Jake and Mark sit down with Chris Martin, Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for SEC powerhouse LSU Baseball. Chris, previously with the Houston Astros organization, shares his experiences with training elite level athletes at both the professional and collegiate levels. Topics include the differences in how data is leveraged at different levels of baseball, fi nding the sweet spot of data utilization in strength & conditioning, and fitting the coaching lens and approach to specific athletes. Tune in and check out some awesome content from a true professional in the field!

(0:00) Intro

(1:18) Chris’ Baseball Journey

(5:55) Leveraging Data at Different Levels

(11:16) The Sweet Spot of Data in S&C

(18:17) Under the Radar Metrics

(21:49) Player Development 🤝 S&C

(28:28)Player Readiness & Injury Prevention

(39:14)Predictive Success

Jake and Mark reflect on their 2024 preseason breakout and bust picks to see where they went right and where they went wrong (spoiler alert: not a lot went wrong). They take a deep dive into the analytics to evaluate how and why certain players over- or under-performed the way they did, discussing which outcomes were bound to come true and which may have even been too good to be true. Were certain metrics particularly predictive when it came to season-over-season performance? How important is it to evaluate a player's career holistically as opposed to maximizing the emphasis on the most recent results?

(0:00) Intro

(1:36) Aaron Nola

(4:09) Cole Ragans

(6:24) Anthony Volpe

(12:02) Grayson Rodriguez

(15:13) Cody Bellinger

(16:20) Jordan Montgomery

(20:45) Blake Snell

(22:45) Nolan Jones

(26:12) 2025 Breakout Preview

Jake sits down with Brian Walker, the Assistant Head of Strength & Conditioning for Baseball at IMG Academy and former Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Cleveland Guardians. Brian has been coaching elite athletes for years, and he shares his insights on how he views the industry, his favorite parts of coaching, and extensive advice for both players and coaches. What role do data and technology play in day-to-day programming? Why is it important to embrace failure as you get better? And how valuable is a good mentor?

(0:45) Brian's Career Journey

(7:13)Using Tech & Data as Feedback

(13:10)Avoiding Paralysis by Analysis

(15:35)Athletic Shoulder (ASH) Testing

(21:34)Psychological Components of Training

(26:37)Embracing Failure & Competition

(42:11)Advice to Athletes & S&C Coaches

(46:42)Be Yourself & Be Great

Jake and Mark discuss the most inseparable duos in baseball. Who (or what) made the cut, and what makes each duo so dynamic? On today's episode, we're taking a lighthearted look at a serious topic, and in a timely manner, too -- one of The Sweet Spot's co-hosts just got married! Tune in to see which pairing is your favorite marriage in the game.

(0:00) Intro

(2:35) Sunflower Seeds & Big League Chew

(8:57) Derek Jeter & The New York Yankees

(10:54) The New York Yankees & October

(12:33) The Grounds Crew & The Field

(14:54) Fastball & Curveball

(16:52) Pitcher & Catcher

(18:35) Wrapping Up

Jake and Mark sit down with Ryan Ricci, the pitching coach for the Single-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins (The Fort Meyers Mighty Mussels), and former pitching coach and recruiting coordinator for the George Mason baseball program. Ryan, who pitched in the Diamonbacks' organization and who is a George Mason Baseball alum himself, has overseen the development of several professional players. We hit on a topic that we've wanted to discuss for a long time: the command vs. stuff debate in pitchers' development and gameplay. Which is more important, and is one of them easier to coach? How do either or both of these metrics affect a pitcher's deception?

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(0:00) Intro

(2:53) Ryan's Baseball Career

(4:20) How to Think About Stuff and Command

(6:52) Which is More Important / Easier to Coach?

(8:50) With Great Stuff Comes Great Command?

(10:50) Quantifying the Trade-Off

(14:08) Ryan's Ideal Data Points

(17:00) Deception

(19:20) Does Command / Stuff Affect Intangibles?

(21:40) The Value of Consistency

(22:45) Combating "Stability Ball Coaching"

(25:20) Finding Success Within Your Style

(26:36) Creating Deception with Command

(27:37) Know Your Body: Confidence & Focus

Jake and Mark sit down with Ian Miller, former MLB outfielder and host of The 9-Hole Podcast. Ian is a professional in every sense of the word, on and off the field. We finally give the game within the game the podcast it deserves, covering topics such as facing adversity, staying level in high pressure scenarios, and the value of hard work over time. What does Ian do to prepare mentally and physically for professional baseball games? How does he apply the lessons he learned playing the game to his life beyond baseball?

(0:00) Intro

(3:40) Ian's Baseball Journey

(7:18) The 9-Hole Mindset

(9:51) On Facing Adversity

(12:54) Channeling a Positive Mentality

(18:16) Some "Light" Reading Material

(18:39) Good.

(19:54) Preparing for High Pressure Scenarios

(23:34) Taking Care of Your Body

(28:25) Control the Controllables

(31:59) Volume X Time = Skill

(33:54) Expect What You Put In

(35:25) Data, Development, and Luck

(43:03) 16 for 16

(49:48) Lessons Beyond Baseball

Jake and Mark sit down with Nate Irving (@natebirving), hitting and game planning coach in the Reds' organization and former UVA catcher. Nate has put his data analytics knowledge to work in several capacities from Virginia to Chattanooga to Venezuela. We talk to Nate about personalization in player development and education, as well as the speed of the game at different levels. What skills help players thrive at every level of baseball? And what's it like being in the organization with budding stars like Elly De La Cruz and Christian Encarnacion-Strand?

(0:00) Intro

(1:35) Nate's Baseball Journey

(4:47) From Playing to Player Development

(7:21) Competitiveness Shines at Every Level

(8:40) Flow State and Mental Acuity in High Leverage Situations

(11:22) Personalization of Player Education

(13:02) The Sweet Spot of Personalization in Player Development

(22:09) The Speed of the Game

(25:00) Making the Game Feel Slow

(30:59) Rapid Fire (questions and curveballs)

(36:08) Closing Thoughts & Venezuela Winter Ball

Jake and Mark sit down with Kyle Sylvester, hitting coach and infield coordinator from Eastern Connecticut State University. Kyle also oversees player development and assists with recruiting and game day scouting. We dive into the way that data is used for hitters at the D-III level, with a particular emphasis on how coaches can and should effectively communicate complex data insights to their players. How important is load timing when facing different types of pitchers? Is it always a good thing to optimize for exit velocity?

(0:00) Intro

(2:10) Kyle's Background

(3:42) The Evolution of Analytics in Hitting

(6:26) Just Swing Harder?

(10:10) Making Adjustments: Load Timing

(18:07) Communicating Complex Data Insights

(29:19) Balancing Analytics with Traditional Coaching Methods

(32:09) A Return to Contact?

(36:11) Type 1, 2, and 3 Hitters

(42:00) The Mental Side of the Game