state where the organism is safe and relaxed is based on reducing threat to as great a level as possible. Threats come in both conscious and subconscious forms. The primary physiological threats to the mammal are temperatures and pH levels that go outside of the window of comfort. Therefore, if the internal environment of the organism is not maintained at a level that is very easy for the system to control, threat level goes up and the ability to fall into a deep parasympathetic environment is compromised.

An elevated resting heart rate, inabilities to breathe freely and easily (poor rib cage mobility), having tissues that exist in non-oxidative states at rest (trigger points, diminished afferent signaling from poor joint positioning, etc.), and having internal organs working harder than they need to in order to maintain the system (gut problems from a poor diet) all are potential subconscious threats that will prevent optimal recovery through a highly dominant parasympathetic response.

From a training perspective, if we are interested in increasing the number of mitochondria for the purpose of improving inhibition capacities, we should utilize approaches that foster the physiological phenomenon of mitochondrial biogenesis. The main thing to think about in this area is that we do not want to create local muscular environments that are highly acidic, as this uncouples the mechanisms inside the nucleus of the cell that leads to the making of new mitochondria. Instead, we want to perform exercise that stays short of creating acidic environments.

Another conceptual piece to consider is that mitochondrial biogenesis is an adaptation inside a skeletal muscle fiber.

The only way that muscle fibers are capable of going through adaptation is if they are recruited and fatigued during an exercise bout. Muscles are recruited based on the size principle, wherein slow twitch fibers are recruited first, and as force increases, faster fibers are called into action in a gradated fashion. Fatigue of fibers is a nebulous topic that is based on a point at which a fiber shows a demonstrable decrease in the mechanical work output. Baseball movements are typically explosive in nature, and because of that, fast twitch fibers must be targeted for mitochondrial biogenesis.

While increasing the oxidative capacities of fast twitch fibers may sound like an oxymoron type statement, it is a physiologically valid approach. One of the primary training methods used to increase oxidative capabilities of fast twitch fibers is high intensity continuous training (HICT).

High intensity continuous training involves repeated high force movements done at a pace that keeps the heart rate from going over the point of lactate threshold. An example of a HICT protocol for the lower body would be 2 to 3 sets of 20 minutes of step ups where all the step ups are high force (wear a heavy weight vest, and drive really hard on the effort), and the heart rate never spikes above the threshold point at which the athlete would enter a non-oxidative dominant state. The athlete may have to intersperse each step up with a 5 to 6 second break to keep the HR below the anaerobic threshold to avoid accumulation of acid.

The purpose of this article is to discuss the theoretical rationale for why developing an oxidative system is important for baseball players, and it is not intended to be a detailed training prescription; however, some thoughts will be provided in this paragraph.

Creating a specific training approach that increases the oxidative capacities of the baseball specific muscles is not the easiest task to accomplish, and may be largely a fool’s errand from a strength and conditioning perspective. From the perspective of increasing the mitochondrial density of fast twitch fibers of the body, pick a few good methods for the lower body and a few for the upper body and stick to them rather than trying to mimic the exact movements of baseball in a training environment. Fast twitch fibers are not the only fibers needed for targeting in baseball players. Slow twitch fibers, particularly those of the pelvis, abdomen, and thorax need to be developed so that many of the static and slow speed positions and movements associated with the game (the leg raise of the pitching wind-up, the stride of the batter, cocking positions of throwing, etc.) can be improved with specific training protocols that recruit and fatigue these fibers. Baseball players still need to do traditional strength and conditioning protocols aimed at strength and power parameters as well as the hormonal system.

In closing, it should be stated that there is a physiological cost associated with every piece of mechanical, cellular, electrical, and transport work that the organism performs. The organism has many strategies that can be used to perform work; however, there is always an easiest possible physiological strategy that involves the least amount of cost. If you are tight, you can still power through movements; however, it takes more effort compared to someone with less internal resistance doing the same movement. If you are using the glycolytic energy system to power the performance of your sport movements (or the recovery in between bouts of repeated efforts); however, you will experience fatigue faster than an athlete using oxidative means to accomplish the same task (even if that task is recovery).

The greater the cost you have to pay over your athletic career to accomplish the things you do in your sport, the sooner your career will burn out. Those who find the most energy efficient way possible to move, train, recover, and exist are those who will last the longest, be able to have more repeat great performances, and who will have longer, happier lives after their playing days are done. The oxidative energy system is our efficient system, and it is the one that requires the least physiological cost for utilization. Develop your aerobic capabilities for easy power, easy recovery, and the long haul of your athletic career.

Now read: Nutritionally Controlling the Autonomic Nervous System

About the Author :

Pat Davidson is the current Director of Training Methodology at Peak Performance in New York City. He has a PhD in Exercise Physiology and is a competitive strongman in the 175 pound class who has finished in the top 10 at the North American Strongman (NAS) National Championships and has competed for the Amateur World Championships at the Arnold Classic in previous years. Pat has coached many strongman athletes, including multiple NAS National Champions in the 2014 calendar year. Pat bases his training methodology on his interpretation of block program design, and he relies on information from the Postural Restoration Institute (PRI) to guide him in his understanding of biomechanics and the strategies he utilizes to keep athletes feeling healthy and happy. You can contact Pat at pdpdavidson@gmail.com, as well as check out his awesome strength and conditioning program, MASS by clicking the link or picture here.

How a Poem Changed My Career & What It Means To Be a Professional

October 7, 2014 by Chad Rodgers Leave a Comment

A little over four months ago, I decided to retire from my interesting journey as a professional baseball player. It was to my fortune that I was lucky enough to play for nearly 9 years as a pitcher in both the Atlanta Braves and Minnesota Twins organizations, respectively. My first seven years were spent playing on different teams in the minor leagues for the Braves, grinding through an elbow surgery, and a few different shoulder problems, including a damaged labrum, before being released in 2011. Although injury ridden, I feel lucky to have played with some amazing, talented, and very interesting people from every corner of the world. Minnesota ended up signing me shortly after my release, and I was able to have some success with them before a torn hamstring effectively ended my career in the early summer.

