RANCH REVIEW THE
DECEMBER 2018
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RANCH ITALIANO
For three years now, The Texas Baseball Ranch staff has conducted pitcher camps in Riccione, Italy. Each camp has been sold out and a terrific success from both an attendance and a productivity standpoint. This year, our second clinic of the trip actually evolved into our first Italian “Advanced Camp.” We only accepted players who have attended previous camps. It was a huge success, and it was quite inspiring and exciting for the Ranch coaches to see the tremendous gains and improvements dozens of young Italian pitchers made in our three years working together. Of course, no two weeks in Italy should ever be spent without significant sightseeing, and this time, the Ranch staff visited Milan, Parma, Spello, and Spoleto. Over the past five years, the Texas Baseball Ranch and the Italian Baseball Federation have developed a deep and wonderful working relationship, and because of that interconnection, literally hundreds of Italians and Americans have bonded and grown with the help of the world’s best game … baseball. Arrivederci for this month!
–Coach Wolforth
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Where You Can DREAM as BIG as Your Work Ethic Will Allow! PHONE (936) 588-6762
‘LOWER HALF DEVELOPMENT’ Product Highlight
This program regularly sells for $297, but right now it is ONLY $148.50 with FREE shipping! (The offer is good through Dec. 31.)
Have you ever heard someone say something like this about a pitcher’s legs and hips?
Just call The Ranch office at (936) 588-6762 and ask for the Ranch Review Lower Half Development Special.
“You need to use your hips and your legs more! You are relying too much on your arm and not using your body enough! You would throw harder, last longer in games, and recover better if you simply utilized your lower half more efficiently.”
The truth is this: Almost every single pitcher has had someone advise them that they are underutilizing their body and legs.
Athletes spend hundreds of hours in the weight room developing their posterior chain, yet only a fraction of them transfer that added potential into game time performance. But it’s not enough to know you’re not using your lower half as well as you can. Instead, we must help our athletes find ways to recruit, organize, and then synchronize their bodies for maximum summation of forces. But now there is a practical and effective solution: The Texas Baseball Ranch’s “Lower Half Development” program (DVD and companion manual).
You can get it now with this Special Holiday offer for 50 percent off — saving you almost $150!
A QUICK WORKOUT Prepare Yourself for the Christmas Feast
many times as you can in a minute, and just like you did in the warmup, repeat each set three times.
When you’re in the kitchen cooking your signature dishes for Christmas dinner, you might find yourself with short periods of nothing to do. While you wait, why not fit in a quick workout? Exercising for 30 minutes will help ease any anxieties you may have — perhaps about getting those side dishes just right, or about your in-laws, who will soon be seated at your table. To start off, you’ll need to warm up. Keeping the oven in sight and the timer well within earshot, take a few minutes to loosen up your muscles. Jog in place, do some jumping jacks for a minute, or jump in place for 45 seconds. Warmups often consist of these basic exercises, but one set of each won’t be enough. To make sure your body is completely warmed up, repeat each set at least three times. After you’ve warmed up, it’s time to start the workout. Squat jumps, ski jumps, pushups, plank crawls, and holding a squat stance are easy exercises you can do in your kitchen, dining room, or living room while your feast cooks. Do each exercise as
While in your squat stance, there are several things you can do. For 30-second intervals, put your arms out in a “T” formation and move them up and down in small pulses. Then move your arms out in front of you and return to the “T” shape. Raise your arms up over your head and clap, and then return once more to the “T” formation. Rotate your arms in backward circles, switch to forward arm circles, and finish up by holding your squat for an additional 30 seconds. This 30-minute exercise routine is great for before, during, and after your Christmas meal prep. You don’t have to wait around all day for things to finish up — occupy your downtime with short exercises to keep your heart pumping.
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THE TRUTH ABOUT SCHOLARSHIPS They Don’t Matter as Much as You Think
student, you are almost certainly looking at a substantial financial investment even if you are on a partial scholarship.
