Kenny Roder

Most players think the goal is to show up with your best stuff every game.

The truth?

That isn’t baseball.

Today, I struggled to locate my fastball. Not because my mechanics suddenly disappeared, but because I knew it was more mental than physical. Instead of getting frustrated and forcing it, I took a step back and started asking myself the right questions.

What’s actually wrong?

Sometimes it’s mechanical.
Sometimes it’s mental.
The hardest part is learning to tell the difference.

When you have the tools to recognize the problem, you give yourself a chance to fix it.

Since my fastball wasn’t where I wanted it, I had to adjust my game plan. I leaned more on my changeup and curveball, using my fastball as more of a setup or put-away pitch instead of trying to overpower hitters with it.

That’s what competing is.

Competing isn’t dominating when everything feels perfect.

Competing is finding a way to get outs when nothing feels easy.

Some of the most valuable games you’ll ever pitch are the ones where you don’t have your best stuff. Those are the games that expose weaknesses, force you to think, and show you exactly what needs attention in practice.

I’ve been fortunate to compete well in most games, but outings like this keep me humble. They remind me that there’s always another level to reach.

Instead of being discouraged by today, I’m excited.

Because now I know exactly what I’m working on next.

The goal isn’t perfection.

The goal is recognizing the problem, making adjustments in the moment, competing anyway, and leaving the field with a plan to come back better.

That’s how real growth happens.

What do you do when your best pitch isn’t there?

How this World Cup got me feeling ⚽️

Where should I start 🎙️

How you respond to a bad call as everything.

when an umpire misses a call, I don’t feel defeated. I feel challenged. It makes me want to compete even harder and make the next pitch even better.

you cannot control what other people do.

But you could control your body language, your mindset, your breathing, and this next pitch.

That is damage control. Perfect it.