If anyone who even casually follows the game of baseball was asked to name the most controversial manager of the past decade, there is little doubt that the first name out of their mouth would be current Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen.

In his new book, Ozzie’s School of Management: Lessons from the Dugout, the Clubhouse, and the Doghouse, author Rick Morrissey provides a unique look into a character who seems to always be in the spotlight.  To many, Guillen may seem to be just a crazy man out to get some attention, and perhaps steal it from his team, but Morrissey finds out there is a method to most of the manager’s madness.

The author had an up close view of Guillen during his years with the White Sox as Morrissey was covering the team for the Chicago Sun Times. This gives him unique perspective on Guillen’s career from the time he was hired in 2003 through the team’s World Series win in 2005 and to his departure from Chicago after the 2011 season.

Guillen is a great example of someone whose unique and strange style is envied and considered to be the reason his team is winning when they are doing well and also the reason they are losing when they aren’t doing well.

Morrissey tells the story of a man who put players in a game on a gut feeling that it would make a difference where sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn’t. Guillen is clearly not the typical manager as can be evidenced by the fact that he once took a pitcher out of a game simply because he told one of his sons that he would be able to see him on TV that day, and he knew a trip to the mound would secure that promise.

The author outlines the Ten Commandments of Ozzie as:

1. All Men are Created Equal, In Theory
2. Protect Your Employees from the Barbarians
3. Promote Serenity in the Workplace
4. Get Rid of the Clutter in Their Heads
5. Be Nurturing, No Matter How Much it Hurts
6. Find a Mentor
7. Don’t Confuse Team and Family
8. Play the Odds
9. Manage Up
10. It’s Better to Be the Matador Than the Bull (Usually)

Morrissey points a picture of a man who probably had the most trouble adhering to commandment number seven. Guillen is presented as an extremely loyal man whose loyalties often both help and hurt him. This is evidenced in a number of cases in the book, usually winding up to help the team in the long run, when the manager had stuck with a player out of loyalty for what they had done for him in the past.  This also helped him with his relationships with players as well, and will have something to show for it for some time to come. Guillen is clearly painted throughout the book as someone who outsiders either love or hate, but most on the inside who have dealt with him professionally love him.  If there is a player or coach who has worked with Guillen who has ended up not liking him, it is probably because that person did something Guillen completely did not respect.

A few of the topics covered in the book include:

• The true story behind Guillen’s feud with White Sox General Manager Kenny Williams.
• The close relationshio he has with his three sons, and the controversial tweets from his son Oney.
• His not so found views of sabermetrics, meetings and any type of scouting report.
• The idea that Guillen’s outspokenness hurts the chances of others who come from a Latino background in their hopes of landing a Big League managerial job.

The book came out nationwide on May 22 in hardcover. Although the book clearly does not cover much of the manager’s time with the Marlins, it does give the reader a good understanding of where that team may be headed.

Overall rating: 2.75/5

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• Ozzie Guillen, “The Franchise” (baseballreflections.com)

Your baseball hitting style is what you do at the plate before you swing the bat and baseball hitting mechanics are what you do when you are actually swinging the bat. If a coach wants to help you improve your baseball hitting mechanics, that’s one thing. But your very personal hitting style is an entirely different matter. It’s something that is your personal choice to do before the baseball hitting actually takes place. The smarter coaches will recognize this and leave your style totally up to you!

The point here is that basically you can do whatever you want as far as style is concerned and your style should not be altered by anyone. Sometimes fewer baseball hitting tips are better than more. Your baseball hitting style is something that you have decided gets you the best prepared to hit the baseball.

Baseball hitting styles vary tremendously from hitter to hitter and that’s the way it should be. If you’re comfortable waving the bat around, go for it. If you’re comfortable rocking back and forth, that too is absolutely fine. Styles vary, but you’ll find that after the style comes the mechanics of the swing and all the good baseball hitters are similar and have sound mechanics.

