Quote:
Originally Posted by Reaper16
I too think that clutchness is something talked about way too much, but I think that it does exist in some capacity. It wouldn't be so much "turning it on" though, because this player wouldn't have access to that special reserve of ability. It seems reasonable to me that some players respond better when the pressure is on. Not by their own agency, but for psychological reasons relating to motivation or something.
Chokers don't choose to choke; they don't manually turn on their failure switch. So clutch players are ones are the true opposite of chokers -- they inexplicably perform better in high-pressure situations, or as games near their conclusion.
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I'd agree with this pretty closely.
Some guys are just better able to perform at or close to normal in key spots than others. Some guys are able to focus even a little bit better or have the confidence they will get it done in that spot (and that can make them a little better). The best "clutch" hitters are usually the guys with the most confidence in their approach. Same thing with pitchers. The guys that trust their stuff the most tend to be more "clutch."
I played with some chokers in my baseball days. As hitters... they're the guys who don't trust their approach. Who grip the bat too tight. Who overthink or overguess. As pitchers, they're the guys who overthrow the ball, which leads to elevated fastballs, hung breaking pitches, and flat changeups.
Clutchness, though, is overrated as a factor in most cases.