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

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

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

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

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

Small Ball Part 2

If you want to take your game to another level, and be a real threat at the plate, you must develop your bunting skills. Practice bunting every time you step in the batting cage.

The bunting game is a lost art. Back when I played, everybody on the team would work on their bunting mechanics day- in and day- out during spring training and throughout the season.

I will never forget the late, great Manager of the New York Yankees, Billy Martin, saying in spring training, " I don't care who you are or how many home runs you have hit in your career, you must learn to bunt if you plan to play for me".

Billy Martin was a winner, and he knew how to prepare properly for the 162 game Major League season and post season play. Bunting was a secret weapon for success when the opposition least expected it. Especially from a few power hitters such as Reggie Jackson and Dave Winfield, or even myself, the HitMan.

Perfect your bunting skills and take your game to another level. Trust me your coach will be very impressed and you will become one of his favorites.

Coaches loves players who know how to play the game, and are fundamentally sound, especially in the art of bunting.

You will play a lot and be called on in big situations to move a runner over, or lay down the suicide squeeze to win a game.

Add solid bunting fundamentals to your repertoire and you will be a complete hitter!

Stay Focused
Mike "The HitMan" Easler
www.conditionedtohit.com