TAKE A STAND

In this inaugural episode, Jason Panaro (personal MLB hitting consultant) opens up his "vault of notebooks" culled from working with some of the best big league hitters and hitting coaches in the game -- for the benefit of hitters everywhere. 

Transcript

EPISODE ONE: TAKE A STAND

FIRST OFF, I TRULY APPRECIATE YOU LISTENING. I’VE BEEN EXCITED TO GET THIS PROJECT ROLLING. SO, I HOPE YOU FIND YOUR TIME HERE WELL SPENT AND VALUABLE. 

PLEASE ACCEPT THIS INAUGURAL EPISODE AS AN INTRODUCTION, OF SORTS, WHEREIN I SHARE MY VISION OF WHAT THIS SPACE WILL REPRESENT, WHERE I INTEND FOR THE PODCAST TO GO — AND HOW YOU, THE HITTER, WILL ULTIMATELY TAKE US THERE.

IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME COMIN’. 

SO LET’S BEGIN…

A FEW YEARS AGO, I WAS STANDING OUTSIDE A BATTING CAGE IN BETWEEN SESSIONS, FURIOUSLY SCRIBBLING NOTES INTO A BLACK MOLESKINE NOTEBOOK — ONE OF SEVERAL THAT I WOULD BURN THROUGH DURING A PARTICULARLY LONG OFFSEASON — WHEN I NOTICED A COLLEAGUE STANDING OVER MY SHOULDER…

AND HE SAID:

“HEY, JP… YOU EVER GONNA SHARE THAT INFO WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD?”

HE GESTURED MY NOTEBOOK: IT WAS FILLED WITH EVERY IDEA, INSIGHT, OBSERVATION, AND MORSEL OF INFORMATION THAT I COULD GLEAN FROM MY WORK HELPING MAJOR LEAGUE HITTERS PREPARE FOR THEIR UPCOMING SEASON. 

I CLOSED THE NOTEBOOK AND JOKED “I GLADLY WOULD, MAN, BUT NOBODY COULD EVER READ MY HANDWRITING.” 

AND IT WAS TRUE. 

HE LAUGHED AND WE BOTH GOT BACK TO BUSINESS. BUT THAT QUESTION STAYED WITH ME THAT DAY… AND HAS LINGERED IN THE BACKGROUND FOR YEARS SINCE.

YOU SEE, I’VE BEEN EXTREMELY FORTUNATE TO WORK ONE-ON-ONE WITH SOME OF THE GREATEST HITTERS IN THE WORLD… LOGGING THOUSANDS OF HOURS IN THE CAGE WITH MAJOR LEAGUE VETERANS, ROOKIES, WORLD SERIES CHAMPS, ALL-STARS, MVP CANDIDATES AND LEAGUE LEADERS. AND I HAVE ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ALONGSIDE AND LEARN FROM — SOME OF THE VERY BEST BIG-LEAGUE HITTING COACHES… AS WELL AS PAST HITTING GREATS, FUTURE HALL OF FAMERS... AND LANDMARK OFFENSIVE MINDS. I’VE LISTENED TO THEIR STORIES, THEIR INSIGHTS, AND THEIR HIDDEN GEMS OF KNOWLEDGE CULLED FROM DECADES IN THE HITTING TRENCHES. 

NEEDLESS TO SAY, I’VE FILLED A LOT OF DAMN NOTEBOOKS…

BUT IT WAS ONLY RECENTLY, WHEN SPEAKING WITH A RESPECTED COLLEAGUE ABOUT THE DECLINE IN OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION AROUND THE LEAGUE — THAT THOSE NOTEBOOKS RETURNED TO THE FOREFRONT OF MY MIND. 

“YEAH, JP, I HEAR YOU. THE PITCHING IS PHENOMENAL.” MY FRIEND SAID. “IT’S THE BEST IN THE HISTORY OF THE GAME AND SEEMINGLY GETTING BETTER EVERY YEAR — I GET IT! BUT WE’VE LOST OUR WAY AS HITTERS. WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION THAN EVER. BUT THAT INFORMATION HASN’T LED TO MORE UNDERSTANDING OR BETTER PERFORMANCE, HAS IT? DESPITE SO MANY ADVANCEMENTS IN ANALYTICS, BIOMECHANICS, AND TECHNOLOGY… HITTERS HAVE NEVER FELT MORE CONFUSED, MORE MISLED, MORE ALONE, AND MORE OVERWHELMED IN ALL MY YEARS OF BASEBALL.

