I had an epiphany about Chris Davis and Adderall this morning

[24fps]

If nothing else, stop chewing the tobacco!

Isn't that the truth. Every time he comes to the plate that huge lump in his cheek makes me think about malignant tumors.

[weams]

Isn't that the truth. Every time he comes to the plate that huge lump in his cheek makes me think about malignant tumors.

I got very sick a few weeks back and as many if you know I smoked cigars. I have not had one since 10/12.

[DrungoHazewood]

I'm not sure I agree with the premise, simply because I don't think Davis said it was about his ability to concentrate on the game situations per se. His main problem was in being able to recognize and key in on pitches, saying that it was like trying to hit a blur. So it wasn't about paying attention so much as being able to react, and the reaction time for hitting a baseball is fractional compared to digging a throw out of the dirt.

That's pretty much where I am. I don't buy that there's more benefit on defense than on hitting, or at least that there's minimal benefit to hitting.

[AdamK]

I got very sick a few weeks back and as many if you know I smoked cigars. I have not had one since 10/12.

Sorry to hear that but if ceasing cigars improves the situation, keep it up.

How has your focus changed, and have you found, intentionally or unintentionally, you have replaced cigars with something else?

[srock]

Don't hear many people mention this, but a very real effect of having a baby for a lot of dads is a steep drop off of testosterone.

That, combined with struggles with ADD, combined with sleep patterns changing / routine changes, combined with pressure to perform up to the level of the previous year. . .

Basically there is so much chaos in Davis' life factoring in all of the above that fixing it is like trying to fix Ubaldo's noisy wind up. Davis needs to simplify things in a big way and trying to hit homers to right field is not the answer.

NOT being on Aderrall (early in the year) may have made it very difficult for Davis to cope with all the chaos.

Hence, he lacked the focus necessary to fix his mechanical issues at the plate. So his slump just went on and on and on.

My hypothesis: Aderall improves ones ability to practice more then it improves how a player performs in a particular at bat.

[AdamK]

If nothing else, stop chewing the tobacco!

Isn't that the truth. Every time he comes to the plate that huge lump in his cheek makes me think about malignant tumors.

No no, these guys are invincible.

Seriously though, gotta cut it out. It's a real shame to see shots of the dugout revealing some players who didn't have it in a second ago on the field, now with tobacco on their lip. Especially when you assumed said player didn't partake.

Hope it gets fazed out even more so soon but with so many player "mentors" still using, the drop off likely has not accelerated the way you'd hope.

[24fps]

I got very sick a few weeks back and as many if you know I smoked cigars. I have not had one since 10/12.

I smoked cigarettes for many years then spent a dozen years in an on-again, off-again battle before finally kicking the habit for good a little over 10 years ago. Tobacco is a really, really addictive substance that I'm glad is now out of my life for good. If you decide not to go back to the cigars, good luck to you. IMO in the end it's worth the effort and temporary discomfort.

[Aristotelian]

Congrats to everyone on this board who is able to kick these addictive habits, and best wishes to those who are struggling. Chris Davis can hit 53 home runs against major league pitching, but if he doesn't have your strength. If he did, we may well have won the World Series last year.

Among the reasons I admire AJ is that he chews bubble gum (although I wish he would not blow bubbles while the ball is in the air). I have to think part of the reason he does that is to set a positive example for the kids.

[Frobby]

That's pretty much where I am. I don't buy that there's more benefit on defense than on hitting, or at least that there's minimal benefit to hitting.

I'd like to hear from our posters who have used (or are using) Adderall about this. I have two kids who have Adderall prescriptions, one of whom is 25 and has more or less stopped taking it, and the other of whom is 18 and away at college. Neither of them is heavily into sports, but I'm sure they could tell me something about the effect, if any, on following the flight of a fast-moving object. I've always thought of Adderall as a drug intended to keep the user on task and not distracted, rather than something that sharpens your physical ability to perceive or react to a moving object.

[LookitsPuck]

Personally I think it's not when he's between the lines, but more-so during prep. That means during practice (batting, infield). It means in the weight room. It means when studying film. Once you're on the field it's pretty hard NOT to pay attention unless Jimenez or Trachsel is pitching.

[mdbdotcom]

Personally I think it's not when he's between the lines, but more-so during prep. That means during practice (batting, infield). It means in the weight room. It means when studying film. Once you're on the field it's pretty hard NOT to pay attention unless Jimenez or Trachsel is pitching.

It sounds like you aren't very familiar with the feeling that the whole world is rushing by you in a flash (or a blur) and you don't know what to do about it or how to slow it down.

[LookitsPuck]

It sounds like you aren't very familiar with the feeling that the whole world is rushing by you in a flash (or a blur) and you don't know what to do about it or how to slow it down.

Sounds like you're throwing the baby out with the bath water.

Didn't say he wasn't taking it also for what happens on the field during game time, but more-so for what doesn't.

[srock]

I'd like to hear from our posters who have used (or are using) Adderall about this. I have two kids who have Adderall prescriptions, one of whom is 25 and has more or less stopped taking it, and the other of whom is 18 and away at college. Neither of them is heavily into sports, but I'm sure they could tell me something about the effect, if any, on following the flight of a fast-moving object. I've always thought of Adderall as a drug intended to keep the user on task and not distracted, rather than something that sharpens your physical ability to perceive or react to a moving object.

I don't know either, but this is what I'm inclined to think.

Adderall is heavily abused by students who need to stay up late and study hard.

I could see this as being useful for athletes who need to practice more to fix a mechanical issue (Davis' swing was a disaster last year) and who need to study more film.

[Ohfan67]

Interesting that there's another angle on Davis' drug use, but I think it just adds to the ton of over analysis. Davis pretty much sucked last year. He was using amphetamines for at least part of the year and maybe the whole year. There are some indications that he may not have been using amphetamines in 2013, his best year. It's a very small data set and we don't really know when he was using and when he wasn't, so it's impossible to factor in the Adderall effect.

Past amphetamine abuse in baseball and other sports was more about "energy" and overall alertness (the "greenies" that were so common in club houses). The Adderall thing didn't develop in baseball until they banned and started testing for amphetamines. I think players switched from greenies to Adderall because MLB was lenient with exemptions at first and it was a way to continue taking amphetamines. I don't think Adderall is a miracle amphetamine that makes hitters see the ball incredibly better, defenders incredibly more focused, etc. I think the main effect is feeling energized and "wired" (which is focus, but it's not like it slows the ball down) in the midst of the crazy travel schedule associated with playing 162 games.

[Ohfan67]

p.s. Anecdotes suggest that many if not most players used amphetamines at least occasionally (and many on most or every game day) for a couple of decades, so we have all unknowingly witnessed their effects on ML play in the past.