Iâd meet with that pitcher privately. I would then ask âSuppose youâre pitching your backside off, inning after inning, only to find your shortstop couldnât field a ball to save his life. Making matters worse, when heâs up to the plate, he swings like a gate!â
So you approach him in the dugout and askâŠ" whatâs with you? Iâm out there busting my hump and youâre sucking wind?"
He looks you square in the eyes and tells you⊠" I have trouble concentrating."
Ok, now you take it from there.
Meanwhile, you see your pitching coach making two phone calls - one to the bullpen, and the other on his cell phone. Now you know what the bullpen call is for, but, can you guess who heâs talking to on his cell phone?
In competitive baseball, lack of concentration is an excuse, not a reason. If a pitcher canât concentrate then he doesnât belong on the roster - period. Sooner rather than later, a manâs teammates will give the cold shoulder along with some not so nice payback. On the other hand, with park-n-rec, fun ball and the like, I wouldnât be too concerned.