Positive emotions and feelings are a consistent message with the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Indianapolis manager Miguel Perez, feels that confidence and positive messages are a key contributor to success on the field for his players.
“You set the tone just by creating a positive vibe,“ Perez said. “We know whatever happened today, it’s over tomorrow. You come in with the same energy. You come into the clubhouse, and you see your teammate, you know you’re gonna play cards together and talk baseball again. I think that’s part of it.“
Additionally, Perez knows that off-the-field contributions and actions are just as important to success on the field as what happens in the game itself. He said, from his experience, winning teams start in the clubhouse.
“I’m big on the clubhouse,” Perez said. “We are going to have our ups and downs, as everybody does, but we make sure whatever happened the last day, is over. The good thing about this game, is if you go 0-for-4 with four Ks tonight, you know tomorrow you can go 4-for-4. You don’t have to wait for a week like football to get it back. I think that’s a good way to sustain in the baseball season.“
Shortstop Rodolfo Castro echoed what Perez was saying, validating that his words have been put into action off the field.
“[Positive vibes are] where the day begins,” Castro said through translation. “When you walk into the clubhouse and you get a positive vibe, that’s where the whole day begins. Coming in and having guys with a smile on their face and having fun, but also going about their business the right way, that’s how it starts. Despite the results on the field sometimes, you’re going to be in a place that is safe and a good place to spend the rest of the day. That’s where the good teams have success.“
Along with Castro, Mason Martin discussed recently his struggles on the field. He shared about how the coaching staff, and their positive outlook, has kept him going in the right direction.
“It’s part of the game and that’s what my coaches have been reminding me of,“ Martin said. “The worst thing you can do is let it eat you up and overthink and over analyze… You just have to stay positive and optimistic after all.“
Baseball is clearly a game of failure, and a mental challenge to overcome that. Confidence is the main key, and Perez has taken a positive atmosphere and a short memory into maintaining that confidence for his players. He hopes that is a formula to sustain success.
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