Suddenly players no longer can perform the most fundamental task in the game - throwing a baseball. Sam Militello doesn't know what caused his problem. The real issue is how players deal with their thoughts, with pressure and intensity,'' said Charles Maher, the team psychologist for the Cleveland Indians, who confirmed Rogers' interpretation. Ankiel and Yankees second baseman Chuck Knoblauch enter the 2001 season struggling with the problem. Somebody over in the minor-league camp right now is having trouble throwing batting practice.
Treatment is left up to individual teams.
Aside from psychologists, players have tried psychiatrists, yoga, transcendental meditation and eye doctors. Blass, now a Pirates broadcaster, hasn't returned phone calls to The Palm Beach Post since October, when Ankiel suffered his first meltdown. Boles has worked in player development for 16 years with the Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, Montreal Expos and Marlins. The catcher in the minor leagues who cried himself to sleep because he couldn't throw the ball back to the pitcher. And I know exactly what he means.