Get in Game Shape

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Playoff Pressure

Hello Hitters,

Hope you’re well and hitting ropes!

This is my favorite time of year…PLAYOFFS!

I’ve been asked recently how to stay composed at the plate and how to hit while relaxed. Some of my students say that the get nervous in a big game or in a tight situation.

The player who is the best post season performer I’ve ever seen is Derek Jeter. I want you all to watch Derek in the playoffs. He didn’t have the best offensive year of his career this season, but so what. He is going to be focused during every at bat and 100% mentally ready to do his job.

He might stike out, or ground out or fly out, but he will take pitches (giving his teammates a chance to see all the pitchers stuff). He will also be focused on doing his job at the plate. Hitting the ball the other way, sacrifice bunt, sac fly. He knows that he will not get a hit every time up, but he can help his team every time he’s up!

So what does he do differently during the post season? Well, that’s a trick question. the answer is nothing! Derek Jeter does nothing differently during the post season! He remains focused during the game and mentally prepares the days before a game.

In the playoffs you will see many pitching changes in order to match up against hitters. In his pre game prep, Jeter and all great hitters will go over the different pitchers they may face and run through different situations they may be in during the game.

The key to performing well in the playoffs or in big games is to be prepared for every possible situation you might face. The best way to stay calm and relaxed is to be prepared! The mental side of hitting is the most important side. If you are mentally ready to play, you will perform in any situation.

Enjoy the playoffs and study Derek Jeter. He is always prepared for the big situation.

Stay Focused
Mike “The HitMan” Easler

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Hello Hitters,

It’s Brandon here giving you 5 easy ways to add more power at the plate.

It takes dedication and hours of hard work to develop a great swing. It also takes a little bit of luck at the plate sometimes to get some some hits. What doesn’t take hours of mental and physical preparation is eating well.

Food is the best way to add natural energy to your game. When you don’t eat well, it’s like putting low octane gas in a high performance sports car. Your body is the sports car! You must treat it the right way to produce the power and energy you need to perform in the game and during practice.

The easiest way to gain energy is to eat well and to eat Breakfast!! You may have had a late night game the day before and just want to sleep in the next day. That’s fine, as long as you eat right when you wake up. Eating breakfast replenishes your bodies food supply from a night of fasting (you fast when your body is at sleep). Skipping breakfast is like driving your high performance sports car on empty!

Here is an example list of energy foods that baseball players can easily add to their diets during the busy season.

Energy Foods
1. Fruit
(apple’s specifically) easily carried, and found in just about every store, even truck stops on lonely highways.
2. Yogurt (low or non-fat) easy to travel with and full of vitamins. Add nuts or berries to enhance flavor.
3. Tuna- Get it in a sub, or eat it right out of the can. Tons of protein for lean muscle!
4. Sunflower seeds- a baseball player’s favorite! good source of fiber and energy.
5. Bananas- Easy to travel with and quick to eat. Provides potassium which helps maintain muscle function.

The list goes on and on and on, but these 5 foods are all readily available, can be eaten anytime of day and are cheap to buy. Add these foods into your pre-and post game meals and fuel recovery and add some energy!

Stay Focused
Brandon Smith CSCS

Monday, September 27, 2010

Stay Positive & Focused

Hello Hitters,

If you have read any of my previous posts, you know that I sign off with “Stay Focused”. I have been asked “how do I stay focused at the plate?” by parents and hitters of all levels.

The best answer I can give is the more prepared you are to play, both mentally and physically, will help you stay focused during a game.

Being prepared mentally means knowing who you are going to face as a team and what opposing pitcher you will be facing. Have you seen that pitcher before? Do you know what he likes to throw in certain counts? Does he start every hitter with the same pitch? Does he tip pitches…etc. If you are prepared to play mentally, you will be able to lock in and focus during a game. Also, have you had good practice sessions, or done some tee work or other batting drills to burn into your mind the correct swing path?

Physical readiness means, is your body in condition to play at your best? Are you in good enough condition to handle any type of climate change, like extreme heat, or cold? Are you injury free or do you have nagging injuries that are in the back of your mind? If you have trained properly and feel good, then you have a great chance to play good! My friend and professional strength coach, Brandon Smith, has the philosophy of “Move Better, Feel Better, Play Better” This means to me, that if your body is prepared you will feel better and not worry and be free mentally….leading to better performance.

Just like I say in my Ebook, Conditioned to Hit, prepare yourself everyday mentally and physically. If you can do that, you will have no problem staying focused and staying positive!

Stay Focused
Mike “The HitMan” Easler

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Stability and strength at the Plate

Hello Hitters,

I hope you're all training hard and hitting ropes.

Here is a video that my good friend and Strength Coach Brandon Smith did, showing how to develop stability and strength.



All great hitters have excellent stability and never fall off balance. Try this exercise only after you have been cleared by a physician to engage in physical activity.

Building core strength and stability, while working the large muscles in your back, will help make you a dangerous hitter.

Stay Focused & Get Conditioned
Mike "The HitMan" Easler

Monday, August 30, 2010

Better Nutrition=Better Performance

Hello Hitters,

Processed, Packaged, Boxed & Canned!!

Foods processed this way will make you fat, feel lazy and lethargic. You will not play to your optimal performance if your diet consists primarily of processed, packaged, boxed and canned foods.

Try to replace these foods with healthy, grass fed animal products. Grass fed animal products have higher nutrients and will make you leaner and healthier. Because of the high nutrient density of grass fed, animal products, you will actually eat less and avoid consuming dangerous hormones, antibiotics and parasites that unhealthy animals may consume and pass on to you.

