PCA Avoids Burnout by Letting Mind Wander at Times
Pete Crow-Armstrong was back at it again on Thursday afternoon, first leading off the bottom of the 11th inning for what would have been the winning run had it not been Carson Kelly trying to score from second. Then the speedy center fielder stole third and advanced home when the errant throw from catcher Brandon Valenzuela trickled into the outfield. The MVP frontrunner plays at a frenetic pace that at times makes him look reckless, but his growth this season comes from understanding when to rein it in.
Knowing he’s got to be able to give it his all when the time comes has led PCA to employ what an HR director might refer to as active rest. He explained that during an appearance on the Old Man and the Three video podcast with Denver Nuggets forward Cam Johnson and co-host Tommy Alter a few months back, and it remains just as relevant today.
“You’ve got to be excited to go out there every inning,” PCA said. “It’s important to take some pitches — not take some pitches off, but the time in between pitches. If nobody’s on, I’m letting my mind wander. I’m looking up into the bleachers, seeing who’s there.
“You’ve gotta check out sometimes so you can lock it back in.”
He’s right, you know. While I’m sure there are plenty of folks who would argue otherwise, trying to stay completely focused at all moments is a recipe for burnout. And when you’re talking about the pressure of a playoff race, everything becomes compressed and magnified. Taking advantage of the open moments baseball naturally provides can help players to be even better when the moment calls for it.
“Other sports don’t have the luxury of [baseball’s] pace of play,” PCA explained. “Like you guys have to be on point every bounce that ball takes…You guys have a way different motor.”
This isn’t just about one game or one series, or even one season. Crow-Armstrong is in this for the long haul, and he knows he needs to be sharp mentally to be at his best for the next decade and beyond. I could not be more excited to see what he’ll be able to accomplish if he continues to improve, which should be the expectation as he heads into another five years or so of his athletic prime.
