Why Aren't Baseball Players Be Athletic?

[theBruiser500]

One of the reasons I don't like baseball is because they are so unimpressive to me as athletes, really it's frustrating to watch. So we have these baseball players here getting enormous amounts of money- I wonder how much they even practice. It doesn't look like a lot, why are some of them fat, why couldn't Manny make the simpliest of defensive plays in this game vs. the Yankees in extra innings when he turned that single into an out. Compared to other sports baseball players are like big ogres.

Some people have told me the players are fat because it adds power to their swing, but this seems like a cop out to me. Why can't they be not fat and strong? What's the deal guys?

[ThaSaltCracka]

your post makes no sense.

[sublime]

beat me to it

[Neil Stevens]

Probably because all the athletic ones get torn down by detractors as being on steroids.

[sublime]

I think the "out of shape" baseball player is more the exception now

[theBruiser500]

Okay, I was trying to make a quick post. My point is that baseball players don't impress me. Manny Ramirez turns that simple single into a double with his incompetence, some players are fat and can barely run. Sheffield (I think) made some bad play on defense where he gave up a double, Varitek can't even catch a knuckleball. These guys just do not impress me, they seem like second rate athletes.

[ThaSaltCracka]

you go catch a 70 mph knuckleball, it ain't easy. Then turn around and hit a 400ft HR.

[Lawrence Ng]

It's got to do with the dynamics on the game. Players may look like they are physically out of shape, but they're not.

You don't need a hell of a lot of endurance or stamina to run to 2nd base most of the time. All you need is great accelation and the ability to run short distances very very fast.

The game is mostly about hand, arm, and shoulder strength combined with excellent eye coordination. If you don't have the arms to throw, hit, then play soccer instead.

Wanna know something that does require a bit of everything and demands atheletes to be in tip top condition? Playing goaltender for Ice Hockey. We're talking stamina, endurance, flexibility, superior hand-eye co-ordination, mental toughness, and extreme patience.

[theBruiser500]

If he has trouble catching the knuckleball, he bets paid $100 million a day or whatever, he should keep practicing until he can catch it. He dropped I think 3 different pithches, gross.

[ThaSaltCracka]

Wakefield is one of a few pitchers in the the entire majors that pitches a knuckleball. Why should he waste practice time on that, when some scrub back up catcher can catch him instead.