Say it Ain’t So, Barry, but Deep Down We All Knew This Day Would Come…
Back in 2001 in the spring and summer I worked a project that took me all over Northern California. Coming back home for the weekend the wife and I would often stop at the Cattleman’s Restaurant in Livermore. We liked it because the atmosphere was cowboy and the food good and plentiful and there really aren’t any steak houses in vegan Santa Cruz. On this particular August evening we were late getting in and the place had filled up. We were told it would be a half hour and we could wait at the bar and they would call us.
The bar was already pretty full and all the TVs were on the Giants game. I got a beer and the wife a bloody Mary. A steady stream of folks entered and asked the bartender ‘when is he up?’
The bartender would answer next inning, third up or whatever the situation was. As Barry went on deck the bar suddenly began to fill and I realized the patrons had left their meals, purses, infants and whatever else and had come in to watch Barry.
As usual in the sport of baseball there was first a ball and strike and then a very loud crack and we could see the ball sail out of the park. Everybody jumped up, including me. We were high fiving and doing all the idiotic sorts of antics baseball fans do when their team hits a home run. This particular home run was one of a record setting 73 Barry hit that season. What excitement!
At that very moment the last thing any of us was thinking was ‘golly gee, this home run won’t count.’ Had I mentioned that thought to anyone in the bar they would have thought I was nuts and not a prophet. Maybe even thrown a punch.
I have watched baseball for about 50 years but had never seen anything like Barry. The defensive shift to pull was like no other in the history of baseball. It was more like four outfielders and three infielders. During that time I also remember several times remarking that Barry at times looked stiff and almost waddled. His neck seemed especially stiff. I didn’t know that his shoe size would increase over one whole size too.
Having read about his extensive training and nutrition program I immediately attributed his increase in bulk to training. Barry’s off-season rigor was well publicized. I even once remarked that Barry was such a hard trainer he actually grew muscles on his scalp. Barry shaves his head so when he takes off his helmet he had what looked like muscles. Later we were to learn that he increased one whole head size.
But steroids weren’t just what made Barry great as any minimally informed baseball fan will know. Barry hit that many home runs because he seldom swung at bad pitches. He walked more than any player in history. What was so incredibly amazing about his 2001 stretch was his average nightly box score would be a home run, a single and three walks. Repeatedly that season Barry was walked in situations that no other player had ever been walked.
Who can ever forget the home run race between McGuire, Sosa and Bonds? It had to be one of the most exciting times ever for baseball fans and for that we are thankful. Ironic how all three have been linked to juice…but not guilty until proven.
Barry was a competitor despite his unpolished character and arrogant demeanor. Barry always played to win and for that we thank him for his entertaining show. So now the greatest man to ever play the game has to wait and watch as he enters a no-win trial. I hope he gets off. Barry played to win and he did whatever it took to get that edge. And he knew other players were doing it. Barry just couldn’t let them have the edge.
If he’s guilty, and he may not be, slap him on the wrist, give him probation and let him age in peace. Barry has to live with Barry and we have to live with the letdown. Of course there will be those that want blood and those that want justice for all those records he robbed.
My guess at least some of Barry’s home runs will be disallowed taking him back down below Hank and the Babe. Quite frankly whatever the commissioner decides is fair and just won’t sit well with the fans. No matter what he does the boo birds will be following him around for some time. I wonder if he will also disallow the walks as well as home runs. No one wins here.
Say it ain’t so, Barry. If you have to go down may as well go down in a blaze of glory. Do whatever it takes to make amends and get back on that field one last time. Let’s not leave it like this…it’s too personal.
And I know there will be a number of us standing and cheering once again when you do.
Jack D. Deal is a longtime San Francisco Giants fan and the owner of Deal Business Consulting. He can be contacted at jddeal@jddeal.com Related articles can be found at http://www.jddeal.com and http://www.freeandinquiringmind.typepad.com
How to Bat In Baseball
Take a boy to the ball field and guess what he will pick up for the first time… a glove or a bat? Right. Just about everybody who plays baseball, or who ever thought of playing baseball, loves to bat. Some players have the gift of being “born” hitters; that is, they are blessed with excellent eyesight, quick reflexes, strong wrists and husky shoulders. These players usually become the better batters, but that does not mean the average player with normal build and strength cannot become a moderately successful batter.
Selecting a Bat – Take a bat and swing it. If it feels “good” and is not too heavy or not too light, try it out. Do not use a bat that is too long, stay away from a bat that is too short. To help you select the right type of bat, remember that the average school player uses one that is about thirty-four inches long. Also, the weight of the bat is equal to one ounce for each inch. Thus a 34-34 bat, in length and weight, is just about average.
