So many baseball pitchers struggle with staying focused when there are runners on base.
Instead of keeping with their natural rhythm of pitching, they overthrow the ball with extra exertion added in an attempt to control perfectly their throw.
This type of overcompensation makes them lose what made them become a pitcher originally and they are no longer pitching their best on the mound.
No matter the surrounding scenarios of the game, it is your best bet to keep within yourself and prevent further damage by pitching how you normally would.
Once you start to try and force perfection, it works to the other teams favor and chances are they will have a big inning.
There are some esteemed pitchers that act as though bases are empty when pitching.
They know there are runners and have to pitch from the stretch and such but in the moment of pitching their main focus is on throwing the their standard quality pitch which made them pitcher.
This way what happens, happens and they do not try to over perfect their pitch.
If the other team does score a couple of runs it is not the be all end all.
It does not matter who is where or what is going on in the moment of the pitch that should affect the quality of the pitch.
Instead of thinking about the scenario surrounding you or how many base runners there are, think only about the pitch you are about to make.
Here is an excellent example of maintaining focus that one excellent pitcher did during an important playoff game: It was the last inning and there was a very good hitter up to the plate.
The opposing team had two outs with a tying run on third base.
First, the pitcher visualized what the worst possible outcome could be which was the hitter getting the game tying hit and then his team scoring the extra run to win the game.
Then, the pitcher reminded himself that even if the game was lost on this pitch, he would be at one of his favorite places on vacation.
Remembering this helped the pitcher to relax.
It worked because the hitter was retired on a popup and the playoff game ended with the pitcher's team winning.
Instead of keeping with their natural rhythm of pitching, they overthrow the ball with extra exertion added in an attempt to control perfectly their throw.
This type of overcompensation makes them lose what made them become a pitcher originally and they are no longer pitching their best on the mound.
No matter the surrounding scenarios of the game, it is your best bet to keep within yourself and prevent further damage by pitching how you normally would.
Once you start to try and force perfection, it works to the other teams favor and chances are they will have a big inning.
There are some esteemed pitchers that act as though bases are empty when pitching.
They know there are runners and have to pitch from the stretch and such but in the moment of pitching their main focus is on throwing the their standard quality pitch which made them pitcher.
This way what happens, happens and they do not try to over perfect their pitch.
If the other team does score a couple of runs it is not the be all end all.
It does not matter who is where or what is going on in the moment of the pitch that should affect the quality of the pitch.
Instead of thinking about the scenario surrounding you or how many base runners there are, think only about the pitch you are about to make.
Here is an excellent example of maintaining focus that one excellent pitcher did during an important playoff game: It was the last inning and there was a very good hitter up to the plate.
The opposing team had two outs with a tying run on third base.
First, the pitcher visualized what the worst possible outcome could be which was the hitter getting the game tying hit and then his team scoring the extra run to win the game.
Then, the pitcher reminded himself that even if the game was lost on this pitch, he would be at one of his favorite places on vacation.
Remembering this helped the pitcher to relax.
It worked because the hitter was retired on a popup and the playoff game ended with the pitcher's team winning.