Looking back at famous baseball examples of yips as Anthony Volpe’s struggles grow

The yips are one of the most dreaded mental blocks in baseball, potentially turning the careers of even the best players on their head.

Worrisome for the Yankees, Anthony Volpe is showing signs of the yips as his errors tally continues to skyrocket.

The yips are defined as when a player loses the ability to complete simple tasks like throwing back to the pitcher or to first base.

Many associate the yips with pitchers and catchers, but it can happen to position players.

Vople finds himself under the spotlight and invoking Chuck Knoblauch memories after committing two errors Tuesday night in the Yankees’ 7-5 win over the Rays, which had him tied for the league lead in gaffes entering Wednesday’s action.

He made an error on a potential double-play ball in the first inning that eventually led to two runs after his flip to second base sailed wide, and he later hesitated and made a poor throw on a routine grounder in the ninth inning to extend the game before Devin Wiliams closed the door.

On the bright side for Volpe, there are plenty of players who faced the yips and worked their way through it, even if took a long time or an alteration in their style of play.

Here are some notable examples of players who caught the yips:

Chuck Knoblauch

Staying in The Bronx, Knoblauch won a Gold Glove with the Twins in 1997 before the Yankees traded for him ahead of the 1998 season. 

The second baseman committed 26 errors in 1999, doubling his amount from 1998, and things only got worse with one 2000 moment sticking out.

While throwing to first base during a June 17 game against the White Sox, his aim was so errant that he struck broadcaster Keith Olbermann’s mother in the seats. 

The errors at second base were so bad that Knoblauch was forced to the outfield. However, his bat was good enough to help the Yankees win three straight World Series from 1998-2000. 

Mackey Sasser

Another New York player who, unfortunately, was never able to shake the yips was Mets catcher Mackey Sasser, who played in Flushing from 1988-92.

His yips showed up when he tried to throw back to pitchers, with each toss becoming an adventure.

The situation deteriorated to where Sasser pump-faked three or four times before throwing it back to the catcher.

After starting 100 games in 1990, he never reached that number in his last five seasons.

Steve Blass

Another name for the yips: the “Steve Blass Disease.”

Blass was a stellar starting pitcher for the Pirates from 1964 until 1973, when the yips hit him hard.

In 1971, Pittsburgh won the World Series with Blass winning both of his starts in the series, including the win-or-go-home Game 7. He followed that season up with a 19-8 record in 1972, posting a 2.49 ERA with an All-Star selection. He was the NL Cy Young runner-up.

But in 1973, Blass walked 84 batters across 88 2/3 innings and pitched to a 9.85 ERA. He was sent to the minor leagues, and when he got a chance at redemption in the bigs in 1974, he allowed eight runs and walked seven batters across five innings.

He promptly retired and went on to become a broadcaster for the Pirates.

Rick Ankiel

Ankiel’s story of the yips is one of redemption, or perhaps redirection.

He was the Cardinals’ crown jewel on the mound, coming in second in Rookie of the Year voting in 2000 and getting the nod in the NLDS that season.

Ankiel threw five wild pitches and walked six batters in that game, with the Cardinals still managing to win. The struggles continued in the NLCS against the Mets, as he walked five of the 10 batters he faced.

He would start six more games the following season to the tune of a 7.13 ERA, get sent down to the minor leagues and suffer some injuries before finally switching to the outfield and carving out a solid career from 2007 to 2013.

Ankiel wound up joining the Mets in 2013 and retiring after the season. He later released a memoir about his story: “The Phenomenon: Pressure, The Yips, and the Pitch that Changed My Life.”

Steve Sax

Sax was a Rookie of the Year Award winner and World Series champ — then lost the ability to throw to first base.

In 1983, the second baseman committed 30 errors for the Dodgers. His throws were so wild, that fans sitting along the first-base line began wearing helmets.

The struggles continued, he was tabbed with “Steve Sax Syndrome.”

But Sax’s comeback was special, as he fixed his throwing issues and helped lead the Dodgers to another World Series title.

Sax signed with the Yankees in 1989 and played three seasons in New York, making two All-Star teams and even leading AL second basemen in fielding percentage in 1989.

He later attributed his comeback from the yips to his father’s dying words.