Today, Derek Jeter made a rehab start in Trenton with the Yankees’ Double A affiliate, Trenton Thunder.
Guess what?
Jeter couldn’t sleep last night—he was nervous!
What does this mean? It means if a future Hall of Fame baseball player gets nervous, it’s okay if you get nervous.
The secret?
You don’t have to ACT nervous.
Enjoy my photos of the day…
Derek Jeter, the Captain of the New York Yankees, is all the buzz here in Trenton, New Jersey, as he is scheduled to make two rehab appearances for the Double A Trenton Thunder this weekend. And whether you like him or not, you have to admit he is a class-act.
I like that.
You know what I like even more? Jeter’s attitude. Here’s a quote of his I recently came across on Twitter…
“There may be people that have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do.” – Derek Jeter
You don’t have to be closing in on 3,000 hits to have the same attitude as Jeter. And you can start right now.
Ed Tseng
Director of Mental Conditioning
Monroe Sports Center
609.558.1077
Cory Arbiso, New York Yankees
Once in a while I hear a great quote.
Last week I was sitting in the hallway next to the Trenton Thunder clubhouse, as I did many times this season, talking to one of the players. This time it was pitcher, Cory Arbiso.
He said a great quote that stuck with me…
“Some days you will only have 80% of your ‘stuff.’ But if you use 100% of that ‘stuff,’ you can still win.”
I really like that.
Thanks, Cory.
This summer, I spent quite a bit of time at Waterfront Park, home of the Trenton Thunder, Double-A Yankees.
I interviewed players.
I took photos on the field.
I was in the clubhouse.
I was in the press box.
I became friends with season ticket holders.
I became friends with players.
I sat in the first row.
I went to the player picnic.
I saw Andy Pettitte make a rehab appearance.
I saw Brandon Laird hit for the cycle with a walk-off home run.
I saw Adam Warren break the single-game strikeout record.
I even threw out the first pitch and proposed to my girlfriend, Sarah.
I saw some amazing baseball in perfect weather, and I saw some terrible baseball in horrid weather.
It was a great season, however the Thunder came one game short of winning the championship. It was a shock and it was sad walking away from the ball park and ending the season like that.
But not as sad as the passing of a dear friend’s son.
Or as sad as people losing their jobs, or getting divorced.
Or a high school teacher taking his own life.
Things happen. We can’t control that.
We can only control our reactions to those situations.
That’s baseball.
And that’s life.
Thank you for the memories, Trenton Thunder players, fans and staff.
See you next summer.
Last night was Game 1 of the Eastern League Playoffs for the Trenton Thunder. They were facing the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, who were 16-7 against Trenton in the regular season. AND they were facing pitching ace, Kyle Drabek who was 4-0 against the Thunder this season with a 1.38 ERA.
It wasn’t looking good.
In fact, as soon as I took my regular seat in the front row, the guy next to me said, “Drabek is pitching GREAT.”
But I was optimistic.
I knew anything could happen.
And it did–the Thunder won by a score of 2-0.
So that shows you that the best team doesn’t win…the team that plays best wins.
Go all out today!
Last night, Adam Warren (above) broke the record for most strikeouts (15) in a single game for the Trenton Thunder. The old record stood for 16 years.
I spoke with Warren a few weeks ago regarding his keys to success. Here’s what I unearthed…
1. Before you compete, you have to lock-in mentally, get serious. It helps to have the same routine.
2. Focus on throwing your game, the things you can control.
3. Take it one game at a time, one pitch at a time.
4. It’s normal to be nervous, use it to your advantage.
5. Have fun, but give it all you’ve got.
These keys to success helped Adam Warren set the Thunder record for strikeouts in a single game, but the result came as a by-product of having the right mindset.
Congrats, Adam!
Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Brandon Laird of the New York Yankees.
On Sunday night, Brandon Laird was promoted from Double-A Trenton Thunder to Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees. He went home, packed his bags and left the next morning to meet his new team in Syracuse for his Triple-A debut Monday night.
He was nervous.
He then proceeded to go 4-for-4 with two home runs.
How did he do it?
He didn’t act how he felt. In the time that I spent with Brandon this season, I figured out one of his secrets.
When he is in a pressure situation, he takes a few deep breaths and tells himself that he’s been in this situation before, then “just does it.”
The first pitch he swung at went over the right-center field wall. Laird then hit two singles and another home run over the left field wall.
“I was just getting pitches to hit and putting good swings on them,” Laird said. “I know my zone. I look for my pitch. I got it a few times tonight. Hitting all over the field, that’s what I wanted to do.”
“I just wanted to put a consistent approach together, learn how they pitch me, how they pitch the players in front of me,” Laird said of trying to transfer that success. “Earlier in the game, I was (nervous). After that first at-bat, I settled down a little bit.”
Notice how many times Laird said the word, “just.”
The first time I spoke with the Yankee prospect, I asked him about his best home run. He gave a similar response, using the word “just.”
I then reached into my pocket and took out a folded piece of paper and showed it to him.
It said, “JUST.”
Am I psychic? No, I just know what it takes.
In peak performances, the athlete has a simple approach (something he can control) and then just trusts his swing.
Yogi Berra once said, “You can’t think and hit at the same time.”
So true.
Congrats, Brandon. Keep up the good work.
Laird next to the clubhouse before his last game in Trenton
