The Secret Hidden Baseball Trick Plays Hacks

Are you a baseball player? Have a dream to be a MLB Player one day? Well, in baseball, learning the proper throwing technique as well as becoming an effective hitter are extremely important. However, there are other things that can make a difference in the game aside from proper technique. If you have been a fan or a player for some time, then you know the value of trick plays. What are some of the baseball trick plays you can try? Let’s find out.

Baseball Trick Plays

Introduction – Importance technique in playing baseball

It is understandable ball why trick plays are not part of the things being taught in baseball for beginners. This is because to take advantage of baseball trick plays, you will need to develop the proper baseball technique.

To pull off MLB trick plays, you will need to develop good throwing techniques including proper arm strength. This will involve practices in:

  • Kneeling and flicking;
  • Kneeling and throwing;
  • Throwing from the power position; and
  • Perfecting the follow through.

For hitting trick plays, some basics should be practiced and developed to become effective. These can include:

  • Minimize movement;
  • Keep your eye on the baseball;
  • Observe proper baseball bat grip;
  • Maintain consistent hand positioning;
  • Use a lighter bat;
  • Correct batting stance;
  • Achieve consistent contact; and
  • Control your swing and power;

These techniques will help you to become a better all-around baseball player. This includes executing trick plays. Just like NFL trick plays, the success in baseball requires a combination of timing and skills.

Some Baseball Tricks & Technique Explanation

Now that you know what you need to pull-off baseball trick plays, let’s take a look at some baseball tricks and how to do them.

  1. CF Pick-Off

This play takes place with a runner on second and the CF slowly coming to pick him off. The shortstop and second must remain in their positions as the CF gets in place so that the pitcher can make the pitch to second.

The catcher can slyly make the signal for the pitcher to throw. A call-off should also be in place in case the other team sees it coming.

  1. Phantom Catch

This is one of the baseball tricks with ball in hand. It works best when the runner is timing the catch of the OF. The OF will pretend to catch a fly ball above his head and in the last minute turn it into a basket catch. This will help the defense make an out at third.

  1. Trick Windup

The fake windup can work with runners at second, third, or both. The pitcher’s feet should be on rubber and steps back using the wrong foot. As the base runners are faked off, the pitcher can pick them off. 

  1. Phantom Wild Pitch

Aggressive runners take advantage of every opening. This false opening can work with a runner on first attempting to steal. The catcher attempts to throw to first but pretends he can’t find the ball. As the runner rounds second base and possibly heads to third, an out can be made with the proper throw.

  1. Double Suicide

Trick plays are not always done by the defense, there are also some baseball offensive trick plays. For this one, runners on second and third have to call a squeeze play. With the runner on second getting a huge lead and heads towards home, the third baseman thinks there is no play at home and throws to first. This allows the runner to go straight to home and score.

Find out more by watching baseball trick play 2018 highlights to see how it impacts the game.

To do the tricks need the best baseball equipment

You have the skills and you know the baseball trick plays, but, if you don’t have the best baseball equipment, you can still fall flat on your face. It is no secret that the best quality baseball equipment can help set you up for success.

It doesn’t matter if you buy from baseball equipment websites or from the store, the important thing is that your baseball bat and baseball gloves can help take your performance to the next level. 

This means buy baseball equipment only from those that use premium wood, high quality leather, and rely on the best manufacturing methods.

With more than 50 years of high level competition baseball experience, you can never go wrong with M^Powered Baseball’s commitment to guaranteed excellence.  Call us today!

How to Care for Your Baseball Equipment

In baseball, there are only a few equipment that come to full use. But, these costs a lot of money and if not cared for properly, can really hamper the game of players. How can you take care of your baseball equipment to keep it fully functional and create some savings in return?

 baseball equipment

Baseball Gloves

Every player on the field uses a glove so it can be said that it is one of the most important piece of equipment of the game. Unfortunately, if not cared for, the leather, stitching, and other features of the glove can get worn out because of the wear and tear of the game. To care for your gloves:

  • Remove all traces of dirt on the outside after each game;
  • Rub down caked in dirt with a leather cleaner and soft rag;
  • Periodically moisten it with an approved glove conditioning oil;
  • It must be stored in a clean, cool, and dry area to prevent mold and mildew growth; and
  • Disinfect occasionally the insides of the glove to get rid of unpleasant smell and protect against molds.

Catcher’s Gear

Among all the positions in baseball, it is the catcher that has the most number of equipment. This means additional problems if care is not extended enough. How do you keep your catcher’s gear ready to use for any game?

  • Prevent dirt buildup by making sure that it is cleaned immediately after the game;
  • Hooks and straps are easy and cheap to replace, but if you don’t pay attention to it, the shin guard and chest piece may lose its effectivity. Check the hooks and straps regularly;
  • Before storing the chest piece in a cool and dry place, make sure that you air it out first to prevent mold growth; and
  • Periodically inspect the helmet and face mask for signs of cracks and the moment you spot one, replace it immediately for safety’s sake.