I know a baseball hitter who has the “style” of waving the barrel of the bat around in a very pronounced manner just before swinging the bat. It is definitely something you would not go out of your way to teach a player to do at the plate. But you know what? That’s his personal choice and the best way for him to prepare to hit. After all the waving of the bat, when the real moment of truth arrives and the actual baseball hitting takes place, he has outstanding mechanics. He has a very quick bat and a “short to the ball” yet violent swing and that’s why he is an extremely successful hitter! Wouldn’t it be foolish to ask him to change his style? Quite often coaches confuse mechanics with a player’s personal hitting style. Personally, I could care less if a hitter stands on his head while getting ready to hit. Who cares? The only thing that matters is that he has to be ready when the real moment of truth arrives.

Sometimes baseball players can be over managed. Occasionally, a baseball coach should forget about all the baseball tips on hitting and take a step back and let the players play. Yes, a baseball coach should by all means help you with baseball hitting mechanics or he shouldn’t be coaching. But as far as your personal style, as a baseball hitter, just do whatever you feel prepares you the best to hit the baseball and nobody involved in baseball coaching should ever try to take your personal baseball hitting style away from you!

What many coaches fail to realize is that you are in the hot seat at the plate and you have to feel comfortable when you are hitting. Not me, not your coach and not anyone else. This is a perfect example of “less being more.” A coach should deal with each hitter as an individual and taking a hitter out of his comfort zone at the plate is not productive for anyone. If your coach gives you a hard time, please have him contact me at his earliest convenience because we definitely need to have a chat!

Related articles

• Baseball Tips On Hitting: Focusing On Just This One Thing May Lead To Your Success! (baseballreflections.com)
• Baseball Tips On Hitting: How You Stride When Hitting Is Critical! (baseballreflections.com)
• Baseball Tips On Hitting: How Practice Is Mandatory For Your Success! (baseballreflections.com)

For those fans of daily Fantasy Baseball, you can now play here on one of our pages on Baseball Reflections thanks to our new partnership with FanSaloon.com!

Feel free to challenge me or any of our other writers. It’s free to join a 10 team game and the winner has a chance to join a monthly game with a chance of winning $250.

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I still can’t believe it. Premeditated, unwarranted, just disgusting. For those of you who haven’t heard, Cole Hamels recently launched a harpoon from the pitcher’s mound at rookie sensation Bryce Harper, piercing the slugger’s right shoulder and placing him on the DL indefinitely. The wound will likely keep Harper out for the rest of the season and sources are saying his future in baseball may be in jeopardy.

In light of the incident, Hamels has been reviled by both local and national media for such a reckless act of cowardice, and rightfully so – there is no place for such violence in Major League Baseb…

Wait, what? You’re saying Hamels just hit Harper with a pitch? Well still, it was probably gruesome. You heard what he said, there was clear intent – where’d he hit him, in the head? See, that’s what I thou- wait, in the back??? Hm - but I mean, it knocked him out of the game, right? I’m sure he was real banged up, no way he stayed in the game and felt healthy enough to steal home just minutes later, that obviously goes without saying.

Having worn out my use of the sarcasm font, I’ll cut to the chase: the entire Hamels-Hits-Harper situation has been blown way out of proportion. It’s baseball – pitchers occasionally throw at batters, it’s part of the game. Hamels, for whatever reason, wanted to knock the 19-year old off his high horse. Perhaps he was annoyed with the praise and attention the young player has attracted since his call-up, or maybe he took offense to Harper’s blowing a celebratory kiss at an opposing pitcher after a home run last summer - whatever it was, he decided to send a message, and that message was delivered right between the 3 and the 4 on Harper’s back, right where any coach tells his pitcher to hit a guy. No intent to injure, nothing scary – simply put, and I quote Hamels: “Welcome to the Big Leagues.”

And that’s where the problem started. There was no issue when Hamels hit Harper – sure you could claim it was intentional, but that was mere speculation. The situation escalated only when Hamels admitted to doing it intentionally. And why was he asked the question in the first place? Because it was Bryce Harper.

Had the target of his intentional bean-ball been anyone else, Hamels never faces that question in the first place, and thus, never admits his intent. But since the HBP victim just happened to be the rising face of America’s Pastime, a reporter ask Cole’s intent, and Hamels, perhaps himself caught up in the Harper media storm, is feeling big and decides to admit what we all already knew. “Welcome to the Big Leagues.”

