Josh Gutes
Matt Reistetter On Handling Adversity
(Editor’s Note: Matt is a five-year member of the Washington Nationals minor league system. He is a 2010 graduate of Hauppauge HS and was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Hofstra University in 2013. He has compiled a .258 AVG through five seasons.) by Matt Reistetter When my father passed away when I was 14–baseball saved me. When my girlfriend passed away when I was 16–baseball saved me. My mind is the strongest tool I possess. I can handle adversity. I can handle the grind. A season in the minor leagues is a grind. Especially during August. Every aspect of your life is strictly regimented to a set of routines you’ve established since Spring Training. Except on that day you get the text from the trainer, “No BP, no early work. Report at 6. Show and Go.” These days seem to always c...
Coach’s Take on Takeout Slides
The irony of baseball is that everyone understands it wasn’t meant to be a contact sport, but yet when a player gets injured due to an overly-aggressive play, many people argue that you cannot fault a player for playing hard. During a regular season game the story blows over by the time the next game starts, but in the playoffs it’s a whole different animal and the debate will never end. After watching the now-infamous slide tackle by The Notorious C.H.A.S.E., I decided to consult with a couple of the brightest minds in high school baseball here on Long Island to get their take. Their opinions fell in line with what I expected. “I’m all for hard nosed play but it can’t be dirty. I felt his slide was dirty for two reasons: 1) It was so late that he passed the b...
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