Retiring is never an easy thing to do, especially when it’s not on your own terms, as it was in my case. Unfortunately, injuries plagued my career, and I was never able to fulfill my childhood dream of reaching the Major Leagues, and playing at the absolute highest level for a baseball player.

I’m not writing to go into any detail about the roller coaster ride that was my livelihood for nearly a decade of my young adult life, but I am here to share with you how I was able to take on the different faces of adversity, then find unique ways to conquer and overcome as a man would.

The story of how I came upon the poem, “If” by Rudyard Kipling is pretty interesting. It was only a few days after I received news in 2011 that I did, in fact, have a torn UCL (Ulnar Collateral Ligament) in my elbow, from a pitch that I threw in my first game of that season. It happens to be a very common injury in pitchers due to the extreme stress the elbow is under each throw, however operation requires 12 plus months of rehabilitation before returning to game speed.

“Tommy John” surgery as it’s famously known in the baseball world, would take a season of promise, and an offseason of hardcore, ball – busting training, and swiftly erase it like it never happened.

Hearing this news broke my heart. When you pour all you have into something, and see it taken away so instantaneously for no apparent reason, it’s always going to be a bit hard to swallow in the beginning. There were several times in my life and career where I needed to persevere, but with my baseball age (24), and my level of accomplishment (playing at the A ball level at 24 years old isn’t considered too bright from a future in the game standpoint), it was a make or break situation with Atlanta. Either I was going to recover fully and scorch through the minor leagues, or I was going to be without a job.

Well, while lying in my hotel room bed the day before surgery, I was scrounging the internet for some motivational quotes I could print out to put around my hotel room in Orlando where I would be living the next year for the duration of my rehabilitation. While searching, I came across Rudyard’s poem and a youtube video of someone reciting the words.

I continued playing it over and over, trying to listen closer to the ominous sounding words rolling off this foreign man’s tongue as I read along from a page. I was immediately captivated at the way those simple, yet powerful sentences put together well over a century ago, could relate so perfectly with a down in the dumps twenty something year old baseball player in the 21st century.

During the course of my rehab, I would always have both Kipling’s composition handy, and that video on cue. Now, looking back, I can break down several parts of this work of his and see why it helped turn me into more of a “man of the game” so to speak…able to tackle anything.

Here are some excerpts from the poem, and key takeaways that made a difference in the way I approached my day in and day out life as a professional athlete. As Steven Pressfield might say, it helped me really “turn pro” in the more meaningful sense of the word.

1.) If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you…

The game of baseball is filled with very passionate fans as you might know. Often, even at the minor league level, we are in the spotlight, and constantly being critiqued in our actions on and off the playing field. This of course leads many players astray by putting too much of their mind into what others are thinking or writing about them. When things go wrong in the game, and they do to everyone, it’s the players who can keep their head, stay focused on what’s important, and also possess the tools to ward off any negativity trying to creep in who end up with the long, successful careers.

My team’s manager last year, Doug Mientkiewicz, who happened to play in the Majors for parts of 12 seasons, told us after a game which we played particularly pathetic in..

“Do you guys know what kind of men make it in this game?…..Grown men….Grown men make it. You know what? I truly..truly liked playing the game hurt, sick, even hungover. Why? It forced me to dig from a place down deep. That’s the place that the great ones pull from every single day.”

It’s so true in any profession. You gotta bring your best on the worst of days. The greats do that every time.

2.) If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you…

A successful big leaguer who chatted with me one day, explained why he believed he succeeded by saying, “If you play the game with the big three you’ll be fine. You must play with your heart, your brain, and your balls. All three have nothing to do with talent, you just have to be willing to give more of yourself than everyone else on the playing field.”

As I progressed in the game it became more and more apparent how many guys there were at the high levels who were actually much less talented than I was, but had one thing I didn’t have in my young career. They had unwavering belief in their abilities. I felt like even the best players often tricked their minds and convinced themselves they were the best until they truly believed it with every bit of their soul. It took work, but eventually I knew a positive attitude and bulletproof confidence were both something I would need to truly become the best I could be.

3.) If you can dream and not make dreams your master; If you can think and not make thoughts your aim…

All of us become obsessed from time to time about our end goals. I think, also, this works to our disadvantage way too often. When you throw a young kid in a situation where all of a sudden if they play well enough, their lives change forever financially, and they get to play a child’s game for a living, looking at that prize at the end of the tunnel is way too distracting for them.

I’ve learned the most successful athletes are always able to get wrapped up in the game itself. They can turn the switch on and forget every distraction off the field when they step between the lines. Then, even more impressive to me is when it comes time to get promoted, or receive awards and accolades, the celebration never lasts long at all. They get back to work like it never happened. They delay the gratification, because they know it will eventually be worth it when all is said and done. It’s about the process, not the final destination. When you become engrossed in your work without distraction, you put out your best work. It’s as simple as that.

4.) If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those impostors just the same…

In Major League baseball, if a hitter has a .300 batting average, meaning he gets a hit three out of ten times, he is considered one of the best in the world, and will surely make millions of dollars if he can do that consistently.

3-10 is 30% though. This means baseball is a game of failure, and even though hitters fail most of the time, if they can manage to forget about their 7 mistakes, and focus on continuing grind through the adversity to improve and get hits, they will be considered “successful.”

Possessing a short memory and remaining even keeled is the way to go. Never to high or too low, just plugging away at your craft, getting better with every moment that passes is the way to win in whatever you do.

Hot streaks tend to blow up the “amateur’s” head, drifting him off-track. The professional acknowledges it for a second, then is back to work.

5.) Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, and stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools…

When a player is drafted to play baseball as I was in 2006, some of us are lucky enough to get a nice signing bonus, then some of us are not. Some players can be set for life, while some might only be able to afford a nice dinner and a plane ticket before being broke.

Whatever boat you are in, the salary and lifestyle is all the same in the minor leagues. Everyone starts on the same level pretty much, and everything we do becomes about the game. The way we eat, sleep, dress, travel, train. All day, everyday, is about becoming the best that you can be.

