This Week

Gashousers and Parents... Gashousin' Parents...

Trying to get a few things set for this week. Stay posted about a potential Thursday practice which would facilitate a photo opportunity as a full squad. I've got a photographer friend who I'm waiting to get confirmation from, but I'll talk to her no later than tomorrow.

Even if we can't get a field, we can show in uniform to a nice area and strike a few poses! If we can get a field, we'll certainly practice after striking a few poses.

Players:

The challenge begins now! Everyone has experienced a marked improvement in their play. We have SEVERAL players who are enjoying the status of "utility" meaning you guys can play wherever you're asked! That's great. Expect the same for our last two games.

Saturday's opponent will come to play ball. They can hit, they're aggressive on the bases, and they'll be pitching to get outs. In order to get outs, they have to put the ball in the zone, so that's when the Gas House Gang goes off!!! Let's keep hitting the way we have been.

This week, what is something you can do each day that will make you a better baseball player? Ask yourself the question and spend 15-20 minutes a day working on one of those things! It may be physical, it may be mental. Stay sharp, and you'll enjoy continued success on the field. I'd like to use David as an example. Who else has noticed the way he's making contact with the ball? That didn't come from sitting and watching TV. He's been at the cages on his own time, working out! Fielding can be the same way... Find a wall and field balls off of it. Tennis balls with a bare glove-hand is a great drill. Little things make the big differences.

We're Really proud of you 6th graders who have stepped up your game... That's great as you're moving on to the next level after this season! Keep up the HARD WORK! We promised you guys hard work would pay off. Now see if you can work even harder in the last few weeks!

Parents and Players:

Upcoming events:

Saturday, June 20th, 2009, is the Civitan Day Jamboree

There is a parade to get the morning started, and I'm pretty excited about being a part of that. Anyone who would like to make signs, etc. that would be fantastic. Hands down, I believe us to be the best lookin' team in Burbank Parks and Rec. No one else looks like us, and right now, no one else plays like us!!! I've never been able to enjoy the parade before, so anyone with a lot of experience, please throw suggestions my way... (also, the parade route has changed...we'll discuss that later)

Following the parade there is a baseball celebration that just makes you thrilled to be alive! There are four events that players can choose from.

1. Hitting for Distance - This is done with a self-toss style at-bat.
2. Baserunning - Running the bases for time.
3. Throwing for Distance - As the event suggests...
4. Throwing for Accuracy - Hitting targets

We're allowed to enter 8 individuals into each category, and each player is allowed to participate in 2 events. If someone doesn't want to participate, I'm not forcing the hand... I certainly hope everyone will choose at least 1 event. Just be thinking about it, and shoot me an email with some desired events for your player.

Have a Gashousin' week...

Next Few Days

Wednesday - May 20th - 5:00 p.m. Bel Aire Park - Game Prep

Thursday - May 21st - 7:45 p.m. McCambridge #1 - Game vs. Orioles

Sunday - May 24th - 5:00 p.m. McCambridge #2 - Practice

2nd Round Schedule

Here we go:

Saturday May 16th - 10:45 a.m. @ McCambridge #2 vs. Dragons (Home)

Thursday May 21st - 7:45 p.m. @ McCambridge #1 vs. Orioles (Home)

Thursday May 28th - 7:45 p.m. @ McCambridge #2 vs. Reds (Away)

Saturday May 30th - 9:00 a.m. @ McCambridge #2 vs. Yankees (Home)

Saturday June 6th - 12:30 p.m. @ McCambridge #2 vs. Dodgers (Away)

Tuesday June 9th - 7:45 p.m. @ McCambridge #2 vs. Blastwaves (Away)

The Playoffs will follow the final week of the season, June 15th - 19th, and Saturday, June 20th will be the Civitan Day Parade and Baseball Jamboree!

Do You See What I See?

Gas Housers!!!



Welcome to the new beginning. Our record has been wiped clean, and we'll now have another handful of games to place our stamp on this league. This round will determine playoffs, and allow two teams to battle for the Championship. I truly believe we should be one of those two teams, and I hope all of you do, too!

On a fun note for me: Armand, congratulations, you are the first burger winner of the season. I don't even know if you were at the practice where I stated a hard hit ball back up the middle making the pitcher jump or squeal in fear is worth a burger - so, congrats on your first inning burger heroics.