Stance – Many batters approach the plate and do not know how close, or how far, to stand from the plate. Some batters wonder whether they should stand in front of the batter’s box, others cannot decide whether it is best to place their feet to the rear of the batter’s box. None of this is important in the learning stage of batting, but what is important is that the batter makes himself comfortable at the plate.
When a batter takes his stance, he is taking one of three stances: the parallel stance, the closed stance, the open stance. Each stance has its advantages, but the batter who feels most comfortable in any of the three should use that particular stance.
Again, just which stance to assume is strictly a matter of choice and comfort. However, the more advanced player may, on occasion, switch stances according to the type of pitcher he is facing, or the situation in the game.
In the closed stance only the front foot (the left if a right-handed batter, the right if a left-handed batter) is closer to the plate.
In the parallel stance both feet are the same distance from the inside batter’s box line closest to the plate.
Spread – The spread of the feet is also a matter of individual taste. Some batters prefer to keep their feet close together thus making for a longer stride when swinging at the pitch. Others will take a medium spread, thus shortening the stride; and there are some batters who will take a wide spread and therefore cut down their stride to a minimum.
The average hitter normally spreads his feet about seventeen to nineteen inches and many coaches recommend this spread distance. The power hitter, however, will use a shorter spread since he gets most of his strength from a longer stride. Joe DiMaggio had just about the widest of all spreads and his stride was one of the shortest. But the average batter should not attempt to imitate great batters in spread and stride unless he feels comfortable doing it.
It is not good for the beginning player to take too close a spread because it may cause a lunge in the stride. The stride should be smooth and quick, therefore the proper spread is most important.
Grip – Just as in choosing a bat, taking a stance and assuming a spread, comfort dictates, for the most part, just how to grip the bat. Some batters keep their hands together; others may leave a bit of space between the hands when gripping the bat. No matter what type of grip, hands together or apart, the bat is not to be gripped too tightly.
By keeping the fingers securely, but not tightly, around the bat and the fingers aligned on the bat, the batter can get a better snap of the wrists when meeting the ball. Grip a bat too tightly and the arm muscles automatically tighten up thus permitting no wrist action.
Grasp these basics of baseball batting, and you will be off to a great start.
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What I Know and Remember About Baseball – Granparents
Back to 1974, East Tacoma Washington, it is game day, almost 10am. As Players and Parents cross the parking lot, silver haired seniors begin to gather at the fringe of the field. For them between the talking and their pace, it will still be 10 more minutes or so before they reach the bleachers.
For the seniors there are no pressures to finish a blog on Myspace. No handheld HD camcorders to capture those perfect moments to upload onto Youtube. Any talk about stocks is what Grandmother is brewing on the stove from last nights left dinner.
Loud speech and jibes about how deaf each other has become is usually followed by the pleasantries of passing around the swisher sweets with the solemn oath that Grandma will not find out.
All in all, it is just like watching little boys as they gather at the base of their favorite tree to swap candies before dinner outside of Moms watchful eye.
What ever conversation is being discussed is promptly dropped when the umpire makes his presence known. That is the moment all glasses focus on him with a unified effort to remind the umpire of what a strike zone is. Foul verses fair ball. And what ever bleacher umpire coaching they can assist with or invent.
For Grandparents, their heroes are warming up. Under five feet tall and awkward, these are seasoned players ready for action. With chewing gum being formed into bubbles, they eye the opponents for weakness. These Players rarely make the papers and are prone to tummy aches after the consolation ice cream Sunday following a tough loss or energetic win.
So what has really changed in the last 32 years? Have Grandparents lost the luster for their favorite players? Is their interest in baseball so far from their busy lives managing their portfolios on E*TRADE or keeping up with their posts on Myspace or Youtube?
Communication breakdown between distanced Grandparents and Grandchildren is the likely culprit. In 1974, most kids could take a modest bicycle ride to visit with their Grandparents. Weekly dinners or stops on the to or from shopping kept Grandparents aware of what was happening.
To days Grandparents are separated from their Grand Children by distance, difficulty in traversing any safe route and the demands of the Parents by their jobs, schools and activities. Not wanting to interfere or become a burden on the challenges their own children face in this modern world, Grandparents site peacefully by keeping themselves occupied as best they can.
Many leagues expect Parent participation in the preparation of fields, helping hands at the fundraisers and financial support of the year end finale. Some leagues go as far as to mandate how much time Parents must volunteer in order for their children to participate.
