i know this is a bit blasphemous and maybe not the area to post this, but i wondered.....a back story..
me and t were at the A's/Red Sox game last year...complaining about tony clark's anemic performance at the dish...and t comes out with this claim....
"I could hit .200 in the bigs"....
i looked at him, stone faced and utterly baffled by his statement....so told him not only could he not hit .200 in the bigs, he couldnt hit .200 off a tee.....a heated discussion ensued only quelched by the hot dog guy...anyways, i stand by my comment that he couldnt hit in the bigs...at all....i think we left it that he couldnt even get a hit....in 300 at bats....no hits...nothing....i know that i couldnt get a hit.....im to chickens hit to stand in there....
so my question to the forum is twofold....
1) do you think you could hit in the bigs?
2) which player do you most likelly relate yourself to?
i think id be a pedriq...or maybe a tommy herr...wouldnt get much playing time, but id embarass myself when i did get the opportunity....
Considering that pitchers have played baseball their whole lives and can't hit .200, I doubt most of us have a chance in hell. If I compared myself to an RBI'er, I would be a few notches below Steve Lake...
The bat would never leave my shoulder, I would go far a walk everytime. Then bring in a pinch-runner. And I'll play DH...
Take your friend down to the batting cages, and stick him in the 90 MPH cage. Some batting cages only have a high 80MPH, since very few people are dumb enough to try 90. Make sure you tell the guy working there to pump it up to 90. Remind him of your conversation & make sure to bet what ever you can get from him.
After he dries his pants, remind him some pitchers throw harder than 90MPH & he's not seeing sliders, curves, sinkers, split fingers, changeups, etc. That should change his mind real quick. The last time I stepped into a 90MPH cage, it's aim was a little wild. Not a fun experience.
As for hitting, it depends on what medium. I'm a natural right hander. However playing years of wiffleball and softball have screwed up my timing, so I have trouble hitting fast pitching. Hence when I play stickball or head to the batting cage, I have to hit lefty. Unfortunately this hurts my power. I would say my RBI guy would maybe be hmmm. Whitaker? Although I do better in the clutch, so maybe I should be Wade Boggs? ;-)
Mike
Yeah, I remember going to the batting cages a while back, and feeling pretty good about myself after I was able to gear myself up to hit in the "Fast" cage. Then I asked someone working there, how fast the "fast" cage was....
60 mph
yuck.
Most pitchers hit in the .100s or less, and they're professional athletes. I've never met your friend, but he can't hit in the bigs.
Yeah, think about it. A lot of the pitchers you would see at the high school level were some of the better hitters, too. But "pretty good" can't cut it. Having a catch at the Major League level would freak a lot of people out. If your friend made contact at the major league level--that would be a huge deal.
I'd like my chances if I were facing a fellow knuckleballer like Tim Wakefield. 60 MPH is somewhat fast to me so I wouldn't be jumping out that much. I went to the cages last week and was taking some pretty good shots at 60 but with the knuckle I'd probably pop them up. But after awhile, I think I could get that hit. Of course, you never get to face those knucklers to often. I've never been to a cage with 90. Fastest is 80 at our cage and it always sticks in the machine throwing my timing off so I'm always out in front. I can hit it but not very well. I doubt I could catch low 90s. I'd hate the thought of facing Billy Wagner with 100.
I coached youth baseball a couple years ago with a guy who threw close to 80 (he was clocked at 80 a year before; I'd guess he was in the mid-70's when I batted) - I took a few cuts against him, and I was able to make some solid contact. He was only throwing fastballs, though. I think I would only stand a chance against a pro if I only got down-the-middle fastballs, from someone who isn't a fastball pitcher. One breaking ball, though, and I'd probably throw my shoulder out of joint trying to find it with my bat.
im glad im not the only one who thinks t was on crack...thanks guys