A couple of weeks ago, Zach Morton was browsing ESPN.com for interesting stories. He landed on one written by Jayson Stark: “What truly makes a winner win?” After reading the piece, which outlines three players-Derek Jeter, Chase Utley and Johnny Damon-with incredible focus and no “off” switch, Morton called coach Paul Stevens.

Soon after, a copy of the article showed up at practice in Trienens Hall, Northwestern’s indoor turf-field athletic facility. Stevens had the team gather to read the story, hoping it would stimulate his players.

“These guys are always looking for different things, but we have been handing out some things recently for them to read instead of us preaching at them,” Stevens said. “When you’ve got different people that have been there and done it saying different things, even though you may have heard it before, hearing it from somebody else or in a different way is sometimes beneficial.”

Morton said part of the reason he thinks outside baseball stories are so helpful is that they provide insight on how the major leaguers do it. The sophomore infielder said if players in the majors can keep their motors on for an entire 162-game season, there’s no reason he and his teammates can’t do it. Morton added, though, that reading these stories doesn’t teach the Wildcats anything new; it just brings to the forefront something the players already know-the importance of staying focused, concentrated and energized and giving 100 percent to every game. The articles reiterate those goals and help the players let their values sink in.

“The articles are all about concentration and staying focused, just staying focused throughout the whole game, not just through your at-bats,” third-baseman Chris Lashmet said. “That’s helped a lot of the fielders, because it’s easy to become distracted in the field, especially when things aren’t going right.”

Lashmet said it was interesting how different players, like Utley and DaMonday, focus in vastly different ways. While Utley has laser-like, unshakable focus during games, Damon likes to joke around with other players, having fun while staying concentrated. Lashmet said he’s more like Damon.

“I like to view the game as fun,” the junior said. “I like to come to the game with a happy attitude. I’m just glad to be here every day, but I feel like I’m concentrated, too. I just concentrate in a different way.”

Catcher Chad Noble said reading articles on improving focus has united the team. The senior said the players are together now more than he remembers seeing at any other point in the four years he has played at NU.

Junior pitcher Eric Jokisch said the team’s confidence is sky-high heading into its third Big Ten series. NU (10-21, 3-3 Big Ten) faces off against Minnesota (13-20, 3-3) this weekend at Rocky Miller Park.

“We were counted out right from the get-go,” the southpaw said. “We’ve won ball games. We’re winning more than we’re losing now. And now that we’ve got the confidence, we think we can go and sweep everybody.” [email protected]