The art of hitting a baseball can become a lifetime love affair.  But at the same time it starts a journey filled with frustration and failure. 

Hitting is often called the most difficult thing to do in all sports.

The challenge of hitting a baseball is what drives so many athletes to spend hours upon hours of practice along with hours of watching games on TV or in person.  This can become an obsession or idol if your have played long enough then you know exactly what I mean. 

Waking in the middle of the night with thoughts about our swing filling our heads, or hitting till our hands bleed only to do it again the next day are aspects of this love affair. 

Always searching for that one thing where we can say I GOT IT or I FIGURED IT OUT.  Only to go 0-3 the next day with three punch outs.  Why do we do this to ourselves?  It’s those good days that keep us wanting more.  The feeling when we hit the ball perfect on the sweet spot.  Much like golf except in golf you hit the ball pure and you’re on the green, in baseball you can hit the ball perfect only to see the centerfielder make the catch without taking a step. 

Even writing this blog stirs emotions of those sleepless nights and frustration over O’fers. 

The funny thing about baseball is that we tend to focus on the negative, not the hit that you did have but the three you didn’t get.  That is why we must focus on the things we can control.  Your approach or plan and how you executed those. 

Did you stay in the moment? 

The practice of one pitch at a time! 

The pitcher needs to execute three pitches to beat us where we as a hitter only need to execute on one pitch.    

How we handle the mental side of the game will make a huge difference in the success we have as well as how much we enjoy this wonderful frustrating game.

Enjoy the beginning of your lifetime love affair with hitting.

 

Until Next Time,

Chad