There are plenty of reasons baseball players should not use dip or chewing tobacco while playing. First and foremost, it is unhealthy and can cause mouth cancer. Secondly, most people find it to be visually disgusting. Perhaps most importantly, it sets a bad example for the children who idolize professional ballplayers and want to be exactly like them.
As a catcher, Mike Napoli has discovered a new reason why he may want to kick the habit. During the Rangers’ ALDS clincher against Tampa Bay on Tuesday, Sean Rodriguez came barreling into Napoli at home plate and forced him to drop the baseball. Napoli was visibly shaken after the play, and trainers immediately came out to have a look at him thinking he may have a concussion. He was able to finish the game and an examination revealed his squash is just fine.
However, something else happened that may have caused a bit of discomfort for Napoli. As Hardball Talk pointed out via ESPNDallas.com, the Rangers catcher swallowed his chewing tobacco at some point during the crash.
“The next thing is [Napoli] said, ‘Geez, I had a wad of chew, where is it?'” Ron Washington said after noting that he’s glad his catcher is alright. “He had swallowed it. Then he said, ‘I’m all right skip, let’s go.'”
May I suggest that Napoli take a trip to the hypnotist Bruce Bochy used to cure him of his nasty addiction? Then again, maybe he should wait until at least the end of the season. Whatever he’s been doing throughout 2011 seems to be working.
