Choking Part Two

Posted on October 16, 2007 - Filed Under General, Thinking | Leave a Comment

(click here for Part One)
Last week we examined some of the situations where baseball players “choke”, and found that “pressing” usually results in “choking”.
Now we’re going to learn how not to press and therefore not choke.
Prepare - Physically, and Visually
Preparation is the key to success in any sport (or business, for that matter). When […]

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Why Players Choke

Posted on October 9, 2007 - Filed Under General, Thinking | Leave a Comment

(This is the first of a two-part article)
Unfortunately, I’m a Mets fan, and if you’ve followed their 2007 season, you may have heard about “the greatest collapse in baseball history” — their loss of the NL Eastern Division title despite being in first place by seven games with only 17 to play. There have […]

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Losers Focus on Winning

Posted on March 26, 2007 - Filed Under Thinking | Leave a Comment

Do you find the headline intriguing? It’s true: the biggest mental issue for losing teams is that they’re obsessed with winning.
Seems not to make much sense, but hear me out — I have firsthand experience.
In over 25 years of baseball (and four years of football) playing and coaching, I’ve been a member of dozens […]

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Why Ask Why

Posted on February 18, 2007 - Filed Under Coaching, Thinking | Leave a Comment

Anyone who has, or has been around, a young child, knows what his/her favorite question is: why.
Why is the sky blue? Why does a dog bark? Why do I have to wear a hat and gloves? Etc., etc.
Asking “why?” is innate to a youngster. For adults, the persistent questions are enjoyable at first, but […]

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Kokoyakyu: High School Baseball in Japan

Posted on July 12, 2006 - Filed Under General, Thinking | Leave a Comment

Last week (on July 4th) I watched the premiere of Kokoyakyu: High School Baseball on PBS. It is a documentary covering high school baseball in Japan, and specifically, Koshien.
Koshien Stadium is the home field of the Hanshin Tigers, except for two weeks in August when it hosts Japans national high school baseball tournament. Koshien, therefore, […]

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Learning Baseball the Old School Way

Posted on February 7, 2006 - Filed Under Thinking | Leave a Comment

There is one way to play baseball: the right way. That’s the way I was taught, and the way I teach others, of all ages. You, the baseball player, regardless of your age, will likely find something useful here. Some tips and opinions you read here may seem nuts in this day and age, […]

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