Stepping Up to the Plate

"What song would you walk up to if you were in the pros?"

I've had the same conversation with every baseball fan I know. There is as much mystique to a player with a great walk-up song as there is to a great home run hitter. A good song can lend a player some swagger. Ever hear of Eric Byrnes?

Here's how some of this year's Rivershark entrance playlist lines up:
1. OF Chris Walker - "The Boss" by Rick Ross
2. IF Gary Cates - "Hood Figga" by Gorilla Zoe
3. IF Brett Bonvechio - "The Originators" by Bone Thugs & Harmony
4. OF Josh Rabe - "Still DRE" by Dr. Dre
5. OF L.J. Biernbaum - "Renegades of Funk" by Rage Against the Machine
6. IF Jason Phillips - "Party Like a Rockstar" by Shop Boyz
7. C Randy McGarvey - "Bombs Over Baghdad" by Outkast and the "Class of 3000" theme
8. OF Ron Davenport - "Black Betty" by Ram Jam
9. C Erick San Pedro - "They Know" by Shawty Lo
10. IF Gabe Suarez - "Da Rockwilder" by Method Man

If most of these songs have anything in common, it's that they are heavily censored by the guys in our sound booth. The team is winning, so no one is complaining.

Heck, Chris Walker's showing power like never before with a new walk-up song. "The Boss" is averaging a home run every 18 at bats (five in 90 ABs). In 2,323 ABs prior to signing with the Riversharks this off-season, Walker hit 15 home runs. That's approximately one per 155 ABs.

Jason Phillips has made millions as a Major Leaguer. The guy's got seven years of service time and can party like anything he wants to party like. It's some of the other guys I wonder about. A few of these songs are about fame and riches-- two things for which the Atlantic League is not known.

I still vote "Oh Yeah" by Yello as my song of choice. It's the song from Ferris Bueller and later from a Twix ad campaign. I'm told I'd be beaned for my arrogance, but I'd more likely be booed for not living up to expectations. Walk-up songs say so much.

There's more to baseball than box scores. Welcome to the Riversharks' front office blog.

-Nick Steyn, Public and Media Relations