“AT SOME POINT, JP, HITTERS HAVE TO DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND. 

AND TAKE A STAND.” 

I HUNG UP THE PHONE AND SOON AFTER FOUND MYSELF STARING AT THE TALL STACK OF NOTEBOOKS IN THE CORNER OF MY OFFICE. THEY SEEMED TO BE SAYING: IF NOT NOW, MAN, THEN WHEN? 

SO I DECIDED TO OPEN UP THOSE NOTEBOOKS, TRANSLATE THAT HORRENDOUS HANDWRITING… AND PASS ALONG THE GIFTS I HAVE BEEN GIVEN BY THE BEST HITTERS AND HITTING MINDS IN THE GAME…

TO ALL OF YOU. 

HERE IN THIS PODCAST SPACE.

AND IN PRESENTING YOU WITH THESE POWERFUL HITTING INSIGHTS, PERSPECTIVES, AND PRESCRIPTIONS IN THE MOST DISTILLED AND ACTIONABLE MANNER POSSIBLE…

MY HOPE IS THAT YOU CAN DRAW THAT LINE IN THE SAND.

AND TAKE YOUR STAND. 

FOR YOURSELF. FOR YOUR TEAMMATES. AND FOR YOUR FELLOW HITTERS. 

BECAUSE WE ARE ALL A TRIBE, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, YOU ARE STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF ALL THE HITTERS AND HITTING COACHES WHO HAVE COME BEFORE YOU. AND FUTURE HITTERS WILL TAKE THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACE ON YOUR SHOULDERS — 

WHICH IS WHY WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER NOW… AND DECLARE OUR INTENTIONS, DIG IN OUR HEELS AND MAKE AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT FORWARD, GIVING NO QUARTER TO ANYTHING THAT STANDS IN OUR WAY, ALLOWING NO CONCESSIONS, MAKING NO EXCUSES, ACCEPTING NO SELF-IMPOSED LIMITATIONS, AND HONORING OUR OWN VOICE ABOVE ALL OTHERS. 

THIS DOES NOT MEAN WE REJECT SUPPORT FROM THOSE WE VALUE AND TRUST. IT DOESN’T MEAN WE HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS AND REFUSE INPUT WHEN NEEDED. IT DOES NOT MEAN WE FAIL TO LEAN ON THOSE IN OUR INNER CIRCLE. AND THIS DOESN’T MEAN WE CEASE TO CAPITALIZE ON THE INSTRUCTION, DATA, OR TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE TO US. 

IT MEANS… THE TIME HAS COME FOR HITTERS TO CHART THEIR OWN COURSE AND CAPTAIN THEIR OWN SHIPS. 

BECAUSE IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR TODAY’S HITTING WORLD TO LEAD YOU TO THE PROMISED LAND.

PLEASE THINK AGAIN. 

LISTEN, I AM BLESSED WITH A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE — HAVING WORKED WITH PLAYERS FROM ACROSS THE LEAGUE, AND HAVING SEEN HOW THEIR PARTICULAR ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT HITTERS… OR DO NOT SUPPORT HITTERS. 

I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE WHAT WORKS — AND WHAT DOESN’T.  

WHERE ORGS GO RIGHT AND WHERE THEY GO WRONG… AND WHAT WE COULD DO AS A COLLECTIVE HITTING COMMUNITY TO BETTER SUPPORT HITTERS NOT ONLY IN THE BIGS, BUT EVERY LEVEL BELOW — INCLUDING THE COLLEGE AND HS RANKS. 

LET ME PROVIDE A GLARING EXAMPLE OF THE PARADIGM SHIFT THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE IN THE HITTING WORLD. THIS IS BOUND TO RUFFLE SOME FEATHERS — SO BE IT… WE ARE HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR HITTERS.

AND WE MAKE NO APOLOGIES FOR IT. 

