Featured above (R-L): Toronto Blue Jays' Assistant GM, Tony Lacava with Steve Springer, Toronto Blue Jays' scout and performance coach

Steve Springer didn’t make the starting roster of his high school team. He only got three at-bats as a freshman in college. But that didn’t stop him. He attended the University of Utah, never gave up, and in 1982, was drafted by the New York Mets.

And it didn’t stop there.

He spent 14 years playing professional baseball before going on to become a scout for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Presently, he is in his third year with the Toronto Blue Jays. With this organization, Springer spends half of his time scouting the California Angel system, and the other half working with every Blue Jays prospect as a performance coach, honing their mental focus and abilities.

How was he able to find such success? In short, he focused on the mental side of the game. To elaborate on this, Springer participated in an interview with JaysProspects, in which he described his personal journey to the majors and his experience in mentoring others following the same path.

“I obviously got better as I got older, but as I got older, I also I understood more of the mental aspect of the game,” Springer stated. He believes that many players today are unable to find success because they are too focused on their personal stats and mechanics. “Batting averages and earned run averages are the two things you can’t control but they are the only things that people seem to focus on.”

During his formative years, Springer played in eight career games with the Cleveland Indians (1990) and the New York Mets (1992), and also played 14 years in the minors, including 11 seasons in AAA.

One of his most memorable experiences was winning a championship with the Chicago White Sox’s AAA affiliate in Vancouver in 1989. With the short-season affiliate for the Toronto Blue Jays now in Vancouver, Springer was asked if there was any difference between the two teams. He responded, “Interestingly, Vancouver hasn’t changed one bit. Vancouver still has the great crowds, has a great atmosphere, and, as our boys proved this year, can still win championships!”

To win a championship, all players must have skill – a skill that, Springer states, is not based on stats, but on performance. “There is more to success than just a batting average,” Springer announced. “There are other ways to find success, including walking up to the plate with confidence, having an attainable goal of hitting the ball hard, attacking the inside part of the baseball, and competing to help your team win.”

 

Steve Springer, known for his work, Quality at Bats, has been highly regarded by many players in the Toronto Blue Jays' organization.

This philosophy is the driving message of his CD, “Quality at Bats.” This CD is one that many players have listened to and implemented, leading them to find success. Blue Jays’ representatives most recently influenced by his mantra include Blue Jays’ homerun king, Jose Bautista; former Blue Jay, Reed Johnson; former highly touted Jays’ prospect, Brett Wallace; and former Blue Jays’ manager, John Gibbons. These are only a few of the many who speak highly of Springer’s message. About the praise, Springer modestly stated, “It is always great to hear such positive remarks on my work. With it being all audio, it is hard to know who is listening or who has a copy. When Bautista told me that he got the CD in 2001 and loved it, it was definitely a great feeling.”

The most recent Blue Jays’ prospect who has highly-regarded Springer’s work is Jacob Anderson. In fact, in Anderson’s recent interview with JaysProspects, he stated: “In high school, I listened to Steve Springer’s; “Quality at Bats” and I think that helped me out drastically at the plate.  As it turns out, he is now one of my hitting coaches on the Blue Jays, and I highly respect him.”

In response, Springer had equally positive comments about the Blue Jays’ top signee from the 2011 draft. He stated, “There is no denying that Anderson has lots of talent. I am eager to see how he produces with the Blue Jays’ organization.”

Springer also mentions that the issues caused by unnecessary emphasis on a hitter’s batting average are comparable the detriment that occurs when too much focus is placed on a pitcher’s ERA. “With pitching, an ERA is just a stat and sometimes it doesn’t show how effectively a pitcher threw. It’s interesting with pitching, because sometimes you will see guys that will hit 95MPH but can’t get out of A-ball because of their mental game, but will see pitchers who can only hit 86MPH making it to the majors.” Springer adds, “If a pitcher can commit to a pitch and be confident in that pitch he will have a better chance at success.”

One pitcher that Springer always believed in is Wes Etheridge, who just finished his first season with the Blue Jays organization going 1-1 with a 2.40 ERA and 32 saves. “I’ve known Wes since he was fifteen. I’ve watched him win championships in high school, go 10-2 in college – literally find success in all aspects of the game. I believe in him. I don’t have to see him pitch, because I know what his ball does – it sinks. We went 32 for 32 in save opportunities with Dunedin this year for a reason.”

While Springer speaks at baseball clinics, baseball camps and colleges across the nation, he is presently mentoring and coaching each and every Toronto Blue Jays' prospect

With that said, many other players have found success in the Blue Jays’ organization for a reason – Springer’s mentoring and support. The organization has also honed their skills as three times every week, in the system, per team, the Blue Jays recognize the player who has the most quality at bats per week. “It’s not based on the player who had the best stats” the Blue Jays’ scout stated, “It’s how they play the game – If they hit the ball hard, lay the bunt down, display confidence and help their team win, then, they are rewarded even if their success doesn’t show up on the box score. It’s all about getting their mind right. The organization rewards a player once a week, so every Monday is like Opening Day.”

Aside from these initiatives, Springer works individually with every player in the organization, personally creating a CD for them to listen to and grow from. When asked if there was a player that has stood out in terms of their mental game, Springer stated, “I cannot point out individual prospects, because the majority of them understand it the first time they listen to the message. It all comes down to the fact that it takes a few years to apply it.”

Overall, he concluded, “It’s been a great experience working in the organization. There is no denying that we have the best coaches in baseball working with our players. Moreover, these kids are working their butts off and it has been incredibly exciting. Even more, the Blue Jays have bought into what I teach, so I get to live my dream by helping kids try to reach their dreams.”

For more information on Steve Springer’s message and his work, please visit http://qualityatbats.com.

JaysProspects thanks Steve Springer kindly for his time.