BASEBALL COACHES UNPLUGGED

Send us Fan Mail What happens when college baseball recruits finally arrive on campus? Are coaches getting the players they thought they recruited, or do they discover someone entirely different? Brian Warning, former college recruiting coordinator at Thiel and Lake Erie College, pulls back the curtain on the critical summer period before college baseball and how it separates future contributors f...

Send us Fan Mail Some baseball stories transcend the game itself, becoming legends that remind us why we love this sport. Ryan Heath's April 23, 2007 performance is exactly that kind of story. Imagine a quiet, hardworking kid from a small rural high school who had never hit a grand slam in his life. Then, in one magical doubleheader for Oakland University, he launches three grand slams, adds...

Send us Fan Mail When Gary Gilmore arrived at Coastal Carolina, they had won just 17 games the previous season. Nobody—except perhaps Gilmore himself—believed this program could ever reach college baseball's pinnacle. Yet through a remarkable development-focused philosophy, unwavering faith, and a culture built on love, Gilmore guided the Chanticleers to one of the greatest underdog stories i...

Send us Fan Mail Championship teams aren't born—they're built through transformative moments. When Olentangy High School was run-ruled by their rivals midway through the 2025 season, head coach Ryan Lucas watched something remarkable happen. His players, on their own accord, gathered in the locker room for an honest conversation about identity and commitment. That player-led meeting spar...

Send us Fan Mail What's destroying young pitchers' arms across America? The answer might be right there on the radar gun.  In this eye-opening episode, Coach Ken Carpenter tackles the alarming rise in serious arm injuries among youth and high school pitchers. Drawing from conversations with experts like Dr. Tom House and his own 27 years of coaching experience, Ken explores how the relen...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder what happens when a Major League manager storms the field to argue a call? For Clint Hurdle, former Pittsburgh Pirates and Colorado Rockies manager, one such confrontation led to an unexpected humbling when an umpire refused to eject him, saying "I've had to watch this horrible baseball for four days. You're going to have to watch it too." It's...

Send us Fan Mail Baseball's developmental landscape has undergone a massive shift in recent years. The glittering allure of travel baseball—with its showcases, fancy uniforms, and promises of exposure—has many believing it's the superior path to player development. But is it really? Drawing from 27 years of high school coaching experience and 8 seasons in travel baseball, Coach Ken Carpe...

Send us Fan Mail When Coach Will Gorden stepped off the plane in China to lead a development program for Major League Baseball, he faced an immediate challenge: coaching 42 young baseball players who didn't speak English. This experience became the foundation for his transformative coaching journey that would span three countries and reshape his approach to leadership. "More than anythin...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to build a championship high school baseball program without flame-throwing pitchers or Division I talent? Wisconsin Hall of Fame coach Jeff Ryan pulls back the curtain on his old-school approach that's produced 438 wins and a state championship at small-school Prescott High. Ryan's journey from milking cows on a hobby farm to becoming one of Wisconsin&...

Send us Fan Mail Nestled within the captivating world of collegiate baseball lies an extraordinary tale of transformation. Phil Schallenberger, head coach of Messiah University's baseball program, guides us through his team's remarkable journey from a disheartening 1-7 start to playing for the Division III College World Series championship. The turning point came not through a strategic...

Send us Fan Mail The difference between consistently winning baseball programs and those that occasionally succeed isn't raw talent—it's the foundational elements Coach Ken Carpenter reveals in this powerful episode. Drawing from 27 years of coaching experience, Carpenter breaks down the eight critical characteristics that championship teams at every level share, from high school powerho...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder how top high school baseball programs consistently develop winning cultures? Coach Blake Iles of Olathe East High School in Kansas pulls back the curtain on his coaching philosophy that's produced multiple 20+ win seasons and championships. What makes Iles' approach unique is his genuine commitment to empowering those around him. His assistant coaches don&apo...

