Ray - I think you should modify your story to say that you took that 3-2 pitch deep for a walk-off homer. You stood at the plate and watched the ball sail over the fence, did a Papi-esque flip of the bat and rounded the bases while the other team left the field with their heads hung low. Just before you got lost in a wild celebration at home plate you shouted to the dejected pitcher "still want me to swing?"
That's much better than reality. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ray Daniel Salemi Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 12:14 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Team Meeting The game ended poorly. I was the tying run and was standing on third base with two outs. The batter was a lefty. He hit a sharp line drive to right field, and ran home tagged the plate, and turned to see the other team congratulating each other. The batter was so slow (too fat) that the right fielder had thrown him out at first in a force play. Doh! On Tue, May 22, 2012 at 12:07 PM, Tom Salemi <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Hah! I had that exact same exhange/outcome in softball a few years back. Zinged it right past his head. On Tue, May 22, 2012 at 12:03 PM, Ray Daniel Salemi <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: We just had an excellent softball game this weekend where the opposing pitcher yelled at us for not swinging at his bad pitches and taking our walks. I yelled back, "We'll swing when you start throwing strikes." Then, I was on deck, then I was up (slow pitch softball, btw, so no brushback threat). The guy threw me three balls in a row, and I watched them go by. The catcher's patter was "C'mon he's not swinging. He won't swing. Make him swing." The pitcher threw a strike, that I watched go by. He threw another strike that as a little low for my liking. 3-2 and the catcher is saying, "Yeah! He has to swing now. You're making him swing." The pitcher threw another strike and I lined it over his head for a single. So, in this case, I think the guy bore down and focused on his objective. Being yelled at many not make your fastball faster, but perhaps it causes you to visualize what's important a little better. On Tue, May 22, 2012 at 11:59 AM, Steve Ouellette <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: I don't believe that yelling at someone improves his fastball. On Tue, May 22, 2012 at 11:57 AM, Dan DiBiase <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: I don't believe in coincidences. Dan D Central NJ USA ________________________________ From: Tom Salemi <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2012 11:44 AM Subject: Team Meeting So maybe a manager can't or won't make a stand .... but can players? Read the report on the team meeting. Is the better record merely a coincidence? Or were Beckett & Co. dragging it and had to be called out? If the Red Sox rally to make the postseason, they might look back to a players-only meeting on May 11 as a turning point. Error! Filename not specified.<http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/page/Great-American-Race-yankees-red-sox-rays-tigers-angels-rangers-battle-for-supremacy-040412> GREAT AMERICAN RACE<http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/page/Great-American-Race-yankees-red-sox-rays-tigers-angels-rangers-battle-for-supremacy-040412> The Junior Circuit is poised for epic AL pennant chases<http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/page/Great-American-Race-yankees-red-sox-rays-tigers-angels-rangers-battle-for-supremacy-040412> this season. The night before, right-hander Josh Beckett<http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/josh-beckett/104633?q=josh-beckett> had allowed seven runs in 2 1/3 innings and the Sox had lost to the Indians at Fenway Park 8-3. Designated hitter David Ortiz<http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/player/david-ortiz/85214?q=david-ortiz>, the team's longest-tenured member, called the meeting, and apparently it was a doozy. "Heated," was the adjective one player used. The hitters challenged the pitchers to "step it up," according to two sources. The overall theme was that each player needed to take responsibility. The effect was immediate, and positive. The Red Sox won their next five games, and since the meeting have won seven of nine overall. Error! Filename not specified.<http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/lists/What-has-led-to-the-recent-troubles-the-Red-Sox-have-experienced-051112> RED ALERT<http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/lists/What-has-led-to-the-recent-troubles-the-Red-Sox-have-experienced-051112> The Boston Red Sox used to beMLB's lovable idiots<http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/lists/What-has-led-to-the-recent-troubles-the-Red-Sox-have-experienced-051112>, but fans are no longer amused. There is no way to know how the rest of their season will play out, whether the Sox will surge after their injured players return or whether manager Bobby Valentine, after a rocky first seven weeks, will find the right touch. But one criticism of the Sox toward the end of last season was that some of their players acted with a sense of entitlement. The fried-chicken-and-beer episode was the most vivid example of such behavior. On May 11, led by Ortiz, the players took a stand. Maybe it was a start. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Red Sox Citizens" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]<mailto:redsoxcitizens%[email protected]>. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Red Sox Citizens" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]<mailto:redsoxcitizens%[email protected]>. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Red Sox Citizens" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]<mailto:redsoxcitizens%[email protected]>. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Red Sox Citizens" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]<mailto:redsoxcitizens%[email protected]>. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Red Sox Citizens" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]<mailto:redsoxcitizens%[email protected]>. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Red Sox Citizens" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Red Sox Citizens" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en.
