Shagging (baseball)

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To catch fly balls in baseball outside a game

title: "Shagging (baseball)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["baseball-plays"] description: "To catch fly balls in baseball outside a game" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shagging_(baseball)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary To catch fly balls in baseball outside a game ::

In baseball, shagging is the act of catching fly balls in the outfield outside the context of an actual baseball game. This is most commonly done by pitchers during batting practice before a game, where they assist their hitting teammates by catching or picking up their batted baseballs and throwing them back to the pitching area in the infield. Batboys also help shagging, and it is reportedly considered a great honor among batboys to be asked to do this. This pre-game activity is widely disliked by pitchers, who argue that it does not benefit them at all, since it drains their energy In response to these claims, several teams have exempted pitchers from having to shag. In the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league, teams pay groups specifically assembled to shag fly balls in place of pitchers, and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim recruit local firefighters in Arizona to do the job when the team plays in the Cactus League during spring training.

Dangers

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Mariano_Rivera_allison_7_29_07.jpg" caption="saves]] leader [[Mariano Rivera]] suffered a season-ending injury in 2012 while shagging a fly ball at [[Kauffman Stadium]]." alt="A right-handed Hispanic baseball pitcher, wearing a grey uniform with the lettering "NEW YORK" across it, with his body facing the right as he prepares to throw a baseball."] ::

Although shagging is not considered to be dangerous, several freak injuries have occurred as a result of engaging in it. In 1943, just one season after collecting his 3,000th hit, Paul Waner accidentally gashed his foot while shagging a fly ball in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, his former team. This was probably due to Waner being nearsighted and his refusal to wear glasses; thus, he "played the outfield by ear."

Other players who have suffered serious injuries due to shagging include Mark Fidrych and Brendan Donnelly. Fidrych suffered a left knee injury after tearing cartilage in 1977 spring training, starting a downward spiral in his career. Donnelly ended up breaking his nose while shagging, resulting in him losing half of his blood and necessitating three operations.

Mariano Rivera, the all-time leader in saves, suffered arguably the most well-known injury from shagging on May 3, 2012. While helping out in pre-game batting practice, Rivera attempted to catch a fly ball from Jayson Nix when he twisted his knee on the warning track of Kauffman Stadium and fell to the ground. An MRI scan revealed he had torn his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and part of his meniscus. This prematurely ended his season and led to fears that this could potentially be a career-ending injury. Rivera was able to come back and pitch for the 2013 season, his final season in the major leagues before retiring.

Despite the seriousness of Rivera's injuries, pitchers from across Major League Baseball (MLB) who engaged in shagging flies during batting practice said they would not drop the activity or modify their training routine. These included James Shields and J. J. Putz, along with 2012 Cy Young Award winners R. A. Dickey and David Price. Joe Maddon, Jim Leyland and Terry Collins—confirmed they would not order their pitchers to stop shagging.

References

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Waldstein, David. (August 16, 2012). "Cherished Tradition or a Colossal Waste of Time?". The New York Times.
(May 4, 2012). "Royals don't blame Mo for shagging flies". MLB Advanced Media.
Barbarisi, Daniel. (May 4, 2012). "Rivera Felled by Pre-Game Pastime: Shagging Flies". The Wall Street Journal.
Small, Collie. (May 31, 1943). "Paul Waner Joins Baseball Immortals With 3000th Hit". The Eugene Register-Guard.
Wancho, Joseph. "Paul Waner". Society for American Baseball Research.
Collier, Gene. (April 9, 2006). "Collier: Fernando was baseball at its best". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
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(October 6, 1981). "Tigers waive bye-bye to Fidrych". St. Petersburg Times.
(June 17, 2004). "Baseball". The Union Democrat.
Hoch, Bryan. (May 4, 2012). "Mariano tears ACL shagging fly balls". MLB Advanced Media.
Hoch, Bryan. (February 13, 2013). "Rivera plans to continue shagging fly balls". MLB.com.
Skretta, Dave. (May 4, 2012). "Mariano Rivera injury puts future in question". CBS News.
Ehalt, Matt. (April 5, 2013). "Mariano Rivera returns, earns save". ESPN Internet Ventures.
Chastain, Bill. (May 4, 2012). "Rivera injury won't deter Rays from routine". MLB Advanced Media.
Gilbert, Steve. (May 4, 2012). "Shagging fly balls part of routine for D-backs". MLB.com.
"Most Valuable Player MVP Awards & Cy Young Awards Winners". Sports Reference LLC.
McCarron, Anthony. (May 4, 2012). "Despite freak injury to Yankees' Mariano Rivera, NY Mets' R. A. Dickey and others say 'power shagging' is here to stay". New York Daily News.
Kruth, Cash. (May 4, 2012). "Sveum: No issue with hurlers shagging fly balls". MLB.com.

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