Yesterday, I wrote that Maddon’s constant tinkering with the lineup can make it difficult for hitters to find their confidence because they are required to think through the requirements of each lineup slot on a daily basis without finding a comfort zone.  I also wrote that confidence is vital for a hitter’s success.

In today’s paper, the Tampa Tribune’s Roger Mooney quotes Longo on confidence:

“It’s just part of the game,” he said. “You go a little bit bad and start thinking a little bit too much and trying to maybe fix things that aren’t even there.  So it was just a matter of having a couple good swings in a row and starting to feel that confidence, a hitter’s confidence again.  Just going into the box and having confidence is the biggest thing.”