Will Baseball ever strike out?

[Iceberg]

You forgot to mention all of the time spent sitting on the bench between bursts of activity, or the fact that overweight pigs such as David Wells or Mo Vaughn can succeed at the highest levels of the game. Baseball is not an athletic sport.

They succeed because of the American League's designated hitter rule, which allows a non-fielding player on each team to bat in place of the pitcher. Modulo designated hitters, I defy you to find a baseball player who can succeed in the game without being fairly athletic.

An outfielder who can't run well is an outfielder who won't have his job for very long. Same thing with an infielder who can't jump and throw or a pitcher who can't pitch. And any position player has to be able to take some fairly hard knocks against the dirt, turf, grass, other players...

[Darth Wong]

You forgot to mention all of the time spent sitting on the bench between bursts of activity, or the fact that overweight pigs such as David Wells or Mo Vaughn can succeed at the highest levels of the game. Baseball is not an athletic sport.

They succeed because of the American League's designated hitter rule, which allows a non-fielding player on each team to bat in place of the pitcher. Modulo designated hitters, I defy you to find a baseball player who can succeed in the game without being fairly athletic.

"Fairly athletic" by baseball standards means that you can run the bases without getting winded. There are still large number of "athletes" in the NL who would would not stand out in a high school track meet or weightlifting competition.

An outfielder who can't run well is an outfielder who won't have his job for very long. Same thing with an infielder who can't jump and throw or a pitcher who can't pitch. And any position player has to be able to take some fairly hard knocks against the dirt, turf, grass, other players...

Compare them to other major-league professional sports, not to Joe the grocery-store stockboy.

[irishmick79]

The amount of hand-eye coordination required to be a successful fielder in baseball is remarkable, especially for infielders. As any softball player will tell you, it's very difficult to field sharply hit balls in the infield and convert those plays into outs. You have to be very agile, and very strong in the arms to make good, reliable catch and throws. You really don't get much of an appreciation for how difficult making some plays can be by watching the pros do it on TV. The pros are so athletic and talented they make very difficult plays look routine.

[Nathan F]

I enjoy watching baseball, but college football is my obsession (as if you didn't already know that).

I don't think baseball will be going away anytime soon, which is a good thing. Another pointless players' strike might do the trick, though (in which case I would never watch a game again).

Same here, college football (and NFL to a lesser extent) are my personal poisons, but baseball runs a very close second. Another players strike will seal the coffin simply because people don't want to see a bunch of players who are getting paid more than many small down's collective income whine about their finiancial positions.

[Darth Wong]

The amount of hand-eye coordination required to be a successful fielder in baseball is remarkable, especially for infielders. As any softball player will tell you, it's very difficult to field sharply hit balls in the infield and convert those plays into outs. You have to be very agile, and very strong in the arms to make good, reliable catch and throws. You really don't get much of an appreciation for how difficult making some plays can be by watching the pros do it on TV. The pros are so athletic and talented they make very difficult plays look routine.

Baseball does require good hand-eye co-ordination, it's true. So does championship billiards and darts.

[Darth Fanboy]

The amount of hand-eye coordination required to be a successful fielder in baseball is remarkable, especially for infielders. As any softball player will tell you, it's very difficult to field sharply hit balls in the infield and convert those plays into outs. You have to be very agile, and very strong in the arms to make good, reliable catch and throws. You really don't get much of an appreciation for how difficult making some plays can be by watching the pros do it on TV. The pros are so athletic and talented they make very difficult plays look routine.

Baseball does require good hand-eye co-ordination, it's true. So does championship billiards and darts.

But championship billiards and darts do not involve a hard objectmoving at high speeds right towards your person.

[Iceberg]

Baseball does require good hand-eye co-ordination, it's true. So does championship billiards and darts.

A championship billiards or darts player might as well have all day to line up a shot. A championship-calibur third baseman like Minnesota Twins 3B Corey Koskie has perhaps half a second - probably much less - to judge, jump for and catch a screaming line drive down the third-base line.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Wake me when rollerball starts...

[Master of Ossus]

They succeed because of the American League's designated hitter rule, which allows a non-fielding player on each team to bat in place of the pitcher. Modulo designated hitters, I defy you to find a baseball player who can succeed in the game without being fairly athletic.

"Fairly athletic" by baseball standards means that you can run the bases without getting winded. There are still large number of "athletes" in the NL who would would not stand out in a high school track meet or weightlifting competition.

I've actually seen a good number of MLB players who cannot successfully run around the bases without being winded. Most of them are catchers, but these guys are not in good shape. Even NFL linemen can run 100 yards in their extremely heavy equipment without doubling over, afterwards, or stumbling along through exhaustion along the way.

Moreover, the point here is that baseball does not require nearly the athletic capability that is mandated by sports like soccer, hockey, and football. I defy anyone to find a successful NHL player who's out of shape. An overweight soccer player?

An outfielder who can't run well is an outfielder who won't have his job for very long. Same thing with an infielder who can't jump and throw or a pitcher who can't pitch. And any position player has to be able to take some fairly hard knocks against the dirt, turf, grass, other players...

Compare them to other major-league professional sports, not to Joe the grocery-store stockboy.

Last time I checked, pro-golfers were in MUCH better shape than the average person. I will wager money that the average PGA player is in better shape than the average MLB player.

