FishRook
PITTSBURGH — Two years ago, when the Phillies did not invite Darick Hall to their summer camp or alternate-site workouts, he went fishing. He was always good at the lakes near home in Southern Arizona; he competed in his first bass fishing tournament when he was 13. He got his first boat when he was 18. He worked at his craft in the falls and winters — when baseball was dormant.
But, in 2020, Hall could not direct his competitive energy toward baseball. “I thought I had a shot to go do something for the Phillies that summer,” Hall said. “But they know what I do in the offseason.” Yeah, but this was an offseason unlike any other before it. Hall was facing an entire year without playing in organized ball. He turned 25 in the middle of 2020. It was getting late.
So, he made a routine. On Mondays and Tuesdays, he taught hitting lessons to local high schoolers. He continued his own training program — with a focus on weight lifting. He took summer classes to finish his…
