First day in the books!

It is 4:44pm here in wonderful Jupiter, FL and I am sitting in the lobby of the local honda dealership so I can take care of my trusty automobile and continue to depend on it to take me wherever I go next down the road to the big leagues!!

Today was the first day we were on the field.  The first two days were spent in meetings going over the entire minor league personnel, covering organizational philosophy, and getting reacquainted with all the staff.  Today we got on the field with all the pitchers and catchers.  It is nice to see all the guys you have had over the past years and see them grow more successful and also more appreciative of our relationship.  It has taken me a bit to get to the level where I can be more of myself and really enjoy making relationships with some of the players.  I don't mean buddy, buddy type of relationships either.  I am referring to the type of relationship where the pitcher understands what I am there for and they are not threatened by me offering information.  Also, I am referring to the type of relationship where the pitcher actually respects what you say and there is a mutual respect with what we are both working to accomplish.  That is really what is so great about the game of baseball, and for me, the professional game of baseball.  I love working with the best of the best and hopefully guiding them a bit to get even better.  I would like to think I have something to do with some of these pitchers successes, but I also am fully aware that they are the true creators of their reality and they are going to determine, in the end, what happens to them in the game of baseball.  But it sure is fun to watch the players grow and get better and reach the level of success they are aspiring to. 

I did want to talk a bit about success today and why I feel it is no accident why guys get what they want and what they work for.  Every year I get to come back to this Organization, I am reminded of the process of being a successful major league player.  I get to see guys like Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter, Yadier Molina, and of course, Albert Pujols.  People want to know out there how they are so good at what they do.  To me it is very simple, they understand focus and they can keep it for the periods of time that it is most needed.

As I get older and have more experiences in my life I can see more clearly why certain guys fail and others succeed.  But not only that, I can see it coming before it happens.  Now, this is nothing new to a lot of coaches, especially the ones that have been around a while.  But if you watch more closely you can see the ones who "got it" and the ones who don't.  There is a presence, an aura, an energy around the players that "got it".  But even more then that, the players that "got it" are the same ones that have a routine, who trust the process, who work hard at their craft, who understand focus and how powerful it can be.  If you could have the opportunity to come down here and see Albert Pujols work in the batting cages you would clearly understand what I am writing about.  This guy is just so darn good at focusing and knowing what he wants to accomplish with each workout and not settling when he works.  He doesn't waste any of his time.  He doesn't quit on his repetitions.  He doesn't just go through the motions and hurry through his workouts.  Everything he does has a focus and intention to it and that is why he is Albert Pujols.  How did he get like that??  Not sure, that you would have to ask him.  But if I had a guess at it I would say he got it from experiencing contrast at different points of his life and never wanting to feel a certain way again.  He took all his focus and energy and put it towards what he wanted to accomplish and what he wanted to feel like in the game of baseball and then he did it.  He never wasted his time sulking, feeling sorry for himself or being afraid.  He spent all his attention and focus on turning into the player that he knew he was capable of being.  Man is he good!!

More on this to come folks...hope all is well!!!!