CHARACTER – Are you risk-tolerant or risk-averse?

(this is an excerpt from Mark Gola’s forthcoming book, Baseball’s Sixth Tool)

With the score tied and two outs in the last inning, the batter strokes a line drive over the shortstop's head. The left fielder cuts it off, but the batter knows he has a weak throwing arm. He never stops and attempts to stretch it into a double. Ultimately, he's thrown out at second base.

The player rolled the dice and this time around, crapped out.

In this particular situation, the player took an educated risk. And it was the right decision. If he slides in safely, he's in scoring position and needs only a single to score. If he stops at first, it will take two hits (or possibly an extra base hit) to plate the winning run.

The key element here is that the player was aware the left fielder had a weak throwing arm and attempted to put that knowledge to use. That is someone who is risk-tolerant. Many players possess the same knowledge, but are afraid to apply it. They are risk-averse. They would rather play it safe than take the chance of making what may be perceived as a mistake.

In a lot of ways, baseball is a game of playing the odds. There are gambles in how you position yourself in the field, what pitch to look for in a count, what pitch to throw to a batter, and when to try to steal a base. If you trust your baseball intelligence, you will be right much more often than wrong. Trust what your gut is telling you and act on it. Remember, without taking some risk, there will never be a major reward.

Being risk-averse does not make you a bad player, but it makes you ordinary. You want to be a player who does things that are unusual on the baseball field. Make plays that force onlookers to stop and say, “Wow, did you see what he did on that play?”

Too often in baseball, risk is frowned upon. It's often an impulse decision by the player that goes against the grain of conventional thinking. That means it lies outside of the control of the coaches. Never forget, the game is not played by the coaches. It's played by the players. Taking that calculated risk is what can make you exceptional. Don’t allow coaches to strip you of tenacious play.

There is an element of fear in risk. That's what makes it fun. That fear makes you run a little faster or equips you with more strength, quickness, or fight. It should not stop you from making a play. That makes you ordinary.