St. Louis Cardinals: The psychology of the 2019 Cardinals

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 21: Pitcher Chris Carpenter #29 of the St. Louis Cardinals sits in the dugout while taking on the San Francisco Giants in Game Six of the National League Championship Series at AT&T Park on October 21, 2012 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - OCTOBER 21: Pitcher Chris Carpenter #29 of the St. Louis Cardinals sits in the dugout while taking on the San Francisco Giants in Game Six of the National League Championship Series at AT&T Park on October 21, 2012 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 4
Next
St. Louis Cardinals
ST. LOUIS, MO – JUNE 3: Kolten Wong #16 of the St. Louis Cardinals acknowledges the crowd after hitting a grand slam against the Kansas City Royals in the second inning at Busch Stadium on June 3, 2014 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Royals beat the Cards 8-7. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /

The St. Louis Cardinals are in a great position to succeed in 2019 because guys like Martinez, Wong, and Mikolas have great talent and show heart.

To be a cut above the rest, players have to at times reinvent the “self”. Honesty is part of the formula, but we also have to worry about to measure the emotion and the dynamics between emotion and passion.

This fan is excited because whether they can correct or develop and grow past each of their short comings this year or not, they all still have value within the team and organization.

We are all just human and it is not that difficult to express what is in our heart. We all innately share emotion, but it is the ability to control that emotion that allows us to remain consistent in whatever we do. I think Winning Edge puts it best.

"“Performing at peak levels requires an athlete to be consistent during the game and between games. Consistency of performance is the fourth core skill, and a skill that many young athletes need to learn…Positive performance evaluation teaches you how to accurately evaluate your performance while maintaining confidence and motivation; even after a bad day.” – Winning Edge, 2012"

Whether you are a St. Louis Cardinals player or just another guy from an obscure home, it is just fun to live with a five year old heart. It’s unfortunate, but players simply aren’t afforded that luxury with the various pressures that come with living up to expectations as a professional. Remaining honest with yourself, yet keeping a positive general outlook through rough stretches is just another skill that players have to learn to maximize their abilities.

Next. Could Jack Flaherty be a new kind of leader?. dark

While fans should be excited about the talent for the St. Louis Cardinals coming into this season, the mental aspect of a season with high expectations should not be overlooked. This team is lead by two of the toughest players the league has ever seen in Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina, and their examples will hopefully help others manage the mental grind in a long 2019.