He broke the code of the unspoken truth. “That one got away from me.” “You never want to put a runner like that on base.” “I just missed my spot inside.” These would have all sufficed as acceptable generic answers from the school of Belichick. Hey Bill, are you going light in practice this week since your opponent is 0-15? — “They’re a really good football team. We’re preparing like we would any other week knowing this is going to be a tough game.” It’s that easy. No more questions. But no – Cole came clean, and the baseball world is downright indignant, painting Hamels as a villain and tying the league’s hands when it came to suspension.

And it all could have been avoided. What Cole did on the baseball field is nothing out of the ordinary, but it was his handling of the situation that sent writers everywhere into a state of fabricated shock. Whether or not his motive is valid is a separate argument, but when it comes to plunking guys, the lefty’s execution was exemplary. Now if only his post-game interview discretion were as sharp, he wouldn’t be missing his next start.

As for Harper, the bar has officially been set for media coverage of his many “firsts,” and all this for a measly hit-by-pitch. I assume the attention his first home run garners will be enough to lure a jealous Brett Favre out of retirement.

SMALLS TALK Series
Foul Ball Etiquette
The One Ear Flap Helmet
O’s lose to college team – big deal?
Terry Francona on Baseball Tonight
The Curtain Call
Coolest park to hit a home run?
Top 5 Questions Heading into the 2012 Season
Would you want Manny on your team?
College Baseball’s Opening Day
On-Field Composure
When did “Can I have your autograph” turn into “Give me a ball”?
Baseball Needs a 24/7 Show
Top 10 Things to Do in the Dugout During a Day Off
The Spit Hit
Being Friends with Pitchers
The Yankee Core
Opening Day
You Play Right Field?
It’s Not Always Sunny in Arizona
Tee Work
Helmet for Pitchers?
Approaching Spring Training
Top 5 Things I Won’t Miss About My Local Gym
Getting New Equipment
Last Day at Work
My Bat of Choice
The Superstitions and Quirks of a Ballplayer
The Art of the Autograph
Greensboro’s ‘Bat Dogs’
Tim Kurkjian is a Man Among Boys
Baseball Movie All-Star Game: Starting Lineups
Walk-Out Music
Pre-Draft Medical Questionnaires
The Ryan Howard Namesake
The Magic of the Rally
Jeter and A-Rod, How Times Have Changed
Summer Leagues – Cape Still Cream of the Crop?
SportsCenter Commercials are Better Than Most Shows
Schilling’s Bloody Sock
Red Sox Nation Goes Crazy, JD Drew Can’t Be Bothered
Minor League Hats are the Way to Go
Who Has the Best Uniforms in College Baseball?

Making good use of checkpoints is one of the best baseball pitching tips anyone will ever give you. Checkpoints are very simply mental reminders that a pitcher gives to himself before every pitch. They are something that will help any pitcher be the most effective! Usually, baseball pitchers have about three or four and they will vary from pitcher to pitcher. I would venture to say that at the professional level of play, almost every pitcher uses them. Nobody can tell you what your personal checkpoints are. You have to know yourself as a pitcher and you must decide what they are. If you occasionally get into a bad habit while on the hill, then that particular thing would then become one of your checkpoints. It can possibly be that you have a tendency to rush your windup. Maybe you “fly open.” Just remember that they should be done before every pitch.

Some Common Checkpoints That Pitchers Use:

1. Step toward your catcher’s target.

2. Keep the front shoulder closed when driving toward the plate so you don’t “fly open.”

3. Throw the ball and don’t overthrow the ball.

4. Don’t rock left and right and keep everything straight during the windup and delivery of the pitch.

5. Remember not to tilt your head and to keep it straight during the windup.

6. Remember to “stay back on the rubber” if you have a tendency to get your body ahead of your throwing arm.

7. Keep the windup slow if you have a tendency to rush and it causes pitching problems for you.

8. Get the legs involved in the pitch to take some of the work load off your throwing arm.

9. Stay “on top” of your pitches or they will flatten out and be much more hittable.

10. Turn the hip enough when pivoting.

11. Raise the throwing elbow up to shoulder height.

12. Break the hands apart early so you don’t have to rush the throwing arm.

13. Raise the front knee to at least waist height.

The list can go on and on. (And it almost did.)

