The Complete Auburn Baseball Series

LD-05495A:

with Steve Smith,
Tennessee Tech Head Coach;
former Auburn University Assistant Baseball Coach;
coached Casey Mize, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 MLB Draft;
former Baylor University Head Coach; inducted into the Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame (2006);
5x Big 12 Coach of the Year; 2012 Midwest Region Coach of the Year;
President of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) in 2008;
over 740 career wins; USA Baseball National Team Head Coach (2005), USA Baseball Pitching Coach (1998)

Pitching is arguably the most important element of a baseball game. A team with strong pitching often dominates, or at the very least puts little pressure on their own team's offense, because they only have to score a few runs to win a game.

Auburn's Steve Smith unloads many of the drills he uses to develop quality pitchers in this instructional video. You'll see how to use a core velocity belt to develop stability, get bullpen drills to further develop your pitchers, and view movement and strength drills that help pitchers become more athletic.

Core Velocity Belt and Stability Drills

Balance and stability are important to all positions in baseball, but they are crucial to becoming a top notch pitcher. Learn four drills using a core velocity belt to help develop and improve balance and stability. Coach Smith also offers six other drills that will help pitchers learn to convert stability into power.

Bullpen Drills

Smith serves up a variety of bullpen drills that will help you find cues that work for each of your pitchers. Additionally, you'll get exercises to help pitcher defend their position better and improve their mental game.

You will see Coach Smith's `Green Light, Yellow Light, Red Light Routine Drill' in which pitchers practice their reactions and routines in various stressful situations. As having command of one's 'mental game' is so critical in pitching, these are some things your pitchers can look at doing every day of practice.

Movement and Strength Drills

Helping pitchers move better will help them pitch better. You will learn a seven-cone zig zag drill for mobility and body control. Next, step inside the weight room and see one of Smith's pitchers go through a full body workout. Strength training is important to not only help pitchers become more powerful, but also help them stay healthy as their bodies become stronger.

Smith shares a total of 27 drills that he uses to develop his pitchers. Better athletes = better pitchers, and this video will show you how to develop great athletes on the mound!

59 minutes. 2019.

LD-05495B:

Every baseball team uses the bullpen to train pitchers and prepare them for game day. However, are you using the drills and routines that are best for your players?

Auburn's Steve Smith shares insightful drills and tips on how he manages his bullpen sessions in this comprehensive video. You'll learn how to better prepare your pitchers' arms leading up to game day, how to improve command and throw more strikes, and get various drills that ensure your pitchers always strive to get better.

Preparing for Practices and Games

Coach Smith gives you techniques to keep the arm healthy and prepare it before going into the bullpen or on the mound. He helps you understand some of the best approaches for helping pitchers use their full body and reduce stress on the arm. Additionally, you'll see how minor adjustments in distance and height of the mound can help pitchers develop better feel that will allow them to "self-coach" during games.

Command of the Baseball

In order to better control pitches, Smith shows you how to get pitchers to "feel" their release point and become more consistent. You'll get various techniques to help players command all of their pitches while working off of the low, glove-side fastball. Coach Smith details exactly how to help your pitchers develop a strategy for continuous improvement.

Drill Work

20 different drills are featured that address common flaws that can prevent pitchers from performing at their best. You will learn one drill that Coach Smith uses with his own players every practice because it's so effective for helping to finish pitches. You'll also be provided the opportunity to listen as Smith creates dialogue with his pitchers, which creates a real understanding of what they're doing and what is working best.

Quality bullpen work is essential if you hope to trot out a complete pitching staff. This video from Coach Smith includes everything you'd ever need to run effective bullpen sessions!

69 minutes. 2019.

LD-05495C:

Coaches often get so caught up in teaching pitchers to pitch better that they forget to adequately train their hurlers to field and throw out baserunners. This video from Auburn's Steve Smith will ensure you don't make that mistake. Coach Smith will give you everything you need to teach pitchers to field from the mound, how to hold runners and keep the opposing team's running game from hurting your team, and, how to spark competition between your pitchers to help them get better.

Pitcher Fielding

Begin by learning drills that teach pitchers to defend the bunt and keep runs off the board. Smith shows how to develop a system to help players understand the proper approach to getting lead runners out. He also explains how to use reaction drills to improve the athleticism of your pitchers.

