Mental Strategies to Get Over a Slump
Have you or your ball players ever been in a slump?
Do you feel as though the slump will last forever?
Slumps are a part of baseball and softball.
Performance dips are normal but over-reacting or over-analyzing your performance can lead to entrenched and prolonged slumps.
The question is not whether a slump will occur but how to work your way out of a slump.
Jose Abreu, first baseman for the Chicago White Sox, is having a great rookie campaign.
Abreu earned AL Player of the Month and Rookie of the Month honors in April, then again in July becoming the first rookie ever to score that double achievement.
Abreu is amongst the leaders in home runs (34) and RBI (100) with only weeks remaining in the MLB season.
Despite his strong season, Abreu is slumping as the season comes to a close.
After hitting ten homeruns in June, Abreu hit only 3 homeruns in August and the beginning of September. Abreu’s batting average plummeted in August hitting only .262 during that month.
ABREU: “I don’t feel good at the plate now. I’ve lost my rhythm, but I’m working even harder to regain it. I’m not producing the way I’d like to. That happened to me at times in Cuba too.”
Abreu has worked through slumps before during his ten seasons of play in Cuba and has proven his ability to overcome slumps as evident by his career .341 batting average.
How was Abreu able to work through slumps in the past?
Abreu understands there are ups and downs in performance.
Abreu uses his past success working through slumps as evidence to support his ability to overcome his current slump.
Abreu adjusts his game when necessary to continue to meet the challenges inherent in his sport.
White Sox manager Robin Ventura believes, in time, Abreu will regain his previous form.
VENTURA: “He’s smart enough to go with the ebbs and flows. I think that’s what he’s learning right now, that it never stops. In baseball, with the way guys pitch, there’s not just a set, like here’s a blueprint of how you get him out and it never changes. He’s been able to change while people are changing all the time. That’s why he’s having the year he’s having.”
Try these tips to help you work through a slump:
Tip #1: You should maintain your composure. Relax and understand slumps will happen from time to time. If you have achieved a degree of success in the past, you can do it again. Be patient and recall those times when you were able to work through a slump. You can do it again.
Tip #2: You should trust in your training and ability. Don’t over-think your technique. If small adjustments are needed, that’s okay, but don’t overhaul of your game.
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“Abreu uses his past success working through slumps as evidence to support his ability to overcome his current slump.”
That is exactly what young players need to think about! You have done good before and you will again, this is just a little dip between peaks. You’ll come out on the other side!