John Cohen was talking with Grant Paulson and Billy Ripken this morning about his approach to hitting. A few things he mentioned:
1)They developed an 18-inch tee at Kentucky to hit off of. He said that all pitchers are trying to throw the ball at the lowest part of the strikezone, and the 18-inch tee gets his kids to be able to handle this area. He said that if his players can hit this pitch, they will be good hitters. Billy Ripken, who has camps with his brother and played pro ball himself, seemed like this was a new approach he had never heard of, even going so far as to say he would teach this at their camps and footnote that it was Cohen's approach.
2)He talked about a kids mental toughness. He said that when he played minor league ball, the difference between the ones that made it to The Show and the ones that didn't was the mental toughness of the successful ones. He said they wouldn't let themselves fail, and he can tell a kids mental makeup by their body language during a game. He said the ones that go 0-fer with 3 K's but keep their confidence level and continue to hustle are the mentally tough ones.
3)He said he definitely was interested in the MSU job
Just kidding on that last one, but after listening to him, I will be highly dissappointed if State doesn't give him a package he can't refuse. We have got to get him. I played American Legion against him in the late 80's, and he is the toughest competitor I ever played against. He could knock the snot out of the ball too. Come on Byrne, make it happen!!
1)They developed an 18-inch tee at Kentucky to hit off of. He said that all pitchers are trying to throw the ball at the lowest part of the strikezone, and the 18-inch tee gets his kids to be able to handle this area. He said that if his players can hit this pitch, they will be good hitters. Billy Ripken, who has camps with his brother and played pro ball himself, seemed like this was a new approach he had never heard of, even going so far as to say he would teach this at their camps and footnote that it was Cohen's approach.
2)He talked about a kids mental toughness. He said that when he played minor league ball, the difference between the ones that made it to The Show and the ones that didn't was the mental toughness of the successful ones. He said they wouldn't let themselves fail, and he can tell a kids mental makeup by their body language during a game. He said the ones that go 0-fer with 3 K's but keep their confidence level and continue to hustle are the mentally tough ones.
3)He said he definitely was interested in the MSU job
Just kidding on that last one, but after listening to him, I will be highly dissappointed if State doesn't give him a package he can't refuse. We have got to get him. I played American Legion against him in the late 80's, and he is the toughest competitor I ever played against. He could knock the snot out of the ball too. Come on Byrne, make it happen!!
