Customer Reviews

The Mental Game of Baseball: A Guide to Peak Performance

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have three boys who play ball from little league to college teams. When they are in high school, I give them a copy of this book. More than any new glove or bat, more than 100 hours of cage time, more than any clinic, this book is the single most influential thing I can do to help them get better. The concepts in this book are applicable to most facets of life, but are set in the context of baseball. Look, I've seen the inflated ratings for books here, but I believe this one really deserves a 5. A lot of books on sports psychology seem like fluff to me. You've heard it: "Take a deep breath, focus, sharpen your vision, control your emotions." Huh? This book is meaty and informative. It tells stories that illustrate not only why it is so critical to improve mentally, but gives proven examples of how. The book is full of testimonials and examples from major league players. I couldn't say it is the first and last word on the subject of mental baseball, but it is BY FAR, the single best source I've read. I agree with the review above that this book is a MUST read for anyone serious about improving in baseball, and certainly for anyone hoping to play at the higher levels.

My son is an 11 yr old travel baseball player. While fundamentally sound, recovery from a mistake, a bad at-bat, individual focus and concentration have always been challenging. This comprehensive, insightful book on the mental aspect of performance is simply amazing -- I couldn't put it down. Immediately after reading I began implementing the mental tips provided in this book. The results were instantaneous! His concentration, visualization, focus and relaxation improvements translated directly into improved performance. Batting avg sored and pitching performance increased dramatically. Through visualization of proper techniques, written goals and the ability to relax, he was 2nd on the team in BA during 2001 USSSA world series w/ .483 avg and was winning pitcher in the championship game against Puerto Rico. Without the techniques in this book, I have no doubt his performance would not have been as successful. I take the book with me every where to use as a reference -- pages are highlighted and becoming frayed. Make no mistake....if you have an established player looking to improve, buy this book before any other. In my opinion, this book will benefit even the most advanced player!

I was given this book as a freshman in college where I played for a Division I school. Actually, every player on the pitching staff was given the book. Understanding my own self doubt and being able take advantage of the situation clearly helped me become one of the top 5 ERA leaders in the country my junior year in college. I have read the book every year to understand and manage the self doubt I feel when the pressure of a situations mounts. Reading one chapter of the book will allow any serious ballplayer to recognize the principles and words the book is portraying. This book is a must read for any competitive spirit, whether it be sports or professional life, because it incorporates all those fears you have always encountered and shows you how to control them and use them to your advantage. In fact, as a litigation lawyer, I often read a couple of chapters of the book before going to trial.

As a softball player, it's difficult to find good books about softball, especially from a mental aspect. Although baseball may have it's strategic differences compared to softball, this book is a great resource for anyone who plays ball. As a college softball player, I've used this book throughout my high school and collegiate years. When I get into a slump, get down on myself, or just feel frustrated, I return to this book. It has been essential to my success as a player. Before the start of offical practices each winter, I reread the book. I've highlighted it, underlined it, and bookmarked specific passages.
I've always considered the mental game of a sport far more important than the physical and this book has helped widen my eyes even more to that aspect of the game. I highly suggest buying this book if you play the sport, coach it, or even love it. It has some great points and some great stories from professional players. This is the perfect book for anyone who wants to truely understand the game of baseball.

I bought this book because I am a baseball fan and my sons play ball as well. I am also an experienced musician who played professionally for some years. I found the book to be a "must read" for ANY performer (athlete, musician, dancer, etc) and a great book for anyone seeking personal success in any pursuit. If you like The Inner Game of Music, or A Soprano On Her Head, you need to get this book.

I read this book as a freshman in college while playing intercollegiate baseball. I can honestly say that the things I learned and applied to my life as a ballplayer have stuck with me over the years. I have since gone on to a top-rated graduate school and a great job. I learned to formulate goals, think positively, and maintain focus and intensity though practicing what this book describes. If you like baseball, but don't play, this book is great as you apply it's principles as I have done over the years. If you do play, it will help you focus on getting the most out of your abilities.

I am not a baseball player and I have just started reading the book. However, what I have read so far in those first 30-40 pages was enough to convince me that this book is simply great. I am actually a Division I tennis player and I was reccomended the book by my coach. At first I wondered how I could get anything from it, since baseball was clearly its topic. All my coach said was: "It's not only about baseball, it's about life in general." He was darn right. The book is easy to read and it is very practical. Unlike many other "great" books out there that use all those fancy psychological terms and deal with complicated explanations of brain processes, this one shows simple steps on how to improve performance and become a winner more consistently. Again, its principles can be applied to all areas of life. I wish I had this book around when I was in juniors.

I have read this book in its entirety at least twice and found that it provides something that no other book on baseball fundamentals provides, and I have a library of books and videos on baseball. I believe this book has given me an ace in the hole over other coaches and recommend it highly. I refer back to it constantly to extract specific points to make during each practice. If you're serious about getting the most out of your team, this is an excellent resource.

I love this book. It has not only changed the way I play the game of baseball, its changed the way I've played life. I am a baseball player myself, and have always loved the game. When I would play, I would always get nervous when I would hit, and I'd say to myself "I've gotta get a hit.....", and when I didn't, it threw off my game. My friends on the team were having sucess, and I was riding the bench, because my production had suffered. I was a nervous wreck. Then, I read this book. I read about real-life examples of this in the majors (Doug DecCines, Joe Carter, and other notable ballplayers) and it helped me. It says in the book that having a relaxed attitude while at the plate, and in all areas of baseball, will help you be more sucessful. The year after reading this book, I was the starting centerfielder, cleanup hitter, and I was coming up big in key situations. Why? This book convinced me, that sucess in baseball stems from hard-work and confidence. I already knew this, but this book also helped me put this to action. It revealed concentraion and relaxation techniques (deep breathing) I use while in the batter's box. Since then, I've read this book probably 5 times, and learn something more every time. Also noteworthy, I've realized paraells between baseball and life. In life, you have to have confidence in your abilities as well. Usually nervous in front of an audience, I've become a decent public speaker, thanks to more confidence. Looking back, I thought my dream of becoming a major league baseball player was done, and I was about to quit, forever. I then read this book. I still don't know if I'll ever make it to the bigs, but at least I'll go down trying.

I was a high school baseball coach and the first day of practice I brought this book. I told them I had read it every year before baseball season and it always seemed to help me. I had 6 of my players read this book and all of them agreed and had much better seasons that what I anticipated they would. Just like any self help book you have to have faith in it working but this book speaks for its self. With all of these positive reviews you can tell how many people it helped. I now coach football and have suggested this book to several players even thought it is not about football. I have read several books about sports psychology and self help type books. They are not my favorite and most of the time I found that they did not work for me but as a coach they were good to know for my players. This book did work for me and is the number one sports psychology book I have ever read. I highly recommend it.