MARK WOHLERS
PITCHER
USA Today
May 12, 1999:
“RHP Mark Wohlers … found the cure to his inability to throw
strikes after a
session with Richard Crowley”
Baseball Weekly
May 19-
“Mark Wohlers appears to be making progress toward
overcoming his control problem with the aid of Richard Crowley”
USA Today Sport Cover Story
Thursday, May 6, 1999
Getting Over the ‘Yips’
If you can imagine a tightrope artist who suddenly can’t walk a straight line, then
you have an idea about the mystifying situation facing Cincinnati Reds’ pitcher Mark
Wohlers.
Once a master at standing tall and steady with victory hanging in the balance, Wohlers
has been in a free fall since early last season when
he inexplicably lost his ability
to throw strikes. His problem is baseball’s equivalent of the “yips.” golfing slang
for the unexplained inability to make a routine putt. And some baseball players who’ve
had it have never come
back.
For most, it’s difficult to really know what Wohlers is going through. But former
major league pitcher Steve Blass is the one person who knows the feeling well. “I
don’t think anybody else can understand like I do.” says Blass, whose outstanding
pitching career began to unravel 26 years ago in much the same way as Wohlers’ is
now. “I root for him.” Blass says. “I wouldn’t want anybody to have to go through
what I did. It’s not much fun. I hope he gets on the other side of it.”
Blass, a World Series hero in 1971, never got it back. In 1972, he was 19-
The next year, however, Blass’ career imploded. At the age of 3l, when his
playing
career should have been at its peak, Blass discovered without warning that he couldn’t
throw a ball over the plate. ‘When it was gone, it was gone for good.” He says.
‘To this day, I don’t know what caused it.”
It has come to be known in sports jargon as “Steve Blass disease.” Former
Colorado
Rockies pitcher Bruce Ruffin had two bouts with it and never fully
regrouped. However,
knuckleballer Tim Wakefield was more fortunate. He regained his effectiveness for
the Boston Red Sox after suddenly losing his control in 1993 while with the Pirates.
Drop from the Top
Before becoming the latest victim, Wohlers was one of the game’s premier
closers,
recording 98 saves from 1995-
After converting his first seven save opportunities he spent a 20-
There was hope this spring as Wohlers appeared to have gotten over his troubles.
But that optimism didn’t last long once the season began. “It can’t be physical,
because in spring training he was as dominant as you can be.” Braves general manager
John Schuerholz says. “He does well on the side, he does great in the bullpen and
he did fine in spring training. But when the game is on the line and the game is
meaningful, he has an inability to feel where he ought to release the ball. Every
time he sees a guy with a bat in his hand, it sort of brings those monsters home
to roost. I feel bad for him because he’s worked hard and he’s a good guy.” Schuerholz
was forced to make a trade after Wohlers refused to accept another assignment to
the minors.
After dealing reliever John Hudek on April 16 to get Wohlers, Reds general
manager
Jim Bowden vowed to use every method necessary to get him back on track. There were
signs of initial progress, but Wohlers suffered a setback Sunday in his first game
action since the trade. He pitched one-
Back in the Fire
“I told him that deep down in my heart I didn’t feel he was ready to go out and try
to pitch,” Gullett says. “He was mentally set on it because of the progress he made,
but I felt deep down he wasn’t ready based on the inconsistency I saw. But his mind-
Wohlers agrees he probably jumped back into the fire too soon. ‘We were making some
progress here and (Sunday) was a setback, so we’ll try to get on track up here and
continue doing what I was doing.” he says. “Part of me felt obligated to get into
games. But I have to get it into my thick skull that when the time comes to get into
games, the time will dictate and I shouldn’t try to force it.”
Some players never overcome their yips. Former Mets catcher Mackey Sasser had a strong
arm but developed a problem returning the ball to the pitcher. He’d pump the ball
in his glove several times before letting loose a soft, high lob, making him susceptible
to stolen bases. It eventually ended his career.
Head Games
However, former Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Steve Sax was able to overcome
his inability to make a routine throw to first base. Sax benefited from a 1983 session
with Richard Crowley. a clinical psychologist who recently has helped Blass get in
the mood to pitch again, albeit for recreation. “Just to get out and throw the ball
around now has really been enjoyable.” says Blass. 57. “I have no illusions about
doing anything with it. But I really didn’t realize how much I missed it.”
Blass ran a baseball camp for 11 years following his playing career and has been
a Pirates broadcaster since 1986. He says since he started throwing again, his control
has been “surprisingly good.” But mainly he’s gotten over the anxiety he used to
feel about pitching.
He gives credit to Crowley, who prefers to call himself a performance coach rather
than a psychotherapist. The Taos, N.M.-
Crowley says he would like a crack at helping Wohlers. He was able to contact the
Reds on the recommendation of Blass. “Their team doctor called April 17 to ask if
I would be available and I told them I would be,” he says. “But I haven’t heard back.”
In recent years, more and more teams and athletes have turned to psychologists to
solve problems that go beyond the physical. But some baseball people remain skeptical.
“Every guy in the country is now coming out of the woodwork saying ‘I can fix him,”
Reds’ manager Jack McKeon says. “My belief is the only guy who can fix him is the
guy who’s out there pitching.”
Still, Crowley is convinced Wohlers’ career is salvageable. “If Steve Blass is cured,
and he’s the poster child for all this stuff. that means that anyone in the field
of sports can be cured.” he says.
Full Transcript and Testimonial of
Mark Wohlers
Pitcher
