When you’re playing a hockey game at a professional baseball field you try to get into the moment. For New York Rangers veterans Rick Nash and Marc Staal, that meant taking a little batting practice.
As the New York Rangers were preparing to take the Citi Field ice for Sunday’s practice, Rick Nash and Marc Staal took some cuts in the indoor batting cages at the New York Mets facility.
Though Nash made contact with the ball, his swings were a little off-centered, to say the least. In his first swing shown, Nash swings as the ball was thrown at him than toward him. His swing gave plenty of the other Rangers a good laugh. On his second swing, he reaches across with a little half swing/weak flail at the ball as he made contact and watched the ball roll back towards the pitcher’s mound. Needless to say, Nash isn’t likely to get a call from Sandy Alderson inviting him to Mets Spring Training after this showing.
The one at-bat that was shown by defenseman Marc Staal had some power in it. Staal took a strong cut and ripped the ball back up the middle, looking far better and more comfortable than Nash.
Nash, Staal and the Rangers continued having fun on Monday as they defeated the Buffalo Sabres in the 10th annual NHL Winter Classic, in overtime, 3-2 on a power-play goal from J.T. Miller.
Winning always brings out the fun in the game. I’m sure that Staal and Nash—especially Nash—will receive some good-natured ribbing from teammates for their exploits in the batting cage.
Thankfully the Rangers won, so the ribbing won’t be nearly as bad as it would have been after a loss.
