Some Thoughts On The Mental Side Of Pitching

Here are three things to think about regarding the mental side of baseball pitching. Is this how you think on the mound? What's your mindset and mentality on game day?

1. To throw a ball 60 feet 6 inches at a target is a relatively simple thing. It's one pitch at a time. To be successful, all you should do is focus on your one pitch each time.

2. It's one hitter at a time. Each hitter is a separate game. Baseball is a game within a game. You have to win 27 separate games to win a ball game.

3. When a pitcher stands on the rubber, he's got to be saying to the batter, "You're out. You're going back to the dugout." When you get the batter out, "That's one game I just won. I have 26 more to win." You win 18, give up two runs or less, you got a quality start. You win 21, pitch seven innings, you hand the ball off to the bullpen.

Of course, at the same time, the hitter's saying, "I'm going to get on base." That's the essence of the game.