Don’t make a mistake here and undervalue how important checkpoints are. If you have two or three weaknesses, wouldn’t it be terrific if you can eliminate them almost all the time? As an individual pitcher, you have to decide what the three or four things are that should be your personal checkpoints. Think about them before every pitch! Trust me, it’s not nearly as complicated as one might think.

Simply think of an abbreviated form because it’s not like you have to think of thirty, forty or fifty words before every pitch. A typical checkpoint list may be staying back on the rubber, front shoulder closed and point the landing foot to the catcher’s target. A more logical and abbreviated version would be “stay back, closed and foot.” It takes about one second at the most. Using checkpoints should be right near the top of your list of outstanding baseball pitching tips.

To me, making very good use of checkpoints is a total no brainer. It will keep you totally focused and you will cut down on your number of mistakes. I truly hope you realize how spending this one second will help you tremendously as a baseball pitcher!

Balls hit out of play are a real life piece of the game that suddenly become available to the fans. In the matter of seconds, a baseball went from a Big League pitcher’s hand to a Big Leaguer‘s bat, and now it’s finally come to rest, in your hands. You can’t help but feel a connection – you were part of a play with major league ballplayers. It actually is pretty cool.

But some fans simply cannot handle the foul ball experience. The instant a ball enters the crowd, they lose their minds. They want that ball – they need that ball. It’s not even a ball anymore – it’s a Honus Wagner rookie card, a Wonka golden ticket, and the final Horcrux all rolled into one. The survival of mankind relies on their tracking down this prize - it’s the reason they were put on God’s green earth. And so, like a crackhead desperate for a fix, they hunt it down, refusing to be denied and terrorizing rows of helpless fans in the process.

But fortunately, in the minds of other – dare I optimistically say “most”? – fans, foul balls are simply a fun side effect of a baseball game. These fans are at the ballpark to enjoy nine innings of America’s Pastime – if a foul ball comes their way, sure they’ll go for it, but you won’t find them rolling around on the ground or pulling another fan’s hair for the souvenir. To these more sane fans, the foul ball itself dictates who will take it home. They respect the role that luck and chance play in the foul ball experience, as well as the skill and courage that go along with actually catching it. And if it bounces off the chosen fan’s hands, it simply changes direction and presents another opportunity to a different fan. As for those balls that find their way under a seat? If it’s under you, reach down and grab it. No diving. No pig-piling.

My stance on foul balls is simple: If it comes at you, catch it. Don’t leave your seat, don’t let yourself get worked up over it. It is a baseball. Unless it’s Hank Aaron‘s 715th home run ball, it will likely spend a lifetime collecting dust in a drawer or, if it’s lucky, on a mantle. It’s a fun souvenir and if you get one, great, but it will not enrich your life and it is certainly not worth fighting over.

That being said, I believe the biggest misconception in the foul ball game is that adults should always give their souvenir to a nearby child. If you want to make a little kid’s day, that’s your prerogative, but by no means should the crowd boo a guy who just stifled a 100-MPH line drive with his bare hands if he doesn’t want to hand it over to the crying infant four seats down. Foul balls are for everyone. As mentioned before, I believe the foul ball chooses its owner. It happens naturally. If you have the coordination and ability to catch it, that baby is all yours. If little kids want a foul ball, it’s up to them and their parents to catch one. Not everything can be handed to you. Foul balls are earned – not through aggressive and possessed hunting, but by capitalizing on the opportunity bestowed upon you by the Baseball Gods.

And those little guys can cry and pout all they want when they walk away empty-handed. It’s not a fair world, kids – sometimes it’s just not in the cards. Mick was right: ”you can’t always get what you want.” If anything you’re doing those parents a favor by teaching their kids this valuable lesson at an early age. The parents will appreciate it next week when the kids’ response to “No ice cream” is “Ok Mom and Dad, you’re the best!” instead of exploding into a crying fit.

Balls thrown into the crowd are a whole different situation, however. Every ball thrown into the stands should find its way into the plastic glove of a little boy or girl. No question. Players and bat boys throw dozens of baseballs into the crowd every single game – these are cheapies. They’re gifts – the chance, the skill, the gamesmanship, it’s all gone. You don’t have to earn it. The players are trying to bring a smile to a little kid’s face, they’re not out to make some middle-aged man’s day. The way I look at it, unless you’re under 13 year’s old, it’s your first baseball game ever, or the guy throwing it is your all-time favorite player, you should be handing that souvenir off to the nearest child.

