The Yips

Pressure, Stress, and Anxiety can do strange things to people in all walks of life. "The Yips" is a baseball term for Professional Baseball Players who inexplicably lose the ability to throw to certain positions on the field with any accuracy. Once this affliction sets in it is very rarely cured. This curse is also known as the "Steve Blass Syndrome" named after the Pittsburgh Pirate ace who lost his ability to throw strikes a year after starring in the 1971 World Series. A more modern day example of this would be the sudden wildness of Rick Ankiel in the 2000 play-offs. Most players who have been struck by "the Yips" have either switched positions or been demoted to the minors and then out of baseball. Few have ever conquered it once it has developed. Steve Sax and Chuck Knoblach were All Star second basemen until they caught "The Yips". Sax was one of the few that actually overcame his throwing problems after several seasons and was able to retire as a second baseman. Knoblach, on the other hand, was moved to the outfield and was never the same caliber player. Mike Ivie was the number one draft choice in MLB out of High School in 1969 as a catcher. He developed the inability to throw the ball back to the pitcher with any accuracy and was switched to First Base where he played several seasons in the Big Leagues. Dale Murphy was an All-Star Centerfielder for the Atlanta Braves; Murphy moved to the outfield because of his inability to throw the ball back to the pitcher with accuracy while catching in the Minors. Steve Garvey was an All Star First Baseman who had to be moved from Third because of repeated throwing errors from Third to First. Mackey Sasser caught for the New York Mets in the early 1990's and had to lob the ball back to the pitcher for fear of throwing it away. Runners took advantage of this by delayed stealing on his lob throws to the pitcher. Many more have had this problem and I suspect it comes with the added pressure of playing before large crowds and knowing that large sums of money are on the line. All of a sudden a simple task that was mastered by the age of five becomes a monumental psychological block. The "What Ifs" become lodged in the mind. What if I overthrow the pitcher, people will notice, managers will get angry, runners will advance. What if my throw is wild to first, the runner will go to second and be in scoring position and I will be charged with an error. Who knows how this thought process first begins? Maybe after an error that creates a thought that somehow lodges in the brain and refuses to leave. Dale Murphy had one of the most accurate arms in the Majors from the outfield, Garvey and Ivie were good to adequate defensive First Basemen and Rick Ankiel is on the verge of being an All Star Outfielder. "The Yips" left this group after a change of position. Perhaps throwing was made easier mentally by these positions changes. "The Yips" affects all sports, Golf and the act of Putting coming to mind. It gives one a sense of appreciation for the Professional Athlete; the ones who compete at a high level on a daily basis knowing that it all can be thrown away in an instant. Any comments on this or any of my Blogs are welcomed.