Mr Mxyzptlk
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Same here.
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Cricketers playing major league baseball
- Thread starter slippy
- Start date
stephen
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Batting in baseball is technically quite simple. However, the detail of actually doing it requires a huge amount of hand-eye coordination and timing. Batting in cricket probably takes less of the hand-eye coordination, but the technique is so much more important.
I think that as far as modern international teams are concerned there are a number of batsmen who could make the transition from cricket to baseball, but very few baseballers who would have the ability to switch to cricket, purely because batting technique is much more difficult to master.
No spin bowler would be able to play baseball. The quickest fast bowlers would be able to pick up pitching fairly easily, but I think it would be very difficult for pitchers to pick up bowling - again because the technique is so different and much more difficult to pick up.
In the fielding stakes, baseballers are so much better than cricketers on average it isn't funny. However, some of the better fielders would do ok in this area (I'm talking the Pontings and the Symonds' of the world).
I think that as far as modern international teams are concerned there are a number of batsmen who could make the transition from cricket to baseball, but very few baseballers who would have the ability to switch to cricket, purely because batting technique is much more difficult to master.
No spin bowler would be able to play baseball. The quickest fast bowlers would be able to pick up pitching fairly easily, but I think it would be very difficult for pitchers to pick up bowling - again because the technique is so different and much more difficult to pick up.
In the fielding stakes, baseballers are so much better than cricketers on average it isn't funny. However, some of the better fielders would do ok in this area (I'm talking the Pontings and the Symonds' of the world).
stephen
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
They may take some of the skill out of catching, but baseball is a game based on which side fields better, as opposed to cricket which is a game of which side bats and bowls better.
Baseball fielding is far superior to cricket fielding, which is why the Aussies brought in the baseball coach a few years ago and other teams have followed suit.
wfdu_ben91
International 12th Man
I reckon Shahid Afridi would make a decent baseball player.
silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
What? Baseball is won by which team pitches better. You always talk about the pitching duel in baseball. Fielding is never Pakistan-caliber in baseball where it may become an issue.
silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
It utilizes different muscles/mechanics though, I don't really think the speed would translate one way or another.
And what even crappy baseball players do with the ball in the air is astounding. But they also don't have to worry about doing stuff off the pitch.
Other than the fact that you have bats and balls, I don't really think the sports are comparable.
silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
Not related, but this discussion reminds me of YouTube - BEST BASEBALL CATCH EVER.
Haha, watching India - South Africa - what just qualified as a 'quick and accurate' throw in cricket would horrify a baseball fielding coach in the major leagues
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Haha, watching India - South Africa - what just qualified as a 'quick and accurate' throw in cricket would horrify a baseball fielding coach in the major leagues
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silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
Damn it! I hate you, that was one of my favorite videos.
Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
Except of course when the fielding is so bad that it cancels-out good bowling and exacerbates good batting. The better the fielding in cricket, the purer contest between bat and ball is; the poorer the fielding, the more it dilutes cricket as a contest between bat and ball.
Took the same coach as well. I just hope that at some point down the line maybe (presuming what you say is true) cricket can catch-up.
Julian87
State Captain
BoyBrumby
Englishman
Ian Pont (ex Essex quick) had an extended trial for the Philadelphia Phillies on the strength of his cannon throwing arm.
His own website says he actually played for them in a spring training game making him "the only modern professional cricketer to play in a professional baseball match."
His own website says he actually played for them in a spring training game making him "the only modern professional cricketer to play in a professional baseball match."
Edged&Taken
U19 Vice-Captain
murali can 'chuck' legally in baseball 
andyc
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Thanks for contributing there...murali can 'chuck' legally in baseball
I'm fairly certain the Chappell brothers played baseball in the off-season to keep their skills up, and I'm pretty sure there's been others that've done the same, can't think of any names though. Definitely some transferable skills in terms of fielding, but really the batting and bowling/pitching are dramatically different. I played one game in 2008 in China on a team of Mexicans and Americans vs. Koreans, and I tried to leg glance the first pitch or two before I realised what was going on. Managed to make a single or two IIRC. Dropped a catch though, have never been good with the mits.
