Many baseball players struggle with these mental game challenges. Cleveland pitcher, Justin Masterson is aware of the mental battle with himself. Masterson helped the Indians beat the Red Sox 11-0 last Wednesday night.

“You get a little excited, but once you get on the field, it is game time. Half the time, the battle for me is with myself,” Masterson said.

Half of the battle is fighting with your own mind. Many ball players sabotage their performance; they can’t get out of their own way. They set high expectations for their performance. If you expect to perform perfectly or not make any mistakes you are setting yourself up for failure. When you don’t achieve those expectations, you become frustrated with your performance.

You can also sabotage yourself by adopting negative self-labels. Negative self-labels are confidence-busting names you use to describe yourself. You might tell yourself you’re a streaky hitter, for example.

Even though you may engage in self-sabotage, you can improve your mindset. First, let go of any expectations you have for your performance. Instead, focus on what you need to do in the moment to execute, such as seeing the ball well. Next, change your negative self-labels into positive ones. Instead of calling yourself a streaky hitter, tell yourself you’re a consistent hitter.

If you feel like you’re losing the mental battle, stay patient–you can improve your mental game with practice. Take time to become aware of your mental shortcomings and work to improve your mindset. A strong mental game can only benefit your performance.

A pre-pitch or at-bat routine is designed to help you:

•  Focus on what’s important
• Prepare consistently for the pitch or at-bat
• Feel confident before execution
• Trust your swing or throwing action

Phillies pitcher, Roy Halladay, recently threw a perfect game to beat the Marlins 1-0. Before his perfect game, Halladay was coming off a poor start this season. He had given up seven runs to the Red Sox in 5 and 2/3 innings. How was Halladay was able to turn his poor start around to throw a perfect game? He attributes part of his success to having a pre-pitch routine.

“I think you pitch the same regardless, even whether you give up a hit or not. I think you try not to be concerned with the score, one way or the other. You’re just trying to make pitches. That’s your only job. So, whether you’re giving up hits or it’s 5-0, 0-0, you’re just trying to make pitches,” said Halladay.

A common mistake that ball players make is to think too much about the score. Batters are often over concerned with their performance at the plate; they pressure themseles to make up for an 0-4 performance in the last outing. Pitchers might be thinking about how many runs they have given up or the current score of the inning. By having a routine, you are less likely to think results and more likely to focus on the process and your exectuion, one pitch at a time. A routine occupies your mind with what’s important, such as what you need to do to execute successfully.

If you notice you’re starting to think about the score, take a moment to regroup. Step out of the batter’s box , clear your mind, and refocus on execution. Find a thought to help you regroup. You might tell yourself to “Stop,” and remind yourself that that’s not important. Then, tell yourself what to focus on for this pitch only. You can focus on your plan for the pitch or seeing a good pitch, for example. Remember to keep things simple. You should only focus on one thought at a time.

Your mental game of baseball tip for today is to use a routine and stick to it. If you find yourself wavering from your routine or are distracted, take a moment to regroup and restart your routine.

For more information on preshot and pregame routines, check out The Relaxed Athlete

The Los Angeles Angels fell 0-6 to the Toronto Blue Jays Monday night. Angels pitcher, Joe Saunders, didn’t perform his best allowing three runs, four hits and five walks over 6 1-3 innings.

“It’s not really frustrating. It’s a good positive for me, knowing that I’m starting to get back to what I know I can do. But team-wise, it’s frustrating that we can’t pull out more wins. We just need to stay positive, and we need to execute better. We need to play the way we’re capable of playing. We just haven’t been doing that consistently this year,” said Saunders.

Confident athletes stay positive after losses, benefiting their performance. Positive thinking will help you bounce back from losses quickly. Instead of losing confidence after a poor performance, notice what you did well. You might have reacted quickly to a fly out or had a good strategy when you were down in the count. Then, take a look at what you didn’t do as well. Use that information to work on your weaknesses in practice and improve as a player. Above all, look at your weaknesses as opportunities for improvement rather than a sign of inadequacy.