Remember, a healthy hitter is a dangerous hitter!

Stay Focused
Mike "The HitMan" Easler

PS I would like to thank Brandon Smith and Joe Howley for their input on the subject of nutrition and performance.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

14 tips to be a better hitter

Hello Hitters,

I’ve asked my friend and professional strength coach, Brandon Smith to provide some “rules” of Nutrition for Baseball players.
Here are 14 Nutrition tips to make you “Conditioned To Hit”

1. Eat Every 3-4 hours
2. Eat protein with every meal (when possible)
3. Consume Quality Whey Isolate Protein
4. Include essential fats with every meal
5. Eat higher quality foods
6. Try to plan meals ahead of time
7. Take in PLEANTY of WATER
8. Stay in a Positive frame of mind
9. Take your 90 essential nutrients everyday
10. Take enzymes, probiotics and phytonutrients
11. Get Vitamin D & Calcium
12. Consume foods high in Antioxidents and high ORAC score
13. Stay away from Genetically Modified Food (corn is about 90% modified)
14. AVOID FAST FOOD!

Remember, a dangerous hitter is Conditioned to Hit in all phases of the game, including nutrition and recovery. Please leave a comment if you have questions regarding any of these guide lines!

Stay Focused
Mike “The HitMan” Easler

Monday, August 9, 2010

Hello hitters,

I hope you guys and girls are hitting up a storm this summer. Hitting is not easy(maybe the hardest thing to do in sports)


Many hitters struggle in the middle of their season. Big league hitters struggle too.


What should you do when you hit a mini slump?



Number 1-don't take it like it's a matter of life and death. It's just a game at the end of the day.
Number 2 -don't panic. A slump won't last forever.
Number 3- go back to the basic fundamentals of hitting.
Number 4- review my 5 essentials to hitting

Go back to the basic tee drills. Try and drive everything straight away to center field. Keep your head and eyes on the ball throughout your swing. Most of all, make sure you are balanced, dropping your hips down to keep you in a strong hitting position. When you swing your back knee should drop a little bit lower than your front knee. Very similar to a bunting approach.


After you feel good on the Tee, go to your basic soft toss drills, either front toss or side toss. Again, stay balanced, cut down on your swing and drive every single ball up the middle.


Stay positive and stay confident. Your swing will come back sooner than you think. Just keep telling yourself "I can hit", "I can hit". Most slumps are caused by over thinking and trying to do to much at the plate. Always get back to basics when you struggle.


Stay Focused
Mike "The HitMan" Easler

Monday, August 2, 2010

Strength for Baseball

I hope you’re well and hitting line drives!

If you’ve downloaded my Ebook, “Conditioned to Ht” you know that physical CONDITIONING is a major part to your hitting success. A good hitter has a strong lower body, great balance, mobility through the hips and powerful arms, hand and wrists.

Every Major League organization has a professional Strength Coach on staff who works with the players every single day during the season and keeps an eye on them in the off-season. Many of you reading this post do not have the luxury of having your own strength coach….until now!

My good friend and professional strength coach, Brandon Smithis now available to help you. Brandon will consult with you (either in person or by phone) and design your own personalized baseball strength and conditioning program. Now you have the ability to train just like the pros! Brandon will monitor your program every month to give you the competitive edge. You will also receive a great education on proper nutrition and supplementation, to further help your physical development. If you want to get started on a 2 week trial, CLICK HERE and let Brandon help your game!

Stay Focused and get Conditioned!
Mike “The HitMan” Easler

Friday, July 23, 2010

5 Essentials to Hitting


Hello Hitter's,


I hope you're all well and hitting line drives.


Ever since I have been a professional hitting coach, I have developed a foundation that I teach from. That foundation contains what I call "My 5 essentials to hitting"


I outline the 5 essentials in my Ebook "Conditioned to Hit: How to Become a Dangerous Hitter"


All the great hitters that I have worked with have mastered the essentials. Now you can too.


Check out my official website HERE and you can read what the essentials are and how you can master them.
Stay Focused
Mike "The HitMan" Easler


Monday, July 19, 2010

64th Old Timers' Day Game


Hello Hitter's,


I hope you're all hitting ropes!


I just returned home from the 64th New York Yankee's Old Timers' Day Game. What an event. Only the New York Yankees could put on an event like this! It was great seeing old friends and playing in the New Yankees Stadium. They had to drag me off the field!.


Thank you George, for starting the tradition of Old Timers Day. I look forward to coming back year after year.

I was hitting 6th in the line up that featured former Yankees like Jesse Barfield, Pat Kelly, Cecil fielder, Charlie Hayes, David Cone and many many others. They even had me playing CENTER FIELD! Can you believe that, The "HitMan" playing center. They must think I can still go get it.


It wasn't a great day at the plate for me. I faced Ron Guidry in my only at-bat of the game. I've been retired for a long time and the only at-bat I got came against one of the all-time best left handed pitchers in the game! It reminded me a 1978 when Guidry won 25 games! Anyway, he threw me an off-speed pitch which I grounded back to him. As a good hitter should be, I was aggressive, but didn't swing at a good pitch. I was almost too excited to hit again!



Well, next year I'll get another chance!
Thank you to all my friends and students who came out to see me. I'll see you again next year.
Stay Focused
Mike "The HitMan" Easler
PS check out my new book HERE