A-Rod vs. College Pitcher
Doggone it!
I failed this weekend.
I was working with a college team and failed to get a particular pitcher to buy in to my ideas.
I wanted the pitchers to take a full deep breath before each pitch.
Having players not buy in is normal, but unacceptable to me.
When I talk to Ken Ravizza about it he says over the course of his mult-decade career working with baseball players that when speaking to a group, one-third will be really into it. One-third will be on the fence, and one third just won’t buy in.
This is human nature. This is normal.
But I don’t like it.
I get up this morning and see A-Rod hit two more dingers.
The man is unreal.
No player I know of is more into the mental game than he is. When I was with the Rangers he already had a guy he was working with.
They met for 15 minutes before EACH GAME to mentally prepare.
He would visualize what he wanted to have happen.
He would go out and sometimes it would go great, sometimes it wouldn’t. But either way he’d be back at it the next day, visualizing to prepare himself to play.
He knew — and knows to this day — that mentally preparing himself using the best techniques in sport psychology gave him his best chance of being successful.
His struggles in the play-offs are well known. How to account for that? I don’t know. He’s a complicated guy, most of us are (Pete Rose isn’t, as Baseball Gym members have heard), and a lot of factors come into play.
What I do know is that despite all the cr*p he had to deal with last year, he’s answered with the best HR start ever.
I’m pumped for him. He’s a walking billboard for the power of the mind.
Now back to this weekend.
Talking to a pitcher after my presentation on breathing. I had spent about 30 minutes going over how and when to breathe to maximize performance.
I talked about Clemens. I talked about every team in the College World Series.
We did a lot of breathing, so he experienced it. He said in the session he felt much more confident, calm and in control when he breathed that way.
I asked him if he was going to use it during his start, and he said “only if I need it.”
Well, I’m not going to force a guy to use it. I can’t.
Plus, he’d been successful and was reluctant to try something new.
That makes good sense.
But he proceeded to go out and stink. Pitched terribly.
Tight as a drum. Bad mound presence.
Not a deep breath to be seen.
He “needed it” before he ever got out of the bullpen.
Why wouldn’t he take even one quality breath? Same as many other pitchers:
1) he may not remember. When rattled our brains shrink. 2) he may not be able to. When rattled our chests shrink. 3) he may be too stubborn.
The outing may have created a learning moment, where he’ll give this a try. If his ego to still too strong he’ll keep doing what he’s doing — and yet expect a different result.
So did I really fail? I don’t know. It often takes time for guys to get into this.
It’s a habit thing. It’s an ego thing.
I and his coaches will keep dripping on him.
So the lessons?
A-Rod is totally into it. A college pitcher in a poor outing isn’t.
There are many other differences between the two players, of course. But while we can’t all have A-Rod’s physical tools, we can do what he does to prepare his mind.
So players, try doing what Hall of Fame players do with their brains.
Coaches, the best way to go is simply work it in to your teaching. Make it part of practice.
You don’t even have to talk about it as “mental game” stuff vs. “physical game.” Just make it part of playing the game.
One of the most consistent comments I get on my stuff from baseball people is how they appreciate how it is worked right in to the fabric of playing.
Parents, learn the fundamentals of the mental game yourself so you can drip drip drip good thinking onto your sons.
And be patient. Some players buy right in, others it takes time.
Others never do.
You don’t play well when you try to force things. You don’t get players into it by forcing it on them.
Just keep dripping.
Tom
Dr. Tom Hanson
P.S. If you’ve read this far, it is a good idea for you to have a strong foundation in the mental game. Whether you use it on the field or use it to help someone on the field, having the knowledge and skills in my programs will propel you to your goals.
The best offer I’ve got is at
www.BaseballConfidence.com/Join.html
How to Fail Like a Baby
My goal for this week is to fail like my baby.
Angelina is now 6.5 months old. Amazing to me, she pulls herself up to a standing position all day long.
