Category Archives: Baseball

The Curse of the Billy Goat – A Tribute to Chicago Cubs Fans

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In a sports world where fans jump aboard the bandwagon on a whim and lose faith in their team, one must give credit to Chicago Cubs fans. Not since 1908 have Cubs fans been able to celebrate a World Series Championship. Over a century has passed filled with close calls, curses, trades, Steve Bartman and the birth of an iconic announcer. Contrarily, on the South end of the city you will find another big league club that has since won two World Series. With the third largest fan base in the Major Leagues and a high payroll, what attributes to the Cub’s lack of success?

Your oldest Cubs fans will tell you about perhaps the second most famous curse in sports, second to the ‘Curse of the Bambino’ that is. The Curse of the Billy Goat. It dates all the way back to the fourth game of the 1945 World Series when the Cubs were facing the Detroit Tigers. The story begins with a Greek immigrant named William “Billy” Sianis, owner of Chicago’s famous ‘Billy Goat Tavern’. Sianis would frequently sneak the goat into public places, often for publicity to attract customers to his tavern. And on that day of October 6th, 1945, Cubs personnel allowed Sianis and his pet goat “Murphy” to jog onto the field before the game in comedy. Sianis had even purchased a ticket for Murphy. By the fourth inning, fellow Cubs fan had become enraged of the goat’s odor and therefore, Sianis was asked to leave Wrigley Field.

There are many variations in what ensued afterwards. Some say that he cursed the Cubs and claimed that they would never play in the World Series again. Others say that he said the Cubs would never win another game, period. The Cubs would go on to lose the World Series to the Tigers. Afterwards, Sianis responded with a telegram to Mr. Wrigley, owner of the Cubs, cursing the Cubs exclaiming “Who Smells Now?” Nearly a year later, Wrigley responded to Sianis with an apology letter asking that Sianis and his goat start rooting for the Cubs again. Sianis, however, was not ready to lift the curse until 1969, some 24 years later.

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How to Choose Baseball Batting Cages

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Baseball batting cages are covered and closed cages where baseball lovers practice batting. These cages can be built outdoors or indoors if space permits. They are normally rectangular in shape. Some also come in cube shapes.

There are three commonly used types of cages. The most popular is used for leveled floors. Herewith, everything is manually done. A pitcher throws the ball onto a waiting player. The batter hits the ball at will. The ball is picked once it hits the ground. This is accomplished by either player or a tertiary member of the practicing team.

The second type involves a sloped floor base. The floor is intentionally sloped. This allows the balls to automatically roll back to an oncoming machine. The machine pitches the balls for the batter to hit.

The last cage is completely automated. A machine for pitching the balls is still present. But additional mechanical devices automatically are also used. These picks up the balls and load them to the pitching machine.

Sizes of baseball batting cages vary according to its purpose. In general, average cages are measured at 13 feet in height, 16 feet in width, and 55 feet in length. In terms of usage, length is determined based on usage. These are for different leagues like Pony, Bronco, Little League, Mustang, and Pinto. Secondary, Collegiate, and Pro Baseball Leagues also follow a specified measurement. For the latter group, cage lengths used are often at 60 up to 70 feet. While the former ranges from 38 to 54 feet in length.

Major components of baseball batting cages are stands, frames, screens, and nets. Stands and frames maybe made from iron and steel. These are often galvanized to protect from damage. This can be caused by weather and environmental conditions.

Screens are often L-shaped. Some are also shaped as squares. L-shaped screens are pitcher friendly. Square-shaped ones protect third party personnel which operates pitching machines used. Screens can be connected to frames and stands or can stand alone by themselves. There are portable, handy screens which can be carried around easily.

Nets are knotted in either braided or twisted forms. Twisted types are stronger and more resistant from breaking. Braided or knitted types on the other hand are less abrasive. Nets are often made from nylon or polyurethane. They can be attached permanently or temporarily to the screen.

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How To Bunt

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I won’t say a player can make a living or impress the girls without hitting towering home runs, but a good bunter, at the proper time, can be as valuable as gold, and the older you become, the more valuable.

Unfortunately, some coaches don’t believe in taking the appropriate amount of time to teach the skills of bunting, and yes, it is a skill. It’s understandable up to a point, as there’s plenty enough to learn, trying to hit the ball, much alone learn a controlled bunt.

However, the conception bunting is not an important aspect of the game is totally wrong. Not only is bunting an important play at all levels, perhaps more so the older the players become, but it can be a great aid in helping a youngster become a better hitter.

Sometimes it’s an easier path to explain and eliminate what not to do before tackling the how to do elements.

When a player squares around to bunt he must be careful to not be standing on home plate, because if he’s making contact with the plate when he bunts the ball, he’ll be declared out.

