Orioles Add Sports Psychologist to help talk to players

[scottbbfm]

They actually brought one in after the 79 series.

[wpetraska]

and the ball comes out of my hand so very well...
Wieters wasn't doing enough to build up their confidence?

Right! I thought they already had a psychologist on staff in Wieters.

For some reason, I just thought of the new "Awake" series on NBC where the guy is basically living two lives, one in real life, one in a dream but he doesn't know which is which. He has a different psychologist in each, telling him the other doesn't exist. All I can see is someone like Matusz talking to Wieters one day and Buck Showalter the next. Talk about night and day. "You threw so amazing today. So amazing. Like Jesus with a mitt" to "GET BACK TO WORK AND STOP TALKING ABOUT FEELINGS."

[whatagame]

He's there to help them with the insanity! (def. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.) I'm kidding, it's probably a good thing.

[DrungoHazewood]

We're already seeing the knee-jerk reaction to this, overwhelmingly negative. But I think it's a good thing. Probably as much or more value than spending $1M to bring in our yearly Steve Trachsel to mentor the kids with his wiley veteranosity and his 6.42 ERA.

[playbaltimorecom]

Losing is a disease. As contagious as bubonic plague.

Love it!

Alll joking aside, I don't know why we didn't have one in the first place. I would love to know how many MLB teams have them and to what extent. I bet we are behind the curve.

Regardless, I am happy to hear this move.

[srock]

Rube, you read the articles? Let's try reciting them when you throw the ball back. If we can't get Cerrano a live chicken get him a bucket of KFC so Jobu can help him hit curveballs.

Larry: [Larry jogs out to the mound to break up a players' conference] Excuse me, but what the hell's going on out here?
Crash Davis: Well, Nuke's scared because his eyelids are jammed and his old man's here. We need a live... is it a live rooster?
[Jose nods]
Crash Davis: . We need a live rooster to take the curse off Jose's glove and nobody seems to know what to get Millie or Jimmy for their wedding present.
[to the players]
Crash Davis: Is that about right?
[the players nod]
Crash Davis: We're dealing with a lot of ****.
Larry: Okay, well, uh... candlesticks always make a nice gift, and uh, maybe you could find out where she's registered and maybe a place-setting or maybe a silverware pattern. Okay, let's get two! Go get 'em.

[Owen21]

Need to get rid of the pitcher's on deck circle of self doubt.

[Lucky Jim]

We're already seeing the knee-jerk reaction to this, overwhelmingly negative. But I think it's a good thing. Probably as much or more value than spending $1M to bring in our yearly Steve Trachsel to mentor the kids with his wiley veteranosity and his 6.42 ERA.

Here or elsewhere?

[Moose Milligan]

How about just getting better players?

[stef]

How about just getting better players?

The two aren't mutually exclusive.

[DrungoHazewood]

Here or elsewhere?

Here. Or am I just misreading the intent of a bunch of movie quotes?

[Enjoy Terror]

Getting good players is necessary, but the Orioles have also failed to develop the organizational structure in a way that's conducive to success. I think teams need these little supportive upgrades behind the scenes, the Orioles are no exception. If you want players to come to the Orioles and stay here, you have to be willing to make their stay hospitable and go above and beyond what other teams offer. You can't tell me that the Yankees haven't sold some players on signing with them because they have the most plush locker room in baseball.

If you went to a hotel and they didn't have complimentary shampoo or a mint on the pillow, you might note that as a little subconscious strike against them. Conversely, you'd also remember the ones that fold the bath towels into animal shapes and think about them positively.

[DrungoHazewood]

How about just getting better players?

Yes, all decisions that don't result in major upgrades to on-field personnel are the work of Satan.

[ESos92]

Love it!

Alll joking aside, I don't know why we didn't have one in the first place. I would love to know how many MLB teams have them and to what extent. I bet we are behind the curve.

Regardless, I am happy to hear this move.

Seems like a good move to me. When I read Jonah Keri's The Extra 2%, he talked about how The Rays brought in a team psychologist to talk to players. Apparently, it did wonders for Carlos Pena and turned him around completely to become to power hitter he is now.

[Oriology]

Here. Or am I just misreading the intent of a bunch of movie quotes?

I think it's possible to poke fun at something but still think it is a good thing--it's the best way to interpret a "sense" of humor. I think humor can be sensed without having to view an event/person as negative. I thought the jokes about some of the geriatric O's front office hires were funny and in good taste even though I liked the moves. I feel similarly about this move, which was probably long overdue.