Every baseball player wants to improve, but sometimes the key to becoming a better player is realizing who you truly are as a hitter. It might seem simple, but embracing your unique strengths can make all the difference in your performance on the field.
A few months before spring training, I decided to focus on becoming the hitter I needed to be. I worked on hitting line drives and hard ground balls, taking my singles and doubles. I knew that if I tried to hit the ball in the air, I was setting myself up for easy outs. I was clear about my style and was ready for camp to start.
When spring training kicked off, I found myself in a batting practice group with power hitters like Miguel Sano, Kennys Vargas, and Max Kepler. These young players had incredible power, and after my first round, I noticed myself trying to keep up with them. I began trying to hit the ball out of the park, forgetting everything I had worked on in the months leading up to camp. I spent the entire day trying to be something I wasn’t, and it was a waste.
That’s when I remembered advice from my AAA manager, Gene Glynn, who would often tell me to “be who you are.”
Those four words had a profound impact on my career. Over the next two seasons, I felt like I played some of the best baseball of my life. At 32 and 33 years old, I was performing better than I ever had, even though my batting stance was unconventional and my power didn’t match that of some of my teammates. I realized that baseball is a game for players of all different styles, and there’s room for all types of talents on a team. Once I accepted that, I became a more well-rounded player.
I started focusing on bunting, hitting the ball the other way, and reducing my strikeouts. As I embraced who I was as a hitter, my confidence soared. Confidence at the plate is one of the most important assets you can have when you’re up to bat.
I want to pass along this lesson to other players. It took me 11 years to fully embrace this concept, and I hope others don’t take as long to figure it out. No matter your skill level or age, you can become a better player by simply being who you are and focusing on your strengths.
So the next time you’re in batting practice with players whose skills differ from yours, don’t worry. Stay mentally strong, be confident, and focus on improving your own game. It’s not easy, but doing so will not only make you a better player, it will make you a mentally tougher one as well.
