Since the debacle that I wrote about on June 7th, things have markedly improved.  After discussing with the team the negativity that was abounding, an assertive effort has been made to be eliminate criticism during play and only offer shouts of encouragement. In addition, the team has a mandate to do a lot more cheering from the bench and on the field. This sort of chatter has proven to be beneficial in elevating motivation.
It has worked and here’s the proof:
During that all-time low, we lost 3 consecutive games: 14-12L to the Flyers (the game that started the debacle), 7-5L to the Dodgers and a 19-18L slugfest to the Strikeouts – the ultimate low since this team was promoted from B and should not have been able to dress-down last year’s champs. But it was this game where the attitude shift occurred. Although it was a loss, it was one in which we didn’t lose because of errors and poor communication.
We followed those 3 losses with a very structured practice in which mental approach was the focus. Since this practice we have gone 8-2 with the 2 losses coming to Farm Team (6-4L) and the Dodgers for the 2nd time this season (13-12L). But the high point is that all eight wins have been large margin wins that include recent wins against teams we lost to earlier in the season: a defensive masterpiece against Farm Team (9-3W), a ship re-balancing to Strikeouts (18-12W).
And that’s not all. This team is starting to peak at the right time to gear up for the play-offs. The last 2 games have been must-wins if we hope to finish 2nd in the league and get into the $$: Last week we performed a monster thrash against the #1 team Flyers giving them a whooping they’ll not forget for quite some time: 21-8. The beauty of this win is that they were working on an undefeated season and we were the only stopper left of preventing that.
Then there was last night. Against the current #2 team Dodgers. Two (close) losses against them so far. Another loss gives them the confidence they sorely need to compete against us in the playoffs. We have owned this team in the playoffs handing them heartbreak after heartbreak each year as we stepped over them to make it into the finals.  A sweep could give them that feeling they can actually beat us when it counts. Even though the two losses to date this year were by two runs (7-5) and one run (13-12).
We came into this game coming off a big win and feeling that this game is a must win to have a shot at #2. Now, there is more than just $$ on the line for #2. With a #2 seed going into the playoffs, it ensures us home field advantage in the round-robin grouping, puts us in a separate division than the Flyers, and gives us home field through the knock-out rounds until we meet Flyers in the finals. Which may not happen as was the case last year when we faced off against the Farm Team instead (and proceeded to defeat for the title).  With that on the line and a chance of re-establishing ourselves as the team to beat, we proceeded to trounce the Dodgers 33-14, perhaps the largest run total we’ve ever had in a single game. This was accomplished in no small part by the 10 (yes ten) home runs (including a 3-run shot by yours truly) we racked up. In total, in the last 3 games against teams #1, #2 and #3 we have won all three by a margin of 63-25.
The Sluggers have turned a page and are back to playing ball their way:Â Selfless hitting, excellent defence, big 2-out rallies, and huge bats when it’s time to close shop.
We have 3 games left – if we can win 2 of those 3 we are guaranteed 2nd.
And a note to myself, who had lost his swing during the rough bumps: swing down at the ball – that’s how you hit for power. Who’d a thought a downward swing will result in an arcing ball flight that can sometimes result in HRs?