BASEBALL

Baseball Pictures

Babe Ruth

Here. The Babe. Svelte. 

At this point in his career, which was a lot of his career, he was approximately 6'2" tall and weighed 215 lbs. One of those years he hit 13 triples. 

Here he is pictured in the Pinstripes. Those were the day he hit more home runs than other teams. 
Pinstripes? The Yankees started using their navy blue colored pinstripes in 1915 and have continually worn them since. Rumor has it that the Yankees adopted pinstripes to give Babe a slimmer look. Not true. On December 26, 1919, Babe was sold to the Yankees.

This is the home, his home, and the place Babe Ruth was born.

Plaque next to the front door

Opposite view of The Babe's house. The house is just around the corner from The Ballpark at Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles.

Getting ready to head over to the game at The Ball Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland.

Hey, here are son, Pete and me, at Camden Yards. Yep, just around the corner from The Babe's house.

Out on Eutaw Street, behind Camden Yards right field fence. Pete on the left, Babe on the right.

Inside Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD

Inside Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD

The Oriole Bird entertaining, Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD

Statue of The Babe standing amid a fireworks display in Baltimore at The Ball Park at Camden Yards.

Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, MD, where the Orioles played before Camden Yards. Jim Palmer on the mound with his distinct leg lift. In this game Eddy Murray hit a home run from each side of the plate. I remember well. Eddy was my favorite player in the majors.

Plaque room at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Cooperstown, NY.

Felista with The Babe, at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Cooperstown, NY.

The Babe, and as a pitcher, and hitter, with Lou Gehrig

Baseball shelf at home

Here we have some distinct pitching deliveries by some great, great pitchers. 

Juan Marichel

Inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame 1983

6 time 20 game winner

11 time All Star

243 wins

Career ERA 2.89

1960-1975 San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, 
Los Angeles Dodgers

Born in the Dominican Republic

Warren Spahn

Inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame 1973 

363 Wins - Winningest Lefthander in MLB History

9 Time 20 Game Winner   

Cy Young Award: 1957  

17 Time All-Star
1942-1965 Boston Braves; Milwaukee Braves; 
New York Mets; San Francisco Giants 

Sandy Koufax

Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972

3 Time Cy Young Award Winner 
2 Time World Series MVP
10 Time All-Star
National League MVP
Dodgers 1955-1966 

And here, some favorites

Dwight Gooden. Fantastic form. Poetic.

Dwight Gooden, another view.

Fernando Valenzuela

Luis Tiant. 1975 World Series. Pete Rose hitting.

 Mike Cuellar, Baltimore Orioles.

Rick Sutcliffe, Los Angeles Dodgers.

Kent Tekulve, Pittsburgh Pirates.

"Don't be leaning in looking for the curve-ball".

Barry Bonds. Look at this guy's balance. He was flowing perfectly, harmonized with nature. There is such elegance here you can almost see him moving.

Manny Ramirez. Manny's balance. Perfect. Absolutely one with nature. And that bat is just daring the ball to get into the hitting zone. What a pleasure watching him walk lightly and slowly toward the hitter's box and then step across the line as if he is thinking about the beach. His eyes are calm, they are at rest. Then suddenly out of that silence the bat is out ahead of, and coming at the ball. The ball has no where to go, it is going to get hit hard.

Then there are those other days. There is nothing worse than a rainout on game day. (Norman Rockwell).

My sons, Pete and Mike in Fort Meade, Maryland, at the conclusion of a Little League Championship game. Baseball, a great game at all levels.

A catcher and two pitchers, after a bullpen workout. Medford, MA. Valdez Baseball Academy. Christian, Miles, Sidney.

Trum Field, Somerville, MA

This is the logo for my pitching instruction work.

Teaching baseball pitching is about the most satisfying thing I have ever done. To be able to teach young pitchers how to throw well and stay healthy and strong. Teaching them so many of the subtle aspects of the game. There is nothing is better than that.

