Any baseball players here?

I started playing as soon as I could swing a bat, and played through high school on private teams; played first and pitched. I wasn't good enough (or just not sufficiently motivated to work at it) to go further than that, so I let it slip. I realized lately that I kind of missed it, so I've decided to dip my toes back in the water.

And actually, if all I do is get my swing back and spend some afternoons in the cages...well, it beats golf. I have some good cages not too far from the end of one of my delivery routes, so I figure I'll just keep the bat in the truck and stop by a couple nights a week. I like the unstressful physical activity for it's zen-like way of clearing the mind. (Zen Baseball - has anybody written that book yet?)

Just wondering what I've missed in the intervening 15 (oh god...) years. I'm kind of thinking of looking for a batting coach to start me back on the right track. Otherwise, I'm planning on just starting super slow and working my way up to real honest-to-god pitches after a while.

On the plus side, adult sized bats are suddenly a lot lighter when you're, you know, adult size. Bought a spankin' new Louisville Slugger yesterday - felt good to have some fresh lumber in my hands again.

With their mania for the sport, I'm sure Zen Baseball is a club/group/book someplace in Japan.

Good point. Forgot all about that.

Surprisingly enough, Zen Guitar is a good read.

You weren't tempted by an aluminum bat? Or you just wanted to stick with what you knew. Hitting with an aluminum bat feels WAY different than with a wooden one.

Kinda surprised you found a place with batting cages. They are becoming like drive in movie theatres. Anomolies

Played from age 5 until age 20. This will be the first year I don't play, and I sure do miss it. I'm considering starting to umpire it.

In reply to triumph5:

My last league was all aluminum bats, and I never really liked it. I vastly prefer wood.

And the sound of a proper connection of ball to wood bat is just pure magic.

For whatever reason, there are a a handful of cages within a 30 minute drive of the city. Good ol' midwest, I suppose. EDIT: And I just found this place, right downtown! Awesome!

I played through HS. I hurt my shoulder and now just play slow-ball.

I'm a no-talent, out of shape hack playing first base on my company softball team. Does that count? We finished second in league last year...

Will wrote: I'm a no-talent, out of shape hack playing first base on my company softball team. Does that count? We finished second in league last year...

Just remember to stretch for the throw to first, and everybody will think you're a pro.

I also played from tee ball all the way through senior year, and a few years of slow pitch softballl after that. Its been a while (about 7 years or so now) since Ive even tossed a ball. But my nephew will be starting his first year of real pitch baseball this spring, so I suppose its time to dust off the old Rawlings leather, and remember to follow through.

I was the starting pitcher of an all-star game during little league. My highest accomplishment to date It's been down hill ever since. Really though, I do miss that feeling of running out onto a ball field without a care in the world.

Wooden bats are like wooden steering wheels. There's something about them that is just right.

Same with guitars made of real solid wood. Some of them fancy new composites play real nice (the first Parker Fly I played BLEW. MY. MIND.) but they just don't feel like a guitar's supposed to feel.

Something about wood just vibrates sympathetically with human hands.

i played from 4 through high school, and keep up on my swing. i was a catcher so my knees are wasted. i play in semi competitive games a few times a summer.

I visited Cooperstown!

I played from 0-3 in my backyard then I played from 4-15 very competitively. Our H.S. team had to do lots of mandatory fund raising on the weekends, but it turns out that racing also happens on the weekends. Raising took over from there and I haven't played yet. Me and my buddies are doing Intramural slow pitch softball...not going to be the same.

Have fun with it, it's a great sport. Steven