Mo'ne Davis the Female Phenom

If you do not know who Mo'ne Davis is then you are not a Little League World Series fan. Mo'ne Davis  is a Little League Baseball pitcher from Philadelphia . She is one of two girls who played in the LLWS, she is the first girl to earn a win and to pitch a shutout in LLWS history. She can throw 70 MPH, and she fourth American girl to play in the LLWS. She is also the first Little League baseball player to appear on the cover of SI as a Little League player.  She is highly talented and believes that one day she will play pro baseball. She has been all over media and television for her athleticism and abilities. She plays soccer and basketball as well. She may one day be the first woman to play professional baseball. She has a lot of determination and she practices sports every day. It is hard to believe that Mo'ne is only 13 years old. She does face a lot of adversity because of her being a girl playing a "boys" sport but it does not stop her. Her passion and determination will not stop her from reaching her life goals, and as a fan it is clear to see that she has toughness. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRPEEXi3_C0
Mo'ne Davis Shutout

Underdogs of Baseball

 The Athletics finished first in the American League West with a record of 103-59 in the 2002 season. Nobody believed in the team. The team got rid of three top players before the season started. Billy Beane, the team's general manager, responded with a series of underrated free agent signings. The A's did not have superstars or an amazing roster, but under Billy Beane's brilliance, they ended up having an amazing season. They were the underdogs of baseball at the time. The team won 20 consecutive games that season and they spent the lowest amount of money. There was a movie and book based off of this team and it is called "Money Ball". The signings that Billy Beane made were truly brilliant. He chose in expensive players tat simply knew how to get on base and for the pitchers they knew how to throw strikes. The combination was enough to win the A's some ball games, and they finished with a franchise best 103 victories. The underdog A's 2002 team will go down in history as one of the best teams in baseball without having big deal contracts or huge names. Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Oakland_Athletics_logo_1983_to_1992.png

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiAHlZVgXjk.

Jose Altuve the Mighty Mouse

Jose Altuve is a Major League baseball player and he is the shortest active ball player. He is 5"5 and  the captain of his team the Houston Astros. Altuve was turned down many times by baseball scouts because of his height. Many scouts would not even allow Jose to tryout because he was only 5"5. Altuve was not given a fair shot, his talent and skills were amazing but all that was judged was his height. There were many doubters and non-believers for Altuve's Major League chances.Jose did not let any of the doubt or adversity get to him. He was so determined and willing to make the Majors. He tried out for a pro Venezuelan team and the scouts told him that no matter what he would not make it because of his height and that he should not bother to come back to day 2 tryouts. Jose dominated in day 1 and still showed up to day 2 and was clearly the best at the tryout. He made the Venezuelan team and then ended up going the the MLB. At the major league level, Altuve has shut up all of  the naysayers. The second baseman is probably the best contact hitter in the game today. He has made the All-Star team three years in a row, and in the 2014 season he lead the league in three categories; hits, stolen bases, and average. The mighty mouse is another example of overcoming the obstacles that life will throw at you and mentally stay tough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inkBqvrzYhQ
Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Jos%C3%A9_Carlos_Altuve_Astros.JPG.

One Armed Hero the Jim Abbott Story

Sometimes baseball players feel down and out. There are more negatives then positives in baseball and players must learn to face adversity. Baseball players never had to face the adversity that Jim Abbott had to face. Jim Abbott was born September 19, 1967, in Flint, Michigan without a right hand, but that did not stop Jim from shocking the world. He was an All-American pitcher at Michigan and he was the pitcher for the Gold Medal Olympic Team in 1988. Just to be playing baseball with one hand alone sounds impossible, but not for Jim. He faced all off the adversity and threw a no-hitter for the New York Yankees versus Cleveland in 1993. Jim ended up playing for 10 seasons on 4 different teams and ended his big league playing career in 1999. Jim overcame many obstacles and this shows just how tough and determined this man is. the game of baseball is 90% mental and 10% physical. If Jim Abbott was able to throw a no hitter with one arm then anything is possible."Once you've found your way, you have to work it and make it happen. Once you've found what you love, don't let anything stand in your way. I don't have to tell you that the only way to get what you want is to work your butt off. We all know that. A pitcher's success depends on the training he puts in before he takes the field." Jim's story can prove that adversity can be a good thing, it all depends on how we use it. Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Jim_Abbott_Cannons.jpg.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOU5dogqhGc

Healthy Choices for High School Ball Players

High school baseball coaches help pave the way for athletes to reach their goals before college. There are so many athletic scholarships being given and the journey begins in high school. Collegiate baseball scouts evaluate and record the high school athletes that they are interested in. Some things that catch a scouts eye might be talent, skill, leadership, athleticism, and all-around wellness. High school baseball coaches can help their athletes get better in all of these aspects. The main aspects that is highly over looked is preparing students mentally and physically by providing programs for a healthier diet. Most high school students eat whatever they like. From experience it was clear to see many students eating the pizza and chicken fingers on an almost every day basis. There are healthier choices for high school athletes and their coaches can help guide them. Here is an updated recommended food chart that is healthy.

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Students should be eating the right way in order to get the best out of their abilities. Packing a healthy lunch will be beneficial for students instead of eating the greasy choices in the cafeteria. High schools should highly consider establishing healthy eating programs. Not only will more baseball athletes be physically well, but other students can learn as well. The obesity epidemic can truly be fought.  Mentally the students will feel better about themselves and this will encourage a lot of students to get fit and healthy. It is time to show students the true way to eat. Baseball players will be mentally strong and they will feel great from getting a healthy and well-balanced diet. 

Pitching Perfectionist Greg Maddux

-Greg Maddux 2008 as a Padre

Retrieved from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Greg_Maddux_2008.jpg.

      Baseball is America's pastime that includes beautifully cut grass, finely raked dirt, and usually a tasty hot dog from the concession stand. Much deeper inside the game there is a young boy's dream to one day run onto a Major League field in a uniform that they earned. Baseball is a game of earning a spot,and sometimes earning a spot is easier for some players than others. The reasoning for why some players have a better chance than others may be because of; size, strength, durability, and of course skill. 

 Baseball scouts search for the future ballplayers of the Major League and in the case of Greg Maddux, physique did not matter. Greg Maddux was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1984 and he was 5'11 weighing about 160. As his career progressed he grew to 6'0 and 170 pounds. This is not an ideal size for a Major League pitcher. The average height of a Major League pitcher is 6'3. Another fact is that the average velocity for a Major League Pitcher's fastball is 92 mph. Maddux averaged 89-90 mph. It is relevant to say that Maddux did not reach the normal size or normal force compared to his competition but it did not stop him from becoming one of the greatest pitchers of all time. He fought through the adversity and became the first Major League pitcher to win four consecutive Cy-Young awards and win 18 gold glove awards. He was a perfectionist of his crafty pitching mechanics and changes in pitches. He dominated consistently throughout his whole career and he did it not by size or strength but by mind and belief. Maddux is a perfect example of an underdog who proved everyone wrong. He did not need to throw 100 mph or be a huge figure on the mound. He studied the game and worked his butt off to become a Hall of Fame pitcher. He was an "underdog" transformed into a "Mad Dog".....that was his nickname by the way.  

Video link for Greg Maddux and his wisdom

http://youtu.be/G8z0cV2blXE