Adult Baseball League

[WRXtranceformed]

Well that's what Travis was saying so.....

Most of baseball is sitting on your ass or standing and waiting for the ball to come to you. It definitely takes skill, but it's a lazy sport.

Yeah, trying to cover 100 feet to catch a ball, having to react instantly to a ball coming off the bat of someone 90 feet away from you, and sprinting 180 feet around the basepath is definitely lazy .

While I understand what you're trying to say Lee, Travis didn't exactly make the same point as you. Yes, you aren't moving every second, but it's not like any out of shape person can come play. In fact, 9 times out of 10 the only out of shape player on the baseball field is the pitcher, and even that has its own little quirks.

I know dude, I used to play baseball too. That's why I quit and stuck with soccer. You have to be in good shape to play almost every sport competitively, that doesn't mean you're going to work your body that hard.

Our softball league was very competitive (ie running as hard as possible on the bases, fielding balls, etc.), and I wouldn't be tired at all after playing 3 games in a row. These came after a day at work in construction! ha ha. I am also TERRIBLY out of shape when compared with my soccer / physical training days (playing in Germany, etc.). After each and every soccer game I'd be bruised up, cut up, and ready to pass out from tiredness.

I'm not necessarily taking anything away from baseball, it's definitely a difficult sport to be good at, but even baseball players don't deny that most of the time you're standing around or sitting waiting for your turn to bat. Just watch Soriano in the outfield if you ever go to Nats games (if he's still even with them now). He literally looks like he's a) bored out of his face or b) sleeping on the job until the off chance that he gets a ball hit his way.

[HAULN-SS]

Heh, I would not agree that pitchers are the msot out of shape player on the team. Pitchers usually have to do a shitton more running than anyone else on the team in practice/off season. They may not be ripped up and bulky like some of the other players, but I guarantee their core muscles and legs are as strong as anyone else - that's where most of your speed comes from as a pitcher.

[Mike]

ahem... 1st base... cecil fielder? mo vaughn?

[Kaan]

center field... kurby pucket.... that fat man could move though!

[HAULN-SS]

Yeah - I was gonig to say either first or catcher would be the most out of shape players - but even thats not the case in MLB. Teams have started to get rid of the Mo Vaughns of the world - they want fast people on their teams .

[Mike]

catcher? i don't know if i'd go that far. i caught in a few fall leagues and it was more of a workout that any other position...

[Sijray21]

i played all positions throughout my career and 1st base is the least amount of physical activity needed. Catchers have to have a good amount of physical fitness IMO.

pitchers need the most endurance and strength out of everyone on the team IMO - a successful long-lasting starter anyway. it all depends on the purpose of the individual on the roster...

[damnit458]

Yeah - I was gonig to say either first or catcher would be the most out of shape players - but even thats not the case in MLB. Teams have started to get rid of the Mo Vaughns of the world - they want fast people on their teams .

Eh its a tossup between first and pitcher. I only say pitcher because while it is good to be in top shape, pitch speed really doesn't have much to do with it. You're not going to gain much velocity by lifting weights, thus pitchers can afford to be out of shape. I didnt really mean the ones that dont look ripped, i meant more the david wells, bartolo colons, etc. Given better shape = more endurance. Anyway, yes, first base also is a pretty lackluster position in terms of top physical shape, but as was stated above thats starting to become phased out.

Catcher definitely should not be mentioned with the above. Squatting for 9 innings alone is enough wear and tear that most catchers hit their prime and end their careers way earlier than almost all other position players.

[damnit458]

Just watch Soriano in the outfield if you ever go to Nats games (if he's still even with them now). He literally looks like he's a) bored out of his face or b) sleeping on the job until the off chance that he gets a ball hit his way.

He's not with them (hooray cubbies on another stupid move), but I think him not being at second base had a little to do with that :wink: . Anyway I understand your point.

On another note, Im totally going to own some girls in coed IM softball this year at JMU .

All kidding aside, I find it a lot more enjoyable to play sports when everybody involved actually wants to play and has a basic knowledge of the sport, which isn't always a given here unfortunately.

[HAULN-SS]

So - do you guys know any baseball glove repair shops in the area? I have a Glovesmith that I havent been using because it needs to be relaced - and there are actually a couple tears in the leather between the fingers. It'd be nice to get it repaired - if you know baseball gloves you know Glovesmiths are not cheap..I have been using my old Louisville for the time being.

[HAULN-SS]

Just as an update here - season started.

my team got slaughtered on our first outing. We basically got outpitched. The other team had a former Cy young runner up whose name escapes me right now. We only got to play 6 1/2 innings. It one run game through 4, then by the end it was 20-6. hopefully our next outing is a lot better - but, really, i think this team that i'm on is not nearly as good as they were last year, which sucks..kind of why i picked them, because they were good last year, figured if they had the same returning players they might be again...but a lot of the guys stayed on team and stopped coming to the practices ;\

[WRXtranceformed]

Jesus that is one hell of a ringer to have on your team!!!!!

I don't think playing in a league like that would even be fun for me unless I played college or semi-pro baseball. The competitive but much less talented company softball league is like perfect for me =P

[HAULN-SS]

haha. I mean, it's really not that bad. I'd say most people are pitching low - mid 80's from what i've seen so far. If you can get past that mental block of "omg, i have .6 seconds to swing at this" the rest of the game is just pitch and catch with players who run slower than me (most of them are late 20s - mid 30s in age), and don't hit as hard (yes, there are exceptions..i'm just making the point that it helps to be young).

I wish i could think of that guys name again - he played for cincinatti I think someone said, and i looked up their team roster, but it was incomplete and didnt have everyone listed. For the most part, the players are former college guys, a few D1 players, and a few former semi pro, and a few former pro guys.

Oh btw, I got a strike, couple fouls, then 4 straight balls for my at bat, and we got slaughtered right as I was next up so I only got one at bat in ;\
..scored though