Home Run: A Modern Approach to Baseball Skill Building

Ian A. Andrews is editor of the New Brunswick Teachers’ Association’s Focus and co-author of Becoming a Teacher.

In his foreword, former Toronto Blue Jays catcher Ernie Whitt calls
Michael McRae “one of college baseball’s newest and more innovative
instructors.” In his three-decade career, McRae has coached at most
levels, including the Blue Jay’s Coaching Development Program and the
Canadian Baseball Academy. In Home Run, he expounds on his philosophy of
coaching and introduces practical drills to reinforce his teaching
theory.

McCrae believes in “muscle memory, the body’s solid platform on
which all athletic skills are built.” He also believes that multiple
repetitions of skills leads to successful implementation—the old
“practice makes perfect” idea. But most of all, McRae believes in
teaching the appropriate skills and in this “how to” book tries to
do just that.

Each chapter deals with a specific skill: throwing a baseball,
receiving a baseball, playing the infield, playing the outfield,
hitting, bunting, running the bases, and catching. The last chapter
emphasizes the goal of producing the well-rounded player who is skilled
in many areas. According to McRae, a successful coach must try to gain
the respect of players by being able to justify all of his actions.

The chapters follow a progression, beginning with the logistics of the
skill, continuing by breaking the skill into its various components, and
concluding with specific drills whereby the skill can not only be
learned but also perfected through repetition. Each drill is presented
as a lesson plan, with an objective, set-up, and procedures (with
explanatory sketches) provided. The drills move from easiest to most
difficult.

Home Run is a useful addition to the library of coaches and of parents
who are searching for specific ways to instruct players in the required
baseball skills.