Game 7 Mentality…… - Jul 09
On the way back from Dunedin tonight. We won 4 to 3. A very well played game by both teams. Our situational hitting was the difference. We had runners at 2nd and 3rd with no outs twice and were able to score three of the four runs. I will take it. In the 2nd inning, the hitter hit a ground ball to second base to drive in the run and move the runner to third. The next hitter lined a base hit to right for an RBI. Nice. In the eighth, same situation. This time, our third baseman hit a sac fly to deep right to score the runner from third and move the runner over from 2nd. We didn’t score that guy, but every manager in baseball would take 3 of the 4 scoring. The intensity was outstanding tonight. There seemed to be a sense of urgency to win the game. One would assume that that would be a given in professional baseball, but it is not, unfortunately. Our hitting coach, long time major leaguer, Larry Herndon, taught me a valuable lesson that I want to share. He told me that throughout his career, when he stepped on the field for either practice or a game, he treated every day like he was preparing to play the 7th game of the World Series. Playoff baseball is wonderful. The excitement and atmosphere is unmatched when you are playing for a championship, at any level of the game. Why not approach it like that everyday you play? Why not prepare to play and approach the game like it is the biggest game of your life? Don’t get my wrong, I am not talking about putting pressure on yourself to produce, there is too much of that already going on at all levels of the game! But, you should strive for a level of intensity and concentration like you would if you were playing for a State, National or World Series Championship, every time you step between the lines. That is my hope for this club the rest of the way, that we can approach the remaining 58 games with a Game 7 mentality. If we do, we have a chance to win the second half. Until next time………