Derek Jeter, Selling It, and the Lesson to Be Learned

Date: Mon, Sep 20, 2010

Guest Blogger: Inner-Sports

by Garret Kramer

I found the sports world’s debate last week about Derek Jeter’s honesty (after feigning that he was hit by a pitch) to be interesting. For one, New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter rarely involves himself in controversy. Secondly, and most importantly, it demonstrates a lack of understanding about a topic I often write about—an athlete’s free will.

Quite simply, from my perspective, there is NO right and wrong in Derek Jeter’s behavior. There can be right or wrong, however, in Jeter’ state of mind when the behavior occurred. That is, if he acted from insecurity and a low level of well-being, the actions will most likely lead to trouble. If he acted from resolute thinking and a clear head, then just the opposite. I suppose only time will tell.

A person should never act just because a “culture” says so.

In addition, I firmly disagree with the characterization by many commentators this week that Jeter’s actions are normal in baseball. They are saying, “What’s the fuss about? Everybody tries to ’sell it’.” Catchers do it when they frame a pitch; outfielders often pretend to make a catch; batters always try to draw walks. The airwaves have been abuzz about the “culture in baseball,” and that it’s common and accepted to try to get away with things. Well, exactly where did this culture originate? Golf certainly doesn’t have this culture.

Before you jump up and down and tell me that golf and sports like baseball, hockey, basketball, and football are different, let me make it clear: I am not saying that “selling it” is right or wrong. I am saying that behaving in a prescribed manner just because the culture dictates that you should is wrong. Many athletes have bought into the culture of performance-enhancing drugs or extravagant lifestyles. Most people in baseball would insist that it is appropriate for a pitcher to intentionally throw at the body of a batter if the pitcher’s teammate was struck earlier in the game. Are these actions wrong? Only you can decide.

When we act from our own free will, we rarely stumble.

Lastly, this situation has initiated a profound question: what do we tell our kids? I have not heard one commentator, athlete, or coach who hasn’t stumbled over his or her answer to this one. Should we tell them that faking it or pretending that something isn’t true, in order to get ahead, is actually okay? Should we teach them that if the culture says so, then go right ahead and do it? Should we try to explain that it’s cool to act as if you’re safe when you know you’re out, but unacceptable to plagiarize a paper in school? I’m not so sure.

As an alternative, why not simply remind our children that nothing or no one can ever hinder your own free will? That the best practice is always to take stock in your state of mind in the moment and respond accordingly. From this perspective, a person’s actions will be based on his or her own inherent convictions and values, not what everyone else (the culture) is doing. The lesson to be learned here is that no matter the situation, people will invariably question your motives and actions. When you allow your own inner wisdom to call the shots, my guess is that you won’t be one of them—whatever you decide.


Garret Kramer is the founder and Managing Partner of Inner-Sports.com. Inner-Sports evaluates and then coaches athletes of all ages on the behavioral characteristics that lead to peak performance on and off the field of play. Inner-Sport’s evaluative partner has created the behavioral assessment used at both the National Hockey League and the Major League Lacrosse scouting combines. Inner-Sports and Garret work with Baseball Factory players at select player development events.

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Little League Example

Date: Thu, Sep 9, 2010

Jeff Braizer: Youth to Pro

We are not far removed from the Little League Baseball World Series, but in less than two weeks after the Championship game, we go from the high of great sportsmanship to the lowly act of a Major League player. In Williamsport, we watch everything that is right with baseball. We watch teams dance together with “Dugout” (For those that do not know, Dugout is the Official Mascot of Little League Baseball & Softball) before the game and shake hands after the game is over despite how upset players may be after losing the game. Sportsmanship is paramount in youth sports and it is displayed at the highest level during the 10 days of the Little League World Series.

Unfortunately for our young players, they are subjected to a lack of sportsmanship from Major League Players. This was evident on September 1st in a game between the Washington Nationals and Florida Marlins. Now I will not go into the unwritten rules of baseball as this blog would read more like a book, but over the past two weeks Nyjer Morgan has displayed extremely poor sportsmanship. From his barreling over a catcher ending his season when he should have slid, to his throwing the ball in the stands at a fan and the train wreck he displayed against the Marlins, his lowly actions continue to pile up and it is up to MLB to put an end to them. Not only did he initiate the brawl that broke out, but the way he walked off the field was even more evident of his demonstrative behavior these two weeks. In my opinion, instead of the 15 games he received, Bud Selig should have suspended Mr. Morgan for the rest of this year to give him a chance to cool down and realize that young players look up to him and should not act the way he currently is acting. Anything less than a suspension for the rest of the season by the commissioner is unjust.

Learning sportsmanship for a young player is not always easy. It becomes that much harder when the best players in the world cannot conduct themselves in the appropriate manner. For Coaches and Parents, please use Nyjer Morgan as the example of what sportsmanship should not be and use the Little League World Series as the ultimate example of great sportsmanship.

Jeff Brazier is the Senior Director of Youth Baseball & Softball with Baseball Factory.

