Games Top Peak Performance Coach Explains Quality Preparation

By: Matt Bombardier

BURLINGTON, VT – One of baseball's top peak performance coaches Brian M. Cain, MS, CAA has found ways to help coaches and players increase the quality of their practice and game preparation by making the practice environment more game like.

Cain consulted with Jeffery P Davis, a mathematician from Vermont and has come up with a simple formula that can be implemented to give hitters a more game like and realistic batting practice experience.

"Jeff Davis has helped us to find the right mathematical equation so that we can simulate the pitching speed that we will face in the game during batting practice." Cain said. "We have used this formula and have had great success with our hitters in being more prepared to face a starting pitcher. Our guys have been more on time and have had more quality at bats early in the game because they have felt more prepared."

Velocity Simulation Equation

A over B equals C over D. By cross multiplying A and D and then dividing by B you are able to come up with C which is the number of feet you want to be throwing pre-game batting practice from.

A = Mound Distance From Home Plate – 60 feet, 6 inches

B = Radar Gun MPH of Starting Pitcher You Will Face

C = Feet From Hitter Batting Practice Pitcher Should Be To Simulate Starting Pitcher FB

D = Batting Practice Pitchers MPH of Batting Practice Pitches

For example, if you were going to face a pitcher who was throwing between 96-98 MPH and your batting practice pitching speed was 45 MPH, you would multiply, 60.5 (A) and 45 (D) and then divide your answer by 98 (B) to get the number of feet you would need to throw batting practice from (C) of 27.8 feet.

There is an old expression in boxing that you train the way you fight and you fight the way you train. The same holds true in baseball and every other sport. You compete the way you practice and practice the way you compete. With that in mind, what are you doing to simulate game conditions in your practice?