Lakeland, Fla. — It’s borne out of necessity, no doubt. But ballplayers, the ones who manage to stick around for any length of time, have a highly developed ability to compartmentalize.
They somehow manage to block out exterior pressures and maintain a singular, almost obsessive focus on the task of playing the game.
It’s why Tigers’ right-hander Mark Lowe, when asked about the prospect of not making the 25-man roster, could say, “I haven’t even thought about it. It’s not an issue for me.”
It’s not bravado. He’s as earnest as a missionary. And it’s not about the $5.