Mental Imagery

Mental imagery is a very powerful tool. It is the kind of device that when learned and practiced, can raise the level of a pitcher's performance.

Teach your pitchers to visualize and then verbalize. They see the pitch hitting the target in their mind's eye; then they say to themselves something like..."at the knees on the outside corner" or "up and in" and especially-"Hit The Glove." Then they make the pitch. It is a human quality that you must see yourself performing a skill before the actual act can be achieved.

Salespeople have known that for years. When a car salesman says
"Where are you going to take your first trip in your new car?" he knows you will have to mentally put yourself in the car- simple mental ownership; a demonstration of imagery at work.

Before game day a pitcher can actually pitch the entire game mentally. He can find a quiet place, relax, close his eyes and throw a no-hitter. He can visualize each pitch and see the swing and miss or see the hitter weakly ground out on his change up. He can see himself in total control.

This technique is not something a pitcher can do once in a while. Like any other skill it has to be practiced. He should not expect immediate results either. It takes time for mental imagery to become effective. Don't try it just once and if it doesn't work for you give it up. Keep at it.

Our pitchers know the day before they are to pitch. Invariably I will ask, "Did you pitch the game in your Head?"

From "Baseball-Excellence"