Texas Baseball Ranch - Winter 2021

Texas Baseball Ranch - Winter 2021

RANCH REVIEW THE

WINTER 2021

www.texasbaseballranch.com (936) 588-6762

WINTER HAPPENINGS AT THE TEXAS BASEBALL RANCH

standard today for the training of elite throwing athletes. You should check out the EPBC summer dates starting in May to register early and reserve your spot. Now that we believe the country will slowly begin to return to normal baseball activities, these EPBC slots will go quickly. THE ADVANCED ALUMNI CAMP is one our staff’s favorite offerings during the year. Why? Because we get to go far deeper into all facets of pitching development with long-standing clients who have become like family. It is an absolute blast. We break out all of our technology and toys, and this year we brought in Brent Strom, pitching coach of the Houston Astros, and future hall-of-famer Roger Clemens to supplement the already world-class coaching staff. It was an event like none other in the baseball training world.

While many baseball training centers are busily getting their pitchers ready for the competitive spring season, the Texas Baseball Ranch is also preparing our athletes. That’s where the similarities end though. This winter, the Ranch hosted four events that were literally transformational in the lives of our clients — and in fact, in the state of baseball itself. The 21st annual Ultimate Pitching Coaches Boot Camp (UPCBC) The 2nd annual Durathro Week Training Session The 356th & 357th Elite Pitchers Boot Camps (EPBC) The 8th annual Advanced Alumni Boot Camp (AABC) THE UPCBC is the world’s premier coaching clinic for pitching coaches. Nearly all of the 30 MLB teams, dozens of top DI colleges, dozens of the top training academies, and hundreds of high schools around the U.S. and Canada have sent representatives to this event. Among those who have sat in the audience and taken notes over those 21 years are Brent Strom (PC of Houston Astros), Wes Johnson (PC of Minnesota Twins), Derek Johnson (PC of Cincinnati Reds), Eric Binder (VP of baseball operations, Cleveland Indians), Andy McKay (director of player development, Seattle Mariners), Matt Blake (PC of New York Yankees), Greg Brown (minor league hitting coordinator, Tampa Bay Rays), Dewey Robinson (minor league pitching coordinator, Tampa Bay Rays), and Don Alexander (minor league pitching coordinator, Los Angeles Dodgers). This long-running symposium’s impact on pitching, and the development of pitchers over the last 20 years, has been profound indeed. DURATHRO WEEK To honor and reward our loyal online membership clients, two years ago, the Texas Baseball Ranch instituted a week of training in December that is free to our Durathro members who are in good standing. This year, we hosted our largest members’ gathering to date, and it simply could not have come out better. The environment was electric and the gains from just four days together were remarkable. We look forward to growing this event next year. THE ELITE PITCHERS BOOT CAMPS in December and January are always our most popular. Since 2003, 458 of our clients have broken the 90-mph barrier, and these events are perfectly positioned before the beginning of the preseason for maximum impact. The efficacy of the Ranch’s training is what makes our camps famous and profoundly productive. The EPBC is the gold

So you see, the Texas Baseball Ranch is forever stretching and pushing the boundaries of pitcher development. If it works well in the training of pitchers, there is a really good chance that the Ranch is either currently utilizing it, has had a hand in improving it, or was the originator of the process. As MLB pitching coach Wes Johnson likes to say, “The Ranch is ground zero for pitching in the world today.”

If you are serious about pitching, carve out time in 2021 to visit the Ranch. You and your pitcher will certainly be glad you did.