Holding Runners

Coach Smith has multiple techniques that he teaches his athletes that can be used to control a runner at first and keep opposing players from easily getting into scoring position. You'll learn multiple pick moves, including:

Comfort pick
"Leather" pick
Hold pitch or hold pick

Additionally, you'll see some of the nuances to holding a runner at second base, including how to utilize the jump pick and inside move.

Creating Competition

Smith shows you how to run timed competitions that force players to find ways to become their best. By implementing competition regularly at practice, you'll help your pitchers get better once they are inserted into high-pressure game situations. You'll see exactly how to develop mental toughness in athletes to ensure they are ready to combat every past-paced reaction scenario without skipping a beat.

Coach Smith has a proven track record of success as a pitching coach and as a head coach. Watch him interact with pitchers and develop the necessary skills for high level athletes in this full-length instructional video. His straightforward and fair approach to teaching and coaching is on full display - don't miss a chance to learn from one of the best!

50 minutes. 2019.

LD-05495D:

and

Chris Joyner,
Auburn University Baseball Strength and Conditioning Coach;
former MLB Strength and Conditioning Coordinator for the Milwaukee Brewers ('07-'10) and Toronto Blue Jays ('14-'17)

and

Anthony Sanderson,
Auburn University Senior Athletic Trainer

Pitching is one of the most taxing positions in baseball. The stress placed on the pitching arm from repeatedly throwing as hard as possible, from an elevated mound, can easily lead to injuries.

In this video, veteran coach Steve Smith explains his arm care program, including how to prepare the arm on game day or the day after a game, as well as his favored mobility work and preventative care.

Day After Game Day

A challenge pitching coaches face is what to do the day after a game or heavy bullpen session. The player must continue to be productive, but cannot have a heavy strain on their arm. Coach Smith gives you a variety of low impact drills that will help your pitcher improve while keeping their arm healthy.

Preventative Arm Care

Preventative arm care is an important element to building a durable pitcher. Pitchers can prevent many arm problems by constantly working on their arm strength and mobility. You'll learn strength exercises and stretches that will keep a pitcher's arm strong, yet loose enough to throw a baseball hard with whip. Strengthening drills are offered for the shoulder and forearm, which are common areas of injury for pitchers.

Mobility

Better athletes typically make better pitchers. Teach your pitchers how to move like athletes to help them develop body awareness. Helping pitchers understand how the body moves in space will help them learn how to use their body to produce force.

Two Days Out and Bullpen Day Arm Care

Building up to game day, Coach Smith shows the work his pitchers put in two days before a game. Additionally, you'll see how to teach your pitchers to warm up properly before a bullpen session with band work to prepare and activate the arm.

This video is packed with tons of drills and exercises to keep your pitchers' arms strong and healthy. Let Coach Smith show you how to take your hurlers to the next level with his proven arm care system!

87 minutes. 2019.

LD-05495E:

Pitchers must have multiple weapons in their arsenal to fool opposing batters. In this video, Auburn's Steve Smith explains how to throw different pitches, as well as how to use each pitch for maximum effectiveness. You will also get the opportunity to see how several pitchers grip various pitches, as well as hear the mental cues used for throwing each pitch.

Pitches

Learn more about the 4-seam and 2-seam fastball, change-ups, and breaking balls from Coach Smith. He explains the ingredients necessary to develop a dominant fastball and exactly how to disrupt a hitter's timing with a devastating change-up! Smith explains several ways to grip the ball to develop a nasty change-up, as well as different ways to throw breaking balls with a ton of movement.

Next, Smith goes deeper into the art of pitching. You will learn how to throw off the hitter's timing by varying the tempo of your motion, as well as how to make life difficult for hitters by hiding the ball longer with your motion. Opposing batters won't be able to hit what they can't see!

Pitcher Grips

Hear from a few of Coach Smith's pitchers as they explain how they grip various pitches, as well as cues for what they're thinking when they try to throw certain pitches. Then, watch the pitchers get in some flat ground work, which will allow them to get more reps without over-stressing their arms.

If you or your pitchers want to learn about the grips and mental cues needed to throw several key pitches, as well as the knowledge of how to use those pitches effectively, then this is the video for you. Coach Smith shows you exactly how to throw pitches that will leave opposing batters looking foolish!

61 minutes. 2019.

