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silveradept[This is part of a series exploring the Baseball Tarot. If you would like to prompt for a part of the game or a card from the deck, there's still plenty of space. Leave a comment with a prompt. All other comments are still welcome, of course.]
There are four ways to leave a baseball game before the end: substitution (as in a pitching change our a pinch hitter or runner), getting benched (same action as substitution, but with the implication of poor performance, whether physically or mentally), getting ejected (most commonly for arguing with the umpire over things that are not appealable, but also for fighting, for pitching to strike the batter intentionally or too often, for using a bat that is not regulation weight, and other offenses the umpire or the rule book demand ejection for), and getting hurt.
Injury is a common thing in baseball just from playing the game. Players routinely put stresses on their bodies that are not in the range of normal human behavior, like diving for balls, accelerating and decelerating quickly, sometimes with very sharp turns or contact with reasonably solid bases... or players. (A takeout slide, designed to disrupt a double play by forcing the relay fielder to jump or dodge the sliding runner, is legal, but if you slide spikes up, with the rather dangerous and sharp parts of the cleat pointing at a player instead of the base or the dirt, if the umpire doesn't get you, the other team will do so, much less politely. Also, it is sometimes the decision of a runner that the only way they will be able to be safe at home is by deliberately initiating a collision with the catcher in the hope that they will lose control of the ball and thus not provide a legal tag.
Players get hit by pitches in all sorts of sensitive areas. The worst ones are usually protected by helmets, supporters, and guards, but batters get hit on the hands, back, knees, and other parts of the body. With pitch velocity for fastballs staying, on average, in the 90s of miles per hour, "That's gonna leave a mark." is an understatement. Catches wear extra protection because slight contact with the bat can redirect a pitch into their face or groin (or that of the plate umpire) when it was headed for their mitt. Pitchers must deal with their own balls being batted back at them at higher velocity (and with less protection - a head injury would potentially be fatal), as well as broken bat bits, should the bat shatter on contract. Players can also strike the outfield fences at their own full velocity if not careful. (The dirt that extends several feet in front of the fence is called the warning track because a player that has been feeling grass underneath their feet as they track a fly ball needs advance notice that their full-tilt run is about to hit an object that will not move when they strike it. Many players take advantage of the warning to time jumps into the wall to make catches.)
Pitchers suffer repetitive motion injuries, often electing surgery to graft a tendon to their throwing arm from another area after the first wears out (Tommy John surgery). Players play 162 games in the season, plus pre-season and, possibly post-season games, often in blocks of three or four consecutive days. And, eventually, age comes for us all, such that even Cal Ripken, Jr., who currently holds the streak of longest consecutive games played, must eventually retire, preferably before the career-ending injury.
Injury is so common in baseball that there are various lists where a player can be placed that inactivates them for a specified number of days. The 15-day DL, the 90-day DL, and so forth. It is important to take care of the body when playing professional or amateur sport - the professionals all have trainers to help them with this. Otherwise, you end up sidelined, having to sit out games due to injury.
When you're sidelined, you get to do two things: cheer and heal. The card for this in the Baseball Tarot depicts a player on the steps of the dugout, all by himself, watching the game, with his left arm in a sling. Being sidelined indicates all is not healthy with you, and that you are much better suited to staying out of the action for now and letting yourself heal up to strength. An injured player may feel better after a week on the DL, but if they push it, it's even more likely they'll hurt themselves and worse than the initial injury. This is a time of forced waiting - it would be a good time to examine yourself and reflect on other practices while you wait to come back to full strength. Thinking about it now could prevent you from re-injuring yourself. So cheer, and analyze, and mentor, and help yourself understand. (Keep score, too.) Learn some new stuff while you wait. But most importantly, remember to heal. And to wait until you're fully healed before returning.
