The Cleveland Guardians are set for a very busy weekend.
Starting Saturday, they will play the winner of the Wild Card series between the Houston Astros and the Detroit Tigers.
Stephen Vogt, the Guardians’ manager, does not want his team to be worried or overwhelmed by postseason baseball pressure.
To the contrary, they want them to be comfortable and devoid of all the speculation, expectations, and other things that come with winning the World Series.
Yes, he wants to win it all.
Yes, he realizes what is at risk.
But he also understands what it’s like to be a player and under what conditions they perform best.
“Stephen Vogt reveals what he’s most excited about as the Guardians prepare for the ALDS,” Guardians On SI said on X.
Vogt says he’d love to see a crowded Progressive Field roaring on the Guardians and enjoying the playoff atmosphere.
But he also stated what he had informed his players.
“On Sunday, I informed them that the difficult part was over: 162 tough games. “Now, go have fun, play your game, and see what happens,” he instructed them.
Relaxed does not necessarily imply disengaged or indifferent.
It means that the mind and body are working together to achieve a common goal while drowning out outside noise and reducing the stress of meeting fan expectations.
Vogt believes this mental approach will get the most out his roster, and he has every reason to believe so.
