In
baseball, shagging is the act of catching
fly balls in the
outfield outside the context of an actual
baseball game.[1] This is most commonly done by
pitchers during
batting 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 the
infield.
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 the
Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league, teams pay groups specifically assembled to shag fly balls in place of pitchers,[5] and the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim recruit local firefighters in
Arizona to do the job when the team plays in the
Cactus League during
spring training.[6]
Dangers
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 his
3,000th hit,
Paul Waner accidentally gashed his foot while shagging a fly ball in a game against the
Pittsburgh Pirates, his former team.[9] This was probably due to Waner being
nearsighted 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 on
Opening Day in 1981, but suffered an injury to his calf while shagging for his teammates. He was replaced by unheralded
rookieFernando Valenzuela, who went on to win his next 8 consecutive
decisions.[11]
Other players who have suffered serious injuries due to shagging include
Mark Fidrych and
Brendan Donnelly. Fidrych suffered a left knee injury after tearing
cartilage 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 in
saves, suffered arguably the most well-known injury from shagging on May 3, 2012. While helping out in pre-game
batting practice, Rivera attempted to catch a fly ball from
Jayson Nix when he twisted his knee on the
warning track of
Kauffman Stadium and fell to the ground. An
MRI scan revealed he had
torn his
anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and
part 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 the
2013 season, his final season in the major leagues before retiring.[18]