Im not talking about football or basketball here. I realize you reach an athletic peak before you eventually decline. But with baseball why does a guy like Frank Thomas go from back to back mvp seasons and turn to shit? From a .330 average and one of the game's best eyes to a .250 average. Is it a lack of passion and accepting that you wont win even if you continue to put in that much work? Or has his vision just gotten bad with age?
This question especially bugs me when I think of someone like Barry Bonds. Bonds is so mentally strong. With age he's become so calm and controlled at the plate. Say whatever you want about the steroids or whatever. Bottom line is he's taken one of the sweetest swings in the game when he was younger and added to his batting by becoming one of the most controlled and smart batters of all time.
Meanwhile, what about a guy like Maddux. During the mid 90's he gets 4 straight Cy Young awards. Has an insane era. As time goes on he loses the dominance he had. Is this physical? mental? Did he just loses some touch along the way? And why can a guy like Tom Glavine come out this year with one of the best era's he's had in years?
So do you think the players that simply begin to suck, become like that because their that mentally weak or does the "physically I just can't do it anymore" tell the story?
This question especially bugs me when I think of someone like Barry Bonds. Bonds is so mentally strong. With age he's become so calm and controlled at the plate. Say whatever you want about the steroids or whatever. Bottom line is he's taken one of the sweetest swings in the game when he was younger and added to his batting by becoming one of the most controlled and smart batters of all time.
Meanwhile, what about a guy like Maddux. During the mid 90's he gets 4 straight Cy Young awards. Has an insane era. As time goes on he loses the dominance he had. Is this physical? mental? Did he just loses some touch along the way? And why can a guy like Tom Glavine come out this year with one of the best era's he's had in years?
So do you think the players that simply begin to suck, become like that because their that mentally weak or does the "physically I just can't do it anymore" tell the story?