Move to the Music

Baseball is a sport of tradition, superstition, and routines that go far beyond normal understanding. And every single player has some form of crazy set of actions that players do before getting ready to play ball. Whether it be Nomar Garciaparra taking off and putting on his hitting gloves, Garry Sheffield moving his bat back and forth as if it were a angry dog trying to break away from it's leash, or even Hideki Matsui staring up the barrel of the bat as if to know what it was thinking, baseball players stay true to a routine that is working. But one of the coolest parts of baseball is when either a hitter first walks to the batters box or a pitcher comes in from the mound to awesome music filling the ballpark. Now it is time for a look at the five best walk up songs that baseball players have to offer.

Number 5: Ryan Braunj walks up to H.A.M by Jay Z Kanye West and Busta Rhymes

This song has all of the critical qualities of a good walk up song. A good beat, popularity with the fans, and most importantly of all, the ability to get the batter pumped up. Jay Z, West, and Busta debuted the song on January 11th of 2011and it has done well in its eight months of existence. Speaking of doing well over the course of an eight month span, Ryan Braun has been playing extremely well in 2011 with a .333 batting average 31 home runs and 103 runs batted in so far. Ryan Braun and H.A.M have both had very successful runs in 2011, and with the Brewers dominating baseball, Ryan Braun will be going H.A.M . 

Number 4: Chipper Jones walks into Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne

In terms of personality, there are almost no similarities from the Atlanta Braves hot corner and the interesting rock icon. But in terms of success in their industry, both Chipper Jones and Ozzy Osbourne have had plenty of success. The song Crazy Train was released onto the world in 1980 and has maintained its popularity as one of the best pump up songs to date. While we are on the topic of older, but still successful individuals, Chipper Jones is still producing for the wild card leading Atlanta Braves. In 2011, Jones is hitting .282

with 17 homers and 68 runs batted in. Jones and Osbourne may be past their primes, but both the hitter and the musician are still recognized today.

Number 3: Johan Santana walking in to Smooth by Carlos Santana

There is a unique bond that both Johan and Carlos Santana share that goes beyond their last names. Both Santanas were dominant in their respective fields in recent years, but you do not hear much of either today. The song Smooth was released to the general public in 1999 and it has been one of the most memorable songs in the resume of Carlos Santana. The flair of the song lies in the catchy beats and the skill of Santana on guitar that cannot be duplicated on Guitar Hero. In recent years, Johan has been dominant on the field in his days with the Minnesota Twins, but he has not pitched in 2011 due to serious arm fatigue. Although neither Santana is on top of their game today, Johan and Carlos each give fans a look back into their successful pasts.

Number 2: Mariano Rivera walks into Enter Sandman by Metallica

There are some surprising similarities to Mariano Rivera and Metallica in the sense that both have been considered the best at what they do for a long time. Enter Sandman has one of the most famous guitar parts in music and the crescendo makes for a very intimidating walk up song. Metallica first debuted the song in 1991, and the song has been one of the most famous that the rock and roll hall of fame band has every written. But Metallica is not the only one in this duo who has maintained success for a long time. Mariano Rivera has had 17 years of baseball dominance and after getting save number 602, Mariano Rivera has made clear to the baseball world that he is the best closer in the history of the game. Metallica and Mariano Rivera have both been intimidating and consistent for the better part of two decades, and neither the band nor the pitcher is done yet.

Number 1: Trevor Hoffman walks into Hells Bells by AC/DC

Both Trevor Hoffman and AC/DC may not be around anymore, but when they were playing there were few better. AC/DC has been one of the most well known names in music for the better part of the 1980s, and Hells Bells is one of the band's most famous songs. The trademark bell ringing followed by one of the best guitar lines in recent memory excites the audience and has them begging for the song to begin. As for Trevor Hoffman, he was one of the best closers in baseball history. Hoffman picked up 601 saves over the course of his career and he also managed to pick up 1,133 strikeouts to go along with his saves. When Hoffman entered the game combined with Hells Bells, everybody knew that the game was over.

Different people like different kinds of music, but there is a certain quality of music that brings people together regardless of race, sex, or political beliefs. Combine the unifying power of music with one of the nation's most historic sports, well that gives you a recipe for success.