What is or should be the goal of every baseball team out there? Win a championship. Especially in high school, college, and then the Big Leagues, everyone wants to win a championship. When the playoffs arrive, so does the giant magnifying glass and potential added pressure on every player that takes the field. Win or go home. Make a bad pitch, boot a ground ball, leave runners in scoring position and your season could be over in the next breath.
We look up to and admire the players who seem to rise to the occasion and play their best when the brightest lights are shining on them. The question we ask today is: How can YOU rise to the occasion while playing in the biggest games? There is no bigger stage in baseball than the World Series, so naturally we should look to some of the ballplayers who have had great success in stepping up and performing at high levels while all eyes were on them. I think the following answers from Tony La Russa via Rick Honeycutt, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, and Derek Holland will surprise you.
First, a quick World Series bio on the players and coaches we’ll be hearing from:
Rick Honeycutt: Current Dodgers’ pitching coach. Pitched in 30 post-season games in his 21 year career and never lost a game. Went through both the 1988 and 1990 post-seasons without giving up a single run.
Tony La Russa: Famous coach who led six different teams to the World Series and won three World Series Championships including the epic 2012 WS victory with the Cardinals.
Derek Jeter: If you aren’t aware that he’s one of the best post-season hitters of all time, maybe Next Level Ballplayer isn’t for you! He has more post-season hits than anyone in the history of baseball.
Andy Pettitte: Won five World Series Championships and is MLB’s all-time post-season wins leader.
Derek Holland: Almost had two wins in the 2011 World Series before the Cardinals epic comeback ruined that bid. Instead, Holland pitched 10 1/3 innings, giving up just one run and getting the Game Four win with 8 1/3 shutout innings.
Rick Honeycutt & Tony La Russa…
My question to Rick Honeycutt: You were able to pitch in seven different World Series games… and you pitched well. What was the key to your success in those big games?
My manager Tony La Russa (with the A’s) made a great point the first year I went to the World Series. He told the group, “We’ve been practicing all year for this moment. You can’t lose the basics now. Yes, there are more lights and reporters but that doesn’t mean we change. WE control our game.” Some experience definitely helps, but the goal is to keep things the same.
Derek Jeter…
Derek Jeter was asked the other day: What changes for you when the playoffs come around? His answer was quite simple (I’m paraphrasing):
Nothing. I don’t change anything. I keep the same routine just Iike I do for any other game.
Andy Pettitte…
Andy Pettitte was asked a similar question along the lines…What makes you such a great pitcher in the post-season?
His answer was something along the lines of, “If you look at my stats over my career, my regular season numbers are very similar to my post-season numbers. My key is just to stay the same pitcher that I am. I don’t try to do too much or be someone I’m not.”
Derek Holland…
I got to ask the following question to Derek Holland (You can check out the full interview here) after the 2011 WS: You struggled in your 2010 World Series relief appearance and then in the 2011 World Series you got the game four start and threw 8 1/3 innings of shutout baseball. What was your key to preforming well on that big stage in game four of the 2011 World Series?
I went out there and did my regular game plan, but the big thing is that you prepare mentally for what you’re going to do and then you visualize it as well. When I was at home before I went to bed I’d watch the video of the Cardinals, just so when I went to sleep it was in my mind and I was thinking about it.
So now that we’ve heard from some of the most successful World Series performers out there, here is your test: What is the common thread that you see between all these answers?
Of course that common thread is KEEP THINGS THE SAME! Whatever routine you use for “regular games” you should be using for “big games”. (If you don’t have a routine, then coming up with one needs to be your number one priority right now). The tendency of players is to press and “try harder” when the big games start. The best players in the world would advise against it.
KEEP THINGS THE SAME AND TREAT IT LIKE EVERY OTHER GAME!
