Sister Site Snippets: Player Superstitions

Prospect Ryan Goins relies on a certain superstition to take his licks

1BJW's minor league insider Jay Floyd recently posted a lengthy feature detailing baseball superstitions, after surveying loads of players, and some former players, throughout 2012.  The piece, written for PhoulBallz.com, goes over some popular good luck habits, then reviews several players' rituals which may have been previously unknown.

Included were some names very familiar to Blue Jays fans.  Read ahead for those quotes.

Infielder Ryan Goins, who was Toronto's 4th round draft choice in 2009, said the following...

"I always chew three pieces of Trident Layers. I'm not gonna lie to you. I like the green apple and pineapple flavor. That's something that I do. I don't know why. I started it last year and it worked out. I kept hitting, so I wanted to keep doing it. The first couple games this year, I didn't chew it and I didn't hit well. So, finally, I got some gum and we're back on the train again," Goins said, admitting that he'll stick with the same gum, even after the flavor has worn out.

Blue Jays' lefty reliever Aaron Loup...

"There was one thing my grandpa used to tell me all the time and, I guess, it stuck. It was 'LLTC', which stood for location, location, total concentration. I write that underneath the bill of my hat and it's basically what I just go by, when I'm out there on the mound," Loup stated.

Double-A New Hampshire manager and former big league backup catcher Sal Fasano...

"I really wasn't very superstitious," Fasano stated. "It's easier (to have those) when you play every day, and I didn't play every day. I knew if the sun was out, I was playing, so that's the only superstition I had."

To read Jay's full piece, which includes details on Blue Jays pitching prospect Justin Nicolino, Phillies rookies Tyler Cloyd and Darin Ruf, Red Sox #1 draft pick Matt Barnes, Nationals prospect Cutter Dykstra and plenty more, click HERE.