A game of inches

For many years we have heard that baseball (as well as other sports) is a game of inches.  So many parts of the game make that saying as true as true can be.  In just one game or series of games you will see many instances where in inch one way or another could have changed the outcome of a batter's turn at bat, or caused either an extension or end of an inning, and of course an inch or two can mean the difference in scoring one or even several runs.

A full count pitch with the bases loaded could appear to be an inch outside to an umpire and cause a walk and thus a run being scored, or it might be called a strike and end an at-bat or a possible big inning.  A fly ball to the fence could be just out of the reach of a defensive player and result in a big homerun, or a slightly higher fence may keep the ball in the park and thus prevent more runs from being scored.

A pitcher might miss his targeted spot by an inch or two and the result could be an rbi hit rather than a relatively easy out.  A softly hit ball may fall barely out of the reach of a fielder and allow a batter to reach base safely, and in the next at-bat the batter might hit a ball squarely with great velocity only to have it go directly to a player's glove for an out.

An inch here or there can make a batted ball be fair or foul, a pitched ball be a strike or ball, a long fly ball either a homerun or an out.

Regardless of the enormous importance of a pitcher's pinpoint control or the batter's ability to place a bunt in a specific location, perhaps the most important inches involved in a baseball game are the few inches between a player's ears.  A player can have all the ability in the world, but if he doesn't use his brain to make wise decisions and to respond to adverse circumstances in a positive, controlled manner he is going to have some difficulty getting consistently good results.

More than just the ability to make good decisions and respond to adversity positively, a baseball player must be able to approach each pitch, each play, each inning and each game with the confidence and belief that he is prepared to succeed.  Belief in one's self, which is based on positive thinking, is a pre-requisite to achieving success.  

There are many ways to develop a strong belief that one is going to help his team achieve goals.  Some people do a better job at practicing having positive self-talk than others do, some are better at visualizing successful execution, some are better than others at forgetting a previous play that had a negative result.  No matter how a player decides to create positive thoughts for himself, the more often he practices doing that the easier it will be to have great results in competitive situations, which can be stressful for athletes.

Ultimately, an athlete on a baseball field can develop the ability to improve the thoughts and thinking patterns and habits that he has during a game.  The more he chooses to check his thoughts, practice making positive statements and thoughts about himself, and visualize success, then the more he is going to help his team win games and be successful.  

Choosing to make the few inches between the ears the most important inches in a baseball game can often make the physical game of inches on the field seem like extra teammate.