As the Father of a teenager who wants to go far in baseball, this is definitely the best baseball video I’ve ever watched. And I’ve watched a bunch.

@AchillesofAchilles

10 ай бұрын

👍, I got distracted from baseball. Wish yall the best of luck. I'm hoping I can get back involved. Willing and ready to work day in and day out and make this a way of life. So my advice t you and your son is to ask yourself every chance if you really want this everyday for the rest of your life.

Average fan has no idea how good you have to be just to pitch one inning or get one AB in the majors let alone be a regular. Great video.

@itz_tetris8189

Жыл бұрын

I think people have a great idea on how good you have to be, i just feel like a lot of people want to live those lives badly and i cant blame them.

Great video, Matt. You laid out just what it takes to make it to the major leagues but even if a player works and works and works, he still may not make it so might as well enjoy the journey. I talked for a former major leaguer (he played around 275 games for several teams across five seasons - in other words, not a regular) several years ago and he said that when he was nine years old, he decided he was going to be a major league ballplayer and he focused himself toward that goal. He might have seen himself as a regular starter, an All-Star or even a Hall-of-Famer, but it didn't work out that way. He finished up his playing career in the minors (off the 40 man roster) for three seasons or so.

Most of this is general good advice for life. Can't half ass anything always gotta whole ass it!

@justvibing2497

Жыл бұрын

With time management

Hey Matt what was the toughest part of your high school career

@penitentman4862

2 жыл бұрын

Figuring out which college to go to lol

Love to Antonelli Baseball. You are a wonderful inspiration. Please keep the excellent work up.

Great advice Matt, thank you for laying out a map for young players . Is one In a million to be bless to be playing in the major. It definitely takes a lot of hard work

Fantastic video. Fantastic analysis. Fantastic discussion.

This is the BEST video you have done. Thank you

This one rang true right from the start. I cover sports part time for a newspaper in Washington and did a feature story last spring on the Tumwater HS coach, Lyle Overbay, who played 14 years in MLB. He said he played every sport growing up and through high school but noticed early on the only one he never got tired of practicing was baseball.

Your videos about sports mentality are some of my favorites that you do. Yes, Road to the Show/Video Game Matt is fun to watch, but this is like... important? And useful for ANY endeavor.

Best channel on baseball. You do the small things well, like infielding breakdowns and pickels, to the big stuff like this video. Props.

If this video just motivates you more instead of making you worry or question if you can do it, congrats you truly love the game!

Great video, thank you!

Working on getting higher and higher in baseball and this video really helped

Your the realist brotha matt, alot of people need to hear this truth of the other side of the game

A good friend of mine is a junior scout with the Royals. I truly feel like if I apply everything you talked about I could have a shot at being drafted. I am 20 in college, I feel as if I can become good enough I would have no problem asking him what it’ll take to get drafted or to get MLB scouts attention. I’m fortunate to have this advantage. But I still have lots of improvement to make in the next year or two.

Great points here. My son worked relentlessly to make the MLB. I was was thinking if he played JUCO that would be a huge accomplishment. He told me he was a D1 player. I didn’t want to crush his dreams. Sure go ahead. He got a very good D1 scholarship in his sophomore year. In his senior year he said he didn’t think he would play college but get drafted into pro ball. He continued to work and make sacrifices. I wasn’t so sure but didn’t say anything except go for it. Sure enough he got drafted. I’m not going to question him anymore. You gotta work hard and smart and believe. You can go a lot farther than than what other people think. Don’t let anyone define what is or is not possible.

Keep up the🔥 content!!!!

I'm 62 years old... never played baseball as a kid... some sand lot games with friends but that is it. I'm still in good shape and my throwing arm still quite strong so I joined an over 60 league in Tokyo, Japan where I live. I'll tell you what, senior baseball in Japan is big. We have 33 teams in just the small area where I live in western Tokyo. OK, that said, I'm learning the game for the 1st time just now and I don't think I really appreciated just how difficult it is or how much there is to know. Although one thing seems to trump all.... hitting safely / the ability to get on base. So I go to the local batting center twice a week and hit a hundred pitches at a time. I'm finding myself more and more obsessed with playing but I need to realize I'm going to have bad days... just as you said. I need to slow down, work hard and remain determined. Thanks for this video!

I’m gonna do this

Been a fan for a long time bro keep it up! Always appreciate the honest insight

@AntonelliBaseball

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks and same to you!!! Keep mashing!

