End of the line...

This is best served as a longer read as opposed to a text message, so feel free to revisit it when you have a few minutes.  If you're not interested in what comes next, no hard feelings.  Just know that if you need anything from me as a coach in the future, you know where to find me.

This season, like others before it, came with challenges.  

Vacations

Senior Week

Work

Family Obligations

Unexpected "Life"

Etc...

Other teams are dealing with the same issues, so no excuses there.  It was no different than any year before it, so as the coach, I did my best to put a competitive product on the field each day...literally.  For those counting at home, we played 19 games in 31 days.  That excludes weekends.  Weeks with 4, 5, and even 6 games during the weekdays?  That's one challenge that I hadn't faced for quite a while,due to the fact that HS baseball played for so long and there wasn't any down time going in to the legion season.  Without any time off to recharge batteries, so to speak, the season became long and grueling pretty quickly.  I knew you all had to be exhausted because halfway through the season, I was too.  If I felt that way there was no doubt in my mind that you felt the same way, but much much earlier.

On the other hand, the league was pretty good all around this year.  We faced some very good competition each game.  No game this year I felt was an easy win as it was in year's past.  All teams adjusted well to using wood and hit lots of balls on the screws.  My initial thought after just typing that was, "were we the team that everyone expected to beat?  Were we THAT team?"  I quickly got that thought out of my head because teams couldn't take us for granted and continued to throw their best at us; Leitzel from Sun/Norry, Michael from Line Mtn, and not once but twice we faced D1-bound DiValerio from Berwick.  We handled them all...some better than others on any given day of course.  

About 5 games in with this group, I asked you to COMPETE.  It took some time, but you eventually embraced that.  However, at times some still tried too hard to compete with each other...pass blame instead of taking ownership.  It doesn't matter now, but going forward and looking to next HS season, it will.  If you keep finding yourself competing against your teammates instead of with them, it will be a long and miserable season or you may find that your role isn't what you think it should be.  Team unity and chemistry sometimes matter a lot more compared to perceived talent and statistics.  

I always say that this game can teach you so much about life, in general.  One big lesson is that you will accomplish so much more as a group instead of as an individual.  Those of you underclassmen considering pursuing a collegiate baseball career at any level need to remember that.  College coaches see talent and mechanics, however, they're more interested in how you handle yourself, especially after failure.  You do remember that you're playing a game where if you're successful 30% of the time you're considered a "great player", right?  Just remember...you NEVER know who's watching...

In any event, there are some highlights to take away from this season.  There was a lot of fun that was had in a much more relaxed atmosphere.  There is some young talent that got a chance to play on the field at a higher level.  Usually, that's what happens during the summer season.  The future looks bright from a talent standpoint.  Out of an 18 man roster (more like 16 when you look at numbers) 10 players saw time on the mound.  Three of those pitchers struck out more batters than innings faced.  In addtion, as a staff, we struck out 116 batters with a collective ERA of 3.97.  To cap it off, there was a no-hitter thrown in there against the eventual #1 seed in the SVL tournament.  

In closing, thank you all for the commitment you made to this season.  Parents, players and siblings.  It was nice, even at tonight's game in Berwick to see just as many fans on our side as they had for a home game.  The support you provide to the group means a lot.

A special thanks to the coaching staff who made the treks with me and put together a game plan for each game and contingency plans when plan A didn't go as scheduled.  Be sure to check Game Changer for end of season stats if you're interested (Thanks Jeromy!).

I enjoy legion baseball for lots of reasons, but mainly because I get to allow some young men the chance to play just a few more games of organized baseball.  Thank you all for sharing part of your summer with me.  You never know when your last game will be your last game.  

Leave it all on the field!

Coach Mohr

Major League 2

Major League 2

After last night, for no good reason, this movie popped into my head.  There is a scene in the middle of the movie that immediately sparked some interest and became thought-provoking, at least to me.

If you have the movie Major League 2, I can save you some time by starting the film at 49 minutes and watching the next 9 minutes.  You'll get the idea...pick it up at the bottom of this blog then.

If you don't, here's the best I can do.  A lot leads up to this point, but basically there are 3-4 players in this movie that have their own agendas.  Vaughn is caught up in money now that he's made a name for himself.  Hayes hurt himself doing his own stunts in a movie in the off-season and now complains of leg pain when called on to run for Rube Baker, who just got plunked in the foot.  Hayes calls out Vaughn since coach just asked him to head to the bullpen and didn't follow his directive.  The following ensues:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RfMVu-bfng

...Cut to locker room (in between a doubleheader) and the first shot you see is Baker icing his foot to get himself ready to go in game 2.  Hayes tells him he's lucky since he doesn't have to play in game 2.  Baker then proceeds to motivate the rest of the team by telling him how lucky they are to play the game of baseball, regardless of other issues (on the field, or off...).  Baker says to skipper Jake Taylor, "I'm ready when you need me...put me in someplace."

...Cut to game 2...bottom of 9, Indians down 1-0, Baker at the plate and hits a weak ground ball to SS.  Hustle...safe at first.  Here comes Hayes, "Let me run for him..."  Hayes steals 2nd, then 3rd, then home.  1-1.  Vaughn congratulates Hayes, despite their recent issues.  Pedro Cerrano, who at this point in the movie is struggling trying to figure out mental/emotional issues, decided he wants to hit, even though he's struggling (mainly because Tanaka calls him out...which is pretty comical I might add - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V94MbBJtGCI).  Coach Taylor obliges...BOMB.  Game over, Indians win 2-1.

