MLB’s Non-Negotiable Ritual

If you could hear Herrera’s thoughts, he’d be updating you on this hurler. He’s missing with his slider, his curve has a lot of bite, but he’s throwing a slightly elevated fastball. And I’ll swing if it looks good coming out of his hand.

While Herrera is making adjustments to his equipment, the receiver is deciding what pitch to call, and he doesn’t have Clayton Kershaw on the mound either. No, and neither is he Yogi Berra behind the plate. In other words, this catcher – looking into the dugout – is probably relying on the manager and the pitcher’s stuff that day. And if the starter is lucky enough to have a Carlos Ruiz calling the shots, that hurler just executes the strategy of his battery mate.

In one corner of the bench, while the batter and catcher are quickly strategizing, the skipper and his coaches are making decisions according to the scoreboard: the inning, the score and the situation.

Sometimes, English-speaking stars need a translator too. For instance, 50 percent of the game is God-given ability and the other half is mental. During the game, however, 90 percent of each contest is between the player’s ears.

"IN OTHER WORDS:     “Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical.” – Yogi Berra"

Next: Phillies’ Race with Miami for Third Place

To sum up, every batter, hurler, catcher, pitching coach, hitting coach and manager are thinking; but what would you have without the batter’s ritual at the plate? Chaos!