I have to say, I wouldn't be able to use a pink bat, but it wouldbe so cool if we beat the Bitch Sox with them.

The thing you have to realize is just how superstitious baseball players are. This is a no-win proposition for the guys. One of two things would happen if a player used a pink bat. Either they hit well or they don't (see how bright I am?).

If they hit well, they would want to use the bats again and again... but the league is giving the exception for Sunday only!

If they hit poorly, they blame the bat.

Psssst... guys.... use 'em in BP (or if you're really ambitious, one at-bat when the game isn't on the line), autograph them, and auction them off for the cause.

If Little Nicky Punto is willing to wear a pink speedo for the cause - Torii can swing a pink bat - at least once =)
On that note - when Nick came in during the 9th all I could wonder was -hmmm are you wearing the green speedo??
He has to dig up some 'dirt' on DJ Cuddles =)

Sucks to be at work on a Saturday - why would I volunteer for this - ;-)

Much Love
Wonder Woman -

They need to grow the f**k up, frankly. This annoys me. Nobody could accuse Michael Cuddyer of being a girly-man, yet he gamely put on the pink visor for a TV promo. Men are now wearing pink shirts, pink ties... and we're not asking these guys to make a fashion statement or deny their precious masculinity. It's a COLOR, and to use the bat for one friggin' day symbolizes their respect and concern for the lives of their mothers, wives, sisters and daughters.

HONESTLY! I mean, I hate the color green with a religious fervor, but I wear a green NY Jets jersey, because it symbolizes my (obviously misplaced) support for the Jets. And if I was asked to wear green for one day in support of prostate cancer research, out of respect for MALE lives, I'd happily do that too.

I could see some of the players being nervous. Simply from a the view of a superstition.

All I know is...tonight's game is only on *choke* WGN. So if the Twins use the pink bats, the annoucers had better keep their damn mouths shut.

Look, I understand player superstition, believe me. It's one of those totally senseless but humorously accepted things we all indulge because we're used to it and it's usually pretty harmless to do so. But we all live in the real world. Cancer is real. "I didn't get a hit because my bat was a different color" is NOT. If you get "nervous" because a color changes, you need to GROW UP... at least for a day.

It's just a matter of respect. Female athletes would do the same thing for males if asked. And the whole thing is pretty inconsistent, seeing as baseball has often asked players to wear commemorative alternative uniforms or caps or patches or whatever. You either play well or you don't. The color of your bat or cap or jersey doesn't affect that at all. So if you're asked to do it for one day out of respect for women, you be a man and do it. I didn't see Torii complaining when he was asked to wear a different uniform to honor the Negro Leagues. Superstition suddenly matters not a jot when you have a personal affinity for the cause involved?

Man, does this ever piss me off.

Maybe Torii should only use the pink bat when runners are on base. It can only help him in those situations - maybe he'll spend his at-bat worrying about he color and forget about the RBI!

And it could be worse - they could have had to wear pink uniforms like the Rock Cats did last Saturday (picture at http://www.gutter-ball.com/down-on-the-farm/).

Those guys did it - they stood up like real men. Torii and the rest of the boys should ALL use the pink bats. Or Radke's mom should call them all.

Twins,

Suck it up.

Sternly,
CarrieICL

eh... I'm with the guys on this one frankly. A) I haven't ever been a fan of pink either but B) that is one REALLY bad color pink. I think my stomach would turn having to swing a bat the same color as Pepto Bismol. It's distracting at a point of the game where you don't want to be distracted.

There are LOTS of ways they can show their recognition and no one should belittle them for not wanting to have a distraction in their peripheral vision at the plate. I am sure they all wish the fundraising and awareness campaign well.

I wonder how many ordered them? Probably not many, but if one did order a bat, he should use it. I'll bet someone does.

"I didn't see Torii complaining when he was asked to wear a different uniform to honor the Negro Leagues."

Laurie, there's a difference between the bat and the jersey. The jersey is a jersey. The players have tons of those, and those get washed and those get dirty and they were four or so different versions throughout the year. Same with caps, cleats, gloves...whatever.

But a bat is THEIR bat. I don't know the whole story behind these bats...but are they going to make sure that the players have the same types of bats they traditionally use?

If not, then it's there is a problem. Yeah EVERYBODY would have the same problem...but it'd be like asking a player to wear the wrong sized shoe.

Heck, I'd be all for seeing the Twins trot out there in a pink batting helmet or jersey. But the bat is their bat. I can understand having a problem with suddenly being asked to swing a new bat.

PS: Cuddy will have a pink bat. If that ad's any hint, he's got no problem with it.

My comment this morning about the players not using the bats because they're superstitious was half in jest. I agree with Laurie that superstition isn't a legitimate reason not to use the pink bat.

That said, this was a bad idea. You simply do not mess with the tools actually used by ballplayers. You don't use pink baseballs because players are accustomed to picking up the spin of a white ball. You dont make them use pink gloves because fielders develop a "feel" with their broken in gloves. And you don't make a guy use a special bat, either. When you're swinging, you're taught to SEE the ball hit the bat. The bat isn't a colorless blur as you focus on making contact, even if that's what it looks like from the cheap seats.

