Here we go with the second C.
Concentration
Concentration is my 2nd essential to hitting. Without the ability to concentrate and focus, no athlete can compete on a daily basis. Baseball at the Major League Level takes maximum concentration, day-in and day-out, from Spring Training to the end of October.
The player who jumps into my mind when I think of concentration is Andre The "Hawk" Dawson. Every season, every day and every at-bat, the Hawk was locked in and focused on his game. Even when he struggled (which was rare) he was on top of his game. There is no doubt in my mind that Andre Dawson should be elected into the baseball Hall of fame!
To be a successful hitter, you must be able to clear out all distractions all the time. Andre could do that better than anyone. Baseball, to me, is more of a mental game than a physical game. When your concentration is off, your game is off. It's that simple. Mark McGuire used to say "Focus on one thing when the pitcher is about to throw the pitch, and that focus should be on the ball." Mark used to take a soft focus on the pitcher and hard focus on the ball and release point.
A great way to make sure you are locked in during every at-bat is to step out of the box if the pitcher holds the ball more than 5 seconds. Ask for time out and step out of the box.
As I always say, "Stay Focused" and you will have more success at the plate.
Mike "The Hitman" Easler
No comments:
Post a Comment