Don't EVER tell me hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in sports

[daveakl]

ok, how about this then.

Deion Sanders is one of the best CB's to ever play football. He could make an open field tackle. He also will be int he hall of fame.

He was an avg. MLB baseball player.

[Burgold]

I'll take it from the pitcher's perspective. This MLB pitcher is either going to throw a lollipop as a birthday present to Crystal or he's going to make sure he isn't embarrassed by a 60 year old comedian. I think that's the law of sports ego.

The fact that Crystal made contact is pretty cool. The fact that he pushed the strike count to 3-1 before blooping ain't bad either. Sounds like the pitcher didn't want to give up the hit to the geezer comedian and while he may not have used his best stuff wasn't exactly going easy either. Upper 80's ain't exactly slow.

[Destino]

ok, how about this then.

Deion Sanders is one of the best CB's to ever play football. He could make an open field tackle. He also will be int he hall of fame.

He was an avg. MLB baseball player.

Different skill set. How many baseball players are going to score hockey and soccer goals in nomral game conditions against pros? How many baseball players are able to play starting point guard in the NBA?

[daveakl]

Different skill set. How many baseball players are going to score hockey and soccer goals in nomral game conditions against pros? How many baseball players are able to play starting point guard in the NBA?

Tom Glavine was drafted as a hockey player.

Some would argue MJ could ahve played point guard.

My point is that an athlete can play alomst any sport and be someone what sucessful at it. Fast reflexes, increased endurance, etc. Baseball is the hardest of the sports to master though.

[Guest sith lord]

ok, how about this then.

Deion Sanders is one of the best CB's to ever play football. He could make an open field tackle. He also will be int he hall of fame.

He was an avg. MLB baseball player.

You just made my argument. He was somewhat successful as a baseball player. I'm sure Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens both have some football experience, I guarantee that neither would have made an NFL team in their primes. Look at Brock Lesner. He's still pretty young and he fell on his face trying to make an NFL team. But guys who excel in other sports are somewhat good in baseball.

[BigMike619]

Then what is it?

Im going to say trying to hit a slap shot.

you gotta balance on skates, hit the puck AND be accurate at it. All while on ice.

I dunno, but thats my thought.:2cents:

[daveakl]

You just made my argument. He was somewhat successful as a baseball player. I'm sure Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens both have some football experience, I guarantee that neither would have made an NFL team in their primes. Look at Brock Lesner. He's still pretty young and he fell on his face trying to make an NFL team.

You have it backwards. The best NFL and NBA players weren't nearly as good at baseball. The best MLB players could play NFL or NBA or even NHL but there is more money in MLB so they play that. (also less hard on yoru body)

[Destino]

Tom Glavine was drafted as a hockey player.

Some would argue MJ could ahve played point guard.

My point is that an athlete can play alomst any sport and be someone what sucessful at it. Fast reflexes, increased endurance, etc. Baseball is the hardest of the sports to master though.

Hardest sport to master? lol

It's the easiest sport to play at the high level. It requires the least endurance and conditioning of any sport. The only time the average player breaks a sweat is when it's a particularly hot day.

It's also the only sport to my knowledge where a player can be traded and start for his new team the very next day. There is almost no quick thinking needed from the players on the field compared to any of the other major sports.

Put a great athlete in a batting cage all day long with a good coach and he'll be able to hit a baseball eventually. Put a baseball player in another sport and he may need months of conditioning before he can even play it for the full length of time required.

[BigMike619]

You have it backwards. The best NFL and NBA players weren't nearly as good at baseball. The best MLB players could play NFL or NBA or even NHL but there is more money in MLB so they play that. (also less hard on yoru body)

Deion was mediocre at best at MLB but excelled in the NFL.

Bo was damn good in both sports though.

Charlie Ward was a Heisman winner at FSU for football and had a good career in the NBA.

I know those guys are more the exception then the rule but it still isnt that uncommon.

[Destino]

Hardest thing in sports? Hole in one.

[Guest sith lord]

It's also the only sport to my knowledge where a player can be traded and start for his new team the very next day. There is almost no quick thinking needed from the players on the field compared to any of the other major sports.

Next day? Try the VERY SAME DAY! Players have played for two different teams on the same day that they were traded.

[Brian Larkin]

I hate the internet.

[DCSaints_fan]

As several people have hinted at its not the single act of getting a base hit against a major league pitcher, its the consistency. I'd venture the average atheltically fit guy in his 20s-early 30s could probably hit ~.100 in the MLB, just by guessing and getting lucky, but thats totally different than players who hit > .275 with OPS in the .800 - .900s. Those players actually read the pitches and don't just guess, as well as having exceptional bat speed for power - thats the hard part.

