Top 5 odd mound moments

Conversations on the mound sometimes take an unexpected turn, with unexpected results...

Originally Published: May 7, 2004
By Tom Candiotti | Special to ESPN Insider
You've probably heard stories about a manager coming to the mound -- like in the "Bull Durham" scene -- and talking with his pitcher about his dinner plans ... or something else absolutely unrelated to baseball strategy.

Sometimes those conversations actually take place. A manager might want to take the pressure off his pitcher, and often the best way to accomplish that is through humor, which can take your mind off the pressure-packed task for the moment and enable you to refocus. Pressure drains from your body after a good laugh -- laughter has great value in that regard.

Sometimes those humorous on-the-mound situations involve more people than your manager -- perhaps the catcher or the pitching coach or other infielders. And sometimes the humor is unintentional. Here are my Top 5 odd mound moments from my 16-year career as a major-league starter (plus a bonus story).


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Tom Candiotti

MLB analyst
Tom Candiotti provides analysis for select ESPN Major League Baseball coverage, working at various games throughout the season. Candiotti joined ESPN's baseball coverage team in 2001, shortly after closing the door on his 17-year pitching career.

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