A Lifetime of Baseball, Leadership, and the Moments That Matter

108 DOUBLE STITCHES​

By Dean Stotz — Stanford Baseball Legend & Coach

A Must-Read for Coaches, Players, Parents—and Anyone Who Truly Loves Baseball

108 Double Stitches dives into the details, truths, and quiet wisdom that separate the casual fan from the true student of the game. Named for the 108 double stitches on every baseball, this book is built on lessons, stories, and “isms” earned over a lifetime in the game—decades of coaching, long bus rides, tough losses, championship moments, and conversations with some of baseball’s best teachers.

Baseball is endless. No one ever fully masters it—and that’s the beauty. Whether you’re coaching, playing, parenting a ballplayer, or simply living and breathing the game, this book invites you to keep learning, questioning, and growing. Lace ’em up. Grab a stitch. Let’s step onto the field together.

True Stories From Inside the Dugout

These stories focus on the craft of teaching baseball—how complex ideas are made simple, how players are challenged without being broken, and how culture is built one conversation at a time. They show what effective coaching really looks like from the inside.

01

Leadership and Character Insights

Practical lessons on building trust, setting standards, and leading with clarity—on the field, in the clubhouse, and in everyday life. These insights reveal how character shows up in preparation, pressure, and the smallest decisions that matter most.

02

Lessons Learned From Decades at Stanford Baseball

Wisdom shaped by more than four decades inside one of college baseball’s most demanding environments—where preparation, accountability, and long-term development mattered every day.

03

Understanding the Game at a Deeper Level

Insights that reveal how baseball is truly taught, learned, and played—where details, preparation, and decision-making shape outcomes.

04

Sample Lessons from the Book

A peek into what you can learn from 108 Double Stitches by Dean Stotz!

Tell a hitter, “Don’t chase the high pitch,” and what happens? He chases the high pitch. The brain locks onto the image — not the word don’t.

Instead of saying:
“Don’t chase the high ball.”

Say:
“Get a ball down and put a good swing on it.”

Positive cues guide performance. Negative cues sabotage it.

You can’t be cute with a 2-2 breaking ball if you don’t have the ability to throw that same pitch 3-2.

Command matters. Execution matters more.

We only had three rules at Stanford:

1. You’re either early or late — there is no such thing as right on time.

2. Don’t do anything to embarrass the team, your family, or yourself.

3. Your eyes must be on any coach when they are speaking.

That was it. Too many rules create loopholes. A few clear standards create accountability.

Do your players know what to do in each one?

Runner on 2nd, 0 outs.

What’s the offensive objective?

What’s the defensive positioning?

The book breaks down every situation — clearly, simply, and practically.

For decades, our pitchers completed detailed performance charts after every outing.

Zero tolerance for skipping it.

Zero tolerance for vague reflection.

Those charts became teaching gold.

You can see and download sample charts used at Stanford inside the book.

About the Author

Who is Dean Stotz?​

Dean Stotz spent 37 years coaching at Stanford, helping build one of college baseball’s most respected programs. Known for his clarity, teaching ability, and deep understanding of people, he has influenced generations of players and coaches. 108 Double Stitches captures the lessons, stories, and insights he earned inside the dugout over a lifetime in the game.

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Years Coaching Stanford
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MLB Players
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Wins

What People are Saying About Dean Stotz & “108 Double Stitches”

“If you played for Dean, you walked away understanding baseball on a deeper level than you ever thought possible. He has a gift for taking complex concepts and making them feel simple, obvious, and empowering.”

Mike Mussina

Baseball Hall of Famer

“Dean Stotz is one of the clearest baseball minds I’ve ever been around. He doesn’t just teach the game—he translates it into something you feel. Every conversation with Dean made me a better coach, a better leader, and a better competitor.”

AJ Hinch

World Series Champion Manager

“Dean Stotz is one of those once-in-a-lifetime coaches who alters your trajectory — not just as a player, but as a person. He saw baseball more completely than anyone I’ve ever met — a brilliant blend of data, detail, and deep human understanding. He could break down the game with surgical precision and analytics ahead of his time, yet he always found a way to speak to the soul of a competitor. His care, conviction, and belief in me and my teammates shaped not just my years at Stanford, but the way I lead, teach, and show up in life today.”

Brendan Sullivan

Founder & CEO, Headfirst Companies

“32’s  influence on the game goes far beyond wins, championships and draft picks—he shaped the way players prepared, competed, and carried themselves. He recruited me, an east coast player, based on information and makeup.  His eye for potential and his ability to communicate it were difference-makers in building championship teams. He knew when to push and when to take the foot off the gas…This book captures the wisdom of someone who truly understands what winning baseball looks like from the inside out.”

Rubén Amaro Jr.

Former MLB Outfielder & General Manager

“As a player and later as a coach, I saw how Dean could ignite belief in people before they even believed in themselves. He didn’t just coach baseball—he built competitors, leaders, and better men. That kind of influence lasts a lifetime.”

Brock Ungricht

Head Coach, University of San Diego & Former Stanford Player/Assistant Coach

“I spent my career analyzing how great leaders scale belief and create lasting impact. Dean Stotz has done that for decades in baseball. He treats development like a craft and connection like a responsibility—and that’s why people who played for him still carry his voice with them.”

Heidi Messer

Serial Entrepreneur, Investor & Co-Founder of Collective[i]

“Coach Stotz’s new book is a dive into the heart and mind of one of the most influential, creative, and intelligent baseball minds of our generation. If you want to become a better player or coach it is a MUST read!”

Nate Trosky

National Player Development Specialist & Founder, Trosky Baseball

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108 Double Stitches

Purchase your copy today!