aro, Pitchers look bad because hitting at the major league level is really that difficult. From the centerfield camera on TV the game looks familiar to us. A cadence we come to expect as well as predictable movement and velocity. The difference is we don't need to react to it. We all played the game at various levels. Because the game is so familiar, baseball is a big lie to many guys who say things like "heck, I can hit that guy"...or "I would have made that play", etc. The realities are these: If you saw a major-league pitcher hitting off of, say, an Iron Mike pitching machine running it up at 80-85 mph and thought he was just a local guy in the cage you'd say "Holy Moses!!! That guy's freakin' awesome". Major league pitching is better than the average fan can comprehend. It can make that same guy look far less than ordinary--downright awful at times. The game moves at a pace that would frighten even the best high school player and the expectations and demands of your time and performance are tremendous. Today, even in our program, few pitchers get regular at bats. This leads to the predictable erosion of timing and balance and ability to track a baseball through even an expected or anticipated path.
After reading your post--good point about the equipment--I still hit with wood, however. I would like to take the rest of my gear with me for that road trip if I could . I understand your points and would love to dig out stas, etc, but Bonds is just the best in my opinion. I have enjoyed your viewpoints and consider your arguments strong and valid. One quote we throw around the academy a lot is "The older we are, the better we were". I think that saying applies to many of our idealistic preferences of the past...that's we we collect old cards! Willie Mays played with many of the players you mentioned and has said on numerous occasions that Barry is hands-down the best. I agree with Willie... He's my favorite, after all...
Looking forward to watching The Steroid King in the playoffs this year. Oh yeah, I forgot that selfish egomaniacs who are hated even by the players on their own team don't win rings. Hope you enjoy your ultimately empty personal achievements during your long lonely winter Barry !
I think Bonds did everything that could have been asked of him to help his team get a ring. Giants management failed. Where was their second , third and fourth starters? Where was their closer? Where was their protection for Bonds in the lineup? Where was their speed? Where was their defense? Blaming Bonds for not getting a ring is like me blaming you for causing the Ozone layer to decay? In other words, nonsensical.
Comments
Pitchers look bad because hitting at the major league level is really that difficult. From the centerfield camera on TV the game looks familiar to us. A cadence we come to expect as well as predictable movement and velocity. The difference is we don't need to react to it.
We all played the game at various levels. Because the game is so familiar, baseball is a big lie to many guys who say things like "heck, I can hit that guy"...or "I would have made that play", etc. The realities are these:
If you saw a major-league pitcher hitting off of, say, an Iron Mike pitching machine running it up at 80-85 mph and thought he was just a local guy in the cage you'd say "Holy Moses!!! That guy's freakin' awesome". Major league pitching is better than the average fan can comprehend. It can make that same guy look far less than ordinary--downright awful at times. The game moves at a pace that would frighten even the best high school player and the expectations and demands of your time and performance are tremendous. Today, even in our program, few pitchers get regular at bats. This leads to the predictable erosion of timing and balance and ability to track a baseball through even an expected or anticipated path.
After reading your post--good point about the equipment--I still hit with wood, however. I would like to take the rest of my gear with me for that road trip if I could
I understand your points and would love to dig out stas, etc, but Bonds is just the best in my opinion. I have enjoyed your viewpoints and consider your arguments strong and valid. One quote we throw around the academy a lot is "The older we are, the better we were". I think that saying applies to many of our idealistic preferences of the past...that's we we collect old cards! Willie Mays played with many of the players you mentioned and has said on numerous occasions that Barry is hands-down the best. I agree with Willie...
He's my favorite, after all...
dgf
Oh yeah, I forgot that selfish egomaniacs who are hated even by the players on their own team don't win rings.
Hope you enjoy your ultimately empty personal achievements during your long lonely winter Barry !
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