User talk:Hemux

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Contents 1 Your article 2 Salut Hemux 3 Baseball discussion 4 Shopping Topic 5 More Baseball discussion 6 Translation 7 Status

[edit] Your article

Heh, I made an article for you, just for the sake of not having to see red after you sign your name. I hope you like it! Edit as you please :). TommyBoy76 23:08, 11 May 2006 (UTC)TommyBoy76

Er... I guess I should thank you, TommyBoy, yet I don't know what you did. What's that anyway ? Don't forget I know nothing about wiki and I don't really care, I just like to enjoy baseball and talks about it with you guys ! Hemux 13:05, 12 May 2006 (UTC)

Baseball is indeed the greatest sport ever created. No question. Lots of people don't like it because it's boring, but I love it. How old are you, anyway, just out of curiosity. TommyBoy76 21:24, 12 May 2006 (UTC)TommyBoy76

I'm 22.Hemux 16:08, 13 May 2006 (UTC)

Hey, TommyBoy. Have a look at the baseball discussion, I've got to learn more, maybe thanks to you ! (about pitching) Hemux 18:10, 14 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Salut Hemux

Vous avez deja vu ca ?

La Federation Francaise de Baseball et Softball

--DV8 2XL 18:49, 14 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Baseball discussion

Ok Locarno, thanks again ! Hey people, guess what, though I don't have anything left to watch about baseball, I've got some questions, and you know why ? Because for the first time a friend of mine agreed to come with me in some near park and be my "sport's mate" - that's pretty rare, I insist, people here are not interested in baseball. So then I could finally have a great and concrete feeling with this sport, more than on my own, in my bedroom, against the walls, like McQueen...

Who's McQueen? Steve McQueen? Not sure what you are referring to?

Yeah, sure, Steve McQueen, you know, Great Escape, the famous scene with the ball. Hemux 17:53, 15 May 2006 (UTC)

Haven't yet seen it. I'll have to rent it one of these days. Locarno 18:37, 15 May 2006 (UTC)

So here is the subject : pitching. I had a great pleasure pitching this afternoon, more than hitting. I love being the pitcher, or receiving the ball from a far friend in the field, trying to catch it correctly, like some baseman or outfielder. And so I would like that you all share your experience about pitching, throwing, catching, all these actions in relation with the ball. I would love to get your advices, your knowledge, and so on. It was the first time I pitched a whole afternoon, I'm exhausted, yet I pitched too much outside or inside (poor friend), 95% of my pitches were balls... and pretty awful balls. Plus, man, I took something with me to measure, I can't believe you guys pitch 60feet far from the hitter... It kills you ! That's it ! Tell me everything you know, and if it not the right place, tell me where I should cut and paste this topic ! Bye ! Hemux 18:23, 14 May 2006 (UTC)

Here's the basics on throwing a baseball.

• NEVER throw a baseball to someone unless they are looking at you and expecting a throw. If your friend's gaze wanders off to look at a car or a bird, wait until he turns back.
• One thing about throwing/pitching: it is the MOST unnatural motion to the human body. Do not do it excessively. Do not play catch for more than a half-hour a day, and do not pitch more than 50-70 pitches per day. If your arm is sore, rest it. It should only be slightly sore the day after you throw. If it is really sore, you've overdone it. If you know you've thrown too much, ice your elbow and bicep for a half-hour to an hour. Safety first especially with throwing and pitching.
• The best thing you can do in throwing/pitching is to play catch with a friend. Start at a really close distance (20 feet or even less) and throw to each other for a few minutes. Back up two steps and throw for a few minutes. Back up another two steps and throw for a few minutes again. Keep repeating this, and pretty soon you'll be throwing 120 feet, which is called long toss. Long toss is the best way to strengthen your throwing arm. Don't back up too much too fast. Stay at a distance for awhile if you feel like it. If you find yourself being really inaccurate, move closer until your partner can catch most of your throws.
• Whenever playing catch, focus on aiming for your partner's chest or face. It is easy to let the mind wander, but you'd be surprised at how much more accurate you will be when saying to yourself, "This throw is going to hit him in the chest."
• Don't be afraid to put some arc on the ball for anything but the shortest throws. It is much easier to get accurate with a arcing throw and then work on throwing faster & lower, than it is to start with a lower throw and have it hit the ground all the time.

