Driveline Academy Youth Baseball Podcast

Driveline Academy Podcast
  • 5.0 (2)
  • BASEBALL
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

The Driveline Academy podcast covers all aspects of youth baseball. We talk about Driveline's approach data-driven skill development that we execute with our Driveline Academy teams, the travel and club baseball ecosystem, long-term athletic development, crazy coaches, crazy parents, the whole thing!

  1. APR 27

    The Step Back Man Swing System, Pitch Count Horrors & Choosing the Harder Thing - Academy Youth Baseball Podcast EP 111 | Driveline Baseball Video

    The Step Back Man Swing System, Pitch Count Horrors & Choosing the Harder Thing In this episode of "the world's most dangerous youth baseball podcast," host Deven Morgan uses Mike Trout's new step-back load to launch a takedown of one-system hitting instruction and tee-obsessed youth development — if one of the best players ever is adding new moves mid-career, what are we doing grooming 10-year-olds for aesthetic perfection? He then dismantles Mark DeRosa's claim that Kevin McGonigle's bat speed "can't be taught," arguing that rising velocity thresholds across baseball prove elite output is far more accessible than conventional wisdom admits. "This Week in Pitch Counts" returns with horror shows — a 14U kid throwing 168 pitches across two days, a 75-pitch one-inning outing in April — contrasted with coaches in Georgia who proactively coordinated workload across a player's two teams. The episode closes with a personal reflection on parenting a junior through his high school season: the highs of a 13-K complete game shutout, the emotional weight of recruiting timelines, and a couch conversation where his son, facing a step up to national-level summer competition, simply said "I'm ready" — a moment Deven values not for baseball, but for what it reveals about character. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro & Housekeeping: Tryouts Now Open03:40 Step Back Man: Mike Trout's New Load & the Myth of One Swing09:20 Why Young Hitters Get "Bodied" by the Bat — Engine Before Skill11:00 The Tee Problem: Blocked Reps vs. Perception-Action Coupling14:00 Train Parents to Flip, Not to Coach Mechanics15:20 The Grocery List of Swing Flaws — Who Cares If He Catches Barrels?19:30 "You Can't Teach That" — DeRosa, McGonigle & the Walled Garden of Performance26:00 This Week in Pitch Counts: 168 Pitches in Two Days34:45 75 Pitches in One Inning — "It Ain't Little League Elbow, It's Who-Cares-About-Your-Elbow"38:15 Doing It Right: Distributed Pitching & the Walt Schiller / Rodney Dickerson Example48:00 Junior Year: Complete Game Shutout, Recruiting Pressure & Learning Over Fear01:01:50 The Parent Signal: Accountability for How We Treat Poor Performance01:05:00 "I'm Ready" — Choosing the Harder Thing01:07:00 Aging, Perspective & What Character Reveals01:11:50 Closing: Roman Reigns, Tryouts & Powered by Driveline Links: https://t.co/R7TLVHE2EU

    1h 15m

  2. APR 10

    Pitch Smart 2.0: From Ranting on Twitter to the MLB Boardroom - Academy Youth Baseball Podcast EP 110 | Driveline Baseball

    Pitch Smart 2.0: From Ranting on Twitter to the MLB Boardroom In this episode of "the world's most dangerous youth baseball podcast," host Deven Morgan returns after an extended hiatus to deliver a packed update spanning youth baseball policy, sports science research, and the deeply personal side of coaching his son. Deven details the remarkable progress of the Pitch Smart 2.0 initiative — a multi-year coalition effort alongside Rob Hahne and others with the ABCA Youth & Travel Baseball committees, and Major League Baseball — to establish universal pitch count standards and centralized workload reporting across all youth baseball leagues and tournament providers. What started as an idea has culminated in a meeting at MLB headquarters in New York where every major provider in the room signaled their commitment to join the voluntary coalition, a moment Deven describes as "surreal." The episode pivots to a deep dive into Driveline's groundbreaking weighted ball study on youth athletes — the first of its kind — which replicates prior ASMI findings and confirms that heavier balls reduce joint stress because movement speed decreases, framing weighted ball training as fundamentally a resistance training mechanism rather than a risk factor. Finally, Deven shares a raw, reflective segment on parenting through his son Danny's junior season — from a grand slam in the first game to a hitting slump that led to a late-night session at Driveline, unpacking the "see it deep, be flat" approach and ultimately arguing that baseball's greatest deliverable isn't trophies or college offers, but the perspective and problem-solving skills that come from not running away when things go wrong. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro & Housekeeping 02:28 Pitch Smart 2.0: The Coalition & MLB Meeting 14:55 Workload Science: Acute-to-Chronic Ratio Explained 22:40 Going Around the Room — Everyone Says Yes 28:20 What's Next for Pitch Smart 30:30 Youth Weighted Ball Study: Key Findings 38:40 Weighted Balls as Resistance Training 44:30 Parenting, the Lighthouse Metaphor & Danny's Season 50:50 Late-Night Driveline Session: Diagnosing the Problem 58:00 Baseball as a Life Skill: Don't Run Away From the Fire 01:03:00 Perspective Over Plastic 01:08:00 Closing & What's Ahead Links: https://t.co/R7TLVHE2EU

