Some of them are even wearing hats. There is always one show-off who does a full range of limb origami on the grass right before game time. But the secret suppleness of the major-leaguer is best seen from a distance about three hours before game time, often before fans are allowed in. Most players do their poses way out in the outfield, not wanting to display their flexibility in front of a bunch of doughy sportswriters. Rather, ballplayers strike one of two physical postures in front of the media.
Ballplayers lift a lot of weights nowadays.
They didn't before, because the theory was that weights made one musclebound and reduced flexibility. But weights don't make one stiff and immobile. Other ballplayer habits do that. Sitting in a duck blind all winter makes you stiff. Sleeping on a flight from Boston to Seattle makes you immobile.