With all due respect to Pete Rose, a man I happen to admire, I am going to pronounce that baseball players make good poker players.
I don't know how much poker Rose played -- he seemed more interested in sports betting --but baseball players have the proper temperament for playing poker either for cash or in a tournament.
Let's start out with the average baseball player. He may have power at the plate, but he is not going to jeopardize his career by going all-out immediately. No, he will slap out a few singles, maybe a double or two, then he will rare back and knock one out of the park.
A player doesn't have to hit a home run every time he comes to the plate. Just on special occasions when they mean something.
I tried out for the Pittsburgh Pirates as a pitcher. Thinking back on it, I believe my chances would have been greater to try out as a hitter and outfielder.
For hundreds of hours, I practiced throwing balls and trying to catch them in Ab Huss's field across the street from our house. I would toss the ball into the air an impossible distance from me, and then try to catch it. After while I got good at it. Then very good.
I had a strong arm and could throw out a batter trying to steal home from third base. And I was a power line-drive hitter.
My only problem was curve balls. I had trouble hitting curveballs.
In Omaha High-Low, a player has to think like he's playing baseball. Before the flop, he wants to hit sharp singles to load up the bases. Then he wants a magical flop to match his cards. And he seeks to clear the bases by scooping the pot.
As I wait for my hands, I constantly think of singles, doubles and homers. The homers don't come very often but when they do, they make up for the past misses.
To connect for a hit, you don't want to be chasing bad balls. That's a no-no.
You want a good pitch (premium cards) and hit that will lash the ball up the middle of the field. The flop will determine that. If you catch a good part of your flop, come out betting. If you catch part of the flop you wanted, take my advice and do as you please. Sometimes you will want to come out betting. Sometimes you may want to check.
Now sometimes the cards will run against you. No matter what you do, it seems like you cannot stop your bad luck.
Don't despair. Do not go on tilt. Just hang in there and wait...and wait...and wait until you get the hand you have been looking for. Then fire away.
A home run hitter can get into a slump. Sometimes those slumps can last for an awfully long time before they end. But they WILL end and the player has to be ready for that moment when the slump does stop.
If you get to the point when you cannot hit home runs, then shorten up your bat and go for singles. The singles load the bases and set the game up for you to hit and extra-base hit -- even a homer. Always keep that in the back of your mind when you go hitless. And this does double for poker players.
Just as baseball teams win in streaks, poker players win in streaks. Try to keep those streaks going and take a chance now and then. Chances are what poker playing is all about -- chance and skill. Work them together well and you'll be in glory-land.
Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.
(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).
