The game can turn on one play, how do you handle the one bad play, and were you ready?

Comment by Jon Freeman on October 16, 2012 at 1:06pm

JMHO, but dwelling on the negatives involved with bad/booted plays, poor at bats, and blown calls during a game is the quickest way to guarantee failure, so the negative parts need to be put out of a player's head and have no place in the dugout during the game (even between innings). There is ALWAYS something to be learned from every situation (whether the situation is positive or negative), so that lesson is what needs to be carried to the next pitch, next inning, etc. Address the negative side in the clubhouse AFTER the game, during the next practice or workout, and move on.

Comment by Michael Williamsen on October 16, 2012 at 1:16pm

I often tell young players, "Someday, you will look back at all the time and effort you put into baseball and your memories will consist of just a few moments. Let's make every play in today's game like it is going to be one of those moments."

Comment by David LeVine on October 16, 2012 at 1:22pm

when one of my players makes a error, I always tell them don't worry about it.  Just make the next one.  Remember, not one Hall of Famer has 1000 fielding percentage.  This usually puts them at ease. 

Afterall, it is just a game.

Comment by Michael Williamsen on October 16, 2012 at 1:49pm

David - Players (even more so parents and coaches) do take the game too seriously and the abiltiy to brush off failure and focus on the next play is huge in baseball and life. But I disagree that baseball is just a game. It is an excellent opportunity to gain many character skills that the player will utilize throughout the rest of their life such as self esteem, team work, courage in failure, humilty in victory.  I am sure you can add a lot onto that list.

Comment by David LeVine on October 16, 2012 at 2:32pm

Michael, I agree with the fact that sports can teach young players to develop other skills that help later in life.  But that was not my point.  I was just trying to state that I teach my players that the outcome of the game does not depend on one or two plays not made.  It is the sum of all the parts on both sides of the diamond.

Comment by Michael Williamsen on October 16, 2012 at 2:48pm

Good point David. One bad play can so greatly affect a ball player's self esteem, even when having performed well the rest of the game. That bumbled BIG CATCH that lets in the winning run is always the play that draws the attention, when an error earlier in the game, having not been made, could have rendered the BIG CATCH insignificant. It is the summation of all effort that determines the outcome. But how do we relate that to the players?

Comment by Chris Smith on October 16, 2012 at 4:50pm

Hey guys you make some very valid points about errors and how to deal with there aftermath.  The point I was making in the book is that each player needs to be honest with himself when he is faced with the critical error in a tough situation.  Each player knows in his heart of hearts whether or not he was prepared to make the play.  Did he prepare before the game?  Was he focused and aware at that moment?  Did he use all available information to place himself in the optimum spot for success.  To have a coach try to soothe a player who created a bad outcome from his own lack of preparation is hard to take.  Each player is responsible for preparing with a purpose so that should the error be made he can know that he did all he could to be successful but the play just didn't go his way.

Comment by Ted Browne on October 16, 2012 at 10:14pm

The best way to train kids to handle adversity is to prepare their minds and emotions ahead of time.  No single play determines the game.  But that doesn't mean that single plays aren't highlighted.

We have a saying in our organization:  "So what...next pitch."  

As an athlete, you need to be able to compartmentalize.  This can be taught...

Comment by Dion Chamar Owens on October 17, 2012 at 12:56pm

Fortunately for me I was on the positive side of this situation. But what I do is I try to calculate the velocity of the pitch, the bat speed of the batter, and if it's hit the speed, height and the distance of the ball. That way every play that I make will be routine. Now I know that everybody can't do this, but this is what I do every time I am in the game.          

Comment by Chris Smith on October 17, 2012 at 1:17pm

Dion, you sound like you were completely engaged in every pitch, ready to be ready.  You are one of those players who have done all that they can before the pitch and what happens after that is okay.  The ride home for a player who commits himself to doing all that he can before, during and after a play will still bemoan a loss but he will be secure in the knowledge that he was present at all times for the action at hand.

Comment