Geoff Miller

Archive for the ‘Interviews’ Category

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Should Parents Hold Their Kids Back In School For Competitive Advantages In Sports?

In Interviews on March 29, 2010 at 6:13 pm

I wanted to share a post from www.sandiegosportspsychology.com that includes an interview I did last May on The Scott and BR Show on XX 1090 sports talk radio in San Diego.  The topic of discussion was whether or not parents holding back their kids in school was the right thing to do for their development as athletes.  We discussed the implications of the practice of starting kids a year later in Kindergarten or even transferring middle schools and repeating 8th Grade with the purpose being to enter high school a year older than the rest of that student’s peers. This topic was of interest at the time because San Diego basketball star, Jeremy Tyler’s decision to leave school and sign a professional contract in Europe while waiting to be eligible for the NBA draft.  That topic is again in the news since Tyler chose to leave his team in Israel and return to the United States.

Read the entire post and listen to the full interview

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For more information on Winning Mind programs for athletes and executives, please contact Geoff Miller at miller@thewinningmind.com.

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Interview: Jeff Banister, Minor League Field Coordinator

In Interviews on February 21, 2010 at 11:03 pm

Jeff Banister is the Minor League Field Coordinator for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jeff has spent his entire professional career (24 years) as a player, manager, and coach in the Pirates organization.  He has been a major league player, major league coach, minor league manager, minor league coach, and for the last 6 years has been the Pirates field coordinator.  He is a link to the Pirates winning past and he has been adaptable and loyal enough to commit to changing culture under numerous GMs, managers, and farm directors.  There is no staff member who touches more lives or has more influence in molding the physical, mental, fundamental, and personal development of Pirates players.

Jeff was a member of the 1991 Pirates NL East championship team and he had a hit in his only major league at bat, July 23, 1991.  He overcame bone cancer, osteomyolitis, seven operations on his left leg and ankle, and a crushed vertebrae from a home plate collision that left him temporarily paralyzed from the neck down in his road to becoming a Pittsburgh Pirate.   He possesses a combination of baseball knowledge, hard-nosed work ethic and discipline, and an amazing sense for how to tell every single person he deals with exactly what they need to hear without sacrificing his honesty and integrity.

Geoff Miller: I think it would be helpful to our readers to have a better understanding of the role of a field coordinator in a Major League Baseball organization.  Can you explain what you do in Spring Training, during the season, and within the structure of baseball operations?

Jeff Banister: A field coordinator implements the philosophies and ideals and fundamentals that are set out by the major league manager and staff and translates and teaches them to the minor league staffs and coaches.  I also help our farm director evaluate all of our coaches, managers, pitching coaches, strength coaches, and all other staff members.  I help teach our managers the art of managing: managing the men and the players, and implementing of the programs that we have in place.  With players, I help aid in evaluating their skills, I aid in developing and overseeing player plan programs.  I coordinate all of Spring Training for our minor leaguers. I take info from each coordinator (pitching, hitting, infield, etc. ) and put all the instruction together to map out each day to maximize our instruction.  The goal is to have each day be full of instruction and to have it be a progression as we get closer to the beginning of the season.  There is an evaluation of each day of practice so we know as a staff what went well, what we need to do better, etc, so we can make sure that we are teaching well and players know what they need to work on.

GM: What kinds of character qualities are you looking for as you get to know newly drafted players and how do you determine whether or not a player has them?

JB: One, I want to find out what kind of worker each player is.  I want to know their work ethic…are they over-workers, under-workers, do they need to be pushed, do they need to be reined in a bit?  A lot of young guys come in and think they have an understanding of their work ethic, but they all need to be taught when to push and when to back off.  As far as competitive nature, I want to know if they are game competitors or if they back off in games.  How do they handle pressure?  Do they want to be comfortable or are they willing to be uncomfortable?  What is their character as a team player?  Are they willing to immediately listen and be part of a team or are they individual, solo type players?

GM: What is the most important factor in getting players to achieve their full potential?

JB: To get the player to understand his full potential without any cloudiness there.  He needs to understand where he is now as a player, to have enough vision to be able to see himself down the road as a championship player, and also that they have the perspective to be able to know that there are going to be hurdles, setbacks, and quick gains.  They also have to be able to focus on themselves without getting caught up in the success of other players.

GM: What are some common differences you see between players selected in the draft from college versus those selected from high school?