Send us Fan Mail The journey to a state baseball championship begins with preparation long before the tournament starts. Coach Al Zeiher of Saline High School in Michigan joins us to share his championship philosophy as his team readies for the playoff gauntlet. We dive deep into Michigan's fascinating tournament format where matchups are determined by a random draw—athletic directors literal...

Send us Fan Mail The college baseball landscape has fundamentally changed, and today we're pulling back the curtain on the recruiting reality that coaches and players are facing nationwide. At the heart of this transformation is a critical choice: developing high school talent or tapping into the transfer portal for seasoned players. When Oregon State's head coach Mitch Cannon candidly a...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to build a high school baseball powerhouse ranked #1 in Arkansas and among the top 25 programs nationally? Coach Leighton Hardin of Conway High School pulls back the curtain on his championship formula. The secret to Conway's "Wampus Cats" success starts with three non-negotiable values: team, toughness, and competitiveness. Coach Hardin demonstrat...

Send us Fan Mail When the rain washes out a week of games and the state tournament looms on the horizon, how do you keep your pitching staff ready? For Coach Jason Brandt, the answer might surprise you. Coach Brandt of Wapakoneta High School has crafted one of Ohio's most consistent baseball programs through a philosophy that seems counterintuitive at first glance. "The later we get into...

Send us Fan Mail Winning changes everything—but not in the way most coaches think. Beyond the scoreboard and standings, victory triggers a fascinating biological transformation in the brain that makes future success more likely. Coach Ken Carpenter dives deep into "The Winner Effect," revealing how each hard-fought win releases testosterone and dopamine, rewiring neural pathways to creat...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when American Legion baseball meets small-town Montana culture? Paul Mrazek, Director of the Montana Baseball Coaches Association and Head Coach for Cranbrook Post 24 Legion, takes us into a world where baseball thrives despite vast distances between communities and limited resources. Montana's baseball landscape is evolving rapidly. After being one of just five...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder why your son isn't in the starting lineup? The truth might surprise you.  Baseball isn't just about who can hit the ball farthest or throw the fastest pitch. High school coaches make tough decisions every single day about who plays and who sits – decisions that go far beyond raw talent. From academic performance and classroom behavior to practice effort and b...

Send us Fan Mail Johnny DeRing, head baseball coach at Buckeye Valley High School(OH), offers a masterclass in building successful high school baseball programs that goes far beyond traditional coaching wisdom. The power of community stands at the heart of Buckeye Valley's baseball success. In this tight-knit, blue-collar community, parents and former players eagerly volunteer their expertise...

Send us Fan Mail Baseball's beautiful chaos demands more than just careful planning—it requires thorough preparation. In this thought-provoking episode, Coach Ken Carpenter challenges conventional coaching wisdom by explaining why preparation consistently trumps planning when navigating the unpredictable nature of America's pastime. Drawing from his 27 years of coaching experience, Coach...

Send us Fan Mail Parker Byrd's journey from star high school shortstop to amputee baseball player at East Carolina University defies all conventional expectations. After committing to ECU as a freshman, his life took a devastating turn during a summer boating trip with teammates before his first college season. Caught beneath a boat's propeller, Parker suffered catastrophic injuries requ...

Send us Fan Mail "Winners rise, losers fall, and which one you become is entirely up to you." These words capture the essence of our deep dive into baseball's most defining moments – not the championship celebrations, but the crushing failures that reveal our true character. When the pressure mounts and nothing goes your way, what happens next defines you as a player, coach, and per...

Send us Fan Mail Pat Bailey opens up about his remarkable 42-year baseball coaching journey that culminated in two national championships at Oregon State and D3 George Fox University. With a career spanning high school, Division III, and Division I baseball, Bailey offers a treasure trove of wisdom on what truly builds consistent winners. Bailey's approach to recruiting and team-building is r...

Send us Fan Mail Step up to the plate and discover how to elevate your baseball coaching strategy by focusing on the small yet significant victories that define success on and off the field. In this captivating episode, Coach Ken Carpenter discusses the essential elements that contribute to winning games—emphasizing the crucial roles that every player, particularly pitchers and catchers, play in c...