• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

why dont cricketers try baseball?

deira

Banned
i play both cricket and basball, i am a average batsmen in cricket but i am amazing at batting in baseball. why dont cricketers try baseball? i really think they would do great because batting in baseball is so much easier.
 

archie mac

International Coach
i play both cricket and basball, i am a average batsmen in cricket but i am amazing at batting in baseball. why dont cricketers try baseball? i really think they would do great because batting in baseball is so much easier.
In Aust in the 60s Baseball was a winter sport and many FC cricketers played cricket in the summer and Baseball in the winter, players like the Chappells, Lawry and O'Neil were very good at both, I think the fact that they are now both summer sports has meant choosing:)
 

sideshowtim

Banned
I'm surprised a few more MLB franchises don't come scouting great batsmen as designated hitters. If they made the grade (which I understand would be difficult) they could make a lot of dollars post-retirement.

Guys like Adam Gilchrist who have tremendous eyes and forearm strength could transfer their skills to baseball quite well I think.
 

Julian87

State Captain
It is a completely different technique though. It'd be like trying to turn one of the best halfbacks in rugby league into an AFL player.
 

Lillian Thomson

Hall of Fame Member
I can think of no reason why a cricketer should be any good at baseball. The only First Class Cricketer I remember who attempted to take it up as a profession was Ian Pont and he failed miserably...........mind you he wasn't all that successful at cricket either.
 

Googenheim

U19 12th Man
No idea how the batsmen and bowlers would fare in the corresponding departments in baseball, but looking at the quality of some of the ground fielding in baseball, I'm pretty sure 90% of all cricketers would look rank amateurs in that department.
 

Mr Mxyzptlk

Request Your Custom Title Now!
i play both cricket and basball, i am a average batsmen in cricket but i am amazing at batting in baseball. why dont cricketers try baseball? i really think they would do great because batting in baseball is so much easier.
Baseball is not easier though. Batting may be easier at a very very low level of the game, but it takes something special to hit 100mph pitches moving gratuitously through the air. And to throw those pitches with accuracy and action is even more difficult.

Heck even hitting 80mph pitches is a good effort, let alone picking pitches that are in the strike zone. And let's not even get started on how difficult it is to hit a home run under pressure.
 

Mr Mxyzptlk

Request Your Custom Title Now!
I'm surprised a few more MLB franchises don't come scouting great batsmen as designated hitters. If they made the grade (which I understand would be difficult) they could make a lot of dollars post-retirement.

Guys like Adam Gilchrist who have tremendous eyes and forearm strength could transfer their skills to baseball quite well I think.
There are enough designated hitters in baseball who would put Gilchrist to shame. These are people who have spent most of their lives playing the sport, and not cricket.
 

Somerset

Cricketer Of The Year
To be fair, cricket is the most popular summer sport in all the test playing nations so it makes a bit more sense IMO that it takes priority over baseball (or softball, as in New Zealand's case - at least we can win in that!).

I don't necessarily agree that baseball is easier as I'd say that if a professional cricketer was thrown into a (reasonable level) baseball league, having to slog everything to what would effectively be mid wicket to extra cover would be a bit unusual and require a completely different mindset.
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
Football seems more popular all year 'round in England. But maybe that's just in the south.
I'd say it's even more popular up here so no it's not just in the south :)

The fact that there isn't any football in June and July makes cricket the most popular by default in those months I guess :laugh:

In non-tourno years anyway, and there are no major tournaments this summer :ph34r:
 

Goughy

Hall of Fame Member
A few years ago ESPN and a group of 'experts' evaluated everything in sports (and no cricket wasnt included) and concluded the hardest thing to do in sports was to his a 100 mph pitch for a home run.

I dont know how they came to that decision as there are some pretty freaky things those little gymnasts can do.

However, as much as I disagree with the conclusion, there is no doubt that its a very tough thing to do, requiring years for it becoming natural.

Ive been to batting cages many time and they hit high 70s. Making contact is never an issue, but making great contact and hitting long is very tough.

I think many cricketers could be good at both if they were brought up with both. But to expect them to be able to make a switch with none of the familiarity is expecting a lot.
 

Engle

State Vice-Captain
Yes, scientifically speaking, it's a lot harder to hit a baseball with a baseball bat than it is a cricket ball with a cricket bat.

Practically speaking, I've seen recreational baseball players at sea trying to play cricket. They just cant fathom a ball bouncing first, spinning off the ground etc. Even when giving them buffet balls, they failed to connect. It's a swing thing.

Another aspect is that baseball players tend to be strong muscular types like B.Ruth, H.Aaron, J.DiMaggio, M.McGuire, S.Sosa, B.Bonds. I dont see the great smallish batsmen such as Bradman, Tendulkar, Lara succeeding.

Tho batsmen do play the wider variety of strokes and may have a slight edge adjusting, my thinking basically is that it's a 0 - 0 tie. Cant be good at both.
 

PhoenixFire

International Coach
No idea how the batsmen and bowlers would fare in the corresponding departments in baseball, but looking at the quality of some of the ground fielding in baseball, I'm pretty sure 90% of all cricketers would look rank amateurs in that department.
You are kidding right?

The ground fielding in cricket far outstrips that of baseball. If someone makes a ground stop with their hands in baseball, they talk about it for weeks and weeks.
 

andruid

Cricketer Of The Year
Yes, scientifically speaking, it's a lot harder to hit a baseball with a baseball bat than it is a cricket ball with a cricket bat.

Practically speaking, I've seen recreational baseball players at sea trying to play cricket. They just cant fathom a ball bouncing first, spinning off the ground etc. Even when giving them buffet balls, they failed to connect. It's a swing thing.

Another aspect is that baseball players tend to be strong muscular types like B.Ruth, H.Aaron, J.DiMaggio, M.McGuire, S.Sosa, B.Bonds. I dont see the great smallish batsmen such as Bradman, Tendulkar, Lara succeeding.

Tho batsmen do play the wider variety of strokes and may have a slight edge adjusting, my thinking basically is that it's a 0 - 0 tie. Cant be good at both.
Never listen to pundits for objective judgement its not possible....
 

Top