The team and atmosphere that an athlete plays for can have an impact on their success. Sometimes after a long tenure with a team, it begins to hold a player back. Here are four guys that could use a change of scenery in MLB.
With baseball being a game of failure, so much goes into the impact of a successful MLB player. When a player is on a good team, their chances of success are very high. But if the player is on a team that struggles to win, the opposite occurs.
When a successful and talented player struggles, it might be because of the team that player is on. Or maybe the atmosphere he is playing in. Sometimes even the fans can affect a player’s performance.
Occasionally, when a player changes teams their success level rises. A change of “scenery” can play a big part in a player’s psyche.
Of course, a new team doesn’t always equal success. For example, Jason Heyward‘s transition from the Cardinals to the Cubs. After a stellar season with St. Louis, Heyward couldn’t find his groove in Chicago in 2016.
But other players such as Jake Arrieta strive with a new team. When Arrieta played for the Orioles he looked like a pitcher that couldn’t last in the big leagues. Once traded to Chicago, Arrieta became a Cy Young caliber starter.
A change of scenery worked out well for Arrieta. Here are four other players that could succeed more with a change of scenery.