(I’m pretty sure she’s gifted).
But of course she also takes some terrible wipe outs. The kind that would put that ski jumper at the start of the old Wide World of Sports show (the one where the announcer says “… and the agony of defeat”) to shame.
For you youthful readers that may not have seen that show, you may watch the “Jacked Up” segment on ESPN during football season. You know, the segment where they show the hardest hits of the weekend’s games.
Angelina has had a few few times where Chris Berman and company would say:
“Angelina Hanson gets….. JACKED UP!”
She falls. She fails.
Then she wails.
Big time tears and howls. So Birgit or I pick her up and comfort her.
Fail and Wail. That’s her strategy.
But that’s not where she stops. When she’s done crying she starts the climb again.
She pulls herself up to a standing position and smiles her big toothless grin and starts rocking to music only she can hear.
Then she pushes the envelope and crashes.
So now there’s a third step to her formula:
Fail. Wail. Repeat.
Each day she’s getting better, stronger. That envelope is being stretched right before our eyes.
So ultimately her formula is:
Fail. Wail. Repeat. Prevail.
Try it.
I know if I put myself out there a bunch this week I’ll fail. I may even wail. But I also know if I model my girl I will ultimately prevail.
Happy Fails to You,
Tom
Dr. Tom Hanson
P.S. In order to fail in a way that allows you to prevail you must take action. You must do something.
If you want to prevail fast in your life or career, choose between a quick, potent coaching program:
www.HeadsUpPerformance.com/Jetpack_Coaching_Program.html
and a powerful performance system: www.ConfidenceConditioning.com
If you want to prevail fast in baseball, go to http://BaseballConfidence.com/Join.html
How to Win the Big Game
Players often ask me how to come through in the Big Game.
What should they do differently? What does it take to be, say, like Jeter who seems to play great in Big Games.
Well, instead of answering that myself today, I’m going to pass on email I got from a guy whose been succeeding in the Big Game world for over 25 years.
Bill Farley is a big game hunter. He leads expeditions hunting big game animals.
Check out the pictures at http://FarleysAdventures.com
He wrote me about what it takes to succeed in hunting big
game:
“Yes the mental aspect is critical in any part of life.
“Most people do not realize as you have just done how important of a role it plays in the Hunting and Outdoor Adventure aspect of this Industry.
“Most people look at the physical preparation, much as what you describe regarding Baseball, but do not realize how critical the mental aspect of maintaining a healthy positive attitude is to the overall success of the trip.
“Much more important than the physical aspect.
“I have dealt with clients in this business for over 25 years, and they all expect that because they pay and have the money to pay for an adventure assures them of success, but fail to live up to their half of the agreement, which is to remain positive and focused amongst other things and not give up.
“Often by the 2nd day of a life long dream hunt the lower lip is hanging if they have not taken that trophy of a lifetime.
“I cannot express to you, how many hunts I have been on where I was successful after MANY days in the field, and how my failure to quit, and attitude and persistence have played a huge part in the many successful trips I have personally engaged in.” Bill Farley
——
Well, there you go. Stay positive and focused in the face of adversity.
How many players take the big buck lessons yet hang their lower lip when they don’t succeed right away?
The key to being great in the big baseball game is to stay positive and focused every day. You don’t do something different on the big games, you do your routine every day.
Then you do your routine on the big games.
Tom
Dr. Tom Hanson
p.s. One of the things I value in the stuff I teach is how they are life skills, not just baseball skills. Bill says the stuff I talk about he’ll use on his hunting trips.
You may not be into hunting big game, but you players will be job hunting. You will be “hunting” for a lot of things throughout your life.
Hitters — ever hear the expression “hunt your pitch?”
Learn how to be a big gamer by taking me up on my offer to get my Confidence Conditioning program at no charge when you join the Baseball Gym for just one month at http://www.BaseballConfidence.com/Join.html
