Where's the Stuffing?

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Desperate times call for desperate measures, so Braves right fielder Jeff Francoeur said he’ll wear the same underwear to Turner Field Tuesday that he wore on Sunday. He claimed the Braves are 7-0 when he wears his Thanksgiving-themed “turkey underwear” to the ballpark.

He wore them again Sunday for a home-series finale against the Red Sox, after the Braves lost the first two in the series. With rookie Tommy Hanson (flu symptoms) questionable entering Sunday’s game, and Yunel Escobar and Nate McLouth out of the lineup, Francoeur pulled out the stops.

“I wore the turkey underwear,” he announced before Sunday’s game. Hanson then proceded to pitch six scoreless innings Sunday and the Braves beat the Red Sox, 2-1.


OK. I get it. Baseball players, more than any other professional athletes, are superstitious. Wade Boggs ate chicken, Jason Giambi had the golden thong, and Barry Bonds had his HGH. However, the more and more I read about these superstitions, the more I am starting to get annoyed by them. Need an example? Fine. David Cone was announcing the Game 2 of the Yankees -Mets subway series at Taxpayers Field on Saturday. AJ Burnett was throwing an absolute gem. The 5th inning had come and gone with the Mets totally a massive ZERO hits. Inevitably the announcers started talking about a no-no and how the term "no-hitter" is not to be spoken like it was a message from God himself. Michael "Big Headed" Kay ask Coney what he though about the superstition since Cone had thrown a perfect game for the Yanks in 1999. And what was his reply? Cone noted that he would go into the clubhouse after each inning. The television broadcast was always on during the game in the clubhouse and Cone noted that every single time he entered he heard the words "perfect game." It didn't seem to jinx him. So what is it about the superstition?

I have a couple thoughts on this. First, if you are a ball player and have a superstition or routine you do the same way every day, and you have done it as long as you can remember, then I am OK with that. Its the repetitive nature that may make ball players feel more comfortable on the mound, at the plate, or in the field.

On the other hand, its just ridiculous. Listen, I am not saying that as a fan I have sat in the same chair, eaten the same foods, drank the same type of beer. What I am saying is that most players feel the need for superstitions because they are not mentally tough. Your in a slump and need a gold thing to break out? Toughen up. You are throwing goose eggs on the scoreboard and will freak out if you hear the word "no-no"? Toughen it up man! Don't get me wrong. We all have our lucky t-shirts, our lucky chairs, and our lucky lace underwear that fits so comfortably around my..uh...um...I mean lucky boxers. In reality it has no effect on a performance. It may make you comfortable, or dare I even say dead sexy, but being mentally tough is the best superstition to have.

Now where did I put my pinstriped garter?