BASEBALL COACHES UNPLUGGED

Baseball Coaching Strategies for Close Games and Better Decision Making

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542601/fan_mail/new] You can watch a high school baseball game and think it’s all about the swings, the calls, and the final score. Then you talk to a head coach and realize the real game is happening in a hundred small moments: preparation, communication, trust, and the ability to make a decision and live with it when one pitch changes everything. We’re joined by Jonathan Gelnar, head baseball coach at Claremore High School in Oklahoma and host of the Ahead of the Curve podcast, for a candid conversation about high school baseball coaching and player development. We get into what fans don’t see in tight games, how a staff prepares, and why reflection matters even when you do “everything right” and still lose. We also talk about the daily challenge of developing the complete player while chasing wins, and how leaders inside the roster can raise the standard when players coach players with the right tone and purpose. From there, we go practical. Jonathan explains how he structures competitive on-field batting practice to create live reps that teach defense and baserunning, not just hitting. We cover simple incentives that reinforce winning behaviors, how to think about analytics versus trusting your gut, and how to get buy-in for bunting as a real tool in the toolbox. You’ll also hear detailed baserunning teaching points, third base coaching decision rules, and an honest breakdown of handling playing-time conflict and parent pressure with empathy and administrative support. If you coach high school baseball, travel baseball, or just want better practice planning and clearer player roles, this one is loaded with actionable ideas. Subscribe, share with a coach who needs it, and leave a review so more coaches can find the show. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542601/support] * Follow:  X | @BCUPod / IG @baseballcoachesunplugged  [https://www.athlete1.net] * Website - https://www.athlete1.net [https://www.athlete1.net] * Sponsor: The Netting Professionals * https://www.nettingpros.com [https://www.nettingpros.com]

When Baseball Gets Small And Life Gets Big

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542601/fan_mail/new] A two mile an hour ride on a hospital gurney can do what 27 years in a baseball dugout never could: tell you, without mercy, what actually matters. We step away from signs, stats, and strategy and talk as a coach, a father, and a husband who had to stare down an eight-hour surgery and hear the words “50% failure rate.” When your world shrinks to the ceiling above you, the scoreboard disappears and the real highlight reel starts playing.  We share a powerful image from that hallway: ceiling tiles turning into life moments, from a game-winning hit to a wedding day to a quiet dugout conversation with a struggling kid. That’s the heart of high school baseball culture done right. If you’re a coach building a program, a parent navigating youth sports emotions, or a player trying to survive the grind, this perspective shift changes how you define pressure, leadership, and success. We also talk about resilience through my son’s story, from a severe club feet diagnosis to fighting through surgeries and doubt to reach a college baseball mound. And we close with a surprising teacher: a loyal dog who kept the score 0-0 every day, reminding us that presence and love outlast every win-loss record. If you care about player development, mental toughness, and creating a healthier sports experience, this one will stick with you. Subscribe, share this with a coach or parent who needs it, and leave a review with the moment that hit you hardest. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542601/support] * Follow:  X | @BCUPod / IG @baseballcoachesunplugged  [https://www.athlete1.net] * Website - https://www.athlete1.net [https://www.athlete1.net] * Sponsor: The Netting Professionals * https://www.nettingpros.com [https://www.nettingpros.com]