    1h 9m

  3. FEB 5

    Cosplay vs. Competition: 7U Signing Day Insanity - Academy Youth Baseball Podcast EP 109 | Driveline Baseball

    Cosplay vs. Competition: 7U Signing Day Insanity In this episode of "the world's most dangerous youth baseball podcast," host Deven Morgan returns for another Youth Baseball Bummer Power Hour to tackle the growing trend of "cosplay" in youth sports. Deven offers a scathing critique of signing days for 6 and 7-year-olds, utilizing the developmental theories of Jean Piaget to explain why professionalizing the experience for single-digit ages is a psychological "ticking time bomb." The conversation pivots to a proposed systemic solution for the youth coaching crisis, arguing that the current "pulse-only" requirement for coaches must be replaced by a teacher-like certification and a centralized repository for safety and compliance. Deven also celebrates the "disruption" of Jesse Cole and the Savannah Bananas as they expand into youth tournaments, challenging the traditional 90-foot game to either prioritize fun or lose its market share to "Banana Ball." Finally, the show concludes with a deep dive into five months of HitTrax data, proving through "Player 1’s" 3,000 tracked swings that development is not a "wishing contest" but a result of consistent stimulus and falling in love with the work. Timestamps:00:00 Intro & Housekeeping01:20 Discounts: AxeBat code & Youth Assessments code03:00 6U & 7U Signing Day "Insanity"10:40 Professionalization as "Cosplay"15:30 Piaget & developmental psychology in youth sports21:30 The Coaching Solution: Certification vs. the "Pulse"27:00 Systemic fixes: Centralized reporting & pitch counts36:15 Savannah Bananas & the disruption of youth baseball40:24 Banana Ball vs. tradition48:00 The only two goals: Fun/Engagement and Skill Building50:40 Hitting Deep Dive: 5 months of HitTrax data53:00 Tracking 3,000 swings: The ROI of showing up57:45 Why development is not a "Wishing Contest"01:10:00 Closing: Deeds, Not Words

    1h 12m

  4. JAN 29

    The Next Time Might Be the Last Time Your Child Plays Baseball - Academy Youth Baseball Podcast EP 108 | Driveline Baseball

    The Next Time Might Be the Last Time Your Child Plays Baseball In this episode, host Deven Morgan delivers a comprehensive ABCA convention recap and gets personal about what it means to coach his son—possibly for the last time. The bulk of the show tracks Deven's ongoing mission to establish universal pitch count standards and cross-organizational reporting, from presenting directly to MLB and USA Baseball, to navigating the politics of getting Little League, Perfect Game, USSSA, and private equity-backed leagues to buy in. He breaks down new MLB data showing 34% of Tommy John surgeries from 2010–2022 were performed on players 17 and under, reinforces the case for a "coalition of the willing," and recaps his speaking slot on the MLB Arm Care Panel. Along the way, Deven takes a swing at lacrosse marketing ("America's oldest sport"—miss me with that), unpacks the multi-sport vs. single-sport debate by emphasizing that athletic development must accompany skill work, and announces a podcast-exclusive 25% discount on Driveline youth assessments. The episode closes with an emotional reflection on coaching Danny into third base during a recent scrimmage—connecting that moment to a nine-year-old version of the same kid sliding into the same bag years earlier—and a reminder to every youth coach: the next time might be the last time. Timestamps 00:00 Intro 01:45 Housekeeping: AxeBat code DL20 02:05 NEW: 25% off youth assessments (code: PODCAST) 04:30 Lacrosse "America's oldest sport" rant 08:35 ABCa recap: universal pitch counts & reporting 12:50 Presenting to MLB & USA Baseball 15:15 Coalition of the willing & Youth Summit progress 18:00 Pitch Smart 1.0 politics 21:55 Pitch Safe app & Pulse workload data 27:30 MLB updating pitch guidelines 28:55 New data: 34% of TJ surgeries are 17-and-under 30:00 Coaching in the HitTrax cage with AxeBat 33:10 MLB Network filming & Arm Care Panel prep 35:25 Youth Hot Stove panel recap 38:30 Multi-sport play deep dive 45:10 College recruiting: athleticism vs. skill 46:15 Scrimmage story: last time coaching Danny? 48:45 The triple—"to me, to me, to me" 52:30 Flashback: nine-year-old Danny, same bag 58:40 The next time might be the last time 1:03:45 "This Week in Pitch Counts" returns 1:05:20 Outro

