Fans of baseball have little else to do in the off season but check in periodicaly with the updates to see what's going on with their teams. Some teams still have question marks all over the place--who will play what position, what the final batting order will look at, final rotation schedule, etc.
There's some semi-exciting stuff going on during spring training as well as some pretty silly stuff. Invariably, someone from some team will get a season ending injury sliding wrong, intercepting a line drive with their face or maybe just getting out of their car in the parking lot. Doesn't matter--its gonna happen. The Cubs almost lost Kerry Wood to the slick ground around a hot tub. Luckily, he bruised his ego harder than his ribs.
Right now, I'm holding my breath and just hoping Randy Johnson is feeling a lot better. More specifically, I'm hoping his troubled back is feeling like cotton candy spun from the clouds of heaven! Reading session wrap-ups is a little nerve-wracking because I really want the Big Unit to come out and pitch well. As I love the Dbacks this year, it would be foolish to count on the run support he had behind him in New York.
I've been trying to will time forward--in between the sweet tidbits of information I mean. Is it just me, or would it be great if the press could create a feud instead of just hoping that printing rumors and speculation might provoke something juicy?
Just let Jeter know he's supposed to react to his weakened friendship with A-rod. Record him storming around the locker room throwing the teddy bear that A-rod won for him at the carnival on the ground. Hell, do it a few times and make sure you get the shot ya want.
Hell, let the fans vote! We get to pick the All Star Game roster, why stop at any boundary--they're artificial constructs anyways. To what degree we, the fans, get to rule the life of the player could be included in the contract. They're out there playing for us the fans, right? We consume! Jerseys, hats, posters, tickets etc. I think I should be able to decide if A-rod is going to snap and tackle Jeter on the field in the 4th inning or the 5th.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Once Upon a Strikezone
I’m writing a piece on umpires but this isn’t it. I was fishing around the official website and I stumbled across a great page that gave a rundown on the history (from the beginning to current day) of the strike zone.
Originally, when baseball was first played, the dynamic of hitting was a different situation all together; enough so that I’m going to have some fun explaining it—plus it will help make some pitching points later.
If the strike zone were to magically revert back to its original 1876 form, we’d have players striding up to the plate (originally referred to as the batsman) and he’d tell the umpire he wanted either a high, low or fair pitch. The umpire would signal the batter's order to the pitcher and he’d pitch the pitch.
A high pitch was from the waist to the shoulders.
A low pitch was from a foot above the ground to the waist
A fair pitch was from a foot above the ground to the waist.
All pitches had to over the plate.
Can you imagine if Albert Pujols could walk up and ask for location of a pitch today?
They played for 11 years with those rules. I guess the pitcher still had the chance to get the baseball over the plate however he wants--meaning fastball, change-up, curve ball, etc. Its not like they were letting the batsman call the actual pitch, just the location.
Currently, since I’m sure you’re all sorts of curious by now, a strike is any pitch coming across the plate and is anywhere from the bottom of the knees to the top of the shoulders. Today's batter is forced to rely on a patience, personal superstition or a pitch-tipping delivery to get their pitches. Or some sort of a magical combination of all three.
Originally, when baseball was first played, the dynamic of hitting was a different situation all together; enough so that I’m going to have some fun explaining it—plus it will help make some pitching points later.
If the strike zone were to magically revert back to its original 1876 form, we’d have players striding up to the plate (originally referred to as the batsman) and he’d tell the umpire he wanted either a high, low or fair pitch. The umpire would signal the batter's order to the pitcher and he’d pitch the pitch.
A high pitch was from the waist to the shoulders.
A low pitch was from a foot above the ground to the waist
A fair pitch was from a foot above the ground to the waist.
All pitches had to over the plate.
Can you imagine if Albert Pujols could walk up and ask for location of a pitch today?
They played for 11 years with those rules. I guess the pitcher still had the chance to get the baseball over the plate however he wants--meaning fastball, change-up, curve ball, etc. Its not like they were letting the batsman call the actual pitch, just the location.
Currently, since I’m sure you’re all sorts of curious by now, a strike is any pitch coming across the plate and is anywhere from the bottom of the knees to the top of the shoulders. Today's batter is forced to rely on a patience, personal superstition or a pitch-tipping delivery to get their pitches. Or some sort of a magical combination of all three.
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