Confidence might be the most over-discussed aspect of pitching. Everyone knows that a pitcher needs confidence, and many people try to over-think the concept. Confidence is very basic: you know you are able to do the job you are about to do.
Think about every job and occupation in life. When we see a person who is “confident,” we see that he (or she) is doing whatever they are doing like they know how to do it. Public speakers always seem very relaxed while behind the microphone. Not only do they know what they are going to say, they know that they are going to say it well. They don’t step in front of the cameras and think, “I hope I say this right.” Successful speakers know what to say, how to say it, and when to say it, but most importantly, they know that they are going to say it well because they have practiced and prepared for that moment.
The exact same thing is true when it comes to baseball, whether it is hitting, pitching, base-running, fielding a ground ball or catching a pop-fly. There are zero good players who “hope” they do well when the time comes to perform; every successful player at any age and every experience level knows that they are good enough to make the play.
Having confidence as a player comes from knowing you have prepared yourself to play. If you work and prepare yourself, you have no reason to doubt your abilities. Mistakes will happen, but you still will know that you are a competitor. When you put your confidence in preparation instead of results, there is something solid that serves as a foundation for success.
