Some fans Call Max Scherzer “Psychotic”- Here’s why

Max Scherzer made waves with his move to the New York Mets prior to the lockout. The pitcher moved to Queens from the LA Dodgers for a record deal for a 37-year-old.

But just how does he keep himself going? What is it about Scherzer that makes him tick for his 4th Cy Young? One way of putting it would be ‘driven’. Maybe even ‘extremely driven’. But fans have gone a step further.

Max Scherzer is easily one of the most intimidating presences on the mound. Intense during games almost to a fault, Scherzer has cussed out not just oppositions, but also teammates and managers. Even more surprising is the fact that this is a recurring trend at every level, starting with college and into the majors. But perhaps the performances warrant his eccentricities.

Scherzer’s pre-game stories

It’s no secret that Scherzer wishes to be the best pitcher in the league. However, a throwback video from last year reveals enough details why fans may think he’s not just intense, but a bit more. The video entails that what a psychopath wants most is power, and what is Scherzer if not in search of being the most powerful.

The video largely seems to be in jest, stretching the terminology a bit, but that’s not to say Scherzer isn’t right up there in terms of intensity. I mean, the man has pitched a game with a black eye. And after having just broken his nose.

The pitcher had a reputation amongst his college mates for grunting, snarling, and even talking to himself during practices to improve his pitching. Scherzer’s need to dominate the game is so pervasive that he once even got into a fight with one of his college mates during a fall ballgame. Keep in mind this is against his own college team and his own college teammate.

Read More: “I Can Live With That” – Max Scherzer Has ‘No Regrets’ Over World Series Loss With LA Dodgers

Max Scherzer and the Detroit Tigers

Scherzer arguably had his breakout years in Detroit. As a Tiger, Scherzer would’ve faced what was probably his most challenging innings ever. And the batters and the opposite team were a non-factor.

Days before he was scheduled to start on the mound for the Tigers, Scherzer’s brother Alex, tragically, passed away. Despite such a deep personal loss, Max decided that the best thing he could offer his family was to pitch as scheduled.

And pitch he did. Max threw 6 innings, giving up 3 home runs in a loss. But nevertheless, the man showed gumption. To put in such a quality performance on the back of such a deep personal tragedy is no feat short of a goliath achievement.

Notably, he made a pact with himself that nothing can affect his pitching. And his parents attest that prior to the game, despite breaking down several times, when it came to game time, Scherzer avoided the topic of his brother almost completely.

Notably, he didn’t just pitch at his usual standard; He upscaled massively. His ERA dropped from above 5 to 2.72 and from that point on he led the league in strikeouts per 9, leading the Tigers to a division win. And he continued on, pitching superbly through the postseason to take Detroit to the World Series.

Max Scherzer and his pitching routine

In his quest to throw a 100-mile fastball in college, Scherzer reportedly used to scream the phrase “100” loudly in the dressing room to prepare himself for the games. And speaking of pre-game routines, Scherzer has picked up some pretty neat habits. To simulate a “game performance” he wears his full jersey during his bullpen workout prior to a game; even on days, he isn’t going to be pitching.

His friend and teammate, David Price, while on the Washington Nationals, once asked to see his bullpen workout. Scherzer agreed, but on one condition, that he sign a non-disclosure agreement so that he wouldn’t give away any secrets.

And Scherzer does have some secrets to protect. His college teammates speak about a pitch he had called the ‘fastball extra’ where Max would just scream the word “Juice” and throw a regular fastball, 3-4 miles per hour faster. This has also led to him being nicknamed ‘Juice’ by his college teammates to this day.

Max Scherzer – Psychopath?

A lot of Scherzer’s antics have been ones that can get him labeled as strange or even eccentric, but that’s what makes him great. Some would even argue that it’s these eccentricities that make him such a great pitcher.

And while some may call him a psychopath, the truth is, Max Scherzer is only one thing; He is competition incarnate. He pushes himself to the boundary of playing every day, just so that he performs to his highest capability.

The Mets will be looking forward to seeing the pitcher on the Citi Field mound and even if not looking for the full intensity of Scherzer, they will certainly want his ‘Juice’ pitches to whizz past opposition batters.