American Major League Baseball Players Into Yoga

September 9, 2004

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VERO BEACH, FLORIDA, March 15, 2004: It is unlikely that the Hindu masters

who brought yoga to the Western world envisioned members of the L.A.

Dodgers major league baseball team as their disciples. But Dave Roberts is

a believer. Teammates that also practice the Eastern form of body and mind

exercise include Shawn Green, Paul Lo Duca and Darren Dreifort. Yoga has

become a component in the training regimen of some players and a key

element in Roberts' attempt to silence critics who have long insisted he

can't play major league baseball every day. The critics turned out to be

right last year when the center fielder and leadoff hitter tried to play

with a pulled hamstring muscle in what became "the most frustrating season"

of his career. So--influenced by Green--Roberts turned to something more

mystical than mainstream. Roberts shared a private yoga instructor with

Green during the winter. "I always said I would never do something like

that, but you have to go with what works," Roberts said. "The idea behind

it makes sense. Shawn was talking to me about it and the more I heard, the

more I wanted to try. It takes a lot of focus and concentration. The

benefits definitely have shown up already. My body is looser, more

flexible. When I warm up, I'm not as tight. It's all part of making sure I

will be on the field." Green said he has been into yoga for five years. "It

strengthens and lengthens the muscles," he said. "I think it's helped me,

especially avoiding pulled muscles. Dave now knows he's susceptible to leg

issues and that's his game. So it makes sense. And it's becoming more

mainstream all around."

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