SO HERE’S THE DEAL…

WHEN MY MAJOR LEAGUE CLIENTS RETURN FROM THEIR SEASON… WE HAVE A LONG SIT DOWN TO RECONNECT FACE TO FACE, WE REVIEW THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF THE SEASON, WE DISSECT WHAT WORKED AND WHAT DIDN’T. WE IDENTIFY WHERE WE MUST DO BETTER. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY… I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE HITTER HAS LEARNED! I WANT TO KNOW HOW HE HAS EVOLVED.

IN THE FEUDAL TIMES OF JAPAN… A SAMURAI WOULD RETURN FROM BATTLE AND REPORT WHAT TECHNIQUES, STRATEGIES, AND BATTLE PLANS WERE SUCCESSFUL AND WHAT HE HAD LEARNED ABOUT HIS ENEMY SO THAT HIS FELLOW WARRIORS (YOUNG AND OLD) AND HIS COMMANDERS WOULD BE BETTER PREPARED FOR FUTURE MILITARY ENGAGEMENTS.

SEEMS PRETTY LOGICAL, RIGHT? 

WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT MANY ORGANIZATIONS DON’T HAVE FORMAL SIT DOWNS WITH THEIR HITTERS AFTER THE SEASON? 

HITTERS DON’T MEET, COLLECTIVELY OR PERSONALLY WITH THE HITTING STAFF, MANAGER, ASST GM, GM… WHOMEVER… AND DISCUSS WHAT WORKED AND WHAT DIDN’T. AND WHERE HITTERS NEED TO IMPROVE OVER THE OFFSEASON.

BUT EVEN WORSE — ORGS DON’T RECEIVE OFFICIAL FEEDBACK FROM THEIR OWN HITTERS, THEY DON’T EXTRACT INFORMATION FROM THEIR SOLDIERS RETURNING FROM BATTLE SO THAT MANAGEMENT CAN LEARN HOW TO BETTER SUPPORT THE HITTERS AND ENHANCE THEIR COLLECTIVE PERFORMANCE IN THE FUTURE! THEY DON’T EXTRACT INFORMATION FROM THEIR MOST PRIZED ASSETS. 

ORGANIZATIONS DON’T ASK HITTERS SIMPLE QUESTIONS LIKE: HOW COULD OUR HITTING COACHES HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB? HOW COULD WE AS AN ORGANIZATION HAVE BETTER PREPARED AND SUPPORTED YOU? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU SAW AND LEARNED THIS SEASON THAT COULD MAKE US ALL BETTER MOVING FORWARD? 

NOPE.

IT USUALLY DOESN’T HAPPEN. 

THIS IS NOTHING SHORT OF UNFATHOMABLE. AND IT IS THIS KIND OF MENTALITY THAT MUST BE OVERCOME. 

BIG LEAGUE HITTERS ARE THE GREATEST HITTING RESOURCE ON THE PLANET. BAR NONE. THEY ARE AN ENDLESS TREASURE TROVE OF PERFORMANCE INFORMATION. THEY ARE THE APEX PREDATORS, THE TIPPY TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN. DESPITE THIS FACT, HITTERS ARE OPERATING IN A WORLD WHERE THEY ARE NOT BEING FULLY RESPECTED OR EMPOWERED. RATHER, THEY ARE OFTEN BEING LED AROUND AND LECTURED TO BY ENTITIES THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE THEIR BEST INTEREST AT HEART. AND MAY OR MAY NOT BE QUALIFIED TO DO SO. 

EITHER WAY, THE HITTER OFTEN ENDS UP BEING A PASSENGER IN HIS OWN CAREER, HEADING WHEREVER AN ORGANIZATION OR AGENCY OR TRAINING FACILITY BELIEVES HE NEEDS TO GO. THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT TO SAY THAT THERE AREN’T SOME PHENOMENAL ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS OUT THERE. THERE  MOST CERTAINLY ARE. BUT IT IS CAUSE FOR ALARM WHEN MAJOR LEAGUE HITTERS AREN’T UNIVERSALLY VALUED FOR THEIR EXPERTISE WITHIN THEIR OWN ORGANIZATIONS. 

