You know you're addicted to pitching / baseball when

#1

-there is a baseball within arm’s reach of your computer at all times
-you check this forum more than once per day
-you know exactly how many of your strides it takes to pace off 60’6"
-you know how many days remain until pitchers and catchers report
-you see an open space on a wall and think of how many different drills could be performed there
-it’s possible to identify a pitcher’s name by looking only at his bottom half
-when watching any baseball game, you stop to conduct a frame by frame analysis of the pitcher’s delivery
-when watching a baseball game on TV, you have to stop yourself from shaking off the catcher’s signs
-you and your son communicate across a crowded shopping mall by flashing a predetermined set of signs
-you have already made plans to watch the next baseball film that will show on TV
-your dreams sometimes take place on the baseball field
-you find yourself trying to will the pitcher to throw over to a base when the runner’s getting a bit too much lead
-all of your metaphors tie in with baseball in some way
-someone begins an attempt to cut the line at the supermarket and you think “he’s goin’!”
-you bend down to tie your shoelace and analyze your own foot pronation at foot strike
-you perform some mundane household task and think about what muscle group it aids
-someone throws you a sofa pillow and you instinctively respond with, “Nice arm.”
-you drive past the ball fields in the winter and curse the snow
-while waiting for your food at a restaurant you are watching pitching videos on your smart phone
-anytime you hear a resounding glove pop, you instinctively turn your head in that direction

If any of these are you, or if you can think of some others, add them here…

:smiley:

#2

Also, if you get injury report text messages so you can assess how much difficulty your favorite team will have or how your fantasy team will do.

#3

When I’m shopping in the supermarket for fresh fruit and vegetables—or even canned ones—I invariably use my slider grip. I used to pitch, many moons ago, and the slider was my strikeout pitch. 8) :slight_smile:

#4

How about driving somewhere on a business trip and having to fight the urge (sometimes without success) to pull over and watch when you happen by a high school/college scrimmage or practice. God help me if there are bullpens going on…I think it has offically become a sickness.

#5

Fearsome, you just reminded me of a day when I was out for a walk and I happened to pass Macombs Dam Park near Yankee Stadium! At one of the playing fields (now no longer there) two teams were warming up for a game, and they were whipping the ball around the infield, and the third baseman on one of the teams threw the ball wide and it came skittering in my direction. I picked up the ball, and so help me, I don’t know what got into me—I went into a full windup and threw a curve right in the direction of the catcher. It was in there for a strike. The guy came running up and wanted to know what else I had besides that curve—and then the manager came up and wanted to know if I could stick around and pitch a couple of innings late in the game. I did so, pitched three scoreless innings, and in the eighth inning I walked and scored on the next batter’s triple.
We won, 5-2, and the next thing I knew, the manager wanted to know if I would like to play regularly with them. I had free weekends, and so I agreed, and that started it. I pitched for more than twenty years, never lost a game, but then I had to stop when my work schedule caught up with me. It was fun while it lasted. Ah…memories… 8) :slight_smile:

#6

You know a kid is addicted to pitching when he decides to throw instead of playing video games.

#7

So true

#8

I thought this topic was worth a re-visit. The Boston Red Sox bus left for Florida today. I’ve known this date since the end of the World Series. When the news reported it today, I thought to myself that I had “scooped” the media on that one. Also like the list at the top of the topic…pitchers and catchers report in one week! Are you excited for what this season may bring?

#9

Yes and…maybe?
As a fan I always am. I always make the drive to California for some games. I have enjoyed college baseball here locally for some time. Hopefully we get some warmer weather than usual when the local D1 and JC (one of the best JCs in the western US) are playing at home. It is pretty high level baseball and very enjoyable to me. In many ways I enjoy the amateur game (college) more than the pro game. In some ways the amateur game (high school mostly) is hard for me watch.
On a personal level, as a father, it is tougher. My son is dealing with getting over a couple of nagging injuries and was cut by his college team. So, he is training to try and find a school this summer. It is never easy. On a personal level baseball for my son and I has been a lot like life…some highs and lows, a bitter sweet experience. Not to try and wax poetic or anything too cheesy, but, it is hard to not miss the days when my kid was 14 and just started playing baseball. Driving him and his buddies to the field for a game when there was no pressure and the road ahead for them and baseball was wide open. Now, out of that whole group of a dozen and half boys one is still playing, one out injured (with Tommy John) and one (my son) still determined to make it work at the college level…the rest have fallen away from the game or the game has pulled away from them. My son is still on the journey with baseball, but, the road is narrowing. Like I said, bitter sweet.

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