One guy I went to high school with played in the Majors (and was really good at that level.) He was the best athlete in the history of my high school. When he got to MLB, I reminded him that he was the greatest player ever at our high school, he said that almost all the other guys in the Majors were also the greatest players in the history of their high schools.... which gives perspective to how really hard it is to get to that level, and the competition.

@jefferyepstein9210

2 жыл бұрын

I’m willing to bet that your odds of winning the lottery are greater than making it as a MLB player for 5 years. You have to be the best of the best.

@adrianbautista2308

2 жыл бұрын

And then you have high schools that spit out multiple major leaguers like Matt Chapman's and Nolan Arenado's high school

@rslwannabe9475

2 жыл бұрын

@@jefferyepstein9210 Welll lets pretend we have 100 million players who wanna go to the MLB, but there are only 1000 spots. 50% of those kids are unathletic and don't wanna put any effort in. Now we are down to 50 million kids. Another 25% of those practice alot but just arent athletic at all. Now we're down to lets say 30 million. 30 million kids want to go to the MLB, but there are only 1000 spots. 10 million of those kids go on to play at a high college level and or highschool level. 20 million kids dropout because they didn't put in enough hours everyday, weren't athletic enough, or didn't have any good genes. 10 million kids wanna go to the mlb, but there are only 1000 spots. The 1 million of those kids who have Athleticism, Genes, The Time and understanding of the game, and talent will continue on. The other 9 million kids get killed inside. 1 million kids wanna go to the mlb, but there are only 1000 spots. We are down to the 1% of the 100% of kids. Those 1 percent of kids will be picked through. The most athletic kids will be picked aka the strongest, fastest, (usually bigger), most dominant kids will go on to mlb. We are now down to our 1000 kids. The 0.01% of the million 1%'s of 100.

@jefferyepstein9210

2 жыл бұрын

@@rslwannabe9475 Sounds like you have a better chance winning the lottery lol

@rslwannabe9475

2 жыл бұрын

@@jefferyepstein9210 I like those odds.

Such a great point! I will talk to my son about all you said!

@AntonelliBaseball

Жыл бұрын

Thank you and good luck to your son!

Another good one Matt! Gotta love practicing for sure. I would add Antonelli Attitude baby! Believe in yourself even if nobody else does.

@AntonelliBaseball

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!!

Great video, id say this goes for every pro sport

cool jersey sir. much respect

Enjoyed the vid!

@AntonelliBaseball

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Dude I love your videos watch them all the time . Quick questions I’m a big yankee fan I think the Yankees don’t practice plays at the plate can you make a video if and how teams practice plays at the plate . Oh and your cap is freakin awesome

Awesome video!

@AntonelliBaseball

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Can you do a video on what angle the bat should be during the swing? There’s obviously a decent amount of variation between players but I would like to know what you think. I’ve been trying to figure out where my barrel should be for a while and this would help

Yea I started playing little league baseball at age 5 until I was 12. I began pitching at age 9 until highschool but at age 13 I started to play travel baseball and I played for coaches that played pro or college. Then from there I pitched in highschool for three straight years and then after my junior year in highschool I went to tryouts that MLB was having and they told us that if they were interested that they would call you. Well I ended up getting the call the Florida Marlins which now is the Miami Marlins were interested in me and so at one point in time I was being scouted by the Florida Marlins. But then my senior year came around and I think my highschool coach found out about it and tried to push me and I didn't take it seriously enough and got cut from the team. But it devastated me because if I made the highschool team then there would have been scouts watching me play but it didn't happen. But like he said you have to invest all your time in training and getting prepared because even in highschool you have to earn it and nothing is given to you. I never made it to pro or college but I was by coaches who did play pro or college but looking back I blew my chances. See the problem that I had was that I could never run and when you get to highschool if your doing conditioning all you do is run and I live in Georgia and we would start at the end of January for two weeks. The first day for those who started the first day of conditioning would not show back up the next day that showed who wanted it and who didn't. So if you want to make it to highschool then you have to earn it because from highschool to even pro they want to see who wants it more. But just because you don't make it to the major leagues there are other ways in making it without playing. I mean take Matt for example after his playing days were over he runs his own baseball program I mean I wish I thought of this when I was 20. But now I'm 45 and realizing that there are other avenues to go down but always have a backup plan just in case you don't make it.

Hey Matt I have a question regarding baseball cards. What’s the process for ball players in the production of the cards and what input do you have on the cards product.

Saw the title, needed this video because it’s my dream.

