One bat does the trick for the Dragons
Posted on 31. Aug, 2009 by Corey in All, Dayton Dragons Baseball, General Baseball.
Dayton Dragons Bat Rack Before the Game
I have talked many times on this blog about baseball players and their superstitions.
The Dayton Dragons entered the game against the Lansing Lugnuts on Saturday night in a terrible offensive funk. In their last five games, the Dragons had scored just 10 runs, and not more than three in any game. Something had to be done to wake up the sleeping offense.
Following the opener of the series against the Lugnuts, hitting coach Tony Jaramillo approached the guys with an idea. It was something that I had heard of done in the big leagues 10 years ago, and thought it was worth a try.
Every member of the Dragons starting lineup would enter the batter’s box for their at bat using the same bat. Jaramillo asked each player to try it for one at bat. If they did not like it, they could switch back to whatever bat they wanted for their next plate appearance.
They all bought into it, and after a short discussion, the team agreed to use Josh Fellhauer’s Max Bat the first time through the lineup. The bat was only 33 inches, a good ½ to 1 inch shorter than most players were used to swinging.
This idea was first accomplished by the 1999 Anaheim Angels. The Angels were willing to try just about anything to change their fortunes that season. Going into the game, they had scored one run or fewer in nine of the previous 19 games. The first time through the order, all nine Angels batters used the same bat, which belonged to centerfielder Jim Edmonds. The team went 4-for-8 with one walk, and an RBI double from catcher Bengie Molina that drove in the game’s first run.
The funny part of this story is the confusion that it caused with the fans, and the home plate umpire. Angel Orlando Palmiero led off the first inning and struck out looking. He dropped the bat on the plate for Gary DiSarcina, who was up next.
But home-plate umpire Tim Tschida thought Palmeiro was showing him up and threw Palmeiro out of the game. Manager Terry Collins came out of the dugout to explain, and Palmeiro was allowed to stay. We were a little afraid of repeating history here in Dayton, so I decided to let the umpire crew in on the plan before the game started.
The dugout seemed empty before the game, as the bat rack only contained the lone bat. I nervously stood on top of the dugout stairs leaning on the rail as the bottom of the first began. The plan could easily backfire and I could catch flack from everyone for attempting something so crazy. My worries were quickly put to ease when leadoff batter Alexis Oliveras laced the first pitch he saw for a stand-up double. Second baseman Cody Puckett followed with a hit, bringing up right fielder Tony Brown who delivered the third straight Dragons hit. Dayton had a 1-0 lead after one.
I have to admit, I felt pretty good as Jaramillo signaled into the dugout to me after each hit in the inning. I breathed a sigh of relief as I realized this was actually working. The players seemed fired up and had an extra bounce to their step, and it was starting to show on the scoreboard as the Dragons would plate five more runs in the bottom of the second.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, however, leadoff batter Kevin Coddington splintered the bat into two pieces. I could hear a huge ‘sigh’ come over the crowd. In the dugout we did not know what to do as Humberto Sosa inched towards the batter’s box. We had to finish the game with a backup bat that we had brought out. Fortunately it didn’t matter as Puckett and Kevyn Feiner added home runs as the Dragons banged out 18 total hits that night, en route to a 10-6 win. Eight members of the starting lineup each got at least one hit.
Luckily we got a lot of magic out of the Max Bat before it broke into firewood. The Dragons hope this was a breaking out party for the offense that has been so steady all season. Rumbles were heard in the clubhouse about what to do for the following game. My guess is this was one night was enough to wake up the offense for the playoff run in the final week of the season.
Lone Bat sitting at the plate waiting for the next batter to pick up
Rest of the Team Bats locked away in a bat bag
After 17 hits in 39 at bats, 1 triple, 3 doubles, 2 home runs, 10 runs batted in, the bat was broke...
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CBrinn;
You have a future in this!!! Keep it up!!!!!
Thanks for the kind comments. I do have a good time doing this…Please check back as I will pick up the pace of blog entries…As always, I take requests on topics!!
[...] you missed the story about “The Bat,” from an earlier Dayton Dragons game, please click HERE to check it [...]
I just heard about this story yesterday at the MLB Winter Meetings. I love it.
Jim-
Glad you found the story and enjoyed it. The Max Bat really came through when we needed it!! You make a great product, please keep up the good work!!!
[...] Just in case you missed the stories and want to check them out, here are a few links from older blog entries I did on this story. “One Bat Does the Trick for the Dragons” [...]