This month we want to recognize a special group of young ballplayers as our BATT Academy – MEMBERS OF THE MONTH.  They are the Lakeshore GraySox 10U travel team.  Not only is each player on the team a BATT Academy member, they can now all be called CHAMPIONS!!  The GraySox competed in the Cal Ripken “Big Kahuna” Tournament in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  The GraySox returned to Maryland as champions after cruising through the competition with an 8-1 record.  In the championship game they defeated the Saints of St. Petersburg Florida by the score of 10-8.  Congratulations to the 10U GraySox, we are extremely proud of you for the excellent job you did representing Lake Shore, the BATT Academy, and the entire state of Maryland.  Job well done!!

Team Photo Above:

(Top Left) Bobby Quesenberry, Daniel Casalino, Roland Siwinski, Mike Storm, Blake Rebstock

(Bottom Left) Andrew Revels, Tommy McNamaara, Trace Carleon, Chase Hilliard, Dillon Young, Andrew Colebrook

 The GraySox are Managed by Jeff Young.  Assistant Coaches Shawn Rebstock, Marty Hilliard, Pop-Pop Caputo,and Aaron Revels.

And to all the Moms who spend tireless hours here at the BATT Academy, and out at the field as well.  Thank you!

*PLEASE NOTE OUR IN-SEASON HOURS WILL TAKE EFFECT BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 7th*

In season hours are as follows:

 Monday – Thursday : 3-9pm

Friday: 3-7pm

Saturday: 9am-3pm

Sunday: 12pm-3pm

**Please also note we will be closed Sunday 9/5 and Monday 9/6 for Labor Day Weekend!

 Little League WS Debate

The end of summer usually means most youngsters are finishing up their little league seasons.   For a select group of teams, their summer seasons finish up in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the site of the Little League World Series.  Millions tune in to ESPN to watch some of the best little league players and teams in the world.  It’s a tremendous experience for the young baseball players involved but it also is a great opportunity to increase exposure to the sport in an era when kids have so many other things occurring in their daily lives.  

Lamade Field - Williamsport, PA

However, the purpose of this post is to debate whether or not the Little League WS is a true testament of Little League baseball.  On one side of the debate, many feel the Little League WS is overrated.  This argument stems from the fact that there are so many 13 year old players in the WS whose birthdays happen to fall before the cut-off date.  Typically, 13 year olds have graduated to a 90 foot diamond with fences reaching far beyond the 200 ft mark at Williamsport.  Many have noticed this year the amount of homeruns that not only clear the fences, but have soared well beyond that 200ft marker.  Another part of this debate is that the players in the Little League WS are not a true representation of the best little league players in the country.  Many who tune in to the Ripken World Series for example (same ages as LLWS), will notice the level of play is much more competitive.  Other non-LLWS advocates feel the series is tainted because they allow so many teams in from so many countries that the talent level is watered down. 

Now, for the PRO-LLWS advocates out there:  This group feels that the LLWS draws attention to the sport in a positive way.  Many youngsters may want to get involved in baseball just because they see kids on ESPN playing the game and having fun.  As mentioned earlier, in an era when kids have the internet and video games etc, going out and playing baseball doesn’t always register as an outlet for fun and entertainment.  Kids do not typically go out and play sandlot baseball as this has become a thing of the past.  So the LLWS provides youngsters the opportunity to get involved in baseball and discover why it is known as America’s pastime.  

Let the debate begin.  Post your comments, questions, concerns, thoughts???

Tony Saunders teaching pitchers how to field their position

MotionPro -Video Analysis

What sets the BATT Academy apart from other training facilities is our staff.  Comprised of many former and current professional players & scouts as well as some of the area’s best college coaches, younger players flock to the BATT Academy throughout the year to improve their skills.

Players experience a wealth of knowledge on the mental aspect of the game of baseball from our staff in addition to the physical mechanics of pitching, hitting or fielding.  Players are also exposed to our Video Analysis through MotionPro software, where mechanics are broken down using a unique visual training tool.

The BATT Academy is not an outlet for showcases and it is not a college recruiting service.  The BATT Academy is a place that gets results because we are dedicated to player development, both physically and mentally. 

Ken Pumphrey explaing the mental side of pitching

Our player development programs are designed to focus on: 

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        • Mechanics
        • Video Analysis
        • Mental Approach
        • Strength & Conditioning

Though our training company, Athletic Edge, we offer year round strength & conditioning geared specifically for baseball players. 

Lessons take place year round, so to request a lesson with an instructor please contact us either via email baseball@battacademy.com; or call the BATT Academy at 410.590.2288

After a strong showing in the Carolina League, Steve Lombardozzi Jr. was recently promoted to the Harrisburg Senators, AA affiliate of the Washington Nationals.  So far, Lombardozzi is hitting .300 in 40 at-bats in AA.  He spent the majority of the season with high A Potomac Nationals.  With Potomac, he hit .293 in 440 at-bats including 40 extra-base hits (30 2B, 9 3B, 1HR) while also swiping 20 bases. 

The steady switch-hitting second baseman was a 19th round draft pick by the Nationals in 2008 out of St. Petersburg Junior College (FL).   He was also a 2007 graduate of Atholton High School in Colubmia, MD and spends the off-season training at the BATT Academy.  Congratulations Steve on your promotion, all of us at the BATT wish you the best of luck the rest of the season and look forward to seeing you again this off-season!

The ULTIMATE Off-Season Training Program

4 WEEKS, 8 SESSIONS, TWICE A WEEK!

$25 a session and group discounts for 10 or more!