JB: The biggest difference between the high school player and the college player is that they still have the “dad-coach” mentality built in.  They will still rush out and do anything you tell them to do.  The college player is more molded in his ways because he has had success and failure already and have been told to do some things that haven’t worked for them.  The high school player is an open book and will do just about anything you’ll ask them to.

Also, the college player has more urgency than the high school player so there is more sense of panic in them when things aren’t going so well, whereas high school players don’t even know the word release yet and everything is fresh and new.

GM: How much leadership should come from the manager and his coaching staff and how much should come from the players themselves?

JB: There are two parts to that.  In the clubhouse, there should be a strong player presence of leadership.   The clubhouse is a domain and sanctuary for the players and team chemistry should be developed there.  On the field, the manager should be the type of person that has a stronger presence and a stronger leadership flow.  When the game is on the line, when things are going well, or not going well, the manager needs to be able to provide a sense of calm or a sense of urgency based on what the situation calls.

GM: What is the best advice you’ve been given as a coach?

JB: Forget about my playing days!  Every coach should remember what it was like to be a player, but I was told to forget about what I was as a player.  My role should be to help all of my players gain in their knowledge of who they are every day, not to have the highs and lows of success and failure that you go through as a player.  My players’ peaks and valleys are going to be more extreme if I don’t manage my emotions on the results of today.

If you would like to receive new posts from The Winning Mind in Baseball by email, please CLICK HERE.

For more information on Winning Mind programs for individuals and teams, please contact Geoff Miller at miller@thewinningmind.com.

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Winter Ball in Venezuela: Interview with Derek Hankins

In Interviews on January 8, 2010 at 4:27 pm

From Luis Aparicio to Jose Reyes, from Roberto Clemente to Vladimir Guerrero, from Juan Marichal to Johan Santana, Latin American players have had a huge influence on the game of baseball and its history.  Players from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela don’t just face long odds to get to the big leagues, they face challenges of having to learn English, coming from places of extreme poverty, poor nutrition, and sometimes with little or no educational foundation.  It isn’t easy for American players to understand the hardships their teammates are enduring, the burden of financial responsibility they feel for their families, or the consequences and lack of opportunities that await them at home if they don’t make it to the big leagues.

I interviewed Derek Hankins, a minor league pitcher in the Pirates organization, because I wanted to know what he experienced when he played Winter Ball in Venezuela this off-season.  I’ve known Derek for a while now, and if there was ever anyone I would expect to understand and appreciate every life lesson and experience his time in Venezuela offered him, it would be Derek.  As you’ll read in this interview, the experience in baseball and in culture was not lost on Derek.  He has played the last two seasons in AA Altoona and has played in the Arizona Fall League as well.  Here’s hoping that Derek uses the lessons he learned this winter to have a great Spring Training and that his road to the big leagues continues.  And here’s hoping that you learn something from Derek’s experience and that you keep your eye on the box scores so you can cheer him when he eventually makes his big league debut.

Geoff Miller: What was it like playing in another country where you were the foreigner?

Derek Hankins: I got to experience a true role reversal.  A lot of us Americans don’t really understand the sacrifices that our Latin teammates make, what they go through, and where they are coming from. I was amazed by the poverty level in Venezuela and by the passion Venezuelan players have for the game. They play the game over there as adults like we used to play in Little League.  I loved that.

I also got a great perspective going down there. Those guys come to America and leave their families behind and they have nothing else but playing the game when they are here.  For a couple of months, I had to put everything else out of my mind and be there to play baseball and leave my family behind.

I also realized that nobody owes me anything and I’m getting so many opportunities. We as Americans sometimes don’t see it that way because there is so much entitlement.  Those guys give it everything they have because this is their only shot at making it big.  Americans think that because they were drafted in a certain round or they come from a certain program that they are going to get more chances even if they don’t play their best.

GM: What was it like having to understand another language to survive?

DH: I did pick up on a lot, but I wish I had taken Spanish instead of French in high school. I really tried to learn as much as I could while I was down there, but being around lots of great Venezuelan guys in the minors helped me learn some Spanish before I got there.  I had to ask people to repeat things a few times and I understand it better than I speak it.  Jamie Navarro was our pitching coach and he would take me out to dinner and make me order so I could learn enough basic living skills to survive.

I thought that the Venezuelan players welcomed me and the other American players better than we welcome Latin players in the US.  That’s something I’m going to remember and try to do better this season.

GM: Compare your experiences between playing in the Arizona Fall League and in Venezuela.