Yet, the chances of ever “making it” are only around 10 percent for the average draft pick. That number rises with the investment the team pours into you. Still, even if you are given a multi-million dollar signing bonus in the draft’s first round, it far from guarantees that you reach the top.

In pro baseball you have no choice but to go all-in to your craft. With odds stacked against you, failure around every twist and turn, you still must absorb the heat and forge on if you want a shot. Several times during my 9 years, I felt like I would never get out of a rut or funk I was suffering through.

The great thing about baseball though, is no matter how bad the night before went, the game stops for no one. It’s a blank slate the next day. You pick yourself up by the bootstraps and continue pushing forward.

6.) If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew…to serve your turn long after they are gone, and so hold on when there is nothing in you…except the will which says to them: “Hold on!”

Finally, my favorite, and what I believe to be the most inspiring part of Rudyard Kipling’s work. As we grow older as athletes, people slowly tend to write you off as a threat. The chances of success continue to dwindle as you pursue your dream. Injuries add up, and the body sometimes doesn’t feel as fresh as it used to be.

This is how you are “supposed” to feel. This is what is “supposed” to happen to you. I always felt an extreme fire burn when I would hear the following remarks..

“He’s too old…No longer is he on the prospect radar.” or

“He will always be labeled as injury prone.” even..

“He’s a bust of a draft pick.”

From a purely statistical and historical standpoint, many of these things are, in fact, true. But is that what makes me a man? Is it your batting average or my winning percentage?

Of course not. It’s continuing to go back in for more when no-one thinks you’ve got anything left. It’s how you show up in the bleakest of moments with the odds stacked against you that makes you a professional.

Do you ever notice how sometimes the greatest fighters or athletes continue to hang around and compete long after their prime? That fire still rages on inside of them. They want to prove that sometimes wisdom and a strong will can conquer all. That is what I will always believe.

20 Lessons Learned In Professional Sports (Part 7)

June 20, 2014 by Chad Rodgers 1 Comment

You can catch updates about our training, and learn more about our philosophies on how to become awesome on the field and off at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Also, Here are the links to the other parts of my series. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 ,Part 4, part 5 , and part 6 .

I’m going to make this my final installment of “20 lessons learned” for a couple different reasons. The first is that I didn’t want this series to drag on forever. Andrew and I have some cool projects in the works, and I want all our focus to be on those endeavors, but secondly, I feel its appropriate to close this chapter alongside my retirement as a professional baseball player..

As you know from my previous entries, I was successfully rehabbing a torn hamstring from this spring, and I was pitching in games pain-free. My performance on the mound was solid, although I had a feeling the business side of the game had a chance of cutting my season short.

In a similar situation with the Braves where bad timing with the draft and age ended up in my release from the organization, the Twins felt it was in their best interest to let me go in a similar fashion. With new players arriving from the 2014 MLB draft, me being a 26-year-old, and no investment in me financially, I felt it coming.

Even though this feeling was prevalent everyday this season, I made it absolutely certain to the organization that my work ethic, drive and determination to get healthy, and good character would make it a tough decision to part ways with me.

But father time caught up, and that’s exactly what happened. With a few weeks of soul-searching, and support of family members and friends, I made up my mind that after 9 seasons of professional baseball, I am going to retire from the game that has given me so much. I’m leaving this game the way I wanted to, making it to the big leagues or not, they had to rip the jersey from me.

You know, in life we don’t always get exactly what we want despite our best efforts. We do, however, have a choice in how we pursue our dreams. The game of baseball is filled with massive disappointment sometimes, similar to everyday life. I was on one hand extremely unlucky to have to battle through that, but on another, I became impossibly strong and resilient.

While out to lunch a few seasons ago, one summer day before a game in Charleston, SC, I stumbled upon a card that I had to rely on heavily as my career and life advanced. It reads.

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company … a church … a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude … I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you … we are in charge of our Attitudes.” Charles Swindoll

Lesson 16 – Play on the one string you have…A positive attitude.

I truly feel proud to say that this is how I went about my career as a baseball player. There were so many days where everything was off, I didn’t feel motivated, didn’t have my best, but those were the days I took my positive attitude and played on that string. It’s all you have some days, and it can make a huge difference in your life. There were days when my father was at home in Ohio battling cancer, and I had to go out and pitch at a high level in 1000 miles away. There were times when I came to the field and I couldn’t lift my arm over my head. There were plenty of times when I couldn’t get an out no matter what I threw the hitters. What the hell do you do when this kind of stuff happens? It’s life right? Damn right it is. My pain wasn’t and isn’t unique. We all have demons and battles to fight against, and their kryptonite is a positive mindset in the darkest of times. Give yourself a chance even when there isn’t one. You’ll make it through a better player and person because of it.

Lesson 17 – Cultivate a good support system

Minor league baseball is near impossible without mentors and supportive friends & family. As an 18-year-old coming into a situation where I was expected to grow up, live, and essentially thrive on my own, advice from older players, coaches, and family members was a game changer for me. I had a lot of growing up to do. You have to learn how to budget next to nothing money, eat like a top-level athlete, adequately recover, stay out of trouble, talk to the media, take care of your arm and body, and much much more. Having my family and close friends who wanted nothing but the best for me and my career saved my ass when I would have failed several times. The comfort of knowing that no matter what the circumstance, you always have people to lean on makes the game much easier to play. There are always people out there ready to help. You might find them in the most unusual places, but remember, everyone is a teacher, so do more listening than talking when searching for the right people to form your inner circle. Cut out the people in your life who are a negative influence and drag you down. Sometimes that even means family or friends you’ve known a long time. It’s ok. If they aren’t helping or encouraging you to move forward, they don’t have a place for you.

