COLLEGE CORNER

(Mario Iglesias, coach at Stanford University, will periodically share insights as he immerses himself in college baseball…)

Striders 11/09
We have always learned that “hustling” is an appropriate approach to baseball. Afterall, any coach would love to have a young Pete Rose, (nicknamed “Charlie Hustle”) even without all his hits, just because of how he played the game (extracurricular activities excluded). At Stanford, hustle is taken to a different level. It is required that all players “stride” whenever they are on the field. If young players have not seen Stanford play, they are probably unsure about what it is to stride. It is not a comfortable jog or even hustling. It is more. It is between a run and a sprint (and closer to a sprint!). The players are expected to stride everywhere on the field at all times from the moment they step on Sunken Diamond. It is not just during the game, it is a style of play and a mental approach. In talking to recruiters and scouts, this is the approach that will allow a player to reach his potential as a player. Of course, there is a time to slow down and work on drills, mechanics, etc. However, for a young player, it is so critical to develop a style of play characterized by striding. It is striding on and off the field, striding to the next base on ball four, striding back to the dugout after a fly ball and everywhere else in between. I talked to a Stanford player about Striding and he said, “Striding on the field at all times keeps you working hard. Naturally, we have a tendency to become complacent if we allow ourselves to be. Striding keeps you sharp and focused for the time in the game that you need to be.” Challenge yourself and try it out. Even if you are going to a field to work out on your own or with one other player, stride around the field. Make striders YOUR style of play.

11/05
Something that is striking at the college (and pro) level is the humility of the players compared to the high school level and younger.  In other words, many star youth players, including high schoolers, really subscribe to the idea that they are something very special and that the hard required to succeed does not necessarily apply to them.  On the other hand, I see Stanford baseball players, all of whom are very talented, come to practice everyday with something to prove!  If anything, it should be the other way around!  Or maybe those players have made it to that level because they never thought they were “already there” and always worked harder to prove something.  The reality is that there are some 45 players going out for the team (and this is customary at all colleges, often with MORE players trying to make it) and only 35 will make it (and of those 35, only 25 will make the travel trips).  There are very talented players that do not make the cut in college and ALL of them were star youth and high school players.  The bottom line is that the best approach is to decisively put in the hard work and there is no short cut around that after high school.  At that time, making it through the next cut or not will depend on ability and not approach.  There are no regrets in humbly getting to work on a daily basis and not quite being good enough.  There are many regrets in possibly being good enough but not putting in the hard, daily work to reach a goal.