The Mental Game of Baseball: A Guide to Peak Performance

by H.A. Dorfman, Karl Kuehl

Without a doubt the classic guide to mental performance enhancement for baseball. Here in the third edition, authors H.A. Dorfman and Karl Kuehl present their practical and proven strategy for developing the mental skills needed to achieve peak performance at every level of the game. The theory and applications are illustrated by anecdotes and insights from major and minor league players, who at some point discovered the importance of mastering the inner game in order to play baseball as it should be played. Intended for players, managers, coaches, agents, and administrators as well as fans who want a more in-depth look at the makeup of the complete baseball player.

Genres: Sports, Baseball, Nonfiction, Psychology, Audiobook, Reference

360 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Harvey A. Dorfman (May 21, 1935 – February 28, 2011) was best known as an mental skills/sports psychology coach who worked in education and psychology as a teacher, counselor, coach, and consultant. Prior to starting a business as a mental skills coach, he lived in Manchester, Vermont. He also wrote for a local paper, taught English, and coached basketball at Burr and Burton Semi­nary (now Academy). He earned World Series Championship rings by serving as a mental skills coach for the 1989 Oakland A's and the 1997 Florida Marlins. In 1999, Dorfman became a full-time consultant teaching the skills of sport psychology and staff development for the Scott Boras Corporation, an agency that represents professional baseball players. He also worked as a freelance journalist and lectured at major universities and corporations on psychlogy, self-enhancement, management strategies, and leadership training. Through his books and his teaching experience, he helped thousands of people get more of what they wanted from life through his tough love and clear insight. Some baseball greats give him credit for their success in life as well as in baseball. He died on February 28, 2011

Reviews

[Ryan Crow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Served its purpose. Learned a lot but starting repeating stuff.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was happily surprised by the applicability of these mental strategies to everyday life (good thing, since I'm not a baseball player!). Also helpful in my approach to softball, which was the actual goal. :)

[Zach · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mental Game of Baseball is an outstanding read and is imperative for a Baseball Players to read this nonfiction novel. I read this book as an assignment from my Club Team Coach during the past summer. This book is a good reading experience because it may not make sense to everyone at first but the way H.A. Dorfman goes into depth and explains the topic makes it much easier to comprehend. This book exceeded my expectations I believed that it would be a book about motivation and situations, but it was more of a psychological book. more than anything. And almost all Baseball players can relate to this topic more than they know it. The theme of the story more would be to become more mentally stable and focused. Dorfman does a great job of explaining to the reader all through out the story. This book should be a must read for Baseball Players at the High School, Collegiate, and even the Professional Level. Even athletes that played other sports could relate to some of the situations just not the scenarios that were not used in the book. I would not recommend this book this book to younger kids yet because the language and the vocabulary is far to advanced for them at this stand point.

[Carl Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A timeless, thought provoking, mindset-changing read that will forever subconsciously (and consciously) change the way you see, play and watch the game of baseball, among other things. Lessons that feel too familiar written out in plain sight. Messages you didn’t know you needed to read. Confessions to yourself.

Detailed read that breaks down the authors philosophy in each chapter and lesson. Good for all ages, but especially those who reach the point in their game when success and advancement slow, and they’re left to ask what’s next in their athletic, person and mental development as a player and as a man.

[Erik Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the foreword of The Mental Game of Baseball, Rick Wolff attributes the famous quote "Half of this game is 90% mental" to Yogi Berra. However, on the very first page of the book, author H.A. Dorfman credits the exact same quote to outfielder Jim Wohlford. Did the person who wrote the foreword not read the first page of the book? While this inconsistency doesn’t diminish the book’s value, it is surprising, especially considering this is the fourth edition.

[Mike Feher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book years ago when I still played ball but now I'm re-reading it to see how I can improve in my practice studio as a musician and in life in general. Judging by the number of passages I highlighted, its applicability to this endeavor cannot be overstated. If you want to improve in your craft, whatever it may be, this book is definitely worth your time.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has really helped me improve my mental game for baseball. It provides you with vital in game information like: Coping mechanisms like how to handle failure, goal setting, what to think and what not to think and staying calm. I feel like this book deserves 5 stars because of how much it has helped me improve my game.

