Put me in coach.......you creepy moron
Alright kids, I'd like to thank all of you who still check in for news from time to time. As you'll remember from our last episode, we had our first week of baseball games. For an update on the first game, check the previous entry. Today we'll hit the game highlights, and maybe I'll do a social update tomorrow...and maybe not ;)
Thursday, May 19:
Today is the second game of the season, and our first home game. I stopped by the batting cage on the way to get a little warm up, and I also arrived early at the game to stretch (and get the first few wild throws out of the way by throwing at the backstop...and it did work). Once the guys arrived, warmups went very smoothly, and all seemed well. Except for the fact that our coach, Tim, is a complete idiot. There were two players in the starting lineup that had never been before, and that he had never even seen play. Also, the starting right fielder was a poor choice....granted, he's quick and he's a smart player with 25 years of experience....but he's also about the size of my grandmother (actually my grandma is bigger), he's about as strong, and he's 45 years old. It was totally stupid...and of those guys, they didn't get on base one time, or make any good plays in the field. I went in for Smitty, and played the last four innings. I played two innings in left field, and only had two balls hit that way. The first was a gapper that the centerfielder should have caught, but it was one of the new guys Pat. Not only did he not catch it, but I got to it before he did, which should never happen. So, I played it off the fence and hit the cut-off man. The next ball was a similar play, except I realized how slow Pat is, so I cheated the gap and was able to make the catch. I then played two innings at second base (now we're talking), but the only ball hit to me was a short, dying quail off a right handed batter. It was very easy because I noted his front shoulder and bat angle, and I had him played perfectly. Also, I only got one at bat, and I walked. We won 12-8.
Saturday, May 21:
Saturday didn't start as well as Thursday. For one, I got up at noon, which I hate doing. I took some rounds at the cage though, and I was hitting very well. But, I forgot to take my ibuprofen before I left the house, I was out of chap stick, and it took too long to get the food. So, I ate a cheeseburger while I drove to the game, and I didn't have time to stretch or throw before the guys got there. So, Smitty and I threw to warm up, but it went well....in fact, it felt great. We took some fielding practice, and I was pissed when Tim sent me to left field, but at least Smitty and I were talking. And once the fielding starting, I looked twice as good as he did, and thus you would think I would be playing, right? Nope. I sat the bench for 5 innings....I was fuming. And then something ridiculous happened. Tim pulled the pitcher after the fourth inning...he was doing fine, but it's his first outing of the season. So, to save his arm, Tim switched him and the first baseman (they both pitch and play first). But he's an idiot with a terrible attitude, so instead of taking the field, he got mad and sat down. So, there we were, no one at first base. So, I grabbed my glove, informed the ump of the substitution, and I played two innings at first base. Which is silly, but I can do it as well as he can. The pitcher that went in is a strikeout pitcher though, so I only got one play. It was a 4-6-3 double play (I was the 3, so I just stretched out and caught the ball at the end). And then here's the thing...it was a one run ballgame. We were down 1-0...and with two outs in the last inning, I come up batting fourth (cleanup) because the other guy didn't feel like playing anymore. So all day, this kid has made our hitters look stupid, and I come in off the bench with the game on my shoulders. He threw me 5 pitches, a maybe strike, and then four balls. So, once again I walked. But when you consider that we had only had two baserunners all day before that, it's pretty good, I think. The guy behind me dropped a basehit into shallow center, but I could only get to second because it was so shallow. I had been watching the catcher and was planning on stealing third on the 3rd pitch, but it didn't work because the batter grounded out on the second pitch. So, we lost 1-0.
So to wrap up, we are 1-2. I blame bad coaching. My stats are something like this:
9 innings (out of 21 innings)
0/1 at the plate (3 at bats...1 strikeout...terrible call...and 2 walks)
0.667 on base %
4/4 in the field (3 putouts, one of which was a pretty sliding catch...1 assist, which was a nice stretch at first, and a 5th play where I kept a runner out of scoring position and saved a run)
But hey, the guys are fun (Smitty!!!) and I love to be around the game. So, it sucks to not play, especially when you should be playing, but I'll keep going out, and I'll play when I can. I love baseball.
