Players, managers find ways to cope with postseason pressure

Dave Martinez feels laid back this October, no longer able to parry pressure by getting jacked on java.

“I look at Starbucks and I have to close my eyes,” the Washington Nationals manager said.

Coffee used to be a halfdozen-a-day obsession: three in the morning, one before heading to the ballpark, another after arriving at the stadium on his scooter and a finale to sip during the game. Then he had a cardiac catheterization in September.

“Ever since I had this little issue with my health, they took away my caffeine,” Martinez said. “It’s funny. The guys in the dugout always come up to me and they put their hand on my heart to see what’s wrong. And I have to tell them all the time: Hey, I’m fine.”

Washington’s players have been chill under their manager’s newly mellowed manner, winning eight straight postseason games and moving within two victories of becoming the first wild card World Series champion since 2014. The Nationals led Houston 2-0 going into Game 3 Friday night.

As much as players and managers tell themselves postseason games are games like any other, they know the stakes are much higher and have to find ways to cope. From April through September the sport forces perseverance, an acknowledgment that playing 162 games over 186 days necessitates a broad perspective.

And then comes October, when every pitch and every swing is magnified, hits and outs ceaselessly dissected.

Washington star Juan Soto, who turned 21 Friday, struck out on three pitches against Houston’s Gerrit Cole in his first Series at-bat. Then he hit a tying home run leading off the fourth inning, hit a tworun double in the fifth and singled in the eighth to help spark Washington’s 5-4 victory. Soto doubled and walked twice as the Nationals romped 12-3 in Game 2.

“In the first at-bat, I’m not going to lie, I felt a little bit shaky in my legs, but I just tried to control my emotions and tried to be focused in the game,” Soto explained. “After the first atbat, I just said, ‘That’s another baseball game.’”

Some players thrive. Yogi Berra had 12 homers and 39 RBIs in 75 Series games. Mickey Mantle hit 18 homers in 65 games and Reggie Jackson hit .357 with 10 homers in 27 games.

Jackson’s postseason performance became part of his persona. When a reporter walked up to him in spring training this year and introduced herself by saying, “I’m April,” he responded: “I’m October” — a reference to his Mr. October nickname.