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Peter O’Brien (Bethune Cookman/USA National Team)

Date: Tue, Aug 31, 2010

Justin Roswell: Where Are They Now?

“It’s 10:30 pm Petey, lights out bud.”

“Coach, can you throw me a few more, I’m working on going gap-to-gap.”

“Ok bud, another half bucket.”

This was the conversation that took place between me and Peter O’Brien at the 2006 Baseball Factory Christmas Camp and Tournament at the Vero Beach Sports Complex (formerly Dodgertown). At night, players have the option to hit in the covered cages, and Peter O’Brien was always the last player in the cages.

In all of my years helping high school baseball players, Petey stands out as one of the more energetic, hard working, and enthusiastic players that has come through our organization. He exemplifies how a baseball player should conduct themselves on and off the baseball field. He hustles on and off the field, encourages his teammates, and never complains.

After his participation at the Christmas Camp, Petey continued to work on his game and earned himself a roster spot at the 2007 Team One South Showcase. At the showcase, he caught the attention of many college recruiters, but more notably, the coaches from Bethune-Cookman University (Daytona Beach, FL). In the fall of 2007, he signed a national letter of intent to attend Bethune-Cookman University and hopefully earn a starting spot behind the plate.

During his freshman season at BCU, he earned his way into the starting lineup as their primary catcher. Now, after his sophomore season he earned a chance to play in the prestigious Cape Cod Summer League along with Team USA. Here is a segment of a scouting report from Baseball America on the top 20 prospects from Team USA.
Scouting Report Courtesy of Baseball America
6. Peter O'Brien, c (Jr., Bethune-Cookman)
Even after hitting .386/.445/.748 with 20 homers as a sophomore this spring, O'Brien entered the summer as a bit of an unknown commodity to many scouts, who had not seen him against top-level competition. He quickly made a name for himself this summer, rivaling Springer and Rice's Anthony Rendon for most impressive batting practice displays. He went on to hit .306/.350/.694 with a team-best four home runs in 36 at-bats. O'Brien's best tool is his massive raw power, which rates as a 70 tool on the 20-80 scale. Clearly, his power plays in games as well, though his swing has some length and he can be vulnerable against fastballs on the inner half. When he cheats on those, he tends to be susceptible to sliders out of the zone. He doesn't figure to hit for a high average in pro ball, but he should be a passable hitter if he can refine his approach. He's fairly athletic for his size (6-foot-3, 215 pounds), and he has a chance to be an average defender behind the plate, but he needs to clean up his receiving, which is just fair currently. O'Brien has above-average arm strength and a quick release, but his transfer is not always clean, leading to slower pop times. O'Brien simply needs polish, but all the ingredients are in place for him to be the first college catcher drafted next June.

In addition, here is an article, courtesy of Bethune Cookman Athletics on Petey’s performance with Team USA.

We wish Petey the best of luck in his future baseball endeavors.

BF/Team One Events Attended:

Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout
Christmas Camp
Team One South
Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament


Justin is the Senior Director of Team One Baseball. Justin Roswell joined the Baseball Factory in 2001 serving in the scouting, event coordination, and player development departments. In 2007 he became the Senior Director for Team One Baseball, the showcase division of Baseball Factory. As Senior Director, he leads the player identification process for all Team One Regional Showcases. Justin also runs the Under Armour Tournament Division. Justin graduated from California State University - Fullerton, where he received his degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis on management.

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You Made It!!!

Date: Mon, Aug 30, 2010

Julie Thompson – A Baseball Factory Parent’s Perspective

Several acquaintances of Kyle’s have been drafted over the past couple of years. This year has been the most interesting for us though, as many of Kyle’s friends and former teammates have completed their junior year of college. Passionate, talented baseball players since they were young, we have watched these young men play locally from the time they were 10 years old, to now, the College World Series and other broadcasted games.

One friend (and former teammate) just got drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers. A few other young men Kyle played with and against are playing in the Cape Cod Baseball League this summer. Our heartiest ‘Congratulations!’ go out to all of them and their families. These skilled young athletes have persevered mentally and physically. Having watched them for hours, they never quit. They demonstrated unselfish team work. They had fun. Attitude played as much a part in their success as hard work, baseball intelligence and God-gifted talent.

To their families – we’re all celebrating with you! All those hours we shared on the field…all those dreams we dared to dream for only an instant (because of course, ‘we knew the odds against getting drafted or even getting a look’)…the calls to check in on the college search…the joy of National Championship wins by our boys, the underdogs…so many wonderful (and sometimes trying!) memories. They did it!!!! And your time, energy and support played such a big part in that!

We’ll follow with pride the future successes of those boys we knew from carpools and sleepovers. We’ll continue to beam and be proud as we watch and read about them. We’ll still feel they’re partly ours.

So guys, as you head off to the next level we wish you the best of luck. This is what you play the game for, to reach that ultimate goal of success at the college level and beyond. Hit ‘em hard and make the smart plays. There’s still a lot of fun to have with baseball!