Lesson 18 – Always take care of those people who take care of you

The only people I ever tipped were waiters and waitresses before I got to pro ball. Now granted, we didn’t make boatloads of money in the minor leagues, but sometimes neither did the people helping us tirelessly to have polished cleats or perfectly clean and neatly organized uniforms. I’m happy to say that I took the time to get to know most of those people’s story. I’m a believer that there are many under appreciated people in professional baseball from clubhouse guys, athletic trainers, strength coaches, and front office personnel. You must make it a point to acknowledge their existence because there are assholes everywhere that don’t. The lesson I learned here is to never make enemies in the workplace with those who are working for you. Take them out to lunch, get on their level, and make it known that you care.

Lesson 19 – Someone is always watching

Even when there obviously isn’t, the great ones pretend there is. Do you ever goto a sporting event and just watch in awe as your favorite player walks across the field or court? The best players have an ora about them…A confident something in everything they do. From picking up a ball to tieing their shoes, there is a swagger or sureness in what they are doing at all times. This is because they conduct themselves the same everywhere they go..alone or not alone. Confident and professional.

Take Derek Jeter, Tiger Woods, Lebron James, Roger Federer. I can bet you when they are by themselves practicing, they do so in a manner that is exactly how they would conduct themselves in real live action. Even if their game sucks at that particular moment, and their confidence is plummeting, they pretend and conduct themselves like champions at all times. They fake it if they have to, because they know if they constantly change character, they won’t be successful in the long run.

I can remember going to watch Tiger Woods play golf on a Sunday even when he wasn’t close to the lead. He was playing so poorly in fact, that the crowds had mostly moved over to the leaders to watch them play. But of course Tiger had his signature Sunday red and black on as always. His shoulders were back, head held high, and he strolled through the fairways like he could walk on water.

Lesson learned. Even when none is watching, carry yourself like a champion.

Lesson 20 – Don’t idolize professional athletes. Find the things they do well, and appreciate those instead.

When you give a young person buckets of money for having a great swing, a cannon for an arm, or superior genetics, it doesn’t always mean they are the best of people. I certainly don’t speak for everyone, as I’ve had many talented and wealthy teammates who were even better people off the field. There are, though, so many young kids out there that look up to superstar athletes who are absolutely horrible people.

I wish those kids would understand that while sports are people’s job sometimes, it is after all, just grown men playing the same exact game they do, just at a higher level. I think it’s cool to see young kids emulate their favorite player’s batting stance or pitching mechanics. Those players are successful for a reason, but its their swing…not their values as a person which makes them elite athletes. Pay no attention to the crap off the field, and certainly don’t emulate it. Athletes you see on t.v. are just the same as you and me, just better at hitting or throwing a ball, nothing more.

So the lesson learned here is to feel free and digest all that athletes do on the court or field, but do not expect them to be the Dalai Lama when the uniform comes off. You might be disappointed if you do.

It is with these 20 lessons that I would like to give a sincere thank you to all of you. Every single person who found these articles interesting, helpful, or entertaining…thank you so much for reading. This game has brought my family and I more joy than any of us could have imagined. I have built so many incredible relationships that I will forever cherish. To all my coaches out there who sacrificed their time and energy to see me succeed, I love you. Thank you so much for investing in me. To all my teammates who have battled with me and shared the same goal as me..I’ll miss all of you.

And finally to all of my family, blood, and not, you have extended my career with me as far as I was meant to go. I can look each of you in the eye with a full heart and tell you I gave it my best shot. You all should know you had more than a huge hand in making my career long and successful in a number of ways. I am forever in your debt..all of you.

And for my dad, who believed in me no matter what. I love and miss you…I hope I’m making you proud.

Embrace. Fight. Prevail.

20 Lessons Learned in Professional Sports (Part 5)

May 9, 2014 by Chad Rodgers 3 Comments

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“You can die from someone else’s misery—emotional states are as infectious as diseases. You may feel you are helping the drowning man but you are only precipitating your own disaster. The unfortunate sometimes draw misfortune on themselves; they will also draw it on you. Associate with the happy and fortunate instead.” Robert Greene

Hello everyone, and thanks for reading another installment of 20 lessons I’ve learned over the course of my career in professional baseball. I know it’s been awhile, so let me get you up to speed on what’s happening in my world. The last time you heard from me, I was prepping for spring training, as well as wrapping up another awesome offseason where I trained my ass off, and was throwing the ball with some solid consistency leading into my second pre-season with the Minnesota Twins, eighth spring training overall.

My first few outings went extremely well. I was on the AA roster to begin, which was a nice relief considering I had a successful and healthy 2013. Two weeks before camp broke, however, I was pitching on the road against the Orioles, and tore one of my hamstring muscles in my right leg. I landed funny after a pitch, and felt a stabbing pain jolt through the back of my leg. Obviously infuriated, I wanted to keep pitching through it, but got pulled out of the game.

Flash forward a month and a half later, and many tedious hours of rehab, I am now feeling as good as ever. My leg is not only feeling healthy again, but my arm is as live as it has been in a long time. I was given an opportunity in disguise to really rebuild my strength, and I have taken advantage of this time off by getting my arm to where I want it to be from a strength and speed standpoint.

Right now I’m only a few days away from pitching in games again, so there’s obviously a lot of excitement coming from my side of things.

The time off has allowed me do some reflecting as well as observe some of the younger players down here in the rookie levels. It’s given me a unique lens to view where I started from, and where I am now as a player and person. Here are a couple things that popped into my head in recent weeks as lessons I’ve learned.

Lesson 12 – Avoid the players and people who are always down on their luck or constantly over analyzing.

After just finishing the book, 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene, I found one chapter to be unbelievably relevant in the baseball and sports world. It was Chapter ten entitled Infection : Avoid the unhappy and the unlucky. The law really applies to anyone, but in baseball, a game of high failure rates, the guys who have a consistently negative approach and attitude are really exposed. If you look at all the superstars in the game, almost all of them are big kids at heart. They always seem to be playing the game loose as if in the local park with some friends, the same way they did when they were in the 8th grade. I always gravitated towards these teammates. Instinctively, I knew it was the right thing to do to be around these people, as success was expected and commonplace, not a surprise.