LD-05496A:

with Butch Thompson,
Auburn University Head Coach;
coached Casey Mize - the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft;
former Mississippi State University Associate Head Coach;
2014 Baseball America/ABCA National Assistant Coach of the Year

In a team practice setting, it's often difficult to find baseball drills that involve multiple positions at the same time. Because of this, efficiency becomes an issue and practice can drag.

Butch Thompson, Auburn University head coach, is a master at getting more accomplished in less time. In this video, he introduces efficient warm-ups and team drills that you can adopt to get more done in less time at every practice.

Warm-Ups

A proper warm-up is often neglected, but is an important part of a productive practice. See how Coach Thompson's Auburn team uses a dynamic warm-up to prepare their bodies for a tough workload by increasing body temperature and stretching muscles. You'll learn how to efficiently warm-up to increase flexibility and prevent injury!

Drills on the Clock

Put a stopwatch on your players to increase pressure and add competition to your practices. Coach Thompson offers a couple of throwing drills, as well as a drill to see how fast your outfielders can get the ball into the infield, which all incorporate using a stopwatch to see how quickly they can successfully conquer the drill. Putting pressure on your team and adding a competitive element will help your athletes get ready for the challenges of game day.

Team Drills

Get more out of your team defense with Coach Thompson's team drills. He shows you how to improve your PFP with your pitching staff by having multiple pitchers on the mound at the same time. Additionally, you'll see how to use a similar setup with your catchers to help multiple players simultaneously work on throws to each base.

In total, this video provides 12 team drills that will efficiently train your team to get better at essential skills. Let Coach Thompson show you how to get more accomplished in less time!

45 minutes. 2019.

LD-05496B:

with Gabe Gross,
Auburn University Assistant Coach;
helped lead Auburn to top 20 finishes in the country in runs, home runs, scoring, hits, walks, and doubles in his first season as assistant coach (2018); three-year starter and 1st Team All-American for Auburn as a player; 1st round draft pick in the 2001 MLB Draft (Toronto Blue Jays); seven-year MLB career

Pitching at every level has become more explosive, which has in turn made it harder and harder for hitters to keep up. High velocity and movement have combined to make it tougher for players to hit for both contact and power.

To combat the improved pitching talent, Auburn's Gabe Gross has put together this instructional video that will help you teach your hitters to stay balanced and drive the baseball. Included is a series of 12 drills that move from the tee, to short toss, to a machine, and finally to a four-station batting practice.

Short Toss Drills

Coach Gross starts off with short toss drills designed to help players stay balanced and get a feel for the strike zone. The innovative 7 Ball Drill will help your players calibrate their individual strike zone recognition, while the Speed Up Slow Down Drill will develop an effective 2-strike approach.

Tee Drills

A series of six drills off the tee are used to help improve hitters' swing path, load, and weight transfer. The Inside Pitch-Outside Tee Drill will teach your hitters to keep their front side closed and stay on the ball longer. Multiple resistance band drills are used to teach hitters how to properly load and maintain balance.

Machine Drills

A progression of drills using a pitching machine is used by Coach Gross to challenge hitters and build their 2-strike approach. The Quick Hands Drill is particularly useful at helping hitters learn to "let the ball travel" and hit with a quiet front side.

Batting Practice

A four-station model for batting practice is presented so you can see how to "put it all together." The stations involve bunting, tee work and machine drills. An alternate version of BP is also presented in which live defenders play every ball off the bat in a game-like fashion, helping your team improve their all around skills.

Coach Gross uses this series of drills to show you exactly how to improve your hitters. These drills helped Auburn hit 73 home runs in 2018 (#16 in D-I) and they will help your athletes step into the box with confidence during every at-bat.

55 minutes. 2019.

LD-05496C:

with Karl Nonemaker,
Auburn University Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator;
former Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator at Old Dominion University; helped lead Auburn to top 20 finishes in the country in runs, home runs, scoring, hits, walks, and doubles in his first season as assistant coach (2018); four-year starter at Vanderbilt as a player and freshman All-American in 1999

The infield is the first line of defense against an opponent's offense. Preparation is everything, as infielders will be asked to convert many types of batted balls into outs.

In this video, Auburn's Karl Nonemaker explains four types of infield drills (basic fundamentals, throwing drills, machine work and game-like reads) and offers numerous exercises that fall into each category.