    1h 6m

  5. JAN 15

    91 MPH, Earned Not Given: Inside the PG Main Event Showcase - Academy Youth Baseball Podcast EP 107 | Driveline Baseball

    91 MPH, Earned Not Given: Inside the PG Main Event Showcase In this deeply personal episode, host Deven Morgan pulls back the curtain on his son Danny's first-ever showcase—the Perfect Game Main Event in Fort Myers. What follows is a ground-level breakdown of the entire experience: battling illness on the trip, navigating a 3 a.m. Pacific wake-up, catcher throw-downs, 60-yard dash testing, and an eight-strikeout, three-inning pitching performance that topped out at 91 mph. But the real story is how they got there—shutting down in August, building the offseason ramp specifically around December competition readiness, and the "you can't win the race on this lap" mindset. Deven also offers a nuanced defense of Perfect Game, crediting their Pitch Smart compliance, rolled innings, and coach-pitch games designed to protect arms. The episode closes with a reflection on process over outcome: the skills built chasing baseball translate far beyond the diamond. Timestamps 00:00 Intro: "World's Most Dangerous Podcast" returns01:30 Housekeeping: AxeBat code & HitTrax shoutout05:15 ABCA live hitting demo recap—coaching random kids in the cage08:00 Danny's first Perfect Game showcase10:45 Getting the invite & texting Taylor McCullough13:30 Scheduling the offseason around a December showcase15:45 Travel chaos: sick dad, delayed flights, 3 a.m. wake-ups19:20 Day 1: Catcher throw-downs & radar gun cosine error25:05 60-yard dash at 6.6 flat on minimal sleep27:30 Two games Sunday—pitcher/catcher workload management29:00 How to ramp up for a December showcase (August shutdown explained)34:00 "You can't win the race on this lap"—messaging around goals41:45 Day 2: Danny starts on the mound—91 mph, 8 Ks, 3 innings46:30 The sequence: top-shelf heater → backdoor turbo sinker → backdoor changeup48:50 Perfect Game notification drops: "overpowering hitters early"51:20 The moment—"that nine was earned"53:45 Hitting workout & bat speed testing55:30 Texas Roadhouse celebration steak57:00 Day 3: Coach-pitch games & protecting arms1:00:00 Defending Perfect Game: Pitch Smart compliance & rolled innings1:04:30 What parents are really paying for—answers to "is my kid good?"1:09:00 Danny's PG percentiles breakdown1:11:15 Self-improvement as the real product—the portable skillset1:12:45 Coming soon: ABCA recap, MLB Network appearance, Driveline assessment discount Links Develop bat speed with our Youth Power Bat for just $99! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/product/youth-power-trainer/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Skills That Scale: The Complete Youth Baseball Training Manual is out now! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/product/skills-that-scale-training-manual/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Train bat speed and barrel accuracy with our Youth Underload Smash bat - just $79! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/product/youth-underload-smash-bat/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬇️ Host ⬇️ Deven Morgan ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/devenmorgan ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚨 Follow Driveline Academy on Social Media 🚨⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/DrivelineYouth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/drivelineyouth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/drivelineyouth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    1h 13m

  6. 2025-12-19

    Dear A-Rod, Please Come to Driveline: See How Data Helps Kids, Not Hurts Them - Academy Youth Baseball Podcast EP 106 | Driveline Baseball

