20 Best Baseball Coaching Books (2023 Update)

Baseball skills & drills is the most comprehensive training book available for coaches and players at all levels. you will learn the best skills and drills for improving overall performance at every stage of the game, thus improving your chances at winning. baseball skills & drills is packed with techniques that accelerate learning and improve execution, as well as tips and insights on how to better organize practices and correct common errors. written by three of baseball's top collegiate coaches in their respective areas of expertise and endorsed by the american baseball coaches association (abca), baseball skills & drills is absolutely the most complete instructional guide of its kind. this book offers 17 concise chapters including: – catching and pitching with coach pat mcmahon of the university of florida, – hitting and baserunning with coach mark johnson of texas a&m university, and – fielding with by coach jack leggett of clemson university.baseball skills & drills is an extraordinary book with 225 pages of relevant information and more than 200 photos that help illustrate the practical instructions on the basic skills and drills for developing top players at any age.

Some books teach coaches and players what to do; this also explains why. developed by an all-star cast of coaches selected by the american baseball coaches association, baseball strategies is the most comprehensive resource ever written on the tactical aspects of the game. providing the content are 18 of the game's top strategists, including several coaches whose teams have totaled more than 1,000 wins and have won national championships.meet every decision-making challenge, from setting the most effective lineup at the plate and in the field to deciding what play to call and when to call it in tight game situations. should a runner be sent on a 2-2 pitch with one out? should a hitter be walked to allow for a force-out even if the next batter is an rbi leader? when should a pitcher hold a runner on base from the stretch position or pitch from a more comfortable full windup? the analyses and answers to all of these questions and many more can be found in this book. in part i, you'll learn the specifics of offense, from determining the hitting lineup to studying the strengths and weaknesses of the opposing pitcher and defense. the contributors to the offensive side of the game include itch jones, mike gillespie, danny hall, and mark johnson. in part ii, experts such as bob bennett and john winkin explore pitching from every angle, including strategies for shutting down hitters, stopping baserunners, and fielding the position. in parts iii and parts iv, you'll learn better defensive strategies for fine-tuning your strategic approach from george horton, jim morris, and bobo brayton, just to name a few. take a big tactical lead on your opponent. from position-specific responsibilities to situation-specific options to adjusting to the level of competition to altering your game plan in the middle innings, baseball strategies covers all the bases to give you a winning advantage in thinking the game.

Seventeen of the game's top collegiate coaches have teamed up with the american baseball coaches association (abca) to bring you the game's most comprehensive assortment of practice activities. the baseball drill book features 198 drills proven to improve individual and team performance. former fresno state coach bob bennett, ripon college's gordie gillespie, lewis-clark state's ed cheff, wichita state's gene stephenson, and south carolina's ray tanner are among the greats who present their best practice drills and insights for improving these skills: -conditioning and warm-up-throwing and catching-base running and sliding-hitting and bunting-pitching-fielding-offensive and defensive tactics each drill follows a concise format. first, the primary skill or tactic to be enhanced is identified, then procedure and setup details are provided. illustrations for proper technique are also included, followed by coaching insight to help you sharpen players' understanding of the game's finer points. glean tactical advice such as how to get a teammate home from third when a key run is needed and how to "sit on" certain pitches while at the plate. drill modifications are included so that each drill can be modified to fit specific needs. additional chapters explain how to effectively and efficiently incorporate drills in practice sessions and to simulate game situations. in all, the baseball drill book provides the essential link between initial skill learning and winning performance on the diamond.

Build a winning baseball program both on the field and off! in coaching baseball successfully, one of the nation's top high school coaches, mike curran, shares his expertise on all aspects of coaching. from establishing a coaching philosophy to player development to in-game decision making, this is the approach that has made his program a perennial powerhouse on the national scene.coaching baseball successfully covers it all: – off-season planning – evaluating your players – choosing and utilizing your coaching staff – motivating your team – communicating on and off the field – organizing productive practices – hitting, pitching, and baserunning skills – infield and outfield defensive skills – offensive and defensive strategies – scouting and game preparation – in-game decision makingwith dozens of drills, practice plans, and advice for handling off-the-field challenges, coaching baseball successfully is the most comprehensive resource available for novice and experienced coaches alike; it's your blueprint for building a championship-caliber baseball team.