Thursday, May 19:
Today is the second game of the season, and our first home game. I stopped by the batting cage on the way to get a little warm up, and I also arrived early at the game to stretch (and get the first few wild throws out of the way by throwing at the backstop...and it did work). Once the guys arrived, warmups went very smoothly, and all seemed well. Except for the fact that our coach, Tim, is a complete idiot. There were two players in the starting lineup that had never been before, and that he had never even seen play. Also, the starting right fielder was a poor choice....granted, he's quick and he's a smart player with 25 years of experience....but he's also about the size of my grandmother (actually my grandma is bigger), he's about as strong, and he's 45 years old. It was totally stupid...and of those guys, they didn't get on base one time, or make any good plays in the field. I went in for Smitty, and played the last four innings. I played two innings in left field, and only had two balls hit that way. The first was a gapper that the centerfielder should have caught, but it was one of the new guys Pat. Not only did he not catch it, but I got to it before he did, which should never happen. So, I played it off the fence and hit the cut-off man. The next ball was a similar play, except I realized how slow Pat is, so I cheated the gap and was able to make the catch. I then played two innings at second base (now we're talking), but the only ball hit to me was a short, dying quail off a right handed batter. It was very easy because I noted his front shoulder and bat angle, and I had him played perfectly. Also, I only got one at bat, and I walked. We won 12-8.
Saturday, May 21:
Saturday didn't start as well as Thursday. For one, I got up at noon, which I hate doing. I took some rounds at the cage though, and I was hitting very well. But, I forgot to take my ibuprofen before I left the house, I was out of chap stick, and it took too long to get the food. So, I ate a cheeseburger while I drove to the game, and I didn't have time to stretch or throw before the guys got there. So, Smitty and I threw to warm up, but it went well....in fact, it felt great. We took some fielding practice, and I was pissed when Tim sent me to left field, but at least Smitty and I were talking. And once the fielding starting, I looked twice as good as he did, and thus you would think I would be playing, right? Nope. I sat the bench for 5 innings....I was fuming. And then something ridiculous happened. Tim pulled the pitcher after the fourth inning...he was doing fine, but it's his first outing of the season. So, to save his arm, Tim switched him and the first baseman (they both pitch and play first). But he's an idiot with a terrible attitude, so instead of taking the field, he got mad and sat down. So, there we were, no one at first base. So, I grabbed my glove, informed the ump of the substitution, and I played two innings at first base. Which is silly, but I can do it as well as he can. The pitcher that went in is a strikeout pitcher though, so I only got one play. It was a 4-6-3 double play (I was the 3, so I just stretched out and caught the ball at the end). And then here's the thing...it was a one run ballgame. We were down 1-0...and with two outs in the last inning, I come up batting fourth (cleanup) because the other guy didn't feel like playing anymore. So all day, this kid has made our hitters look stupid, and I come in off the bench with the game on my shoulders. He threw me 5 pitches, a maybe strike, and then four balls. So, once again I walked. But when you consider that we had only had two baserunners all day before that, it's pretty good, I think. The guy behind me dropped a basehit into shallow center, but I could only get to second because it was so shallow. I had been watching the catcher and was planning on stealing third on the 3rd pitch, but it didn't work because the batter grounded out on the second pitch. So, we lost 1-0.
So to wrap up, we are 1-2. I blame bad coaching. My stats are something like this:
9 innings (out of 21 innings)
0/1 at the plate (3 at bats...1 strikeout...terrible call...and 2 walks)
0.667 on base %
4/4 in the field (3 putouts, one of which was a pretty sliding catch...1 assist, which was a nice stretch at first, and a 5th play where I kept a runner out of scoring position and saved a run)
But hey, the guys are fun (Smitty!!!) and I love to be around the game. So, it sucks to not play, especially when you should be playing, but I'll keep going out, and I'll play when I can. I love baseball.