There was one instance where I had just broke with a full season team for the season. All the guys on my team were new for the most part, so I would be getting to know them over the next several months…probably better than most people in their life. But at the time, I didn’t know but only a couple of guys from the season before.

It was a perfect lesson looking back on how it played out, however as the story goes, there ended up being two houses where groups of us stayed for the summer. Like anywhere else, people of the same clique, interests and attitudes tended to gravitate toward each other. In one house, there were the real serious guys. They tended to overdo it at the field, get to bed on time every night, eat perfectly, and discuss the game at length at the house after games. Now don’t get me wrong, I loved these guys. I loved how much they cared, and with my personality, I would probably be more comfortable in a situation like that. The problem is, baseball is a unique endeavor. It’s really not always about taking yourself or the game too seriously. These guys ended up really struggling that season as a result of overworking and over thinking. They were in a constant state of tension, which as we all know is a one way ticket to hitting .200 or sporting a 5.00 e.r.a. The game eats players alive who live in this state of anxiety and stress.

In the house I lived in, there were a group of pretty eccentric guys. I can remember it very vividly as an unbelievably fun time that year. I was still able to keep my healthy habits of eating and getting plenty of rest, but my success that season came from the environment that was created off the field. No matter the turnout of the game, all of us left the results at the field. We shook it off, and never talked about the outcome or what happened that day. We would come home, raise some hell, have a blast, and get up the next day with a renewed sense of purpose. All of the guys I lived with had great seasons. We created and infectiously positive and fun environment without us even knowing it, and consequentially success on the field was the byproduct.

Lesson 13 – Turning off the nervous system is how great players recover so well.

This lesson is also related to the previous one, as tension only increases the stress hormone cortisol, which basically puts your body in a sort of stand-by mode, never allowing it to fully rejuvenate. I am still by no means excellent at turning the on switch to off, but I know now how important it really is to do just that as soon as possible.

“Big events require big recovery.” Anthony Mychal

Recovery is the name of the game when it comes to long-term health in baseball. Nothing about the sport is healthy for the body, so nowadays anytime that I can hack into ways to feel good more often in-season, I try and give a go. Here are a few things that have helped me out.

12 tips to tune the nervous system by Anthony Mychal – A few of the tips in here I applied to my post-game recovery plan.

Headspace app – Fellow Show Me Strength writer, Andrew Ferreira introduced me to this meditation practice, which I now use religiously after stressful days of practice.

Relax like a pro : 5 steps to hacking your sleep by Tim Ferris – Ice baths and adjusting my diet prior to bed has done wonders for my sleep quality. If you can’t sleep, you can’t be awesome. Simple as that.

I hope you learned some things by reading today. If you know someone who might enjoy these installments, pass it along.

Here are the links to the other parts of my series. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

C.R.

Embrace. Fight. Prevail.

Do(n’t) Be the Hero? by Ryan Wood

December 13, 2013 by Chad Rodgers Leave a Comment

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Ryan Wood

Our guest today is from one of the hardest working guys we’ve met. A former college pitcher at West Virginia University, and Randolph-Macon College, Ryan is pushing every day to find his limits as an athlete and individual. Currently a pitcher in the Indy ball circuits, Ryan spends the winter training hard at Cressey Performance and improving the lives of others working as a strength coach in the Boston area. Featured on our site >>before,<< here are some more wise words from Ryan.

“Don’t be a hero”

Most of you reading this played sports when you were younger or still continue to play. Many of us have been in situations during games when our coach would yell out something like “Don’t try to be a hero.” These words just scream self doubt, fear, and mediocrity. Why can’t YOU do the job? Who says you aren’t capable of producing that game winning hit or executing a fastball on the inside corner?

Oftentimes in life people look to others to take action on tasks that they are quite capable of accomplishing themselves. It’s situations like these that help to build our character and shape who we are. I think it’s more important to experience success and failure first hand than to hear about it from others. Say, for instance, that you are in a close ballgame and the bases are loaded. Why wouldn’t you want to be the pitcher in that situation? Because of fear of failure? Because you don’t want to let your team down if you give up the game winning hit? The truth is, those are valid reasons why a person may shy away from situations similar to this one. But wouldn’t you rather be the one to WIN the game as opposed to looking at it from the other point of view? I think we view these transcending moments during athletic events as chances to fail rather than opportunities to succeed. As an athlete you have to have that warrior mindset. Be the teammate that puts the game in his hands. Don’t let someone else do the job that you could have done. Be the hero and thrive on those rare opportunities to show what you can do!

R.W.

Embrace. Fight. Prevail.

20 Lessons Learned In Professional Sports (Part 2)

December 6, 2013 by Chad Rodgers 4 Comments

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“You gotta be a man to play baseball for a living, but you gotta have a lot of little boy in you, too.” Roy Campanella

As you all could see from >>Part One<< of this series, the beginning of my professional career got off to a tremendous start. I really could not have asked for a much better intro into pro ball than the events that unfolded for me on June 6, 2006. From there it immediately got even better for the young, fresh-armed high school Chad. Read on….

After signing, I was fortunate to have been handed a hefty signing bonus along with a college scholarship paid in full. What else could an 18-year-old want or need!? I bought a brand new truck and put the rest away for later. (<< lesson upcoming..)

I can remember going to the park for the first time so nervous I could barely remember how to drive. My heart was pounding out of my chest. I was actually a professional baseball player. Someone who everyone in my life including myself expected me to be. A straight-laced kid with a golden left arm, destined for the majors. Not a worry in the world..Not yet, at least. Around me, were immaculate fields surrounded by the most up-to-date infrastructure I’d ever seen in a sporting complex. I’m talking about the Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, a mecca of sorts for athletic teams of all kinds to play at. Coming straight from high school a couple of weeks prior, that was such an awesome experience to pull into that parking lot for the first time. I remember that day…and then of course my last day nearly 6 seasons later. The 2000 or so days in between changed me from a boy into a man. A kid with a future so bright, into one filled with uncertainty. A career on the fast track into one derailed by injury, tragedy, and inconsistency. But most of all, it has brought me a profound knowledge of the game many will never fully understand. Here are 3 more lessons from my career.

