Major League Pitching Academy

Had a great time hanging out with a bunch of former teammates. Thank you Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA)for putting this together

2026 SOLES derby About the CampaignWHEN:  Saturday August 1st, 2026 at Noon WHERE:  Trenton Thunder Ballpark 1 Thunder Rd, Trenton, New Jersey 08611 WHAT:  The fifth annual "SOLES DERBY" honors one of our best volunteers, and the most wonderful human being to walk the earth, Mikey "Soles" Vaz...

Major League Baseball: where grown men compete at the highest level in the world…

…and still fight over who gets to wear the Spider-Man backpack.

True story: the Spider-Man backpack was Coach Mike’s. 22 years later, he remains convinced Grabow knew the photographer was coming and made a last-second backpack swap. 😆

I was talking to one of my clients the other day about the old water pump at a farmhouse. When you first start pumping the handle, nothing happens right away. But if you keep pumping, eventually the water starts to rise. Once it starts flowing, you can’t stop. If you quit pumping too soon, the water falls back down and you have to start all over again.

Success as a player works the same way.

You can’t only work hard when you feel like you’re close to seeing results. You have to keep pumping every single day. That means showing up, putting in the work, staying disciplined, and doing the little things even when nobody is watching.

Talent might get the water close to the top, but consistent effort is what keeps it flowing. If you stop working, your skills can start to slip, your progress can fade, and all the momentum you built can drain away.

So the message is simple: keep pumping the pump. Keep working. Keep grinding. Keep doing everything you can to make sure the water keeps flowing.

Major League Pitching Academy Baseball instruction from professional baseball player, Mike Johnston (Pirates/Padres/WhiteSox).