Pink wristbands, ribbons, stripes/piping on the uniform or for that matter, pink caps or jerseys... no problem. But if I were a player, I'd probably be asking that the tools I use to perform should be left alone.

If I were in their situation, I'd probably use the bat in BP or maybe late in the game if the outcome isn't in doubt.

If their mothers and wives can go through the pain of childbirth--and possibly cancer--they can make the sacrifice of swinging a pink bat four times. God Almighty. Talk about spoiled babies!

Nobody is tougher than a woman fighting to stay alive. Pink = power, time to grow up, boys!

Shouldn't stop at pink bats.
Click on 'TD'..

I agree that it shouldn't be that big of a deal to use a different bat for a day. On the other hand, I think they are catching too much heat for not wanting to do so. The purpose of MLB's allowing pink bats for a day is to raise awareness of breast cancer. I'd bet that the breast cancer research charities have already benefited more by the bats being discussed in interviews and debated here and in papers than if everyone just used the bats. Checkbooks are handier while reading the news than when the game's on, anyway.

As for mothers and wives being dissed by them not using the bats, I would hope that picking up a pink bat would be pretty low on the list of all the loving things they do for the women in their lives.

(You can make your donations to breast cancer research and education at http://www.komen.org or https://secure.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/fan_forum/komen/soc_form.jsp)

Here's a thought. Why have pink bats at all? Those are just VISUAL support.

Why not take the money that would've gone into making those bats and donate it directly to Cancer relief.

If I were a ballplayer and my team was 2 games under .500 I would use the bat that got my last hit. Pink, green, blue doesn't matter. What matters is if they support cancer reseaech or not.
Broker

Grow up boys and use the bats, you will thank your self later. + you will get a lot of love from the fans when you come to the plate. What not comfortable with your masculinity?

TD, yikes! That is one of the most hideous things I think I have ever seen.

And I agree with Torhu, though part of the point I think in all this is to create more awareness so that others donate also.

Torii did say he would wear pink, so it seems that he has no problem "sucking it up" and sporting the color in support of the cause. He just doesn't like the bats. So what? It's his right to participate in the effort to raise awareness of the cause in whatever manner he chooses.

If his choice is to wear pink wristbands or shoelaces, or to quietly donate some time or money to a cancer research charity or local hospital, so be it. Be glad that he's doing *something* for the cause, in a way suits him.

Lay off of him, and go jump down the throat of the idiot committee who had the bad taste to decide that baby-pink, of all colors, should be THE symbol of breast cancer (or breast cancer research). Now there's a group that deserves a good kicking.

P.S. And I dare anyone to write a letter to Torii (inc. SASE), or tell him to his face, that he doesn't love and honor his mother if he won't swing a pink bat on Sunday. Go on. Let us know how it goes.

oh, for Pete's sake. yes, pink sucks. but it's a bat. just freakin' swing it.

how many hockey players used pink sticks the last weekend of the regular season? if a hockey player can use a pink stick for an entire game, then a baseball player can swing a pink bat four times.

Frightwig, darling, don't bet that I don't have the balls to tell a baseball player to his face exactly what I think of anything he does or says. You'd lose that bet.

And I never said he doesn't love or honor his mother if he doesn't swing the pink bat. I said he SHOULD honor EVERYONE's mothers by swinging the bat. Your logic is flawed. Grass is green. But everything green is not necessarily grass.

long time listener, first time caller. what's worse is the mets blog where the writer said something dumb-ass that was meant to be supportive, like "BMF loves breasts and doesn't want cancer anywhere near them."

mets fans need someone like batgirl because i am tired of reading this kind of crap on mets blogs, or looking at photos of naked women interjected when they are bored.

and these boys probably wonder why they can't get laid.

"Kevin Mench was among several Texas players who wanted his mother's name burned on the bats. The Rangers slugger, who homered in seven straight games earlier this season, also planned to have a bat for his grandmother, who died after a battle with breast cancer."

That's the spirit!

Hey Metsgrrl! Fellow Mets fan here!!! Mouse over my name... :-)

How do i order a pink bat???? my grandson played on the A team for the Mets til he got hurt and had to retire. Two members of my family dieded of cancer, I am retired and can not pay much.
can you advise me. Margie

Why does "awareness" need to be raised for breast cnacer, anyway? Haven't we all heard of it already? Can't we all just say the obvious, that this is a silly way for baseball to try to increase the number of women in the stands, in a sport with a 2/3 male fan base?

What if we give the players the benefit of the doubt for a second here? They are the experts on hitting, right? It seems possible that they don't think they'll be able to do their job as well if they might be distracted by the color of their bat mid-swing. And as employees who are paid lots of money to do a job, it seems like they have a responsibility to do their job as well as they can.

This is one way to raise awareness, but just because this method of raising awareness doesn't necessarily agree with them doesn't necessarily mean that they are worried about their masculinity or that they don't care about the cause.

Why does "awareness" need to be raised for breast cnacer, anyway? Haven't we all heard of it already?

dumbest. comment. ever.