As a side note, Scott Kazmir is a player I’ve really learned from and looked up to in my career. Countless injuries and complete mechanical transformations, but rising above them to become a great impact again is really inspiring, and tells me a lot about him as a guy. I can relate to his story quite well. Read more >here< and >here<

Scott Kazmir

“There were a lot of questions I had to answer after I got released. What am I going to do? How am I going to go forward in life? At the time, I was — for lack of a better word — angry at the sport. When things aren’t going well, this game can humble you and make you think twice about pursuing your career. When you’re out on the mound, scuffling, it feels like you’re on an island by yourself.” Scott Kazmir– A top 5 MLB pitcher in the mid-2000’s. Injured several times, left the game for personal reasons, played independent ball with little success, and now back to the MLB playing at an elite level.

…Leads well into this lesson.

Lesson 3 – When the shit hits the fan, some guys run, and some guys stay….Stay – I think the Pacino quote suits the game of baseball quite well. It’s certainly common knowledge that baseball is a game of failure, especially for hitters. Getting a hit 3 out of every ten at bats will get you a really nice paycheck at the Major League level these days. On the pitching end of things there are two parts of the game I’d like to speak to. Injuries and struggles. These two things happen to every pitcher in the world if they are lucky enough to play for a long time. The problem is, sometimes we can’t take the heat. Injuries naturally lead to a negative, or destructive outlook toward the game. It’s very easy to just chalk up being hurt to bad luck or overuse, and just sink into a hole of feeling bad for yourself. We’ve all been there as pro athletes, but I’m here to tell you, if you want to beat the odds when they are stacked up like a firing squad against you, you’re going to have to solve your problem with a positive outlook, one step at a time. Be honest with yourself. Why did you get hurt? If you don’t know, find someone who truly does know. How can you prevent it from happening again? Were you in shitty shape? Was it a lack of effort in your strength or conditioning program? Do you have a flaw in your mechanics that will take a considerable amount of time and effort to fix? It’s a sinking feeling knowing you have to work an injury from the ground up, (I’ve rehabbed a slap tear in my labrum in 2008 and had Tommy John surgery in 2010) but worth it no matter the outcome. It teaches you about how to hone resiliency.

Same goes for the in-season struggles. Giving up 11 runs in 3 innings one year, and then going to the clubhouse to cry in a bathroom stall really wasn’t my plan for one start I had in the summer of 2007. Nor was it the right way to deal with it. Did I live though? Of course. Did I bounce back. Yes. I wasted precious time dwelling in my failure though. I never, ever do that anymore. I’m too wise for that bullshit. Struggling is the name of the game sometimes. The best players in the world brush it off so seamlessly. It bothers them, but they see past it. They see the solutions, and waste no precious time in the negative world. The best players I’ve ever been on a team with have had absolutely brutal stretches in their minor league career. Craig Kimbrel was sent down from a team I was on to a lower level, because it was embarrassing how badly he was missing the strike zone. After games, even then, he would be the happy-go-lucky kid we all know and love as the Braves all-star closer today. Jason Heyward went dozens of games in a row without getting a hit. Never did I see him hang his head or say ‘I suck.” It’s just not productive, and he knew the game would eat him up and destroy him if he thought that. Lesson to be learned is that no matter how bad things seem, there is always a solution, and it’s found in both effort and un unwavering positive attitude.

Lesson 4 – Long distance running doesn’t help pitchers, it hurts them – One of the downfalls to getting drafted out of high school, with little experience under my belt as to what works for me in regards to strength and conditioning, was my acceptance that running like a marathoner was the norm and encouraged. I would make sure I ran long and hard like everyone else because I thought it “flushed” lactic acid and soreness out of my arm. I believed this for a long time, because coaches and players who were older and around the game longer told me it was how I “must” condition. The problem was, I was getting more sore, moving more poorly, losing strength, weakening my immune system, and throwing slower. All while getting skinny-fat in the process. Oh, but it was flushing my arm out so it’s all good, right?? Wrong. It took me a few years, but I finally knew something wasn’t right when I was always hurting and weak. My finding of world renowned strength coach Eric Cressey helped me dispel the myth of running long for pitching, and he is now leading the good fight against the traditionalist baseball dogma nonsense. Here are a couple, more in-depth articles, further proving my point.

Should pitchers run? Here’s what the research says. by Rob Rabena <<< Click To Read

The facial knock on distance running for pitchers by Eric Cressey <<< Click To Read

Lesson 5 – What works for me, doesn’t usually work for you Becoming a true professional at anything takes years and years to accomplish. Even though I play and have played professional baseball for nearly 8 seasons now, I’m still learning what works for me in every aspect of the game. There are so many interworking parts that make someone successful at it. Everything from eating right to detailed long toss programs play integral roles in making me a better player. Everyday I’m soaking up knowledge and applying it the best way possible to suit my progress. As a young person though, its natural to follow. As a young ballplayer I did just that, never once reflecting on my daily progress, but doing what seemed right, and what everyone else was doing. You follow an elders lead. Most times though they will lead you into the safest, most comfortable situation so that you are on their level. If you are a younger player reading this, understand this for me. You must separate yourself from the pack somehow to be a remarkable success. Take what I told you in lesson 1 > learn from everyone, but mimic no one. You see a veteran running long distance to flush their arm? It doesn’t mean you need to, or should follow. Learn why before you put forth the effort. See a teammate with a fancy arm care program? Seek the truths. Is it making me a better baseball player today? Everybody’s body and mind respond to stimuli differently, therefore we must carry and learn accordingly to become the best version of ourselves.

That’s all for today my good friends. I really enjoyed writing this, and would love to see some comments below. I will respond and answer any questions you have for me!

C.R.

Embrace. Fight. Prevail.

