June 1, 2004
West Point - Nomar Garciaparra ... meet Milan Dinga.
Compared to Dinga, Garciaparra's an amateur when it comes to hitting rituals.
Before each at-bat, Dinga gets his helmet from Army teammate Scott Komaromy. Dinga then wipes his forehead three times, tightens each batting glove, makes the sign of the cross, tightens his batting gloves again and spits in his left hand.
Finally, Dinga heads to the batter's box.
But he's not done. Far from it.
He makes the sign of the cross on home plate, spits in his right hand and gets set.
After every pitch, Dinga wipes his forehead.
"I've been doing it since I was 12 years old playing in the Palmaciea (Fla.) Little League," says Dinga, the Patriot League freshman of the year. "I did it once. Then it goes on and on. It gets me mentally prepared."
Dinga, an infielder and pitcher, also swings the bat three times in the on-deck circle before his first at-bat. He doesn't take another practice swing during the game.
Dinga's superstitious rituals aren't confined to batting. He's taking no chances.
- He two-steps first or third base - depending on what dugout Army is in - when heading out to left field.
- He yells "one out" or "two outs" to second baseman Nate Stone after every out.
- When Dinga leaves the field, he jumps with his right leg first over the base line and lands on two feet every time.
You might think Dinga's quirky actions might draw a wary eye from his teammates. But he has plenty of company in the dugout.
Skill alone, apparently, didn't lead Army (37-13) to its best season in 115 years. The Black Knights, who will learn tomorrow where they will play in the NCAA Division I tournament, are relying on higher powers.
- Coach Joe Sottolano dots every "I" and crosses every "T" on his lineup card. If the lineup isn't in perfect writing, Sottolano rips it up and starts again until he gets it right.
- Wes Bumgardner carries a Dale Murphy baseball card on the inside lining of his cap.
- Catcher Schuyler Williamson wears eye black every game, whether the sun is blazing or it's raining.
- Pitcher Justin Kashner wakes up 45 minutes early on game days. He's used the same shaving razor all season.
"It's starting to hurt a little," Kashner says.
Kashner polishes his cleats for 10-15 minutes before each start. His cap is 0-for-the season in washes. He didn't wash his socks during Army's 16-game winning streak this season.
"It keeps the game fun," Kashner says of his antics. "I feel like a big Little Leaguer.
"Everybody has their own little things. I don't think there is a player without a superstition."
Actually, there is one.
Stone was once a believer.
He'd put on his cleats the same way every game. Touch the plate as he entered the batter's box and get his feet set the same way. Spit in his glove after every pitch in the field.
Eventually, he found it to be counter-productive.
The return to normalcy seems to be working. Stone is hitting .422, 12th in Division I.
"At the point when you forget to do one thing, it's in the back of your head," Stone said. "It interferes with your job. At some point, it gets too excessive. You watch Nomar and it's a little annoying."
Stone is such a convert that he can't bear to watch Dinga go through his routine.
Dinga isn't about to change. He doesn't dare mess with the forces that might have helped Army to its best season ever.
Kash-ing in on a cap
Justin Kashner's hat looks like a bird did its business on it. Actually, the marks are Kashner's sweat stains. Kashner, a sophomore, hasn't washed the hat all season. He wears the hat everywhere, and it's starting to acquire a foul odor. "It's disgusting," said Kashner, Army's No. 2 starter.
It's in the card
Wes Bumgardner's 1979 Topps Dale Murphy isn't going to garner much interest at a card show. The card practically has disintegrated inside the lining of Bumgardner's cap. Army's leadoff man traded a Wally Joyner card for Murphy this season.
He hit .261 with Wally last year. He's hitting .371 with his favorite Brave this season.
Shirt power
What are Army's chances of winning an NCAA Division I tournament game? Pretty good, if coach Joe Sottolano is wearing his 1st Cavalry unit T-shirt under his uniform. Sottolano has worn the shirt under his uniform 11 times (on the second day of conference weekend doubleheaders and the Patriot League championship). The shirt is undefeated.
Sottolano was given the shirt by 1998 Army graduate Bryan Price at Army's season-opening series in San Antonio. And, yes, Sottolano has washed the shirt during the streak.
Dinga's salute
Metallica's 'Enter Sandman' works for Mariano Rivera of the Yankees. But that's not for Army freshman closer Milan Dinga. He sprints to the mound, takes his warm-up tosses and then steps off to salute outfielder Jason Meloy. When Meloy plays center field and Dinga plays left field, they salute each other before the first pitch of every inning.
The gloved one
What has led to Schuyler Williamson's Patriot League co-player-of-the-year campaign? The secret might be in his batting gloves. Pitcher Nick Hill holds Willliamson's gloves. Before each at-bat, Hill tosses them to the catcher the same way and they exchange follow-up fists. The ritual started at the third game of Army's trip to Florida in March. Williamson has 42 RBI in 39 games since.
So what's happens when Hill is pitching? Reserve first baseman Scott Komaromy fills in as the keeper of the gloves.