Dodgers News: Bobby Miller Talks Big Changes in Mental Game That’s Helped Him Excel
Dodgers rookie RHP Bobby Miller is taking the mound on Sunday Night Baseball against the New York Yankees in the finale of a three-game series. The stakes can't get much bigger than that for an early June game, but Dave Roberts has full confidence in his rookie being ready for the big stage.
Miller, who's made two impressive starts this season, has looked the part of an MLB pitcher thus far. He dominated a strong Braves lineup in Atlanta in his debut, and took care of the Nationals in his Dodger Stadium debut the week after.
Now, Miller will be under the bright lights of ESPN Sunday Night Baseball, with the whole country watching. That could bring a lot of nerves to a young pitcher, but earlier this week, Miller spoke about his ability to harness his emotions and not let the nerves get to him (per Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times).
"I’ve gotten a lot better [at harnessing my emotions]," Miller said. "A few years ago, I don’t think I was that great at it. That was probably my biggest problem, and it was not going to let me go far in my career if I kept acting like that. So I was just trying to stay calm out there, focus on my breathing, and everything will be OK."
That's seemed to be working for Miller thus far, who's dominated two MLB lineups in his career. But Sunday night will likely be his biggest test yet, as the whole country will be watching Miller go to work. His teammate, Freddie Freeman, knows he's going to be in control, though, as he always is.
"When Bobby gets on top of that mound, he’s a bulldog, a force to be reckoned with,” Freeman said. "You can tell he has command of himself, he knows what he’s doing. He’s got a great game plan, and obviously he has the arm."
