Last Updated: September 24th, 2026 by Matthew Brown
I play in some recreational, slow-pitch softball leagues, and I enjoy getting to be outside and playing a version of this great game that is a little bit more accessible to everybody. I don't really try too hard because I'm not trying to get myself hurt. I'm not in the shape that I once was.
Don't lose this article. Enter your email below, and I'll send it to you right now. Plus, we'll send you other unbelievable stories from baseball's past.
Comparing My Softball Effort to Paid Athletes
Yes, these may sound like excuses, but I also am not a paid athlete. In fact, I am the one paying to play in these leagues. Now, imagine if you are getting paid millions of dollars to play a sport at the highest level. Yet, you can't help but put forth a subpar effort. This is a comparison of rags and riches.
My example of playing recreationally alongside teammates of all ages is basically incomparable when you bring in the other option of playing this sport at the highest level and being in a position where you could work your way into iconic status.
What Made the Cut Gets Right About Lazy Players
This video by Made the Cut does a great job of going through some examples of past players who were infamous for their laziness in baseball. The harsh opinions on these players are pretty valid because they have fans who spend their hard-earned money partially because of them. Bringing it back to my recreational softball leagues, I could count on one hand the number of fans that my teams have had.
One of the examples that I want to touch on is one of my personal favorite pitchers of the 2000s. I actually thought Carlos Zambrano was one of the more entertaining pitchers in the game at the time. He threw hard and made it look like he was throwing hard almost every time.
He was an expressive player who seemed to wear his emotions on his sleeve. The only thing is that I wasn't quite aware of how much effort he was putting into training off the field. So it's a little disappointing to learn about how notorious Zambrano was in this aspect of being a baseball player.
One More Legend Gets Compared in the Video
Again, that is just one example that is in this video, as Made the Cut put in a great selection of players. I encourage you to watch the whole thing, as they also bring in the most famous baseball player of all time to make a comparison. But that's for the video to discuss, and for me to encourage you to watch.
Let us know of any MLB players of note that you can remember from your time as a baseball fan who could be included in a video like this.
