Casey and his Magic Beans

[Alex]

After having struck out three times, Casey held onto to his magic beans tightly and didn't swing on the first pitch in his fourth at bat.

Strike one, a pitch down the middle of the plate that if Casey had swung, would probably have gone farther and higher than Jack's magic bean stalk. But because Casey had already struck out three times in a row, Casey felt he HAD to take the first pitch, and history was about to repeat itself.

On the second pitch, Casey decided to swing, but this time, the pitch, although still a strike, wasn't as nice a pitch and Casey fouled it off.

Suddenly, the count was 0-2. Casey's magic beans had been traded for nothing more than a few whiffs of leather.

Two runners would be left in scoring postion, because Casey held onto his magic beans rather than forget the past and plant his beans on the first pitch.

[Alex]

After I had already posted the above, aka Casey's next at bat, Casey swings at the first pitch, then singles on the next pitch.

Early in the season, Casey was really good at first pitch swinging and getting hits. Now it appears he needs a pitch to get in sync, the worst thing Casey can ever do is take the first called strike pitch he sees.

Casey needs to swing on that pitch and if he fouls it off, that's fine, because now he has had a pitch to get in sync with the pitcher.