THE BACK-UP PLAN - JUST IN CASE

I couldn't be more pleased to follow the Pittsburgh Pirates experiment of having their third baseman Pedro Alvarez practice at first base - a entirely new position for him as third base has always been his assigned positon in professional baseball.

The guy's a great athlete - whose muscle memory in throwing the ball - may just be on the fritz.

However, the benefit to his team - working so hard to make the playoffs - maybe even win their division - is that you now have a guy with a two position skill set.

In addition, his manager, Clint Hurdle claims Pedro is one of the hardest working players on the team.

Pedro may not become the next Don Mattingly or Keith Hernandez - with several golden gloves between them - but it won't be for not trying. In addition, it should be beneficial to have his bat back in the lineup.

My only question - assuming I have my facts right - is " Why did it seem to take so long to try the experiment?"

I agree one stumbling block may have been the different skills required to play first base versus third - despite the fact first base has often been the last position played by several pros on a farewell tour.

To this "retired athlete" it would seem one of the additional bonuses to having Pedro play there - even if only occasionally as he learns this new position - will be his opportunity to gain an entirely different perspective on the game.

O.K, a less serious and more informed discussion.

My knowledge of baseball - particularly the professional kind - is almost nil - ending in my failure to react acceptably to a curve ball in pony league. This is no doubt why I gravitated to slow- pitch and 3/4 motion softball in my later 20+ playing years.

Even in that setting I didn't set the world on fire - but, I had a lot of fun and it was a great place to babysit my 4 kids while their Mom was working 3 to 11 shifts at Pittsburgh's Mercy Hospital.

Now, you don't have to be the sharpest knife in the drawer to know there's a big difference between playing professional baseball and messing around with the alternative choice as so many of us did.

However, it does give you some perspective.

My recollections of the intertwined sports of baseball and softball was the mechanics (as well as that skill set) differed greatly.

Reflecting on my holiday tournament days, it's doubtful if Major League management allows you to drink alcohol between the first and second games of a double-elimination tournament (the past Red Sox experiment to promote conviviality among their players notwithstanding).

Secondly, even when the Pros did consume alcohol during a game, it's doubtful their players engaged in this behavior while lying in the grass on a hot day for a 3 or 4 of hours under a grueling sun, attempting to "cool one-self down" while awaiting their teams second chance.

One Memorial Day, during a second game - I watched an outfielder trip and fall over his can of beer while attempting to retrieve an infield overthrow - an egregious error. The jeers and laughter intertwined.

As most serious beerdrinkers will assure you, having a teammate spill a beer is considered by his buddies to be a serious and disastrous infraction - particularly if he was the  guy who retrieved the last cold one.

Most definitely, recreational softball - and the valuable lessons learned - only serve to illustrate the distinct difference between the two sports.

That comparison does not include the semi-pro version of softball where our good friend and pitcher Jack O'Connor was selected as "All World" in a championship tournament held in Detroit.

Perhaps Jack's biggest test, however, was his willingness to be the Pitcher on a few of our bar-sponsored teams during his semi-retirement years. Quite a unique  experience, as well.

"Back in the day", some of the more successful recently retired former Pittsburgh Pirates experienced firsthand the difference in the two sports when they attempted - with mixed results - to extend their ballplaying career by signing up for Jack's semi-pro softball league.

Timing the pitch was only one of the many adjustments required.

In addition, when you're trying to field your position while slipping and sliding on a wet and muddy softball field, you quickly become aware a Zamboni crew doesn't magically appear on the field when it rains.

There is one valid comparison, however.

If you're playing the outfield - pitching - even wearing the tools of ignorance - in either sport - you must quickly adapt to the necessity of  backing up the play when teammates #1 thru 6  are "throwing the ball around" the infield in search of an out or two.

The results can be "disastrous"'  - even without the beercan obstacles.

So, my unsolicited advice to the current Pirate management is:

"Take it from a washed up old holiday tournament veteran; better work on a back-up plan for your experiment - just in case."