Identifying clutch hitting ability is tricky. Statistical analysts argue that clutch hits exist, but clutch hitters dont. Players, past and present, say clutch hitting is a skill. They believe some players have the ability to hit better in clutch situations than in normal situations. Or maybe clutch hitting is simply not succumbing to the pressure of a big moment. According to many major leaguers, part of the clutch-hitting skill is the ability to handle pressure. Theres two ways to channel nervousness, said Grace, who batted .303 in his career while hitting .323 in high-leverage situations, which often come against a teams best late-inning relievers. You can channel into fear, or you can channel it into excitement. Jay Bruce described a similar approach: I think that people who are able to slow the game down the most probably are more apt to be more successful in that situation; in higher-pressure situations a lot of times your heart starts racing a little bit, your adrenaline gets going a little more. Matt Holliday, who batted .372 in high-leverage situations this year while batting .272 overall, said clutch hitting is not luck. Theres an intensity level when youre in a big spot that kicks in, Holliday said. “An adrenaline that kicks in. It shouldnt be much different than every other at-bat, but you just cant help that naturally you are much more intense in a big situation. Holliday said players are not immune to the atmosphere at the ballpark. Theres definitely different adrenaline when the crowds into it in a big spot, said Holliday. You channel it into concentration. Ive got to mentally bear down in my approach and make sure I get the pitch that I want. What does looking for my pitch mean? It means you see [the ball] early out of the pitchers hand, Ben Zobrist explained. You know what the pitch is quickly. Its not like fastballs are getting on you before you are ready to swing. Jonathan Lucroy, who has been told by a psychologist that he has the ability to hyper-focus, said guys get into trouble when they try to do too much in clutch situations. Its all mental, said the Brewers catcher. This game is really more mental than anything. It’s amazing how mental this game can get. espn.go/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/54496/players-talk-about-belief-in-clutch-hitting
Posted on: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 04:32:50 +0000
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