D-backs’ Paul Goldschmidt not concerned with numbers
May 9, 2013, 12:10 AM | Updated: 12:40 am
By all accounts, Arizona Diamondbacks’ first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is having a banner season.
The third-year Major Leaguer’s seven home runs leads the team and his 27 RBI are the fourth-most in the National League.
His .314 batting average ranks 14th in the league and his OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) of .956 is 11th in the senior circuit.
And you know what? Goldschmidt doesn’t care.
“I purposely don’t look at numbers. I couldn’t tell you any of my stats, I couldn’t tell you any other guys’ stats,” Goldschmidt told Doug and Wolf Wednesday on Arizona Sports 620. “Even when we’re playing other teams, I purposely don’t look at the scoreboard because all the stats have happened in the past, so you’ve got to live in the moment, you don’t want to get distracted.”
Goldschmidt’s thoughts on the subject differ from so many other professional athletes, who follow their own stats religiously or track their opponents to gain an advantage.
“I know the game is based on statistics, but for me, that stuff’s in the past,” he said. “I mean, if you’re hitting .100, you don’t want to look up there and see .100 and then you don’t have any confidence that day.
“And vice versa, if you’re hitting .300, you don’t want to be overconfident. I mean, obviously, that stuff has happened, it’s good. All the wins, or the numbers, whatever they are for pitchers, hitters, positions players — all that stuff has kind of happened in the past. For me, I just want to look ahead to the future and the present, and not get too wrapped up with what’s happened in the past.”
That past has been kind to Goldschmidt — especially the recent past. In May, he’s hitting .450 (9-for-20) with two home runs and nine RBI.
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