Youth Baseball Talk

Is this a strike?   On this episode of Youth Baseball Talk, Jim and Spiker are tackling one of the toughest subjects in all of baseball: Umpiring. The guys discuss the taboos associated with being critical of umpires, as well as the fact that we should always respect authority on the field due to the...

Will the “bat flip” make its way to youth baseball?   On this episode of Youth Baseball Talk, Jim and Spiker are here to talk baseball and the somewhat controversial “bat flip.” As the “big leaguers” continue to fight it out on the fields of Major League Baseball, the guys question whether or not we...

“Meet Chris Verna!” On this episode of Youth Baseball Talk, Jim welcomes an influential trainer to some of the best athletes in their respective sports, Chris Verna. Chris shares with us his views on how “The Rope” not only outperforms the old towel drill but, thanks to new studies, shows how the towel drill is not...

Trust the process… On this episode of Youth Baseball Talk, Jim and Spiker take you on a journey which, unfortunately, doesn’t always end the way we may think. The guys discuss parents looking for instant success for their children, and if found, some will refuse to look at the big picture when it comes to...

Attack, Attack, Attack!   On this episode of Youth Baseball Talk, Jim and Spiker are here to discuss the all important “approach” players are required to take at the plate, and in their own minds when it comes to the game of baseball. The guys suggest following the advice of their good friend Steve Springer:...

When is enough really enough? On this episode of Youth Baseball Talk, Jim and Spiker attempt to answer the ever elusive question: When will enough be enough? In this case, Noah Syndergaard averaged 97.9 MPH with his fastball last year and trained (reportedly added 17 pounds of muscle)  in the offseason to add speed to his pitches. Syndergaard...

Birkby is a graduate of Missouri S&T. On this episode of Youth Baseball Talk, Jim and Spiker continue the “Chasing Velocity” series as they welcome the pitching coordinator of the Rawlings Tigers baseball program, David Birkby. Many pitching instructors have different philosophies when it comes to training the arm, but we appreciate when a director is always...

On this episode of Youth Baseball Talk, Jim and Spiker continue the “Chasing Velocity” series as they welcome Lantz Wheeler. Lantz has spent his entire career pursuing a better way to help pitchers increase their velocity, and has developed his “Core Velocity” system in an effort to safely help pitchers reach their maximum potential. Plus, Travis...

David Birkby played an integral role in launching the Rawlings Tigers program. On this episode of Youth Baseball Talk, Jim and Spiker welcome the general manager of the Rawlings Tigers baseball club, David Birkby. The Rawlings Tigers are one of the fastest growing clubs in the St. Louis area, but they are also becoming one of...

The term “frozen rope” has never been more appropriate. On this episode of Youth Baseball Talk, Jim welcomes the inventor of the Rope Bat, coach Gary Long. The Rope Bat is just what the doctor ordered for young hitters. As young hitter struggle with casting their hands, the Rope Bat can help them feel exactly...