Confident athletes are also patient. Many players tend to expect results too quickly. When you become impatient with your performance, you can speed through your routine, lose confidence and focus on the wrong things. Patient players are focused on execution and trust that a good performance will eventually come. Their confidence isn’t thrashed around by results. Patient players are focused on gaining their confidence from more stable sources, such as their preparation and practice.

Your baseball psychology tip is to bounce back quickly from losses by staying positive and patient about your performance. Take an objective look at your game after your performances and work to improve your weaknesses. Stay patient with your results and eventually things will fall into place.

This is a common challenge among all baseball players, including pitchers. You may try to “fix” your pitching technique after a wild pitch. Some players become too mechanical and over think their pitching motion.

When you over think your pitching motion, your mind and body are at odds with one another. Your mind is sending verbal commands about “how to” pitch the ball. Your body, on the other hand, wants to perform the motion as you have practiced. You are sending mixed signals to your body, which causes you to tighten up and become tentative. Perfectionists are guilty of this expecting to perform perfectly.

Thursday night’s game with the Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners can offer a mental lesson on trust. The Rays handed the Mariners an 8-0 loss for their sixth loss of the season. Mariners pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith and Rays pitcher Jeff Niemann commented on the importance of trust.

Ryan Rowland-Smith discussed his struggles of giving up six runs over 4-1/3 innings.

“It’s nothing mechanical, it’s all psychological. At this point of the year, it seems like the last nine years I’ve played professional baseball, I’ve gotten to this point. Where there are things you worry about that aren’t under your control. … I’ve just got to keep working at it, make the adjustments and I’ll be OK,” said Ryan Rowland-Smith.

Making adjustments is key to performing with trust. You will not always have perfect technique or throw a perfect game. You’ll want to make adjustments and use what’s working. If your curve ball isn’t working for you, try throwing a different pitch. The idea is to perform efficiently instead of perfectly.

Jeff Niemann, Rays pitcher, relies on his quiet mind to trust in his game.

“If you start thinking too much you start digging yourself a really deep hole. You try and address it the best way you can, but at the same time you still have to go out there and throw. It’s a fine line,” said Jeff Niemann.

You’ll want to shut off your analytical mind. Thinking too much can lead to throwing too tight. You’ll want to keep it simple. Think one thought before your pitch. Your thoughts shouldn’t be focused on technique (save those thoughts for practice). You might focus on feeling relaxed or hitting your target.

The bottom line: use your practice time to work on your technique. In games, let your performance shine just like you’ve practiced. Quiet your analytical mind, keeping it simple and using what’s working for you.

Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester is one of those players who thrives in crunch time. Lester pitched his way out of a bases loaded scenario to help the Sox beat the Angels 5-1.

“It’s nice to be able to fight out off that and get the ‘W. When you’re able to get out of those jams, it just builds confidence. So when you get into games that really matter, you can draw back and say, ‘I’ve been here before,”’ said Lester.

Some players tend to freeze under pressure when the team depends on them. You might over think your performance and analyze too much, which leads to tight and tentative play.

How can you perform your best under pressure?

Pressure is really self-induced and comes from within yourself, not the situation itself. It’s best not to put pressure on yourself to get a hit or pitch a strike. Try to avoid thinking about the consequences of the game or your actions. Don’t think about “what-if” scenarios, which doesn’t help you perform in the moment. Instead, think about your strategy or the little things that help you perform in the moment. A batter may think about standing tall. A pitcher may think about his target.

You also want to draw on your confidence in those moments. Remind yourself of the times when you performed your best, just like Lester suggests. Replay those good performances in your mind to help you feel confident as you go up to bat or pitch to the next batter.

You can also rely on having an effective at-bat or pre-pitch routine. Use your routine to help you get into a confident and focused mindset, and stay in the moment. By focusing on what you need to do, you shut out distractions, and can focus on one pitch at a time. But keep it simple: plan it, see it, and do it!

You can also check out The Focused Athlete  to help you shut out distractions or The Relaxed Athlete to help you develop a pregame routine.

