Strikeouts ARE facist, especially when the ump is cross-eyed...
Don't even get me started on that...it's a long story.
But, we had our first game yesterday. That's right...apparently I'm an active baseball player again. I say active because I always was a ballplayer, and if I never play another inning, I always will be a ballplayer. Our uni's are dark blue and white, with a very classic look...mesh (I hate mesh) with numbers only on back and smaller numbers under the script logo on the front...very inverse Dodgers. I like it. And we wear grey pants, so I'm using all of my old Bradley gear for the rest, pants included. And we play for Robert's Roadside Inn, so our hats are Rice University hats, which are perfect...dark blue with a white cursive R. Our first game was away, about a half hour up the road, and I really liked the ballpark. The setting is just trees on all sides, and it was originally built in 1929 (or thereabouts) for an old school pro team that used to play there. It's been in service ever since, and several legends (including the Bambino) have played there. The infield was soft and smooth, the homeplate area was also very nice, and the grass lines were well manicured. It has lights, and an actual grandstand area, a practice batting cage, a scoreboard, and a wall in the outfield. My only complaints are the shape (it's 350 in center and right, but 375 in left, which is odd) and the grass was a tad high with some dandelions. But, all in all, I was pleased.
My official response to our first game, as my good buddy and mentor Crash Davis taught me, is as follows:
"I'm just happy to be here. Hope I can help the ballclub. Yeah, it was a loss, but we gotta play 'em one day at a time. I just want to give it my best shot, and the good Lord willing, things will work out."
Off the record, we lost 6-3. But, we really haven't practiced much, and several of the guys never made it to any of the practices due to work and such. Our team is mostly guys in the mid 20's to 30 range and our coach is 45 or 46. But most of the other teams, including our opponents yesterday, are current college players, mostly Division II, but some Division I. So, the competition is pretty tough, but that's a good thing. Our coach was terrible yesterday though, playing and coaching. He made all of the wrong switches on both defense and pitching, and I didn't like the batting order either, but hey, what do I know. I started the game in left field (I don't know why...I should be in the infield, of course) and batting 2nd, because apparently Smitty thinks I have "nice wheels". Offensively, I went 0/1 with a K and a walk, and the one ball that was hit to me in left, I made a pretty nice diving catch. But, then I fell victim to the substitution madness, and I came out after the 4th inning, and it was 1-0 in favor of our opponents. It then all fell apart, and in the end, we lost 6-3.
Honestly though, despite the fact that I should be playing infield, and should have played the whole game, I'm surprised I played at all. I'm the new guy, and I won't even be here all season, so guys who have played in years past should play more than I do, and I understand that. But at the same time, I don't expect to produce much at the plate if I only get one or two at bats a game, either. In the end, I really am just glad to be back around the game, hanging with the guys, getting a little dirty, and making some plays. I guess sometimes in life you do get another chance, and no matter how it turns out, I intend to make the most of it.
But, we had our first game yesterday. That's right...apparently I'm an active baseball player again. I say active because I always was a ballplayer, and if I never play another inning, I always will be a ballplayer. Our uni's are dark blue and white, with a very classic look...mesh (I hate mesh) with numbers only on back and smaller numbers under the script logo on the front...very inverse Dodgers. I like it. And we wear grey pants, so I'm using all of my old Bradley gear for the rest, pants included. And we play for Robert's Roadside Inn, so our hats are Rice University hats, which are perfect...dark blue with a white cursive R. Our first game was away, about a half hour up the road, and I really liked the ballpark. The setting is just trees on all sides, and it was originally built in 1929 (or thereabouts) for an old school pro team that used to play there. It's been in service ever since, and several legends (including the Bambino) have played there. The infield was soft and smooth, the homeplate area was also very nice, and the grass lines were well manicured. It has lights, and an actual grandstand area, a practice batting cage, a scoreboard, and a wall in the outfield. My only complaints are the shape (it's 350 in center and right, but 375 in left, which is odd) and the grass was a tad high with some dandelions. But, all in all, I was pleased.
My official response to our first game, as my good buddy and mentor Crash Davis taught me, is as follows:
"I'm just happy to be here. Hope I can help the ballclub. Yeah, it was a loss, but we gotta play 'em one day at a time. I just want to give it my best shot, and the good Lord willing, things will work out."
Off the record, we lost 6-3. But, we really haven't practiced much, and several of the guys never made it to any of the practices due to work and such. Our team is mostly guys in the mid 20's to 30 range and our coach is 45 or 46. But most of the other teams, including our opponents yesterday, are current college players, mostly Division II, but some Division I. So, the competition is pretty tough, but that's a good thing. Our coach was terrible yesterday though, playing and coaching. He made all of the wrong switches on both defense and pitching, and I didn't like the batting order either, but hey, what do I know. I started the game in left field (I don't know why...I should be in the infield, of course) and batting 2nd, because apparently Smitty thinks I have "nice wheels". Offensively, I went 0/1 with a K and a walk, and the one ball that was hit to me in left, I made a pretty nice diving catch. But, then I fell victim to the substitution madness, and I came out after the 4th inning, and it was 1-0 in favor of our opponents. It then all fell apart, and in the end, we lost 6-3.
Honestly though, despite the fact that I should be playing infield, and should have played the whole game, I'm surprised I played at all. I'm the new guy, and I won't even be here all season, so guys who have played in years past should play more than I do, and I understand that. But at the same time, I don't expect to produce much at the plate if I only get one or two at bats a game, either. In the end, I really am just glad to be back around the game, hanging with the guys, getting a little dirty, and making some plays. I guess sometimes in life you do get another chance, and no matter how it turns out, I intend to make the most of it.