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About Dan Blewett
I played six years professionally, enduring Tommy John surgery twice. I became an All-Star after each one, something I'm very proud of. I own a baseball academy in Illinois called Warbird Academy and each day as I work with young people, I try to pass on the lessons I learned.
Though I didn't ultimately reach the Major Leagues, I learned a ton about myself and about life.
In college, I studied Philosophy and was frequently asked "what are you going to do with THAT?" Well, my degree in Philosophy prepared me to build a business, to become a good educator and to share my knowledge in a meaningful way.
I'm thankful for my journey as a ballplayer even though I took the longer, harder route up that mountain.
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Blog postHow do you throw a curveball? You hold the ball on the inside edge of the horseshoe seam and think about directing your fingers over the top of the ball as it’s delivered. This applies forward spin (topspin) either at a 12-6 or 1-7 orientation (righties – the opposite for lefties) that forces the ball to break according to the magnus effect. Curveballs are very effective when thrown as hard as possible.
The grip doesn’t matter nearly as much as the way it’s thrown, but we will cover A1 week ago Read more -
Blog postWant to know the best curveball grips that are used by nearly every pro pitcher in baseball? They’re all in this article…
The Truth: There Aren’t That Many Different Curveball Grips Yep, the core finger placement is mostly the same, with only minor variations in the placement of the index finger. The truth is, throwing a good curveball is mostly about how you spin the ball.
What’s the best curveball grip? There isn’t one single grip, but you DO need to place the middle finger2 months ago Read more -
Blog postIt’s not uncommon for softball players to have pain while throwing. Typically, this is due to a few factors–poor throwing mechanics, a weak shoulder, a poor throwing progression, or more. Learn how you can potentially ward off pain while throwing a softball in this article.
This article on throwing pain in fastpitch softball players is a two-parter. When part two is complete, it will be linked here.
FIRST! A Player Should Never Be in Pain Throwing a Softball. Some parents, pla2 months ago Read more -
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Blog postSlow pitch softball throwing drills can make a huge difference in a player’s game. Though many slow pitch players have a background in baseball or softball, many do not, making even fundamental skills a challenge to learn in adulthood. Playing recreational softball is all about having fun, meeting new people, competing and getting out in the sun. But, when you have the requisite skills to make the routine play consistently, the game gets a lot more fun. Read on fore four great tips for improv2 months ago Read more
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Blog postArm strength and arm care exercises are CRITICAL for keeping a baseball player healthy over a long career. Especially for pitchers, developing an arm strength routine is a must.
How do you strengthening your arm as a pitcher and reduce the chance of injury? By performing a balanced routine of shoulder and rotator cuff exercises consistently, 3-4 days per week for YEARS on end. It’s longterm preventive care that really makes a huge difference.
In this article, learn eight great3 months ago Read more -
Blog postNeed great baseball workouts and exercise ideas for yourself or your team? In this article, you’ll learn how to create your own baseball strength training program as well as get a free one to use today.
Baseball Workouts: The Complete Guide For Players and Coaches In this guide to baseball strength and conditioning, I’ll teach you everything you need to know to build your own training program for yourself or your team.
You’ll learn a tremendous amount in this article, but if y3 months ago Read more -
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Blog postEveryone wants to play Division-1 baseball and they thus tend to steer their recruiting efforts to this goal. But there are LOTS of levels of college baseball, and most players will not go D-I.
So, what is JUCO baseball (also known by its formal names of Junior College baseball and NJCAA baseball) and why should you care?
In this article we’ll cover common questions about Junior College baseball and talk about the level of play, why it’s right for some players and not others,3 months ago Read more -
Blog postOverhand throwing instruction in softball is very lacking, and this seems mostly due to the fact that pitching instruction is a different motion altogether. For softball players to throw harder, they need strategy and good instruction in their training.
In baseball, young boys who learn to pitch also necessarily learn to throw properly; pitching = throwing.
But for girls who pitch underhand and throw overhand, there is a disconnect and overhand throwing lessons are rarely soug3 months ago Read more -
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Blog postWhere should a coach position his infield for the best possible defense given the situation? What are the basic baseball infield positions that should be taught in youth baseball? How should players shift given a hitter’s handedness?
In this guide to baseball infield defenses, we’ll cover both simple and advanced shifts and strategies: Standard infield depthInfield “in”Infield Halfway (a rarely used one)ShiftingMany more types of defenses Skip ahead anywhere in the article using the t3 months ago Read more -
Blog postWhat do the baseball position numbers mean? They are used in scoring the game, and so each position is designated with a 1-9 number. They go in order, starting with the pitcher as #1, however the shortstop is out of order–he should be #5 if following the pattern, but instead is #6.
This was because originally, the shortstop was the fourth outfielder. Later, the shortstop was moved permanently to the infield but his number stuck at #6. It’s important to understand the positional number3 months ago Read more
The PERFECT Pitching Book for coaches and players who want to learn the right way to pitch.
Pitching Isn't Complicatedis a book of advanced pitching drills, concepts and strategy, explained in simple, easy-to-understand terminology.
If you're a young player to learn or a coach trying to do better for his players, this book will teach you everything you need to know and nothing that you don't. Complex guru-speak is rampant in the baseball industry these days, and this book does NOT preach in scientific terms.
In the Book You'll Learn:
- Stretch and windup mechanics used by the pros
- How to assess and correct pitching mechanics
- The most effective pitching drills to fix problems and form a routine
- Pitch grips and action for the fastball, curveball, two-seamer, cutter and changeup
- Command basics and how to improve control
- Mental training techniques for pitchers
- Situational pitching
- Pitch-call and pitch sequencing strategy
- How to form a good routine
- Professionalism and dealing with failure
- Advice on strength training, arm care and injury prevention
Pitching Isn't Complicated is a concise, simple explanation of the pitching maxims that every pitcher must have to pitch at an elite level.
Coach Dan Blewett has combined his playing and coaching experience into a book that is both practice and appropriate for players of all ages and coaches of all experience levels.
Read Pitching Isn't Complicated today -- Buy now and don't look back!
Dear Baseball Gods,
Why didn't you look out for him? Didn't he deserve better? He hustled, competed, and played the game the right way. What happened wasn't fair.
A Second Comeback
Dan sat by a tree, staring at the ground trying to decide what he would do next. The doctor had just explained that everything he worked for was now ruined. A second Tommy John surgery? Does anyone come back from that? Is my career over? Is this it?
A Winding Road to the Top
As a walk-on in college, Dan had to earn everything. He pitched on three hours sleep, lived in the clubhouse, played for a team that collapsed mid-season, and endured more arm pain than any kid should.
A Way to Move On
When finally forced to hang up his cleats, Dan looked in the mirror and didn't recognize the man peering back. If no longer a ballplayer...what would he do? What had been the point of it all? Who was he?
The Deeper Side of Life as an Athlete
In this philosophical memoir, written as a series of letters, you'll learn that the pinstripes don't wash off so easily.
Want to learn more about Dan and Dear Baseball Gods? Scroll to the bottom of the page to find videos about the book!