Total concentration is the ability to immerse yourself in a task without becoming distracted or pulled off task. Great players talk about concentration as being “in a bubble,” or “in a cocoon” during which nothing can penetrate their focus. Concentration involves several elements.

These include (1) knowing what cues to focus on; (2) staying focused on those relevant cues; (3) keeping a narrow and external focus; (4) the ability to shift attention when needed; (5) the ability to refocus when distracted; and (6) controlling your thought process. In this article, I discuss specific methods for sticking to the process and improving your focus.

(1) Stay Present Focused. You must keep your mind in the present moment on what’s important to play your best. This is easier said than done. It is easy to think about the last strike out you had or think ahead about the results of striking out. Know the task-specific cues you should focus on and be aware when you are not on task. Stop and refocus your mind on the task or on what you should think about to execute well.

(2) Think One At-Bat at a Time. Think about only the one pitch at a time to help you stay focused on execution. Separate each pitch from the rest and don’t think about the consequences of getting a hit. You don’t want to be thinking about the last inning when you are at the plate in the middle of the game.

(3) Don’t Think Results. If you think about what you don’t want to do, you’ll tighten up and make a controlled swing. When you think about results, you’ll create tension and indecision. Focusing on execution will help you get good results. In an earlier article, I discussed how your at-bat routine should help you focus on specific cues to follow as you prepare for each at-bat. If you don’t have a routine, the mind is free to wander aimlessly as you prepare for each pitch.

(4) Cue Yourself to Concentrate. Sometimes it’s hard to refocus when the last at-bat was 30 minutes ago. Lock in your concentration once it is your turn to at the plate. To help you click in, try using a physical trigger to focus your mind, such as tightening the Velcro on your glove before start. You want to turn your attention to preparation and execution for the first pitch, and if anything else enters your mind, let it pass through your mind.

(5) Relax Your Focus While You Wait. Not too many players can focus continuously for two to three hours. When you are up to bat it’s important to be ready, but you don’t want to grind and overanalyze the entire game. After each inning, relax your focus and save your concentration for the next time at-bat. This will help you be “fresher” for the end of the game.

(6) Rehearse While You Wait. Rehearse your at-bat before you’re up to play if you have trouble focusing after a long delay. For example, while on deck, imagine that you are at the plate taking pitches. Time your swing with the pitcher and “see” yourself make solid contact. When it’s your turn, you will be prepared to click in the focus because your have already rehearsed your at-bat routine.

This is an important lesson I teach–to get a hit or to get an out, you must pay attention to task-relevant cues. This simple concept is easy to forget when you care too much about winning or what winning means. “Don’t strike out,” “Don’t walk this hitter,” “Don’t miss this pop up ball” are examples of what you might say to yourself with a result-focus. A result-focus–worry about the consequences of your actions–does not help you perform; it only creates tension and leads to worry. This is when you have to refocus your mind on the current pitch.

How do you stay focused on the process? Focusing on the process means knowing what performance cues are in baseball and keeping your mind focused on those task-relevant cues. You need to define what is relevant to performing the task. In baseball, the batter has specific cues for each task he must attend to. Some of the task-relevant cues are: studying the pitcher, knowing the count, setting up in the batter’s box, visualizing success, feeling confident, and focusing on the ball as the pitcher releases it.

If your mind wanders off task, that means you are not “on-task” and you are too focused on results or some other distraction. It’s OK if your mind wanders momentarily, but you want to be able to catch yourself and refocus on the current pitch as soon as possible. In this example, I would ask the baseball player to stop his at-bat routine, clear his mind, and restart his routine from the beginning.

To improve your mental game for baseball or softball, define the cues that are relevant to baseball execution and success–one pitch at a time. Also, know when you get off-task, and be able to stop and refocus on the task when you wander to results or are distracted!

To keep practice interesting and exciting, practice goals are important. Set goals to challenge yourself during batting practice. For example, you can challenge yourself to hit 7 out of 10 solid shots. Imagine yourself in a game situation and try to hit the ball in play 7 of 10 tries. Play an entire 9 innings in batting practice. The more “games” you can play to make practice interesting, the better your focus. Reward yourself for meeting your practice goals.

