The Mental Game Plan

Pitching A. Pregame Routine

1. Go over the game in your head

2. Learn what you can about their hitters

3. Simplify the game to prevent mental errors

B. Prepare for worst case scenarios- Do you know why you always have anxiety attacks

during difficult situations. Simple, you have not prepared yourself for them!

1. If someone makes an error tell him “it’s ok”, then bear down because you might need

him to pick you up when you make mistakes.

2. Take the time before every pitch to tell yourself “If the ball is hit to me what is the

correct thing to do”.

3. No one likes a stat head. Worry about wins, losses, batting averages, era’s etc at the

end of the year. Your main focus needs to be development. The Cardinals are not

scouting you at the age of 12.

Baseball was invented for the purpose of having fun!!!

Good attitudes and winning are just as contagious as bad attitudes and losing.

A. First objective-Get a rhythm with all of your pitches early in the game by

using the 2nd

And 3rd

best pitch early in the count. You can always throw the

fastball to even the count. This way as the game progresses, you have a good

feel for all of your pitches.

B. Presence-Make the hitter believes that you will throw any pitch at anytime in

the count. If you make a mistake give the hitter a look like that is exactly

where I wanted to throw that pitch. Demand respect when you’re on the

mound and the hitter will more times than not give it to you.

C. Confidence- Have you ever wondered why some players look confident while

others don’t. It is simply the fact that those players have prepared themselves

to the best of their ability. When you step on the field knowing you have

prepared yourself mentally and physically it becomes very obvious to

everyone you are confident. How does this happen, first you must train your

body physically, second refine your skills, third learn everything about your

competition, finally stick to your game plan. Control the things you can and

let everything else go if you don’t it will affect your performance.

Tiger Woods once said; his Dad would make him practice in the worst possible conditions.

When he asked his father why are we out here, he gave a simple response “you have to be

prepared to win under all circumstances.”