Ryan Bexten

Founder of @BGFanZone and @OutinLeft_Field, 5th year MSHSAA baseball umpire. Mizzou, Cardinals, & Royals enthusiast. #OfficialBaseballAddict

[Ryan Bexten @BextenRyan]

Introducing the Black & Gold Fan Zone! The official FAN-RUN and independent news coverage of the @MizzouBaseball team! Hosted by myself and
@imsmizisu, with special guest @trripleplay. Give us a follow at @BGFanZone!

#Mizzou #MIZ @MizzouAthletics #NOW #C2E #Tigers #baseball

[Ryan Bexten @BextenRyan]

@cory_bexten Give me baseball and cars, you moron

[Gateway Grinders @gatewaygrinders]

6 IN A ROW FOR YOUR ST. LOUIS CARDINALS. PLAN THE PARADE

[Ryan Bexten @BextenRyan]

Baseball at Taylor Stadium!

[Ryan Bexten @BextenRyan]

@cory_bexten

[Ryan Bexten @BextenRyan]

@Micah_CBC @MizzouBaseball made the post

[Black & Gold Fan Zone @BGFanZone]

Carter DeGondea is Mizzou’s next addition to the transfer class. The Raymore, MO native comes in with 108.2 IP across his two seasons with Georgia Southern. DeGondea had 57 Ks through his 14 starts in 2026.
#MizzouNOW

[Black & Gold Fan Zone @BGFanZone]

Mateo Serna announced his intent to enter the transfer portal this evening via Instagram. Serna spent his first three years playing for Missouri amassing 102 career hits, 76 RBIs, and 7 overturned ABS challenges in one game. Good luck to Mateo on his future endeavors!
#MizzouNOW

[Black & Gold Fan Zone @BGFanZone]

Episode 30 is out NOW! #MizzouNOW
Thanks to you, we crossed the 1,000 plays milestone during the 2026 season. In celebration, Ryan and Irl do an official Question and Answer session and dive into questions listeners have submitted to them.
https://t.co/BPvlzfgmYm

[Jermaine Curtis @JermaineCurtis]

When I was with the St. Louis Cardinals, I saw Matt Carpenter do one of the strangest things.

He always had a bat in his hand.

Before the game.
In the clubhouse.
In the tunnel.
Walking around the stadium.

And he was constantly taking swings.

No baseball.
No tee.
No pitcher.

Just swing after swing after swing.

We call them dry hacks or dry swings.

One day I finally asked him about it.

I said,

"Carp, why do you take so many dry swings?"

His answer surprised me.

He said:

"I'm visualizing success."

That was it.

I remember standing there thinking about that for a second.

Because I had always viewed dry hacks as physical work.

Matt viewed them differently.

Every swing was a confidence rep.

He wasn't just moving a bat.

He was seeing himself drive a fastball into the gap.

He was seeing himself stay on an off-speed pitch.

He was seeing himself compete and succeed before the game ever started.

That's when a light bulb went off for me.

Think about it.

Every player wants confidence.

But most players wait for a hit before they allow themselves to feel confident.

Matt was doing the opposite.

He was building confidence before he ever stepped into the batter's box.

By the time the game started...

He had already seen himself succeed hundreds of times.

So I decided to try it myself.

When nobody was around, I'd grab a bat and take dry hacks.

But this time, I wasn't just swinging.

I was visualizing.
I saw myself driving balls into the gaps.
I saw myself competing with two strikes.
I saw myself getting big hits in big situations.

And over time, I noticed something.

I felt different on the field.

More confident.
More relaxed.
More prepared.

And the results started improving too.

Not because I magically became a better hitter overnight.

But because I stopped waiting for confidence to show up.

I started building it before the game ever started.

So if youre struggling with confidence...

