Why I never step out of the batters box and other learnings I have from a lifetime of playing nowhere close to pro baseball
I've been playing baseball for probably over 30 years (from T to fastball to slo-pitch). That's a long time, surely it's the most constant thing my life has ever known. I can't imagine a summer not being out on a baseball diamond (at least) 1 night a week (not to mention all day long with my brother and our friends). Most of my positive childhood memories revolve around playing baseball in the summer, which include getting a ride to games on my mom's motorcycle (yes, my mom's motorcycle - my mom, the totally upstanding non tattooed, totally respected Grade 1/2 teacher - yeah - she had a bike for a while)...I have an interesting past we should talk about one day.
Baseball is my really good friend - it has always been there for me, and even in all my times of not winning, I knew I still loved the game, and it loved me back. Even when at around age 14 I took a grounder (bad hop) in the mouth and that woman (mother of another kid to be sure) offered me a can of pop to put on my mouth. I took it of course because it was cold, it felt good on my bleeding mouth and we had nothing else. Things were different back then - where was the first aid kit coach? Anyone have any ice? How about a towel to wipe this blood? No? Ok, my shirt and this can of pop will do just fine. None of this mattered, I still loved baseball and wanted nothing more than to get out there the next day and field some grounders, and just be back on the field playing and learning. I always wanted to, and always did learn from baseball. It's tendencies, it's different (but similar) situations, teamwork, the whole thing - it was like the best teacher I could ever have had. Mr. Baseball, I listened to his every word.
Baseball is such a great game, it's such a cerebral game - which some people misread as slow. As I've quipped in the past - "it's not slow, it's cerebral" - it's a brain teaser of a game - and there is so much going on behind the scenes (in the minds) even when it looks like nothing is happening.
I love that it's a team game - but it's a team game different than the others in that it highlights opportunities for individuals to shine a couple times a game (batting for example) all as part of the collective team. It's coupled the individual accomplishments of team members to determine the outcome.
Ok, back on point - I started this post to talk about never stepping out of the batters box. Stepping out is something I (like virtually every other kid) did when we were little, it's what the major leagues did, some for longer periods of time than others - I'm talking to you Derek Jeter and David Ortiz. Anyway - my theory on this has changed, and maybe it's because I'm old and play competitive slo-pitch (as competitive as slo-pitch can be), I find that as a fielder it's great when guys step out because it give you a break from your "set" position. When batters step out it allows fielders to relax between pitches and in theory regain some lost energy from "staying ready". Again - I'm saying this as an outfielder in a slo-pitch league so take it for what thats worth but I believe that this easily carries over to all walks of baseball life.
When I start coaching my sons baseball team I'll most certainly have this theory to present to the kids (along with a handful of others - which I plan to post in future blogs).
Anyone have differing thoughts on this? I gotta run, need to get a cold pop.
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