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If you’re a pitcher, guess what? You are going to give up hits and runs. What happens from there is one of the greatest separators of good and great pitchers. The sooner you understand that you cannot change the past, the sooner you’ll be able to focus on what you can control, that next pitch. Each pitcher is a bit different, but at the end of the day you need to know exactly what you do or say to yourself to “lock back in”.
Today we ask that question and a few more to one of the Dodgers’ top pitching prospects, Chris Withrow. Withrow was the Dodgers’ first-round pick in the 2007 MLB Draft. He has battled through a few injuries over his professional career, but currently is ranked as one of the Dodgers top 10 prospects on just about every list out there.
“I had to learn very quickly not to try to impress others. There will be so many people who want to help you, and may have a lot of helpful information; however, you can’t satisfy everyone.” – Chris Withrow
Many thanks to Chris for hanging out with Next Level Ballplayer and talking about his mindset on the mound, regrouping after a bad outing, dealing with high expectations, and how he specifically “locks back in” after giving up a big hit.
What is one baseball-related lesson you learned early on that has led to your success through the years?
Learn from your mistakes. Learn from others. Watch mistakes others make and try to avoid those.
As a pitcher, what is your mindset on the mound?
I think about getting every guy out. I think about attacking their weaknesses with my strengths. I want to get them out as quickly as possible.
How do you regroup after a bad outing on the mound?
I take a little time, put it in the past, and focus on that next start. Decide not to let that happen again, and do everything you can to avoid that.
How have you dealt with high expectations that others put on you?
I try to do everything I can to control what I can control. I had to learn very quickly not to try to impress others. There will be so many people who want to help you, and may have a lot of helpful information; however, you can’t satisfy everyone. It’s impossible. Before you know it, you’ll be trying to do a hundred different things when maybe two different tips is all you need. You have to control this.
Do you have a specific routine or process you go through to refocus after giving up a big hit?
Two things. The first, try to slow down and breathe. The second, I say to myself, “Throw the ball right.” Charlie Hough, my old pitching coach, used to tell me that all the time. “Throw the ball right.” It sounds too simple, I know, but it’s easy to fall into a rut if you’re not careful. Everyday, I say that to myself to focus on the basics. It works for me and it translates onto the mound.
Leave a comment below and let us know how you refocus on the mound.