Features illustrated guidelines on baseball fundamantals as drawn from the late cal ripken, sr.'s years as a coach and manager and cal ripken jr.'s record-making career, in a primer with complementary information for parents and coaches.

Coaching young players, developing their skills, and cultivating a love for the sport may be the most rewarding experience baseball can offer. cal and bill ripken understand this like few others. – from their father, cal sr., a legend in the baltimore orioles organization for 37 years, they learned to play the game the right way. those lessons, paired with their combined 33 years of big league experience, helped develop the ripken way, a method of teaching the game through simple instruction, solid explanations, encouragement, and a positive atmosphere. in coaching youth baseball the ripken way, cal and bill share this approach to coaching and development. – whether you're teaching your children at home, managing the local travel team, or working with high school-level players, coaching youth baseball the ripken way will help you make a difference both on and off the field, with these features: more than 50 drills covering defense, hitting, pitching, and baserunning – age-specific practice plans for players ranging from 4 to 15+strategies for setting goals and reasonable expectations for your players and team – advice on communicating with parents, players, and staff – methods for creating a positive and fun environment in which kids can learn the skills and strategies of the game – bill ripken was once voted by his peers as one of the big league players most likely to become a manager. cal ripken, jr., known as baseball's iron man, is a member of the game's all-century team and a future hall of famer. together, they are proof positive that the ripken way is the right way to teach the game of baseball.

Much more than a book on skills, strategies, or drills, the baseball coaching bible represents a landmark work for the sport. many of the greatest coaches the game has ever known–including coaches of the century at the high school, junior college, naia, and division i, ii, iii levels, as named by collegiate baseball–combine to cover all aspects of coaching. the 27 contributing coaches share their keys to championship baseball, something they know well, having won 50 national titles and nearly 25,000 games.the baseball coaching bible covers every facet of coaching, with each coach addressing the subject he knows best. from bobby winkles' chapter on instilling hustle and ron polk's chapter on organizing a winning program, to ed cheff's chapter on innovative practices and rod dedeaux's chapter on establishing pride and tradition, the baseball coaching bible transcends the xs and os.the book's varied and vast amount of information allows you to pick and choose what you implement in your program in any particular season, but you will learn from and be entertained by it all. the wit and wisdom of baseball's sharpest minds shine through in their memorable stories and valuable insights.jerry kindall and john winkin organized and edited the contents. "the impact of a coach" by dave keilitz is a strong and fitting introduction. from there the book flows logically and swiftly through six sections: – coaching priorities and principles with chapters from john scolinos, chuck "bobo" brayton, hal smeltzly, bob smith, and winkles. – program building and management with entries from ken schreiber, mark marquess, ron fraser, and polk. – creative and effective practice sessions composed of works by ed cheff, danny litwhiler, winkin, gary pullins, and tom house. – individual skills and team strategies taught by charlie greene, gary ward, jack stallings, bob bennett, and cliff gustafson. – player motivation and leadership includes skip bertman, gordie gillespie, andy lopez, and dedeaux. – off-the-field opportunities, challenges, and pressures, includes chapters from glen tuckett, richard "itch" jones, and kindall. endorsed by the american baseball coaches association, the baseball coaching bible is sure to be a staple in every serious baseball coach's library. and like coaching and the game itself, the book's appeal will keep drawing you back again and again.

If you are a baseball fan, then coaching youth baseball is one the most enjoyable and rewarding activities you’ll experience. but what if you’ve never coached before? or you haven’t played the game in a while and have forgot some key points to the sport? no worries! coaching baseball for dummies guides you through the rules of the game, explaining all the essential skills and the best ways to teach them to your players. covering different age groups and great practice routines, this guide is all you need to have a fun-filled season. you’ll discover how to: fulfill the role of being a coach and parent develop a coaching philosophy understand how your league works evaluate your team teach your players fundamentals understand all kinds of children create your practice plan prepare for game day overcome challenges and problems this plain-english guide also shows you how to run all kinds of drills, from hitting and pitching to fielding and base running. and when your team is tense or low on morale, it shows you how to relax your players and keep them focused on the game. there are also suggestions for making your season, and theirs, a memorable one. coaching baseball for dummies shows you how much fun it can be to train kids to be athletes, have good sportsmanship, and work together as a team.

