interesting insights on baseball and the unconscious mind

"Baseball is one of those activities in which the harder you try, the worse you do."

this explains some of motte's and boog's mannerisms: "Over the generations, baseball people have developed an infinity of tics and habits to distract and sedate the conscious mind"

almost 2 years ago Cards Fan in Chitown 6 comments 1 recs |

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very excellent link

i’ve always looked at an organization as three-pronged: scouts find/evaluate talent, managers obviously manage it, and the general manager/front office evaluate the value of said talent in relation to needs/budget, to put it simply. this stuff falls into the realm of the manager, who understands it even if he doesn’t know he does – tony probably does.

"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."

by cardball on May 31, 2010 4:18 AM EDT reply actions

yeah, it's all unconscious stuff that they need to keep under control

hence the in-game rituals you see the majority of baseball players acting out. you can call them tics, crazy routines, pointing at the sky, biting shoulders, talking into gloves, etc. but they are reference points also, especially since it is a very long season it is easy to get off track or out of the daily rhythm. these small reference points help calibrate these muscle memory and unconscious mind systems, I suspect.

I'll leave this to Lao Tzu

by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 31, 2010 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions

interesting side article

Evan Longoria … read the sidebar

Lick that shoulder—you're in the doghouse now.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there..." - THT

by Yadi2Second on May 31, 2010 11:12 PM EDT up reply actions

it's almost a meditative thing, re-calibrates the system

He takes exactly four swings in the on-deck circle, then four more holding the bat behind his head. On the field, during a bad inning, he removes his cap, turns away from the infield and stares at a faraway object, such as the top of one of the foul poles.

I'll leave this to Lao Tzu

by Cards Fan in Chitown on Jun 1, 2010 12:55 AM EDT up reply actions

great article

i’ve e-mailed it to some kids with self-doubt due to how they are perceived/interest in them about baseball. wondering if longoria worked with dorfmann, the unnamed sports psychologist.

"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."

by cardball on Jun 1, 2010 2:52 AM EDT up reply actions

yes, that's on the players, keeping their focus by letting no other thoughts in via ritual

i was talking about on the coaching side, drilling them over and over on the same thing. that is what is done, but i think tony could expound on why it is done, such as perhaps citing this article.

"Some days I feel like the hypotenuse in a love triangle; others as if my lucky number is pi."

by cardball on Jun 1, 2010 2:43 AM EDT up reply actions