The All Star Baseball Academy Blog: THE HOT CORNER... Sports Shorts with Ken Leidheiser

ENTER OUR ALL STAR BASEBALL TRIVIA CONTEST AND WIN COACHES VS. CANCER TICKETS!

This Week's Special Trivia Test: There were no correct replies to this Trivia Test from 2 weeks ago, so here we go with the same tough question: Who are the top 3 all-time Phillies leaders in saves? Hint: Brad (Lights Out) Lidge is not there yet! First reader with the correct answer will win 2 tickets to the Coaches vs. Cancer Breakfast at the Palestra in Philadelphia, March 14th from 8 to 10 am. Send your replies token@allstarbaseballacademy.com... The winner will be notified by e mail and will be listed on the next Hot Corner column... Big 5 Basketball Coaches will be attending and speaking at this popular fund-raising event, which helps to support the fight against cancer. All Star Baseball Academy has reserved a table at this prestigious local event and you can attend if you are the first with the correct answer! Tug McGraw, Billy Wagner, and Ricky Bottalico are all among the Phillies all-time leaders in saves, but they are not in the top 3...

OFF-SEASON TRAINING--If you are looking for a great Winter Indoor Camp, then you should consider the Penn State College Coaches Camp for your All-Star, January 15-16, at ASBA West Chester. This is an instructional camp for players 13 to 18 years of age, with the Hitting Camp on Saturday, 1/15 from 2 to 6 pm and the Pitching Camp on Sunday 1/16 from 9 am to 1 pm. Penn State staff will include: Head Coach Robbie Wine, Recruiting Coordinator Eric Folmar, and Pitching Coach Jason Bell. Great camp, great instruction....Sign up today on the ASBA website or call All Star at 610-399-9356 for full details....

Penn State Head Coach
Robbie Wine

Sign up for Second Annual Indoor Hitting Camp at our Downingtown Academy on Boot Road! The Hitting Camp is for players 9 through 12 years of age, and starts the week of January 24th. You can sign up as a team of 3 players or as an individual player for this 6 week program. Use the popular, token-operated batting cages at Downingtown and get your swing ready to go for a big spring season! Call our Downingtown staff at 610-518-7400 for details and to sign up....."The kids who played in our Hitting League last year really liked it," said Keith Falcone of ASBA Downingtown. "And this year it will be bigger and better, with great competition between the teams. This is a super way to get your swing in shape for the spring season and to have fun at the same time."

Are you thinking ahead to the nice, warm weather and Spring Training already? If you want a great Spring Training experience for players in the 9U through 12U age group, then sign up for the 2nd Annual ASBA Spring Training at the Ripken Experience, in Myrtle Beach, SC. The baseball facility in Myrtle Beach lends itself well to a "spring training" style format, preparing young players for their upcoming spring and summer seasons. This year's event with ASBA's outstanding staff will be held February 18-21, 2011. We welcome your All Stars to join us for this great trip! Contact Mark Freed of ASBA atmark@allstarbaseballacademy.com for full details and to sign up for this popular Spring Training event. "Both teams and individual players are invited to sign up for this great training experience in Myrtle Beach," said Freed. "This makes a super road trip for families over the President's Day long weekend in February and the facilities at Myrtle Beach are outstanding. The kids just loved this event last year"...

If your young All-Stars, ages 10 through 12, can't make the Myrtle Beach Experience, then sign up for our Youth College Coaches Camp at ASBA West Chester, Saturday, January 22 from 2 to 6 pm. College coaches from Villanova, Franklin & Marshall, Towson State, Lafayette and Marist College will be on hand to lead the drills and skills development for young players. Total cost for this outstanding training by college coaches is $150. Call ASBA at 610-399-8050 to sign up or go online for full details and to register on the ASBA website...

Reds Major League Scout
Shawn Pender

Local Pre-Season Training! All Star Baseball Academy has teamed up with The Haverford School to offer a top Pre-Season Baseball Camp, February 20-21 at Haverford. This is an indoor camp led by All Star staff member Shawn Pender, who is a Major League Advance Scout with the Cincinnati Reds. Pender is a former star player at Episcopal Academy who also starred in college. He will lead the instruction along with Haverford School Head Coach Bob Castell and members of the ASBA coaching staff. The training will be held at The Haverford School Athletic Complex, with individual and group instruction, competitions and short indoor games. Total cost for the 2-day camp is $150 per player..... Register by calling All Star Baseball at 610-399-9356...

Stockton College in Pomona, NJ is the host site for the ASBA South Jersey College Coaches Camp, with 2 sessions scheduled for Saturday, January 29th. This Camp is open to area players, ages 13 to 18, and the list of colleges attending is outstanding. Coaches and Recruiting Coordinators from these schools will be leading the drills and skills development training: Stockton, Coastal Carolina, Delaware, Maryland, Villanova, and Rowan... Stockton College has a spacious Sports Center that will host the indoor training for players who want to improve their game before their spring and summer seasons in 2011... There are both morning and afternoon sessions available. You can sign up by calling ASBA at 610-399-9356, or sign up online at our website www.allstarbaseballacademy.com...