Jeter, My Wife, and How to Think Better

Back when I was with the Yankees in 2001 my wife Birgit, a German who didn't grow up with baseball, and I were just outside the batting cage watching Derek Jeter hit.

"Why does he hold his hands so high in his stance," Birgit asked, "when he brings them down to swing anyway, so why not start low?"

Great question -- and we chose not to ask Jeter at the time :-). 

But no doubt lowering his hands would have robbed Jeter of his mojo. Hands high and moving made him feel good -- and at some point I'll be some coach did try to change it.

Jeter ended up 6th all-time in hits. So obviously what he did, which isn't what the average coach would teach, worked. For HIM. 

Understanding players aren't machines falls under the heading "Wholistic Baseball Training.

If you're in a rush, click here and go check in for a great series of interviews on Wholeistic Baseball training

We here in what is considered Western Civilization have made great advances through looking at life and the world in a certain way.

(This is a really broad topic and I ultimately want you to check out the free program, so I'll cut to the chase...)

One aspect of the Western mindset is that we can break something down into its component parts, make a change to one part, then put it all back together and have the thing work better.

A car can be like that. We can improve or repair some individual part of the car, say, the tires, and the alternator and spark plugs are unchanged.

Too often coaches see players as machines. (They don't do it on purpose, it's just how the Western mind tends to think.)

They fail to realize that adjusting a hitter's hand position in his stance affects his mindset too. 

The player has thoughts and feelings about the change. He has a different level of comfort he now needs to deal with. He may have resistance to the change so now an inner battle is going on between what he wants to do and what the coach wants him to do...

... and if he doesn't feel safe with the coach he won't tell the coach about 

Full mind, empty bat.

I can and will go on later, but right now please go 

I was interviewed by Troy Rawlings, a passionate, forward-thinking coach, and he got out of me things I'd never shared before -- certainly not for free.

So go here now and hear my interview and many more with leading baseball innovators -- it's free and good.

Thank you,

Dr. Tom