Here is Anthony in the External Rotation position. That is, the arm is laid back, the trunk is forward. He is braced up against his front leg. The hips are already turned and the trunk is moving forward and over the bracing leg, and the arm is soon to be whipped through. That is right, at this point the arm becomes a whip. Sounds strange, but the arm becomes an afterthought at this point. The pitcher throws with his body. The arm controls movement and location. The shoulder and body are responsible for velocity.

This is, Henry, one of my students, at release point. His positioning is wonderful. He is releasing the ball, if not exactly on time, close enough for an eleven year old in the process of learning the perfect delivery. Front leg is extended wonderfully, glove hand is pulled in, his hips are completely turned and his trunk is forward as it should be, giving himself the maximum leverage for the pitch. 

Colin. Outstanding 12 year old pitcher who is one of those rare pitchers that is almost entirely self-taught  on throwing the way a good pitcher, with fine mechanics, throws, which is a different use of leverage than any other player on the field. Right here you can see his finish is perfect. Well balanced, neck bowed, eyes on the hitter and will immediately be in position to field a ball hit back at him, once his right leg drops down.

Nick, posing for a promotional piece designed to help pitchers be at their best on game day. www.pitchingace.com.

Joe Gil's helmet after a game in Lowell, MA

Columbus Park, Medford, MA, just before a game. Nice sunset for us.

After the last out and before lights out.

Sunset at Pollard Field, Billerica, MA. Avery at the bat.

The Red Sox and Yankees on an August night in Boston. What a setting for a ball game. The players must look up into the sky, see that sunset, look back on the glorious green around them and before them, they must feel as if they are ascended.

October night in Boston. On this night the Red Sox won the World Series, October 31, 2013. This picture was taken from Memorial Drive, in Cambridge. The river reflects what was in the air that night.

Mike blocking the plate. Fort Meade, Maryland.

The game did not turn out the way Mike would have liked.

Alex looking over the pitch.

Did we get him?

Afraid not.

Waiting for the pitcher to throw the pitch.

Brothers pretty happy inside the bullpen at Valdez Baseball Academy, Medford, MA.

"Sorry Missy, you aren't quite ready to take the field quite yet".

My pitching instruction book, DELIVERY, just completed.

Illustrations for the book, DELIVERY. At this point I was writing the text. That was a challenge.

Glove and ball in my office. Hanging out, waiting to take the field.

Pittsburgh Pirates minor league player, Robertson Valdez working out at Valdez Baseball Academy, Medford, MA

Independent League player, Dave Garcia, the big guy on my right and Robertson Valdez. At the time of this picture, Robertson was property of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Bill Lee and me.

Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd

"Oil Can" Boyd autographed baseball card

Pete Murray

Derek Jeter at Yankee Stadium

Alfonso Soriano at Yankee Stadium. Great form.

Yankee Stadium and New York  City and New York Yankees player image

Two seam fastball grip.

Four-seam fastball grip.

Four-seamer. Different view.

Patrick with the High Leg Lift. When I told him he had a high leg lift he did not believe me. He believed me when I showed him this picture.

Sean at release point

Ball in flight. Bring It On

Double. Nice

 Ted Williams statue, Fenway Park, Boston.

Ted Williams statue, Fenway Park, Boston.

Yawkey Way, next to Fenway Park. Boston, MA

Dave Valdez taking a picture of his handsome self, on Yawkey Way

That way.

C.C. Sabathia pitching at Fenway Park, Boston.

Game happening at Fenway Park, Boston.

Home. Baseball shelf

Home. Baseball shelf

Louisville Slugger Bat. 

Ball and Glove paperweight, a gift from Stephanie Rizzuto.

If the Rizzuto name sounds familiar, yes, she is related to Yankee great and Hall of Famer, Phil Rizzuto. This home plate is inside my bullpen at Valdez Baseball Academy, Medford, MA.