Adam Frazier Leads The League In Hits, Probably Also Leads It In Superstitions

Pirates second baseman Adam Frazier is having a monster season as he leads the league in hitting. You'd think he'd chalk up those results to hard work and preparation, but instead he claims honoring his superstitions makes this train go.

"You gotta put your tooth brush on the right side of the sink..right side of the sink," Frazier said after last night's 6-4 extra inning win over the Braves. "Which side of the toothpaste is facing upwards, that's where it starts at the beginning of the day, which foot I put on the bench to tie my cleats first, all the way to what bat cubby I put my helmet in, to what batting glove I put on first, to spray my hands with the stick stuff (pine tar) first. And if it doesn't work for a few at bats, then you change it."

"Then you change the bat if one cubby doesn't have any hits...if the shower doesn't have any hits.. you change it. If a shower has hits you wait for someone to get out so you can get in it, so I mean, that's a few of them."

As a former athlete, I can attest for things getting out of control in this way. What's most important, though, is that superstition gets you out of your head. Sounds silly, but it's really not.

hear me out

Baseball is a game of failure that many times can make a player think a mechanical adjustment is in order. Sometimes sticking with your mechanics is the way to go, and superstition helps a player do that. Rather than adjusting your swing or your stance (which players do a ton) -- your conditioner bottle was faced the wrong way.

That's what it was!

No lie, facing your shampoo the opposite direction or using a new bat makes you feel "unlocked" as a ball player. A long season filled with highs and lows needs some type of distraction to maintain any trace of sanity. And for now, Adam Frazier's body wash is facing the right way because he's hitting .339 and leading the league in hits.

Rock on, Mr. Frazier!