Until next time, stay curious and keep fighting the good fight,

–Coach Wolforth

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Where You Can DREAM as BIG as Your Work Ethic Will Allow! PHONE (936) 588-6762

WE HOPE YOU’LL JOIN US THIS SUMMER! Service Highlight

Winter is still rearing its head in many parts of the United States, but in the South and specifically at the Texas Baseball Ranch®, we’re already gearing up for the summer. Once again, we’re offering our Extended Stay Summer Intensive Program. This opportunity is perfect if you are looking to take your Baseball Ranch experience — and your performance — to the next level. You can choose to stay from 2–10 weeks and experience a holistic, 360-degree approach to your training and development. After a series of initial assessments (including an upper-body and lower-body video analysis, Sparta testing, a pain audit, a recovery audit, and the BRAT movement assessment), your program will be hyper-personalized to maximize your stay. We’ll also focus on your specific needs and performance constraints, which could be velocity, command, off-speed pitches, or even health and durability. The development of complete baseball athletes is critical to us, so each participant will take part in our skill-specific strength development and explosiveness training, which is also personalized based on your Sparta assessment.

Every morning will begin with a mindset presentation. It is important to help you develop not only physically but also mentally. When combined, your performance can skyrocket. This is the reason our Extended Stay Summer Program is the gold standard of summer camps. Many have tried to copy it, but they simply don’t know ALL the behind-the-scenes pieces used to maximize each young man’s stay.

For all Ranch Returners, there is an extra $550 in savings IN ADDITION TO the early bird rate if you register by Feb. 8!

For additional information or to request a registration form, call The Ranch office at (936) 588-6762 or email [email protected].

We’re excited to have you join us in Montgomery, Texas, this summer!

BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM LIKE A CELEBRITY With These 3 Hot Winter Drinks

Homemade chai tea is another delicious option that will wow you and your guests this winter. There are thousands of chai recipes out there, but MinimalistBaker.com offers a simple and tasty one that’s made with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, black tea, pepper, and dairy-free milk. If you don’t want to grind the spices yourself, you can buy a premade blend. Chai gives you all of the ginger benefits with the added bonus of cardamom, which is said to have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Last but not least, if you’re more of a latte drinker than a tea drinker, try golden milk ! This soothing drink is a darling of health food fanatics because it features honey (a disease-fighting powerhouse ingredient) and turmeric (an immune-booster that lowers cholesterol, combats arthritis, and helps prevent cancer). WellPlated.com offers a delicious recipe that pairs those two ingredients with almond milk, almond butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and ginger for a satisfying nightcap.

What do Jennifer Lawrence, Lady Gaga, Angelina Jolie, Taylor Swift, and Khloé Kardashian have in common? Yes, they’re all high- profile celebrities, of course, but they’re also big fans of hot tea. According to the entertainment website Yaay, Angelina Jolie likes to make her own garlic tea by steeping fresh cloves in hot water, and Lady Gaga is such a big tea lover that she takes a tea set with her on tour. These famous women might be onto a health and beauty secret because aside from being delicious, tea is a great way to boost your immune system and fend off illnesses. Drinking hot tea, or another immune-boosting drink in place of hot chocolate, will still give you the cozy winter vibes you crave without compromising your health. An easy drink for beginners is lemon-ginger tea , which is a spin-off of Khloé Kardashian’s favorite drink. Ginger is a key ingredient here because it’s anti- inflammatory, raises the immune system, and may even help fight cancer. You can make lemon-ginger syrup by layering lemon slices, fresh ginger, and raw honey in a jar and letting it sit in the fridge overnight. The next morning, just add a few spoonfuls of the concoction to your hot water and you’ll have instant tea!

What are you waiting for — get steeping!

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START WITH PAIN Addressing Pain Will Make You a Better Pitcher

What separates the Ranch from other training programs? We begin with a different kind of paradigm altogether. We are holistic in our approach, the foundation of which is stability, mobility, asymmetries, alignment, and strength balances. With pain at the center of that foundation, pitchers who have pain, tightness, tenderness, or fatigue will go no further until their issue is addressed. Our attention to pain is one of seven big differences that separate the Ranch from other schools, training facilities, or academies.

we solve this issue, it will be far more difficult or impossible for our athletes to reach the rest of their pitching goals and objectives (including velocity, command, movement, changing speed, or recovery). By addressing and eliminating pain, our athletes can throw harder and more often and recover more quickly. Before we become the best pitchers that we can be, we must first become the best throwers. If we fail to address pain, we will feel the effects in the body, which morphs in response or organize itself differently; otherwise, it will break. Our goal is to quickly identify what’s contributing to an athlete’s pain, or in other words, find out what is keeping them from currently having a healthy, durable, electric arm. Identifying and addressing the current constraints on the body and correcting them is essential. Most parents and athletes simply never have that conversation or make that evaluation. Instead, they keep doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.