Provides an extensive collection of baseball signs and signals for every situation in a game. the book covers umpires' signals, offensive and defensive gestures and coaching signs that make-up baseball's silent communication system.

It's said that it takes a village to raise a child. generations ago, instead of two stressed-out working people trying to commute and raise kids, you had dozens of aunts, uncles, and grandparents to help out. many teams have two assistants – but my teams typically have six or seven or even nine assistants. and it's fun. i decided i needed to write about it, as no one else does it – despite my advocating it when i was in charge of safety and training for my own league. somewhere it seems to be written "and thou shalt have only two trusted assistants and thou shalt do thy best but good luck to you." having just two assistants is probably fine when players are 15 or older. at that age they can do a ton of stuff on their own. with kids ages 7 to 9 or even younger, if you tell them "go play catch" it's not going to go well. sure, some can do it, but many of them can't. with everyone helping, though, you can put players in a position to succeed – you can generate positive reps and the kids get better quickly. i have coached youth baseball for 25 seasons starting back in 1998. my intent here is to write a quick guide that will help new coaches and parents – so the kids ultimately benefit.

Former major league pitcher and mental skills coach for two of baseball's legendary franchises (the boston red sox and san francisco giants) bob tewksbury takes fans inside the psychology of baseball.in ninety percent mental, bob tewksbury shows readers a side of the game only he can provide, given his singular background as both a longtime mlb pitcher and a mental skills coach for two of the sport's most fabled franchises, the boston red sox and san francisco giants. fans watching the game on television or even at the stadium don't have access to the mind games a pitcher must play in order to get through an at-bat, an inning, a game. tewksbury explores the fascinating psychology behind baseball, such as how players use techniques of imagery, self-awareness, and strategic thinking to maximize performance, and how a pitcher's strategy changes throughout a game. he also offers an in-depth look into some of baseball's most monumental moments and intimate anecdotes from a "who's who" of the game, including legendary players who tewksbury played with and against (such as mark mcgwire, craig biggio, and greg maddux), game-changing managers and executives (joe torre, bruce bochy, brian sabean), and current star players (jon lester, anthony rizzo, andrew miller, rich hill). with tewksbury's esoteric knowledge as a thinking-fan's player and his expertise as a "baseball whisperer", this entertaining book is perfect for any fan who wants to see the game in a way he or she has never seen it before. ninety percent mental will deliver an unprecedented look at the mound games and mind games of major league baseball.

In the baseball playbook, coach ron polk provides a complete, holistic approach to the game of the baseball and it's many intricacies.

Youth baseball instruction guide by former mlb player dan gray who was drafted by the los angeles dodgers as a catcher. includes praise from numerous baseball luminaries including joe girardi and bernie williams. dan's love of baseball started way back when he was a little leaguer in the bronx, ny. his passion for the game continued through his high school years at the bronx high school of science where he was selected to the all-city team his senior year. it was during his collegiate experience at binghamton university where he became the first player in school history to be chosen for the amateur draft, when the los angeles dodgers selected him in the 7th round.by most accounts, the los angeles dodgers were considered the premier teaching and player development organization in all of baseball at the time. "the dodger way" of playing the game became the foundation and focal point for dan's instructional template following the end of his playing career.currently, dan is the owner of the proswing baseball & softball training center in mount kisco, ny which opened in 2002. the second proswing facility, opened in 2009, is located in port chester, ny." the daily mission is to create a comfortable learning environment that enhances knowledge and passion for the game and accelerates personal satisfaction and growth. every day i use baseball as the vehicle to improve each player's self-esteem in helping become the best player and person possible," says dan. to date, dan has been quoted in many outlets such as the new york times, the westchester business journal and the journal news. in addition, he has been a featured guest speaker on cnn, wfan, espn radio, wxrk and new york 1. these outlets, along with his involvement in over 200 coaches clinics, have highlighted several of dan's favorite topics, such as player development, youth sports and parental involvement, youth baseball issues, steroids in baseball–youth perspective, off season baseball training routines, and many others.

