Great Pitchers Are Often "Most Insecure," Says Former Yankee David Cone

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What's behind the mind of a great pitcher is one of baseball's most enduring mysteries.

MLB great-turned-YES Network broadcaster David Cone explores the incalculable variables of pitching in his new book, Full Count: The Education of a Pitcher.

In the book, Cone and his fellow YES analyst Jack Curry dive into everything that goes on between the ears of a pitcher in the best of times and the worst of times.

"...[W]e kind of show the vulnerable side: when you're insecure and how important it is for a pitcher and catcher to have a good relationship, and my relationship with Gary Carter when I was with the Mets, and Joe Girardi when I was with the Yankees," Cone explains. "You know, I think it's an honest portrayal of the good bad and the ugly that can happen out there."

One of the more fascinating parts of the book is Cone and Curry's exploration of what happens when a pitcher is falling apart on the hill.

"I think some of the best pitchers I've ever been around sometimes are the most insecure ones at times and, you know, sometimes we lose our minds on the mound," he said.

As someone who played in the major leagues for two decades and made five all-star teams, Cone draws on plenty of his own experiences in Full Count — some good and some really bad.

"I'm one of the pitchers that argued with an umpire on a play at first base and allowed two baserunners to score in Atlanta one day," Cone pointed out. "Talk about losing your mind on the mount! And you know, I'm honest about some of the mistakes I made along the way."

Check out the full interview in the audio player below or here on iHeartRadio.

Full Count: The Education of a Pitcher is available now!

Photo: Getty Images


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