Julie Thompson is a parent of a former Baseball Factory Exclusive Program player. She has volunteered to share her opinions, observations and general thoughts regarding the college recruiting and player development process. She will share what worked and what didn’t for her son, in the hope that other parents and players may benefit from her experience.

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Making Adjustments as a High School Hitter

Date: Tue, Aug 24, 2010

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

Countless times over the years, I have relayed scouting comments to high school hitters and their parents after they have attended a Baseball Factory event. Many times in these conversations, a hitting tip or adjustment was offered to the family based upon something that our scouts saw during the particular workout. For example, maybe the hitter has an arm bar with his lead arm, maybe he grips the bat too tight in his palms, maybe he isn’t fully utilizing his lower body, or maybe with where his hands start he has trouble catching up to good pitching. Getting this type of feedback can be very helpful for a hitter and could help to lead them on a path to future success.

It always surprises me to receive the following response from a parent or a player, when they have been presented with this type of feedback…. “well (insert player name) has always hit this way and he always has had success back here in (insert city, state).”

At Baseball Factory, we do not prescribe to a “one size fits all approach to hitting.” We understand the difference between what we call “style” versus “function.” Hitters can be successful with many different styles. However, functionally there are some key ingredients to a good swing that are independent of each hitter’s style. Hitters that are successful in high school don’t always translate into above average college hitters, because they may have flaws that get further exposed at the next level. That is why it is always important to keep an open mind when hearing scouting suggestions.

I have seen this first hand at the Major League level as a fan of the New York Yankees. Over the past two years, I have watched three All-Star players re-tool their swings to close some of the holes that existed in their approach. Specifically, Robinson Cano, Nick Swisher, and now Curtis Granderson have been willing to abandon “what they have always done” in order to achieve even further success. Let’s look at each player:

Cano – He had one of the prettiest left handed swings in the game, but his timing would routinely be off because with where his hands were starting, he wasn’t able to get his front foot down early enough. Towards the end of last year, Cano worked closely with Kevin Long the Yankees hitting coach, to simplify where his hands start. The results in 2010 have been remarkable as Cano is now a bona fide MVP candidate and is having arguably his best offensive season.

Swisher – He had a great offensive year last year despite having the worst numbers in his career in 2008. However, when the playoffs and World Series came in 2009, Swisher got eaten up by the better pitchers as they exploited the holes in his swing. The problem stemmed from a complicated start to the swing and where his hands were positioned. Like Cano, Swisher worked long and hard with Kevin Long in the offseason and his approach in 2010 is now about as simple as they come. From both sides of the plate, Swisher now starts with his bat on his shoulder and just lifts it off slightly into his trigger position. His stride is also much quieter and shorter. The results have been staggering as Swisher is having his most consistent and productive offensive year and made his first All-Star team.

Granderson – He is the latest former All-Star for the Yankees to realize that the old way of hitting just wasn’t working anymore. Midway through the season, Granderson has simplified his stroke, started with his hands in a better launch position, and is staying on the ball longer (especially against lefties). It has only been a few games, but his at-bats have been much better and his power numbers are beginning to pick up again. Granderson actually took 2 games off and worked hard with Kevin Long to put these changes into play. This is something that I noted in my last blog…namely isn’t it better at times to train and do player development than to just play game after game with an approach that isn’t meriting success?

If three major league All-Stars on a World Championship team making millions of dollars can keep an open mind to hitting and making adjustments, then shouldn’t all high school hitters do the same? Keep this blog in mind the next time you feel tempted to justify your son’s hitting performance with the common phrasing of “he has always hit this way.”


Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 14 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm Baseball Factory and Team One Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

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What Has Impressed Me About the Little League Baseball® World Series

Date: Mon, Aug 23, 2010

Matt Schilling: From the Batting Cage

This is my first trip to Williamsport for the Little League® World Series and the entire experience has been fantastic. No matter how young or old you are, you cannot help but get caught up in the excitement and pageantry of the event. The organization of this event by the people of Williamsport and the Little League® staff is simply outstanding. While all of that is so impressive what has impressed me the most is the caliber of play. Watching the games on TV does not give you a true indication of just how good these kids are and just how fast the speed of the game is.

On Friday, I watched the game between two powerhouses, Mexico and Japan. The Japanese team was the most impressive team I have ever seen in my life. Now they are not the most talented, not the biggest, and do not have the best individual talent, but the focus and commitment these kids had was simply unbelievable. I saw these players doing things that every coach only dreams of. The coach in me was blown away by what I saw. Between innings the infielders fielded the warm up grounders from the 1st baseman with such intensity and perfect fundamentals. They fielded every ball at game speed with flawless footwork and quick efficient releases producing perfect chest high throws. The outfielders went through a similar between inning warm up, starting it out by throwing crisp, firm ground balls, which they fielded with perfect fundamentals and came up throwing. Once each outfielder had gotten a grounder they then proceeded to throw each other high fly balls, which they all got behind, approached at speed, caught and threw perfectly.

