Play Ball
by Chris Tucker
• Futility, thy name is Cubs. The
Boston Red Sox exorcised
86 years of "The Curse" by winning the World Series two seasons
ago. The
Chicago White Sox ended 88 years of misery (and took some
of the sting out of the "Black Sox" scandal of 1919) by taking the
title last season. The Cubs are the last of the longtime lovable
losers, and excuses are wearing thinner than ever after a Series
drought that extends back to 1908. - Chris Wessling
Sounds Like Team Spirit
Texas Rangers shortstop Michael Young, last year's American League
batting champion, took a few minutes out of his busy schedule to
chat with us about - what else? -
baseball. - C.T.
Last season was your best yet - a .331 average, 221 hits, and
the batting title. How do you top that?
My only goal is to get the most out of my ability, and I'm not at
that point yet. There are still some areas of my game I can improve
on.
What do you do in the off-season?
I take three or four weeks off to detox from a long, grueling
season. After New Year's, it's back to the weight room and my
cardio work. Then I start throwing and hitting and [doing] some
agility stuff. Like every player, I want to show up at spring
training bigger, stronger, and faster than the year before.
Some players depend on rituals and mantras to help them focus.
Do you?
I'm not a superstitious guy. I just show up and play hard.
How do you handle slumps?
I make a considered effort to not change a thing in a slump. A lot
of guys start changing everything, searching for answers, and then
they're really in trouble. I believe in my approach to hitting, so
win, lose, or draw, that's my plan of attack.
Were you a big baseball fan as a kid?
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