[Jamie Johnson Leach · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my dad's book, an autographed copy from 1990. He filled this book with notes and clippings. I loved reading about my childhood favorites, but I also loved that the strategies in this,book are really for life...not just baseball. :-) ♡ Enjoy Today!

[D.T. Pugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has a lot of great tips for baseball and life. Since I’ve read this book I’ve been playing better baseball in my men’s league and I recommended it to everyone on my team. It’s great for anyone who plays or coaches.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth the read; classic baseball book.

First half of the book teaches a mindset for life; could easily have been read in the context of a general self-help book. Second half was about baseball.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book that can help anyone to focus, set goals and relax in their lives, made more enjoyable by great baseball stories.

[Jason J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for older teenagers and young semi-pro. Read as a coach/father of a 12U team, hard to translate to their relative immaturity.

[Landry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good stuff, applicable to baseball and life. I’m not really a re-reader, but I’d absolutely read this one again.

[Cyrus Samii · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meandering thoughts and anecdotes. Amusing for a bit but eventually just put it down.

[Shouty · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHEN THEY LISTED THE WAYS WINNERS AND LOSERS THINK IT TURNS OUT I’M A LOSER!!! DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING! BUT NOW WITH THESE AFFIRMATIONS AND STRATEGIES I’M SEEING THAT BALL, BABY!

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life-changing. Applications far outside baseball, but also the most helpful, well-written piece of sports psychology I have come across. I find myself thinking about one aspect or another of it almost every day, even a year after reading.

[Ziggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't be fooled by the title. This book is The Mental Game of Life. I first read this book when I was young and playing baseball, but even as an adult I still find myself frequently returning to it whenever I feel lost inside my head, directionless, distracted, anxious, or joyless.

I was motivated to reread TMGOB this time after listening to Dr Colleen Hacker's brilliant episodes on the Laughter Permitted podcast (an excellent podcast btw). Dr Hacker is a "mental skills coach" and has worked with professional and Olympic athletes. She is full of good advice and made me realize that we all need a mental skills coach. Athletes aren't the only people who want to achieve peak performance, right?

The lessons that mental skills coaches supply are simple to understand, but few people seem to apply them. Why? It's a combination of a lack of awareness and a lack of self-control. Life can be difficult, and we are too easily distracted, injured, scared, and subjugated by our imaginations. It's not so easy to realize that our thoughts are often the problem. It's even more difficult when we don't know what to do about our unhelpful thoughts.

An athlete individual who achieves peak performance is prepared, confident, and relaxed. They concentrate only on the task at hand. They think about what they want to do rather than what they don't want to do. They substitute positive thoughts/self-talk whenever self-doubt or fear pops up. They view failure as a challenge rather than a threat. They use failure as a learning opportunity. Sound similar to the growth mindset? Well, that's because it is. TMGOB, however, is a much more useful book than Mindset because it actually gives practical steps to achieving a growth mindset. It's one thing to say that we need to believe in our ability to grow, and it's quite another thing to show you how to create that belief. Saying positive things to ourselves in the mirror isn't enough. Beliefs are created slowly through consistent action. We need to make a plan, put in intelligent work, carefully watch our attitudes, cultivate a positive outlook, constantly learn and practice. We also need to breathe and relax and enjoy the ride.

The most significant lesson is that we are not at the mercy of our thoughts and feelings. Most of us identify with our thoughts and feelings. We assume that they are infallible and tell us exactly who we are. We assume that we aren't responsible for them. "I can't help it, I was angry!" we say. Yes, we felt frustrated because something didn't go our way. But how is that anger helpful? Does it help us improve our situation? If it does, then the anger is helpful. If not, it's worthless and a waste of energy. The life-changing moment comes when we realize that our initial thoughts and feelings are often wrong, and, as HA Dorfman writes, "monstrous liars." Instead of questioning the thought or feeling, we choose to believe it and act accordingly. Think about how many times we've made incorrect assumptions or worried about things that never happen. We give our thoughts and feelings too much credit. They are often ridiculous advisors who seem intent only on maintaining the status quo, thereby ensuring that we never take a risk, never fail, and thus never learn and never grow.