Tuesdays and Thursdays = Beginning September 14th, 2010

Wednesdays and Fridays =   Beginning September 15th, 2010

3 time slots available: 3pm, 5:30pm, 7pm – each session last approximately 1 hour

This course has all of the following…

• SAS Training – SAS training is a combination of strength, agility and speed work rolled into one intense 8- week course that focuses on creating a better athlete.  Our trainers utilize the newest tools including the power sled, ladders, hurdles and more to give athletes a complete workout.  The SAS class is a commitment to improving the overall strength and conditioning of our athletes.

• Vertimax – Vertimax is the most intense method of resistance training. Increase your vertical leap by inches and decrease you 40 and 60 times by tenths of a second.  Its high powered high velocity work out combined with speed and agility to give your body the best work out it can get. 

• Personal Training – Athletic Edge offers one on one and group workouts with our expert strength coach.  Following our Functional Movement Assessment, we will have you training to strengthen your weaknesses and get maximum results.  Sport-specific movements and a special knowledge of flexibility, mobility, strength and conditioning make this the perfect workout.  This experience also includes nutritional education and ongoing counseling.

• Boot Camp – Once a week we offer an intense Baseball Boot Camp that incorporates a tremendous amount of baseball specific movements, all done at a pace designed to get you into top baseball shape.  Strength, conditioning, injury prevention and performance enhancement are the name of the game in our boot camp.  Based on the legendary workouts of Nolan Ryan!

Contact us at 410.590.2288 or email batt.website@gmail.com

Or at www.battacademy.com and www.athleticedgepro.com

Thanks and come see us at The BATT!!!!

  This past week, Coach Acevedo and Coach Williams along with several other college coaches and pro scouts, had the unique opportunity to work with over 200 high school baseball players from across the country at the United States Naval Academy.  It was a long, but extremely fun and informative camp that gave kids a unique opportunity to not only receive top notch instruction from some of the best college coaches around, but also a taste of what life is like as a midshipman at the US Naval Academy.  Coaches and players lived in the dorms on base for the duration of camp and were exposed to some of the daily routines that a midshipman player or coach goes through each day.  

Bishop Stadium

The mornings began with a quick 7:00am breakfast then players reported to their respective fields by 7:45 to begin morning skills training.  Aside from the normal hitting, fielding and pitching stations, players were also given the opportunity to enhance their agility and flexibility while also learning advanced base stealing techniques.  After lunch, players reported back out for games in the afternoon followed by dinner in the evening.  Each night was concluded with a leadership talk with speakers including Coach Kosty from Navy, a Marine Corp Captain, and also a Navy Seal.  

One of the most challenging and exciting parts of the Navy Baseball Camp actually came away from the baseball field.  Players were exposed to what is known as the Endurance Course.  The “E” course as its known is a 2.5 mile course through the woods that includes several obstacles along the way.  Players  climbed up ropes, vaulted over walls, balanced over rope bridges, all while trekking up and down steep hills, sometimes through the mud!  It was a challenging, but very fun course for the players and a handful of coaches, including Coach Williams (Acevedo was stuck umping !).  

toughness can be more mental than physical

All in all, it was great experience for everyone involved; Coach Williams and Coach Acevedo were excited to see so many familiar faces there from the BATT Academy.  All of you guys made a good impression and did a great job representing the BATT while holding your own against some of the best high school players across the country. 

A special thanks to Coach Jason Ronai, one of the hardest working guys in baseball, you’re the best. 

Check back for more stories and updates from the BATT Academy as we try each and every day to teach the game of baseball and share our knowledge and experiences with younger players.  

Come by and visit us, or drop us an email… thebatt@verizon.net 

 Coach Williams                  anwilliams01@frostburg.edu 

Coach Acevedo                 mace4429@yahoo.com

DJ Smith – Old Mill High School, 2010

This month the BATT Academy would like to recognize DJ Smith as our player of the month.  DJ was named MVP of the Brooks Robinson game, played at Camden Yards, by going 3-4 including a homerun and 3 RBI’s. 

Since graduating from Old Mill High School this past June, DJ has spent his summer playing for the Maryland Monarchs, an elite 18 & under travel team.  His strong work ethic, both on the field and here at the BATT, attracted the attention of area college coaches and now DJ will be continuing his baseball career next year at NCAA Division I UMBC.  Congratulations DJ, we at the BATT Academy feel fortunate to have hard working players such as yourself, and we wish you the best of luck next year at UMBC!

-The BATT Staff

To view past players of the month, please check our BATT player of the month page here

 By Anthony Williams

As a former college player and now college coach, I understand what most parents and young players do not, when it comes to summer showcase camps and other recruiting events.    And that is the majority of college baseball coaches that attend showcase camps are focused primarily on rising juniors and rising seniors. 

 Which means soon-to-be freshmen and sophomores usually get lost in the shuffle.  Parents spend a good amount of money to send their 14 or 15 year old son to various showcases, some even across the country.  Many leave the showcase without ever really getting noticed while others may meet a coach and are disillusioned into thinking that they have a scholarship waiting for them.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to sway you from attending a showcase.  If you’re able to afford it, I absolutely think that traveling to different campuses and getting exposure is a good thing. 

 But I have a much less expensive way to get a leg up on the college recruiting process:  Attend College Baseball Games.  Sounds simple enough, but you’d be amazed at the number of high school players and parents who have never watched a college game live.  I hear all the time from players and parents that they, or their son, is a sure fire D1 player.  How do you know?  If I’m a parent (which I am not) and I am potentially investing a good amount of money into my son’s future, then I want to gather as much information as possible. 

 So my suggestion, try to see as many different levels of competition as possible (D1, DII, DIII, NAIA, JUCO).  By doing so, you will have a better idea of the type of competition at each level.  So, aside from a little gas money and maybe an entry fee to a game, you won’t spend a lot but you’ll gain valuable information into the world of college baseball.