The "day off". Do players really need it?

[Jollay]

Ah, yes. It is good to rest your players from time to time.

Well, yes Cal Ripken, you can cite him. Pretty much everybody was like him....LOL

Frank Thomas in his prime got 2-5 days off a year.
Mark McGwire never played more than 156 games a season in his career.

The list goes on and on. I can cite many other examples of all star caliber first baseman getting days off...

The baseball season is a LONG one that can take a toll. A day off every now and then is done almost universally for most players.

[Thunder Muscle]

When I played (play) 3 or 4 games in one week I'm drained by the end of the stretch. I couldn't imagine playing a 162 game schedule. Baseball is a very mentally challenging game. These are all out 9 inning games too, not just 7 innings or anything. I'm sometimes ready to cash out in the 6-7 inning on hot muggy days. I totally understand the day off concept.

[goirish2107]

you'd have to keep yourself in pretty good shape to play everyday, not to mention something like cal's streak. when i used to swim competitively i could do anything all day long, rugby, baseball, football, basketball, whatever. but there weren't many that could keep it up with me endurance-wise. swimming was what enabled me to do it, and i doubt many pro athletes are doing anything like that. plus, prince is pretty fat, let the man have a day off. though he would never want one.

[whatthe_buck!?]

It's BASEBALL folks. Weren't not taking about pro-cycling here. I used to play baseball in high school, so it's not like I can't make the claim from first hand experience that baseball isn't as physically demanding as many other sports (yes, I did play other sports as well). You guys aren't bing very rational here, IMO.

[whatthe_buck!?]

I mean, when you're in your late thirties like Damian Miller, of course you need days off, but we're talking about a 23 yr old 1st baseman here.

Like I said before, if Prince had a better backup, I could see us being able to justify giving him a rest every once in a while, but his #1 back up is Graffy, so we can't.

[livestrong4ever]

I mean, when you're in your late thirties like Damian Miller, of course you need days off, but we're talking about a 23 yr old 1st baseman here.

Like I said before, if Prince had a better backup, I could see us being able to justify giving him a rest every once in a while, but his #1 back up is Graffy, so we can't.

Who says a day off can't help

[Black Jesus 1]

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I wouldnt put physical and baseball in the same sentence. As much as I love baeball...it does get boring a lot. That why I usully only watch the last few innings Brewers games and other games (im also an indians fan). That why i suggest they take a day off from boringness...do you have any idea how boring it could get standing in left field waiting for a ball to come...

If standing in the outfield cashing in a load of money each second is boring, then wow. Give me the job.

[Buck4Life]

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If standing in the outfield cashing in a load of money each second is boring, then wow. Give me the job.

forget cash, its still could get really boring. If there wasnt as much money then no one would play.

[livestrong4ever]

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forget cash, its still could get really boring. If there wasnt as much money then no one would play.

Speak for your self ,sir.

[humanrefutation]

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I wouldnt put physical and baseball in the same sentence. As much as I love baeball...it does get boring a lot. That why I usully only watch the last few innings Brewers games and other games (im also an indians fan). That why i suggest they take a day off from boringness...do you have any idea how boring it could get standing in left field waiting for a ball to come...

You obviously have never played baseball before. It might have it's dull spots, but if you ask any baseball player if they would rather be playing in the outfield and being a part of the game or sitting on the bench, they'll choose the former 100 times out of 100.

And honestly, how can you possibly compare your perspective from the seat of your couch to the perspective of an outfielder who has to be constantly alert that a ball might be headed in their direction. A one-second mistake on recognizing a fly ball can make the difference between a pop out and a double. Come on man...that might be the dumbest thing I've heard on the realgm boards in quite a while.

[humanrefutation]

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forget cash, its still could get really boring. If there wasnt as much money then no one would play.

I should've held off on my last comment...THIS might be the dumbest thing I've heard on the realgm boards. If baseball players are playing for the $$$, can you explain to me why hundreds of thousands of high school students and little leaguers play baseball every year? Why career-minor leaguers making $30,000 a year and spending time away from their families play? Why Black players in the early 20th century played even though they were paid menial wages and weren't even allowed to spend their earnings in most white establishments?

Stop making such a fool of yourself.

