Clay Buchholz Worked with Shrink to Rectify Mental Problems

[BoSox21]

Elsewhere this morning, pitcher Clay Buchholz, who struggled with the Red Sox last season (2-9, 6.75 ERA), said he thinks issues last season were in large part mental. Buchholz said he worked with Red Sox sports psychology coach Bob Tewksbury in the offseason to improve on that aspect of his game.

 

- Boston.com

 

Do you agree his biggest problem last year with in his head? Or was it the fact that the organization altered his delivery? Could it have been a lack of comfort he had with the new delivery?

[BSN07]

Do you agree his biggest problem last year with in his head? Or was it the fact that the organization altered his delivery? Could it have been a lack of comfort he had with the new delivery?

 

Seems reasonable. Tweak the delivery, less success then you had with the old delivery, causes confidence problems. Seems to all fit. Glad he was able to admit it might be something mental and took the proper actions to address the concern.

[Ray10]

It all connects together his mental problems came from them changing his delievery he got beat up with the new delievery and it hurt his confidence so seeing the shrink might have been good for him and now hell have the confidence back and hopefully will be back to form.

[riverside sluggers]

Same thing happened to Zack Greinke I believe, and he came back well Id say

[a700hitter]

Same thing happened to Zack Greinke I believe' date=' and he came back well Id say[/quote']He had clinical depression. That's far different from the lack of confidence from which Bucholz is suffering. I am not a mental health professional, so I don't know which condition is easier to overcome.

[italstallianion]

Zack Greinke had far more mental issues than Buchholz. Greinke's problems are much more anxiety related rather than confidence related. I'm not knocking the dude, knowing personal friends with similar ailments, but they are two totally different issues. Buchholz just needs to proverbially "get laid" but on the field...

[BoSox21]

I think all pitchers, especially young ones, battle mental problems every once in awhile and when a young pitcher comes in with as much hype as Buchholz has, especially when he threw a no-hitter in his second career start, mental problems can easily arise. It's a lot for a 23-year old to handle.

[BoSox21]

"He just helped me on some little things to go out there and think about," Buchholz said. "If you have negative thoughts going through your head when you're on the mound during a game, then you've got to sort of step off the mound, take a breath and try to pitch instead of worrying about the next batter, the inning before, and that was my deal last year."

 

Buchholz added that, though he initially did not want to go to the Arizona Fall League, it was helpful for him. He worked with Portland pitching coach Mike Cather on correcting a flaw in his delivery that he thinks will pay dividends this season.

[J.P.]

This is good news to me. Seems that the youngster is recognizing, and making a hard effort to fix his problems.

 

Big mistake though, if I may say, to tweak the delivery in the first place. Let the guy pitch the way he is effective and more comfortable pitching.

 

What would have happened if the Chargers tweaked Phillip Rivers' delivery??

 

Let the man pitch the way he's been pitching his whole life. I understand he's young and if you're going to do it, now would be the time, but comone.

[Dojji]

http://www.fantasysportstrades.com/wp-content/themes/WP-MagTheme10-Basic/images/greinke.jpg

worked for this guy

[Dojji]

Zack Greinke had far more mental issues than Buchholz. Greinke's problems are much more anxiety related rather than confidence related. I'm not knocking the dude' date=' knowing personal friends with similar ailments, but they are two totally different issues. Buchholz just needs to proverbially "get laid" but on the field...[/quote']

 

So one would think that if Greinke could overcome HIS problems... which were a lot worse... with a little help from a headshrinker, Buchholz should come through it OK.

 

Just get him and Smoltz working out together. Smoltzie seems like a great mentor for Clay.

 

Jeeze for a little while that rotation in Pawtucket is going to be Smiltz-Buchholz-Bowden/KJohnson/Zink, which is probably better than the rotation of the Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles and a few other low end clubs. If we used a Euro style promotion/relegation system Pawtucket might make the majors next year lol, especially if Anderson gets promoted.

[Dojji]

I think all pitchers' date=' especially young ones, battle mental problems every once in awhile and when a young pitcher comes in with as much hype as Buchholz has, especially when he threw a no-hitter in his second career start, mental problems can easily arise. It's a lot for a 23-year old to handle.[/quote']

 

Honestly that's not true. I can't think of a time when either Lester or Papelbon were struggling with their mental makeup. Physical problems sure, but not mental.

