“I just try to take away what I can from every situation, to always keep learning. Life is hard. Life is humbling. I do all I can to keep it simple.” – Mariano Rivera
Baseball is not an easy sport. It is not simply hitting and fielding, but instead an incredible array of both physical and mental skills. Baseball IQ is a term often thrown around by managers and coaches. This refers to a player’s ability to quickly and accurately assess the current situation and know exactly where and when to focus their attention.
As you continue to make it to higher levels, the demands of your mental and physical abilities will greatly increase. Simply successfully making expected plays will no longer cut it; you will need to dig deep and make the plays no one else can. This will require not only greater physical strength and agility, but a deeper understanding of the game itself. How do you achieve a better understanding of the sport and improve your baseball IQ?
One way is to become more intentional in approaching your learning process. Don’t simply observe situations at practice, but challenge yourself to accurately determine what you will do if the ball is hit anywhere on the field. Sit down with a teammate or coach after practice and discuss rare game-like scenarios so that you will be fully prepared if that situation should arise.
Another way is to watch more baseball! Observe the pros. Get out of the habit of simply ‘ball-watching,’ and intentionally focus on your position. Take note of the score, inning, number of outs, and base runners. What would you do if the batter bunts, hits an infield pop-up, or a line shot to right field? The more you take time to learn and understand the game within the game, the simpler making challenging plays will become.
Baseball is not an easy sport. It is not simply hitting and fielding, but instead an incredible array of both physical and mental skills. Baseball IQ is a term often thrown around by managers and coaches. This refers to a player’s ability to quickly and accurately assess the current situation and know exactly where and when to focus their attention.
As you continue to make it to higher levels, the demands of your mental and physical abilities will greatly increase. Simply successfully making expected plays will no longer cut it; you will need to dig deep and make the plays no one else can. This will require not only greater physical strength and agility, but a deeper understanding of the game itself. How do you achieve a better understanding of the sport and improve your baseball IQ?
One way is to become more intentional in approaching your learning process. Don’t simply observe situations at practice, but challenge yourself to accurately determine what you will do if the ball is hit anywhere on the field. Sit down with a teammate or coach after practice and discuss rare game-like scenarios so that you will be fully prepared if that situation should arise.
Another way is to watch more baseball! Observe the pros. Get out of the habit of simply ‘ball-watching,’ and intentionally focus on your position. Take note of the score, inning, number of outs, and base runners. What would you do if the batter bunts, hits an infield pop-up, or a line shot to right field? The more you take time to learn and understand the game within the game, the simpler making challenging plays will become.