“Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.”
Mark Twain
In truth, I’m not a huge baseball fan. But great lessons can come from anywhere and, as in this case, occasionally from the diamond.
In 2013, Mark Appel was drafted as the number one pick by the Houston Astros. In his first 44 innings as a professional pitcher, he posted an abysmal 9.74 ERA (earned run average). The Astro’s brain trust tried to change his grip. Then his release point. But nothing helped. Over the next couple of years, Appel continued to struggle with his health, velocity, and control. Finally, the Astros gave up and traded him to Philadelphia where, unfortunately, the struggles continued. By 2018, labelled the biggest bust in major league baseball history, he quit.