Now if you have never been here I should let you know that the time between innings is pretty long because of the TV time outs. The kids continued this work the entire time, never stopping to talk, take a breath…nothing. They simply kept working on their game. During the course of the game the Japanese team made two pitching changes. As soon as the coach came out to switch pitchers a ball was thrown to first and one to the outfield and this procedure was continued. It was amazing to watch. When this team throws the ball around the horn it is a thing of beauty. All the infielders get athletic, get their feet moving, catch and throw with great quickness, accuracy and hop in their step.

Lastly, during a pitching change by Mexico there was a runner on first. Did this runner take his helmet off and talk with the first base coach…no. Did he gaze at the 16,000 spectators taking in the game…no. Instead, unprompted by any coaches, he was working on timing his breaks off of first base on EVERY warm up pitch the pitcher threw. This kind of focus and intensity to be perfect at every aspect of the game is something you simply don’t see from players. It blew me away and really opened my eyes to what true training, commitment and discipline can be. I cannot wait to watch them play again. The detail with which these kids approach everything they do on the field was simply amazing and was a great education for this coach. I only hope all the other ballplayers who were in attendance noticed this. Do yourself a favor: if you are a baseball fan, make a pilgrimage to Williamsport for this event. You will not be disappointed.


Matt Schilling is the Senior Director of On-Field Instruction at Baseball Factory. Schilling graduated from Coastal Carolina University, where he was an All-Conference and All-State player while being voted the fourth best second baseman in the country by the Smith Award Group. Schilling went on to coach at Coastal for five years, helping them reach the top 25. He is also a former Associate Scout with the Atlanta Braves.

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He’s the “Real” McCoy!

Date: Thu, Aug 19, 2010

Steve Sclafani: All Access Pass

Josh McCoy loves to play baseball. He is a student of the game, hard worker and an outstanding listener.

Last week in Vero Beach, FLA we held our Pro Select Training and Competition event. I got a chance to put the uniform back on and spend long days in the batting cages working with each and every hitter who attended our event.

One thing I have found over the years is that players who listen, are open minded and actually try and implement new techniques are more likely to succeed in this game and usually do better at the game of life as well.

Now if you add a burning desire to improve, hard work day in and day out and someone who advocates for themselves you have quite a recipe for achieving greatness.

We supply these young men and their parents a full immersion crash course into the world of serious baseball training, college recruiting, baseball IQ, life skills and academic guidelines. It’s up to the players to leave our events and implement on a daily basis what they have learned if they truly want to “Build Themselves to Greatness.

After returning home from Vero, two days later I received the following e-mail from Josh:

Hi Mr. Sclafani,

I just wanted to say it was a pleasure meeting you at the Dodgertown pro select training event in Vero Beach last week, it was the greatest experience of my life! I just wanted to let you know the six steps I am practicing and focusing on to make my swing better.

1. Line my feet up so that they are straight
2. Keep my hands up and my elbows down
3. Keep my shoulders straight
4. Keep my back straight and don’t go up, just have a level swing
5. Keep my eyes on the pitchers hat so I'm focused on what pitch he's going to throw
6. Follow through on my swing
7. Also to explode my hips and pivot my back foot while in swing motion

The following is my workout schedule:
1. Stretch for 45 minutes
2. After that run short sprints for 20 minutes
3. Go for a run in my neighborhood for 30 minutes
4. Work on arm strengthening exercises for 30 minutes
5. Then take QUALITY NOT QUANTITY SWINGS in my basement off the tee

Please let me know what you think of my workout schedule and thank you so much for taking the time to teach me how to play baseball the right way.

Thanks again,
Josh McCoy

No need to even talk about Josh’s evaluation, athleticism, etc. This kid understands the art of listening, implementing and simply outworking the competition.
Great to see another “Factory kid” inspired.

Steve Sclafani is the CEO/Founder of the Baseball Factory. Sclafani’s ability to create new opportunities for baseball players nationwide and to develop exposure vehicles has led to over 20,000 Baseball Factory and Team One players competing at the college level, $500 million in scholarships, and over 2,000 players selected in the MLB draft. Sclafani was recognized as a member of Baltimore’s prestigious 40/40 Club, honoring 40 top executives under 40 years of age. Steve is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he played second base.

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The Discovery

Date: Tue, Aug 10, 2010

Guest Blogger: Inner-Sports

by Garret Kramer

Yesterday I received a joyous call from a baseball client. A pitcher, this player first came to see me about two months ago because, in spite of numerous nerve-calming exercises prescribed by his team’s sports psychologist, he was struggling with his performance on the mound. Believe it or not, he judged that his lack of success resulted from fearful thoughts about being struck by a “comebacker.” Out of nowhere, he became scared of getting hit with a ball while in the process of finishing his pitching motion. So, he was having difficulty throwing strikes. And the more this athlete tried to rid himself of, or settle the fearful thoughts, the worse his performances (and the fear) were becoming.

The understanding that erroneous thoughts and feelings have no power to hinder our performances rests within all of us.

During the call, he explained that he took the mound in his previous start with the same fearful thoughts. Yet, when the umpire yelled, “Play ball,” he simply reared back and threw a fast ball right down the middle for a called strike. Eleven pitches later and still fearing the comebacker, the pitcher realized he’d retired the opposing team 1-2-3! Hence, in my client’s words, that night he made the “amazing discovery” that it was possible for him to perform to the best of his ability, in spite of the errant thoughts and feelings running through his brain and body.

