Karl's Mailbag 3 By Karl Ravech

Q: What is the little white bag the pitcher throws up and down on the mound? Why do they do that? Arianna from Arkansas
A: Cool question, Arianna. The white bag is a mystery to many baseball fans. It is called a rosin bag and it used to keep a pitcher's hands dry so they can grip the ball and prevent blisters. Whenever a pitcher's hands are starting to feel clammy he will use the rosin bag to dry it off.

Q: In professional baseball, why is the ball thrown out when it hits the dirt or is fouled? Rusty from Illinois
A: Thanks, Rusty, for writing in. I just love baseball questions. It's all in the name of safety and fairness for the batter. A scuffed ball would tip the balance toward the pitcher because his fastball would move more in the air; his curveball and slider would break more and make it harder for the batter to square up a pitch. We wouldn't want to make it any harder on the poor hitters now would we?

Q: Which professional baseball team has won the most World Series? Elliot from Ohio
A: Elliot, I hate to tell you this since you are from Ohio, but the New York Yankees have the most World Series with 26 championships.

Q: Who was the first baseball player to be named Rookie of the Year? Jay from Kentucky
A: Hey, Jay, what a great question! The first Rookie of the Year was voted on in a historic year, with an historic winner. The first person named Rookie of the Year was the great Jackie Robinson in 1947.

Q: How many stitches are in a regulation baseball? Riley from Nevada
A: Riley, there are 108 double stitches or 216 single stitches in a regulation baseball.

Q: Do you know any baseball jokes I can tell my friends? Kevin from Indiana
A: Hmmm, that is a tough one, Kevin. I am not the best comedian, but I will give it a try. What is the difference between Yankee fans and dentists? One roots for the yanks, and the other yanks for the roots.

Q: Growing up, did you want to be a professional baseball player? Nathan from Florida
A: Nathan, I would love to have played sports even more than talking about sports, but I tore my ACL in high school which was a really tough break. I worked hard and went through extensive physical therapy to overcome it, but ultimately decided that I would get into sports by talking about it.

Q: What is the most number of innings a pitcher has pitched in one game? Ryan from New York
A: Thanks, Ryan, for the great question - it has a great answer! It is actually a tie between two pitchers in the same game. Leon Cadore of the Brooklyn Dodgers and Joe Oeschger of the Boston Braves both pitched 26 innings on May 1, 1920 and wound up in a 1-1 tie. The game was called on account of darkness. It is the longest game, in innings, in MLB history.

Q: Did the pitchers ever have to hit in the American League? Chris from Nebraska
A: Chris, great question. Pitchers in the American League used to hit regularly like the pitchers in the National League before 1973 when the Designated Hitter Rule was implemented. American League pitchers still have to hit, though, during National League home games in the World Series.

See you all next month when I get to answer more of your awesome questions!!

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