Following are a pair of articles from the Cardinal's database
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Improved mindset triggers Tomko's run
TURNAROUND GIVES ROTATION A BOOST
By David Kiefer
Mercury News
The question is not ``What has gotten into Brett Tomko?'' It's what hasn't gotten into him: the worry, the panic, the fear of failure.
The Giants pitcher can thank Los Angeles sports psychologist Alan Jaeger (http://www.jaegersports.com/) for helping turn his season around, and just in time.
Since their first conversation, Tomko has built a 4-0 record with a 1.00 ERA over five starts, holding hitters to a .160 average during that span. He hopes to continue his success tonight against the Houston Astros in the opener of a series crucial to both teams' postseason hopes.
"I can overanalyze with the best of them,'' Tomko said. "I've been notorious for that my whole career, beating myself up after bad games, worrying about what's coming up five or six days from now. It's been a 180-degree turn for me.''
Or, as he calls it, a "big piece of the puzzle.''
Jaeger has never met Tomko in person but was an interested observer Aug. 26 when Tomko took the mound in Miami to face the Florida Marlins.
Through a phone conversation set up the day before by Tomko's agent, Jaeger -- who has worked with pitchers such as the A's Barry Zito, San Diego's Trevor Hoffman, and the Giants' Scott Eyre -- gave Tomko a briefing on Far Eastern-influenced breathing patterns and concentration techniques, as well as daily exercises to keep his focus.
"The cool thing with Brett was that he was so open and ready,'' Jaeger said.
"What I told him to do, he basically embraced. He dropped any sort of opinions, listened and followed through.''
While Tomko pitched a four-hitter to earn his first career shutout, ``I watched the whole game on the computer,'' Jaeger said. ``It just blew my mind.''
Tomko has the lowest ERA in the National League in September (0.82) and has won five consecutive decisions, including two complete games. Meanwhile, the rest of the rotation has been rejuvenated, earning six consecutive wins through Friday, its longest streak of the season.
Perhaps that's just what the Giants were seeking from Tomko (10-6, 4.26). He has taken the torch from Cy Young Award candidate Jason Schmidt, who has struggled in four of his five starts since straining his right groin Aug. 17, and become the rotation's centerpiece during the stretch run.
Tomko, who has a 72-57 record in eight seasons with five teams, is 9-2 since coming off the disabled list June 25 after a mild elbow injury. From a pitching standpoint, Tomko has taken a more aggressive approach, ditching the cut fastballs and sinkers in favor of the harder and sharper four-seam fastballs and sliders.
"I think throwing four-seamers and trying to pound the ball has built my arm up a little bit better, and it seems like I can carry that on throughout the game,'' Tomko said. "I'm not falling behind guys, trying to trick them and putting myself in bad counts. I'm just being aggressive.''
The day after his performance in Florida, Tomko told Jaeger about a moment of self-discovery on the bus ride to Pro Player Stadium, the heightened sense of awareness that carried over to the field.
"When things are going good, you ask any pitcher what they were thinking and it's pretty much, `I don't know. I wasn't thinking of anything,' '' Tomko said. "That's the whole thought process of this whole thing. Instead of thinking of five or six different things, you focus on `OK, what am I going to do now? What am I going to do with this pitch?' ''
/// The secret of a good IMA practice is consciously feeling the whole setting with the whole body under the meta-state of center, relax, connect, calm and whole, 24/7. ///
Jaeger believes mental strengthening is underappreciated in the sports world, and Tomko agrees.
"Ninety-five percent of athletes are consistent physically, but inconsistent mentally,'' Jaeger said.
"The mind is the wild card.''
Contact David Kiefer at dkiefer@mercurynews.com
Posted on Tue, Sep. 21, 2004
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/baseball/mlb
/san_francisco_giants/9719476.htm
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Wednesday, August 25, 2004 (SF Chronicle)
Cal tackle combines brains and brawn
Bruce Adams, Chronicle Staff Writer
"We talked about how to visualize body mechanics," Cameron said, recalling his apprenticeship under Wilson, who was a four-year starter at left tackle, an All-Pac-10 selection and a fifth-round pick by the Washington Redskins in this year's NFL Draft.
Offensive linemen often are seen as brutes on the field and deep thinkers away from the game.
The Zen-like discussions between Wilson and Cameron were befitting of that stereotype.
"He taught me the little things that coaches don't teach you," Cameron said, such as
"imagining a steel rod through your back" or achieving a total sense of body that "you can feel in your abs."
It's a lineman's nirvana that comes and goes -- the zone of the perfect block.
"It's like hitting a home run on the sweet spot of the bat," Cameron said.
Now it's his turn to apply the lessons he learned from the master. It has been a long wait.
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