Hope this gets you started. --Locarno 15:29, 15 May 2006 (UTC)

Hello Locarno. Thanks for you advices. Well, I'm gonna be honnest, I should have waited for these informations of yours, since my right arm hurts pretty bad, today. 50 pitchs, you said... Damn. I've thrown from 2pm to 5pm, so I don't know how many pitches I've made... Maybe I've been somehow unreasonnable, ah well, anyway, it'll get me some muscles !
Anyway, your topic is interesting. Problem is when I want to perform such activity as you described, I'll need a friend again, for non stop pitching or throwing. I hope he'll agree some day to play again with me.
Do you have more advices about hand position when grabing the ball, throwing the ball, catching with the glove, and so on ? Oh, and by the way : when you play with friends, for fun, in some near park, do you use the right measures ? I mean, the 60ft long pitcher-hitter distance, the 90ft long base-to-base distance... ? Are you telling me that every american is kind of baseball machine ? Ahah, see you. Hemux 17:53, 15 May 2006 (UTC)

If a group of people go to a park to play baseball or softball, they will use bases awywhere from 60 to 90 feet apart, and pitch from anywhere from 40 to 60 feet from home plate. A lot of kids play organized baseball: see Little League and Babe Ruth League. For 12 years old and under, they use a 60' diamond and a 46' pitching distance; for 13 years old, 75' -54', and 14 and up, the regulation 90' and 60.5' distances. Softball is always 46' and 60'. It is more common for adults to play softball. Also, it is tough to get 12-18 people together to really play proper baseball/softball on a pick-up basis. Some alternate games are hotbox or just Batting practice for fewer people. If you ever get 3-8, play some hotbox--that will wear you out real quick with a lot of running.

Throwing/catching tips:

• Number one rule: Keep your eye on the ball all the way into the glove. Everyone is tempted to look away when the ball is three feet away, then they wonder why they miss the catch so often.
• Catch the ball in the deep webbing, not too close to the fingertips but not in the palm either.
• When you are about to catch it, put your other hand up right next to or touching the glove, but don't use it to catch the ball. Right after the ball comes into your glove, cover it with your other hand. This is how you "catch with two hands" and is the proper technique. You'll prevent a lot of bobbles this way.
• It is always easier to run forward than run back and catch the ball off the bat. Therefore you should resist the temptation to run forward right away. Run right, left, or back immediately, then consider running forward.
• Throwing is hard. Do some internet searches on baseball throwing techniques and drills. Here's one: pretend that the ball is not in your hand, but is sitting on a shelf directly behind you at shoulder level (that is, you could draw a straight line from the imaginary shelf, through you, to your target). Your first action should be to pick up the ball off the shelf and throw it right from there. This will be awkward, because the ball is now much more behind you than you think it should be. As you reach back for "the ball on the shelf", your other (gloved) hand will be reaching forward, pointing at the target. If someone looks at you from the side, it would look like you are spreading your wings about to take off and fly. From that point, your throwing hand will come straight up, bend at the elbow. Your elbow should be at ear level. Step forward and throw, turning your hips as your arm come over the top. Your throwing arm should follow through. Now, the end of the throw is also hard, and I have another imaginary aid. Pretend there is a midget standing next to you as you throw (on your left if you are throwing right-handed). You can't see the midget because you aren't looking in that direction. Your hand, on the follow through, should be low enough and accross your body enough to smack the midget in the face. Only after your throwing motion is complete can you turn to him and apologize. Your back foot will then come forward because of your momentum, and the throw is complete. --Locarno 18:37, 15 May 2006 (UTC)

Now that's I what I call explanations ! When my arm gets healthy again, if I can go back pitching next sunday at the park, I'll try to remember all of that. I'll keep you inform, for sure. Thanks. Hemux 21:20, 15 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Shopping Topic

I plan to buy some baseball stuff. Actually, I've already got a bat, but I think it is shorter than the real ones (professionnal ones), plus it is not made of wood but metal. I've got a glove, a leather one, but it became spoiled, very old, so I'm gonna buy a new one, made of leather or vinyle, I don't know. And then I would like some balls, I already got a softtouch 9" synthetic one. Pretty old too. I have to say that I won't buy any expensive products, since I'm everything but wealthy, plus I may be the only one who likes baseball in the whole area ! In a famous french sportshop, very basic products are cheap, balls cost less than 2$ (4$ for leathers ones), wood bats and gloves 20$ each. You can even buy the whole 5 bases kit for 15$ - in France ! who could believe it - but hey, what would I do with that on my lonely own...
So ! Any advices about buying that kind of stuff ?

Go for a leather glove, properly cared for it will last a lifetime. Don't worry about the metal bat, they are now used at every level except pro and again will last forever. Wooden bats dry out with age and can shatter. --DV8 2XL 18:22, 15 May 2006 (UTC)

Well, ok, I see. The vinyle glove is 17$, the leather one 29$. Quite different, isn't it. (By the way, the vinyle one has written BA300 on it, and the leather one BA500 : what does that mean ?) As for the bats : I can have three wooden bats for 39$... and a single metal one for the same price ! It's hard to make one's choice. Hemux 21:20, 15 May 2006 (UTC)

