Cricketers playing major league baseball

[BoyBrumby]

I'll be back

Welcome back, mate.

Ironic the Swervester arrives back on CW's doorstep in the week Dicko is forcibly ejected from his permanent residence in the spare room.

 

[Autobahn]

If you cant hit it out of the park you are really not worth much to the game and thats what bothers me most about baseball. I reckon if they played with a flat bat alone it would generate alot more appraoches to batting rather than the basic heave ho.. thats what the game lacks in the batting department its just to much orientated to the "Pop Eye" type guy.

There have been plenty of batters who have been very valuable players without hitting a lot of home runs, Wade Boggs, Tony Gwynn, Ty Cobb, Ozzie Smith, Ichiro Suzuki to name but a few. Wiki them.

There is a lot more approaches to batting than simply "heave ho pop eye" types, you have people who are more contact focused and don't have the uppercut that a power-hitters swing has, you have players who merely attempt to slap and bunt the ball around and get on base using speed, some batters who work the count to try and eke out walks to first base and so on.

What i love about baseball and cricket is that you are rewarded for studying the game and working out the finer points.

 

[Riggins]

I very much doubt they could adapt.

Cricketers would also have to get used to standing in the batters box with only a helmet on. No pads.

It would take years to make the transition and unless you did it as a youth I think it would be a fruitless quest.

I cannot imagine what it feels like for a professional cricketer to stand up without wearing pads, only a helmet.

 

[slippyslip]

Devon White I Am not sure if he is still a MLB player - grew up in Jamaica and played cricket as a youngster. He took up baseball at 13. I remember that he was good at hitting low fastballs.

I remember him. He was centre fielder with the Blue Jays when they won the World Series twice back in the 90's. Not 100% sure though.

Plenty of Australians have played in the MLB including the all star game and in a winning world series team. Considering that baseball is only tiny in Australia, who is a small country anyway, compared to cricket I find it hard to believe that MLB is that HARD to at least to get into.

 

[Scaly piscine]

I think that the odd cricketer who just happens to be one of those natural sportsman could certainly turn their hand to baseball. There's no way baseball would be any more immune to that than most other sports.

Also as said above there are plenty of other pockets that produce more than their fair share of players. There are plenty from places which certainly aren't what you'd call sporting hotbeds.

 

[slippyslip]

Cricketers would also have to get used to standing in the batters box with only a helmet on. No pads.

Right, because when the bases are loaded the pitchers are going to be aiming at your legs.

 

[slippyslip]

I'm surprised that anyone would disagree with SS' statement. Even if you remove the worst sides like Pakistan from the equation, the "average" baseball player is far more athletic and a better fielder than the average cricketer. If you were to include Pakistan/Bangladesh and the likes, there is no comparison at all.

Yup

Prince Fielder is a fine athlete.

Look at that gut hanging over his belt.

WHAT AN ATHLETE!

 

[King Pietersen]

You get bloaters in most sports though. In cricket you've got the likes of Inzamam, Fats Patel, Blackwell, Leverock, etc. My favourite fatty in sport has to be Roy Nelson though. In a sport dominated by well toned athletes like Georges St-Pierre you've got this guy fighting for the most talent-rich organisation in the world:

He's also developed a mullet. Mullet + Belly = One heck of an athlete. WAG.

 

[zaremba]

Mullet + Belly = One heck of an athlete. WAG.

Reminds me of the classic equation: Socks + Sandals = Beard

 

[Hurricane]

Right, because when the bases are loaded the pitchers are going to be aiming at your legs.

Randy Johnson - not sure if he is still playing was capable of pitching the ball anywhere even with the bases loaded. I wouldn't trust him.

 

[Hurricane]

I remember him. He was centre fielder with the Blue Jays when they won the World Series twice back in the 90's. Not 100% sure though.

Plenty of Australians have played in the MLB including the all star game and in a winning world series team. Considering that baseball is only tiny in Australia, who is a small country anyway, compared to cricket I find it hard to believe that MLB is that HARD to at least to get into.

That is him.

 

[Swervy]

Welcome back, mate.

Ironic the Swervester arrives back on CW's doorstep in the week Dicko is forcibly ejected from his permanent residence in the spare room.

gutted