[jacksonianmarch]

so, Buchholz needed some help getting over his mental hurdles. And he's pitching in Boston. Yeah, sounds like he'll be just fine /sarcasm

[TheKilo]

What a worthless post.

[BoSox21]

Just get him and Smoltz working out together. Smoltzie seems like a great mentor for Clay.

 

That's the underrated aspect of the Smoltz signing, what a great influence he'll be for not only Clay, but every young Sox pitcher

[Dojji]

And since he will be rehabbing as part of the same AAA rotation as Bowden, Buchholz, Johnson and possibly even Masterson, Smoltz could pay for his contract without ever throwing a pitch in the majors.

[example1]

It all connects together his mental problems came from them changing his delievery he got beat up with the new delievery and it hurt his confidence so seeing the shrink might have been good for him and now hell have the confidence back and hopefully will be back to form.

 

Same thing happened to Zack Greinke I believe' date=' and he came back well Id say[/quote']

 

He had clinical depression. That's far different from the lack of confidence from which Bucholz is suffering. I am not a mental health professional' date=' so I don't know which condition is easier to overcome.[/quote']

 

Buchholz became afraid of himself as a pitcher after a few bad experiences on the mound. In the past he hasn't had to deal with letting his team down and not being able to get out of trouble. Every good pitcher learns to overcome it, and his stuff was just good enough to keep that from happening until he was in the bigs.

 

Bob Tewksbury is a sports psychologist, but he's first and foremost a former MLB pitcher, and an employee of the Red Sox. Tewksbury is acting more as a mentor/Phil Jackson-esque pitching coach than as a "shrink". If the Red Sox were worried about something serious (like depression) or physiologial (like severe anxiety) they certainly would send him to one of the many very highly paid psychiatrists in Boston who deal with 'serious' issues. Instead they used an ex-pitcher who retired in 1998. Not a huge deal.

[BSN07]

so' date=' Buchholz needed some help getting over his mental hurdles. And he's pitching in Boston. Yeah, sounds like he'll be just fine /sarcasm[/quote']

 

Yes and Joba's drinking binges are perfect for NY<_ src="//d1mqtyoopj0gsc.cloudfront.net/emoticons/default_rolleyes.gif" alt=":rolleyes:">

[jacksonianmarch]

Yes and Joba's drinking binges are perfect for NY<_ src="//d1mqtyoopj0gsc.cloudfront.net/emoticons/default_rolleyes.gif" alt=":rolleyes:">

 

what does that have to do with anything on the field. Joba is a bulldog on the field and likely a dickhead off the field. Buchholz is a pussy on the field and a computer thief off the field.

[BSN07]

what does that have to do with anything on the field. Joba is a bulldog on the field and likely a dickhead off the field. Buchholz is a pussy on the field and a computer thief off the field.

 

What does being a computer thief have to do with anything on the field?

[jacksonianmarch]

Exactly

[BSN07]

Exactly

 

Glad we finally see eye to eye on something.

[ORS]

what does that have to do with anything on the field.

Is this an honest question, or does your love of your team rob you of any critical thought?

 

You can't think of any players who let substance abuse get in the way of their career? Did you start watching baseball last week?

[TheKilo]

Steve Howe comes to mind.

[jacksonianmarch]

now we are equating Joba to Steve Howe. Really? Really? Cmon now.

[TheKilo]

No one is equating Steve Howe to Joba you moron.

[Dipre]

No one is equating Steve Howe to Joba you moron.

 

I have never seen a single word describe everything a single person is about as much as moron does jacko.

[Dojji]

Actually I think "Myope" might work better.

[jacksonianmarch]

I have never seen a single word describe everything a single person is about as much as moron does jacko.

 

lets just remember that you are a lawyer in a lawless part of the world. Then lets consider who's the moron.

[BoSox21]

lets just remember that you are a lawyer in a lawless part of the world. Then lets consider who's the moron.

 

You mean you didn't hear about the guy who hijacked a mango truck?