When the hitter squares to bunt and slides his hand up the barrel of the bat, he must not wrap his fingers around the bat exposing his fingers to danger, as I shouldn’t have to explain the painful consequences of fingers smashed between the ball and the bat.

The hitter should not stab or lunge at the ball with the bat. The ball should hit the bat which is being gently held absorbing the impact resulting in the ball going fair, but a limited distance. Stabbing or lunging at the ball will only result in a missed strike or a ball hit much farther than intended.

Never, unless it’s a suicide bunt, try to bunt a high pitch. High pitches are extremely difficult to bunt towards the ground, as the ball has a tendency to pop up into the air which normally results in an easy put out.

The sacrifice bunt is used to give up an out, the hitter, in order to advance a base runner to scoring position, whether it be to second base or third base.

The worse thing a hitter can do when faced with this situation is trying to be cute and disguise his intention to bunt by swinging his bat wildly around, as all this does is throw off the bunter’s timing and ruins his mechanics.

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A Pitcher’s Guide to the Top Pitches in Baseball

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There are a variety of pitches in the game of baseball. The number and types of pitches in a pitcher’s arsenal can contribute significantly to the performance on the mound. Each pitch is unique and can be used in combination with other pitches to dominate opposing batters. Use the below guide to get a basic understanding of the most popular pitches in the game of baseball.

Fastballs

1. Four-seam fastball – The four-seam fastball is the most common fastball. The four-seam fastball typically has little side-to-side movement and it maximizes a pitcher’s velocity. To throw a four-seam fastball, the pitcher grips the ball with his index and middle fingers with the seams perpendicular to his fingers.

2. Two-seam fastball – The two-seam fastball is slightly less popular than the four-seam fastball but is still a very common pitch. The two-seam fastball is slower than a four-seam fastball and it has a slight downward movement. To throw a two-seam fastball, the pitcher grips the ball with his index and middle fingers on the ball where the seams are closest together.

3. Cut fastball (cutter) – This pitch is used when a pitcher wishes to have slightly more movement than a two-seam fastball. The cutter has a small break just before reaching home plate which often can result in a ground ball if the hitter does make contact. To throw this pitch, the pitcher grips the ball similar to a two-seam fastball but applies slight pressure with his middle finger during release.

4. Split-finger fastball (splitter) – The splitter is a fastball that is thrown to maximize fastball movement. When thrown, this pitch appears to be a normal fastball to the batter. However, as this pitch approaches the plate, it has big and sudden downward movement. To throw this pitch, the pitcher grips the ball with his index and middle fingers on either side of the ball thereby “splitting” them. The ball is thrown with a lot of force, but because of the grip, the velocity is slower than a two or four-seam fastball.

Changeups

1. Circle-change – The circle change is the most common type of changeup. This pitch has movement from left to right with a right-handed pitcher. To throw this pitch, the pitcher grips the ball with his middle, ring, and pinky fingers, and makes a “circle” with his index finger and thumb on the side of the ball. This pitch is thrown with the same arm motion as a fastball, but by taking the index finger off the ball, the velocity is reduced significantly.

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Top 5 Tips for Bunting a Baseball

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Bunting is an absolutely critical part of the game of baseball. It can be used in a number of different situations such as moving runners by sacrificing the hitter, bunting for a hit, or using squeeze plays to score a run. Proper technique is necessary for bunting in baseball, and every player should learn this skill at a young age. The below tips are the top five things that every player should know about bunting.

1. Know the Situation

Every situation calls for a different bunting approach, so you need to make note of the defense and what you are trying to accomplish. When evaluating the defense, you want to make note of the first and third basemen positions, the quickness and arm strength of the catcher, pitcher, and third and first basemen, and whether the pitcher is left or right handed. You also want to consider the goal of the current situation. For a bunt-for-a-hit, you want to delay showing bunt as long a possible to catch the defense off guard. For a suicide squeeze, you want to make sure that you absolutely make contact with the ball at all costs. Every situation has a slightly different approach.

2. Hold the Bat Correctly

The bat should be held with the lower hand at the bottom of the bat near the knob. You should slide the top hand just over half way down the bat and grip it between your thumb and curled index finger. The fingers of the top hand should always be behind the bat to prevent them from being hit by the ball. The bat should be kept as level as possible as a tilted bat can often result in a pop-up.

3. Use Your Legs

After you have squared around to bunt, you want to use your legs to move your body and the bat vertically up or down to make contact with the ball. If you use your arms instead, the tendency is to tilt the barrel of the bat up or down which can easily result in a pop up.

4. Only Bunt Strikes

For many players, bunting is something that is rarely attempted during games. When players finally do get the bunt sign, they often get so involved in the process of bunting that they can forget that they still have the option to pull the bat back if the pitch is not a strike. This can result in poorly bunted balls or complete misses. With regard to evaluating balls and strikes, bunting should be no different than other at-bats, and hitters should keep this in mind.

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