So... Let's get to the funny stuff... Looking through these photos really made me chuckle this morning... I want you all to understand what it is I see a lot of the time during moments of play. Not between action, but actual moments of play. Some of you are going to get "picked on," and used as an example, but that's because I have photos of you... This is something we're ALL guilty of!

Our heads get lost somewhere around mid-game, and part of the reason, I believe, is the fact that our bodies are just crashing in these night games. So... let us institute the 3rd inning snack. No joke. Bring something where sugar and nutrition meet in the middle, and we're gonna enjoy a snack during our at-bat mid-game. Granola bars, an apple - heck, donuts... be munching on something in the dugout - seeds are great, but we're Gashousers, so think more along the lines of burritos and churros (kidding). We'll try and get the post-game snack to become the mid-game snack!

This first picture is a prime example of what's happening to us by the 3rd and 4th inning:

I call this one - Zombie Dru. It kind of makes you sad just looking at it, doesn't it?

This one I have titled as a question: Ready at Third? Notice the pitch is in play, and at 3rd base we're just hangin' out... If you want to make plays, it's not gonna happen like this.

To pick on Nahhas once more (and the reason I'm picking on you is because I believe you have potential to be a ball player, if you'd get down and dirty!) I'd like to open the segment entitled, "Hands on Hips."

And here's young Frank in Center Field letting Andrew Nahhas know, "I can put my hands on my hips, too, broseph!"

Here's everyone's favorite rookie, Mr. David Petrosyan, getting his first play experience on the dirt - I call this one, "Half Way Home," because he's almost in a defensive position... but the hands on the knees just won't allow for Proper Prep for Play Performance.

This may very well be my favorite: I can't tell if Hernandez is doing his best impersonation of an 80's rapper, or if in fact, he's really that bored.



Big Frank. Your at bat was a success last night. But I wanted to share with you what is happening all too often. Notice how your eyes are nowhere close to the ball... Giggle away, everyone, because this is what most of you are doing. From the neck down, Frank's swing is a work of art - except for the fact that the ball is AT HIS EYES!




I'm going to make all of you drop down in your stance if you're not already down there, because we're going after too many balls at eye level... that makes sense... so let's bring the eyes down toward the strike zone, a la Mr. Pujols here...

That's all for now! Now that I've got this handy web-cam, blogging will be much more fun!! A lot of pictures to come... work hard at practice and I'll throw up the photos of you guys kickin' some Yankee tail, as well as the other great stuff you're doin'!

Practice: Sunday, May 10th, 2009, 5:00 p.m. @ McCambridge #2. Try to be there at 4:30 - we'll go for a couple hours!

We'll give moms the gift of getting out of their hair for 2 hours...

05/05/09 - GAME

Tuesday, May 5th, 7:45 p.m. - McCambridge #1 vs. Jensen Pirates

Lace 'em up tight, boys - it's gonna be a battle!

Next Practice

SUNDAY, MAY 3, 2009 - 6:30 p.m. @ Brace Canyon Field #2

We've got two games next week, and we've still got stuff to learn, so we practice on!

Our fundamental play is really improving, Gang! Keep putting things together that you learn and experience, and you'll always continue to improve!

Saturday Game

Parents - Please share, print or relay this message on to your Ball Player before Saturday. Our game on Saturday:

9:00 a.m. McCambridge #2 vs. Rivera Yankees

We'll be in the 3rd Base dugout once again as the home team. Please be to the field by 8:30 a.m. Earlier if possible to get the young bodies and minds going.

Great job last night, Gashousers... We're slowly, but surely climbing that mountain. We're making vast improvement in play execution, and now we need to start using our heads to make good decisions on the field.

1.) We seem to have a lot of nervous energy before, and early on during the game - that's understandable. We'll try and quell (there's your word of the day - it means to suppress or stop) that nervousness by doing a little more aerobic exercise during warm-ups. Right now, we've basically played "even ball" with two teams that I believe we are better than. That's one man's opinion, but hopefully you all agree.

2.) I cannot emphasize enough the importance of attitude and following instruction - if Greg or I instruct you to do something, please do not challenge that - you have to trust that we know the game, and won't mislead you - our goal is to put you in a position to make the easiest play possible.

3.) Dugout Etiquette - I have to be a little bit harsh on this one. I love our desire to be rowdy in the dugout, but our rowdiness rarely has anything to do with the game. I hear questions repeatedly: "Coach, how many outs are there?" "Coach, what's the score?" "Coach, where am I this inning?" I love the zeal, gang, but I wish we could refocus that energy to watching our game, and keeping our heads involved in the action on the field - two of those questions YOU should always know the answer to.