[Asher]

agreed, whoever says baseball isn't physical or demanding has never played it. baseball is not only taxing physically, it requires so much focus, concentration, and wariness, it's amazing to me that guys in the bigs can play 162 games in 185 days.
everyone enjoys a day off, whether you're a janitor or the president. baseball players (for the most part) love to play and want to be out there every pitch. sometimes the manager makes a decision--not today, cowboy. and you sit.
this benefits in a lot of ways. anyone ever had a sore back after a hard day at work? anyone ever feel dehydrated after a long day? anyone ever feel just not completely focussed cause you haven't had your ginseng shake? whatever. a day off is a day off, regardless of your profession, and it helps, esp. if you're struggling.
also, sometimes it's just beneficial to sit and watch the game from a bystander's point of view, and remember all the stuff you've forgotten about how to hit, field, etc. it's not a bad thing.

[Buck4Life]

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You obviously have never played baseball before.

I wouldnt say that if I havent...

trust me..i love baseball...but sometimes it can get pretty boring to play or watch. but that might be just me.

[whatthe_buck!?]

agreed, whoever says baseball isn't physical or demanding has never played it. baseball is not only taxing physically, it requires so much focus, concentration, and wariness, it's amazing to me that guys in the bigs can play 162 games in 185 days.
everyone enjoys a day off, whether you're a janitor or the president. baseball players (for the most part) love to play and want to be out there every pitch. sometimes the manager makes a decision--not today, cowboy. and you sit.
this benefits in a lot of ways. anyone ever had a sore back after a hard day at work? anyone ever feel dehydrated after a long day? anyone ever feel just not completely focussed cause you haven't had your ginseng shake? whatever. a day off is a day off, regardless of your profession, and it helps, esp. if you're struggling.
also, sometimes it's just beneficial to sit and watch the game from a bystander's point of view, and remember all the stuff you've forgotten about how to hit, field, etc. it's not a bad thing.

Since you have already used the word "amazing" to describe someone playing 162 games in 185 days, what is the word you would use to describe Cal Ripkin's feat of playing in 162 games during a time period of 185 days for more than 15 consecutive seasons? See my point?
BTW, in regard to this bit of nonsense-

agreed, whoever says baseball isn't physical or demanding has never played it. baseball is not only taxing physically, it requires so much focus, concentration, and wariness,

Listen, I have already said that I did play baseball. IT IS NOT physically demanding compared to most other sports. Maybe it can sometimes be somewhat mentally taxing and tedious, but it is not physically demanding (that is unless you are talking about baseball being physically demanding when it comes to the throwing arm of pitchers, but then again even they -pitchers- get to sit out 4 of every 5 games anyway). I concede that baseball requires "much focus, concentration, and wariness", but you must realize that the same thing could be said of accounting. Remember, we are talking about a guy who plays first base, not exactly the hardest position to play in an already relatively laid-back sport. I hate to sound like a broken record here, but a 23 yr old first baseman does not, I repeat, does not need to be given regular rest.

And let me just make clear that I do not say all of this to come off like I am someone who doesn't respect baseball as a sport, I just don't like to listen to someone try and make baseball out to sound like it is the equivalent of marathon running when that couldn't be farther from the truth. If I didn't know better, I would think that asher is the one who has never before played baseball.

[Asher]

if you had played anything but t-ball, you wouldn't be arguing. every job in the world is tiring, even yours as a janitor.

[whatthe_buck!?]

So you are saying that playing professional baseball is as tiring as being a janitor? Way to make your already excellent argument look even better. *sarcasm*

Every job is tiring you say? If you were to ask your mother how true that statement is, she would tell you how wrong you really are. In fact, if she were to take you out to the track with her one day you would be able to find out first hand that, while pimpin' may not be easy, hoin' sure is.

[whatthe_buck!?]

if you had played anything but t-ball

I know you are grasping at straws, so I should probably just let this go, but if you want to debate something that I am saying at least pick an argument that you have a chance at winning. There is no getting around the fact that I did play organized baseball for 13 years of my life, including through high school.

[whatthe_buck!?]

The truth is, I am not trying to criticize the game of baseball, so if that is why you are getting so defensive about this you are making a serious mistake (I am simply trying to set the record strait about how demanding baseball is to play in relation to other sports). If, on the other hand, you are upset because you like Yost and think he made the right move in resting Prince and playing Graffy the other day (even though there were no reports of Fielder having any kind of disease, injury and/or fatigue), then you should be getting defensive (even if doing so pretty much makes you certifiably dumb).