The Locker Room
September 17, 2009If you’ve ever been curious as to how a MLB locker room functions, here’s a great article explaining the in’s and out’s of the space under the bleachers. I’ve had this saved on my computer for about a year and just rediscovered it….click here for the whole article.
A typical big league clubhouse.
From my perspective, I wasn’t all that concerned with my locker space. Just give me something in a quiet neighborhood…away from the loud Latin music and not in a high traffic route.
I had years where I enjoyed “extra locker status” and for me it was just more space to store more crap. More important than my locker location or extra space, I was concerned with my “secret space”. The place in the locker room where I could disappear and read or relax or just sit.
The thing is, if you’re sitting in front of your locker, you’re fair game. It’s not just a place to put your jock on, it’s also the place where you’ll end up talking to reporters, equipment reps, coaches, etc. etc. It’s no wonder why guys spend less time in the clubhouse after games. I think it’s because the locker room isn’t so much a place for all the boys, but now a multi-purpose workplace where one needs to be on his best pro-ballplayer behavior. And nobody wants to be on their best behavior, especially after a 0-5.
No more walking around with nothing but your cleats on. There’s women in there. No more pounding a dozen beers after the game with the boys. There’s reporters, coaches, etc. watching and taking notes.
That’s why I say the important place is the place, in the locker room area but outside of the locker room, that you can be you. That’s the golden spot to find. That’s all I got.
By the way, how’s this for an awesome quote.
I think about baseball when I wake up in the morning. I think about it all day and I dream about it at night. The only time I don’t think about it is when I’m playing it ~ Carl Yaztremski
