Roy Halladay pitched Game One of the National League Divisional Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds. By now, everyone is aware that he pitched the second no-hitter in Major League Baseball playoff history. He set the tone for the series in which the Phillies swept the Reds in three games.
And it was his first career postseason start.
I've been around the game long enough to know that when the regular season ends and the postseason begins, there is usually a different feel to the game. Every pitch, play and at bat is magnified. It isn't "just another game." Depending on the scenario, if you lose, your season may be over. But the pitchers and players - no matter which sport or level - who can put the postseason pressure behind them, are those who are successful.
Transforming your situation into the "just another game" mentality is difficult, but when you can adjust your mindset and think of your postseason game as a regular season game, you will have a better chance of helping your team win.
Now, Roy didn't face a "win or go home" situation. If the Phillies had lost, they would only have been one game behind the Reds. But being up one game versus down one game can add additional pressure to a team and give you a feeling like you are backed into a corner, especially in a best of five series.
But Roy Halladay pitched the Phillies to a no-hit victory, just as he did earlier in the regular season, when he took the mound in "just another game" against the Florida Marlins.
www.tothetopperformance.com
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
...the 2004 Boston Red Sox
A documentary on ESPN, titled "Four Nights in October" just aired. It focused on the 2004 Boston Red Sox and their improbable run to a World Series title and the breaking of the "Curse of the Bambino."
You often hear coaches and commentators say "play to the last out" or "play 60 minutes" or whatever the duration of the competition is. The 2004 Red Sox did that.
I remember it well as it was just after I finished my first full season of minor league baseball and I was in "baseball mode" to say the least.
To catch you up to speed, the Red Sox were down three games to none in a best of seven series in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) against their biggest rival, the New York Yankees. In a must win game four, they were down by one run in the bottom of the ninth inning, with arguably the best closer in the history in the game on the mound for the Yankees, Mariano Rivera.
But the Red Sox fought back. Kevin Millar drew a walk and was replaced by Dave Roberts, who stole second. The next batter, Bill Mueller, hits a single up the middle to score Roberts and tie the game. David Ortiz eventually hit a two run home run to give the Red Sox the Game Four victory.
But it was still only one win. They were now down three games to one and the thought of coming all the way back was still considered impossible. No team in Major League Baseball history had ever won a series after being down three games to none.
I already spoiled the ending, as the Red Sox won Game Five in Boston before winning Games Six and Seven in New York. They went on to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series and win their first World Series since they sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in the early part of the 1900s.
Every commentator, writer, columnist and reporter gave Boston no chance to win the ALCS, even after they pulled out Game Four. It just goes to show you what can happen when a team doesn't listen to those on the outside and believes in themselves and their teammates.
www.tothetopperformance.com
You often hear coaches and commentators say "play to the last out" or "play 60 minutes" or whatever the duration of the competition is. The 2004 Red Sox did that.
I remember it well as it was just after I finished my first full season of minor league baseball and I was in "baseball mode" to say the least.
To catch you up to speed, the Red Sox were down three games to none in a best of seven series in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) against their biggest rival, the New York Yankees. In a must win game four, they were down by one run in the bottom of the ninth inning, with arguably the best closer in the history in the game on the mound for the Yankees, Mariano Rivera.
But the Red Sox fought back. Kevin Millar drew a walk and was replaced by Dave Roberts, who stole second. The next batter, Bill Mueller, hits a single up the middle to score Roberts and tie the game. David Ortiz eventually hit a two run home run to give the Red Sox the Game Four victory.
But it was still only one win. They were now down three games to one and the thought of coming all the way back was still considered impossible. No team in Major League Baseball history had ever won a series after being down three games to none.
I already spoiled the ending, as the Red Sox won Game Five in Boston before winning Games Six and Seven in New York. They went on to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series and win their first World Series since they sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in the early part of the 1900s.
Every commentator, writer, columnist and reporter gave Boston no chance to win the ALCS, even after they pulled out Game Four. It just goes to show you what can happen when a team doesn't listen to those on the outside and believes in themselves and their teammates.
www.tothetopperformance.com
Saturday, October 2, 2010
...Chan Ho Park
Korean born pitcher Chan Ho Park first appeared in the Majors with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1994. Last night, pitching for the Pirates, the 16 year veteran recorded his 124th career victory against the Marlins. With the victory, he now has more career Major League wins than any other Asian-born pitcher.
I know I have already written about longevity and consistency, which are two big characteristics you must have to succeed in any endeavor in life. But Chan Ho Park also displays two other vital necessities - perseverance and passion.
In the free agent era of professional sports leagues, where the games truly are businesses, we have gotten used to teams receiving makeovers and players changing cities.
After a solid start to his career in L.A., he signed a big contract with the Texas Rangers, but struggled in his new home. He was later traded to San Diego in the fourth year of that contract and this is where the roller coaster began.
Chan Ho Park has played for seven different Major League teams - L.A., Texas, San Diego, the Mets, Philadelphia, the Yankees and Pittsburgh, with a second stop with the Dodgers mixed in.
So why does the word perseverance come to mind when I think of Chan Ho Park? Because it would have been easy to give up. Chan Ho Park undoubtedly has made a lot of money playing baseball. The five year contract he signed with the Rangers in 2002 was worth $65 million. Many players like him, rather than continuing to bounce around from team to team, bruising their ego and their legacy, decide to take the money they made, walk away and retire at a young age.
But that isn't the route Chan Ho Park followed. He has played for six teams in the last five years - including two this year, the Yankees and Pirates. He has been an average pitcher, with a record of 18 wins and 18 losses and an Earned Run Average (ERA) of 4.46.
I would bet that Chan Ho Park loves what he does and couldn't imagine doing anything else. If he did, he would of by now.
www.tothetopperformance.com
I know I have already written about longevity and consistency, which are two big characteristics you must have to succeed in any endeavor in life. But Chan Ho Park also displays two other vital necessities - perseverance and passion.
In the free agent era of professional sports leagues, where the games truly are businesses, we have gotten used to teams receiving makeovers and players changing cities.
After a solid start to his career in L.A., he signed a big contract with the Texas Rangers, but struggled in his new home. He was later traded to San Diego in the fourth year of that contract and this is where the roller coaster began.
Chan Ho Park has played for seven different Major League teams - L.A., Texas, San Diego, the Mets, Philadelphia, the Yankees and Pittsburgh, with a second stop with the Dodgers mixed in.
So why does the word perseverance come to mind when I think of Chan Ho Park? Because it would have been easy to give up. Chan Ho Park undoubtedly has made a lot of money playing baseball. The five year contract he signed with the Rangers in 2002 was worth $65 million. Many players like him, rather than continuing to bounce around from team to team, bruising their ego and their legacy, decide to take the money they made, walk away and retire at a young age.
But that isn't the route Chan Ho Park followed. He has played for six teams in the last five years - including two this year, the Yankees and Pirates. He has been an average pitcher, with a record of 18 wins and 18 losses and an Earned Run Average (ERA) of 4.46.
I would bet that Chan Ho Park loves what he does and couldn't imagine doing anything else. If he did, he would of by now.
www.tothetopperformance.com
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