THINK ABOUT THIS FACT: 

THERE HAVE BEEN A LITTLE OVER 20,000 MAJOR LEAGUERS SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE IN 1876. ABOUT HALF OF THOSE HAVE BEEN POSITION PLAYERS, SAY JUST OVER 10,000.

SINCE 1876 OVER TWO BILLION PEOPLE HAVE EXISTED IN AMERICA. 

THAT MEANS… .000005 PERCENT OF OUR POPULATION CAN CLAIM TO HAVE BEEN (OR STILL BE) A MAJOR LEAGUE HITTER. IT’S A STAGGERING NUMBER THAT TRULY REFLECTS THE SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE ACHIEVEMENT OF REACHING THE MAJOR LEAGUE BATTER’S BOX. 

SO, IF YOU CAN’T TRUST THOSE GUYS WHO HAVE MADE IT TO THAT MOUNTAIN TOP… THEN WHO THE HELL CAN YOU TRUST?

THE SOCIAL MEDIA CIRCUIT?

COME ON.

AND WE WONDER WHY HITTERS AT ALL LEVELS AREN’T PERFORMING LIKE THEY ARE CAPABLE? 

IT’S TIME FOR HITTERS TO TAKE BACK THE HELM. 

LISTEN, THE INHERENT DISAPPOINTMENT AND “FAILURE” BUILT-INTO HITTING PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHERS TO EXPLOIT A HITTER — WE HAVE CREATED A CULTURE FEASTING ON A HITTER’S SELF-DOUBT AND FEARS. IT’S FERTILE GROUND FOR “CONSTANT UNSOLICITED FEEDBACK” … BECAUSE THE PERCENTAGES AS A HITTER ARE NEVER TO OUR ADVANTAGE EVEN WHEN WE ARE DOING REASONABLY WELL. IT OPENS THE DOOR TO THE MISPERCEPTION THAT HITTERS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS COMING UP SHORT OR ARE IN CONSTANT NEED OF ASSISTANCE. I MEAN, IN WHAT OTHER SPORT OR PURSUIT CAN YOU BE “PERFECT” OR NEAR PERFECT AT YOUR JOB AND STILL COME UP EMPTY IN THE BOXSCORE? 

THAT’S THE HITTER’S ETERNAL DILEMMA. 

POINT IS, NOBODY IS TEXTING STEPH CURRY WITH SHOOTING ADVICE WHEN HIS FREE THROW PERCENTAGE DIPS FROM 93% TO 90%, RIGHT? BUT IT’S LAUGHABLE WHEN A BIG-LEAGUE HITTER IS IN A STATISTICAL FUNK HOW MUCH UNSOLICITED SWING ADVICE GETS OFFERED. OFTEN COMING THROUGH LATE NIGHT TEXTS OR VOICE MESSAGES. FOR INSTANCE…

• AN ASSISTANT GM, WHO PLAYED TENNIS IN COLLEGE, SWEARS HE FOUND THE MISSING ELEMENT IN A HITTER’S PATH INEFFICIENCY ON OFFSPEED PITCHES. 
• OR A HITTER’S FORMER 15U CLUB COACH, WHO SPENDS HIS DAYS AS A CAR SALESMAN, KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT THE HITTER SHOULD DO TO BREAK OUT AGAINST ZACH WHEELER TONIGHT.
• AN OLD COLLEGE ROOMMATE, WHO CURRENTLY WORKS AS A PODIATRIST, VAGUELY RECALLS WHAT A HITTER DID AGAINST A LEFTY FROM USC A DECADE AGO — BUT HE IS CONVINCED THAT IS THE KEY TO THE HITTER OVERCOMING HIS DISMAL SPLITS AGAINST AL EAST SOUTHPAWS. 
• AND DON’T FORGET THAT BROTHER IN LAW WHO WENT 3-FOR-3 IN HIS SUNDAY-LEAGUE SOFTBALL GAME AND NOW THINKS HE UNLOCKED THE KEY TO HITTING, THANKS TO AN INSTAGRAM POST FORWARDED FROM HIS SON’S LITTLE LEAGUE COACH. 

SOUNDS CRAZY, RIGHT? 

IT HAPPENS. 

