It’s not a superstition. Not something he’s consciously aware of. But when Mikie Mahtook thinks about it, he realizes when he’s standing in the on-deck circle, wherever that may be, he never peeks at his statistics on the scoreboard.
“I don’t even look at my picture,” he said. “All that matters to me is how I feel.”
Mahtook, now the Detroit Tigers’ nearly everyday centerfielder, is feeling good these days. After an inconsistent first two seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays – feeling his way around the big leagues while falling victim to a few injuries – and after getting labeled as a platoon player earlier this season with the Tigers, he has secured a starting spot and represents the most positive surprise in a negative season.