Leo mazzone was one of pro baseball's premier pitching coaches. in his years with the atlanta braves, he trained several cy young award winners and helped lead his team to the world series. they teach all of the pitching basics and give athletes advice on how they can use the right training techniques to grow stronger and stay healthier. contents include:mazzone's between-starts throwing program – how to grip different pitches – pitching strategies and tactics – field the position – pitch like a pro offers contributions by such well known pitchers as greg maddux, tom glavine, john smotz, and denny neagle, along with black-and-white instructional photographs.

Numerous coaching books cover the bases on the skills and drills of baseball. but very few hit on the tactical skills of the game: the situational decisions players and coaches make that often determine the outcome of games. that's where coaching baseball technical and tactical skills stands out in the lineup of baseball titles available today. – written by the american sport education program (asep) in conjunction with tom o'connell, a 30-year veteran coach and 2004 american baseball coaches association coach of the year, coaching baseball technical and tactical skills prepares you to be a better teacher and tactician of the game. technical skills–such as hitting, throwing, and fielding–are examined in depth, as well as the tactical skills–such as hit-and-run, double-steal, and double-play defenses–that so many other books pitch around. – nearly 180 photos and illustrations bring the basic to intermediate technical skills to life, while sample season and practice plans help you in your preparation. with coaching baseball technical and tactical skills, you have a resource you can rely on to take you down the base paths to coaching success. – endorsed by the american baseball coaches association (abca), the book serves as a companion resource for the coaching baseball technical and tactical skills online course, which, along with coaching principles, sport first aid, and cpr certification, make up the curriculum for asep's bronze level coaching certification program.

From yankees hitting coach kevin long—the man who coaches all-stars like derek jeter, alex rodriguez, and robinson cano—comes this indispensable guide to hitting, full of practical advice, behind-the-scenes baseball action, and an enduring, inspiring love for america's national pastime the legendary ted williams often said that "hitting a baseball is the most difficult thing to do in sport." if hitting a baseball is that hard to do, imagine trying to teach how to hit. yankees hitting coach kevin long does just that every day to some of the best players in the game. in cage rat, long draws on more than twenty years of experience playing and coaching professional baseball to demonstrate to readers the techniques, practices, and habits of great hitting. from bat angle to grip, and from plate coverage to athletic stance and hitting drills, long takes us into the yankees' batting cage, where he shows us how major-league players hone their hitting and refine their skills. not just a practical guide to hitting, cage rat is also a dynamic, engaging, and moving portrait of a man realizing his goals. from his early days in the minor leagues to his major league dreams of playing with the kansas city royals, from the dramatic decision to turn to coaching to the fateful call from the new york yankees, kevin long's story is a quintessentially american narrative that celebrates hard work, perseverance, and a positive attitude. chock-full of practical advice, behind-the-scenes action, instructional photographs, and inspirational stories, cage rat is a must-read for aspiring players, yankees fans, and anyone who loves baseball.

This "tee-ball 101, coaching beginning baseball" guide is not only for coaches, but for parents as well. this guide will help you learn how to coach young athletes starting out in america's pastime game.if your child is about to play tee-ball, or you want to manage/coach the team, you can gain a great deal of information from this book. after reading this guide you will feel confident and prepared. this guide will also cover information to prepare you for coaching the next division level above tee-ball also.as a parent having this information will keep you involved with your child during an exciting time in their life. he/she will always fondly remember these times with you as their coach or as their cheering team.let's get started and "play ball!" this useful and fun guide offers the following topics plus a whole lot more: * setting up your first team meeting * teaching the basic fundamentals of baseball to young players * dealing with a problem parent * setting team rules * rotating your players through each position * developing effective & fun practices * teaching & demonstrating good sportsmanship * provide a safe & positive environment * plus – useful tee-ball drills

