This week on the D1 Daily, Burkie and Roons welcome Lance Berkman onto the show. In part one, the group jumps into a conversation about Berkman’s anxiety in big moments despite elite production. Berkman and Burkie discuss the fear and “terror” of high-pressure at-bats, with Burkie citing Berkman’s Hall of Fame-level OPS and postseason success to underscore the value of his honesty. Berkman explains his “drag the pitcher into the pit” two-strike mindset and details a key 2004 ninth-inning at-bat vs. John Smoltz, outlining his “three Bs” approach: breathe, see the ball, and aim up the middle. They debate modern launch-angle instruction versus efficient swings, argue pitching velocity and specialization have increased, and describe how Berkman’s “pit” clip inspired a Brewers battle cry adopted by players through Jason Lane.

00:00 Intro and Recording Mishap

01:08 Pressure and Clutch Anxiety

02:45 Berkman Clutch Stats

05:18 Clubhouse Mindsets and Egos

07:12 Brewers Battle Cry Origin

10:49 Smoltz At-Bat Breakdown

13:04 Three Bs: Two Strike Plan

16:07 Launch Angle Debate

24:58 Pitching Evolution Today

31:27 Wrap Up and Part Two Tease

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