On-Deck Hitter Adds *Third* Donut

PADUCAH, Ky.-- A youth baseball player standing in the on-deck circle on Monday was looking to add some muscle to his next at-bat when he came up with a brilliant idea.

Aidan Pickering, 12 years old, was already using two weights, known as donuts, on his bat during his practice swings in a Little League contest against the Clearview Bags Yankees. By adding a third, he theorized, he could make his warm up even more effective and help his team, the Knights of Columbus Expos, win the game.

“If one donut is good, two is even better -- and three is just crazy!” said Pickering after the game. “I’m going to work up to five by the start of all-stars so my team can go to Williamsport.”

For decades players have used donuts during their practice swings. When they take off the weight, they say, the bat seems lighter.

Science doesn’t support the theory. A growing body of research shows that adding weight to the bat in the on-deck circle actually reduces bat speed. The body remembers the slow swings taken with the loaded-up bats and then repeats that action in the batter’s box.

The Knights of Columbus manager, Gary Swericki, scoffed at that notion.

“The bat feels lighter, so you can swing it faster -- period, end of sentence,” he said. “All these experts never played real baseball. I was all-county, ok, Einstein?”

Pickering went 0-3 after the donut switch with two hideous strikeouts and a weak ground ball to the pitcher, but he remains confident in his new approach.

“My bat speed was actually too fast,” he said. “Once I get my timing right I’m gonna go plakata all day.”--SB!