DH: I would say that the Fall League is more about development and lots of individual achievement, and really feels like we are being scouted, a lot like it feels in college before being drafted.  In Venezuela, it’s “game time.” It’s like a soccer match…23,000 people screaming at every game and they are all intensely involved.  It’s like a big party from the first pitch to the last pitch and it really taught me how to control my emotions.  I was down there to get the job done or I was going home.  I wasn’t there to work on anything developmentally.

GM: Do you feel more confident now that you can get to the big leagues and compete?

DH: Absolutely.  I had a chance to experience how much one mistake can make the difference between winning and losing.  That was my first real opportunity to experience the way those big league hitters just waited for me to make that mistake and now I know how to avoid them and to locate all my pitches better.  It also helped to have an ex-pitcher like Jamie Navarro tell me that I don’t need to throw harder to be a big leaguer.

GM: What would you tell a teammate who had never been to play Winter Ball?

DH: Make sure that you are prepared.  The game down there moves at a quick pace, especially if you let the crowds and atmosphere swallow you up.  Just go down there and throw every pitch like you know you can, don’t reinvent yourself.  But the way that hitters and pitchers adjust down there is incredible.  Those guys don’t seem to care if things don’t go right for them on one pitch or one AB, but they are ready for the next pitch.  It is still baseball, but when you’re at the field, it is a big league environment.  The way the players carry themselves and execute is just the same because most of the players there are big leaguers or have been big leaguers.

GM: What is the most important mental game lesson you have learned in your career?

DH: When I first got drafted, I really had to learn to control my emotions.  There are times when your emotions are going to take over, but it seems like the guys that are most successful are the ones that don’t get too high or too low on the field.  They don’t change in the way they carry themselves, when things get out of whack it doesn’t seem like a big deal.  No matter what is happening, things shouldn’t change.  And I think that’s where winners come from…people that know who they are as people and as players.

If you would like to receive new posts from The Winning Mind in Baseball by email, please CLICK HERE.

For more information, please contact Geoff Miller at miller@thewinningmind.com.

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Interview: Freddy Sanchez, 2006 NL Batting Champion

In Interviews on December 3, 2009 at 7:50 pm

Freddy Sanchez, 2B, SF Giants, 2006 NL Batting Champion, NL All-Star 2006, 2007

Freddy Sanchez was drafted in the 11th Round of the 2000 Draft by the Boston Red Sox.  He grew up in Burbank, CA and attended Glendale Community College, Dallas Baptist University, and was drafted as a senior at Oklahoma City University.  He made his major league debut with Boston in 2002 and was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2003.  He spent 2005, his first full season in the majors, in a utility role and didn’t earn an every day starting job until May of 2006, when starting 3B, Joe Randa, was injured.  2006 was a storybook season for Freddy, who went from a back-up to a batting champion.  He had 200 hits, led the National League with a .344 average and also led the league with 53 doubles.  He was an All-Star in 2006 and 2007 and has a career batting average of .299.  In 2009, Freddy was traded to the San Francisco Giants and he signed a two-year extension with the Giants on Oct. 31.  Freddy’s 2006 season demonstrates his strengths as a hitter, lots of contact, line-drives, and gap power.  He shares his thoughts on winning the batting title, ideas on hitting, and the importance of confidence.

Geoff Miller: What memories stand out most from the year you won the batting title?  What was the last week of the season like for you knowing that you were close?

Freddy Sanchez: The thing that stands out the most was how the fans came together.  Obviously, we weren’t having a great year, but the fans really got behind me and the support they gave me was great.  I started out as a utility guy that year.  Joe Randa, unfortunately got hurt and you don’t want anyone on your team to get hurt, but I remember how supportive he was, even after he got healthy.  He really helped me out a lot and was a great teammate and is a great person.

The last week was a bit tougher because it didn’t really matter what I was hitting until that last week and that’s when I started to realize that this is something that could be possible.  I hadn’t thought about it the whole season until then and I started to feel the race at that point.  I had a lot of nerves going, especially the last day of the season.  But that day, I talked to Jack Wilson and he helped me relax.  I felt like moving around a lot and was anxious, but I decided that I was just going to play ping pong in the clubhouse and treat it like any other day.  Jack and I just played ping pong for hours and that was the most relaxed I’d been all week.

GM: Which is more important for you as a hitter, seeing the ball well or your timing?