Fundamental Drills

Fielding skills must be built on a solid foundation; having good fundamentals allows a fielder to be consistent. Coach Nonemaker offers several drills for footwork and glovework mechanics. These drills will help your players become fielders that teammates and coaches will have confidence in in pressure situations.

Throwing Drills

Prevent costly throwing errors with Coach Nonemaker's throwing drills. Learn how to turn quicker double plays by getting a good transfer, and discover how to turn to either side efficiently. These drills will get your infielders throwing the ball around the diamond quickly and crisply!

Machine Work

If baseball is a game of repetition, nothing gets a fielder better reps than setting up the machine to throw ground balls. The same exact ball can be replicated over and over, which is difficult to do with a bat hitting fungo.

In one particular lob drill, the machine is set up to lob a ball with an arc to it. The fielder must move their feet to let the ball bounce before picking it and fielding it on the move. This drill helps the fielder learn to pick the ball and keep their feet moving.

Game-Like Reads and Drills

Make practice more game-like to increase carry-over and transfer to a game. Coach Nonemaker offers drills that are the next closest thing you can get to actual game reps. Your players will be more prepared for the games ahead!

Coach Nonemaker presents 26 challenging drills in total that will prepare your infielders to defend anything hit at them. This is a fantastic instructional video for a baseball coach at any level.

48 minutes. 2019.

LD-05496D:

Auburn's Gabe Gross calls outfield play, "The most overlooked aspect of the game." Outfielders need to play mistake-free baseball, as miscues almost always lead to baserunners advancing at least one extra base.

You can gain an advantage on your opponents by helping your outfielders improve their skills in areas that are neglected by your competition. In this video, Coach Gross breaks down outfield play and gives you the tools you need to make sure your outfield is a strength on defense.

Fundamental Drills

A set of four common situations are covered in Coach Gross' "Hip Drills." These drills teach players how to improve their routes to fly balls while working without a glove, which will soften the hands at the same time. Help your outfielders get good jumps on the ball by working their drop steps while teaching them efficient paths and angles to the ball.

Gross also covers how to teach glove side turns, and, ways to use the pitching machine to create different types of fly balls.

Long Toss

A strong and healthy arm is a must in the outfield since powerful and accurate throws can prevent opposing runners from taking an extra base on balls hit to the outfield. Coach Gross provides a blueprint you can use to help your players strengthen their arms and condition for the rigors of a long season. An emphasis is placed on proper technique and "letting the distance stretch the arm" to prevent injury.

Special Situations

Gross covers a number of situations that outfielders need to execute well in order to help your team on defense. Attacking ground balls, playing the wall, making awkward catches when needed, and taking your eyes off the ball when tracking are all covered in expert fashion by the former MLB outfielder.

Coach Gross touches on every key aspect of outfield play in this video. His drill series is sure to help your team gain an advantage on the competition this season.

40 minutes. 2019.

LD-05496E:

Catching is a tough position that requires a diversity of skills. The best catchers in baseball have to do it all - throw out runners attempting to steal, receive the ball to steal strikes from the umpire, and block anything in the dirt. This video from Auburn's Butch Thompson offers drills and instruction for throwing, receiving, and blocking to help you build a complete catcher.

Throwing

Decrease a catcher's pop time by going through a seven-step catcher-specific throwing progression. These drills begin with the transfer and progressively increase in difficulty, gradually building up to the full skill of throwing out opposing baserunners. Help your catchers stop opposing baserunners in their tracks with a quick transfer and explosive throw to second.

Receiving

Become the catcher that all pitchers want to throw to by implementing Coach Thompson's 12 receiving drills. In one challenging `catch and move up' drill, catchers decrease the distance to the pitcher or pitching machine with each ball thrown. This gradually increases the degree of difficulty of receiving by decreasing reaction time. When the game speeds up, this drill will help your catchers remain calm and slow the game down.

Blocking

Smother any pitch in the dirt with Coach Thompson's 11 blocking drills. Give your pitchers confidence to throw their breaking ball or work low in the zone, as they know your catchers will stop any ball they bounce. Learn how to get catchers comfortable blocking balls to their sides, and blocking and recovering quickly to prevent runners from advancing.

Coach Thompson will help you develop your backstops into well-rounded athletes. He provides 30 drills to build elite catchers who can block, receive, and throw out runners with ease!

52 minutes. 2019.

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