CHARACTER - If this happens to Major League players, then it can also happen to me

With try-outs behind us and 2008 baseball season underway, here are a few thoughts to keep in mind. Major League baseball players and amateur ballplayers share more in common than one might think. Even the best players in the world experience times of disappointment, some that are identical to those that are felt by high school, middle school and little league-aged players. As Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones puts it, "You can't always get what you want..."

Professional players get cut.

Professional players fail to win a starting position.

Professional players are disappointed with their role on the team.

Professional pitchers who are typically starters are sent to the bullpen.

Professional players bat ninth in the line-up.

Professional players bat eighth in the line-up.

Professional players play outfield.

Professional players sit the bench.

Profesional players get pinch-hit for.

Professional players are taken out of the game for a defensive replacement.

Professional players lose their starting job.

Professional pitchers may go a week without taking the mound in a game.

Professional players go hitless in games.

Professional pitchers get rocked in their first outing.

Professional pitchers have difficulty finding the strike zone.

Professional players misjudge fly balls, botch ground balls and make erratic throws.

Professional players struggle with their confidence.

Professional players press too much early in the season, which adversely affects their performance.

Professional players are the best ballplayers in the world, and not coincidentally, are the best at responding to failure.

Sometimes not getting what you want doesn't mean your bad or you've done something wrong. It just might mean that someone is better or has done something right. This doesn't mean a player should be satisfied with sitting on the bench, pitching out of the bullpen or batting ninth. They should strive to achieve their goals. But the bottom line is, someone has to hit ninth. Someone has to pitch out of the bullpen. Someone is going to be pinch-hit for. It's a reality that professional players understand and cope with. So if it's understandable to a player of exceptional talents, it should make sense to the rest of us as well.