Inbaseball,shagging is the act of catchingfly balls in theoutfield outside the context of an actualbaseball game.[1] This is most commonly done bypitchers duringbatting practice before a game,[2] where they assist their hitting teammates by catching or picking up their batted baseballs and throwing them back to the pitching area in theinfield.Batboys also help shagging, and it is reportedly considered a great honor among batboys to be asked to do this.[3] This pre-game activity is widely disliked by pitchers,[4][5] who argue that it does not benefit them at all, since it drains their energy[5] and actually increases the risk of stiffness in the lower back and leg as a result of prolonged standing.[6] In response to these claims, several teams have exempted pitchers from having to shag. In theNippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league, teams pay groups specifically assembled to shag fly balls in place of pitchers,[5] and theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim recruit local firefighters inArizona to do the job when the team plays in theCactus League duringspring training.[6]
Although shagging is not considered to be dangerous,[7][8] several freak injuries have occurred as a result of engaging in it. In 1943, just one season after collecting his3,000th hit,Paul Waner accidentally gashed his foot while shagging a fly ball in a game against thePittsburgh Pirates, his former team.[9] This was probably due to Waner beingnearsighted and his refusal to wear glasses;[10] thus, he "played the outfield by ear."[9] Nearly four decades later,Jerry Reuss was handed the honor of pitching onOpening Day in 1981, but suffered an injury to his calf while shagging for his teammates. He was replaced by unheraldedrookieFernando Valenzuela, who went on to win his next 8 consecutivedecisions.[11]
Other players who have suffered serious injuries due to shagging includeMark Fidrych andBrendan Donnelly. Fidrych suffered a left knee injury after tearingcartilage in 1977 spring training,[12] starting a downward spiral in his career.[13] Donnelly ended up breaking his nose while shagging, resulting in him losing half of his blood and necessitating three operations.[14]
Mariano Rivera, the all-time leader insaves, suffered arguably the most well-known injury from shagging on May 3, 2012. While helping out in pre-gamebatting practice, Rivera attempted to catch a fly ball fromJayson Nix when he twisted his knee on thewarning track ofKauffman Stadium and fell to the ground. AnMRI scan revealed he hadtorn hisanterior cruciate ligament (ACL) andpart of his meniscus.[15] This prematurely ended his season[16] and led to fears that this could potentially be a career-ending injury.[15][17] Rivera was able to come back and pitch for the2013 season, his final season in the major leagues before retiring.[18]