20 Lessons Learned In Professional Sports (Part One)

November 22, 2013 by Chad Rodgers 10 Comments

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“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday’s success or put its failures behind and start over again. That’s the way life is, with a new game every day, and that’s the way baseball is.” Bob Feller

June 6, 2006 was a date that would change the course of my early adult life forever. After a very successful season for our top 5 nationally ranked high school baseball team, Walsh Jesuit, we won an Ohio State Championship title for the 2nd time in my four year career there. It was already such a special moment to spend with all of my closest friends and family, and it had surely topped the list for best day of my life in the 18 years I had spent on planet earth.

Leading into this day, I was also a highly scouted pitcher whom many thought would be selected in the first few rounds of the Major League Baseball amateur draft. I had finished my high school career with a perfect 18-0 record, and was lucky enough to finish as the player of the year in Ohio. As a skinny, but athletic left-hander who could touch the low 90s with a “projectable” 6’3″ 170lb frame and clean delivery, scouts felt like I had done everything in my power to warrant a high pick, as did I. The feeling of winning it all had consumed all my energy that afternoon though. My mind was not on the draft at all. It was just trying to savor every second of the last high school game I’d ever play. Jumping in that dog pile in the middle of the diamond was sure to be the last moment I’d play the game as a boy whether I decided to play in college (signed with Kent State University) or not. In the very near future, I’d be trying to live out every kid’s biggest dream by playing at a level most will unfortunately never achieve.

Soon after celebrating on the field, our whole team, family, and friends, would gather at a local restaurant to continue the party. The buzz was starting to shift from the memory of winning the state title, to now, when would Chad get drafted. As I glanced up on the tv screen, I watched the first round names go by on Sportscenter’s bottom line. Many of today’s household names were on that list. Hochevar, Lincecum, Scherzer, Kershaw..The list goes on. These names meant nothing at the time to me except for numbers to pass until I was hopefully selected.

Not much long after, I was in a conversation with my friends when I looked over at my father talking to my head baseball coach. It looked as if he had some good news. My stomach wrenched as I clinched my seat hard. My coach said “Can I have your attention everyone. Chad Rodgers has been selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 3rd round (100th overall). Congratulations Chad!” The whole place erupted with cheers. I remember looking over at my dad and grandfather and seeing them both crying and hugging each other. Neither of them had missed a game of mine since I began playing 12 years earlier. My heart was full of joy for them, not me. They were the ones who sacrificed everything for the betterment of myself. I got much more pleasure seeing my friends and family excited. It was one of those surreal moments you can easily draw back on and say that everything went absolutely perfectly. One thing that rarely ever happens in this game.

From that perfect day in June 2006, I began a journey that would bring and take from me many things. Excitement, disappointment, victory, loss, tragedy, anxiety, hopefulness, and strength among many other unique feelings and new experiences. I realize that it is my duty to share these moments as a way to help you up and comers out there. Athough my journey hasn’t brought the fame and fortune many expected, it has instilled in me qualities I wouldn’t otherwise possess. Courage, commitment, work ethic, responsibility, and most of all, perseverance are some of the things I’d like to talk to you about here in this blog series. These are the lessons I’ve learned playing 8 years of professional baseball….

Lesson 1 – Learn something from everyone, but mimic no one – Baseball coaches and instructors tend to be very passionate, and often stick to their guns when it comes to what they believe is the right way to do something. The sport is rich in tradition, but lacks open mindedness for different ways to get better. I can remember being fresh out of high school standing on a set of perfectly manicured mounds in the Orlando heat, getting ready to throw my first bullpen session as a professional. To my right and left were the other pitchers drafted that year, and behind us were a slew of Braves coaches and front office personnel. I was so young, and looked up to these folks with such high admiration, that whatever they would suggest to me, I would try and perfect. Looking back, I see a huge flaw in this mindset. Then, every coach would offer opinions as to how I could get better, improve my mechanics, or hold a pitch differently. Then, I would listen to everything, and execute it all to a T. As a result, my mind and body were filled with contradicting ideas and methods, halting my progress and suppressing my athleticism in their tracks. If I were to go back to that time in my life, I would still keep my mind wide open, but my filter would be refined. I would throw out what didn’t feel right, and keep what clicked. The best athletes do this so well.

“Adapt what is useful. Reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.” Bruce Lee

Lesson 2 – There is a big difference between “control” and “command” – Minor league pitchers control the baseball pretty well for the most part. Most of us have a good idea which side of the plate the ball is going, and if we don’t, then we aren’t going to be playing for much longer. In my experience observing some of the best major leaguers of all time up close, including John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, and Tim Hudson, the differences were not what most of you would expect. They didn’t necessarily throw much harder or throw tighter breaking balls. What they did do, was throw the ball where they wanted to way more often than the minor league pitchers. Much of it was repeating a consistent delivery, something lesser pitchers do not do. I remember watching Tim Hudson in a side session, and I counted 26 out of 32 executed pitches (pitches thrown exactly where he wanted). The other 6 weren’t that bad either. His misses were pitches that could still be outs. I left in awe because of how far I knew I’d have to come, just to have a bullpen as tight as that. When he called for pitches in off the plate, it was off the plate. If he called for a slider in the dirt, it was getting dirty, not crossing the belt. All of the guys in the farm system have the ability to command, they just don’t repeat it with the same consistency as the big boys.

Greg Maddux

“Consistency is something you can always improve on. You can be more consistent with your mental approach, the things you do physically on the mound. Instead of executing 5 good pitches an inning, try to make six. You can always do more of what you are doing well and try to be as consistent as you can be.” Greg Maddux

Im really excited to share more in the coming weeks. This is my introductory article for what I think will be a game changer for many up and coming baseball players and athletes alike. I hope you enjoyed the two lessons, and learned a little more about me from a baseball perspective. Let me know what you think! Be back soon with much, much more..

C.R.

5 Keys to a Productive Bullpen Session

January 31, 2013 by showmestrength 5 Comments

“We can’t get good at something solely by reading about it. And we’ll never make giant leaps in any endeavor by treating it like a snack food that we munch on whenever we’re getting bored. You get good at something by doing it repeatedly. And by listening to specific criticism from people who are already good at what you do. And by a dedication to getting better, even when it’s inconvenient and may not involve a handy bulleted list.” Merlin Mann

It’s getting to be that time of year again. The report date for pitchers and catchers is rapidly approaching. Pro guys are tightening things up to go and compete for jobs, college players are getting game ready to start their seasons, and high school/youth players are transitioning from their winter sports to get ready for their spring baseball schedule.

