How Will You Handle This?

Twins pitcher Glen Perkins had zipped through the Twins
farm system until last year he hit AA. After 13 decisions
at AA, he was 2-11.

I find AA to be the level the big talents can make it to
before they hit "the wall". The mental game wall, where
talent alone is no longer good enough.

All of the sudden everyone on the field has got big talent
and the beauty (and curse) of the game of baseball
blossoms. By that I mean you need all of you -- brains AND
brawn to succeed.

But don't think this is an article just about what happens
to pro players with big talent, there's a huge message here
for players at all levels. I'll get to it at the end of
this message.

For most big talent guys, hitting "the wall" is something
they never quite recover from. Their ego is so big and then
so badly bruised they never make the adjustment to that
next level. They never play with the same sense of magic
they'd always had.

Let's see what happened to Perkins...

Here're a few clips from an article in the St.Paul-Pioneer
Press:
---------------------
A train-wreck start to Perkins' 2006 season might have turned
out to be exactly what the former Gophers All-America left-hander
needed to be ready this year to provide what the Twins need in a
depleted big-league rotation. It doesn't hurt his chances
being left-handed in a projected rotation with only one
other lefty (Johan Santana).

"It's adversity. That's something I hadn't really faced in my career," said
Perkins, who was on a fast track through the Twins system
after he sailed through Class A in 2004 and '05. He
--finished that first full pro season at AA.
[Twins pitching coach Rick Knapp said] "Perkins already was one of
the most talented pitchers the Twins had in the organization
(major or minor leagues), as well as being one of the pitchers
most aware of his ability."

And Knapp agrees that last year's experience has the potential for
channeling both of those traits into a next-level focus this year.

"If you haven't ever experienced any failure ever, you just think
your stuff's good,' Knapp said. "Johan's as good as he is because
he walked a lot of guys in the minor leagues, and then he realized he
didn't have to walk them. And he made the change."

If anything, an extra dose of confidence might go a long way toward winning
a big-league job this spring, especially after traveling
the long and winding road he did in 2006 to finally get to
the big leagues."
-----------------------

Looks like Perkins is on the right path, making the adjustment.

I'm not too surprised, the Twins are a pretty enlightened
organization (I don't know about right now, but for a while
Heads-Up Baseball, the book I co-authored, was required
reading for many players).

How about you?

Are you enlightened? Have you got enough talent to wait
until you get to AA to start working on your mental game?

Actually, most players hit the "wall" much, much earlier
than AA. Like, say, high school. Or perhaps with your
talent level you've been up against that wall since t-ball.

Regardless of your age or talent level, the mental part of
the game is a huge factor. As you reach the limits of your
talent and even hard work advantage, your mental game will
determine if you go forward in baseball or you go play
softball.

Confidence, focus, composure, and the ability to handle
adversity are "tools" you can develop just like you can
develop physical strength, speed, endurance and flexibility.
In other words, you can have you mind be your biggest
weapon for success, or it can be like a 10th player on the
other team playing against you.

With the knowledge available to you right now, you can
choose how you want it to be.

In the February edition of the Baseball Confidence Gym I
lay out for you one of the single most powerful means
available anywhere to super charge you with confidence,
focus and composure.

Get in now and get the full month of Friday emails received
by members only.
www.BaseballConfidence.com/Join.html

In Confidence,

Tom
Dr. Tom Hanson
p.s. you can read the whole Pioneer - Press article here:
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/16569207.htm

But don't just be a reader. Knowledge does you no good. The
world rewards action. Take action here:
http://www2.blogger.com/www.BaseballConfidence.com/Join.html

I Feel Your Pain

Last night, I felt it. I had talked about it for years without experiencing directly.

The sinking feeling in my chest.

My head hanging down into the ground.

The embarrassment.

The disappointment.

The silence.

The anger.

What caused that experience for me?

An error.

Last night was opening night for my new slow pitch softball team -- co-ed. I haven't played on a team of any kind for about 10 years and I've never played on a softball team.

I played Over 30 baseball for 6 years and had a blast.

Because I was throwing so much batting practice for my college team and I could hit when I wanted to I was a dominant player.

Also, most of the other players were really bad. I ended my career on a 30 for 30 stolen base streak.

But after a long drought that featured several moves and a marriage and two kids, I was back on a field at 9:30pm last night.

After we scored 6 in the top half of the first, their lead off guy hit a smoking ground ball right at me at short.

I caught it cleanly, took a shuffle step to first and let it go. As soon as I let go I knew it was low. I watched in dismay as the ball short hopped the first baseman and skiddered away from him.
Damn. Short armed it.

Down went the head, and the emotional black ink flooded my chest.

Then I became aware of what I was doing and took the prescribed course of action toward getting back to center, to getting back to wanting the ball hit to me.

I did alright with it and look forward to practicing it more. Although I want to practice it without making the error.

I actually made two more errors on tougher plays later. But I also made some nice plays and got on base every time up.

Didn't take the glove to the plate.

It was great and challenging to be facing the same challenges the players I coach face:

Keep positive energy going and stay focused despite being very disappointed with my error(s).

Then it was dealing with losing. We gave up a bleeder, two out hit that scored 2 to beat us 17-16.

I don't like to lose.

But I love being back in the game, even in this watered down format. The emotions are the same.

If you play more often than every 10 years (or know someone who does) the Baseball Confidence Gym will help you master your emotions and play the game at the highest level possible.

Tom
Dr. Tom Hanson

Don't Solve Your Problems

Note:I've got a new site and a new program I'm very excited about. The feedback so far has been terrific.If you want the free program "5 Steps to Unstoppable Confidence" plus a free report I jus added on Jeter's secret to confidence, go to www.FreeBaseballConfidence.com.

If you just want to go to my new site, go to www.BaseballConfidence.com
--------------------------

I remember talking to Rob Thomson of the Yankees one time when he was running their day to day player development about "traps" that players fall into. I listed 8 in our conversation, and one was "poor choices during down time."

Getting into alcohol and partying and other things that disrupted focus and cost them energy. The normal thing to do is to tell a player to not do that. Even ban him from it.

That can work and it may be necessary. But it addresses the symptom instead of the cause. The focus becomes "not partying." The focus is on the problem.

Too often we do that in all areas of life -- we focus on our problems and try to solve them. That sounds good, but there's an important distinction missing. When you focus on your problems you get more problems. If that's the level you're focusing at, all you'll see is one problem after another.

As soon as you solve one problem, there will be another waiting and you'll do little more than hold your ground.

What should you do instead? Not solve your problems?

A more powerful focus is to go after your goal. Focus on your goal and go after it.Doing so either makes the "problems" go way, or puts them in such a different context that they don't occur to you as problems, just things you have to deal with on the way to your goal.

Might sound like semantics, but the energy difference is huge. Your goal should be your North Star. Your compass. Your guiding light.

With a clear, powerful goal you are much less likely to be distracted by things that aren't relevant to your goal, that don't move you toward your goal. The more clear you are on your goal, the better choices you'll make in your "down time."

In the February edition of my new Baseball Confidence Gym, I'll teach you how to burn a goal and the desire to reach it into your brain and body unlike anything you've ever seen. Join now and get some amazing free stuff.www.BaseballConfidence.com

In Confidence,

Tom
Dr. Tom Hanson

by Tom Hanson
1/24/07
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