“Elite baseball players and top real estate agents share the same DNA,” team leader and baseball wife Holly Meyer Lucas said. “They are always learning, they train consistently, and when an opportunity is presented, they want the at-bat or the ball. They thrive when the pressure is on.”
When the Dodgers and Toronto faced off in the World Series, it wasn’t just a battle of bats and gloves; it was a masterclass in consistency, strategy and mental toughness. And if you look closely, there’s a lot real estate professionals can learn from the diamond.
Like baseball, real estate is a game of averages, endurance and adjustment. Agents face slumps, streaks and outside calls they can’t control. The best don’t complain about the umpires — they adjust their stance and step back into the box.
You can’t control the umpire
In baseball, the strike zone never really changes. What changes is how the pitcher and batter respond to it. The same goes for agents navigating the ever-shifting real estate landscape.
Interest rates rise, algorithms evolve and new tech platforms enter the mix. Just like a bad call behind the plate, you can’t argue your way out of it. You can’t control what Zillow does, you can’t control rates or policy shifts. What separates professionals is how quickly they adjust and keep showing up.
The pros know that discipline beats drama. Consistency — not complaint — is the only winning strategy when the market feels unfair.
Coaching is the clubhouse advantage
No great athlete gets to the World Series alone. Behind every clutch hitter is a bench coach who knows when to swing, when to steal and when to sit one out. In real estate, coaching plays the same role.
Agents today have more resources than ever: brokers, mentors, masterminds and even AI-powered coaches. If your listing presentations aren’t converting, or you’re struggling with prospecting, bring in a specialist. Baseball players refine their pitching. Agents should refine their process.
Coaching is the clubhouse advantage. It keeps agents accountable, sharp and ready to adapt mid-season.
Trust between leaders and players
On the team leadership side of real estate, trust between team leader and agent mirrors the dynamic between coach and player. Team leaders coach their agents, set the systems and run the plays. And when an agent is given an opportunity with a team lead or handed the ball, the best leaders know when to step back and let their agent cook.
During the run-up to the 2025 World Series, one of the defining moments came in Game 4 of the ALCS between the Blue Jays and Mariners when Toronto pitcher Max Scherzer demanded to stay in the game. That kind of conviction is what every leader hopes to see from their players.
“As a team leader, you want your agents to demand that kind of pressure and trust,” Holly Meyer Lucas said. “I love when my agents scream that they want the ball. That kind of passion is the lifeblood of a real estate team. But the other side of that is also delivering and accountability. If you’re going to demand leads from me, you’d better throw heat and get me a win.”
Scherzer’s manager let him stay in the game, and he executed, delivering a key strikeout — a reminder that the balance of trust and execution within team culture will empower top producers to deliver when the game’s on the line.
Watching tape: The AI advantage
In sports, teams study tape. They analyze every swing, every miss, every move their opponents make. Real estate is catching up, and technology is becoming the new replay booth.
AI-powered platforms like Shilo now let agents replay their own “game tape.” By ingesting call recordings from platforms like Zillow, these tools help agents role-play conversations to refine their scripts, objection handlers and tone.
Shilo’s conversation intelligence and role-play features allow you to quickly review your phone calls and areas of improvement, much like watching game film. Jumping on a role-play and practicing right before jumping into a real call with a client is like practicing on the field and getting it dialed in before game day.
Justin Benson, founder of Shilo, says they have seen a 2x performance increase in conversion rates when people really embrace this flow with the conversations they have on a daily basis.
We’re at the point where agents are role-playing with AI. It’s crazy — but it’s effective. It’s like having a batting cage for your business.
AI isn’t replacing agents; it’s becoming their performance coach. The pros who embrace it will sharpen their skills faster than those who sit on the sidelines.
Play the full season
The best baseball players don’t make it to October by accident. They show up every day — not just when the stands are full. The same goes for agents.
There’s no finish line in real estate. You’ve got to love the daily activity — the conversations, the follow-ups, the prep — not just the closings. Those are just the results of the work you’ve already done.
Don’t just aim for the World Series moment. Play every inning. Track your stats. Learn from every at-bat. In real estate, as in baseball, champions aren’t made in the highlight reel — they’re made in the repetition.
Final pitch
Whether you’re selling condos in Toronto or luxury listings in Los Angeles, the fundamentals don’t change. Show up. Adjust your stance. Lean on your coaches. Study the game. Build trust within your team. And when the market throws you a curveball, don’t complain to the umpire — just keep swinging.
That’s how you play the full season.
