It’s my Parting Shot for a Monday Musing…..
It used to be the New York Yankees were baseball’s version of, “The Evil Empire!” Especially in the days when Casey Stengel managed what seemed to be a line-up of Hall-of-Famers, followed by the era when George Steinbrenner was alive and he paid handsomely for a line-up that would always be in contention and won World Series titles.
You know, in thinking back, The Boss – as Steinbrenner was known in his hey-day – came off a lot like today’s President of the United States! I think Donald Trump today, is like George Steinbrenner of yesteryear – you either love him or you hate him, nothing in between!!
But, I digress.
Nowadays, the Los Angeles Dodgers appear to have wrestled, “The Evil Empire” title away from the Yanks. But, wait – hold the phone – the Bronx Bombers aren’t relinquishing possession of the moniker without a fight! And, they’re using a bat to do so – a “Torpedo Bat” to be more specific!
If you stand this new baseball hitting weapon on its barrel end, it looks like a bowling pin! The thickest part of the bat isn’t at the upper quarter, but more in the middle third, right around the trademark – where a lot of pitchers try to have batters make contact in the hopes of inducing weak contact, easy outs and breaking bats by the dozens!
However, five of the Yankees’ players have used the Torpedo twig with great success, turning pitches that appear to have sawed them off, as would’ve been the case with regular sticks, into lengthy home runs! The Yanks hit 15, count them 15, round-trippers on opening weekend against Milwaukee – tying a Major League record for most homers in the first three games of a season!
While there is an out-cry about the legality of the Torpedo Bat from fans and media, obsessed with hating the Yankees, there is nothing illegal about the bat. It’s one solid wooden piece, staying within the dimensions set out in the rule book!
It won’t be long before this new bat is in every one of the 30 Major League team’s dugouts and pitchers will be tasked with finding a way to overcome the new technology!
If they can!!
It’ll be interesting to follow this.
That’s my Parting Shot. I’m Les Lazaruk…and it turned out nice again!
