Opening Day 2010

With Opening Day on Sunday we get the opportunity to watch the greatest players in the world perform over the next 6-7 months. One thing I’ve noticed with many of the athletes that I work with is that they don’t take the time to really sit down and watch the game. I would highly encourage everyone who is interested in becoming a better player to make watching games a habit. A player can really learn a lot by watching games but you really have to know what you are looking for. Many times when players watch games they’re just looking for homeruns or how hard a particular guy might be throwing. But the game of baseball has so many nuances to it that there is so much more to watch. Begin to watch how the players carry themselves, notice their effort levels, their positioning. Watch how pitchers pitch guys in different situations, see if you can pick up a pitcher’s tendencies, what pitch do they go to when they are ahead in the count. Watch how quite hitters are at the plate, see if you can pick up their approach. Watch how their approach changes during different situations. Begin to watch more games and when you do try and pick up on these different nuances. Watching and beginning to recognize these things will help you improve as a player.