Do NOT buy a plastic/vinyl glove unless the entire inside is leather. If you buy a glove, be sure to tone it properly: after done using it the first time, use some glove oil (or Petroleum jelly or something). Rub it up with oil, then put a baseball deep in the pocket and then curl the glove closed as tight as possible with string or a big rubber band. See also this link. Bats: A metal bat will serve you better because it is (should be) much lighter than a wood bat. A beginner probably would want it as light as possible. I have a 26-ounce bat that is super easy to swing (though it was illegal for high school play); find the lightest one you can that is still a good length. (Assuming you are 5'6" tall, you'll want a bat at least 30 inches long; 5'10" (like me), 32 inches; over 6 feet, longer still. ) Do you have batting cages anywhere in France? Hitting off a tee into a net/fence is probably the best way to get good, but is slow without a partner. Soft toss is great too but requires a partner.

In regards to the glove conditioning, there should be bottles in the store made for that purpose; instead of using some conventional item. Just a tip. TommyBoy76 01:54, 17 May 2006 (UTC)TommyBoy76

Incredible explanations, here. Plus I didn't have any idea about that conditioning stuff. Well thanks a lot. Just some questions there : the ball, I put in the glove as if I got the glove put on my hand and I was handing the ball, right ? Like paper balls you put in shoes, I guess. And what is the purpose of that ? Just the first time, not after anymore ? I rub it entirely or, just in the inside part, where the ball is ? Won't it spoil the ball ?

Rub oil on every leather part of the glove, though not "inside" (where you put your hand). The oil should soak into the leather. Let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe off all excess oil. When done, put a ball in the glove. The little bit of oil that gets on the ball will not hurt it. --yes, put the ball in the glove as if you are carrying it. There should always be a ball in your glove when you are not using it. The goal here is, over the years, to make the pocket of the glove round and three-dimensional, like a ball--to avoid allowing the glove to simply "fold" in a straight crease as it wears down. As your glove is used, oil it every few months (or at least once a year) for a few years. Locarno 16:39, 17 May 2006 (UTC)

Ok Tommy. I wonder if you're talking about that [1]. I found it in this DE shop, where there are a lot more articles than in the previous shop I was talkin' about last time, but hey, products are more extensive too - maybe cause they're more "authentic" though. Bye ! Hemux 15:22, 17 May 2006 (UTC)

Nope, that's Pine tar, for wood bat handles. You want glove oil. IMO, many different oils will do fine. You do not want pine tar in your glove! Locarno 16:39, 17 May 2006 (UTC)

Oh my. Thanks, Locarno, I may have done a big mistake ! But say, by many differnt oils, do you mean that I could even use the only oil that I've got at home : I'm talkin about olive oil ?! Hemux 22:41, 17 May 2006 (UTC)

The purpose of oiling a glove is to soften the leather to break it in more. It techincally doesn't need oil unless you are unhappy with its stiffness. A glove should be easy to close and should fall shut if laid on its thumb. New gloves won't. However, it isn't that big of a deal. I'd stay away from food oils--don't know if they work or just make a mess. Do some reasearch on that link I gave: [2] When in doubt, don't use the oil. The best thing to do with a new glove is use it.

About the glove, my current one [3] seems very spoiled, but I didn't use it a lot, just a few times, do you know why ? Could it be because I didn't do the procedure you just taught me ? (Oh, and do you really mean it when you say not to buy a vinyle glove ? I mean, it's so cheap I really would like to have one, but is it so bad stuff ?) Hemux 15:46, 18 May 2006 (UTC)

Price matters not. DO NOT BUY A VINYL GLOVE. You can also use shaving cream. Get the glove, get a good glob of shaving cream on there, and lather it everywhere until the glove is completely covered in it. Rub in all of the white spots and put it in the oven for awhile. Take it out after it is done, get a baseball, put it in the pocket. Get a few rubberbands and wrap them all around and slap the whole under your matress for the night (or two). Then play catch and mold it to your hand and your done! (Tell me, if I am being too general.) TommyBoy76 19:40, 18 May 2006 (UTC)TommyBoy76

And hi there. Don't worry, TommyBoy, you and Locarno and other guys explanations are very useful to me. Don't forget you all were born with this sport in your culture, and I was not. So everything is interesting to me in my training.

Ok, so, I bought three balls, a real hardtouch leather ball, because hey, I needed a real one, a softtouch ball, for training, and a machineball, not to spoil too much the both other ones when weather is bad and so on. 15$. Then I bought a batt, a metal one as everyone said, a Louisville Slugger, don't know if it is famous or what, a 32 inches and 29 ounces one. Blue. 69$. And then I bought my glove, left hand of course, a 12 inches black & amber Mizuno, full grain leather. 75$. The trading man talked a lot, he seemed to know a lot though, but I hoped he didn't fool me, I'm so amateurish. What I don't understand is that I only paid 125$... Oh, and he said not to oil this glove at all since it had already been oiled when manufacturing, that if I would do so it would be too much oiled. Anyway, I'm quite happy to have the proper material, now !

