Fascinating article in the Boston Globe on the issues with BK. It seems that BK is the anti-Pierzynski. Where the Giants’ catcher seems to be disliked for playing cards when he’s supposed to be going through the lineup, the issue with BK is that he works out so fanatically to the point where teammates like Damon just want him to relax and play PlayStation:
You don’t ever see him on the road except at the park. And, when you see him, he’s working on his mechanics. We want him to play PlayStation with us.
MacMullan notes that this work-to-the-bone attitude is common among Asian athletes. In defence of my continent, we’re not all industrious worker-bee types. Some of us watch way too much baseball for that. :) And if you’ve ever watched Singaporean athletes, many would unfortunately disprove the notion of Asian athletes wanting to work out too much. For that matter, speaking of Asian athletes, has anyone ever thought Hideki Irabu - Steinbrenner’s favourite fat, pussy toad - worked out too much?
So nationality and culture play a part in BK’s current state, but so does the fact that he’s a petulant 25-year-old man who doesn’t seem to always want to take advice. Weird that no one ever seems to mention that Damon is half-Asian, not even when he’s quoted in the context of a discussion on how culture may affect work the ethic. Of course, culture is a function not just of ethnicity but of nationality, and Damon’s as American as all get out. Oh well, here’s hoping Pawtucket is a good shake-up. The kids at Brown and RISD have, um, materials that will help you get you more relaxed, so I hear.
(Incidentally, no quote from Schilling? He’s known BK the longest, presumably.)
But that’s why baseball’s a great game. Some pitchers can work too hard. Some pitchers look like David Wells and succeed like him. Some players look like the buff Gabe Kapler and hit like, well, Gabe Kapler. Whereas others look like Calvin Pickering and hit at obscene XXX levels (admittedly against AAA pitchers). In how many sports could someone who looks like El Guapo ever get a decent shot of making it to the top of the profession?
Incidentally, if the sinker supposedly sinks a bit better when pitching on short rest (i.e. tired arm), would a submarine pitch not have as much effective movement with a tired arm, since it might have unwanted sinking action instead of that nice nasty movement?