Thank you Hollywood for your script writing abilities and a happy ending...but is there a bigger message in there?  Is it the things that we've preached from day 1?  Selflessness?  Effort?  Attitude?  Leadership?  Sound Fundamentals?  I don't know, but what I do know is that when they played like a team instead of every man for himself, or feeling down in the dumps for whatever reason, they won.  Is that all it takes?  Absolutely not, but when you play together, its probably half the battle.

Monday - Danville (5-7) - H
Tuesday - Midd-West (11-2) - A
Wednesday - Jersey Shore (12-2) - A
Friday - Shik (8-5) - H

Monday - Lewisburg (2-9?) - A
Wednesday - Shik (8-5) - A

Do you see 4 wins in those 6 games?  That's what we need. 

#WhateverItTakes
#FinishTheJob

Enough is enough

Good News/Bad News time...

 

Bad news first of course...tonight didn't go so well.

 

Good news...you get to play again tomorrow (or today, depending on when you're reading this)!

 

...not a popular guy tonight...

 

First things first...every single one of you reading this have taken enough swings this pre-season and during practices to get mechanics where they should be.  If you're still worried about mechanical issues, that's fine...but game time, at the plate, is the LAST place you need to be thinking of these things.  You should have created some muscle memory by now in order to just LET IT HAPPEN.  Weight back and drive it!

 

Of course, you need your approach based on what you see (you're studying the pitcher, right?). 

 

Now, back to that guy above that just isn't too popular right now.  Are you studying HIM?  Do you know where his zone is?  Is the zone low?  Wide?  High?  All of the above?  You need to study this as well...best news is that it doesn't take too long to figure this out either.  Don't be surprised by what is called after seeing about 20-30 pitches from each pitcher (inning 2-3-ish I would assume).  Of course, if it's sporadic, and unpredictable, you do what you gotta do...

 

Some things to ponder...

 

How much do I care about this season?

 

Am I putting in the work needed to be successful or is the Senior-itis getting to me (not just seniors either...don't take offense...unless you should take offense...)?

 

Am I a good teammate?  Why is that?

 

Am I trying to press and make things happen?

 

Am I just going through the motions?

 

Do I have passion for this simple game of hitting and fielding a baseball?  Of course it's not THAT simple, but the game is what we make it...

 

What are my goals for this team?  What am I DOING to make that happen?

 

 

 

Last thought for the night...I'm a person who writes stuff down and saves it for a rainy day.  For those of you who were here last year...remember this?

 

The following is copied and pasted from my speech at the end of the 2013 season:

3. Perseverance –  “To continue to do something, in spite of difficulties.”  Need I say more?  We could have packed this season up a long time ago, but you chose to do something different.  That is also appreciated.  When you went on your run here at the end of the season, you made a decision that enough was enough.  Let’s remember that when next season rolls around.  If you forget, don’t worry, I will remind you…

...consider yourselves reminded...

Thursday, April 17, 2014

I can't begin to tell you how many times I watch these TCU videos on YouTube on the regular.  These videos, at 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, make me mad that we can't go out and do some work on a tee, in a cage, on a field.  These videos get me excited beyond belief.  This one is my favorite, from 2012.

However, I am a coach.  I do not get to step to the plate, with my mouth salivating, ready to face a pitcher and see who's better at that given moment.  Who can capitalize on the mistake of the other.  I get to watch you do it.  I get to watch you succeed or fail.  I get to hope that all the baseballs we've thrown you in the cage, all of the swings you've taken off of a tee, all of the swings you've taken off of a flip toss, will pay off at this moment.

What's your plan?  What's your approach?  What's the situation?  Am I paying attention to the pitcher to see what his current scheme is?  Am I a student of the game?  Am I looking for small nuances to capitalize on like a pitcher digging in his glove for a curveball? 

Are you asking yourself these questions?  Are you a student of the game?

If I have a guy on 2nd, with less than 2 outs, what am I trying to do?

If I have a guy on 3rd, am I trying to hit a bomb, or make solid contact to the right side to plate a run for my team?

Why did I pop that baseball up in the air to the SS?  Did I drop my hands or did I hit a good pitch?  Are you being honest with yourself?

Are you 3-3 with 3 2B and 0 RBI and 0 runs scored?

Are you 0-1 with a 6-4 groundout and a SAC FLY, SAC BUNT, and 2 RBI?

Which is better?

What's your goal for this season?  We are almost halfway home gentlemen.  Currently, we sit at 3-5.  Is that bad?  I say not.  What do you say?  This is your team.  You choose what becomes of it.  You choose what happens through these next 12 games to determine your fate.  Are we playoff bound?  Will we see the bright lights of Bowman Field?  Your call. 

Bottom line.  We need to function as a team and be on the same page.  Are you #AllIn?

What does that mean?  What does it mean to you?  Everyone knows you want to succeed.  Why mope and sulk when things don't go your way?

Don't forget the motto:

Selfless
Energy
Attitude
Leadership
Sound Fundamentals

Do you live this between the lines?  Are you able to sacrifice yourself for the greater good? 

I sense some dissonance between certain individuals.  If you are #AllIn you serve the greater good, the TEAM.  Put your petty differences aside and FIO. 

Through adversity, you will find out who's #AllIn. 

#SealsBaseball14
#Pride
#LetsGoNOW
#ItsTime
#GetHype