Matt, Love your videos. Down to earth, straightforward, lover of baseball. I couldn't agree more about needing the desire and discipline to even sniff pro ball. I was blessed to play a few seasons of independent baseball, as well as in Nicaragua and Colombia. While spending 10-11 months away from home, family, and friends, Jesus Christ was my help through it all and I thank Him for blessing me with the opportunity to play baseball for so long. My only regret is that I wish I would have capitalized on that platform to spread the Gospel message. With a few former teammates currently playing in the Majors, my heart aches a little at what could have been. But then I am reminded that I gave it my best shot, and am thankful for all of the joy the sport of baseball has brought to my life. God bless! And thanks for giving a realistic description of the greatest game on earth.

I had a friend who’s son played several years in the majors. His Dad told me that during his whole professional career, he only took 2 weeks off each year from baseball. It was a job he worked very, very hard at. It was also a stroke of luck & skill that when he got the opportunity, he produced at a very high level. This gave him the opportunity to stay but he still had to produce. Also, and as you mentioned, the personal sacrifices were very high. What every he made, he deserved every dime.

@jefferyepstein9210

2 жыл бұрын

Who was he?

This really helps my senior year of highschool baseball was when covid hit and scouts were starting to look at me but covid brought our season to an end and now I have to walk on somewhere

@thomascrowley9122

2 жыл бұрын

Good luck

@ewash532

2 жыл бұрын

Good luck - that’s so unfortunate but I have a feeling your a beast and your push through

@wagonballz2212

2 жыл бұрын

@@ewash532 thanks means so much least I got time during this whole pandemic to try and practice

I'm literally watching this video at 28 weeks pregnant with my son. I know it may sound crazy but I want my son to be a professional baseball player. I've always been athletic and so has his father. Brains weren't our strong suit. We work trades for a living and do a lot of hands-on work. I honestly became inspired by the movie "King Richard" and how Venus and Serena's father invested in them and wrote out their lives before they were born. Not that I will be against him doing his own thing, but if I could give him a great foundation in sports overall. I believe he will be successful. This mom has a lot of homework to do :)

@AntonelliBaseball

Жыл бұрын

Good luck to you guys and thanks for watching!!!

AND I have been on the D1 level at UTRGV

Hey Matt, Love you work. I was told recentlythat MLB is now going to pay housing costs for all players in the minors. Have you heard this? And if it is true, what are your thoughts on this?

Hey Matt. I’m in the military and I’ve played baseball my whole life. My dream is to play for the Astros. Is there a way to get started and prepare for that and where do I start if I don’t go to college or anything?

Hi Matt, do you have any videos or recommendations of videos that address who to talk to about becoming a major league player, which high schools or colleges are more likely to draft a kid to the major leagues, how to know which questions to ask, the journey behind the selection process, or even who to network with to have a higher success rate of being drafted, etc.? I know that it all takes hard work to get there, but there is also know where to be at the right time and who to talk to. I’m just trying to broaden my knowledge a little bit so I am preparing my son correctly.

@AntonelliBaseball

Жыл бұрын

I honestly don't think it makes a big difference which high school or college you go to. If you have the talent in today's world, the player will be found.

Great message matt and guide to life through a dream of being a professional baseball player. Hard work and sacrifice will always start and end with a dream to be better! push yourself and be humble with outcome of giving your best effort

@AntonelliBaseball

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!!! Thank you for watching!

i would put anything and everything on the Line and take everything that comes with successs

"The path is the goal." If you make that your mindset, you'll get the most out of your ability and not regret the time spent.

@AntonelliBaseball

2 жыл бұрын

Great point!

Really like the discussion of the journey. All of the guys I know that played D1, Minors or trying to get to the Majors had no girlfriend.. They say no time for that..

@AntonelliBaseball

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!!!

Question yes or no great eyes & hands are the key components to being a consistently great hitter against any pitcher anytime? Thanks

@AntonelliBaseball

2 жыл бұрын

Both definitely help!! Thank you for watching!