    Dear A-Rod, Please Come to Driveline: See How Data Helps Kids, Not Hurts Them Deven opens with a deep dive into training ball flight over swing esthetics, explaining why paying attention to batted ball outcomes (line drives between 10-18 degrees) matters more than visual checkpoints. He breaks down gravity, drag, and descent angles to illustrate why "swing level" coaching sets kids up for failure. The episode pivots to A-Rod's viral Instagram video telling 4.4 million followers that 15-year-olds shouldn't chase launch angle, exit velo, or max effort, and should focus on "three pitches for strikes anytime you want" at Jamie Moyer velocity levels. Deven systematically dismantles this advice, arguing it's advocating for ignorance—telling kids to reach a destination without a map or compass. He explains why sub-competitive velocity with command doesn't play against college hitters, why exit velo paired with ideal launch angles equals relevancy, and why the "old days" of Greg Maddux and Jamie Moyer aren't coming back. Deven extends an open invitation for A-Rod to visit Driveline and see how data serves players rather than replacing coaching. The episode closes with personal reflection: telling his 16-year-old son "you can't win the race on this lap" after missing a velocity PR, connecting process over outcome to cross-sport application, and addressing travel ball trauma through a friend's panic attacks decades later. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro, AxeBat code & training at three locations03:07 – Train ball flight, not swing esthetics09:02 – Line drives are balls hit in the air: Ted Williams unpacked13:21 – "Coming home" vs. adaptation during the swing18:15 – Gravity, drag & matching the plane of the pitch22:16 – 46-foot distance, 40 MPH = 16-degree descent problem24:27 – "Swing level" + descent angle = one contact chance27:15 – Hit over the shortstop's head: ball flight intention coaching30:13 – A-Rod's "Fundamentals > Stats" video breakdown32:23 – Dismissing launch angle/exit velo = advocating ignorance39:15 – Exit velo + launch angle = relevancy; one without the other = outs43:17 – "Three pitches for strikes" doesn't play anymore46:41 – Jamie Moyer example: old days aren't coming back50:06 – 4.4M followers, 25M reach: poison disguised as wisdom55:00 – "Don't advocate for ignorance if you care about the game"56:36 – Open invitation: A-Rod, come see what we actually do58:15 – "You can't win the race on this lap": 16-year-old PR talk01:04:45 – Process over outcome: cross-occupational application01:06:37 – Travel ball panic attacks: unresolved childhood trauma01:09:47 – 7% leaky bucket: will hurt people put kids in baseball?01:10:20 – Outro: anniversary, Little League partnerships Links Develop bat speed with our Youth Power Bat for just $99! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/product/youth-power-trainer/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Skills That Scale: The Complete Youth Baseball Training Manual is out now! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/product/skills-that-scale-training-manual/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Train bat speed and barrel accuracy with our Youth Underload Smash bat - just $79! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/product/youth-underload-smash-bat/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬇️ Host ⬇️ Deven Morgan ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/devenmorgan ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚨 Follow Driveline Academy on Social Media 🚨⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/DrivelineYouth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/drivelineyouth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/drivelineyouth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    1h 12m

  7. 2025-12-01

    "I Have Failed You": What Augie Garrido's Rant Actually Teaches About Coaching Kids - Academy Youth Baseball Podcast EP 105 | Driveline Baseball

    "I Have Failed You": What Augie Garrido's Rant Actually Teaches About Coaching Kids Deven recaps the ABCA Youth Summit in Austin, revealing Pitch Smart 2.0 is actively being developed by MLB with universal pitch counts and app-based reporting. The coalition includes PBR, Perfect Game, and Little League, with cross-platform tracking for workload, coach certifications, and ejection histories. New Aspen Institute data exposes the crisis: a 6.9% gap between new players (41% annually) and kids who quit (35%)—a dangerously thin margin. Deven connects this to travel baseball Instagram jokes and MLB injury data (60%+ UCL surgeries on high schoolers and younger), arguing the sport faces a death spiral if public perception remains "injurious and family-hostile." He shares insights from visiting UT Austin with Coach Schloss, Tulo, and Coach Box: multi-sport matters for solving different athletic problems not acquiring skills, SEC coaches "coach the PO out of pitchers" for athleticism, and "season logistics are your kid's growth plate." Deven introduces UT's hero-hardship-highlight trust-building exercise and unpacks Augie Garrido's famous rant, focusing on the accountability line "I have failed you" rather than criminalizing kids' mistakes. The episode closes with self-assessment feedback loops using Jay Fletcher's viral 4-year-old videos, contrasting feedback-driven environments with forcing kids into Don Mattingly mechanics they lack the strength to execute. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro, AxeBat code & new local training partnerships02:56 – ABCA Summit recap: Pitch Smart 2.0 in progress with MLB10:08 – Workload units, universal reporting & cross-platform coalition17:45 – The 6.9% gap: 41% new, 35% quit—leaky bucket crisis22:01 – Travel baseball moms, injury stats & death spiral threat27:25 – Fastpitch 300+ pitches: fatigue doesn't care about gender30:17 – Average umpire age 47: no next generation coming31:57 – UT visit: Schloss, Box, Tulo on multi-sport & athleticism38:52 – "They coach the PO out"—why 12U specialists are backwards41:04 – "Season logistics are your kid's growth plate"44:28 – Hero-hardship-highlight: vulnerability builds trust47:00 – Augie Garrido: "I have failed you" accountability lesson53:41 – Self-assessment feedback vs. criminalizing mistakes01:02:11 – Don Mattingly mechanics vs. feedback-driven environments01:05:01 – Outro: guest coming, training options Links Start training with Driveline now with Academy Flex: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/academy-flex/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Develop bat speed with our Youth Power Bat for just $99! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/product/youth-power-trainer/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Skills That Scale: The Complete Youth Baseball Training Manual is out now! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/product/skills-that-scale-training-manual/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Train bat speed and barrel accuracy with our Youth Underload Smash bat - just $79! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/product/youth-underload-smash-bat/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬇️ Host ⬇️ Deven Morgan ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/devenmorgan ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚨 Follow Driveline Academy on Social Media 🚨⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/DrivelineYouth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/drivelineyouth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/drivelineyouth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    1h 6m

