Up, and Coming ... Here: TCU Baseball

Take a look at this video by TCU Baseball. You'll recognize some familiar themes ... i.e., win this pitch ... and the approach will also resonate.

It's how you gain leverage -- a solid mental approach that values the process of how to compete. You want results? You want wins?

Do (and think) like this:

From Coach Aaron Weintraub ... Attitude is Everything

Received this from Coach Traub. Check it out:

"You have extremely little control over what goes on around you, but total control of how you choose to respond to it. It is in these choices that lay your freedom, your happiness, and your personal power. Choose wisely.

"Attitude is a choice and attitude determines altitude. You perform better when you are aggressive, confident, and having fun. So do you know how to create that specific attitude when your current environment is pulling you in a different direction? Most people sense that attitude comes from within, but they don’t specifically seize all their personal power by realizing that their attitude comes specifically from the direction of their thoughts. What you are focused on causes the quality of your attitude. Therefore, if you learn to develop an optimistic explanatory style, even when faced with adversity, you will have a clear edge over your competition. It’s not easy to remember that messing up is good for you, to change “I’m in a slump” to “I’m overdue,” or to embrace difficult challenges. But hey, if was easy, everyone would do it.

"Here’s your first test… which comes first: successful outcomes or a positive, confident, fun attitude? For many, success does, but for the greatest athletes in the world, their confidence and positive attitude precede and lead to their success. The next time conditions are poor or you just messed up, remember that this is a great opportunity for you to practice employing your personal power by finding a shred of optimism to emphasize in your mind. Then add in some positive body language and don’t be surprised when great outcomes follow."

Walking Off as Winners

Last game ...

Our HWS run had ended up differently than we had expected or hoped. After two dramatic and gritty wins versus good teams (one of whom ultimately finished 6th), we ran into a buzzsaw on Thursday -- losing 5-1 to the Raleigh Warriors (who eventually finished 3rd nationally) and also 7-4 to the perennial powerhouse Atlanta Barons.

Both teams threw their aces at us. Both aces threw gems. We battled, but we fell short. On Friday, we were emotionally drained and flat; we got outplayed in every phase of the game and lost, 7-1, to an HCYA team we had beaten twice previously during the season.

The foregoing left us playing for 7th place in Division II ... really playing for pride on Saturday, May 7, as we sought to finish our season the right way.

The night before, I thought that it would be cool to win our last one in a walk-off, but I wasn't sure my heart could take it. Let't not try that, after all.

So, we drove over as the sun rose and showed up at 7 a.m. for the ungodly 8 a.m. EST start. We had fun on the way over, and our team appeared loose and ready to go vs. Augusta. We had our usual pregame, the 40th such pregame of the season. Last thing I told them: "Remember, we love you."

Before the game started, I walked down the right-field line to collect my thoughts and think about the gameplan. I looked at my card of plays and defensive sets. I wanted to use everything today, if necessary, to get the win. These players deserved this, and I wanted to do everything in my power to make sure it happened. I got a little emotional thinking it would be the last time I would do this with these players.

I was confident we would play well. But then it started.

We played awful. We were behind, 3-0, before we came to bat. It's been a while since we played that poorly for several innings, but we did. I was having troubles of my own, too. Augusta surprised me and threw out one of our guys stealing and another trying to advance to 3rd on a fly ball.

We were throwing balls around, forgetting to cover bags, droppoing pop-ups, running bases like, well, they were trying to upset my stomach ... At the plate, we were trying too hard. We were understanably too emotional on this day. Meanwhile, the Crusaders were playing loose, having fun and building an 8-3 lead in the 5th.

Then, we started to come alive. Ben was pitching well on the hill, and the guys kept battling and piling up good AB's at the plate. Starting in about the 5th inning, we started to look like ourselves and play like the Mustangs. We scored two in the bottom of the 5th, and then three more in the 6th. Meanwhile, our pitching and defense were solid.