Baseball Bats

This is another piece of equipment that is extensively used during the game is the baseball bat. The problem with bats is that if it is not cared for, it can easily crack, the grip can come lose, or corrosion can form. To care for your baseball bats:

  • Wipe it down with rubbing alcohol after the game to eliminate bacteria, especially if you are using a wooden bat;
  • Wet wooden bats can get deformed or warped especially during a rainy game, so dry it off as fast as possible;
  • Rub wooden bats against each other with hard and even strokes to smoothen and condition it; and
  • The handle must always be positioned upwards when storing your baseball bats.

Baseballs

What would the game be without baseballs, right? Some of you may think that since these balls are relatively cheap, it isn’t worth the effort to spend time taking care of it. But, if you keep on changing balls, the amount would definitely bulk up.

The great news is that it isn’t that difficult to take care of baseballs. Cleaning simply involves a part of ammonia mixed with four parts of water. The ball should be wiped down completely with a soft rag after. What does this do? Aside from removing dirt and stains, it also sterilizes the ball to remove as much bacteria as possible.

baseball equipment

Baseball Cleats

The last piece of equipment that must be given proper care would be the cleats. Being physically in touch with the ground, it is not surprising that mud and dirt will cling to it stubbornly. This means that cleaning can be very challenging. But this is how you can do it:

  • Knock off the stubborn dirt by banging the cleats together;
  • Use warm water to soak the cleats for at least five minutes to soften the dirt;
  • Get the mud and dirt out by using a stiff brush;
  • Soak a soft rag in dish soap and wipe off any dirt that is still clinging to the cleats; and
  • Rinse it off with a hose and towel dry.

These are some of the effective tips on how to take care for your baseball equipment. To make sure that you get the best possible equipment available, visit M^Powered Baseball today.

Composite or Aluminum Bats for Cold Weather?

It does not matter if you are a professional baseball player or not, using a baseball bat in cold weather can have consequences specifically on your performance on the field. It is not really about a cold weather bat, but rather having a cold ball. Essentially, baseballs are made from leather and string, which become dense as the weather gets colder. The denser the ball becomes, the less bounce it has and may damage even performance bats on impact. Let’s look at some baseball bat recommendations.

Aluminum or Composite Bats

As far as using a baseball bat in cold weather is concerned, industry experts would favor the use of an aluminum baseball bat. Cold weather means temperatures that are sub 55 to 60 degrees. Using a baseball bat made from aluminum can result in a dent due to the dense nature of the ball. This may sound bad, but not as bad as using a composite baseball bat, which can result in cracking and eventual failure of the equipment.

How it affects your performance?

Knowing this about a baseball bat, how will it affect your performance on the field? The lighter design of aluminum baseball bats have complemented the baseball skills of many players as it allowed them to achieve faster swing speeds. The adoption of thinner barrels resulted in a trampoline effect that allowed the ball to travel longer distances.

With the overall improvement of baseball sports in mind, the use of composite baseball bats have allowed many players to improve on their hitting. This is partially attributed to the material being lighter than aluminum and the design of the bats, which has a flexible handle combined with a larger barrel creating a bigger sweet spot. This is why it is not improbable for properly broken-in composite baseball bats to outperform its aluminum counterparts.

aluminum bats

Too Cold

So how cold is too cold for a baseball bat? As far as a USA Bat is concerned, having a 60 degree temperature cutoff can be considered quite conservative; taking into account the performance and durability issues.

It is not unheard of though, to use composite bats in temperatures of 40 to 50 degrees. This is of course if you are not dealing with excessive speeds for pitches and matching swings. But if you have a baseball coming at you at speeds in excess of 90 from the mound, then it would be reasonable to maintain a 60 degree temperature cutoff. Different manufacturers would have varying opinions on this based on the data they have on hand.

For example, a high-grade, thin-walled aluminum baseball bat would rarely be recommended when hitting in a sub 60 degree temperature. The reasoning is that in this temperature, the chances of denting the bat in greatly increased. This is more acceptable though than having a cracked composite baseball bat.

Cold Weather Bat Damage

Do you have an idea what a cold weather baseball bat damage looks like? If you have a composite baseball bat, the damage would be in the form of cracks that will eventually lead to breaking. The cracks usually be seen at the point of impact of the bat rather than the length or the seam, which are slightly rarer manifestations of damage.

For aluminum bat problems, the cold weather damage can be seen as dents resulting from hitting the ball too hard and exceeding the rating of the bat. It is rare, even for the best baseball bat made from aluminum, to break; normally it bends.

Recommendations

Normally when looking at cold weather bat recommendations, we would see that an aluminum or wood baseball bat would be suggested when the temperature is less than 60 degrees or above 50 degrees. Anything lower than 50 degrees would require a baseball bat that has a cheaper aluminum or wooden barrel.

composite bats

More Sources

Composite baseball bats are never recommended for use when playing in temperatures that fall below 60 degrees. This is because the performance problems and possibility of cracking increases. If you more information on the type of baseball bat you need for cold weather or on keeping bats cool in the winter for example, head on to M^Powered Baseball to get accurate answers to your questions today!

M^POWERED Baseball Newsletter Icon

NEWSLETTER

Receive emails about our latest products & promotions

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.