My Freddie Freeman Story

My sophomore year in high school, I pitched against Freddie Freeman.

We were in the same grade. Freddie was one of the top players in Southern California. I was just another guy.

But we crossed paths one Saturday on a travel ball field.

As a pitcher, you can learn a lot by watching how a hitter reacts to pitches.

Does he flinch at a fastball inside? Does his front side leak on offspeed? Does he swing out of his shoes on fastballs up?

That intel informs you on how to attack him.

In my first at-bat against Freddie, I was looking for one spot.

One spot I could go to, with one pitch, that might get a weak swing.

I threw a fastball in off the plate. Freggie shrugged it off. I came back with a change-up down and away. Freddie took it like he knew it was coming. I tried a fastball up, and he fouled it straight back – a sign he was right on it. I tried a fastball away next, and Freddie slammed it off the left-centerfield wall for a double.

His at-bat looked effortless.

Freddie came up again the next inning, and I remember thinking:

“There is not a single pitch, in a single location, I can throw this guy and get him out.”

I laughed and had to step off the mound. I’d never had that feeling before.

“Well, let’s just throw change-ups and hope he hits one at someone,” I thought.

Freddie took the first two for balls like he was bored, then crushed a 2-0 change off the centerfield wall for another double.

He and I were on different levels.

- - -

Here’s the point of this:

Sometimes in life, you come across people who are just better. They’re more talented. They’re more skilled. They have higher upside. Things come more naturally to them.

And in these situations, you can take two paths.

Path 1 is letting this realization mentally crush you. It’s saying, “This isn’t fair – I’ll never be that good.”

Path 2 is embracing the challenge with curiosity. It’s saying, “You know what? I have no idea how this will play out. But let’s make a pitch and find out!”

Always take Path 2.

If it doesn’t work out, who cares?

But make your pitch and find out.

Presented By

Fact-based news without bias awaits. Make 1440 your choice today.

Overwhelmed by biased news? Cut through the clutter and get straight facts with your daily 1440 digest. From politics to sports, join millions who start their day informed.

Sign up now!

Teddy is the author of The Process. He lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina with his wife and kids. Feel free to reach out on LinkedIn or X, or reply to this email.