Creating competition in practice is another great way to keep the fun and excitement in practice. Be creative with your practice, challenge yourself or play a game with a friend. Have a batting contest with a friend or teammate. One game I like is “call your shot.” Two players are needed to play this game. Each person takes 10 pitches. One person starts by calling his shot such as hard line drive down the center. The other player calls the next pitch and you alternate until you finish the 10 shots.

Next time you get bored and lose focus, try the “two-minute drill.” The goal of this drill is to sharply focus attention on practice for just two minutes. I know you can focus for two minutes! See how keenly you can focus for those two minutes. When the two minutes are over you can relax and space out if you want. The goal is to practice with focus and intensity for short periods. Short bursts of intense focus with periods of rest or inactivity is better than practicing with 50% focus for the entire practice. What you will find is that you can stretch it out to four or five minutes instead of just two minutes at a time.

Soon with a lot of practice, your swing becomes instinctive, natural, and feels effortless to do (you reach a state of over-learning). An effortless reactive swing is essential for superior performance for all skill levels. Most players don’t allow their swing to be reflexive. They focus too much on technique or controlling the path of the bat instead of reacting to the ball.

It gets even worse for many players in big games. Their tendency is to tighten up and not trust the swing in pressure situations. When you focus too much on how to make a good swing, you guide the bat and consciously try to force a hit. Over control causes poor timing and throws off your natural rhythm. The purpose of practice is to build motor memory–that you can rely on in games. When you play, let your instincts take over.

Some baseball players can trust their hitting better than others. When you trust in your swing, you forget about the mechanics of the swing. Let your creative mind take over during competition. Once at the plate, you should react to the pitch. If you think too much about how to make a good swing, the ball will pass you before you had a chance to even make a cut at the ball. Less thinking is better. React to the ball and let your body do what it knows how to do. I call this reacting to what you see and skipping the mental gymnastics.

“Hope & Pray” Hitting
The moment the pitcher releases the ball, you just pray you can make contact with the ball. If you’re a hope hitter, you stand at the plate and strike out in your mind even before the ball crosses the plate for the first pitch. Even worse than that, you hope that you won’t have to hit again in the same inning! If you hope and pray to get a hit, you have trouble trusting your swing because you are so unsure of the outcome.

“Do or Die” Hitting
A do or die hitter focuses too much about not getting a hit and make it a dire need. If this is how you think, you worry too much about results. You always know what your batting percentage is during a game: 0-1, 1-1, 02, etc. You say to yourself “I need to get a hit.” As you focus on trying to avoid getting thrown out or popping out, this causes you to forget about execution and lose sight of what it takes to actually get a hit.

“Wishy-Washy” Hitting
If you engage in wishy-washy hitting, you have trouble making decisions at the plate. You change your mind often about your plan when at the plate. You may decide on a strategy, but then at the last minute change your mind as you settle into the batter’s box. You have two plans in your mind, which causes doubt. Indecision and doubt kill a smooth swing, which are a hitter’s worst enemy.

“Panicked” Hitting
If you engage in panicked hitting, you are too scared to start your swing. You panic because hitting is the weakest part of your game and you know it. You need to get a hit in order to play well. Visions of poor hitting days and strikeouts have you bewildered. Even if you gather yourself enough to take a cut at it, your muscles are too tense to make a smooth swing.

“Pessimistic” Hitting
If you are a pessimistic hitter, you are streaky and rely on momentum. If you get a hit in your first at bat, you’re OK and you can play well that day. You might “run the table” if you get hot early. But if you strike out or pop out early, your game is shot. You become pessimistic and say to yourself: “I’m going to play poorly today.” You generalize based on the first at bat that you just can’t play well today and become more pessimistic.

“Synthetic” Hitting
If you are a synthetic hitter, you think too much about mechanics while you play. Your left brain, the analytical side of your mind, has you under its spell. Your hitting does not feel natural or smooth because you think too much about HOW TO swing the bat. You try to make adjustments during your swing but this only makes matters. You are so consumed with making perfect swings that you loose feel and forget about making contact with the ball.