The Show

St. Pete Times music and arts critics Sean Daly and John Fleming talk baseball: ...

The pitching motion is the American form of dance for men. Such are the random thoughts that kept me fitfully interested, watching on TV at home today, in another disappointing performance by the Rays. I started formulating this theory yesterday, inspired by Cliff Lee's effortless, rocking chair motion in setting down the Rays. Today's masterful outing by the other Texas lefty, C.J. Wilson — who, with his boyish good looks and shaggy hair, could pass for a principal with a ballet company — reinforced the idea.

The American male, of course, is famously anti-dance — Exhibit A was a commercial several years ago in which the worst possible thing a beer-drinking sports fan could be asked to do by his wife was to go to a ballet — and many dance companies would kill for a few good men. Where are all the guys who could do turns, spins, pirouettes and leaps with ease and grace? They're on the pitching mound.

The delivery of a great pitcher is a thing of beauty, and every one of them is different, just as every great dancer moves in his own way. Many a boyhood has been misspent perfecting a stylish pitching motion, instead of going to dance class. I guarantee you that Wilson has had that funky little twist of the wrist at the end of his delivery since he was playing Wiffle ball in the back yard. For the most part, his motion is efficient and functional — no windup, just a short step back before bringing the ball to the plate — and that is typical of our no-nonsense times. One of his heroes was Greg Maddux, who epitomized the no muss, no fuss delivery.