Every now and then, I need to stop and pay attention to the movie playing inside in my head and ask myself, "is this useful?" If not, I need to chuck 'em over those mountains.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

With america's most beloved sport, baseball, being so focused on the physical attributes in today's generation, author H.A. Dorfman addresses what separates a good player from a great one and how one can do it. The Mental Game of Baseball questions how far physical ability can take you, and how much of an impact mental preparation and confidence have on a player. All athletes are then faced with the question: "What separates the best from the rest?"

Dorfman's style was very hard to understand at first in the book. He breaks each chapter apart and uses each specific one to address a certain mental aspect to the game. From relaxation to concentration, he uses examples from well respected successful baseball players to prove his reason of importance in mental preparation. Dorfman uses his writing to make the reader feel that the text is talking to specifically him or her. Making the writing seem personal and make it more enticing for the reader to put to practice what their reading. I experienced this when reading the pitching section on form and breathing habits when pitching, I immediately found myself using those habits the next game I threw. The tips and guides given to you by Dorfman seem small and pointless, but after reading personal examples from professional athletes successfully using them, and personal attempts, you realize that these seemingly small and tedious tips have a great impact on your performance.

Fans of sports novels and athletes always looking to find a way to get better will love The Mental Game of Baseball. The book never fails to keep the readers attention teaching you something new every chapter.

[Svball · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is simply great for the baseball player looking to take his game to the next level. It gives you an instruction manual for hitting, pitching and all parts of the game of baseball in order to help your mental game. So many baseball players practice hours on hours on the physical part of baseball but that is only half of the equation. The mental side of the game is so pivotal because it also needs to be practiced, and this book has it all for the mental practice. It is good for a baseball player to be challenged in a book such as The Mental Game, which does just that.

Dorfman does a very nice job in breaking up each chapter into a different useful subject for baseball along with keeping everything very well organized. Never did I find a dull moment in this book, because it does not need to be read in order you can simply read what ever chapter you feel like learning about. Dorfman's smooth style of writing makes it very easy to follow along, and is never dull due to his well distributed readers voice that keeps the book interesting. The length of the book is not a problem because it is such an easy read and a book that can easily be looked back upon later for tips by baseball players.

Individuals that love Americas pastime, baseball, The Mental Game Of Baseball is for you. This book is full of tips for the most elite baseball players to baseball players who can simply read. If you are serious about taking your game to the next level this book will do that.

[Jonathan Steiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about the mental things that go along with the game of baseball. It tells you how to deal with all of the things you think about the game of baseball or what you think about your self. Before, during or after a game. These thoughts can effect your performance and learning how to think correctly can have a big positive effect on the way you play the game. It can help change your approach on how you play the game. It tells you how to think positively and to not get down on your self. The book also explains what it means to be a good teammate and to not bring others down with you. I liked this book because it does a really good job of pointing out that thinking to much during a game can have a negative effect on how you play. Not only does it do a good job at pointing this out. It also tells you how to change the things that you think about before, during or after a game. There is not anything that I would change about this book. It is well written and easy to understand. If you are playing baseball right now or are going to play in the future I would recommend reading this book. It can really help you change the way you play and what you think when you hit a rough spot. Tells you how to be a good teammate and how to respect the game of baseball. This book will help you with The Mental Game of Baseball.

[Brayden Mahdavi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book, The Mental Game of Baseball, by H.A. Dorfman, is a truly helpful book that helped me greatly in baseball. Many people believe that sports are all physical, even I believed that for some time. Then my mom picked up this book for me and it changed my beliefs. It gave examples of players that I've grown up watching on the t.v. so it was easy to follow. It also gave examples of real life situations that i went through everyday which helped me as well.

