Short post today as yesterday’s games were both short affairs.
One thing that has really jumped out at me this week is the speed at which gender diversity is taking place in baseball hiring. Thanks to the pandemic, I haven’t been to spring training in three years, and the change really jumped out at me yesterday looking around the fields. There were female trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, data analysts … I haven’t seen female field staff (other than Alyssa Nakken at the Giants game last night), but those hires are taking place, too. I’m not sure I had ever seen any female staff in previous trips to spring training, and now it’s an increasingly normal sight. Aside from just being good hiring practice — and the right thing to do — there’s also an obvious benefit to the young players, giving them broader perspective and exposure to different outlooks and experiences. Clubhouses and dugouts can be insular places, and getting outside of your normal circumstances is often a step towards personal growth. In other words, diverse hiring practices are good for young players in the same way that diverse workforces or offices are good for all us. A lot of this game is mental and emotional and the development growth has to service those needs as well.
And with that said, what else did I see at Giants’ camp on a short Saturday of activity?
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