The Mental game !

Where is YOUR mind in between pitches???

Baseball is without question very much a game of thoughts and has been referred by some as a “thinking man’s game”. Unlike other sports like hockey, basketball or soccer as examples, there is a tremendous amount of downtime in a baseball game. During these downtimes or rest phases of each game, the minds of each player, coach or manager will constantly be shifting and swaying with each pitch, each out and each complete inning played. Players try and out-think other players; pitchers and catchers try to out think hitters; and coaches and managers try to out think opposing coaches and managers. Sometimes, however, infielders (and outfielders) do too much thinking and fail to hone in on simple, yet general mental aspects of infield play...or sometimes let their minds wander to never never land.

The following is a short list of 12 mental considerations for more consistent infield play.

1.        Hit it to me: Expect every ball on every pitch to be hit to you. If you expect the ball, you will always be in a position to make a play or know where to go if not making a play. If you ask the Baseball Gods that the ball not be hit to you, it will find a way to get to you. It’s Murphy’s Law.

2.        Pre-pitch movements must be consistent: If, in a game, your pitchers throw 120 total pitches, that means each infielder must get to their ready position the same amount of pitches...120! The moment you take a pitch off, will be the time when the ball is hit to you.

3.        Play defense in real time: What is real time? The present, one pitch at a time. Baseball is game where boredom can set in. Learn to play defense in real time, don’t think about the next pitch, it is one pitch at a time.

4.        Stay in the mental zone: Control the controllable. Don’t get caught thinking of how your last at bat went or how you fielded the last ground ball or where you didn't go on the previous play. They are all history. Hit the delete button and move on. The sooner you trash it the better.

5.        Use the time between pitches to re-focus: This is the time not to reflect on the negative, but only to reflect on the positive...like... “I want the ball hit to me” or “I want to make a play”. In this time prepare, plan and position yourself to make the play.

6.        Know the speed of the runners: This will help you gauge your amount of available time on each play. 

7.        Know the hitters' tendencies: Position yourself accordingly. Know what the hitter likes to do. What is the general direction of most of the hits by each opposing hitter? Do certain hitters like to play small ball? Do they spray the ball? Slap it? etc...

8.        Don’t give up on booted ball: Many infielders give up on the play once they have booted the ball. You never know, maybe a lead runner made a wide turn and the infielder can recover and make a back door throw for an out. Don't give up - this is a mental skill!

9.        Limit compounding errors: So, the infielder makes a fielding error, then he proceeds to hurry up and try to recover, only to make an errant throw. Now we have two errors on one play. Practice and perfect the mental skill of forgetting the immediate past in the middle of a physical movement.

10.     Dive on all balls with a runner on second base: Often times the third base coach will think the ball is going through and proceed to send the runner to score....Boom, the infielder dives, knocks the ball down and recovers to throw the runner out at plate. Be mentally prepared to do this when the situation presents itself.

11.     Know the base stealers: Knowing them will affect your position as well as your infield team defensive positioning. Remind your teammates that certain guys like to run and to hold their positions as long possible in the event the ball is hit to a vacated spot on the infield.

12.     Never stop communicating: Get in the habit of letting your infield teammates know where you are positioned; how you will be moving with the count; and where to make throws.

Now take these 12 mental tips and work on them with your team. Take control of your responsibilities, your controllables and your thoughts. Encourage your teammates to work on them with you and each other. Over time you will see that the time in between pitches that is spent more productively will result in improved play on the field and a more fruitful experience on the diamond!