A 7th-inning rally fizzled and we went to the 8th. By this time, I had come to grips with the fact that I was going to be okay with however this turned out. Our team had acquitted itself well in battling back and showing pride and heart.

A mini-threat by the Crusaders in the top of the 8th was shut down and we came to bat in the bottom half. Shell led off with a pop fly that fell in between the LF, SS, and 3B. The LF overran the ball, too, and Shell advanced to second. Then, things started to fall into place ...

I went out during a timeout to talk to Shell. I told him he was going to score the winning run and I was going to chase him home. He better get going. He didn't think I could catch him.

Michael had asked me before the inning about bunting if Shell had gotten on. I told him we would probably do that. But with Shell already on second, we conferred during a timeout, and I told him I wanted him to hit. I thought we'd have a rocket to the OF and then all would be well.

But Michael, our #3 hitter and offensive leader for the last 4 years, popped out. I kicked myself, wishing we had bunted there.

Then Foxy came to the plate. He'd had a fabulous year and was looking better and better as this game wore on. John battled with a great AB, taking two close pitches to get the count to 3-1. Then, he hit a ground ball, a high chopper to the left side, and Augusta barely threw him out at 1B. Shell advanced to 3B on the play. Two outs.

Matt then came to the plate. Matt has had a lot of great AB's through the years, and truthfully, he is a great guy to have up there in that situation. He fouled off the first pitch straigh back, but he was under it. Hmmm. C'mon, Matt, I thought. I wondered what he was thinking, but he sure looked locked in.

And then ... ping. The most beautiful humpback liner that I think I have ever seen floated out over second base into CF. I did start after Shell (he beat me to the plate), and we all went over to meet Matt at 1B in the bedlam.

We hugged, we laughed, we experienced the joy that this team is so known for ... one last time.

In forming the line to go across and congratulate the Crusaders, we even hip-bumped. Serious air.

After the game, we all talked and shared ... players, coaches, parents ... for a long time. It seemed that no one wanted it to end. We talked about how much Mustangs baseball has meant to all of us. It was so fitting, though, that it ended that way.

If we hadn't lost three straight, we would have missed this game ... this game that ended a season and 7 seniors Mustang careers in perfect fashion.

And God honored them all in the process. It was a day that all our seniors played the whole game. They all contributed. Jacob had a good day at the plate and on the mound. Ben hit the ball well, was nails on the mound and got the win. Sauce was, well, Sauce. Shell played well at 3B, and he started the winning rally and scored the winning run in our last game. Foxy overcame a tough start to get a big hit and also threw out a Crusader runner late in the game to stop a rally, Reagan was great in the OF and hit an inside-the-park HR. And Matt ...

Well, the Lord tasked Matt with ending this thing on the right note ... with the Mustangs battling, as always, and finishing strong. Matt's hit gave the Mustangs their only lead of the day -- as the game (and season) ended. Just in time ...

It was so fitting, on so many levels. They walked off the winners that they are.

After the game, my head began to hurt as I considered that if we hadn't played so poorly that we would have missed that incredible ending. We will always remember what happened on May 7, but a better performance and it never would have happened. I was reminded of last year's "Centex Miracle."

I walked down to watch the Huntsville-Barons game, which was a dandy (won by Huntsville, 7-6 in 8 inns.). Afterward, I was visiting with Huntsville's Coach Gary Byrd, and we were talking about how our coaching careers had ended in pretty much perfect fashion. Today's finish marked win #100 as a Mustang coach for me.

I told my friend Gary that we were disappointed that we missed Division I, and we thought we had a good chance to compete and win there, but still ... I was unsure that I would trade it for the path we had taken. I was content.

Then, Gary said, "The sovereignty of God is a beautiful thing." I just smiled, and said, "Yes, it is."

For God in His sovereignty has allowed this little ol' baseball team to make a big impact -- on the field, off the field, everywhere.