[Darth Fanboy]

*AHEM* John Daly *AHEM*

But you're right for the most part, just because Golfers dont do anything that seems difficult doesnt mean it isnt. YOu know theres a reason that most every PGA golfer isn't allowed to use a cart (Casey Martin being the sole exception I can think of) I golf myself 9I walk, carts and pull carts are expensive) and after 18 holes which are about 300-350 yards onaverage each, that's a lot of hoofing.

Back to Baseball, oh hell yeah you need atheltic ability lots of it. Though with guys like david Wells you can't always tell. But Boomer has incredible arm strength and endurance.

[Darth Wong]

Saying that you need athletic ability hardly contradicts the fact that someone can be seriously out of shape and still play baseball. David Wells has a good arm but that's the only part of his entire body that's any good. That's not what any sensible person calls an "athletic" physique.

PS. back to the point I originally made, baseball is lousy exercise. Try playing a hockey or soccer game and then try playing a baseball game, and then just try to tell me you got as much exercise from the baseball game as the hockey or soccer game.

[Joe]

You don't really get a workout from baseball, but usually you do have to be fairly in shape physically to succeed in the sport.

[Darth Wong]

You don't really get a workout from baseball, but usually you do have to be fairly in shape physically to succeed in the sport.

Not by the standards set by world-class athletes in other sports.

[Joe]

Not by the standards set by world-class athletes in other sports.

Well, of course not. But other than a couple of exceptions, you can't just be totally out of shape and succeed.

[Darth Wong]

Not by the standards set by world-class athletes in other sports.

Well, of course not. But other than a couple of exceptions, you can't just be totally out of shape and succeed.

The same is true of furniture movers.

[Darth Fanboy]

Saying that you need athletic ability hardly contradicts the fact that someone can be seriously out of shape and still play baseball. David Wells has a good arm but that's the only part of his entire body that's any good. That's not what any sensible person calls an "athletic" physique.

My point was not regarding to physique, but ability, which Wells has.

PS. back to the point I originally made, baseball is lousy exercise. Try playing a hockey or soccer game and then try playing a baseball game, and then just try to tell me you got as much exercise from the baseball game as the hockey or soccer game.

When you are playing screw around rec league little league baseball yes, playing on a competitive team in a competitive league is great excercise and you get more of a chance to actually participate in the game which is important also.

[Darth Wong]

When you are playing screw around rec league little league baseball yes,

You seriously feel you get as much exercise from little league baseball as you do from hockey or soccer, where you run ragged and sweat buckets? Are you delusional?

[RedImperator]

all your punny little american sports will be overrolled by the mighty sport of soccer in a couple of decades. baseball won´t be an exception.

Soccer has been struggling for decades to get on to the national radar. The problem is there are very few great American players--hence our history of disgraceful failure in the World Cup. Our best male athletes play football or basketball. Our female athletes are another story--we've got the best female pro players in the world because under a section of American law called Title 9, colleges are required to give equal funding to mens and womens sports programs, and much of that money has gone into women's soccer. However, the women's professional league just folded for lack of interest and sponsorship, so they're not a good example.

[Darth Fanboy]

When you are playing screw around rec league little league baseball yes,

You seriously feel you get as much exercise from little league baseball as you do from hockey or soccer, where you run ragged and sweat buckets? Are you delusional?

Hockey I think is the most physically demanding sport, in fact I backed it in the "Who do you think are the best ahtletes thread"

Back when I played Soccer and Baseball I would have had to say that Little League was a more demanding sport. The season was also longer so that level of physical activity was maintained longer as well.

[BoredShirtless]

Back when I played Soccer and Baseball I would have had to say that Little League was a more demanding sport.

What position did you play, left right out? The half time orange cutter? Don't kid yourself, you never played soccer during your little league days.

[Darth Fanboy]

Back when I played Soccer and Baseball I would have had to say that Little League was a more demanding sport.

What position did you play, left right out? The half time orange cutter? Don't kid yourself, you never played soccer during your little league days.

Shortstop for baseball, midfielder for soccer. Im sorry if MY OPINION of MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES doesnt match yours, now fuck off.

EDIT:

Do they even have Little League Baseball in Germany?

[BoredShirtless]

What position did you play, left right out? The half time orange cutter? Don't kid yourself, you never played soccer during your little league days.

Shortstop for baseball, midfielder for soccer. Im sorry if MY OPINION of MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES doesnt match yours, now fuck off.

Oh did I hurt your little feelings? Poor baby.

EDIT:

Do they even have Little League Baseball in Germany?

Not that I'm aware.

[Darth Fanboy]

Oh did I hurt your little feelings? Poor baby.

Hurt my feelings? You think too highly of yourself,but it angersme to no end when people try and tell me thatmy own personal opinions are wrong. You also claimed I was lying about my own soccer/baseball experience. hence me telling you to fuck off.

Not that I'm aware.

Then how can you evaluate the athelticism required to participate in it? Again, I reiterate, Fuck off.

[BoredShirtless]

Oh did I hurt your little feelings? Poor baby.

Hurt my feelings? You think too highly of yourself,but it angersme to no end when people try and tell me thatmy own personal opinions are wrong. You also claimed I was lying about my own soccer/baseball experience. hence me telling you to fuck off.

Don't be so touchy.

Not that I'm aware.

Then how can you evaluate the athelticism required to participate in it? Again, I reiterate, Fuck off.

I've got eyes, I've seen people play baseball. Darth Wong is right, it's one of the few sports which you can play at the highest level with a beer gut.

[Vympel]

You think baseball is boring? Try cricket. Now there's the game of yawndom.