By Doug Hall
Tennessee Director of Scouting

With so much focus and attention being turned to recruiting for today's young baseball players, I want to take a few minutes to cover a few topics that I feel are important.

Let's face it, we live in a different world than it was way back in the dark ages (the 90's) when I was a high schooler hoping to receive a college scholarship and get a shot at playing professional baseball. Players are working with hitting and pitching coaches now more than ever.  They spend countless hours tweaking and perfecting swings and deliveries.  Swing after swing, pitch after pitch, drill after drill.

Let's be clear.  I fully endorse players working with reputable hitting and pitching coaches to get the necessary information and acquire the necessary skills to gain that extra edge.  However, I feel  there is a key aspect to playing the greatest game on dirt that many players pay little or no attention.  The Mental Approach.

Baseball is unique in that it is a sport where players must learn to deal with the reality of failure.  I don't know of any athlete, at any level, playing any sport, who prepares to be unsuccessful.  However, in baseball, failure is bound to happen.  In fact statistics show that a .300 hitter is unsuccessful seven out of every ten plate appearances.  I don’t know anyone who enjoys missing a pitch right down the middle, and a pitcher never intends to miss his spot and leave a pitch over the heart of the plate.  But it happens time and time again.

Baseball is a sport that requires a short term memory.  When you miss your pitch and roll over for a 6-4-3 double play, or you throw a beach ball over the heart of the dish and give up a tape measure shot, the correct mental approach will allow you to learn from your mistake and move on to the next opportunity to be successful.  There is nothing you can do to bring back the previous play, and lingering on it will only inhibit your chances to hit the next pitch or throw a better pitch to the next hitter.  Instead of dwelling on what you did to fail, focus on what you can do next to succeed.

The game has been played for well over a hundred years and you still have to throw strikes, field the ball, make good throws, get outs, get runners on base, move them over and score them. That won't ever change.  But how can a player improve his mental approach?  There are many things today's player can do to improve this often overlooked aspect of their game.

Baseball is a thinking man’s game.  Understanding what pitch to throw on what count to what hitter, knowing when to steal a base, knowing what a hitter’s count is, knowing where to shade hitters defensively; you get the point.  There are things you must pay attention to during the game that increase your chances of being successful.

Educate yourself.  We live in an information society.  Talk to reputable coaches and instructors who know the game and ask questions.  Attend a local college game, and don't just show up for the first pitch, get there early.  Watch how they warm up, take batting practice and infield/outfield.  Pay close attention to the process as they mentally prepare to play the actual game.  When you watch a game, whether you're in the stands or in front of the TV, actually watch the game.  Pay attention to the position you play.  Notice when the infield plays in, when and how the 1st baseman holds a runner, how hitters get to the load position, their swing path, how base runners take their lead, how a catcher sets up when he calls for a breaking ball.  Increasing your baseball IQ will only help you on the field. 

Get your mind thinking about the game and the situations that could possibly happen (Because if you can think it there's a good chance it will happen).  When you're playing stay focused on the game on the field. Stay one play ahead.  Don't wait for it to happen and hope to react.  The game moves to fast for that. When you are in the box have an approach.  Time the pitcher while in the on deck circle, and know his out pitch and what he likes to throw on certain counts.  Share information with your teammates.

You have to know the game to truly enjoy the game.  You must prepare for success if you want success. These are just a few nuggets of information that you can carry in your arsenal throughout your playing days.  And when your playing days are over, hopefully you will be prepared to pass that knowledge and information on to someone else.  Baseball is a beautiful game for those who know it and understand that there is a game within a game that's being played on the field. PLAY BALL. SEE YOU ON THE DIAMOND.