When I throw a softball, there's no time to think about the motion of my arm. I just look at the first baseman's glove and react.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I am an arm hitter. When you snap the bat with your wrists just as you meet the ball, you give the bat tremendous speed for a few inches of its course. The speed with which the bat meets the ball is the thing that counts.
I still think there are some pitches in this pitching arm, so I will continue playing with USA Softball, but knowing that this could be the last time a softball player stands on the Olympic podium and has the opportunity of experiencing this - it was emotional.
If you're free of mechanical thoughts and free of knowing that your body and bat are going to be in the right position at the right time, you can freely focus on the ball. It's a great feeling.
When your arm gets hit, the ball is not going to go where you want it to.
When the ball was hit, my first reaction as a shortstop was always go in the direction of the ball. You can't do that at first base. You go too far in that direction, and it's hard to scurry back and be ready to pick the throw.
But, at the moment, when I step on the pitch, when I have the ball I know it's mine. It's just a feeling.
I grew up on the softball field. Every day I would take my glove and my bat with me.
If a pitcher sees you fiddling with the bat, he'll stall until your arms are tired before you even get a chance to hit.
The only way you preserve pitching arms is throwing; that makes the arm stronger.
Your body is not made to throw like we throw. That's why you see softball pitchers pitching two or three games a day. It's a natural movement in softball. In baseball it's not a natural movement.