[BigMike619]

Hardest thing in sports? Hole in one.

staying clean in MLB.

[Guest sith lord]

Hardest thing in sports? Hole in one.

We have a winner.

[daveakl]

Hardest sport to master? lol

It's the easiest sport to play at the high level. It requires the least endurance and conditioning of any sport. The only time the average player breaks a sweat is when it's a particularly hot day.

It's also the only sport to my knowledge where a player can be traded and start for his new team the very next day. There is almost no quick thinking needed from the players on the field compared to any of the other major sports.

Put a great athlete in a batting cage all day long with a good coach and he'll be able to hit a baseball eventually. Put a baseball player in another sport and he may need months of conditioning before he can even play it for the full length of time required.

wow, the lease endurance and conditioning of any sport? really?

true, not really quick thinking as much as it is quick reaction. But NHL and NBA players play the next day all the time. NFL is one of the only sports that doesn't because it is not as much reaction as much as it is set plays.

I would totally disagree with that last part. That's something the vast majority of minor league and college players do and look at how many of htem ever get to the big leagues.

[daveakl]

Hardest thing in sports? Hole in one.

It can't be that. People 100 years old have been able to do it. Could a person 100 years old hit a MLB pitch or tackle a NFL player?

lol

[Guest sith lord]

true, not really quick thinking as much as it is quick reaction. But NHL and NBA players play the next day all the time. NFL is one of the only sports that doesn't because it is not as much reaction as much as it is set plays

But not to the extent of MLB. In baseball, you play about 5 or 6 days in a week as opposed to the NBA and NHL where you play like 3 games a week.

[Mufumonk]

I'll take it from the pitcher's perspective. This MLB pitcher is either going to throw a lollipop as a birthday present to Crystal or he's going to make sure he isn't embarrassed by a 60 year old comedian. I think that's the law of sports ego.

The fact that Crystal made contact is pretty cool. The fact that he pushed the strike count to 3-1 before blooping ain't bad either. Sounds like the pitcher didn't want to give up the hit to the geezer comedian and while he may not have used his best stuff wasn't exactly going easy either. Upper 80's ain't exactly slow.

It tells me that he was aiming his pitches (trying to give him something to hit) and his control suffered from it.

[Guest sith lord]

It can't be that. People 100 years old have been able to do it. Could a person 100 years old hit a MLB pitch or tackle a NFL player?

lol

But compared to hitting a HR, less people have hit a hole in one. And as they say, there's a lot of luck in golf.

[Burgold]

It tells me that he was aiming his pitches (trying to give him something to hit) and his control suffered from it.

Could be, but doesn't that mean that the batter won? Crystal got into the guy's head

Honestly, I don't know that much about baseball. It would have been cooler if he got a single or a double, but the fact that he knicked it when the pitcher wasn't handing out gifts is kind of cool.

[DjTj]

Put a great athlete in a batting cage all day long with a good coach and he'll be able to hit a baseball eventually. Put a baseball player in another sport and he may need months of conditioning before he can even play it for the full length of time required.

So is "eventually" longer than "months"?

I think that given the experiences of Micheal Jordan or Deion Sanders, the timeline for "eventually" hitting a baseball at a Major League level is much longer than the months of conditioning necessary to play other sports.

It's true that the requisite level of fitness is relatively low compared with football or basketball or soccer, but the level of skill is arguably much higher.

Many players do not start playing football until college, and can still make the NFL. Antonio Gates didn't play in college at all, and he is a Pro Bowler. That kind of stuff doesn't happen in baseball. I think the amount of skill you need, and the amount of time you need to acquire it, are much higher in baseball than in other sports ... there is a higher skill factor but a lower athletic factor.

So is it "harder"? It depends what you mean by "harder."

[Burgold]

Double post. At least I didn't hit a triple.

[Destino]

wow, the lease endurance and conditioning of any sport? really?

true, not really quick thinking as much as it is quick reaction. But NHL and NBA players play the next day all the time. NFL is one of the only sports that doesn't because it is not as much reaction as much as it is set plays.

I would totally disagree with that last part. That's something the vast majority of minor league and college players do and look at how many of htem ever get to the big leagues.

Other than golf what sport requires less endurance and conditioning?

Soccer, hell no. Football, no unless we are talking about kickers. Basketball, hell no. Hockey, hell no. Not to mention the fighting sports which require the most.

Standing on a plate or in the outfield or sitting in the dug out doesn't require a hell of a lot of conditioning. You just need quick bursts... something every other major sport also requires on top of the constant activity.

[Burgold]

Mind you, the hardest thing to do in sports might just be

Jessica Simpson and then win a playoff game