Along those lines, last night I heard members of our team criticizing/making fun of their own team members. Gang - that won't be tolerated. I simply won't stand for it. We're a team: We win together and lose together - and we get lectured together. If you're a ball player please sit (or stand) in the dugout - but do not stand on the benches or go wandering around behind the dugout area! Too many times I had to wrangle players from behind the dugout.

4.) We have 15 players. Some nights some players will see more action on defense than others, as well as more at bats. I've tried to structure infield and outfield line-ups based on some experience as well as play. As a player, if you're not IN the game, there is not a better time to LEARN, than by simply watching. It may not be the most exciting thing in the world, but you can SEE things that are done right, and things that could use some improvement. When you go out there, you want to make that improvement!

Last, but not least...

5.) It's my fault on the steal sign thing! When you guys are given a sign, it's kind of like a green light. It means to go when you have the opportunity. It doesn't mean you have to go RIGHT THAT INSTANT... Hopefully that will clarify... I felt terrible last night when I kept asking why people weren't running when given the sign, and I finally got, "How am I supposed to steal while the pitcher is just standing there with the ball?" Well, you're not. But if you get the steal sign, that means as soon as the pitcher starts to deliver, you're off to the races!!!

See you on Saturday. And there's nothing better than beating the Yankees, so let's get up early and get a WIN!

Dreams...

Goodness...

I had two different dreams about last night's game - in one of them it was even 72 degrees at game time!!! Had I known they would schedule 90% of our games at 7:45, I would have called us the "Night Cap Gang." Seriously...

So proud of the guys last night!

Next Practice:

Sunday, April 19th, 2009, 5:00 p.m. - McCambridge #1 - Please be there by 4:45.

We're going to work on:

1. Base Running Skills, including "The Art of Base Stealing" taught by yours truly.
2. Fielding - Infield and Outfield.
3. Pitchers will throw, Catchers will catch - Work on Throw-downs to 2nd and 3rd. As well as snap throws to 1st.
4. Rapid Fire situational play.

Hope to see everyone there.

Schedule, Gas House Style

Enough with the Excel spreadsheets, yes? Let's break this down into a format we can all easily read!

Mark your calendars...it's time to play ball!

Wednesday April 15th, 7:45 p.m. - McCambridge #2 vs. Dragons

Wednesday April 22nd, 7:45 p.m. - McCambridge #1 vs. Bergo Red Sox

Saturday April 25th, 9:00 a.m. - McCambridge #2 vs. Rivera Yankees

Thursday April 30th, 7:45 p.m. - McCambridge #1 vs. Holt Reds

Tuesday May 5th, 7:45 p.m. - McCambridge #1 vs. Jensen Pirates

Thursday May 7th, 7:45 p.m. - McCambridge #2 vs. Blastwaves

****************Parents and Players****************

We are in the American League Division.

The remainder of our schedule will be released following the weekend of our final first-round game. (May 11th - with games starting the following day on the 12th...be prepared, just in case.) Our second round schedule will depend on how we play in the first. The top team from our division will be bumped to the Major League Division. The bottom team will drop to the National Division. My hope is that we get bumped up...so, we've gotta come to play!!

See you all tomorrow (or tonight, depending on when you read this).

GAME TIME!

Here we go. Spring training out the way, we open the season vs. The Dragons.

Wednesday, April 15th, 7:45 p.m. McCambridge #2

Please be there, fully equipped by 7:15 - protective cup, glove, (I've got the hats!), jerseys, socks, GRAY pants... you know the drill.

I'm looking at potential practice times between now and then, so stay posted, but NOTHING on Sunday. Enjoy the holiday, enjoy time with family...enjoy a breath from hardball...but next week, we breathe it!!!

GASHOUSIN' !!!

Practice

Wednesday April 8, 2009 - 5:00 p.m. @ McCambridge #1.

Stay tuned for season information as well as the next practice time.

Practice and Next Game

Gashousers!!

Our next practice - Sunday, March 29th - 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. McCambridge #2.

Followed by: Batting Cages Workout - Monday, March 30th - 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. @ On Deck - Click the link for directions. It is in a series of warehouses. Please bring a 5-spot to cover costs.

