Dodgers star Mookie Betts has been a part of some of the biggest moments baseball has to offer. A three-time World Series champion and a former MVP, Betts is no stranger to the bright lights that accompany October baseball, having been to the postseason in eight of his 11 previous seasons in MLB.
Of course, a 162-game MLB season is one of the longest gauntlets in sports. Keeping a strong mindset and finding a suitable balance between the intensity of the big moments and the calmness of life outside of the sport is something he feels is crucial to maintaining a strong mentality throughout such a marathon of a season.
Betts spoke with Sports Illustrated as part of his new "Playa Sounds" campaign with Corona, which presents a unique audio experience blending the sounds of the beach and the ballpark in order to get himself and fans into a proper headspace for postseason baseball.
Betts expressed the importance of keeping a balanced mindset throughout the long season, which he pointed out was even longer than 162 games due to spring training and the postseason. He also detailed how that mindset can change for players when the postseason swings around.
"You don't want to really treat the games that much different [from the regular season]. You don't want to add extra pressure on yourself because there's already enough. But there also is that intense feeling that you can't really explain ... I think it's just the feeling that it could be over. It could be over. When you're playing throughout the season, there's always tomorrow. But when you get to the postseason, there is no tomorrow," Betts said. "It kind of depends on how you view 'there is no tomorrow.'"
Betts acknowledged that he does experience nerves during the intense moments that come with the heightened atmosphere of the postseason, but that living in those moment is something he cherishes.
"I do get a little anxiety with it, but I also do love being in the moment. ... You only get so many [opportunities to be in those big moments] and I don't want to manufacture anything. I just want to live through it and create some memories in it."
Betts said that the mentality he has today is something that's been developed throughout his career. As he's gone through the experiences of a big-leaguer, it's helped him stay more level headed in key spots. And with the Dodgers set to be major players in this year's postseason, Betts will be leaning on his experience in the playoffs to help keep his mentality sharp, even if he's not performing to his standards on the year as a whole.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mookie Betts Details How His Mindset Shifts Between Regular Season and MLB Playoffs.