Live foul balls are the only ones that count – there’s no pride in catching a charity toss. So when it comes to giving balls to little kids, my philosophy is this: It may not always be the right move, but it’s never the wrong move. Unless he’s an entitled cry baby, of course, in which case you’re only encouraging this “Occupy” generation’s complain-until-I-get-what-I-want movement. Don’t be an enabler!

(You can imagine my inner turmoil as I analyze this situation: Overzealous middle-aged man who thinks he just single-handedly won the World Series by coming up with a ball gently tossed directly at him vs. Young boy crying because he didn’t get what he wanted. Tough call, but I think you bite the bullet here and give the kid the ball. The ecstatic couple clearly does not agree.)

Wouldn’t it be great if in order to be a very successful hitter you were only required to do one simple thing. Guess what? There is only one thing for you to do to be very successful at the plate.

That one thing is to consistently get the “sweet spot” of the bat on the baseball. The point here is that you can break every rule in baseball hitting, but if you can consistently get the good part of the bat on the ball, you will be extremely successful. Don’t ever forget this.

Obviously, I am a big believer in doing things properly anywhere on the baseball field and my hundreds of articles reflect just that. But, on the other hand, I am well aware that when it’s all said and done, the batter who can frequently get the “sweet spot” of the bat on the baseball will have the most success no matter how many things he is doing improperly at the plate. Sometimes baseball tips on hitting are overdone and quite often “less is more.” Baseball hitters are often overwhelmed and should keep it very simple and only focus on a few things that must be done properly.

It simply does not matter how you get the good part of the bat to the baseball as long as you get it there. Bat companies spend millions of dollars on testing and researching the “sweet spot” of the bat. For a moment, let’s forget the dozens of baseball tips on hitting. You can have the worst swing on your team, you can have the weakest swing on your team, you can lunge at the ball, you can be off balance, etc. Focus on getting the sweet spot of the bat on the baseball and the rest will take care of itself.

Let’s say you are a younger baseball player and feel like almost all the hitters on your team are way ahead of you in natural ability as well as baseball hitting knowledge. Your only focus should be on getting the “sweet spot” of the bat on the ball. It’s the greatest neutralizer in the world and will even out the playing field immediately.

Let the “sweet spot” do all the work for you. Your swing does not have to be as powerful as the other players. You do not have to have their knowledge of baseball hitting. Younger players in particular, very often swing too hard at pitches and way too often do not even make any contact at all.

One of the better baseball tips on hitting to remember is that if your swing is so weak that it couldn’t crush a grape but you can fairly consistently get the good part of the bat on the ball, trust me, you will be a better than average baseball hitter. Nobody will ever notice how weak you swung at the pitch or how you are lacking in proper baseball hitting fundamentals. What they will notice is the hard line drive coming off your bat.

If you are struggling, give this a try and there is a strong possibility you will be very pleasantly surprised with the results. Avoid over swinging and simply focus on getting the good part of the bat on the baseball!

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Logo taken from Google Images

CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 12: Phillip Humber #41 of the Chicago White Sox pitches against the Oakland Athletics on June 12, 2011 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Phillip Humber threw a perfect game yesterday for the Chicago White Sox, adding his name to the list of former Mets pitchers who have thrown no-hitters. While a couple pitchers had accomplished the feat prior to joining the Mets, most have done it after they have left the team. Humber is the second former Met to ever throw a perfect game, accomplished only by David Cone with the New York Yankees.

Mike Scott was traded in 1982 by the Mets for OF Danny Heep. While Heep was a member of the 1986 World Series Champion team, Scott became a nemasis, nearly ending the Mets NL Pennant dream. He also clinched the NL West title for the Astros by throwing a no-hitter, becoming another former Mets pitcher to throw one. Hideo Nomo threw one when he pitched for the Dodgers in 1996, pitched for the Mets, then threw a second one pitching for the Boston Red Sox.

