Why is winning so important? Why do some teams win consistently while others toil away in mediocrity? What is it about that winning that drives us to root for a team?
Within life we are the ones that hold ourselves back by not believing things are possible. I think of a time when I was challenged to run a marathon. I never wanted to run a marathon and never thought it was possible. I started slow to get my body into shape and as I increased my mileage, my body adjusted. My thoughts on being able to run changed. I ran a 5K and then a half marathon. Finally, on the day of my first full marathon, I didn't think of the four hours it was going to take to run it, but rather the feeling of accomplishment I would experience when I crossed the finish line. I was able to do something I didn't think was possible, I just had to change my belief. That was a win for me.
When I think about the way the Brewers ended last season, I think about the feeling of defeat and frustration. I can't help but wonder whether or not the team and the organization really believed they could win. As a die-hard fan, it was extremely frustrating to watch a Brewers team that had led their division for over 150 days suffer one of the biggest September collapses in MLB history.
Rewind to the start of the 2014 season: the Brewers were not favored to be in the playoff hunt, but they exceeded expectations, and that's the beauty of this game. Teams can outperform critics as players develop and improve, unexpected heroes emerge and fans create a sense of confidence and positivity in the team's culture. With a little attitude everything came together for what turned out to be (for the most part) an entertaining and exciting season.
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The MLB season is like a marathon and teams have to adjust. With a playoff berth on the line, the Brewers' offense disappeared in the final month of the season. This speaks to the organizations heart, from the owner, to the players and the fans. It seemed like we just accepted our fate; sure it bothered us but hey, we had a great run. This is a losing mentality, a self fulfilled prophecy. If we don't believe it, it will not happen. We can have all the talent in the world and put up great numbers but championship caliber organizations like the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants will beat us every time with inferior talent while making the small adjustments. They believe they belong in the playoffs competing for championships every year!
So how do we crack the code? When does the winning attitude take hold? When do we start believing? I hate it when I hear that teams are only a few years away; with that attitude they will always be a few years away. Why are the Giants and Cardinals in the mix every single year, even as they see established talent leave and be replaced by young, developing players? The Brewers need to set their expectations high. I want a World Series Championship this year, not next. THIS year!
I have been watching and listening to Brewers games for a long time, as fans we don't believe, as an organization we don't believe. We need to erase the expectation of failure as an organization and start believing. The Brewers need to outwork and outsmart their rivals, they need to make adjustments and most of all they need to get comfortable in the proverbial catbird seat.
I think of Lou Presutti who I met last summer in Cooperstown, N.Y., at Dreams Park where he puts on a baseball tournament for 16 weeks for 106 teams. Presutti has swagger, he understands winning and setting expectations. When he has to address a losing team, his speech is a variation of the following (but he says it with emotion and a force that makes you sit up and listen).
“I hear everybody always say, ‘Hey, it’s OK, it’s alright.’ Well, it’s not OK, and it’s not alright when you don’t achieve your goal. And right now, all that pain you have in your heart, all those tears that are coming down your faces—you’re supposed to feel that way. Because winners hurt and champions feel pain when they don’t attain their goal.”
I don't remember any tears or pain in the Brewers' "heart." I remember Mark Anttanasio saying that he was going to get to the bottom of the collapse (I believe Anttanasio wants to win now), but I don't think he believes the Brewers can win now. He is great owner, but manages expectations for a fan base that has low expectations. He needs to instill the attitude that winning is the only option.
The baseball writers are predicting the 2015 Brewers to finish near the bottom of NL Central Division, while the Cardinals, Pirates, Reds and the resurgent Cubs finish in a race for the top spot. I refuse to let this prediction dictate my expectations as the season starts.
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So before this season begins, I challenge the fans and the players to believe in winning, to believe that this is the season we will take a step forward. I challenge you to let your feelings and emotions show and to truly immerse yourself in the game with all of your heart.
If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to email me at baseballbuddha@shepex.com.