OPINIONS COME FROM TOO MANY SOURCES AND TOO DAMN OFTEN… AND SADLY, HITTERS — AND I AM TALKING ABOUT HITTERS AT ALL LEVELS — OFTEN LISTEN OUT OF OBLIGATION OR WORSE… DESPERATION. 

TAKE A STAND. 

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

NOBODY IN THE WORLD SWINGS THE BAT LIKE YOU. YOUR SWING IS UTTERLY UNIQUE. AND YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE TO HAVE OVERSEEN AND EXPERIENCED THE THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF SWINGS YOU’VE TAKEN SINCE YOU FIRST PICKED UP A BAT AS A LITTLE KID. YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM HAS LOGGED ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IN COPIOUS DETAIL THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER. IT KNOWS WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN’T. 

IT’S A BRILLIANT MACHINE.

IF YOU AREN’T BEING ENCOURAGED AND TAUGHT TO TRUST AND DRAW FROM THAT WISDOM…

THEN IT’S HIGH TIME TO TAKE BACK YOUR POWER. 

BECAUSE, AT PRESENT, FAR TOO MANY HITTERS ARE CHANGING THEIR SWINGS AS OFTEN AS THEY CHANGE THEIR UNDERWEAR. WE ARE SEEING HITTERS JUMP FROM HITTING PHILOSOPHY TO HITTING PHILOSOPHY AND GURU TO GURU — LIKE THEY’RE FRANTICALLY SIFTING THROUGH A BUFFET LINE — IN SEARCH OF SOME MYTHICAL MECHANICAL PILL TO SOLVE ALL THEIR HITTING WOES. 

THIS IS SO PREVALENT… IT FEELS LIKE A PANDEMIC. 

HEY, I’M NOT ASKING YOU TO STOP DEVELOPING YOUR SWING. EFFICIENT MECHANICS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. I AM ASKING YOU TO TAKE A DAMN BREATH, GET QUIET FOR A MOMENT AND LISTEN TO YOUR BODY — REALLY LISTEN, AND THEN CONSIDER LONG AND HARD WHAT IT WANTS AND NEEDS TO DO IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE TASK AT HAND. 

LET’S DEVELOP SOME PERSONAL TRUST. AND CULTIVATE AN INNER COMPASS. 

THAT’S WHAT THIS PODCAST IS ALL ABOUT. 

WE ARE GOING TO PULL BACK THE CURTAIN, LIFT UP THE HOOD, AND TAKE A NO-HOLDS-BARRED LOOK AT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN FOR YOU TO BECOME THE ARCHITECT OF YOUR ABILITY AND THE MASTER OF YOUR SWING FATE. 

BECAUSE IF YOU CONTINUE TO LOOK OUTSIDE YOURSELF FOR YOUR HITTING ANSWERS…

YOU MAY BE WAITING YOUR ENTIRE CAREER.

CASE IN POINT…

JAYSON STARK AND ENOS SARRIS OF THE ATHLETIC WROTE A PIECE THIS LAST SEASON ON MLB OFFENSE PLUMMETING TO HISTORIC LOWS. AND IN IT THEY QUOTED AN ANONYMOUS EXEC. AND HERE IS WHAT HE SAID: 

“… TEAMS CONTINUE TO INNOVATE A LOT QUICKER ON THE PITCHING SIDE THAN THE HITTING SIDE. YOU COULD TALK ALL DAY LONG ABOUT HOT PITCHING COACHES AND TRENDS. BUT THERE ARE NO HOT HITTING COACHES. THERE IS NOTHING EQUIVALENT ON THE HITTING SIDE.” 

THAT IS THE DIFFICULT TRUTH IN TODAY’S GAME. AND YES, THERE ARE CORE DIFFERENCES IN PITCHING AND HITTING — PRIMARILY THAT ONE WORKS FROM A “CLOSED” SYSTEM WITH THE BACKING OF EIGHT OTHER INDIVIDUALS, WHILE THE OTHER PERFORMS ALL ALONE IN A MUCH MORE DEMANDING “OPEN” SYSTEM. AND WE WILL DISCUSS THOSE THINGS AD NAUSEAM AT A LATER DATE. 