  8. 2025-11-17

    Sandy Koufax Retired at 31 and We're Still Letting 14-Year-Olds Go 121 Pitches in Fall Ball - Academy Youth Baseball Podcast EP 104 | Driveline Baseball

    Sandy Koufax Retired at 31 and We're Still Letting 14-Year-Olds Go 121 Pitches in Fall Ball Deven opens with Pitching Ninja's video on Yada Sensei—Yamamoto's trainer—and his tree analogy: focus on the trunk (core, proximal segments), not the branches (arm positions, extremities). He applies this to youth coaching, calling out PE teachers demanding point-at-target finishes instead of teaching proper sequencing. The episode pivots to "This Week in Pitch Counts": 14U kids throwing 121 during October fall ball. Deven systematically dismantles every fall ball justification ("chemistry is built," "toughness is earned") while contrasting Yamamoto's built-up workload capacity with kids spiking acute/chronic load in meaningless games. He invokes Sandy Koufax's retirement at 31 from chronic arthritis as proof we're ignoring history. The core is his fired-up plea ahead of the ABCA Youth Summit: four years of talk, now it's time to build Pitch Smart 2.0 with universal pitch counts, universal reporting, and red-light/green-light systems like Baseball Ontario's app. He frames the crisis through "two boxes"—baseball's dependence on pitcher health and accelerating public perception that travel baseball is injurious and family-hostile—arguing the game will die from the bottom up if parents stop enrolling kids after watching burnout and injury cycles repeat. 00:00 – Intro, AxeBat code & new training packages02:13 – Yada Sensei & Yamamoto: trunk vs. branches philosophy08:38 – PE teachers, pointing finishes & proximal-to-distal reality14:31 – 115 pitches October 11th: This Week in Pitch Counts16:15 – 14U kid: 115 Saturday, 121 Sunday, 97 Monday in fall ball22:18 – Debunking "It's never just fall ball" myths27:15 – What fall ball should be vs. October tournaments31:04 – Sandy Koufax at 31 & normalizing ibuprofen for 9-year-olds32:42 – ABCA Summit: four years of talk, time for action34:08 – Pitch Smart 2.0: universal counts & reporting blueprint42:19 – Two boxes: pitcher dependency + public perception crisis47:25 – "Why sign my 7-year-old up after what killed my 11-year-old's love?"50:25 – Baseball Ontario's red-light/green-light app solution56:04 – Universal reporting unlocks coach certification visibility01:02:30 – Outro: Austin summit report next week Links Start training with Driveline now with Academy Flex: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/academy-flex/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Develop bat speed with our Youth Power Bat for just $99! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/product/youth-power-trainer/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Skills That Scale: The Complete Youth Baseball Training Manual is out now! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/product/skills-that-scale-training-manual/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Train bat speed and barrel accuracy with our Youth Underload Smash bat - just $79! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/product/youth-underload-smash-bat/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⬇️ Host ⬇️ Deven Morgan ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/devenmorgan ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚨 Follow Driveline Academy on Social Media 🚨⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/DrivelineYouth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/drivelineyouth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/drivelineyouth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🔽 Follow Driveline Baseball on Social Media 🔽 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/DrivelineBB ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/drivelinebaseball⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/drivelinebaseball

    1h 3m
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5
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About

The Driveline Academy podcast covers all aspects of youth baseball. We talk about Driveline's approach data-driven skill development that we execute with our Driveline Academy teams, the travel and club baseball ecosystem, long-term athletic development, crazy coaches, crazy parents, the whole thing!

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