Every year
baseball teams draft hundreds of prospects with many of the top draftees never
making the grade while lower level prospects such as Jacob deGrom and Spencer Strider end up excelling well beyond expectations. Clearly these two were uber talented
players who excelled through hard work, mental toughness and perseverance.
We’ve seen
it with players such as Jett Williams and Jose Altuve who through hard work and
mental acuity have been able to overcome adversity. On the other hand, individuals
such as Kevin Parada, once thought of highly, may never reach their potential.
It’s clear
that players not only need to have talent but also other trails in order to be successful.
For example, having a positive attitude is important as well as being highly
motivated, setting high but realistic goals, being a good teammate and
clubhouse presence, and being able to manage emotions effectively. Think about the positive influence Jose
Iglesias and his OMG signs had on the team. I don’t think they make the playoffs
without Iglesias.
Take a look at some of the players whose careers were derailed due to severe mental issues.
Steve Blass was a Pirates pitcher on a Hall of Fame trajectory when he reached his 30th birthday. Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worst when he lost his ability to throw strikes,
Remember Mackey Sasser, a catcher for the Mets, who found throwing the ball back to the pitcher a major challenge.
Steve Sax, played for the Yankees, and was unable to make routine throws.
And who could forget Rick Ankiel, who was an excellent Left-Hand pitcher
for the Cards until he could no longer find the strike zone. He was able to
revive his career as a power hitting outfielder.
The current Mets roster contains several players who continue to underperform in key spots. Jeff McNeil is the first name that comes to mind. Once he loses his confidence, it takes a while before he gets it back.
Our favorite Polar Bear was mostly ineffective last year in clutch situations.
Brett Baty is another one whose seems to be in a mental fog. Look at the path Brent Rooker took before he achieved success. There’s hope for Baty yet.
Smart teams
should be investing more resources in Sports Psychology. Too many players
failed to achieve their potential due to mental issues. More and more players
are leaving the sport too early due to their inability to handle the stresses
that come with a long and very often frustrating season. I’m sure most players
find the daily grind tough to handle. On top of that, many Latin players have personal
issues that can impact their on-field performance.
With so much money being invested in player development, it makes sense for a sports
psychologist to be an important member of the staff.
Ray
January 28,
2025
6 comments:
I know this is football and I cannot remember who said it. I remember it was around 1980. The college quarterback where I was attending grad school was drafted by the Cowboys. "The physical difference between the best quarterback in the NFL and the worst? Very little. The difference is the confidence, the mental ability, in using that physical ability."
I have used that saying with my kids and now my grandkids.
Plus, I have a granddaughter studying to be sports psychologist.
You're crazy 🤪
Aren't we are all.
If they hire a good sports psychologist, send me his number please.
Hitters who seem to have psychological challenges probably correlate to hitters who overthink whether to swing at strike one. Swing. Just swing. Feel better. No calls needed to Doctor Bob. “How does being tentative on strike one make you FEEL?”
Brent Rooker? He flushed Doctor Bob’s card down the toilet.
I pointed out a while back one of the ultimate free hitters of yore, Manny Sanguillen. Where did that free swinging get him? Career .296, hit .319 or better 3 ti,es, and a mere 6% K rate. Heck of a catcher, too, I might add. I’m sure he never called the sports psychologist.
Clearly an important part of any player's makeup is his mind. Even well established MLB players need a mental tune-up when in a slump.
Post a Comment