Posted by: george stanley (saint_george13@yahoo.com) on Tue Jan 15 13:28:54 2008

> > > THG,
> > >
> > > You are very very right when you refer to the hitters mind and where it is at when they do not produce.
> > >
> > > If the hitter mind is on external factors, future results, past results, or anything else other than the ball during the swing and approach, mechanical flaws can and probably will occur.
> > >
> > > When the results of at-bats are effected by these external factors being at the forefront of the mind, the hitters mind can begin to spiral out of control.
> > >
> > > This is the "thinking to much" syndrome. The total opposite of being in the "zone".
> > >
> > > When in "the zone" the hitters mind is not anywhere else but on the ball during the swing. His mind does produce a simple plan and quickly evaluates how to execute that plan before he steps into the box, but he then brings his mind to intense focus on seeing the ball during the approach and swing.
> > >
> > > Many hitters find themselves in "the zone" after some consistent success, and then find themselves out of it very quickly. They fall out of "the zone" because they begin to analyze and focus on why they are doing so well. If their mind is on figuring out why they did well, it is not on the ball.
> > >
> > > Alex Rodriguez's mind seems to drift into focusing on external factors when the big spotlight of the playoffs begin. His mind is not in the moment. His mind is on hopeful future results, possible embarrassing failures, and the millions of people watching.
> > >
> > > This was the cause of the huge fielding slump he went through a year ago. He did have mechanical flaws in his fielding, but they were a result of his thoughts being all over the place.
> > >
> > > When players think while doing an athletic movement, the fluent athletic ability and action is handcuffed creating mechanical flaws. For example, one throwing error becomes another, and another, and the thoughts start to overwhelm the players ability. Many refer to this as "the funk" or "the thing".
> > >
> > > This is why the players concentration and thoughts should be addressed before any mechanics are during a slump. Many times mechanics can be ironed out with simple adjustments in focus.
> > >
> > > These mental concepts can and should be practiced as much as any mechanical fundamentals.
> > >
> > > Jimmy
> >
> > hi jimmy !
> >
> > very well said!! i believe the 6 words you are looking for are..
> > BE GOAL SPECIFIC!! AT ALL TIMES!!!
> >
> > I show my hitters a standard shooting target & ask, "in order to score the MOST points, what should you aim at?"
> > i always get "the bullseye"
> > i NEVER get "the CENTER of the bullseye"
> > the bullseye is ok, but if you are off just a little bit, you are out of the bullseye.
> > if you aim at the CENTER of the bullseye,& you are off just a little bit, YOU ARE STILL IN THE BULLSEYE!
> > I ask my hitters "when you get in the box, what are you trying to do?"
> > they used to say "i dunno... get a hit!!"
> > now they say "i'm looking to rip a first pitch straight-as-a-nail fastball thigh-high on the inner half.. & if i get it, i will not miss it!!"... that is being GOAL SPECIFIC...
> > A-ROD had that scared-deer-in-the-headlights look.. which is the result of reacting to the sight & sounds around him rather having a focused look on his face, which would indicate he was thinking about looking for and being ready to rip the next pitch, or thinking about what position he should be in in order to field that dp grounder his pitcher was going to throw for him to gobble up & turn 2.. HE LOST HIS NATURAL AGGRESIVENESS.. HE WAS TOO SCARED TO MAKE A MISTAKE.. which is when you make more of them!!
> > so many times hitters are not looking for a strike on a pitch.. but after it's in the glove, they are thinking "jeez i should been dialled up for that one!!" that is a most common error... since you not looking to rip on a pitch if it is in there, you are in fact taking all the way... which is never a good place to be, except on maybe 3-0..
> > the problem is players are not GOAL SPECIFIC AT ALL TIMES THEY ARE ON THE FIELD!!therefore you are not at your most aggressive..no matter where you are, whether in the box or out in CF i tell my players they should be thinking about what would be happening in a perfect world, then i encourage them to talk it out,, put it into words so they have a specific goal in mind on every pitch, & be ready to implement their plan when the pitch is launched.. that is where so many players fail themselves, by not concentrating on the next pitch & end up throwing away far too many AB's...
> > so many problems ("the funk")come from not BEING GOAL SPECIFIC AT ALL TIMES!!!
> > so many problems go away when you are...
> > what do you think?
>
> George,
>
> You are pretty close and make good points, but what you are talking about are specific goals/results and thinking about them.
>
> What I am talking about is pure focus and concentration. Not focused being goal specific, nor on being in the right position for a ground ball, to do so creates more thought, and more thought, and more thought, distracting the player from where his mind needs to be.
>
> Any thoughts during an athletic movement handcuffs the players true potential from being released.
>
> In other words George, the plan and goals that you described are specific, but that is not where his mind needs to be as he is swinging at a pitch or fielding a ball.
>
> A-rod was probably thinking more about the possible embarrassing or gratifying results he might or might not achieve and how fans and media may react to those results. As well as the sights and sounds around him as you said.
>
> So its not about thinking about a specific goal on every pitch, its about not thinking at all and being in the precise moment with your mind as the action takes place.
>
> Jimmy

my dear jimmy,

i am speaking specifically about what you should be thinking about RIGHT UP TO THE MOMENT you execute the play... i made no mention of thinking while executing!!
I am talking ONLY about the 5 seconds PRIOR to the pitch being delivered are the most important when it comes to having a GOAL SPECIFIC plan regardelss of whether you are in the box or in CF...
i certainly don't think you can break down the swing or the catch in your mind during the actual execution.. rather, you just simply re-act with all the athletic ability at your command..
there are 2 specific times involved... the BEFORE & DURING..
i am concerned with what you should be thinking BEFORE the play begins.. put yourself in the optimuum physical position to make the play by using your mental prowess.. not like a-rod in the playoffs... where ANYONE can tell his mind was just simply not in the right place, wherever it was... was wrong.
if you are not thinking along with the pitcher, then you are in the complete dark once the pitch is released... on a lot of pitches, or in certain counts, a good hitter has to have some kind of idea what is coming next... if not, then you are in the see-the-ball-swing-at-the-ball mode, which as we all know is the road to hell..
i teach my hitters when the pitcher gets to the SAME place in his motion prior to releasing the ball... somewhere around when the lead foot touches down or the pitching arm raises up, ask yourself:

" is it there? "

because the 1st order of business is to swing at a strike.. DON'T FORGET THAT!! far too many hitters do & with 2 strikes, end up hacking at 58 footers because they are in the see-the-ball-swing-at-the-ball mode!!! YOU MUST HAVE A GO-NOGO SWITCH IN YOUR MIND WHEN THE PITCH IS UNDERWAY!!! in that way you do not forget that you are ALWAYS looking for a good pitch to hit.. not just anything because you have 2 strikes on you & you'll be darned if you're going to be caught looking at strike 3... too much of that going around... not smart..

i am sorry to have to take the adversarial point on this, but you must be guessing to some extent on type & location of pitch depending on the count.. or at the very least just admit to your self that your only chance is on a fastball & be hacking on those counts only where you can expect a fastball.. the pitcher/catcher are thinking about doing you in... you MUST be thinking about what their tactics are & re-act accordingly.. to not think is to not be prepared...that is a losing mindset... sorry!