Our next game - Wednesday, April 1, - 7:45 - McCambridge #2 - We will be the away team, and will sit in the 1st Base dugout. We are playing the Sandoval Dodgers, who are a solid squad.

Parents, please share the video below with your kiddos. If you're a baseball fan, no doubt you've heard of Jim Abbott. If not, he is, and will always be an inspiration!

*****PLAYERS*****

Great work as of late, gentlemen! We're really improving! We'll continue our situational field work on Sunday night. Keep thinking to play the game like you're being taught.

If it isn't comfortable yet, that's OK, you are being instructed in good fundamental play, and some of us have a few habits to "unlearn." The great thing, they can't be old habits, because none of you are old!!!

Baseball is a game of hurry up and wait, so when it's time to play, we have to get out of a restful position, and get into an athletic position to make plays!

Every time someone is up, you should want the ball coming to you so you can make a play! BELIEVE that you can make every routine play, and you will!

I want you guys to check out this video, and know that if you BELIEVE you can be a great baseball player, someday you will!

Sunday Practice - March 22, 2009

Practice this Sunday, March 22, 2009: 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. - McCambridge #2

We're gonna work it out! Run it out! Throw it out!

Hope to see everyone there!!!

GAME TIME!

Thursday, March 19th 7:45 p.m. McCambridge #2

Please be at the field 30 minutes prior to start time - 7:15 p.m.

I'm heading over to the park office to get our next practice scheduled, but it won't be until AFTER the first practice game. Please try and get to Batcade or On Deck batting cages for a few swings tonight or tomorrow with your kiddo, or get out into some space for 15 minutes and soft-toss or pitch to them. The more they're able to make contact, the more enjoyable the game will be!

We will set up the tee for some nice easy swings before the game.

******PLAYERS******

Everyone sport a cap, white t-shirt, solid gray uniform pants, and most importantly, be sure to have on your protective cup and glove!

It was a great practice on Sunday night. We're definitely improving as a unit. We still need to stay in front of balls, with our eyes, bodies and gloves down to make the easy plays. We'll continue to work on those fundamentals in our next practice.

SUNDAY PRACTICE - March 15th

Ladies and Gents...and of course, Players!

Sunday afternoon - 4:45 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Bel Aire Park - click on those words, and you'll find a map to the location. It's at the corner of Bel Aire and Cambridge.

Great practice on Wednesday! From 4:45 - 5:00 p.m. we'll warm up, and at 5:00 we'll go over something fun (the art of the slide), then move straight into game situations. Make sure you're geared properly in some pants, and have your protective cup on underneath.

See you all Sunday!

WEDNESDAY PRACTICE - MARCH 11th

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11 - 5:00 - 6:30 PM - McCambridge #1

Great practice last night Gashousers... We needed to review some stuff that is really important for playing baseball, but overall, it was a job well done.

It was very, very exciting to see our team speed!!! Watching you guys run the bases was quite impressive!

An hour and a half is simply not enough time to get to everything we want to do, but we'll start putting things together in the next couple of practices, as we'll have some practice/spring training games starting in the next couple weeks!!!

Sunday Practice and Other Stuff

Players, Parents... Lend me your ear.

Practice - Sunday, March 8, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. McCambridge #2

A few more signatures are needed before I can turn in all of our paperwork, from both players and parents - and at least one parent from each household must view the National Alliance for Youth Sports video for Parents and pay the $6 membership fee. Follow the link below to the website:

nays.org

This will take you directly to the Parents information page - scroll down until you find the section titled PAYs Online - at the $6 level, and follow the link to become certified. IF your child played basketball, or any other sport in which you became certified this year, you DO NOT need to do it again.

NOW. The good news of the day. We ARE officially a TEAM. Our league fee was paid today, and that means we should learn of some practice game schedules shortly.

Hope to see EVERYONE on Sunday!

Cages - It's On!

Reminder - This Afternoon/Tonight - 5:00 p.m. On Deck - please bring 3-5 bucks to help cover costs.

See you there! Need jersey size information, and 1st and 2nd choice of jersey numbers for everyone except Jacob Lass, David Petrosyan and Dru Sheldon!

Thus far, #16 #17 and #22 have been spoken for.

Caged Animals!!!

Gas Housers! Practice information is in the previous post...scroll down for the info.

5:00 p.m. on Thursday at ON DECK ! We're gonna unleash our inner beasts in the batting cages! Be sure to bring your inner beast.

