Baseball’s Grind: Crow-Armstrong on Speed, Numbness, and Wrigley’s Magic

Baseball’s Marathon: Pete Crow-Armstrong Navigates the Long Season

The grind of a Major League Baseball season is a unique beast, a relentless marathon that tests the mental and physical fortitude of even the most seasoned athletes. Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, a rising star and 2025 MLB All-Star, recently joined Cam Johnson on ‘The Old Man and The Three’ podcast to dissect the intricate realities of the diamond, drawing parallels and contrasts with the hardwood of the NBA.

The 162-Game Gauntlet

Crow-Armstrong, fresh off the first official day of spring training, offered a candid look at the demands of a 162-game schedule. “Last year was by far the most games I’ve ever played in my life. I think I played 150, 155, 157 something like that, not including playoffs,” he shared. While acknowledging the improved resources and comforts of the professional game compared to the minors – better food, travel, and accommodations – he admitted that the “dog days” of late July and August remain a significant challenge. “There’s those certain months where you’re just like, when is this going to end?” he confessed.

NBA player Cam Johnson, accustomed to a more condensed schedule, echoed the sentiment of the passage of time in professional sports. “Offseasons go by just like this. And even seasons at this point, like I’m in my seventh and they go, they just like speed up naturally over time,” Johnson noted. He described an almost existential feeling in basketball, where the repetition of “throwing a ball into like a floating circle” can lead to a strange detachment. Crow-Armstrong, however, finds a powerful antidote in the electric atmosphere of Wrigley Field.

Wrigley’s Roar: A Cure for the Numbness

The Chicago Cubs’ iconic home ballpark plays a crucial role in combating the monotony. “Playing at Wrigley Field, bro, it’s like we get up on the steps five minutes before game time… and you like see everything that’s in front of you and you’re like, ‘Oh, no. This nine innings doesn’t sound too long anymore,'” Crow-Armstrong described. He explained that while the “dog days” are real, the energy of the crowd transforms the experience. “It’s a party every day,” he added, highlighting how the vibrant environment prevents players from becoming entirely “numb” to the game.

However, Johnson pointed out the potential downside of numbness in a sport that demands peak focus. “Numb can detract from that. Numb can take you out of that space where you know what I mean, you’re locked in,” he cautioned. This led to a discussion about how elite athletes maintain their edge, a topic Crow-Armstrong admitted is still a work in progress for him.

The Mental Game: A Work in Progress

Crow-Armstrong candidly revealed that the mental aspect of the game is the “last piece to the puzzle” for him. While confident in his physical abilities, he’s still developing strategies to consistently perform at his highest level. “I’ve done the therapy thing. I’ve talked to mental skills people. But you’re right, like there’s definitely there’s always something that drives you,” he said. His love for the difficulty and constant learning inherent in baseball fuels him, especially on days when he feels physically drained. “Honestly the days you wake up feeling like death are probably my favorite days cuz you’re like, how are you going to make this this work today?”

He credits veteran teammates for guidance. “Last year was Justin Turner a lot, just cuz he’s got years of experience,” Crow-Armstrong mentioned. He also holds Chicago Cubs teammate Nico Hoerner in high regard for his mindset. “He talked to me… about being kind to yourself and being emotionally aware because I think your season’s long too, like we forget how we’re how we’re actually feeling sometimes when it’s all about baseball,” he explained. Hoerner is described as a “model baseball player” whose stoic demeanor and ability to show emotion at the right moments are qualities Crow-Armstrong admires.

Process Over Perfection: Finding Consistency

Johnson, a skilled shooter in basketball, emphasized the importance of trusting the process, even during slumps. “When you trust the process, you’re confident that you’re going to be able to get out of it,” he stated. Crow-Armstrong finds a similar philosophy in his own approach, though he admits to sometimes focusing too much on his cage work. “The mental side of things when the cage works really good and then you go out into the game and you’re still facing somebody that’s throwing the crap out of the ball that day like it doesn’t always translate,” he observed.

His key physical cue for success, regardless of the pitcher, is simple: “back spinning balls to the big part of the field.” He also finds value in manager Craig Counsell’s advice to “give myself grace.” Crow-Armstrong understands that the work is expected, and sometimes, it’s not about overexertion but about trusting established routines. “You don’t need to swing the bat to get ready to hit 95,” he noted.

The Game of Failure and Fleeting Moments

The conversation delved into the inherent “failure rate” in both sports. Johnson highlighted that even elite NBA shooters are successful only about 40% of the time, leading to a high margin for error. Baseball, Crow-Armstrong pointed out, has even smaller margins, where the difference between batting .250 and .300 is immense. “We picked a game of failure and it’s hilarious,” he quipped.

The fleeting nature of success is a stark contrast. In basketball, a game-winning shot is over in an instant. In baseball, a home run allows for a prolonged celebration, including the iconic bat flip. “That’s one part of baseball that I’ve always been really jealous about. Like you have moments that kind of pop off in between,” Johnson admitted. Crow-Armstrong agreed, calling it “a show” and a vital part of the game’s beauty.

Speed, Power, and Athletic Roots

Crow-Armstrong’s exceptional speed is a game-changing asset. He credits his multi-sport background growing up – soccer, basketball, and football – for developing his athleticism. “I just I loved being outside,” he stated. While his father was fast and his mother strong, Crow-Armstrong embraces speed training as his favorite form of development, noting the tangible gains he sees from tools like the 1080, a resisted sprint machine.

His power development has been a more recent evolution. After a shoulder injury early in his professional career and a hiatus due to COVID-19, Crow-Armstrong dedicated time to strength training. This led to a significant jump in his home run production, hitting 17 in his first year after previously never exceeding five in a 30-40 game span. “Last year was different for me. I didn’t I didn’t know I had 30 in me,” he expressed, proud of his hard work paying off.

Playoff Intensity: A Different Buzz

The conversation shifted to the playoffs, a realm of heightened intensity. Crow-Armstrong vividly recalled the atmosphere during the 2023 NLDS against Milwaukee. “From pitch one the place… it was like a way different buzz than I felt in that place ever,” he said. While players are prepared for the stakes, he acknowledged that experiencing it firsthand is a different matter. “You’re not really prepared till you actually do it yourself,” he admitted, though he feels better equipped for this year.

Johnson compared it to the NBA Finals, noting that while the pressure is immense, the rapid pace of basketball might prevent the same level of prolonged, agonizing thought that can accompany a crucial at-bat in baseball. “Your thoughts can take you in a good way. They can take you bad. Whatever it is, you have time when you’re stepping up to the plate,” Johnson observed. Crow-Armstrong found the playoff intensity exhilarating, even the boos from opposing crowds. “I kind of enjoy that. Like so I think all in all like sure it it was a shock to the system at first but then like that’s where you want to be,” he concluded.

Source: Pete Crow-Armstrong and Cam Johnson Dive DEEP into Baseball vs. Basketball Intricacies (YouTube)