When you're the perennial All-Star and lauded as the team's superstar, you may feel you need to do it all.

October 2, 1978, down by a run in the tiebreaker game to see who would go on to the ALCS, the Red Sox had two men on with Carl Yastrzemski at the plate [1] with 2 outs facing Rich Gossage.

Gossage's first pitch was low for the ball. The second pitch was popped up as Yaz could not hold up his swing and Yankees 3rd Baseman Graig Nettles caught the box for the final out. Left on deck was catcher Carlton Fisk. With Gossage having already pitched 2 1/3 innings, should Yaz have waited to take another pitch and try and get on base and let someone else be the hero?

October 20, 2025, down by a run, the Mariners are down to their last out against Toronto and All-Star center fielder Julio Rodriguez is at the plate against Toronto closer Jeff Hoffman.

On a full count, Rodriguez swings and misses on a low and outside pitch to end the game while catcher Cal Raleigh on deck. [2] Would it better serve the team to take the walk and let Cal Raleigh, who hit 60 home runs during the regular season have a shot?

Often, a player particularly a superstar wants to make an impact and try and do it all, but baseball is a team sport and while one player can dominate a game, you win as a team.

[1] YAZ SIR, GOOSE WAS YANK HERO

[2] Julio Rodriguez's awful final AB will haunt the Mariners all offseason