FS: For me, it’s seeing the ball well.  You need both of those things to succeed in baseball and early on in the season, I would say that it’s timing.  But as the season goes on, you get your timing down and once you get comfortable in the daily routine of the season, seeing the ball well is more important.

GM: What do you do to maintain confidence throughout the season?

FS: There are so many ups and downs in baseball and one day you can have a great game and the next you can go 0-5 with 4 strikeouts.  You have to know that you’re going to keep your confidence up every day.  I pray every night and that keeps me believing in myself and giving me the strength to play hard.  I just focus on staying healthy and staying strong.  There are times when you aren’t 100% physically and it gets harder to stay confident. But keeping my routine and getting into the cage really help me maintain that.

GM: When you were a young player in the big leagues, who would you say taught you the things you needed to know about being a good teammate, being a leader, being a good big leaguer?

FS: The person that took me under his wing, even though we are the same age, is Jack.  He had been in the big leagues for a while when I got there.  He let me live with him, he took ground balls with me, he was the biggest influence in my baseball career.

GM: How do preparation and routine work for you and have you changed any of your preparation or routines as you have established yourself as a veteran in the big leagues?

FS: Your success as a player is going to come from your preparation and routine.  I like to have a routine that I do every day and I know that if I have prepared, then I can go out and play and know that I did the best I could do that day.   There have been some changes to my routine, as I have gotten older.  When I was younger I might go in the cage and take 500 swings, but now I know that I have to do what’s best for me so I don’t tire myself out.  The preparation doesn’t change on a daily basis, but it does change over time.

GM: What is the most important mental game lesson you have learned in your career?

FS: There are so many things that I’ve learned, but I think the most important is not to get too down mentally and emotionally when things aren’t going well.   You have to try to stay positive and confident no matter what is happening.

If you would like to receive new posts from The Winning Mind in Baseball by email, please CLICK HERE.

For more information, please contact Geoff Miller at miller@thewinningmind.com.

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Interview: Brian Friday

In Interviews on November 18, 2009 at 11:36 pm

The Arizona Fall League season ends today and I thought it would be an appropriate ending to a long season to interview Brian Friday, one of six Pittsburgh Pirates prospects who was invited to play for the Scottsdale Scorpions with the best prospects from all 30 Major League teams.  Brian was drafted in the 3rd Round of the 2007 First Year Player Draft by the Pirates out of Rice University.  At Rice, he was named First Team All-American shortstop in 2006, and played in two College World Series.  As a professional, he has been a Carolina League All-Star in 2008 while playing for the Lynchburg Hillcats and was named an All-Star again in 2009 in the AA Eastern League with the Altoona Curve.  A highly intellectual player, Brian has outstanding character and leadership skills.  He discusses his Fall League experience, his development on the road to the big leagues, and his perspective on life and baseball.

Geoff Miller: The Arizona Fall League is a collection of the best prospects in the game.  How much does playing there boost your confidence?

Brian Friday: It definitely provides a little boost to my confidence for the simple fact that it’s an honor to play in this league.  A lot of the most talented players in the minor leagues are here, and to be able to play with and against them helps motivate me to continue to get better.

GM: How do you keep from comparing your abilities or readiness for the big leagues with the abilities and readiness of other players in this league?

BF: It’s sometimes difficult to not compare yourself to other players in a league like this because that is what a lot of people are doing.  But I realize that doesn’t help me become a better player and that is why I am here.  As a player, I try to always keep in mind that comparisons and judging someone else’s ability isn’t my job.  My job is to prepare as best I can and then perform in the games.  If I can stay focused on that then all the externals should take care of themselves.

GM: What is the most important growth you are experiencing playing in Arizona this Fall?

BF: The most important growth for me has been offensively this Fall.  I have been working to make adjustments that have taken a while to show up in games, so it has tested my patience.  It has been a good experience to go through because I have been hesitant to make some adjustments during the regular season.  And since this league is more of a developmental league I have stuck with things offensively that I wouldn’t have in the past for fear of not performing.

GM: You played at one of the most successful baseball programs in the country.  How did playing at Rice prepare you for being a professional baseball player?

BF: I received a lot a great instruction at Rice, but the best thing for me to learn was mental toughness.  Playing every day professionally can wear you down, and I believe my experience at Rice has helped me stay focused and get up for each game throughout the season.  Whether I had a good or bad game the night before, I have to try to learn from it and then let it go.  That is easier said than done, but Rice helped me improve a lot in that area.

