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Paul McCarthy III

@paulmccarthyiii

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Happy 20th Birthday Paul! We love you!!

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Your mental game starts before you step on the mound.

Coming back from Tommy John, Paul and I have been working on more than just the physical side of returning to competition. We’re working on rebuilding the process of getting into game mode.

Yesterday, we focused on controlling his tempo as he transitioned from the dugout to the mound.

Instead of rushing to the mound, he takes a controlled walk or light jog to intentionally set his own pace and prepare his body for competition.

Once he gets closer to the mound, he scans the field and connects with his teammates, reminding himself that he isn’t alone out there. His teammates have his back, and he has a job to do.

Then:

Breathe → Get Present → Step on the Mound → Compete

You can’t control how fast the game moves.

You can control how you enter it.

Especially when you’re coming back from an injury, learning to control your tempo, stay connected to your environment, and trust the people around you can be just as important as the physical preparation.

Control what you can control. Be where your feet are. One pitch at a time. #MentalPerformance #Baseball #Pitching #TommyJohnRecovery #MentalGame

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Coming back from Tommy John is about more than rebuilding the arm.

It’s also an opportunity to rebuild the mental routine that comes with competing. With Paul, we’re working on learning how to control his breath and use it as a reset: both off the mound and on the mound.

The breath creates a moment to slow things down, release the last pitch, come back to the present, and prepare for the next one.

Breathe. Reset. Refocus. Compete.

The goal isn’t to rush back to where he was. It’s to build the habits and routines that will help him be better when he’s ready to compete again.

One pitch at a time #MentalPerformance #tommyjohn #reset #breathe #collegebaseball

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You don’t eliminate routines. You make them intentional

I’ve been working with Paul throughout the summer on the mental side of his game as he continues his return from Tommy John surgery. Today was our first in-person session, giving us the opportunity to take everything we’ve worked on remotely and start putting it into action. Since he’s still limited with his throwing, we used catch play to work on the mental skills he’ll eventually take back to the mound.

One of the biggest things we worked on was his pre-throw routine.

Look down → Look back to the target → Deep breath → Visualize → Throw

A lot of pitchers have little movements or distractions they use when they come set. Looking down, looking away, taking their eyes off the catcher, etc. Those things aren’t necessarily bad.

The question is: Are you using them intentionally, or are they taking you out of your focus?

Rather than trying to eliminate Paul’s natural tendency to look down, we gave it a purpose.

Look down = reassurance
Eyes back to target = focus
Deep breath = reset
Train tracks = visualization

Before he threw, Paul visualized the ball traveling directly through his intended target, almost like putting the pitch on train tracks toward the catcher’s glove.

Then he followed through and made the throw. We’re building a routine that eventually becomes:

RESET → BREATHE → SEE IT → THROW IT

We also paired that with self-talk.

After a good throw:

“Good throw, Paul. Let’s do it again.”

After a miss:

“That’s alright, Paul. Let’s get the next one.”

The goal isn’t to make him think about 10 different things on the mound. The goal is to practice these responses now so they become automatic later. Paul’s physical recovery is going to take time. But his mental preparation doesn’t have to wait.

Train the response before you need it

One Pitch At A Time #MentalPerformance #tommyjohn #recovery #inperson #collegebaseball

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never getting over this.

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Do you love it? #velo

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What the first PT session looks like a few days after Tommy John surgery. Wound care, early extension, and education are the main taking points! It’s going to be a fun 9 months @paulmccarthyiii

#physicaltherapy #baseballrehab #tommyjohn #baseball

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Pre-game shots ready for GAME TWO of the NESCAC tourney!

#JumboPride #GoJumbos #D3Baseball

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The 2026 Worcester Bravehearts Returning Players, Series 2, Pack. Swipe to open your pack now and meet some of our returners!

Grab your tickets and catch these guys in action on Friday, May 29th against Vermont! And as always PARKING is FREE at Fitton Field!

Roll ‘Hearts 💚

#baseball #summer #worcester #collegebaseball #summerball

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Great to watch our Nokona Alums yesterday! @_tatebannish27 with his 1st college hit, a walk-off sac fly and a 💣- @paulmccarthyiii with a dominant 1st start - @jackoneil_7 and @c_oneil2 both doubled - @jack.kamin118 2BB R - @tuftsbaseball v @hobartbaseball #nokona

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Next up: Paul McCarthy - RHP from a very familiar, Xaverian Brothers.
Welcome to Tufts, Paul! 🔵🟤

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Happy spring season, ‘bos!

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