YouTube SENSATION: Josh Womack's Bat Tricks

I can't tell you how many times I've hurt myself trying these tricks. They look so easy- 'Boom, flip the bat. Catch it. Ta-dahh!' Nope. Not for me. Not once.

There is a ridiculous amount of down time in baseball- time spent in the clubhouse, the dugout, and down the foul lines literally doing nothing. There's only so much chit-chat a manager can tolerate before he inevitably flips out and tells you to do something productive pre-game. The game of Pepper is a classic time-waster. Then there's Flips and Two-Ball, but those games usually get put to rest after the team's first losing streak when the manager inexplicably cites Two-Ball as the reason you've lost six in a row. Dry hacks and visualization accomplish nothing but make you look focused and professional, which is a plus. And sure, steal breaks and jogging can be a good warm-up, but after two or three I'm just about too tired to play the game. 140 game season- I need some variety, some fun.

Introducing the Josh Womack Bat Trick Series. This independent-leaguer has racked up over a million views on YouTube for his now-famous bat flips, and having tried each of these tricks several times, I assure you they're much harder than they look. I've hit myself with my bat in the head, shin, chest, you name it- all during unsuccessful attempts at this entertaining skill. It's gotten to the point where I don't think I'll ever be able to do it because I now instinctively flinch every time I try, knowing it will likely result in some type of bruise.

There's always that one kid on the team that can sort of do it- usually a pitcher, oddly enough- but then you watch the YouTube video again and in reality the kid's not even close. Womack could do this in a game and no one would even bat an eye- just silky smooth. This guy's job has to be as secure as anybody's in the Golden Baseball League with people showing up in crowds just to see his pre-game antics in front of the dugout. "Oh there's a game after this? What d'ya think hunny? Sure, let's stay and watch a little bit." And that's how sellouts start. Every minor league team is looking for their very own Josh Womack- practice up kids.