This really shows how good the elites are. Barry bonds type of player is so rare. Now I will say you can work hard, but talent plays a huge repeat huge part in sports. It's not even close. You can be the hardest worker in the room, but a talented player just has to put 50 percent and they will still out perform the guys with no talent putting 100 percent. Everyone in the majors of every sport, have natural talent. Now the top guy, is just a generation talent and the top 5 are just God gifted. Be realistic guys, yes work hard but you gotta understand talent is 99 percent and 1 percent is work effect and 0.1 is luck(right parents, right location, right people)

Hi Matt I live internationally and I was wondering how different the process is compared to the US

@markquinn1216

2 жыл бұрын

It's harder as an international

Great video Matt, as always. I think, at the end of the day, however, the one thing you MUST have, is God given talent. I am sure that major leaguers practice hard and do whatever they can to improve, but not everyone can be a Mike Trout or a Freddie Freeman. Even big leaguers are limited by what they were given.

@AntonelliBaseball

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah for sure

How long does it take to get good at baseball, I'm 15 years old and I have no experience in baseball, can I make it to the majors when I'm at least 25 years old, I would really appreciate it if you would answer my question

I remember when I was playing pony league baseball. I was in center field. I literally committed 13 errors in one game. It mentally destroyed me. I could no longer catch a fly ball to save my life. I played the infield for the rest of my time. If a fly ball came my way I went into an absolute panic. I never lost the love for the game. I joined the Army and did my own thing for a while. Then I joined an adult league. They put me in the outfield. The first flyball that came my way returned that absolute panick from 20 years ago. But I made the catch and I was suddenly no longer afraid of a fly ball. I became the best outfielder on my team almost over night. Nothing got past me. We ended up running the table in the playoffs and lost the title game by one run. I never did when a title of any kind in my life.

Is it possible to start playing Baseball in college ?

You have to love to play more then getting to the mlb

🙏🏻

Does it matter what high school you go to

I’d like to add that you gotta have talent. Sounds simple enough but so many guys love the game so much and are just not good at it. I’m not sure if You agree with this or not, but from My experience, baseball is that one sport everyone thinks they can play and/or coach. They have have no problem admitting they can’t play or coach basketball or football, but for some reason with baseball, everyone thinks they can do it.

@AntonelliBaseball

2 жыл бұрын

For sure!

Hey , I have a question. Is it possible to not be productive in the high school level, but still somehow make it to either pro ball, or the mlb?? I’m a senior in hs, and I was cut by my hs team both my sophomore and Junior year, but I still strive to be the best I possibly can. The only hard part is that I have a job, no transportation, and rarely practice bc of time. Is there any advice either you, or anyone else in the CS have for me??? Edit: I was never really given the chance. I was always either on the bench, or I was put with the other guys who never really showed heart, because I wasn’t the best. I never had the best swing out of everyone, and as a catcher I had a more slower reaction/pop time, yet I had the most heart out of everyone, and even the coach said it himself

@joesmith9483

2 жыл бұрын

No. I turned down a six figure offer out of high school because I knew even with my talent I wasn't going to make the majors. I just chose to go to college and never played baseball again. By senior year I couldn't even field a position because of a knee injury in high school soccer that hobbles me, but I was the greatest hitter by high school ever saw. I just couldn't run very well so I decided it wasn't worth it. So if you don't have the talent to square up a baseball consistently there is no chance.

@albertcampos959

Жыл бұрын

Heart is good, but you need to have bucket-loads of talent. While no one should crush your dreams, you should try to be a realist. Play it cuz you love it!

@butteredbread100

7 ай бұрын

Heart will not get you to the MLB. And reality is, if you can't even make your high school team, you aren't good enough for D1 college level play, and definitely not good enough for Minors let alone the Majors.

What is so challenging with pro baseball *in particular* is the number of levels needed to get there. Being drafted high after high school or college is no guarantee unlike in the NBA, NFL or NHL where most high draft picks usually (but not always) make the pro team relatively quickly with the perks and prestige associated with it. And unlike the AHL or the NBA G-League, the salaries in minor pro baseball are horrible. We don't talk about people making a low-average income or even minimum wage, we talk about playing for less than minimum wage for being on the road usually from March to September non-stop. So yeah, Matt did it and he's right you need to be gifted in terms of skills but also be a crazy hard worker to be able to do it even if frankly what cut short Matt playing career was not his skills or his hard work but either a string of injuries. But credit where it's due, Matt did something few people in history are able to do and I honestly think he's an even better coach/small biz owner/dad than a pro baseball player even if he played for the Padres. The best is yet to come for Matt. Weird thing to say in retrospect, but I wonder what would have happened if you concentrated on hockey in high school and college. You would have probably gone really high. We perhaps need a Matt Antonelli NHL 22 player on the PlayStation/Xbox to find out! :)

You started as a freshman in the acc. You were good lol

@AntonelliBaseball

2 жыл бұрын

True, but a lot of people said I would never play

My guess is that a professional player has always been the best player on his or her team and gets to a point where he or she discovers everyone else they are playing with were always the best player on their teams and many are better. The player isn't used to that.

