Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
April 24, 2006
Filling Bigger Shoes

Kevin Mench's foot was bothering him. The answer: bigger shoes.

It's gotta be the shoes.

At least that's what hitting coach Brook Jacoby said is the main reason outfielder Kevin Mench is starting to pound the ball and collect RBIs in bunches. Mench's foot problems, which led to him missing five games, were partially a result of wearing shoes too small for his feet. He's now sporting spikes a ½ -size larger (12 ½ ) and hitting the ball farther.

"He couldn't keep weight on his back foot and pivot correctly, and now he can," Jacoby said. "That's the biggest difference."

This reminds me of the Mike Venafro story from spring training. Do players skimp on their playing shoes? I mean, if I were a player, I'd be paying for custom cleats that fit just right. Is it that they are so anxious to get freebies from the apparel companies that they don't bother to make sure the shoes are actually right for them? It seems to me that it would be worth it for a player to spend a few thousand dollars on proper footwear. It's an important part of their equipment.


Posted by David Pinto at 09:15 AM | Equipment | TrackBack (0)
Comments

So Mench has big feet to go along with that Shrek-ish head of his. I wonder if he has a big...let's not go there.

You gotta like Mench. He looks so, um, odd.

Posted by: Casey Abell at April 24, 2006 10:31 AM

actually it is interesting how many people wear shoes that don't fit.

they don't make wide shoes for girls (and at LEAST a third of us got wide feet) and they don't make narrow shoes for men.

Posted by: lisa gray at April 24, 2006 11:08 AM

This is like that Eric Chavez story from spring training. "Maybe if I work on my leg kick now, I won't have to adjust in April."

I guess this is why these guys are baseball players and not professors.

Posted by: Benjamin Kabak at April 24, 2006 02:34 PM

In sandles you can score 8 runs on the DRays this year.

Posted by: Rob M at April 24, 2006 02:57 PM

Casey you went there! More interesting is how John Koronka (ex-Cub) is pitching great for the Rangers.

Posted by: The Zoner at April 24, 2006 05:25 PM
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