Playoffs, or any type of potentially high stress situation, lead individuals down different paths. A story came out about how Manny Ramirez went to the showers after being taken out of the game. There was still more baseball to be played and he didn’t care to see the end. He only realized that they lost on a walk-off after players came back into the locker room upset and shut the TVs. Joe Torre explained this as “Manny being Manny” and Manny wrote it off as “it’s just a game and he’ll be able to sleep fine”. This obviously enrages some players and fans because they feel like they’re putting more effort into each game than he does. Does this matter if he plays well? Probably not, BUT if he’s not playing well it gives fans, teammates, and the media something to latch onto and get angry at.
On the opposite side is Ryan Howard. He gets extremely focused by being in a quiet spot and thinking about the moment. He works on getting rid of negative thoughts or thoughts that may affect his focus or confidence. The best part about his routine is that it appears to be working. Something to keep an eye on as the Phillies go forward in the playoffs. Article Here
Tags: baseball, manny ramirez, mlb, playoffs, ryan howard
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