I originally thought it would be something technology related, but I recently procured myself one of these:
See it in action here:
As a pitcher, I spent a lot of time doing nothing. Take a 3 hour practice. I throw for about 10 or 15 minutes, maybe a little bullpen work, I'm up to 25 minutes. Maybe some PFP (pitchers fielding practice), 40 minutes now. I might be asked to be a runner in situational practice, 1 hour. That leaves 2 hours. That time is spent shagging baseballs during batting practice (BP). While it can be fun, it can also be incredibly boring, especially if you're stuck on home run duty (all alone across the street).
I fought that boredom by becoming really good at hitting ground balls to infielders during BP. Freshman year, coach had wooden fungo bats. He wouldn't let anyone use them because we might break them. What did I do? I used them. I didn't break them either.
The pinnacle of being good with a fungo bat is probably the ability to hit pop-ups for the catcher, you know, the ones straight up that curve back towards the field. I can do that.
I've been hitting fungo to the 7-8 year olds where I'm the assistant coach. Sometimes I'll hit them hard, mostly soft, but I just remember how much fun it was.
Wait, one more thing to go along with that. BP pitcher. I throw great batting practice (I'm not sure if that's was a good or bad thing career wise, obviously doesn't matter now). It's fulfilling to be able to throw strikes and see how far people can hit them.
There it is, my dream job. Fungo hitter and BP pitcher.
I wonder if the Rays are hiring and if they'll pay me enough to support my family?
I purposely hit the first 6 balls as screaming line drives into the gap. Skip took the bat away never to return. Best move ever.
ReplyDeleteNow I love to hit ground balls to the high school kids. 5 hole is always the goal. They laugh at me because I am having a good time. That is until I earhole them in bp for disrespecting me. I have become master of the "Spinner" and "Chopper". Learned both by watching Wiggs and Giddy.
Otis
@otis
ReplyDeleteAh...Skip. Mike Easom from Indian River had the pleasure of breaking me in. He scared me, but those wooden fungos were just too enticing to turn away from.
I can't wait to get at the bigger kids. I'll admit, some of the little ones that make me bad I accidentally hit them line drive one hoppers just so I can watch them chase it down. The joy!
These are the things I miss...definitely a dream job!