SPORTS May 10, 2004 Issue

The calm, relaxed baseball player

By Mark Swinney

My game plan was to try to stay calm and relaxed—not just at the beginning, but during my whole time at bat." That's what power hitter Manny Ramirez said in a television interview just after he'd hit a key home run in the American League playoffs last year.

For baseball players and fans, playoff games can be some of the most intense games of the year. How can a player feel relaxed when so much is on the line?

I remember, as a boy, going to see professionals play in front of huge crowds. Immediately I noticed how agile, smooth, and coordinated the best of them looked. They were alert, yet so relaxed it made me wonder if they were really trying their hardest.

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