After I hit a home run I had a habit of running the bases with my head down. I figured the pitcher already felt bad enough without me showing him up rounding the bases.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
In my own case I have frequently faced the pitcher when I had no desire whatever to hit. I wanted to get a base on balls.
In the minor leagues, previous to 2008, I took a lot of pitches. I prided myself on on-base percentage. I made sure that I made the pitcher work.
Pitchers did me a favor when they knocked me down. It made me more determined. I wouldn't let that pitcher get me out. They say you can't hit if you're on your back, but I didn't hit on my back. I got up.
As soon as I got out there I felt a strange relationship with the pitcher's mound. It was as if I'd been born out there. Pitching just felt like the most natural thing in the world. Striking out batters was easy.
When I hit, I felt I was in control of the home-plate area, and it was important that I felt that way. If I let the pitcher control it, it would give him an advantage.
I don't try to hit home runs. I just try to meet the ball and get base hits.
Hitters never showed me up, as hard as I threw. And I was pretty mean out on the mound.
I don't like to sound egotistical, but every time I stepped up to the plate with a bat in my hands, I couldn't help but feel sorry for the pitcher.
I don't ever remember seeing a base runner who was all the way to third base run back across the mound. It was kind of a respectful thing.
I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it.
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