Indeed, over the course of the previous two months, this player and I had had numerous discussions about the principle of thought. We talked about the illusionary quality of this principle. He learned that negative thoughts, on their own, are entirely unbiased and will only persist if we fail to recognize our level of well-being at that time. And while I certainly didn’t want him to be afraid, my role was to show him that these thoughts and feelings were completely neutral. They had no ability to encumber his performance, or his life, in any way.

Popular self-help tools, techniques, and books perpetuate the delusion that our thoughts about our circumstances are real and need to be dealt with.

As an example, think about an external circumstance in your own life that (like the comebacker) you believe possesses the power to bring you down or hurt your chance for success. Maybe it’s your coach, your boss, your parents, your contract, an illness of a loved one. Then ask yourself: Does this circumstance always thwart my ability to perform? Does the circumstance always produce errant thoughts and feelings inside of me? If you truly reflect, I am 100 percent certain that the answer is no.

You see, it’s never the outside world—the comebacker or the coach—that restricts our opportunity for success. Only our own fluctuating thoughts, born from our current state of mind, can serve this purpose.

In reality, the fear of the comebacker didn’t always cripple my client. When his mood was high, fearful thoughts came and went; when his mood was low, fearful thoughts stuck. Therefore (in spite of what pop psychology might offer), it will always be ineffective to seek coping mechanisms for paper tigers that we construct, regardless of the circumstances of our past, present, or future. Once you discover that wayward thoughts are self-created and have nothing to do with the situation at hand, you will also discover that the more you try to alter or calm these thoughts, the more real they will seem, and the greater the odds that you will trip come crunch time.

Understanding the principle of thought is the key to navigating smoothly through life and performing to the best of our ability.

So about now, you are probably asking yourself: “Okay, this perspective really feels right, but how do I know when to pay attention to my foreboding thoughts? These thoughts have to have merit sometimes, don’t they? Well, the answer is simple: how do you feel at that moment? Are you clear, resolute, determined? If so, I encourage you to follow these thoughts and your instincts, whatever they may be. My client simply knew that the opposite was the case. He became afraid and lacked determination because an external factor and an errant state of mind were running the show, not his inner wisdom.

It is also important to recognize that at no time during my work with this player did I recommend the proper self-help method or technique for him to make his insightful discovery. This insight spawned from his personal interpretation of the principle of thought and his own gut intuition. I simply reminded him that fearful thoughts have no power to thwart his performance as an athlete. Eventually, that notion felt right to him, and thus “the discovery” was born.

My hope then is that we all realize our potential to make a similar discovery. When anxious thinking defiantly rears its ugly head, we must remember where these thoughts originate and appreciate what they are trying to tell us. For we will always find consistent success and contentment when we understand the innate principle of thought, and thus discover (like this pitcher) that there is nothing “out there” that we ever need to fear.


Garret Kramer is the founder and Managing Partner of Inner-Sports.com. Inner-Sports evaluates and then coaches athletes of all ages on the behavioral characteristics that lead to peak performance on and off the field of play. Inner-Sport’s evaluative partner has created the behavioral assessment used at both the National Hockey League and the Major League Lacrosse scouting combines. Inner-Sports and Garret work with Baseball Factory players at select player development events.

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Strengthen your Psyche with Service

Date: Fri, Aug 6, 2010

Bernadette Bechta: Blackboard Basics

When a student-athlete makes his application to college, he faces evaluation by a committee of people who have never met him. The Admissions Committee is familiar with weighted and unweighted GPA comparisons and can understand SAT or ACT scores. Consideration to class rank can be made to account for school differences. Extracurricular activities enhance your Academic Resume and membership in national organizations like National Honor Society and Boy Scouts of America are acknowledged and rewarded. Personal character traits can be revealed through volunteerism and service activities. These activities give insights into how you might become engaged on this future college campus.

There are ways that your personal character can be included on your online application. Doing so will distinguish you from other applicants if it is meaningful and sincere. Service is the secret element on a college application that enables you to demonstrate character. It can also give you an opportunity to learn about yourself. A few years ago I worked with a junior student-athlete who became a member of the National Honor Society and needed 10 service hours each quarter. When he asked my advice, he immediately realized this would be more than he wanted. I suggested that an underperforming elementary school needed math tutors to help them get accredited and pass the Maryland Achievement tests. I told him to find 2 others, and I would arrange for our group to tutor on our next day off from school. We met and prepared lessons for grades k-5, arrived early at the school, interacted successfully with 200 kids that day, and left exhausted. Each quarter we went back throughout senior year. This student-athlete even wrote to a math workbook company in Chicago and asked if he could reproduce some lessons. Much to his amazement, they offered to send 200 workbooks for the school to use. The most important lesson was that giving back to the community was fun and rewarding. This student-athlete went on to join “Teach for America” and remains in a teaching career. The reward came when the school passed the State Achievement Test.