Regardless of whether a pitcher is 8 or 38 years old, we begin with an assessment of their pain. We give our athletes a questionnaire that asks about the pain and where it’s coming from, whether it be the elbow, shoulder, or back. This assessment gives us insight into the individual’s weakest link. Unless and until

UPCOMING RANCH EVENTS

THIS MONTH IN BASEBALL HISTORY A Great Is Crowned

ELITE PITCHERS BOOT CAMPS: MAY 29–31 JUNE 11–13 JUNE 25–27 JULY 9–11

JULY 23–25 AUG. 6–8 SEPT. 4–6

When it comes to actual game play, January may not be the liveliest time of year for professional baseball, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still exciting things happening with the league. Trades, contracts, and training are aplenty, and every once in a while, amidst surprises and switch-ups, great news blossoms. On Jan. 17, 1970, Willie Mays was named the Player of the Decade for the 1960s by the then-undisputed MLB

SUMMER PROGRAM: JUNE — SESSION I BEGINS JUNE 7 JULY — SESSION II BEGINS JULY 5 AUG. — SESSION III (SPECIAL MINI SESSION) BEGINS AUG. 2

A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR OATES SPECIALTIES! EQUIPMENT PROVIDER,

authority, Sporting News. During those 10 years, “The Say Hey Kid” had 1,050 runs, 1,003 RBIs, 350 home runs, and 126 stolen bases. He was named to the All-Star Game in every season and was a Gold Glove Award winner in nine of those years. In 1965, he won the National League MVP Award. He was a true star deserving of the title.

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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FIRST-CLASS MAIL US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

www.texasbaseballranch.com 5451 Honea-Egypt Road Montgomery, TX 77316

(936) 588-6762

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

PAGE 1 Winter Happenings at the Texas Baseball Ranch PAGE 2 We Hope You’ll Join Us This Summer! How to Boost Your Immune System Like a Celebrity PAGE 3 Pain and Pitching The 1960s Player of the Decade PAGE 4 Winter Road Trip Essentials You Didn’t Know You Needed

Winter Road Trip Essentials You Didn’t Know You Needed A DRIVER’S GUIDE TO SAFE HOLIDAY TRAVELS

Fortunately, you can take several steps to keep your family safe. Getting your car checked before you go, for example, can save you a lot of hassle on the road, as can investing in a set of snow tires. It’s also smart to take precautions such as letting a friend or family member know your route, predicted arrival time, and where you plan to stop for gas along the way. Apart from that, one of the best things you can do is pack an emergency kit. AAA sells premade kits through outlets like Amazon, and you can find a basic kit with things like jumper cables, ponchos, rope, batteries, pliers, zip ties, and a first-aid kit at pretty much any Walmart or sporting goods store. You could even save a life by adding a few more essentials to your kit, like a blanket, snacks, and an extra cellphone charger. At this point, you’re almost a safety black belt. But to take your kit to the next level for winter driving, there are three more little-known items you should stash in your trunk: a shovel, a bag of sand or cat litter, and an extra bottle of windshield wiper fluid. If you get stuck in a snowbank, the shovel will help you dig your way out without risking frostbitten fingers. The sand or cat litter will boost your traction if you sprinkle it around your wheels in an icy spot, and the extra wiper fluid will make all the difference if you run out during a snowstorm.

On Sept. 24, 2019, more than 2.5 million people passed through TSA checkpoints at airports across America. On the same date this year, those terminals saw just 826,316 travelers — a nearly 70% drop. Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Americans have been thinking twice about air travel, and this holiday, millions of would-be flyers will set out on road trips instead. Road tripping is a great way to avoid contact with a lot of people, but it can also be dangerous, especially in winter weather.

Once you’re prepared, crank up the radio and get driving!

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