With Pitchers Giving Him Less to Hit, Cal Raleigh Working to 'Let Game Come to Him'

NEW YORK - As pitchers get more and more careful with him at the plate, Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is learning to not force the action.

Raleigh, who has a league-high 36 home runs, spoke before Wednesday's game against the New York Yankees about the importance of staying disciplined even as he begins to get walked intentionally more and as he sees less overall pitches in the zone.

Yeah, ​I ​mean, ​you're ​right. ​I ​think, it's ​only ​human ​nature to ​want ​to ​go ​out ​and ​try ​to ​hit ​something. ​And, ​you ​have ​to ​understand ​that ​the ​game ​will ​come ​to ​you. ​You ​just ​got ​to ​keep ​the ​same ​approach, ​keep ​doing ​what ​you're ​doing ​and ​what's ​made ​you ​successful, ​and ​not ​try ​to ​go ​force the issue, ​or ​try ​to ​change ​anything, ​or ​swing ​harder ​or ​maybe ​swing ​out ​of ​the ​zone ​a ​little ​more. ​So, ​it's ​definitely ​something ​I've ​had ​conversations ​with ​the ​coaches ​here ​about ​and ​just ​trusting it, ​​the ​day-​to-​day, ​and ​like ​I ​said, ​just break ​it ​down ​one ​pitch ​time ​and ​not ​worrying ​about ​try ​to ​chase ​something.

Raleigh, who will participate in the Home Run Derby on Monday night, will serve as the starting catcher for the American League in Tuesday's All-Star Game. He's got the most home runs ever by a Mariners player at the All-Star break, and there are still four games to play in the first half.

Seattle will finish out the series with the Yankees on Thursday afternoon at 4:05 p.m. Bryan Woo will take the ball for Seattle in his final start of the first half against right-hander Marcus Stroman.