Of course, the Mets have acquired their share of pitchers who had no hitters on their resume. The Mets acquired Cy Young winner Bret Saberhagen from the Royals in 1992, a year after he threw a no-hitter for the Kansas City Royals. They traded for LHP Al Leiter from the Marlins before the 1998 season, after he threw a no-hitter for the Marlins in 1996. Hall of Famer Warren Spahn, who joined the Mets pitching staff in 1965 while doubling as pitching coach, threw two no-hitters for the Braves in 1960 and 1961.

The earliest no-hitter thrown by a pitcher that would later pitch for the Mets was Don Cardwell, who as a Cubs pitcher no-hit the Cardinals on May 15, 1960. Cardwell joined the Mets in 1967. Dean Chance pitched a no-hitter for the Twins in 1967 before pitching three games for the Mets in 1970. Dock Ellis threw a no-hitter for the Pirates in 1970 (reportedly while tripping on acid) and pitched for the Mets in 1979. John Candelaria, who pitched in a handful of September games for the Mets in 1987, threw a no-hitter pitching for the Pirates in 1976.

CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 07: Phillip Humber #41 Chicago White Sox tips his cap after leaving the game in the seventh inning against the Seattle Mariners on June 7, 2011 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Sox defeated the Mariners 5-1. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Kenny Rogers is the only pitcher to throw a perfect game before pitching for the Mets. This happened in 1994 pitching for the Texas Rangers. He would pitch for the Mets in 1999. Scott Erickson, who briefly pitched for the Mets in 2004, threw a no-hitter for the Minnesota Twins in 1994 as well.

In the history of the franchise, there are four relief pitchers who have been part of no-hitters. Alejandro Pena pitched the final inning of a combined no hitter started by Kent Merker (7 innings) and Mark Wohlers (1 IP) in 1991, not too long after being traded from the Mets. LHP Ricardo Rincon, who would see some action in 2008 with the Mets, was part of a 10 inning no hitter for the Pirates, relieving Francisco Cordova and pitching an inning of hitless ball. Two pitchers who are now members of New York Mets alumni, Octavio Dotel and Billy Wagner, were part of that crazy no-hitter the Houston Astrosthrew against the Yankees in 2003. They each pitched an inning, combining with Roy Oswalt (1 IP), Peter Munro (2 2/3), Kirk Saarloos (1 1/3) and Brad Lidge (2) to keep the Yankees hitless.

The only other pitcher who was part of the Mets roster to pitch a no-hitter is Jim Bibby, who was a September call-up in 1971. He never got into a game, but was on the roster and in uniform for the team. He would pitch his no-hitter in 1973, while pitching for the Texas Rangers.

All this history about no-hitters and the Mets, you would think one would have been wearing a Mets uniform when they did it. Of course not, and it will be 50 years or more before it ever happens, if it ever does at all.

The Factor12 Rating (F12) is an analytic measurement utilizing league average performance to compare the value of all MLB pitchers on 60ft6in.com.

(1) Justin Verlander continued his dominating start to the 2012 season by pitching a complete game win against the Kansas City Royals.  The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner hurled 9IP / 7H / 2ER / 2BB / 9K.  Verlander currently holds the number one position on the F12 Rating list with a 34.148 or .349 percent above league average.

(2) Kyle Lohse is the most surprising entry to the Factor12 Top in 2012.  The St. Louis Cardinals’ right-hander has pitched superb baseball over his first three starts of the season.  Lohse has thrown 20.33 IP/ 10H/ 2ER/ 2BB/ 11K while sporting a 0.89 ERA.

(3) Matt Cain has been utterly dominant over his last two starts.  The right-hander has thrown 18 IP/ 3H/ 0ER/ 1BB/ 15K.  If not for a sub par outing in his first start against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cain would be the current Factor12 leader.

(4) Aroldis Chapman was the reigning F12 leader after Week 1.  The left-hander continues to dominate the opposition by posting 8IP/ 3H/ 0ER/ 0BB/ 15K.  However, pitchers completing less than the average yearly innings (i.e. 9.12 in 2012) will have their F12 Rating weighed by the percentage of innings completed in relation to league average.

(5) Felix Hernandez rounds out the top five after posting an amazing performance against the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night.  The right-hander tossed 8IP/ 5H/ 0ER/ 1BB/ 12K throwing 126 pitches.  “The King” appears to be rounding into mid-season form.