I’m just trying to get a independent sniff I got the numbers Probably about to make Dll All American I’m 12th in the nation in batting At .438 9th in slugging at .846 13th in The NATION OBP .536

I think most people mistaken that it's fun to play for $30 million/year, when in reality it's a lot of grind and not so fun work in the Minor Leagues with no guaranteed shot at MLB

@rph8704

2 жыл бұрын

Only a small fraction of players make that much. The majority earn league minimum. And have no job stability. Professional sports is a brutal way to try and earn a living for most.

This video really makes you question yourself

Did you play 4 years of varsity in high school?

@AntonelliBaseball

2 жыл бұрын

Yes I did. Thank you for watching!

Can a kid who started at age 11 make it, and in the first season had 0 hits?

Also first yet again

I watch how great infield defense is in the majors, and think how many hundreds of hours went into that we'll never see.

@anthonypang7927

2 жыл бұрын

Even at koshien level (national high school championship in japan), the infield defense is water tight These kids dedicate almost 24/7 to baseball, so even to make koshien which is the dream of every boy in japan, the dedication is unreal

@waelse1

2 жыл бұрын

@@anthonypang7927 That's cool that Japanese high school players have such a high level of defense at their age.

E X A C T L Y.

Do it all over again but baseball isn’t an option. What career path do you choose?

@AntonelliBaseball

2 жыл бұрын

Football...or hockey lol

What is it like being the talk around town and campus.

@markquinn1216

2 жыл бұрын

Baseball players generally are not the talk around campus. Football and basketball players are.

“The HARD is what Makes it Great. “ - Jimmy Dugan

@AntonelliBaseball

2 жыл бұрын

My favorite manager!!!

How do you get it out of your head that you never make as a pro player as a fan standpoint.

I loved baseball my I never wanted to be a catcher .my high school coach hated me he ruined my love for baseball I wanted to play first base 3rd base or right field he ruined my love for baseball

I love that being physically gifted wasn’t even one of the factors you listed here… It helps, I’m sure, but it seems like you’re saying work ethic and love of the game are far more important because baseball is too multifaceted and difficult to make it to the highest level based purely on athleticism.

@markquinn1216

2 жыл бұрын

The physical gifts are assumed You can't play in the MLB if you don't have a very high level of physical talent.

@jamesmeezy3114

2 жыл бұрын

Baseball is the only major sport that is all skill and you don’t have to be physically gifted to succeed as a positional player. Look at John Kruk and Cecil Fielder. They look like your typical blue collar guy who goes to the bar everyday after working at the factory. They were not athletic. Lenny Dykstra, Omar Visquel, Jose Altuve, and Rafael Belliard were small short guys who had long careers in majors.

@markquinn1216

2 жыл бұрын

@@jamesmeezy3114 Thats not true. Especially not in 2022.

@jamesmeezy3114

2 жыл бұрын

@@markquinn1216 The guys are more athletic and gifted in 2022 compared to 80’s and 90’s. But Prince Fielder and Will Clark would have successful careers today. As long as you can consistently put barrel on ball day in and day out and do the other skills good enough, you will have a spot in the majors.

@markquinn1216

2 жыл бұрын

@@jamesmeezy3114 Not necessarily. I think you underestimate how difficult it is to actually stay in the major leagues, even if you do play well. Alot of it is luck and timing. Also Will Clark and Prince Fielder are both great athletes.

I should try at the age of 39

" For years, I inherited the old puritan belief, that if you worked hard and persisted, you would win out....no such thing, there are many talented people, who work hard their whole lives through and never get the recognition they deserve because the fortunate accident, of being in the right place, at the right time, never did happen for them"..... ' Michael Shurtleff '.....

@thedeerhunter999

2 жыл бұрын

So True....

How difficult is baseball? Well, the worst hitter in the league this past year - was a former MVP, Cody Bellinger.

My advice: hit like Barry Bonds and pitch like Clayton Kershaw and you'll not only make the majors but the Hall of Fame.

What?!?

The sad truth is if you don't have freak talent no amount of dedication and hard work will get you to the Majors. Enjoy the dream while it last but be realistic.

I’d sell a kidney and two legs to get in

crazy all the minor leaguers that never make it

Great video,but Babe Ruth disagrees.