Talking about glove, anybody can tell me about my old one, on the photograph ? Hemux 17:15, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

Your old one doesn't look bad. As long as it's not falling apart, it's good enough for me. Sounds great with the new glove--$75 is a lot, but not unreasonable even here in the USA . (I've always bought used gloves for $20-$30). $69 is way too much for a bat in the USA, in my opinion, but not sure about France. Louisville Slugger (pronouced "LOO-EE-VIL", but you knew that, because you're French...) is the #1 wood bat company and they make very good metal bats too. Easton is the #1 metal bat company here. Hope you enjoy the new equipment! Locarno 19:45, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] More Baseball discussion

So how's the arm? Three hours is a long time to be constantly throwing, but you're probably fine after a few days rest. Better to throw a half hour or so, then commence other baseball-related activities like batting, running, fielding... --Locarno 04:41, 18 May 2006 (UTC) --Locarno 19:52, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

Guess what, when I press a little bit my right shoulder, it still hurts. But the last few days, that was worse, my whole body used to hurt when I coughed, when I sneezed, when I laughed... Kids, don't ever pitch during three hours ! (Well, of course, baseball players do pitch the ball, I just throw it...). Talkin about pitching, I found another friend who agreed to train with me next saturday, that's pretty cool, but I won't be so lucky next time, eventually, so I wondered : why wouldn't I train pitching against a wall ? I mean, I could even draw the striking zone with a chalk, move sixty feet back and then throw the ball against the wall so it will somehow come back to me - at least, it won't go ahead at all ! And that seems good for aiming the striking zone, doesn't it ? Is that kind of training known, or used ? or does it seem too much "no-friends" like ?! ahah. Hemux 15:46, 18 May 2006 (UTC)

I suppose you could do that, except that your ball will get damaged by the wall. Not that big a deal, I suppose. There's no need to necessarily "aim for the strike zone", moreso, you need to develop a good throwing technique and muscle memory. Playing catch is the best way to do that.--Locarno 14:17, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

Oh, and here is another question about the rules. Imagine that : the batter hits the ball, it gets high while he runs to first base. Firstbaseman catch the ball but not in time, runner touched the plate so he's safe. BUT because of his speed he somehow passes over the plate after he touched it, let's say one feet ahead, so he doesn't touch it anymore. When this very typical situation occurs, why is the runner safe ? Why the firstbaseman doesn't tag him since he doesn't have any contact with the plate anymore ? It is a rule about something like "because of physical facts (the runner can't just stop like that since he ran at full speed) we consider he's safe since he touched it once at least" ?. Sorry if it is confused, hard to explain baseball events in another language. Bye ! Hemux 15:46, 18 May 2006 (UTC)

First of all, first base is a base, never a "plate". Secondly, I'm assuming the ball bounced at least once before the first baseman caught it, thus it is not a fly out. There is a special rule that allows the runner to overrun first base without liability to be put out, as long as he returns to first immediately and makes no move toward second base. This only applies to the batter reaching first base, not afterward. I've added more detail on overrunning first base to the first base article.

Ok, ok, very interesting. And we're not going to stop here since I got another question ! I played MLB 06, and the umpire called an infield fly rule. I checked on wikipedia for you guys' article, and I understood the rule. BUT. I didn't understand the meaning. I mean, I understand the event that this rule creates, the action (the runner is out and all) but not the various reasons for which it has been applied. Anybody ? Hemux 17:15, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

Without the infield fly rule, the defense could allow the ball to drop to the ground, and then throw to third base and then second base for an easy double play (due to force outs), because the runners would stay near first and second while the ball is in the air, expecting a fly out. Locarno 19:52, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Translation

Hey Hemux, can you translate this song into English? Re-type the words on my talk page and it should read in English on my computer. Do not copy and paste. Thanks, pal.

Job is done.

Well, thanks! Did yuu re-type it in French? Or in English......TommyBoy76 22:03, 23 May 2006 (UTC)TommyBoy76

You're welcome. This Baker's song is extremely easy to understand, so I'm not talentuous at all. I didn't understand your question, though : I read the text, then I wrote the english lyrics in your page, and, well, that's all, folks ! Hemux 15:07, 24 May 2006 (UTC)

No I mean, type it in French, because I think it automatically translates to English. Doesn't it? TommyBoy76 19:32, 24 May 2006 (UTC)TommyBoy76

Well, whatever. I know what the song says in English. Thanks, pal. Good luck with your baseball. --TommyBoy76 19:33, 24 May 2006 (UTC)TommyBoy76

[edit] Status

So, Hemux, what's the status with your baseball? Still practicing? Did you find any new videos? TommyBoy76 03:09, 29 November 2006 (UTC)