Play Better Baseball

Based on actual team situations drawn from Bob Cluck's 20+ years of coaching, this easy-to-use book stresses the importance of learning to play in a mechanically correct manner from the start. Cluck covers the fundamentals and mechanics for playing and coaching all positions and offers advice and information aggressive base running, situational hitting, defensive coverage, and more. 230 photos. 25 line drawings.

This straightforward, easy-to-understand book helps prepare coaches and players to meet the challenges of tough competition. New revised, "Play Better Baseball" is the state-of-the-art source for baseball fundamentals and mechanics, illustrated with hundreds of photographs and accompanied by helpful new drills. Based on actual team situations drawn from author Bob Cluck's 20-plus years of coaching, this reader-friendly handbook emphasizes the fundamentals that produce winning baseball teams and offers a wealth of advice on: Coaching baseball at all levels

• Developing winning players
• Using videotape and high-speed film
• Using practice time efficiently
• The psychology of coaching

Pitching: the foundation of every team

• Pitching mechanics
• The pitches: Tools to get hitters out
• Setting up hitters: The game within a game
• First-pitch strikes, from Little League to the Majors

Playing the infield

• Using the right glove
• Throwing with strength and accuracy
• The game situation and positioning
• Fielding mechanics for infielders

The catcher: team leader

• The tag at home
• Blocking pitches in the dirt
• Pop-ups, bunts, and cutoffs
• Helping the pitcher get hitters out

Playing the outfield

• Backing up plays
• Throwing from the outfield
• Balls hit in the gaps
• Outfield positioning
• Playing the sun

Baserunning

• The steal and the hit-and-run
• Effective and safe sliding techniques
• Running the bases

Hitting

• Bats and grips
• Stances
• Stride and weight transfer
• Tracking the ball
• Bunting
• Situational hitting

The playbook

• Defensiveassignments
• Infield pop flies
• Bunt defenses

The athletic machine

• Weight training for baseball players
• Conditioning for baseball

Bob Cluck is a major league pitching coach and scout and the founder of the San Diego School of Baseball.