There are additional benefits to volunteering as well. A powerful new study conducted by Paul Wink of Wellesley College shows that “Giving in high school predicts good physical and mental health all the way into late adulthood, a time interval of over fifty years.” Wink states that “Giving requires three important qualities: a giving disposition, empathy, and competence, particularly social competence.” These qualities lead to success in work, friendship, and love, resulting in happiness and health.” Allan Luks calls it the “helper’s high”. Allan says “a full 50 percent of helpers reported feeling happy when they helped others, while 43 percent felt stronger and more energetic.” These activities can help students learn lifelong traits like tolerance, respect, rank, acceptance, and appreciation. Your parents and teachers probably speak frequently to you about these traits but you could possibly learn about them in a summer project through practical experiences.

Opportunities to serve abound in your community, church, and school. Pick one that appeals to you and enables you to explore your personality at a deeper level. The commitment can be an intense week or two or a year-long activity where you contribute an hour or two a week. Your service may relate to your interests, your future career, your family goals, or your personal passion. One student at my school this year approached me and wants to start a Travel Club to build awareness of multicultural customs, foods, languages, and religions. He feels it would be an opportunity to educate each other while incorporating a lot of students from varied backgrounds.

Get busy this summer and learn more about yourself. Be conscious on your summer job to talk to other experienced workers and ask questions. Volunteer for new tasks. Help at your local community center. Find out about Habitat for Humanity. Jill Neimark and Stephen Post’s book, “Why Good Things Happen to Good People” explores the concept of giving. One of their powerful messages is this: “Enjoy giving to the breadth and depth of your soul and you will be happier, healthier, and live longer.”

Find something engaging and give, give, give! Your rewards will be a stronger sense of yourself, higher self esteem, and a significant contribution to your Academic Resume.


Bernadette Bechta serves as the main academic contact for all players and parents in Baseball Factory's Exclusive Program. With over 20 years of experience as a teacher and advisor at the high school level, Bernadette will provide families with guidance on topics ranging from application essays to financial aid. In addition, Bernadette’s two sons have both gone through the Exclusive Program, so she knows the ins and outs of the process from a parent’s perspective.

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This Too Shall Pass

Date: Wed, Aug 4, 2010

Guest Blogger: Inner-Sports

by Garret Kramer

Late last week, I was speaking to a successful client who was struggling with thoughts about the impending end to his professional playing career. He called me because he wasn’t feeling good about things and, at the moment, simply couldn’t decide whether or not the time had come to call it quits. He believed that I could shed some clarity on the situation.

I pointed out to him that because mounting thoughts about external influences—a smaller contract, new teammates—were taking him farther and farther away from a good feeling, he would be better off putting the supposed issue on the backburner until he was in the proper state of mind to deal with it. He agreed.

However, he then made the following (all-too-common) statement regarding his current issue: “This too shall pass,” he said. For some reason, these words just didn’t sit right with me. So, here I want to discuss the reason why, and what I believe we all can learn from this apparent dilemma.

Our lives do not get better once a difficult situation passes.

First of all, upon my own reflection, I saw that while this saying sounds right, and we have all heard it many times, it was the thinking behind these words that was actually preventing my client from finding his own insightful answer. That is, it occurred to me that there is nothing that takes place in our lives that truly needs to pass. So-called problems are merely born from our own errant thoughts, during our own low moments. In this case, my client actually believed that his life would get better when the negative situation cleared and a career decision was made. My role was to demonstrate to him that the quality of his life does not exist at the mercy of this or any other external situation. Once he understood that, I was certain that he would uncover the appropriate choice about his career, and then things would start to fall in place for him.

The freedom that comes from understanding that nothing needs to pass is what guides us through our apparent difficulties.

You see, as I reminded my client, all of life’s circumstances are impartial and exist totally dependent on our state of mind at the moment the circumstance occurs. How many of us have looked at a situation one day, and it seemed like the end of the world, but on the next day we look at the exact same situation and wonder what we were thinking in the first place? In other words, it’s never the situation that needs to pass; it’s our state of mind that can and will pass, if only we allow it.

The lesson here is that if a smooth and successful path through life is what we are after, we must understand that our ability to learn or grow from any difficulty has nothing to do with the circumstance and everything to do with us. Thus, the more we try to shrug off or alter our thoughts about the difficulty, the cloudier the answers become and the worse our performance gets.

Lucky for my client, he ultimately realized this truth and then found the freedom to make the appropriate decision. In fact, he decided to get back in the gym and give his playing career one more year. Wouldn’t you know it—his general manger reached out two days later and now wants to talk about some additional performance bonuses. As I said, nothing needed to pass after all!


Garret Kramer is the founder and Managing Partner of Inner-Sports.com. Inner-Sports evaluates and then coaches athletes of all ages on the behavioral characteristics that lead to peak performance on and off the field of play. Inner-Sport’s evaluative partner has created the behavioral assessment used at both the National Hockey League and the Major League Lacrosse scouting combines. Inner-Sports and Garret work with Baseball Factory players at select player development events.