Please bring a few bucks (3-5) to help cover costs. We have the space for an hour, and get a team rate -we'll all get double the amount of pitches that we'd get with $3.50 tokens for sure. If you can't get there until 5:30, please come on over... We'll rotate rapidly, to offer quick swings and quick instruction with hitting drills. Pitches will be coming at 50mph - and realistically, we'll see a mix throughout the season between 35 - 60.

Please let me know if you cannot make it by emailing me: Sheldogg23@yahoo.com or calling: 646.732.8290.

Also. I need jersey sizes (in youth), as well as two different numbers players would prefer on their jersey: 1st choice and 2nd choice. The contact info. above will do just fine!

Week of 3/1 - 3/8 Schedule

Great practice Sunday night! Now we know that we're not allowed to go beyond stipulated time limits, or they take the light away.

We're improving in our individual skill sets, and thus directly improving our team.

Getting a field during the week wasn't really a possibility - a lot of competition for fields as we inch closer to practice games, and the 8:00 p.m. practice thing simply doesn't work. So, our next official practice will be:

Sunday, March 8th, 6:30 p.m. @ McCambridge #2 (Don't forget to Spring Forward on Saturday night/Sunday morning)

Followed by:

Wednesday, March 11th, 5:00 p.m. @ McCambridge #1 (I understand with work schedules, this earlier time may present an issue - I'm not expecting anyone to leave work early, however, if you needed an excuse to do so, there you go. You can tell your boss it's my fault.)

In the meantime - I am calling On Deck as soon as they open today about a Thursday night hit-around. I'm hoping to reserve an hour of time, and if everyone would chip in just a few bucks, that would cover costs. Check back later, or tomorrow for Thursday night details.

*****Players*****

You need to do something everyday to increase your skill set. That may be as simple as going over your throwing motion (perfect technique we've talked about) 100 times in your bedroom. Or taking 100 perfect swings (you don't have to do them all at once) outside! Here's a video breaking down a swing, and this is the way we want you to start swinging. You can work it nice and slow like the video, then put it all together in one smooth motion - remember to keep that head on the ball!

Moving Forward

Ok. Parents and Players.

So. We've got a few logistics to cover. Uniforms:

I think the best way to do this is for everyone to get their own pair of GRAY baseball pants. Just plain old gray! This way they FIT, they can be the style you prefer, and if we choose, we can have them customized with piping, etc. For the time being, however, let's all go get some gray pants. Practice games are quite figuratively right around the corner.

I am planning to order some fun socks for the team, that will offer a throwback look to the multi-striped socks of years ago. When I play, I wear my pants to my knee, and show off the socks - personally I think you look faster with the pants at the knee, and everyone knows that the stripes were put on the socks to distract the opposition; however, if you prefer the "Pro-Flared" stirup pant that is popular these days, by all means, get what you're comfortable with, and what you want! As long as they're SOLID GRAY.

If you're into online shopping:

Eastbay

Baseball Express

*****PLAYERS*****

Are you doing 10-20 push-ups a day? Are you getting a ball into your hands everyday? Here are a couple drills that you can do by yourself or with a partner - one of these drills we did on Wednesday night.

Eyes Behind the Ball Drill

Batting Drill - You can do this with your own bat. Great drill to build strength and quick hands.

See you all on Sunday - 5:00 p.m. McCambridge #1

Great Practice!

Parents. Our next practice:

Sunday, March 1st - 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 - McCambridge Field #1.

Next week I will try to secure some time at one of the local batting cages, so we can meet there to work on hitting.

This Sunday, we'll work to put all of the elements together.

*******Players,

Great work on Wednesday night! I was worried about the time, and yep, it got too late...but Coach Greg and I are really proud of the work that everyone did! Continue to talk to yourselves about keeping your head down during your swing, and check out the link in one of the earlier blog posts about hitting instruction.

Again, here's my favorite player. I've said it a million times - I love him because he works so hard at his technique - his form. I'm not saying anyone needs to copy his style, but look at how athletic his stance is, and where his hands are placed.

Here's a photo just after contact with the ball. Look where his eyes and head are focused: At the POINT of contact. You'll hear me use that phrase a lot.

He's not looking "out" toward the pitcher, or the field. His head is down because he followed the ball all the way to the bat!!

Great work, Gashousers!

Bargain Hunting

Quickly, to let everyone know:

I buy most of my personal stuff here:

Baseball Express

Next Practice! Tonight!

