One Tip To Keep In Mind While You're Playing Baseball

            Baseball is a game of limited opportunities. You only bat maybe three times a game, and you might only get one opportunity on defense. The sad thing is a lot of coaches don’t base playing time on talent; they base it on how you perform in game situations. Games are full of pressure situations, so people that can perform under that pressure are very valuable. The tip in this post is to take advantage of your opportunities during games. This isn’t really something you can practice, but I’m going to give you some tips on how to get in the right mind set.

            At the beginning of my freshman season I rode the bench. My only opportunities were late in games when the game was either lost or won. I was obviously upset about this but instead of feeling sorry for myself, I did something about it. My first five at bats of the season I got hit including two extra base hits. From that point on I was the starting center fielder.

            When I went up to bat those first couple games the game may have already been decided, but I knew a lot of my playing career was resting on those at bats. When I was on deck I got locked in. I studied the pitcher and zoned everything out, just timing his pitches and getting a feel for my swing. When I went up to bat I made it feel like it was going to be my last at bat ever. I don’t think there’s any point in my life when I’m more focused than when I’m up to bat. This has to be your mind set when you’re up to bat. If you go up there thinking it’s no big deal, my spot is locked, then you’re giving the person behind you an opportunity to lock in and take your position.

            This doesn’t just apply to hitting, it applies to defense as well. You need to make sure you’re getting in a proper defensive position before EVERY PITCH. Always know what you’re going to do with the ball before it even gets to you. This will limit the amount of errors you commit, and it will give the person behind you less of an opportunity to take your spot.

            If you only take one thing from this post, let it be this: Every opportunity you get in baseball is influential in your playing time and your playing career. Treat every opportunity like your last. Thank you for reading, it is much appreciated. Be sure to check out my other posts for ways to improve your overall baseball game.

-Brandon