There are two basic ways to win the pitcher versus hitter war: – overpower the hitter (like justin verlander) – fool the hitter (like barry zito). the first requires dominating stuff, generally velocity. (verlander's average fastball in 2012 was 94.3 mph. he also showcased a superb curveball.) and, it requires a fair amount of control to go with the overpowering velocity. not many pitchers have that kind of ability, even in the major leagues. at lower levels, very few pitchers have the kind of overpowering stuff to rely just on that to get hitters out throughout a game. those who do have electric stuff can dominate hitters. they are the fortunate ones, but not everyone has this advantage. for them, and for the overpowering pitchers at higher levels, something more than great stuff is required. – pitching is a complex endeavor—both physical and mental. while there are many views on how to succeed as a pitcher, there are several principles that lead to success on the mound. among these are the following: there is a limited number of things you can do with a ball: give it speed, give it direction, impart spin, and select an orientation of the seams. you can also combine pitches in different sequences and combinations. otherwise, there is nothing you can to the ball. every other factor that you can control is mental, and therefore absolutely essential to success. you cannot succeed consistently on the hill without having a plan in mind beforehand. so, if you prepare well, with solid mechanics, you can win each battle with hitters. – the objective on the mound is getting outs. there is a strategy to doing this and it relies upon a thoughtful approach that considers your abilities and the situation. if you combine great physical preparation with a sound mental approach, you greatly increase your chances to get those outs, succeed on the hill, and give your team the best opportunity to win games. – there are many books on baseball, a few of them about pitching. but, there are very few good books on the art and strategy: the tactics of pitching—specifically, books dealing with how to throw specific pitches, why they do what they do, when to throw them, to what locations, and how to set up hitters. there are few books that help pitchers “pitch” a good game—the subtleties of how to throw pitches and how to formulate game plans for pitching. the tactics of pitching is a practical manual for learning and teaching the science, mechanics, and strategy of pitching, suitable for amateur players and coaches through the college level. – the book focuses on the following topics: – pitching philosophy – how air resistance affects the flight of a ball – the strikezone – pitches – situational pitching – mechanics checklist – correcting problems – mental aspects of pitching.

Having spent the past four years recording hundreds of training sessions by some of major league baseball's best athletes, the editors of stack have built a library of grueling workouts, training secrets, and nutritional tips used by america's professional diamond greats. this book gives an inside look at the best workouts, together with instructions and advice from 10 of pro baseball's most prolific and well-conditioned players and their coaches. the pros' training methods are compiled into detailed workout programs, with step-by-step exercise descriptions, that will improve on-field performance in the safest and most effective ways possible. reader's will read of actual workouts performed by numerous high-profile mlb players, including david wright, derek lee, dustin pedroia, johan santana, jimmy rollins, carl crawford, justin morneau, justin verlander, and more. the workouts in baseball training: the pros' guide to becoming bigger, faster, stronger provide direction on how to improve speed, strength, power, agility, flexibility, and conditioning. readers will also be inspired by encouraging stories, motivational techniques, and training perspectives behind these athletes' rise to stardom.

Baseball continues to be a popular game both as a spectator sport and as a pastime. since the publication of baseball for dummies, 3rd edition, baseball teams have changed, new mlb stadiums have been built, and rules have been updated. this updated 4th edition brings you the latest information on the players, the places, and above all, the game. baseball for dummies is for baseball fans at all levels, from players and coaches to spectators who love the game. baseball hall of fame player joe morgan explains baseball with remarkable insight, using down-to-earth language so everyone from the casual observer to the die-hard fan can gain a fuller appreciation of the sport. ● improve your hitting, pitching, and fielding ● find a baseball team to play on, from little league on up ● evaluate stats, players, and records ● coach baseball or umpire effectively complete with morgan's personal lists of top-ten toughest pitchers, smartest players, and most strategic managers, baseball for dummies gives you all the inside tips, facts, and stats so you can have major league fun!