THE SLUMP OR THE STREAK?

We are without so much these days. We've lost our daily routines, favorite activities and opportunities to spent time with friends and family. Why? There isn't a concrete answer to throw at that one.

Yes, the novel virus that broke loose from a far away country and spread like wildfire is the culprit. Yes, the fact that it caught the world flatfooted because NOBODY knew how bad it actually was and would be is directly in the crosshairs of the Blame Cannons. But more than that...WHY?

My friends...that is always the question that we collectively ask at times like this. Sadly, we will go without an answer that brings us any reassurance. So what now?

We are standing in the batter's box against a never seen before flamethrower who rifles in heaters that touch triple digits. Do we swing wildly and pray we find the ball? No. No, we don't. We stay to a plan. We go with what has worked. We stare back at that mound without fear and see if this punk blinks first. He's got one pitch...yeah, it's a mutha f*#!*er... but we know what's coming.

I equate just about every event in life to baseball...It helps me process it all. In the box we CAN control more than we think. And sticking to a plan is the foundation for making good things happen. It's the difference in a streak and a slump.

When we try to go to superstitions, changing who we are and what we do...we begin confusing our game and the slump ensues. We become so obsessed with BREAKING OUT OF IT that we slip deeper in.

Focusing on the basic mechanics, breathing, letting the game come to us is the ONLY way out. There isn't a magic stance or angrily pouring over the box score that will bring us a different result at the plate.

We MUST play our game....the way we first learned it. In short...remember the good stuff and dig in. Block out the press, the Bronx cheers, the ump and the scoreboard above the blacked out seats. We are going to break out my friends...WE WILL.

It's a question of when, and that's the hardest thing. When will this big, hard throwing ass clown make a mistake? When will he let that number 1 bleed back over the dish so we can plant that pill like Tino Martinez in 98...soon.


He know he can't fool us. We're going to wait him out. If he tries to get cute and go off speed...we'll spit on that cheese and stand like a statues when Blue barks, "Ball!" Dig in. Know you can hit this one trick pony...we'll end up timing him like Nomo in his second year.

Yeah, that high leg kick was cute...but now we can set our watches to your garbage, meat.

Be with your families, stay on a routine.

There is a lot we can control...bank on it.

--Mike O'Hara
BYB Contributor
Twitter: @mikeyoh21
Website: MikeOHara21.com 

Tell em, Jimmy!