I learned a lot from this book. I also learned a lot abut myself and things that I can do to be a better player. It talked about being composed, which is something I struggles with. This book covered a lot of topics that also help me. My personal favorite was when he talked about controlling your game, because that's something only you can do.

I would recommend this book to anybody who plays baseball and needs to see the bigger part of it, which is mental. It was a really great book and I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I hope you do too.

[Diego Gonzalez]

Trying to find an edge to your game that does not have much to do with your physical build? This book introduces many different tips on how you as a baseball player can strengthen your mind so that you can prepare for situations ahead of time. Greg Maddux, presumed Hall of Famer, has this to say about this book: "Not only have I gotten a lot out of this book, but I've recommended it to my teammates." Consider yourself my teammate, because I loved this book as well. There are so many interesting topics it touched upon, like how self-confidence and dedication can really affect how successful you are on a baseball diamond. It teaches motivational tools and it leads the reader to positive thinking. I would recommend this book to anyone who plays competitive baseball and is looking for advantages that you can't find in the weight room or at your local pharmacy.

[Cole Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book isn't a narrative or anything like that, but I still loved it. This book helps take the mind of an average or good baseball player with physical ability, and what it does is it turns them to a great player because it expands there mental part of the game and gives step by step in the book on how to improve a ballplayer mental ability/strength. This book helped me out a lot in my personal baseball journey, because before coming into this season I had physical ability, but I lacked mentally in the game, but because of this book I learned a lot about the mental game and this help me break the game down and improved my game A LOT. I recommend this to any ballplayer or coach who is trying to improve there's or someone else's game in baseball.

[Tml77 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thie authors did a great job on this book. They explained everything you need to know to preform your best when playing baseball in great detail. They used examples of professional baseball players who were struggling menatlly and showed how they fixed their problem and the results. They also explained how to bat in tight situations and tricking the batter when on the mound and much including feilding and base running. Some of their ideas may seem simple or pointless but when you see their examples and results you we really believe what their saying. This is overall a great book and a must by for any baseball player looking to improve their baseball skills.

[Max Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took my time on this book, reading (and sometimes re-reading) a chapter at a time. I am a high school baseball coach, and what I learned from this book will forever shape the way I teach my players.

I was originally led to this book after hearing Seattle Mariners Director of Player Development Andy McKay speak at the American Baseball Coaches Association in 2016. I loved what he spoke about - the mental game - and he mentioned that much of his ideas came directly from Dorfman.

The ideas in the book are so simple, and yet so incredibly profound. I cannot recommend this book enough, to both players and coaches.

[Daniel Lowder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zen-like approach to baseball, seems to focus on minimizing your distractions and relying on staying in the moment.

There are so many baseball self-help books out there that simply barrage the reader with a complete overload of fundamentals, and naturally each author has their own system for what works. Dorfman is much more of a tough love psychologist, who leaves it to the individual to know what should work for them, and just to get out there and do it.

I had read multiple accounts of major leaguers loving this book, and now I understand why. Great book!

[James Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

...

The Mental Game of Baseball is an excellent guide to improving your game on and off the field. However i felt the many contributions from ex-ballplayers can also help off the field. The book does a good job telling stories of situations both related and non related to baseball. I wouldn't recommend this book to somebody that lacks an understanding of the game of baseball, but would recommend this book to anybody thaty loves the game.

[Mario7 · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is great. it perfectly describes every aspect of the mental side of baseball. this book is almost guranteed to improve your game. i highly recommend this book to any body playing baseball from the kids just starting to the veterans.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm writing a two page summary of the book for my son who has trouble reading longer items. It's a great exercise in determining the key ideas. I'm enjoying the book -- a book I should have read when my older son was playing.

[Brenda Stice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves baseball, plays baseball/softball or coaches. I have read this cover to cover several times and it helped me while I was a collegiate athlete as well as while I was coaching.