Or a trade to an AL team as a DH
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Do people actually believe that players step into the box and not try to get a hit? Or try harder at times?
So do you think it was their focus and motivation that got them to that level?
I don't deny that it takes a lot of focus and motivation to maximize your physical abilities to that level...but it also takes a lot of focus and motivation to do well at any number of professions. Doesn't mean they're not prone to lapses, or to generally have that wane for extended periods, just like anybody else.
Probably so, but they aren't robots... when one goes out and got too drunk the night before, the game is out of hand, or they just don't feel like being there that day, I bet they half-butt it. Have you ever seen a pro football or basketball player giving half effort (much easier to see that than a batter)? I have and I bet you MLB hitters are no different over a grueling 162 game schedule. Again though, I'm guessing
We're not talking about "doing well" at a profession; we're talking about being in the very highest ~0.00000000001% of performers in said profession. I don't really know any of you all, but I'd wager that few, if any, of us reside amongst that elite echelon in what we do for a living.
But these are also pretty much the guys with the highest .0000000001% of talent in the profession as well.
You can squander talent by lacking focus and motivation, but if you lack it to that degree, you're probably not going to do well in anything. Most of the guys who are major league players are in the elite of the elite in baseball talent and are focused and motivated, as a majority of people who are successful in any profession are.
Let's not pretend like the thing separating Barry Bonds from guys who didn't play beyond high school is his focus and motivation.
Bonds had a lot of grit...almost as much as Laird
I seriously doubt motivation and pride are the reasons Kemp has been bad defensively and declined offensively the last few years. At least to the point where trying really hard will get him back to his LA prime days.