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Cape Cod Pro Training Thoughts

Date: Tue, Aug 3, 2010

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

I just recently returned from Baseball Factory’s Cape Cod Pro Select Training. For those of you that are unfamiliar with the program, it is an intense skill development event where players are challenged to elevate their game by our professional staff. The itinerary includes position defense work, offensive instruction, speed/agility/movement efficiency training, video analysis, guest speakers, and simulated games. In addition, our players watch the prestigious Cape Cod Collegiate League games in the evening. The Cape Cod Collegiate league has produced thousands of major league players making it arguably the #1 collegiate summer league in the nation.

Being at this event reminded me just how important it is for young players to train and refine their skills. Today’s high school baseball players are so focused on showcasing and tournaments, but if you take a step back and really think about it, skill development and training should be more important. Isn’t it crazy to showcase your skills for college coaches and to play game after game with techniques that don’t maximize success and “expose” your flaws? Even major league players have fall instructional leagues and intense player development programs in spring training. If the professionals do it, shouldn’t high school players do the same?

My academic analogy is this. Would you ever advocate that a student take a test (in baseball speak -- a showcase or tournament game) without ever studying (our game’s version of skill development or training)? Don’t most students perform better on tests after they have studied? If you are a parent of a high school player, think about how much time your son is focusing on improving his weaknesses, outside of just playing in games. If it isn’t much, this should be a reminder that skill development should get significantly more attention.

Thank you to the Baseball Factory staff and players for an excellent experience. I really enjoyed being back on the field and working hands on with you. Check out the video reel below for some thoughts on the event from parents and players who were in attendance.

Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 14 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm Baseball Factory and Team One Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.

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LIVE: From the Under Armour Southwest Tournament

Date: Thu, Jul 29, 2010

Dave Lax: We're There

Other than the torrential downpour near the end of the day, we are off to a great start here in Arizona. The Baseball Factory Teams went 3-0 today with solid pitching being the highlight.

Baseball Factory Red narrowly escaped a bottom of the 7th collapse holding off Showtime Baseball of Arizona, 3-2. Showtime loaded the bases in the 7th with two out. The hitter sent a liner towards the pitcher, Bryce Wellborn, who got a glove on it and it ricocheted to the second baseman who flipped it to the shortstop covering to end the game.

Baseball Factory Royal got a solid, albeit adventurous, performance out of Eric Brothers who gave up two unearned runs through 5 innings. He walked 6 in 5 innings, but managed to limit the damage with two pickoffs and several other key plays. Tyler Lara came in for the save holding off the Clovis Sandgnats from Central California, 4-3.

Baseball Factory Navy cruised to a 4-0 victory over the California Panthers behind the strong pitching performances of starter Jacob French and reliever Joey Samuels. French needed only 48 pitches to get through 5 innings and Samuels needed 24 pitches to get through the two final innings. For those counting at home, that's 72 pitches in a 7 inning game. Not too shabby.

Patrick Wuebben will do a college recruiting talk tonight with the Baseball Factory teams. The rain has adjusted the schedule but we’ll do everything we can to get in as many games as possible.


Dave Lax is the Assistant Director of Marketing at Baseball Factory. Dave started with Baseball Factory in June of 2006 having earned his degree in Business from the University of Maryland, College Park. He majored in Marketing and minored in Communication. At Maryland, he played on the Scout Basketball Team for three years, where he was part of the National Championship team in 2006. In addition to his marketing responsibilities Dave serves as the administrator for Baseball University and helps design and maintain the website.

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It’s All About the Fit

Date: Fri, Jul 23, 2010

Julie Thompson – A Baseball Factory Parent’s Perspective

Rob’s blog, “You Can’t Handle the Truth,” was so true. What parent hasn’t eventually had that discussion with a teacher or coach? Most of us know it’s coming, but we’re sure it’s down the road. And when it comes…it almost always feels like a kick in the stomach.

We all have to recognize our children’s strengths and weaknesses—hard for us, but it’s what’s best for them. Sometimes, though, an evaluation really does reflect the fit between the student/player and a particular teacher or coach, rather than an absolute ‘correctness’ of that child’s abilities. Teachers and coaches are all unique—personalities, backgrounds and styles—and human, with good days and bad days. And sometimes the evaluations reflect that. If, after a hard cold look at your child’s abilities, that evaluation remains significantly different than your own, it may be time for a second opinion. That’s where an independent assessment from a knowledgeable third party comes in. It’s one of the reasons we came to Baseball Factory when our younger son got to high school.

Here’s what happened to us. All three of our children were accomplished student/athletes. Our older son was a basketball player. At 5’10 and change, and struggling to hang on to 170 lbs, we knew the NBA probably wasn’t going to be in his future. High school and college basketball probably could be though, at least in our opinion. By high school, Matt had played a lot of basketball. He’d loved the game since he was five, and had been successful on the teams on which he’d played. He’d also gotten awards at some highly regarded camps, and had been sought out by a couple of the better AAU teams in the area. As Matt’s parents, we thought he was pretty skilled (of course!), which seemed to be supported by outside feedback.

