Cardinal Who Visualized His Success!

As the World Series fades from mind, some important visualization lessons for students of the game and of the science.

The Cardinals had no right to be in the Series. In a 7 game series, maybe the Rangers would win 70% of the time. However, they played only once and it counted. Cardinals are champs and Rangers still haven't one a damn thing since 1961.

Four players stood out for me.

Craig, Freese, Pujols and Berkman.

Craig and Freese are so young and so unproven that their exploits on the national stage might be luck. Time will tell.

Pujols' biggest hit might not have been the five hit, 3 HR game 2, but the double he slammed in the Cardinals 9^th, when their backs were against the wall is the hit I will remember.

I have always ranked Pujols as one of the top money hitters of all time. Each at bat, he defies the pitcher to get him out. That's what visualization is all about.

Berkman, a bust with my Yankees last season, seems to have been reborn returning to National League. His comments after the classic game 6, can be a great learning lesson for any ballplayer.

He said that before he hit his game tying hit, perhaps the biggest hit of his career, he rationalized. If he failed, they would talk about it for a few days and then it would be lost in the lull of post season. But if he succeeded, it would be the stuff of legends and it would mean that the next time he faced such a situation, they would talk about his prior success. He would be forever remembered.

It shows that ballplayers think before they act.

And when you visualize, that thinking can make you do great things on the field and in life.

But it won't happen, until you are ready to think and prepare like a champion.