***The Factor12 Top 12 in 2012 through games on April 20th:

Nothing says Big Leagues like a one ear flap helmet. It’s unmistakable. Turn on the TV and see one of these babies, you know you’re watching the world’s very best. Its unusual lop-sided style is revered by all who play the game, not so much for its looks but its exclusivity. It’s the helmet that my generation saw on the heads of our favorite players growing up, and it’s the helmet that every young ballplayer dreams of some day wearing.

If I were to make it to the Big Leagues tomorrow, priority number one would be getting myself a one ear flap helmet - I firmly believe that’s the first step to being taken seriously as a Major League hitter. When a guy steps to the plate wearing a normal double ear flap helmet, what half the crowd sees is an at-bat long window to run to the bathroom or grab a hot dog. Nothing is expected from Mr. Double Ear Flap - he doesn’t wear a Big League helmet, why should fans give him Big League attention?

It’s Little League stuff. I compare the Big Leaguer who wears a double ear flap to the college player who still wears his hat underneath his helmet. It doesn’t mean they’re not a good player, but until they look the part, they’ll never be fully treated as one. It sounds ridiculously superficial – mainly because it is – but it’s true. The one ear-flap helmet is a privilege, something that represents more than just head protection. It’s the helmet reserved for the best. Not in the Majors? Sorry, nothing we can do – Big Leaguers only. It’s an honor. Ahh, what it must feel like to track a fastball while the wind tickles my liberated left ear.

But still, some Major Leaguers refuse to conform to the Big League style, and for the life of me I can’t understand why. Not to knock the likes of Shane Victorino and Orlando Hudson – two of the most notable offenders – but they’ve seen themselves in these things, right? I know they’re both switch-hitters and you could make an argument for not wanting to carry two helmets around, but you’re telling me that’s worth a lifetime of looking like an emergency call-up? In today’s world of assistants and clubhouse attendants, I find it hard to believe using two separate helmets is all that cumbersome. Maybe Shane and O-Dawg just don’t have the resources that are available to other switch hitters who are able to carry two helmets, such as Mark Teixeira, Chipper Jones, Carlos Beltran, Lance Berkman, Ben Zobrist, Jimmy Rollins, Victor Martinez… ok, that can’t be it.

I suppose they just like it? Who knows?

What I do know is that when I see former teammates finally make their Big League debut, it doesn’t quite hit me until I see them wearing that iconic helmet. Once I’ve witnessed them hitting with a naked ear, that’s when it starts to sink in. They made it.

Earl Battey, whose innovation started the one ear flap movement

Shout out to Earl Battey, whose innovation started the one ear flap movement and kept future generations from sporting Oleruds.

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MiLB LIFE: New Helmets Issued, Players Respond “Are you joking?”

SMALLS TALK Series
O’s lose to college team – big deal?
Terry Francona on Baseball Tonight
The Curtain Call
Coolest park to hit a home run?
Top 5 Questions Heading into the 2012 Season
Would you want Manny on your team?
College Baseball’s Opening Day
On-Field Composure
When did “Can I have your autograph” turn into “Give me a ball”?
Baseball Needs a 24/7 Show
Top 10 Things to Do in the Dugout During a Day Off
The Spit Hit
Being Friends with Pitchers
The Yankee Core
Opening Day
You Play Right Field?
It’s Not Always Sunny in Arizona
Tee Work
Helmet for Pitchers?
Approaching Spring Training
Top 5 Things I Won’t Miss About My Local Gym
Getting New Equipment
Last Day at Work
My Bat of Choice
The Superstitions and Quirks of a Ballplayer
The Art of the Autograph
Greensboro’s ‘Bat Dogs’
Tim Kurkjian is a Man Among Boys
Baseball Movie All-Star Game: Starting Lineups
Walk-Out Music
Pre-Draft Medical Questionnaires
The Ryan Howard Namesake
The Magic of the Rally
Jeter and A-Rod, How Times Have Changed
Summer Leagues – Cape Still Cream of the Crop?
SportsCenter Commercials are Better Than Most Shows
Schilling’s Bloody Sock
Red Sox Nation Goes Crazy, JD Drew Can’t Be Bothered
Minor League Hats are the Way to Go
Who Has the Best Uniforms in College Baseball?