BUT THE EXEC’S POINT STILL STANDS…

AND HERE IS WHY: 

WE ARE FAILING TO CREATE SELF-SUFFICIENT HITTERS WHO ARE WILLING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL FACETS OF THEIR CRAFT. INSTEAD WE ARE TEACHING HITTERS TO BE HEAVILY RELIANT ON OUTSIDE ENTITIES, CONVINCING THEM THAT THEIR ANSWERS ALWAYS LIE ELSEWHERE — ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE BOTTOMLESS CONVERSATION OF HITTING MECHANICS… WHERE NO ONE SEEMS ABLE TO AGREE ON MUCH OF ANYTHING.

THE BIGGER POINT IS —

HOW MANY GUYS ARE CULTIVATING A WORLD-CLASS MINDSET TO COMPETE AND HANDLE THE UNIQUE RIGORS OF THE ARDUOUS BASEBALL SEASON? HOW MANY GUYS HAVE DEVELOPED THE ABILITY TO DISTILL INFORMATION INTO A FLUID, REAL-WORLD APPROACH THAT IS SUPPORTED BY TOP-FLIGHT SYSTEMS AND ROUTINES TO ENSURE GAME-DAY CONSISTENCY?  

AS FREDDIE FREEMAN SAID IN A WORLD SERIES INTERVIEW: YOU CAN HAVE THE BEST SWING IN THE WORLD BUT IT IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT AN APPROACH. 

AND LET ME TELL YA, FOLKS… VERY FEW PLAYERS TRULY UNDERSTAND THE VAST NUANCES OF “APPROACH”, MLB HITTERS INCLUDED. I SPEND A LARGE PART OF MY TIME WORKING IN THIS AREA. 

SO THE PRESCRIPTION HERE IS SIMPLE.

WE MUST ENCOURAGE EACH HITTER TO BUILD SELF-RELIANCE, FILLING HIS TOOLBOX WITH AN ARRAY OF TOOLS FOR ALL ASPECTS OF THE HITTING JOB. 

IN OTHER WORDS, IT TAKES A TRULY HOLISTIC FOCUS TO BE A SUCCESSFUL HITTER. 

LET ME CLARIFY THAT FURTHER…

IN THE PAST I’VE DONE SOME OF MY WORK OUT OF A FACILITY IN SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA WHERE THEY TRAIN NOT ONLY PROFESSIONAL BALLPLAYERS BUT ALSO SOME OF THE BEST UFC FIGHTERS IN THE WORLD. AND THAT IS A TRULY FASCINATING GROUP TO OBSERVE. MIXED MARTIAL ARTISTS PREPARE BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT… WITH AN EXECUTION AND ABSORPTION SECOND TO NONE. 

SO I TELL HITTERS…

M.M.A.

… THAT’S THE KEY. NO, I DON’T WANT THEM TO TRADE THEIR FRANKLINS IN FOR A PAIR OF GRAPPLING GLOVES. I JUST INVITE THEM TO USE THE ACRONYM TO LEAD THE WAY. 

MOVEMENTS. MINDSET. APPROACH. = MMA

AND SO IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS AHEAD… WE’LL EXPLORE THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES, HIDDEN STRUGGLES, AND DYNAMIC STRATEGIES THAT EXIST INSIDE THESE THREE PILLARS.  AND WE WILL FILL YOUR TOOLBOX UP WITH THE SPECIFIC TOOLS NECESSARY TO TACKLE EACH OF THESE ESSENTIAL HITTING JOBS HEAD ON. 

BUT HITTERS HAVE BUSY LIVES… WE KNOW THIS… AND SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION IN A MANNER THAT BEST SUITS THE NEEDS OF A HITTER’S RESPECTIVE TRAINING AND LIFESTYLE — NO MATTER WHAT YOUR LEVEL. 

THEREFORE WE WILL UTILIZE THREE PODCAST FORMS TO DELIVER THE GOODS: 

1. 5-MINUTE MINI EPISODES. QUICK HITS TO JUMP-START YOUR DAY AND PLANT HITTING SEEDS FOR FUTURE SUCCESS.  
2. 15-20 MINUTE TOPIC-DRIVEN EPISODES. TO INSPIRE YOUR EFFORT AND FUEL YOUR DAILY WORK AND PERFORMANCE. 
3. AND FINALLY… FULL-LENGTH INTERVIEWS WITH MLB HITTERS, COACHES AND COORDINATORS, FORMER PLAYERS, PERFORMANCE EXPERTS, SPECIALISTS, AND WHOMEVER ELSE IT TAKES — TO PROVIDE THE MOST INFLUENTIAL AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING INFORMATION IN THE HITTING GAME TODAY. 