GM: How do you balance pushing yourself to be a better player so you can continue to make progress with giving yourself credit for the progress you’ve already achieved in your minor league career?

BF: This is a balance that I struggle with because I am wired to keep pushing myself forward towards perfection.  I view this mindset as a strength of mine, but at the same time I tend to overlook any past accomplishments.  This is a problem for me because I easily forget the positive times where I have performed well and focus more on the negative.  I have had some success in the minor leagues thus far, but I usually dismiss those successes because I feel I have a lot of room for improvement.  Consequently, it has been difficult for me during tough times when I need to remember past accomplishments and try to pull some confidence from those.  This balance is something that I constantly have to remind myself of during a season.  It is important to always strive to get better, but you have to give yourself some credit every now and then.

GM: What is the most important mental game lesson you’ve learned in your career?

BF: Learning that baseball doesn’t have to be life-consuming has been the most important lesson for me.  I have struggled in the past with wrapping up my life with this game.  Life was great when I played well, and life was miserable when I played poorly.  All this did was put me on an emotional rollercoaster with a lot of highs and seemingly more lows.  Baseball is tough enough as it is, and if you let it rule your life it will eat you up.

Now I still am pleased after a good game, and irritated after a bad one, but I have found it easier to move on with a positive perspective.  I attribute this to truly realizing that my Christian faith, family and friends are more important than this game.  Until I am done playing I will always strive to get better and perform, but that pales in comparison to my faith.  It is much bigger than this game and keeps me grounded.

If you would like to receive new posts from The Winning Mind in Baseball by email, please CLICK HERE.

For more information, please contact Geoff Miller at miller@thewinningmind.com.

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Interview: Nate McLouth, 2008 NL All-Star

In Interviews on November 12, 2009 at 3:10 pm

Nate McLouth, CF, Atlanta Braves, 2008 NL All-Star, 2008 Gold Glove

Nate McLouth plays center field for the Atlanta Braves.  He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 25th round of the 2000 draft out of Whitehall High School in Whitehall, Michigan, turning down a scholarship offer to Michigan. His high school career included a remarkable 179 SB in 180 attempts.  Nate progressed quickly through the Pirates’ minor league system, making his major league debut at 23 years old, in August of 2005.  He spent the next two seasons in the majors in a battle for playing time and finally became the every day center fielder for Pittsburgh in 2008.  In his first starting role, Nate hit .276 with 26 HR, 94 RBI, 23 SB, scored 113 runs, and led the NL with 46 doubles.  He made the NL All-Star team and won a Gold Glove in center field as well.  He was traded to Atlanta on June 3, 2009, and hit a combined .256, 20 HR, 70 RBI, with 19 SB last year.  In his career, he has stolen 57 bases on 62 attempts, for a 91.9% success rate.  A true five-tool player with surprising power despite being 5’11”, 185 lbs, Nate excels at the plate, on the bases, and in the field.

Geoff Miller: You didn’t get a chance to start every day until the beginning of the 2008 season and you made the All-Star team that year.  What did you do to stay patient while you waited for an opportunity to prove yourself?

Nate McLouth: I just reminded myself every day that I was still in the big leagues even though I wasn’t playing every day and I knew that eventually I would get my shot.  Finally, that opportunity came and I made the most of it.

GM: Does your approach at the plate change much when you hit second or third as opposed to when you are hitting lead-off?

NM: When I lead off, my approach is really only different if it’s the first at bat of the game or if I’m following the pitcher with two outs and nobody on.  In those situations I need to be more patient and see more pitches, but the rest of the time, regardless of where I’m hitting in the order, I try to be aggressive.

GM: What do you do to try to make every AB the same, no matter what situation you are facing?  Are there ever times in close games or when you hit with runners in scoring position when you feel more pressure?

NM: I used to feel more pressure in different situations, mostly when I hit with runners in scoring position. But now I just try to hit like I’m hitting with nobody on base every time I come up.

GM: How do you deal with the daily grind of the season from a physical and a mental standpoint?

NM: I try not to look too far ahead, especially at the beginning of the season.  I try to play each game and prepare myself for that day instead of thinking about the whole season. It’s such a long season that it can be overwhelming if you look at it like that.

GM: You have managed to move forward throughout your professional career without any real setbacks.  How do you continue to get consistent results and how much has your mentality helped you in getting what you want?

