There are some pitchers who understand inherently the need to be aggressive. No one has to tell them to get tough or be aggressive. It comes naturally to them.

Then there are those whose personalities are what you would call laid back, or even sweet. They are so nice you just want to give them a hug and tell them everything is going to be alright. I’m not sure what “everything” is, but there’s this feeling that you want to protect them from the cold, cruel world.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t help their pitching much. It’s the kind of position that requires an aggressive, almost nasty approach. So  how do you explain to sweet Sue that she needs to turn into nasty Nancy in the circle?

Tonight I told one girl she needed to get a little PMS in her pitching. PMS stands for “pitching mind-set.” But it also stands for the other thing. She laughed, but understood. You need to get that mental attitude of “this is my field and you’re intruding on it with that bat.” You need to have that “take no prisoners” attitude.

That doesn’t mean over-amped. Pitchers need a certain level of inner calm to do their jobs, because it’s definitely a position that requires precision. But they also need that “killer” approach.

Talking PMS to a girl who has gone through it will make perfect sense. Tell her to get that pitching mind-set and have her go at it. Just be sure you’re ready to unleash that particular beast!