There are four ways to leave a baseball game before the end: substitution (as in a pitching change our a pinch hitter or runner), getting benched (same action as substitution, but with the implication of poor performance, whether physically or mentally), getting ejected (most commonly for arguing with the umpire over things that are not appealable, but also for fighting, for pitching to strike the batter intentionally or too often, for using a bat that is not regulation weight, and other offenses the umpire or the rule book demand ejection for), and getting hurt.
Injury is a common thing in baseball just from playing the game. Players routinely put stresses on their bodies that are not in the range of normal human behavior, like diving for balls, accelerating and decelerating quickly, sometimes with very sharp turns or contact with reasonably solid bases... or players. (A takeout slide, designed to disrupt a double play by forcing the relay fielder to jump or dodge the sliding runner, is legal, but if you slide spikes up, with the rather dangerous and sharp parts of the cleat pointing at a player instead of the base or the dirt, if the umpire doesn't get you, the other team will do so, much less politely. Also, it is sometimes the decision of a runner that the only way they will be able to be safe at home is by deliberately initiating a collision with the catcher in the hope that they will lose control of the ball and thus not provide a legal tag.
Players get hit by pitches in all sorts of sensitive areas. The worst ones are usually protected by helmets, supporters, and guards, but batters get hit on the hands, back, knees, and other parts of the body. With pitch velocity for fastballs staying, on average, in the 90s of miles per hour, "That's gonna leave a mark." is an understatement. Catches wear extra protection because slight contact with the bat can redirect a pitch into their face or groin (or that of the plate umpire) when it was headed for their mitt. Pitchers must deal with their own balls being batted back at them at higher velocity (and with less protection - a head injury would potentially be fatal), as well as broken bat bits, should the bat shatter on contract. Players can also strike the outfield fences at their own full velocity if not careful. (The dirt that extends several feet in front of the fence is called the warning track because a player that has been feeling grass underneath their feet as they track a fly ball needs advance notice that their full-tilt run is about to hit an object that will not move when they strike it. Many players take advantage of the warning to time jumps into the wall to make catches.)
Pitchers suffer repetitive motion injuries, often electing surgery to graft a tendon to their throwing arm from another area after the first wears out (Tommy John surgery). Players play 162 games in the season, plus pre-season and, possibly post-season games, often in blocks of three or four consecutive days. And, eventually, age comes for us all, such that even Cal Ripken, Jr., who currently holds the streak of longest consecutive games played, must eventually retire, preferably before the career-ending injury.
Injury is so common in baseball that there are various lists where a player can be placed that inactivates them for a specified number of days. The 15-day DL, the 90-day DL, and so forth. It is important to take care of the body when playing professional or amateur sport - the professionals all have trainers to help them with this. Otherwise, you end up sidelined, having to sit out games due to injury.
When you're sidelined, you get to do two things: cheer and heal. The card for this in the Baseball Tarot depicts a player on the steps of the dugout, all by himself, watching the game, with his left arm in a sling. Being sidelined indicates all is not healthy with you, and that you are much better suited to staying out of the action for now and letting yourself heal up to strength. An injured player may feel better after a week on the DL, but if they push it, it's even more likely they'll hurt themselves and worse than the initial injury. This is a time of forced waiting - it would be a good time to examine yourself and reflect on other practices while you wait to come back to full strength. Thinking about it now could prevent you from re-injuring yourself. So cheer, and analyze, and mentor, and help yourself understand. (Keep score, too.) Learn some new stuff while you wait. But most importantly, remember to heal. And to wait until you're fully healed before returning.
no subject
Date: 2014-12-12 03:54 pm (UTC)Most of the time these days managers don't let players return until the trainer gives a clean bill of health, but some players play in pain until
they're caught at itafter the game.This is the point at which one brings up Herb Score, whose career largely ended when he was hit in the head.
no subject
Date: 2014-12-12 08:04 pm (UTC)Herb Score, wow. And we've had fifty years of improvements to velocity in the interim. Protection for the pitcher is definitely a thing that will have to be addressed very soon. Maybe the new Commissioner will do it.