Do You Hear That? That's Chin Music!

A popular question nowadays when people are getting to know someone or you're hanging out with your buddies is, "What's your favorite kind of music?" Well, is it bad if my answer is Chin Music?! As we all know baseball is America's Past Time. Many of the legendary pitchers that we marvel at today, such as Bob Gibson, had a chip on their shoulder and people feared stepping into the batter's box against them. But where have those days gone? Call me a little old school when it comes to my baseball philosophies, but I feel that MLB Baseball has gone soft. It seems as if the league is filled with guys that have no backbone and the moment a pitcher comes remotely close to painting that inside corner, he receives a nasty stare back from the hitter as if he was trying to hit him. Let's get real! As a pitcher, you have to be a bulldog out there. That is YOUR plate! It's part of the game for a pitcher to throw brush back pitches, establish his dominance and let the batter know he can't get too comfortable in the batter's box, otherwise he will buzz his chin. I'm so sick of seeing hitter's think the inside pitch is something personal and that they're trying to end their careers. From Prince Fielder trying to get into an opponents Club House after a game to fight, to Kevin Youklis getting body slammed by a 20 year old, these hitters need to realize that a pitcher coming inside is no better or worse than THEM sliding into second base with their spikes up trying to take out a shortstop! Often times it is well deserved if the pitcher tries to hit a guy! From all the hot dogging after hitting a homerun, the stare downs, and cry baby hitters after they get called out on a "pitcher's pitch" that they didn't necessarily agree with-- hitters bring alot of it on themselves. I commend those pitchers who still honor the great game and strategies of baseball by throwing inside and brushing back a hitter. With artificial muscles from the steroid era, it seems that is the only thing that distinguishes some of these players as being a man! Turn your back, take the hit by pitch, and sprint down to first base. After all, last time I checked it is a FREE base and boosts your OBP%. The homerun's have become the staple of the last decade, but I feel the times are shifting and as long as pitchers continue to establish their plate and keep hitters from getting TOO comfortable in the box, then we will return to what this game was truly all about...