At high school Captain’s Practice and Tryouts, Matt was encouraged by the team’s captains and upper classmen. Some players told him he would probably play varsity as a freshman. Then, when the teams were posted, Matt didn’t even make JV. He was on the freshman team. Disappointed and a bit ticked-off, the assignment showed in Matt’s game. His attitude and work ethic fell off significantly. As parents, we emphasized the importance of continuing to work hard and play smart…basically, to keep caring. It didn’t work. And while I’m not justifying the decline in Matt’s attitude, we knew there were questions about the varsity coach’s overall direction with the school’s basketball program. Further, Matt’s dad and I weren’t entirely comfortable with the assessment our son had gotten, as well as the overall quality of the program. We didn’t seek out a second opinion, but I wish we had. Thankfully, one was about to come our way.

Matt’s friend, Bill, ran into a similar situation at the school (he made the JV team, but didn’t play much). The boys were AAU teammates and pushed hard there, attracting the attention of a prep school coach with a strong basketball background. As juniors, both Matt and Bill transferred schools to be with the new coach. That year, the prep school team won their league and took second place at Regional Championships in their division. Senior year, they won their league again, and this time took first place in Regional Championships. In contrast, the school the boys left had several disappointing years, eventually posting a 50+ game losing streak.

There was no doubt in both my husband’s and my mind, the coaching ability and basketball experience provided by Matt’s new coach far surpassed what he would have gotten at his original high school. The new coach was more knowledgeable about the sport, was more engaged with his players, and he could mold and develop individual styles. His players were motivated, wanting to develop and perform to the best of their abilities.

Matt played two years of college basketball before opting to stop to devote more time to academics. In our opinion, he attended a more highly ranked college than he ever would have because of the exposure and confidence that a successful high school basketball experience gave him.

As parents, we learned three lessons from Matt’s experience: (1) Get a realistic, independent assessment of your child’s abilities; (2) Know the forces that drive him/her and (3)…It’s all about the fit. Find the best one for your son or daughter, and do it early enough to make a difference for high school and college.



Julie Thompson is a parent of a former Baseball Factory Exclusive Program player. She has volunteered to share her opinions, observations and general thoughts regarding the college recruiting and player development process. She will share what worked and what didn’t for her son, in the hope that other parents and players may benefit from her experience.

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Positions and Rosters in College Recruiting Pt. 3

Date: Wed, Jul 7, 2010

Dan Mooney: Your Link to the Colleges

One last entry about rosters and college recruiting, guys.

Don’t expect to get recruited because you’re a utility player. College baseball rosters may include up to 35 players at the Division I level, so there is enough depth there that coaches don’t need to rely on their players covering multiple positions. There are too many players out there that are jack-of-all-trades and masters of nothing. Guys change positions all the time at the next level, and while you want to show college coaches that you are willing to do whatever you can to help the team, you still need to hone your skills at one primary position.

Most high school players should also not expect to be a two-way guy at the next level. I only played with one two-way guy during my college years, and his name was Brad Wilkerson. Brad played CF, 1B and pitched for the University of Florida before leaving as a 1st Round draft pick. Oh, and he also hit 24 home runs that year, too.

I certainly don’t want to ride both sides of the fence on this, but you may be saying to yourself that some coaches have shown interest in you being a two-way guy. So, yes, it does happen, and this is not the rule, but two-way guys are likely to get a look if one of their positions is at pitcher. You don’t see a lot of 3B/OF or SS/C running around out there. You will, however, find 1B/P, 3B/P or OF/P. Those of you who are P/C, make your mind up now, because it will not happen at the next level. You are putting too much stress on your arm- don’t expect it to last much longer then your HS years.

If you are having a hard time trying to decide whether to be a pitcher or position player, here are few things that will help. If you want to pitch, velocity will be a big factor. Yes, getting outs and having good secondary stuff is important, but coaches want velocity, period… unless you are left-handed. So, if you are 6’0 and throw 80-82 MPH, start hitting more; coaches can find those guys in every city across the country. If you are leaning toward being a position player, take a close look at your position and what is needed to be successful at the next level. For example, OF and middle guys need to have some speed, corner guys need to hit, etc. If you can flat out hit, hit and hit, just make sure you have a pulse because coaches will find a place for you.

Hopefully the last few entries have given you some extra insight into college recruiting. For reference, here are links to the previous two: Part 2, Part 1. We’d love your comments and questions.

Dan is the Senior Director of College Recruiting. Dan was drafted in the 40th round by the Chicago Cubs after his senior year at Monsignor Donovan High School, but decided to begin his collegiate career as a catcher at Brevard Junior College. He later transferred to the Univ. of Florida where he redshirted for a season, before transferring to North Carolina State University where he was a two-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference performer. After college, Dan played professionally in the Boston Red Sox organization where he reached the double-A level before being forced to retire after an injury. Dan has assisted hundreds of players reach their goal of playing college baseball and has developed relationships with college coaches across the nation through his time as a player and during his career in the college recruiting department at Baseball Factory.

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