Role reversal

By Barca Blog - Tim Corbin finally gave in.

The Commodore skipper twisted up his normal routine by giving the pitching staff a chance to take BP in the closing minutes of Thursday’s hour-long practice at Jim Patterson Stadium.

“They’ve been bugging me for quite some time,” said Corbin, who threw the session. “I probably faked them out because they think that’s the last thing I would do is give them a chance to swing the bat. I felt I’d give them something that they’ve wanted to do and at the same time they get a little bit of laughter from it and they get loose.”

Corbin’s decision created the biggest reaction of the practice with players laughing, cheering and chattering on each swing. Reliever Russell Brewer (a former infielder) led the assault by going deep twice, while Sonny Gray and Mark Lamm also showed off their power with a home run apiece. Even strength and conditioning coach Gabe Teeple got some hacks in.

So how did Corbin assess his new offensive attack?

“They’re going to be good, good softball players when they get older with those long and uphill swings,” Corbin quipped. “It makes you sick to your stomach when you watch it, but I had to do it.”