10. Eric Hosmer - San Diego Padres All-Star First Baseman, World Series Champion

World Series Champion, 2016 All Star Game MVP, 4 time Gold Glove Winner and Silver Slugger winner Eric Hosmer joins the show. Eric, the third overall pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2008, shares a glimpse of the routines and approach that lead to him being selected directly out of high school and rising to become one of the best first baseman in all of Major League Baseball. Going into his 10th Major League season, Eric has played professionally for the Kansas City Royals from 2011 - 2017 and has played for the San Diego Padres since 2018. In today’s show, we discuss how Eric is staying focused during quarantine. Drafted right out of high school, he shares his thoughts on the specialization of young athletes and his own experience with making the decision due in large part for the need to play in high school showcases. He reflects on his experience deciding between going to college vs. straight to the MLB draft and how today that process is very different for young players. We also get to hear what it’s like to come up through the minor league system. We learn how critical routine is in his own approach to the game, but gain a glimpse as to how the travel and crazy game schedule makes maintaining any sort of normalcy especially difficult. To battle the demands of the marathon MLB season, Eric identifies sleep as one of the most critical factors to maintaining his performance. As he’s progressed in his career he shares how his approach and investment in recovery has changed over time. Eric offers a detailed view of what Game Day looks like, including: pre-game hitting routine, the real role of a hitting coach, why the first baseman is the most popular guy on the field, and the art of the mid-game conversation. He talks about the need to constantly improve. Why being able to make adjustments on the fly is what separates the great players from the rest. The resilient mindset he employs to deal with the ups and downs of baseball and how he settles into high pressure situations in big games. What it was like to win a world series and how he and his teammates keep their sanity during an MLB season. Follow Eric: Instagram:  @hosmer305 Follow The Professional Athlete Podcast with Ken Gunter:   Instagram: @the_professionalathlete Website: Kengunter.com Produced By: Justin Gunter, Ken Gunter Music By: Justin Gunter, Ken Gunter