For pitchers, now is about the time when you’ll see a bunch of work on the mound, or in baseball terms, a “bullpen session.” As a pitcher myself, it’s always so exciting to get back up on the hill where I belong, and see my work from the previous months of throwing and training pay off.

Looking back at all the bullpen sessions I’ve thrown and seen in my career as a professional baseball player, there are a couple of things I can point out that jump to my mind.

1.) When I was an amateur, I had the arm strength, talent and pitch quality to throw a pro level bullpen, but I didn’t have the knowledge, feel of my mechanics, or idea about where to dedicate my efforts for the duration of a particular session.

2.) I quickly learned and observed that high level professional pitchers, big leaguers in particular, for the most part, have a precise idea of what they want to accomplish each time they get on the mound to practice. Throwing is something they did in their backyard with their dad. Pitching and executing was what they did to feed their families.

After spending tons of time studying theses guys, asking them questions, and implementing some of their ideas into my own game, I began to see a much steadier increase in development. It wasn’t until I used this precious time on the mound for dedicated focus on my weaknesses, and not to just get an arm workout, that I finally realized what separated the amateurs from the professionals and the professionals from the great ones.

Here are 5 things I’ve picked up that will help you have a productive practice session on the mound each and every time.

1.) BE COMPLETELY AND PROPERLY WARMED UP EVERY TIME YOU GET ON THE MOUND, NO EXCUSES- This one is near and dear to my heart, because I’ve not only injured myself on a couple occasions from being improperly warmed up, I’ve seen other pitchers get injured or perform poorly due to sucky warmups or no warmups at all. It doesn’t take much, just get the right muscles firing and woken up, get a sweat going, and you’re all set. Here are a couple of variations that I’ve used and had success with. They are both quick, to the point, and able to be performed anywhere.

a.) 5 Moves To Get Ready In A Hurry

b.) Warmup in a hurry by Roger Lawson

2. HAVE ONE WEAKNESS TO WORK ON AND A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PITCHES TO DO IT IN It’s very easy to fall into the trap of pitching to your strengths in practice, because it gives us confidence. The great ones, however, know what their good at, but also know that bullpens are times to dedicate their efforts into something they might not be comfortable with. They won’t throw their signature pitch, because they know in order to develop another one, it takes time and precise focus on weakness. It is also easy to get caught up and lose track of how many pitches you’ve thrown. Set a number based on where you are at in your offseason or seasonal throwing program and stick to it give or take 2 or 3 pitches.

3. GET LONG AND BRING IT BACK IN HARD- I’ve always had success with long tossing before a bullpen session or even a game if I’m starting. I feel myself not only getting physically loose, but when I long toss correctly and stay on top and through the baseball, it will normally translate to faster hand speed when I bring it back in to 60 feet. Once I get to a distance where I feel I’m giving close to full effort WITHOUT compromising my mechanics, I’ll start bringing the catcher back in slowly to 60 feet. (For me, it’s usually right around 200 feet. Sometimes I’ll go longer or shorter based on how I’m feeling. My main goal is not to see how far I can throw it, it’s to get my effort level, hand speed, and mechanics to sync up to get ready for my mound session.)

Once my catcher comes back to about the 90 feet mark, I do two things. 1.) I really start to let it rip. 2.) I throw my change-up at full speed to make sure I’m staying on top and keeping the same arm speed. Staying ontop and through the baseball to create that hard tight backspin is my goal here at 90ft.

Now, my catcher comes in to 60 feet. I’ll get him down and simulate a few of each of my pitches before we take the mound.

4. ALWAYS ESTABLISH YOUR FASTBALL ABOVE ANYTHING ELSE. THE ONLY EXCEPTION IS IF YOU ARE A KNUCKLEBALLER. If you get nothing more out of your bullpen other than gaining a solid command of your fastball, I can always count that as a productive session. This is the number one pitch in baseball. A good one can get players to make their high school team, get into and play in college, get drafted, and even make it to the major leagues, so it must be our number one priority. Without a fastball, you’re nothing….Unless your name is R.A. Dickey, Tim Wakefield, or Phil Niekro!

My suggestion would be to throw about 5 fastballs for strikes in the middle of the plate to start you bullpen off. This will calibrate your release point, give you some confidence that you are driving down the right line, and set you up for moving the ball in and out. After you’ve got a grip on the middle of the plate, move the catcher to the glove half of the plate. <<Notice I said half. Many pitchers make the mistake of trying to be too fine and precise, too early. Throwing the ball to your glove side for consistent strikes ensures you are getting through the baseball correctly. If you are flying open with that front hip, shoulder, and glove, there’s no chance that you establish this part of the plate as your own. Drive the ball with your lower half to that side, don’t try and rip it open to get there.

GLOVE SIDE (GREEN) ARM SIDE (PINK)

5.) FINSH WITH ONE OR TWO SIMULATED HITTERS- This is at the end of your bullpen session. At this point you should at minimum have made progress on your weaknesses and established your fastball down in the strike zone to both sides of the plate. It’s a bonus if we have full command of everything, and we should strive to do so, but it just won’t always happen.

Ideally, now you have a hitter step in and take a few pitches, but if not, have your catcher call a sequence of pitches to simulate a lefty and a righty batter. Throw all your pitches. Execute your pitches. Call it a day.

In closing, remember that every time you pick up a ball it’s to become a better baseball player. Have a plan about what weaknesses to attack in that particular session. If you just go out and sling it around without a purpose, I promise you wont be in the game very long. Everytime you take the mound whether it be in practice or a game… it is a privilege. So be warmed up properly, have an idea about what you want to work on, long toss a bit before, gain command of your fastball first thing, and end with a hitter or two to simulate a game situation.

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