Baseball Superstitions And Routines with the Tides

To date (5/16/13) the Norfolk Tides stunned their last six opponents which has the Orioles top development team leading all fellow IL South Division foes with a record of 27 wins and 12 losses. With all the success the Tides are having this year, it's not surprising that many of the players on Norfolk's roster have little quirks or superstitions. As you'll come to find out a hodgepodge of Tides have superstitions and quirks that they have carried since turning pro while other players don't have many superstitions, they have routines.

Camden Chat gathered superstitions and routines information from L. J. Hoes, Trayvon Robinson, and Chris Robinson. All of them have a story or two to tell about routines and superstitions ranging from pink cleats, wearing the same underwear, sleeping with bats, or a pitcher throwing up his pre-game meal before a start.

"I try to stick away from that (superstitions or routines). You want to go out and take it day by day. You can't worry about the night before or the day before. You can't really get caught up on the past because this is a game of failure. If you get caught up on what you did the day before or what didn't work, you're going to drive yourself crazy," said 23-year-old L. J. Hoes.

The young gun also batted about some of the unusual things he has seen over his career, "I've seen some people sleep with their bats. I've seen people carry their glove a certain way when they leave the clubhouse or they have to have a certain type of shoe on or some guys may wear the same underwear until they don't get a hit."

Fellow outfielder Trayvon Robinson tossed around his superstitions and routines stating, "I wore pink cleats for two days. I'm a true believer in that because I think I'm one of them. I don't have too many. I just make sure I get to the ball park a little early. Cage wise hit of the tee. I do my hitting work before anything starts. I think just being in the clubhouse makes you ready for the game."

Canadian-born catcher Chris Robinson gave his two cents about superstitions and routines, "I do, but it's not like I have to put my shoes on this way or that way. I was told early on in my career that guys who have routines have success in the game because you're doing it every day and you have to stick with it."

As far as odd superstitions or routines Robinson stated, "One of the weirdest ones I heard was the Gausman in college. I guess he had to eat donuts before and in-between innings when he pitched. You see different guys do different things. I try and do the same routine warm-ups, same amount of reps. I guess we become creatures of habit."

According to Chris, the pitchers are the worse and they all have a handful of weird quirks. Robinson came up with a certain pitcher who threw up right before a start. The pitcher who will go unnamed, but who spent a majority of his career in the big leagues, is reunited this year. When catching up with him this season in the clubhouse Robinson asked, "Do you still do that after however many years in the big leagues? I think he kind of got over that."

When it comes to the topic above we all have seen athletes wear or do something outrageous. What is the most random thing you've seen an athlete do?

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