NM: For me, it has nothing to do with my numbers and everything to do with my preparation.  I have a specific routine and I do it every day.  When I get to game time and I have completed my routine, I know I’m where I need to be mentally and that lets me relax and play the game.

GM: What is the most important mental game lesson you have learned in your career?

NM: I have to stay focused only on things that I know I can control.  For example, I can’t focus on how nasty the pitcher is that night or I’m going to have a bad night.  Instead, I have to focus on knowing that I’ve prepared myself and go to the plate aggressive and looking for a pitch to hit.  Or I can’t worry about whether I’m starting or where I am on the depth chart, I just have to focus on what I can do each day.  When I focus on things I can control, I don’t feel any pressure.

If you would like to receive new posts from The Winning Mind in Baseball by email, please CLICK HERE.

For more information, please contact Geoff Miller at miller@thewinningmind.com.

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Interview: Zach Duke, 2009 NL All-Star

In Interviews, Uncategorized on November 2, 2009 at 2:44 pm

Zach Duke: LHP, Pittsburgh Pirates, 2009 National League All-Star

Zach Duke is a 26-year-old Left-Handed Starting Pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  He was drafted in the 20th Round of the 2001 draft out of Midway High School in Waco, Texas and turned down a scholarship offer from Baylor to sign with the Pirates. He has been a fixture in the Pirates rotation since striking out nine Milwaukee Brewers in his major league debut on July 2, 2005.  His career highlights include an 8-2 rookie season with a 1.81 ERA, a 22 inning scoreless streak during that 2005 rookie season, fifth place in the 2005 Rookie of the Year balloting, two 200 IP seasons, and a place on the 2009 National League All-Star team.  Zach’s answers in this interview demonstrate the intelligence, adaptability and tenacity that have made him a successful major league pitcher.

Geoff Miller: You’ve done such a great job in overcoming adversity in your major league career.  How do you deal with failure at the big league level?

Zach Duke: I think the thing you have to remember is that every player that has played this game has failed at one point or another. It doesn’t mean you are a bad player, it just means you have more work to do. You have to be as even-keeled as possible and not put too much weight on one bad outing or one bad season. You have to look back and think about the things that made the results turn out the way they did and try to rethink your plan or work routine and remember the things that made you successful in the first place.

GM: Can you describe how you use your thought process to your advantage without thinking too much when you’re out on the mound?

ZD: The trick there, I have come to realize, is that you think outside your own personal actions, and focus on the game or at bat. For example, if you find yourself thinking about mechanics or release points, get outside your head and focus on a batter’s feet or hand position with the bat, and remember what you were taught to look for to combat a certain batter’s tendencies.

GM: How important is your confidence level to your success?

ZD: As simply as I can put it, if you don’t believe in your own abilities and talent, you are going to be thinking about what you are doing the entire game. You have to trust the work you have put in and have confidence that from all the repetitions you have done executing each pitch, your body will remember how to get the ball to a certain spot. You must know that even if a hitter beats you in one at bat, you will get him the next time by using what he just showed you.

GM: How would you describe your leadership style and how do you serve as a leader to your current teammates, most of whom have less than one year of major league service time?

ZD: I am not a “get in your face” type leader. I am still a young player, I have just gone through a lot in my young career and try to help the newer guys out by relaying my experiences and how I dealt with them, whether I did it right or wrong. I truly want every teammate, or player I have known for that matter, to be as good as they can be regardless of how it affects my career. Because to me, those memories will last in my memory longer than anything I accomplish on the field. The greatest way I can think of being a leader is trying to help everyone I come in contact with as much as I can. If I can help a younger player avoid some of the missteps I made, I know it will only help that player and my team.

GM: What advice would you give yourself if you could go back and talk to yourself as a high school pitcher?

ZD: I would tell any high school pitcher to always have the mind frame of this: “When I look back at my career, no matter what level I get to, I want to be able to look in the mirror and honestly say to myself that I did everything I possibly could to become as good as I could be.” And every day you are either getting better or getting worse. You are never in neutral.

GM: What is the most important mental game lesson you have learned in your career?

ZD: The most important mental game lesson I have learned is that the most important pitch and the only one that matters is the one you are about to throw. If a hitter gets a hit, have a short memory because you can’t change the past, but if your next pitch is a good one, the bad one won’t be remembered.

If you would like to receive new posts from The Winning Mind in Baseball by email, please CLICK HERE.

For more information, please contact Geoff Miller at miller@thewinningmind.com.

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