Monthly Archives: September 2005

Bob Klapisch has covered baseball in New York since the heyday of the Mets in the 1980s. He is a columnist for The Bergan Record and a contributor to ESPN. Now in his forties, he continues to play semi-pro baseball. Yesterday, he contributed a terrific post about playing ball to The Baseball Analysts. Klapisch’s article has some keen insights into the pysche of ballplayers, and it is nice to see him write something longer, and more personal. But Klap isn’t just a guy who loves to play the game, at heart he’s a pitcher, and they are a breed apart:

From Little League all the way to Cooperstown, there’s a fraternity convened by the adrenaline rush of throwing a baseball. Bret Saberhagen once told me, “Nothing matches making a hitter swing and miss. It’s the greatest feeling in the world. Guys who retire, they spend the rest of their lives looking for it, but once you stop pitching you never get it back.”

…So why do I keep pitching? Probably for the purest reason of all – it’s what I do, at least when I’m not writing or helping feed the kids. To stop now would mean tearing away layers of psychological flesh. I guess I’m afraid of what’s underneath. Middle age, maybe.

I sent the article to Pat Jordan, the veteran journalist and former pitching prospect for the Braves. He replied:

The allure of pitching is about being in control and playing God. Nothing happens without you. You control the game, good or bad. also the feeling of ball off fingertips and your ability to make it spin and do things is exhilarating. I love to throw a baseball. The feeling of artistry and power in making a ball approach the plate with the speed or curve that I dictate is unrivaled in anything else I’ve ever done, including writing. I was born to be a pitcher, but taught myself to be a writer. I was an artist on the mound, but, alas, am merely a craftsman, like a brick layer, in front of a typewriter.

Which brings me to another thought. Why do the best jock-turned-writers all seem to be pitchers? Jordan, Jim Brosnan, Jim Bouton. Glenn Stout pitched in an over-30 league for years. What gives? Michael Lewis was a pitcher when he was in high school, Rich Lederer was a pitcher back in his playing days, and Will Carroll was too. Bouton thinks that it “may be that pitchers spend a lot of time sitting around.” What do you think?

“I still like how we feel right now,” Manager Joe Torre said. “We have a great deal of confidence right now. A game like today is not going to shake that.”

I’m glad that Torre feels that way. I felt far more discouraged yesterday after the Yankees dropped the final game of a four-game set in Seattle yesterday afternoon, 5-1. But I should keep things in perspective, especially considering what is happening in New Orleans right now. I know the two don’t have anything to do with each other, I simply mean that in light of the distressing situation down there it is inappropriate for me to feel too grave about how our team is playing. Jaret Wright was beaned by a line drive in the collarbone in the sixth inning. It was a scary moment, fortunately, x-rays were negative. However, Taynon Sturtze, Alan Embree, and Ramiro Mendoza did not pitch well in relief, while Joel Pineiro had a fine game for the M’s. It was an unfortunate loss. The Bombers fell another game behind Boston who beat up Tampa Bay again (Ah, so that’s what good teams do–beat the bad ones). The Red Sox offense has carried a mediocre pitching staff. Meanwhile, the Yankees have scored six runs in the last three games combined. The Angels beat Oakland last night, and the two teams are tied for first in the AL West, and tied for the wildcard lead with the Yankees.

As I made my way out of my apartment building this morning I saw several brown leaves on the ground. The weather, which has been hot and muggy for the past few days, was clear and lovely and for the first time this year I thought, fall is near. For a decade that’s meant one thing for Yankee fans: the playoffs. Yet with 29 games left in the regular season, the Bombers are no lock to play October baseball. Funny, but I feel more confident in their chances should they reach the playoffs than in their ability to actually make it in the first place (damn those Devil Rays). From here on out, the wins will be that much sweeter and the losses more painful. Joel Pineiro is starting for the Mariners this afternoon and he’s not a bad pitcher, but the Yankees have to win this game and that is all there is to it. I feel if they can take two-of-three from the A’s, Rays, Sox and Rays again, they should be in good shape.

Time to step up, fellas.