Batters Box Rituals

[Ltlabner]

I love how Phillips gets settled into the batters box and then windmills the bat 7 or 8 times. Sean Casey had a fancy ritual of fidgeting, pulling, tugging, etc etc.

What batter has the weridest or most elaborate batters box ritual?

[jimbo]

I always liked how Dante Bichette twirled his bat.

[westofyou]

Mike Hargrove, the Human Time Delay.

[GAC]

Use to love to watch Morgan and the elbow "hitch".

[Dunner44]

Watch Q McC next time he comes in to PH..... he looks like gumby, and not in a funny green ball of clay way. More of a "please stop you're scaring the kids" way.

[blumj]

Nomar

[macro]

Casey's ritual annoyed me.

[LoganBuck]

Leaving Sean Casey off the list would be insanity. I know he had a system, but his batting glove adjustment, hip twitching, and butt shaking used to drive me nuts. Also Quinton McCracken all that movement, just goes to show you how he justifies taking a shower after a game, he breaks a sweat getting into hitting position, and then running 85 feet. The last 5 are towards the dugout.

[savafan]

John Kruk whenever he had to face Randy Johnson

[IowaRed]

There wasn't that much body movement but there seemed to be something menacing about the way George Foster waved his bat over the plate.

Harry "The Hat" Walker took his hat off between every pitch

The Hal Morris 2-step

Stargell used to twirl is bat around and around

[Razor Shines]

How Hal Morris ever made it to the Majors without some coach nailing his back foot to the ground has always amazed me. I suppose it's because he always hit, but it goes against everything you're taught.

[tripleaaaron]

What about Terry Pendeltons, crotch-grab, cup adjustment, classic.

[Razor Shines]

Sammy Sosa's little kissing his fingers routine always made me want to punch an infant, how I prayed he would poke himself in the eye.

[Tommyjohn25]

I've always like Ichiros ritual, holding the bat parallel to the ground and the sleeve pull....looks very confident.

[ghettochild]

if you watch phillips he will glance at the bat every time he windmills it

[RFS62]

Nom-ah

[Newman4]

Craig Counsel's albatross-looking swoon into his hitting position.

[Marty and Joe]

Definitely Nomar - that readjusting of his batter's gloves a gazillion times is the most annoying thing....

It reminds me of Jose Maria Olazabal on the golf course. That guy looks at the flag so many times while standing over the ball...it appears as though he's making sure it doesn't move on him.

One I like (besides Morgan) is Sheffield and the way he cocks that bat. It's almost like he's winding the coil tighter and tighter...and, when he let's that thing rip.....that's one vicious swing.

[Highlifeman21]

Definitely Jim Thome with the crotch grab and then the bat point at the pitcher.

Doesn't get any better for my money.

[dabvu2498]

Willie McGee's pigeon-toed stroll while dragging his bat to the box like he was in serious pain always used to get me. When he hit the ball, he sure could run though.

[Red Taylor]

My dad says Dave Parker had a batters box routine, but he couldn't remember exactly what he did. Can someone tell me about Parker? He was a little before my time.

[Red Taylor]

Mike Hargrove, the Human Time Delay.

Don't get mad at me for this, but my dad says to tell you Hargrove was the Human Rain Delay, not time delay. I told him he should register and tell you himself. :)

[westofyou]

Don't get mad at me for this, but my dad says to tell you Hargrove was the Human Rain Delay, not time delay. I told him he should register and tell you himself. :)
Tell your dad he's correct.

My bad... now I have to watch him manage the local MLB team and it's almost as painful.

[gonelong]

Joe Morgan's arm flapping was probably the most unusual thing I have ever seen.

GL

[macro]

My dad says Dave Parker had a batters box routine, but he couldn't remember exactly what he did. Can someone tell me about Parker? He was a little before my time.

I don't remember his exact routine, but he would turn out of the batter's box after each pitch (or so it seemed) and take a little mini-stroll toward the dugout, then circle around and get back into the box. I think he had this funny windmill motion on his bat as he awaited the pitch, as well.

Anybody remember Jose Cruz of the Astros, and the way he held his bat really high?

[TOBTTReds]

The Jim Thome point. Used to immitate it all the time when I was younger. That guy just knew he was going to drill any fastball...still does.

[forfreelin04]

I don't remember his exact routine, but he would turn out of the batter's box after each pitch (or so it seemed) and take a little mini-stroll toward the dugout, then circle around and get back into the box. I think he had this funny windmill motion on his bat as he awaited the pitch, as well.

Anybody remember Jose Cruz of the Astros, and the way he held his bat really high?

I think you might be thinking of former Red Darnell Coles. I think he played with Seattle before coming to the Reds. Seems like forever ago like I'm thinking well after the WS champs in 90 but before the playoffs in 95 he played. If it isn't him your thinking of, then Darnell did the same thing. He used to lean into every called pitch as it was being called and then proceed to cross the plate and walk back around to the box. Would drive me crazy now but as a kid it made those 9 pitch at bats seem much more tense. Like it was a chess game or something. I mean it had to annoy the pitcher!

My two cents and I do not know why it hasn't been mentioned yet. But Austin Kearns!!!!!!!!!! If you haven't noticed it yet watch how he chews on that batting glove and then tightens it back up. Its like a jack russell on a dish rag.

[cincinnati chili]

Anybody remember Jose Cruz of the Astros, and the way he held his bat really high?

I used to imitate his stance. Little league coaches didn't like it as I didn't have the bat speed to do that kind of nonsense.

Dude was a great player. That dome made his numbers seem much less impressive than they really were.

[Jpup]

Eric Davis, Jr., and Bonds are my favorites. How about Julio Franco? How he hits, I will never know. A-Rod has a routine as well. Most everyone has there own little routine.

When I was hitting, I would always step out and bite my left sleeve during my practice swing, ala Matt Williams. It helped me keep my head in and eye on the ball.:D

[RollyInRaleigh]

Roberto Clemente was always twitching his neck and stretching his back before he got ready to hit. He always looked so uncomfortable at the plate before he locked in, but once he was locked, it was the pitcher who was feeling the discomfort.

Bobby Tolan's high hands were always fun to watch. Rose and his crouch was definitely a classic. Bench did nothing that stood out before he hit, but he always looked so confident when he was standing in the box. Lee May's bat was always wagging nervously back and forth as he waited for the pitch. Tony Perez had a very subtle and hardly visible rocking motion as he waited for the pitch.

[BuckU]

Kearns adjusts (tightens) the Velcro on batting gloves with his teeth between pitches...

[Deepred05]

Roberto Clemente was always twitching his neck and stretching his back before he got ready to hit. He always looked so uncomfortable at the plate before he locked in, but once he was locked, it was the pitcher who was feeling the discomfort.

Bobby Tolan's high hands were always fun to watch. Rose and his crouch was definitely a classic. Bench did nothing that stood out before he hit, but he always looked so confident when he was standing in the box. Lee May's bat was always wagging nervously back and forth as he waited for the pitch. Tony Perez had a very subtle and hardly visible rocking motion as he waited for the pitch.
Lee May had the most menacing routine. There was only one thing on his mind.

[TOBTTReds]

Kearns adjusts (tightens) the Velcro on batting gloves with his teeth between pitches...

He also pulls on his thumb after he lets go of the bat with his left hand. That tells me he still isn't over his injuries, or he needs to actually put more than two fingers on the bat with his left hand.