Blue-Collar Blueprint for Baseball Players

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542601/fan_mail/new] Division I baseball isn’t just "more intense"—it’s a daily war of attrition where a single bad day can cost your players an entire week of progress. On this episode of Baseball Coaches Unplugged, two-way standout Keegan Holmstrom pulls back the curtain on the brutal daily discipline required to survive and dominate at the collegiate level. Keegan breaks down the exact blue-collar routine he uses to balance elite lifting, nutrition, and skill work. He also shares raw insight into navigating the chaos of the modern transfer portal era, dealing with sudden coaching changes, gray-shirting, and grinding through the mental hurdles of elbow surgery. For the coaches looking for a tactical edge, we dive deep into the Xs and Os. Keegan walks us through Wright State’s exact game-week routine, their approach to pitch-shape simulation, and why executing the bunt remains a devastating offensive weapon. This is a masterclass in building a "why not us" culture that allows mid-majors to roll into Power Five stadiums and expect a sweep. Coaches, pass this one along to your roster. Inside this episode, we unpack: * The Two-Way Blueprint: The scheduling reality your high school recruits aren’t prepared for. * Portal & Culture Realities: Managing players through coaching transitions, gray-shirting, and roster battles. * Locker Room Chemistry: How to foster fierce internal competition without letting ego poison team culture. * The Wright State Routine: A breakdown of their early hitting, film nights, and game-week prep. * In-Game Adjustments: Tactical breathwork, heart-rate control, and flush-it mentalities after bad at-bats. Hit Subscribe, leave a review with your biggest takeaway, and share this episode with a coach or player who needs to elevate their standard. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542601/support] * Follow:  X | @BCUPod / IG @baseballcoachesunplugged  [https://www.athlete1.net] * Website - https://www.athlete1.net [https://www.athlete1.net] * Sponsor: The Netting Professionals * https://www.nettingpros.com [https://www.nettingpros.com]

The Real Cost Of Travel Baseball

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542601/fan_mail/new] Your son makes a top travel or select team and suddenly everything feels urgent. Tryouts, fees, rankings, showcases, guest players, tournament schedules, recruiting promises. We slow the moment down and ask the question that actually protects families: are you buying real player development, or are you buying a uniform and a calendar? We sit down with Bobby Minor, a former D1 player and longtime coach who now helps baseball parents make smarter decisions from Little League through high school baseball and into college baseball. We talk about the hidden “most expensive” part of youth travel baseball: uninformed choices made out of fear, comparison, and pressure. Bobby breaks down early bloomers versus late bloomers, why so many kids quit by 14, and how work ethic and patience beat hype almost every time. We also get practical. What should you ask a travel team before you commit? Bobby explains why guest player policies matter, how the true all-in cost can double once uniforms, facility fees, hotels, and gate charges hit, and what a real development plan should look like when a player struggles. Then we tackle arm care and pitcher overuse on weekends, plus the truth about Perfect Game and PBR rankings as marketing tools versus real recruiting signals. If you want clearer priorities, fewer regrets, and a healthier path through travel baseball, hit play, subscribe, share this with a baseball parent, and leave a quick review so more families can find it. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542601/support] * Follow:  X | @BCUPod / IG @baseballcoachesunplugged  [https://www.athlete1.net] * Website - https://www.athlete1.net [https://www.athlete1.net] * Sponsor: The Netting Professionals * https://www.nettingpros.com [https://www.nettingpros.com]

How To Pick A Travel Baseball Team That Develops Players

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542601/fan_mail/new] A lot of families make the same travel baseball mistake every July: they chase the loudest logo, the flashiest graphics, and the team that “wins the weekend,” then wonder why their player stops improving. I’m Coach Ken Carpenter, and I’m pulling the curtain back on the trophy team versus development team debate so you can make a smarter choice for 2027. We talk about the red flags that show up fast in youth baseball and travel ball, starting with roster size. If a program carries 16 to 18 players on a summer roster, the playing time math does not work, and reps are everything for high school performance and college recruiting. I also get blunt about what happens when winning Sunday becomes the priority, especially for pitchers. Arm care, workload decisions, and a clear throwing plan matter more than any plastic trophy. Then we build a real checklist for finding a development team: a fall and winter plan that supports strength training, coaches who welcome failure as part of growth, and a schedule built around scout attended exposure tournaments instead of expensive trips with no recruiters in sight. Most important, we cover the human factor: the coach running the program. A coach with a real recruiting network and the ability to personally call D2, D3, and JUCO staffs can open doors that a generic online profile never will, especially in the transfer portal era. If you’re heading into 2027 tryouts, stop chasing hype and start choosing development. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this with a parent or player who needs a clearer path. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1542601/support] * Follow:  X | @BCUPod / IG @baseballcoachesunplugged  [https://www.athlete1.net] * Website - https://www.athlete1.net [https://www.athlete1.net] * Sponsor: The Netting Professionals * https://www.nettingpros.com [https://www.nettingpros.com]