How much nicer would the fields be if there were a team dedicated to their preservation. This same team could have the donation table in front of the local grocery store manned for days on end without missing a beat. Accountants, Lawyers, Engineers, Master Carpenters, Master Electricians and Salesmen; this team is highly skilled and backed by years of solid experience.
Grandparents quietly sitting and tending to their own affairs are the most under utilized resource available to any league. In years past, bake sales were the sole territory of the blue hair brigade. Slow, methodical women that make cookies and cakes to die for.
Let us take a look at the numbers. Say your league has 10 teams, each team has 12 players; the most Grandparents available is 480. Putting it into reality, there are probably only 30% of those in the area and lets say only 50% have the ability to physically participate. Now you only have 72 people to work out the details of field maintenance, help with fundraising, figure out the IRS forms and manage the league checkbook. When if even can you find 72 people just waiting to be asked to come out and play.
How wonderful would it be to be able to organize 72 willing, motivated, trained and experienced people for your volunteer efforts? With that many people the entire facility could get a once over every week. Needed repairs assigned to the proper folks. Compensation for these folks lies in the participation of something meaningful and the love they have for their heroes.
The process of developing your own blue hair brigade is quite easy. At the beginning of the season have a meeting with all the Grandparents and see what commitments you get. Should you find the numbers lacking, visit the local senior center. An offer of something as meaningful to do will clear out that hall faster than a skunk in a sorority house.
Mr. Dowdy is the father of 3 and after re-entering competitive baseball with his oldest that lead to frustration of finding suitable glove, he became an Official Distributor for Kelley Athletic available at http://NW.kelleyusa.com Also visit http://www.hirschgroupllc.com for more news/tips/articles
Safety First In Baseball Explained
The safety factor is an important one at all levels of baseball, but it is particularly necessary with beginners. It should not be overlooked at any stage of Little League activity, whether in spring training, tryouts, practice sessions, or games. Coaches and managers might like to post the following list of precautions in a dugout, clubhouse, or dressing room:
1. Have an adult at the field at least a half hour in advance of the scheduled activity to control the group until the start of organized activity.
2. Check the field for obstacles – holes in outfield, stones, a hole in front of pitching rubber, etc.
3. Have the adult space the youngsters who are warming up so that other groups are not endangered by wild throws and muffed catches. The throwing should be parallel.
4. Unless the area is unusually large, have the adult keep the boys from participating in batting practice until the regular workouts begin. Pepper games can be organized if the players are spaced properly, with groups bat ting the ball parallel to each other. There should be no more than four players in each pepper game.
5. Have boys bring a jacket or sweater to wear during warm-up and after workout.
6. Require batters to wear batting helmets during batting practice. Helmets must be worn by batters and base-runners during games.
7. To keep bats from slipping out of batters’ hands, use non-slip grips of tape on the handles, or have players use rosin on their hands.
8. Have rules about retrieving foul balls batted into busy streets.
9. The head-first slide should be prohibited except when returning to a base.
10. During sliding practice, bases should be left untied when boys are being taught the fundamentals of sliding.
11. Build a warning track at least six feet out from the fences and back stop, using cinders, gravel, or some similar material.
12. Inspect equipment regularly – particularly batting helmets and catching equipment.
13. Teach players to take good care of all equipment and facilities.
14. Players should not wear watches or rings.
Additional Safeguards
1. Medical examinations should be given to all players prior to the opening of the season.
2. If possible, a physician or nurse should be in attendance at each game.
3. All participants should be covered by accident insurance.
4. The team should possess a first-aid kit, which should be complete and available at every game. It should be in the charge of someone trained to use it.
5. Preseason first-aid instruction should be given all managers and coaches each year.
6. All protective equipment should be of good quality and should fit properly.
7. All dugouts should be screened.
8. All players not participating in the game must remain in the dugouts.
9. Players should be taught the proper techniques of sliding, hitting, fielding, etc.
10. Equipment should not be left on the ground where it can be stepped on and injury result.
First-Aid Kit
Contents of the first-aid kit should include:
2 Bandages 1″ x 10 yd.
33 Band-Aid plastic strips
2 Bandages 2″ x 10 yd.
1 Burn ointment
1 Bandage 3″ x 10 yd.
3 Ammonia inhalants
1 Cotton 1/2 oz.
1 Scissors
1 Adhesive tape 1″ x 2-1/2 yds.
1 Antiseptic
1 Gauze 1 yd.
1 First-Aid guide booklet
12 Sterile gauze pads 2″ x 2″
6 Sterile eye pads
1 Triangular bandage
If all these precautions are taken, each game should be safe for all players.
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