It bothers me greatly when I hear a parent tell me their primary interest
THIS MONTH IN BASEBALL HISTORY Crazy Deals From the Winter Meetings Not long after the Major League season ends, the hot stove league begins. Free agency kicks off in October, but the wheeling and dealing reaches its apex during the Winter Meetings held every December. Since its official inception in 1901, the annual event has been host to some of the craziest roster changes in history. Here are a few of our favorites. • In 1975, White Sox owner John Allyn arrived at the Winter Meetings with a sign declaring that his team was “Open for Business.” He was not kidding. That year, the White Sox made trades involving 22 players, completely overhauling their roster. • Miguel Cabrera will be forever linked with the Detroit Tigers, but that wouldn’t have happened without Dave Dombrowski’s massive move at the 2007 Winter Meetings. He shipped six players to the Marlins for Miggy and Dontrelle Willis. The rest is the stuff of Triple Crown history. • At the 2016 Meetings, Chris Sale was the most desired property in baseball. Just when it appeared the Nationals would land the ace, the Red Sox swooped in. We don’t have to tell you what happened next. With a great free agent class hitting the market this year, expect the 2018 Winter Meetings to be thrilling. We know we’ll be reading the rumors and updates to see who ends up where. All too often, families make decisions based primarily upon the amount of scholarship money or the perceived prestige of the baseball program. It would be far better to choose a place for the athlete to play where he is comfortable with his teammates and coaches and advances in the academic area in which he is sincerely interested. In other words, a place where he can best develop as a rounded human being. Stanford and Rice Universities are phenomenal institutions, but they aren’t perfect fits for everyone. Cliff Lee pitched for Meridian Community College in Mississippi, and Justin Verlander did for Old Dominion University. Albert Pujols played at Maple Woods Community College. My point is this: If you are good, no matter where you are studying, someone will almost certainly find you. My advice is to attend a school where you can best grow and develop not only as a baseball player, but also as a student and as a young man. The amount of scholarship money you get will not matter much in 10 years, so it shouldn’t be the be-all end-all determining factor. If you want to attain a scholarship, it’s all about the numbers. Focus on improving your numbers, and then the scholarship offers will come your way.
in their son pitching is to obtain a collegiate scholarship for him.
In my opinion, you play baseball
because you love it. If a university, college, or junior college offers to take care of some of your expenses to play for their team,
it’s a bonus. A young man should choose a university, college, or
junior college because he is interested in studying a specific academic subject and earning a degree.
Unlike football or basketball, full rides in college baseball are few and far between. Therefore, attending almost any Major D1 institution, especially as an out-of-state
UPCOMING RANCH EVENTS ELITE PITCHERS BOOT CAMPS SPECIAL WINTER SESSION Dec. 17–21 (Monday–Friday)
Dec. 28–30 (Friday–Sunday) Jan. 19–21 (Saturday–Monday) OUTSIDE CAMP Jan. 25–27 with Fastball USA – Chicago Feb. 8–10 with MN Blizzard – Vadnais Heights, MN COACHES CLINIC Dec. 6–9 (Thursday–Sunday) *DVDs of the event are available
ALUMNI BOOT CAMP Jan. 12 & 13 (Saturday & Sunday)
For more information, go to TexasBaseballRanch.com/events.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR OATES SPECIALTIES! STRATEGIC PARTNER,
www.OatesSpecialties. com/Durathro
3 Where You Can DREAM as BIG as Your Work Ethic Will Allow! PHONE (936) 588-6762
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www.texasbaseballranch.com 5451 Honea-Egypt Road Montgomery, TX 77316
(936) 588-6762 INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Ranch Italiano PAGE 1
A Special Offer on ‘Lower Half Development’ PAGE 2 The Cook’s Workout PAGE 2 Are Baseball Scholarships Important? PAGE 3
The Wildest Winter Meetings Moments PAGE 3
Why Watch the Film When You Can See It With Your Own Eyes? 3 FAMOUS MOVIE LOCATIONS YOU NEED TO VISIT
Earth’s smallest people — only these houses aren’t small at all. And you don’t need large, hairy feet to enjoy them.
Movies captivate audiences partially because of their ability to transport you to a different place. The heart yearns to be taken places, and cinema facilitates that journey. But what if you could immerse yourself in those fantastical worlds by visiting the destinations that you’ve seen on the big screen? Here are three places that are worth the trip. HOBBITON The only aspect of “The Lord of the Rings” that is more compelling than the fantastical journey of Frodo is the alluring, untamed countryside and quaint towns that make up Middle Earth. The Green Dragon Inn, Bilbo’s house, and the rolling hills of New Zealand make for a backdrop that will transport you straight into the life of Middle
CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL Harry Potter captured the imagination of the world. There are multiple sites across the United Kingdom where you can get lost in the adventure that shaped a generation, but there is one spot at the top of almost every fan’s list. Hogwarts is a magic castle in J.K. Rowling’s books, but in real life, its film location is a functioning cathedral in Oxford. Take one step onto the grounds of Christ Church Cathedral, and you might begin to wonder when the next Quidditch match will begin. TIKAL NATIONAL PARK When George Lucas witnessed a poster of this famous archeological site, he didn’t see an ancient culture — he saw Yavin IV, the perfect location for the Massassi Outpost, a rebel haven found in the first film of Star Wars. Though the movie paints a futuristic look at the region, walk through Tikal National Park, and you’ll experience it as a trip through history.
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