Yes! We have a practice tonight!

McCambridge Park - Field #1 - 8:00 - 9:30

Players:

If you have one, bring your batter's helmet!

Also, everyone needs to make it a priority to get a cup!

Trying to keep it to about an hour tonight - if you're reading this, please be on time!

Coach Greg Scher was able to wrangle us a nice chunk of sponsorship to get that ball rolling, so be sure to tell him thank you!

Have a look at this great hitting lesson - Yes, it is Albert Pujols, and yes, I'm such a fan because his technique is without flaw. More important than anything else in this breakdown, notice where his eyes and head are focused.

Welcome to the Team Blog

Welcome to the Gas House Gang Blog. This is an attempt at expediency - a place to get the quick answers you need in regards to all things team-related! Our first two practices have been a joy for myself and Greg, and probably pretty boring for the kids. This...I realize. Bottom line, you can't take a trip until you decide on your method of transportation. Now that we know what we're driving, I can liken us to a classic car that has a lot of potential that needs some work to get up and running.

That being said, our next practice will be:

Wednesday, February 25th - 8:00 p.m. - 9:30 - McCambridge Field #1

-followed by

Sunday, March 1st - 5:00 p.m - 6:30 - McCambridge Field #1

Realizing that practice games are rapidly approaching, Greg and I feel it's a necessity to facilitate/offer some more "Spring Training" practice sessions. I understand that 8pm is getting late for several, and personally, we put our kids down pretty early, but that was a mid-week time available, so I snagged it. Because of the short notice, I understand if you can't make it this Wednesday, but if at all possible, we'd love everyone there who can make it. We're going to rapidly get into game situations.

In regards to needs, everyone seems to be on the right track, but here's a quick list:

-Cup (There are great shorts with a cup pocket that are far more comfortable than a jock strap)
-Cleats - Make all the difference in the world for the player.
-Helmet - It's just good to have your own helmet for safety and sanitary reasons.
-Bat - Ideally, it's great to have your own bat...doesn't need to be expensive...Here's a great article about Choosing the Right Bat - our league allows bats up to 32", yet between 28-30 is probably as big as we need to go. We have no weight restrictions, so if you do buy, get something they feel comfortable swinging. This is NOT a mandatory purchase. Just an idea.

To answer a few FAQs:

-Yes. You may go to the batting cages as often as you'd like. Step in and take a few swings yourself, and ask your child to critique your swing. It's quite enjoyable. As we get rolling, we'll start to meet for some live batting practice at one of the local places during the season.

-Yes. We are going to have uniforms. More information to come sometime later this week.

-Yes. If you work at a company that wants to offer some sponsorship to the team, that would be wonderful. The total costs for a team including everything from league fees to uniform costs and all things in between (officials, league betterment, balls, etc.) is approximately $1300-$1400/team - roughly $100/player. I know times are tight, but if some of corporate America is willing to chip in, we'll certainly do them proud on the field. Just so everyone is aware, I'm pursuing many avenues in this regard at present - have gotten a few no's, but I'll keep on pluggin'. If you have any leads, feel free to pursue them, or grab me, and let me know.

******Note to Players******

Dear Gashousers,

Welcome to the team!

As was mentioned during practice, it is imperative that we respect one another while on the field. That means always being attentive, and listening to ALL instruction, not just when a coach is speaking to you.

Even if we practice two times a week, that practice time alone is not going to make you a great ball player; however, if you have a desire to be great, then come to practice and do your very best, always looking to help your teammates - and every practice will make you a better player! Add up a bunch of practices where you get better, and eventually, you can achieve greatness!

Even though I'm here to coach baseball, I hope you know that this attitude can be applied to everything in life - especially school. I'll be putting out notes to all of your schools in the upcoming weeks, letting your principals know which team you're on, and that being a part of the Gas House Gang means that you're expected to offer your very best effort in school.

The reason why I hope you guys will choose to have this positive attitude, is so that you can enjoy the resulting success in everything you do: School, baseball, football, basketball, soccer...you name it. ANYONE can have a bad attitude, mess around during practice or while at school - that's easy to do. So, I'm asking all of you Gashousers to do what is right, even when no one is looking, and even if sometimes it's the hard thing to do. If we can do that, we're going to be an OUTSTANDING baseball team!

Last, but not least, click on this link, check out the video. This is something you can do inside with even a small, soft ball.

See you on the field!