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Syd Thrift |
By KURT NICOLL
The next .400 hitter is out there waiting to be discovered--perhaps during next weekend's instructional hitting seminar at the Virginia Sports Complex in Ruther Glen.
With more than 50 years of professional baseball under his belt, Syd Thrift realizes undiscovered baseball talent might show up in the most unlikely of places, like when he found the undrafted Bobby Bonilla during a 1981 trip to the Scandinavian countries. He wasted little time signing the power-hitting infielder to a minor-league contract for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Thrift was in Fredericksburg last week to promote the Jan. 21st seminar (from noon to 4 p.m.) and touch base with several high school and college coaches in the area.
"One of the things we emphasize is pregame preparation, both mental and physical," said the baseball consultant, who once served in top executive positions with six different major league teams, including the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles.
"Knowledge is a powerful thing so we have broken it down in simplistic terms," he added in explaining his cerebral approach to enhancing a player's skills. "It was like with [Orioles' pitcher] John Maine the other day, we talked about 'What is your job in baseball as a pitcher?'
"I guarantee I could talk to 10 pitchers and 10 pitching coaches and none of them would give you the right answer.
"The answer is simple: Your job is to throw the ball the ball to the small target. The finer the focus, takes you out of your body and your brain becomes in a state of euphoria. Anyone who has played any baseball has experienced it," he concluded.
Some might view Thrift's approach more of a Zen master than a baseball guru, but his converts are many.
The Sporting News--often referred to as the bible of baseball--once described him as "one of the best teachers in baseball."
Thift traced many of his baseball techniques while helping organize and directing the Kansas City Royals' baseball academy in the late 1960s.
"The baseball academy was the greatest thing to ever happen to me," said Thrift, who is a co-host of two-hour baseball talk show on Radio America that airs Sunday. "The more I learn, the more I say to myself, 'Oh boy, not yet.' There is always things to learn."
Mike Brown is one of the instructors at the Virginia Sports Complex (located off the I-95, Carmel Church exit on U.S. Route 1 in Caroline County) and is amazed over the wealth of knowledge he has picked up from Thift in a short period of time.
"Some of the stuff I never got a chance to use when I was playing professional," said the former William & Mary standout, whose two-year stay in the Detroit Tigers' farm system ended because of an injury. "I never really knew how much there was to be taught and understood at this level."
The heart of next week's seminar is a series of 'breakout sessions' where participants will break into smaller groups and attend four 30-minutes of specialized instruction.
Thrift's presentation is described as "vision training/preparing mentally and physically." Brown will join Baltimore Orioles minor league hitting coordinator Denny Walling for "practice organization/time management, team drills."
Washington Nationals prospect Ryan Zimmerman teams with Jim Thrift for "smart ball/situational hitting, 2-strike hitting, bunting" and Mike Hubbard joins St. Louis Cardinals hitting instructor Hal McRae for "the swing/improving hard contact with power."
Both Brown and the elder Thrift are high on the potential of Maine, a North Stafford High School graduate who has made rapid advancement through the Orioles system since being drafted out of the University of Charlotte.
"[John] said his arm got tired toward the end of last year," said Brown, who sees Maine roughly three or four times a week at Virginia Sports Complex while waiting for spring training to start next month. "He has big hands which helps a lot with his breaking stuff and he's got some life on his fast ball. He's got a standard motion, but he hides the ball well."
While the seminar is designed to help young players, older players as well as coaches and parents can benefit from participating as well, according to Thrift.
Registration fee is $95 with players 12-and-under participating for free when accompanied by a paying adult. Advanced registration is recommended.
For additional information, contact the facility at 1877/482-7778 or at its Web site at vas portscomplex.com.
To reach KURT NICOLL:
Email: knicoll@freelancestar.com
