What's it like to get hit by a pitch?

Posted at 10:50 AM on May 6, 2011 by Bob Collins (9 Comments)
Filed under: Sports

The Minnesota Twins have been getting savaged this year by Twin Cities sportswriters. None of them, so far, has dared try to be a baseball player to see if the game is as easy as they might think it is.

In Kansas City, a sportswriter wrote that a player for the Royals should have allowed himself to be hit by a pitch. Easy, right? Sure, unless you're a player getting hit by a baseball.

Big points go to the blogger for the Kansas City Star who found out -- voluntarily -- what it's like to get hit by a pitch.

This sort of thing could catch on. The next logical step is for politicians to invite political reporters to pass a budget.

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Comments (9)

I'd rather be hit by a baseball (or a variety of other projectiles) than try to accomplish something in the legislature.

Posted by Paul | May 6, 2011 11:11 AM

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Dang! hats off.

Posted by Joanna | May 6, 2011 11:42 AM

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Let's see Jabba the Reusse take a pitch like that.

Posted by Josh | May 6, 2011 11:52 AM

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In direct response to "What's it like to get hit by a pitch?

Depends on velocity of the pitch, and of course, where. Assuming it's a fastball:

Muscle: It hurts.
Funnybone, shin, hand: It hurts a lot.
Face, head: You might die.
Naughty bits: You WISH you were dead. :-)

Posted by Jim Shapiro | May 6, 2011 12:04 PM

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Does that reporter make $1,000,000 a year? Because that's what Wilson Betemit makes. For that much money, I could stand up to a 79-mph slider too.

Posted by Disco | May 6, 2011 1:02 PM

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It's not uncommon for baseball players to take one for the team. Brandon Inge of the Tigers seems to do it a lot. Inge mostly wears a huge shirt and tries toget the ball to hit that.

A couple guys on the White Sox this week seemed to be standing firm when they could have moved. I think they try to take a glancing blow instead of a direct hit.

Posted by John P. | May 6, 2011 1:27 PM

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Having been both hit by a pitch and tried to accomplish something in the Legislature, I can say they are both unpleasant.

Posted by Kevin Watterson | May 6, 2011 1:28 PM

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JohnP, Don Baylor comes to mind.

Posted by Bob Collins | May 6, 2011 2:10 PM

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Judging by the players reactions, that writer will be at the front of the line for interviews and stories.

Posted by kennedy | May 6, 2011 4:22 PM

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