Nolan Ryan what if's

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Ryan was so much fun to watch live. The old Arlington stadium had a ramp that sunk down behind home plate, so you could go down there and be basically at the level of Ryan's pitches. It was quite a rush.

I wish I could have done that!

Closest I ever got was in college an ex player started a bating cage that the local minor league team and college teams went to.
They had one cage that was set for low 90's, and like everyone else I just had to try it. Maybe 100 pitches worth and I finally got a tiny bit of one just enough to hear, didn't even deflect the pitch. I could only see the ball as it left the machine, and once when it was about halfway. Apparently my eyes are as slow as the rest of me.
And the cage had decent control, only a fastball and I was told, not much motion on it.
I can't imagine what another 5-8 mph with motion and a chance of an 80+mph curve would be like.

That changed my entire perspective on pro ballplayers in general. It made me realize that even the guys that bat .200 are actually quite good.

Steve B