MESA, Ariz. — Before most high-stake at-bats, infielder David Bote pauses and closes his eyes. He breathes in for three seconds before slowly exhaling.
“It just slows everything down,” Bote explained after demonstrating his breathing exercises. “It can slow your heart rate down, it can slow your thinking down with that one breath.”
Bote, a utility player who played every position of the Cubs’ infield last season, is the type of guy who doesn’t get lost in the moment. During his rookie season with the Cubs in 2018, he came in clutch several times.
Bote hit a two-run, game-tying double in the ninth inning against the Diamondbacks in July before first baseman Anthony Rizzo hit a walk-off home run. One month later, Bote stepped in as a pinch-hitter and slugged a walk-off grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. He then hit a walk-off solo homer in the 10th inning against the Reds two weeks later.
But Bote wasn’t always as calm, cool and collected at the plate. He remembered one specific game in 2016 when he was playing for Class A Myrtle Beach. He went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts as a designated hitter.
“I was just like, ‘I didn’t do anything to help the team today,'” he said. “I just felt like, ‘What just happened?'”
Learning to handle those precarious situations is an art. It took Bote a lot of practice throughout the last few seasons.
Though the game can occasionally still speed up on him, Bote feels more focused and in control of those high-pressure conditions thanks to the Cubs’ mental skills program, which taught him how to manage his breathing.
“You can’t control the outcome or the result of the situation but more focus on what you want to try to think in that situation that one thought that gets you right,” he said.
Those moments were great last season for Bote, but he’s eager to make more memorable at-bats this season.
Bote has played well this spring. He’s 12-for-26 (.462) with eight walks, seven RBI and two homers in 11 games.
Manager Joe Maddon is high Bote, which is good for 25-year-old considering the current state of the Cubs’ infield.
With Addison Russell suspended for the first 28 games for violated Major League Baseball’s domestic-violence policy, the Cubs’ second baseman and shortstop positions will be fluid at the start of the season. Javy Baez will most likely command shortstop, leaving Bote, Daniel Descalso and potentially Ian Happ available for second base.
Descalso, who returned to limited baseball activity Sunday, hasn’t swung a bat since he injured his shoulder diving for a ball on March 3. With his timeline still unknown, Maddon said Bote might be a better fit for second base than Happ, who’s hitting .146 this spring.
“Bote is really good at second,” Maddon said. “When we got him last spring training, I was told he was a second baseman that plays an OK third. And he’s a great third baseman and he’s a very good second baseman.”
Bote could also play shortstop if needed.
“He picks up a ground ball well, he has a fine arm, he’s actually quicker than you think,” Maddon said. “He’s a strong looking guy but he moves well laterally … We have a high level of confidence in him.”
Bote said he enjoys being in a position where he’s competing for a starting role. He believes he can have an impact on the Cubs especially when they need him most.
“I like running toward the competition,” he said. “If there’s something hard, I like to go out and get it.”