Here's my "Confidence Booster Plan" I'd Do Tonight:

1. Dry Hacks (10 Swings)
Visualize yourself driving a line drive into the gap.

2. Dry Hacks (10 Swings)
Visualize yourself battling with two strikes and winning the at-bat.

3. Dry Hacks (10 Swings)
Visualize your next game. See yourself stepping into the box confident, aggressive, and ready to compete.

30 swings.

30 confidence reps.

One thing I've learned from Matt Carpenter:

Most players practice their swing.

Elite players practice confidence.

Thank you for reading,
Jermaine Curtis

P.S. - If you enjoyed this and thought it was helpful, please share it.

(When you share it, it tells me you want more content like this.)

[Black & Gold Fan Zone @BGFanZone]

The first commitment to Missouri in the 2026 transfer class is FGCU's Wilfred Gonzalez! Gonzalez played in all 58 games for the Eagles, primarily at shortstop, batting .323 with 74 hits, 11 doubles, 2 HRs, and 30 RBIs.
#MizzouNOW

[Black & Gold Fan Zone @BGFanZone]

A portal entry that flew under the radar yesterday as Tyler Macon enters the transfer portal. Macon had a hot start to 2026, before cooling off in SEC play. Good luck to Tyler on his future endeavors!
#MizzouNOW

[Black & Gold Fan Zone @BGFanZone]

Missouri's five transfer pitchers combined for 24 appearances, 47 IP, 32 ERs, 41 BBs, and 55 Ks.
Missouri's seven transfer position players combined for 162 appearances, 148 hits, 100 RBIs, and 9 HRs.
There is certainly plenty of production for Kerrick Jackson's staff to replace.

[Black & Gold Fan Zone @BGFanZone]

Here's Your 2026 Mizzou Transfer Portal Directory:
Missouri currently has 12 entries into the portal, with 5 pitchers and 7 position players. Non-graduate players have until June 30th to enter the portal, and can take as they long as they want to commit.
#MizzouNOW

[Black & Gold Fan Zone @BGFanZone]

Two more entries into the transfer portal today with Sam Parker and Todd Feurtado III. Feurtado redshirted in the 2026 season, and Parker appeared in just eleven games as a Tiger. Good luck to both Todd and Sam as they continue their careers!
#MizzouNOW

[Ryan Bexten @BextenRyan]

@Big_Time_Atl @BGFanZone The portal closes Tuesday, June 30. We'll do a full episode covering all outgoing transfers shortly after.

And don't worry, there will be a hefty amount of criticism over the next few months. It's your favorite time of year, Marcus!

[Black & Gold Fan Zone @BGFanZone]

Kaden Peer has played as a Tiger for each of Kerrick Jackson's three seasons as Missouri's head coach. Kaden has been a pivotal piece of the Tigers team, providing some GREAT defense and timely hitting through his career. Good luck to Kaden on his future endeavors!
#MizzouNOW

[Black & Gold Fan Zone @BGFanZone]

In Blaize Ward's lone season in a Tiger uniform, he absolutely left a mark on the Missouri Baseball team. Blaize posted the second-highest batting average by a Tiger in 2026, hitting .296 while appearing in 44 games. Best of luck to Blaize on his future endeavors!
#MizzouNOW

[Mizzou Baseball @MizzouBaseball]

We felt your support all season long. Thank you, Tiger Nation 🐯

#MizzouNOW

[Black & Gold Fan Zone @BGFanZone]

Peyton Basler has entered the transfer portal after two seasons as a Missouri Tiger. He becomes the eighth transfer so far, and the second middle infielder (joins former KCKCC teammate Gehrig Goldbeck) to hit the portal. Best of luck to Peyton in his future endeavors!
#MizzouNOW

[Trent Mongero @CoachMongero]

Well well well… I guess real baseball matters again… and it wins. Don’t strike out. Get the ball in play. Hustle, steal bases, throw strikes, compete. Yea, bombs are good… but so are doubles, singles, bunt for hits, moving runners … pressure on defense. Why has it taken this long to figure it out! That’s what pisses me off. Winning Baseball ….. well it wins! At every level.