THE HOPE IS TO PROVIDE A SANCTUARY AND POSITIVE SPACE FOR HITTERS TO TAKE A BREAK FROM THE COMPETITIVE ARENA… AND EVOLVE, RESTORE, AND RECALIBRATE. 

BECAUSE, MAN, HITTERS ARE A TRULY SPECIAL BREED. ABLE TO WEATHER SOUL-BATTERING STORMS THAT FEW ATHLETES ARE FACED WITH. WHO ELSE DEALS WITH THE LEVELS OF FAILURE INHERENT IN HITTING? BUT IF THERE IS ANYTHING HITTERS KNOW… IT IS THAT THERE IS HIDDEN TREASURE IN THOSE PERCEIVED FAILURES AND IN THE DARK PLACES OF OUR DISAPPOINTMENTS. IF WE ARE WILLING TO DIG DEEP AND MINE THOSE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE COME UP SHORT — WE OFTEN FIND THE TYPE OF RARE GIFTS THAT CHANGE THE COURSE OF OUR CAREERS AND LIVES. 

AND THEREIN LIES THE SPIRIT OF THIS PODCAST. 

THE WORK DONE BY HITTERS HAS FAR-REACHING IMPLICATIONS. WHAT YOU LEARN AS A HITTER CAN AND SHOULD BE APPLIED TO ALL AREAS OF YOUR LIFE. SOME OF THE BEST PROFESSIONAL HITTERS THAT I’VE HAD THE HONOR OF WORKING WITH HAVE PROVEN THAT TO ME. THEY MASTER THEIR CRAFT. THEY MASTER THEMSELVES. THEY MASTER THEIR LIVES.

IN SHORT, THEY LEARN TO THRIVE INSIDE THE BATTER’S BOX AND BEYOND — NO MATTER WHO IS ON THE MOUND. NO MATTER WHAT IS TRANSPIRING AROUND THEM. NO MATTER HOW DIFFICULT THE CIRCUMSTANCES MAY APPEAR. 

THEY FIND A WAY. 

THE HITTER’S WAY.

AND THAT IS OUR UNRELENTING MISSION HERE… TO HELP YOU FIND YOUR OPTIMAL WAY OF COMPETING AND PERFORMING — NOT THE WAY DICTATED TO YOU BY COUNTLESS OUTSIDE ENTITIES WHO MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE GENUINE SKIN IN THE GAME.

THAT IS WHERE YOU’LL ULTIMATELY FIND YOUR CAREER GOLD. 

BUT HOW DO WE GET THERE? 

WELL, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TRAVERSE UNCOMFORTABLE GROUND. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DELVE INSIDE EVERY DOUBT AND FEAR A HITTER CAN HAVE. AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ASK THE TYPE OF QUESTIONS THAT MOST FOLKS IN THE MAINSTREAM HITTING WORLD ARE SIMPLY TOO RELUCTANT TO ASK. 

BUT NOT US. 

NOT HERE. 

WE ARE GOING TO PUSH THE HITTING ENVELOPE UNTIL IT BURSTS. WE ARE GOING TO BLOW UP EVERY POTENTIAL OBSTACLE PLACED IN OUR WAY. AND WE ARE GOING TO LOOK DOWN THAT BIG PROVERBIAL BARREL OF THE PITCHING WORLD — 

AND WE — ARE — NOT — GOING — TO — FLINCH!

SO AS WE WRAP UP THIS INTRODUCTORY EPISODE… I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE JOIN ME, AS WE SEND OUT AN EMBOLDENED BATTLE CRY TO HITTERS EVERYWHERE…

IT’S TIME TO DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND. 

AND TAKE A STAND. 

RIGHT HERE. RIGHT NOW. 

ON THE ZEN HITTER PODCAST.