The True Nature of Baseball

I love this line from White Sox' hitting coach Greg Walker:

"We just got down early, and mentally, we panicked. Guys
started thinking 'Oh my God, I'm hitting .220,' or 'I'm
hitting a buck fifty.' And baseball doesn't feel sorry for
you. If you start going bad it'll bury you" (Baseball
America).

BASEBALL DOESN'T FEEL SORRY FOR YOU.

That's my favorite line.

Baseball doesn't care what you've done lately. It feel bad
for you when you're hurting.

It doesn't feel good for you when you're on a roll.

Even if you are a big leaguer.

Baseball just is.

It is just there, like an instrument waiting to be picked
up and played.

It's up to the player to pick it up and decide how well
he's going to play.

It's up to the coach what type of emotional environment
he's going to create.

Baseball can be a blessing from Heaven. It can be lethal.

Better players decide how they are going to play and they go
out and play that way.

Regardless of circumstances.

Lesser players let the game decide for them how they are
going to play. They let what happens, much of it quirky,
determine their attitudes, effort, and enjoyment of the
game.

The beauty is that we don't get to decide what actually
happens in the game, but we do get to decide how we're
going to approach it.

Are you going to be a victim of the game or a victor?

You don't have to let the game play you. Notice in the
quote above it sounds like the White Sox hitters were
powerless to reverse their fortunes?

That's not necessary.

Not for big leaguers, not for little leaguers.

No matter what your results you can turn things around.

Fast.

Start taking charge of your mental game by joining my
mental training Gym. Tomorrow is the last day to get the
Aaron interview as part of your membership.

http://www.BaseballConfidence.com/Join.html

Tom
Dr. Tom Hanson

p.s. I'll still take a few more people with the throwing
"thing." Yips. Steve Sax Disease. Whatever you want to call
it. I'm undefeated so far -- all are far down the road to
recovery. Don't let this curable affliction rob you of your
enjoyment of the game. Write to me.

p.p.s. I'm finalizing details for my Mental Toughness
Bootcamp this Fall. Stay tuned for that.
Heads-Up Performance Inc

Send Me Your Yippers!

Rick Ankiel.

Chuck Knoblauch.

Steve Sax.

You?

If you fit in that list I've got good news for you. If you
don't fit in that list, good for you!

The "Yips."

The "Thing."

"It"

It goes by many names this "throwing thing." It's cruel and
heartless -- cancer-like.

It cuts down wonderful players in their prime. It cuts down
wonderful players before they even reach their prime.

And,it's a mystery -- until now.

Here's my bottom line: If you have the throwing yips or
care about someone who does, write to me and ask for info
on my new program, "Yip-eee!" (I may go with "Yip-ease",
but for now I like Yip-eee!)

The bottom line to the bottom line is that I'll work with
you, on the phone, and if I can't get you back to throwing
the way you used to you won't have to pay for my services.

This will be available to a limited number of players (or
coaches, I worked with a couple of professional coaches who
couldn't throw BP because of "it"). So act fast.

In the past I've worked with a fair number of these issues
and in different forms. 2 of the first 5 Yankee players I
met with had trouble throwing the ball to first to hold a
runner on.

I've got a pitcher now that pitches great but is terrified
to throw to first.

Catchers get it.

Outfielders get it. (Infielders who became outfielders
because they got it get it)

Golfers too.

So please forward this to anyone you know that may be a
candidate for my yip elimination program (YEP), (that's not
a bad one, but I still like Yip-eee!).

I'll work with a few and give you a report.

Thank you,

Tom
Dr. Tom Hanson

p.s. Hear a short clip of Aaron at
http://www.baseballconfidence.com

then get it all by clicking "Join" in the left navigation
bar.

Jet Stream Your Performance

Sidebar:
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Can you believe the Brewers yesterday called up a pitcher named Grant Balfour?

I can't decide if that's one of the best or worst names ever for a pitcher. One could go with the riddle: "What's the worst thing you can do to a bad hitter?"
(answer: Grant Balfour)
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I had a great conversation on the phone yesterday with a new individual student who is committed to making his baseball dreams come true.

He'd been struggling for some time now, a few years, and as a college senior-to-be he's running out of time.

My first assignment from our free initial conversation the day before, was simply to pay attention to his thoughts until we spoke again the next day.

To give the exercise a bit more teeth, I asked him to simply evaluate whether he felt his thoughts were moving him toward or away from his goal.

"What did you notice?" I asked.

"That up until yesterday I was a 'glass is half empty' guy, now I'm a 'glass is half full' guy."

He's gone from despair to excitement in 24 hours.

We then blasted away at his negative thinking, conditioned in some positive thoughts and he took off toward his goal like Marlin and Dory jumping into the EAC.

You may not have young kids, so I'd better explain that one.

Did you ever see Finding Nemo? I've seen it 100 times thanks to my son CJ. At one point Nemo's dad, Marlin, and Dory (Ellen Degeneres) jump into the EAC (Eastern Australian Current), a sort of underwater jet stream, with a bunch of turtle-dudes.

Outside the current they had to swim to move. No swimming = no movement.

Inside the EAC they take off like rockets. Little to no swimming = rapid movement toward their goal (get to Sydney).

Now, back to the player...

This player entered the baseball EAC. A three step process:

1) awareness of his thoughts 2) blasting his negative programming 3) conditioning in the positive.

Of course he'll need effort to reach his goals, but he's now cruising down stream instead of fighting against the current of negativity.

Consider doing the same. Or, as Dory says, "Just keep swimming."

Tom
Dr. Tom Hanson

p.s. Time is running out for you to get the Aaron interview in the July Confidence Gym. Here're a couple of comments:

"Tom, The Aaron interview was PHENOMENAL." -- Mike Skoutelakis

"Dr. Tom, "Loved the Aaron interview, very thought provoking very much contrasted by Pete Rose comments earlier. Both men were passionate about their sport and had intense focus and trust but accomplished their goals differently.

"It's amazing when you reflect as to the time your interviews were conducted, 1991, 1993 etc. Great stuff-please keep it coming.

"Short story, my son will be a sophomore in HS. Plays high caliber travel and now summer JV and Varsity ball. He knows how to pitch but hasn't pitched competitively in almost a year but has thrown a couple of bull pens this summer. He was recently asked to pith in a tournament -the coach saying give me what you can. He is a competitor. He pitched a complete game shortened by the run rule. Why was he successful?

"1) he "shrunk the game" 2)stayed relaxed and focused on hitting the target and getting ahead of the batter, 3) he had no expectations and stayed within himself, did not rush, did not try to throw too hard etc. All good stuff.

Best Regards, Alan Freedman"

TH: Notice above how the son benefited from his dad's learning the mental game? That kid is in the EAC! That's good baseball coaching.

Don't get left out. Try the Gym for just one month, this month, and get the interview that changed the course of my career.

Read more at:
http://www.baseballconfidence.com/This_Month_in_the_Gym.html

Hear an Aaron clip at: http://www.BaseballConfidence.com