Week 2, 4/18, Doubleheader vs Yonkers, at a High School in Yonkers.
So last week didn't go quite as planned, but that's life sometimes, and it's how you respond in the face of adversity that matters. (Bet you didn't think you'd receive life lessons from UFR, huh?) We were only 0-1-1 and a couple of wins today would make us forget real quick about last week. One of the things we are trying to get across to the kids is they need to put forth more of an effort. A former coach of mine once told me, "it doesn't take any amount of talent to hustle." And that's exactly what we told the boys after last week's game and before this week's. Afterall, they all have talent, but they are in a more competitive league this year and they are transitioning to wood bats and a major league sized field. What once came easy to them is proving to be a little difficult. Heck, I remember when I first started playing on a big field and it was tough. I was used to dominating at the previous levels. But once I got to the big field, the routine plays became not routine, and at times, I thought I was starting over again. The first time I ran to first base with the distance being 90 feet felt like I was running a mile. Even today, it still feels like that. The truth is, I was never a real strong runner (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5mcONtwdwo), which made it even more shocking to my high school teammates when I kept being used as a pinch runner. But anyway, today the kids seemed a little more juiced and ready to go, so Coach Jeff and I were hopeful the results would be a little better.
It's hard for something to make the day more special than playing baseball, but today was one of those days. Twenty-two years ago...I became a man. No not in the biblical sense (still waiting for that to happen), but in the spiritual sense. Yes, I was celebrating the anniversary of my Bar Mitzvah (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxk_P3PNuZU). Ironic since my boys are of the same age and are going through their own rites of passage, both on the ball field and in the synagogue or church. Maybe because of the specialness of the day, we could get a little divine assistance, and the good Lord willing, things will work out. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeVca9MwDX8&feature=related).
I was a little disappointed when I saw the field we were playing on. For a high school, it was less than impressive. No grass in the infield, no fence in the outfield, and little league looking dugouts, which means just a bench. The school as a backdrop in left field was a decent touch, and the Indians (from India, not Native American or from Cleveland) playing cricket on the football field just off the 1st base side was kind of cool, but overall very weak. That's alright. Good teams can play on any field. Unfortunately, once again, we did not look like a good team.
We were definitely more aggressive at the plate, which is a good thing. But once again the effort just didn't seem to be there. We've told them over and over again, but still, some kids do not hustle on and off the field. They don't sprint to the ball, and they don't take charge and seem like they WANT to make the play. And the routine play was once again not routine with more poor throws and an overall lazy attitude. Coach Jeff and I were wondering out loud how we can get the message thru to these kids, when Mrs. Coach Jeff said, "Scare them!" Ah yes, scare them. Maybe that's the answer. It worked for the Durham Bulls. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLMl0CLIDLg)
Come to think of it, that wouldn't work. One, we don't have a locker room with a shower, and two, I'm sure forcing a bunch of 12 and 13 year olds into a shower would be frowned upon. I'm just guessing here. Again, I'm new at this.
In the 1st game, the boys once again trailed early, behind a so-so pitching performance by Albert. They never got closer than 7-4, eventually falling 10-5. But again, that lack of effort monster reared its ugly head. One of the main problem childs is Larry. Not sure what it is, but every week it seems to be something with him. He's one of our more talented players, but this week was like the B-side of a Greatest Hits of Excuses album.
As a runner on 1st, he was the back end of a called double steal with a runner on 2B. After not running to 2B, I gave him a look that said, "Why are you still here?" He responded with, "I didn't get a good jump." I explained to him (nicely, I promise) that as the trail runner, he doesn't need to get a good jump. But especially when he sees the throw go to 3B, he should break for 2B. That was one.
He was playing SS when a ball was popped up between him and the third baseman. The batter was out because of the infield fly rule, but the ball dropped because nobody called it. When asked after the inning why he didn't catch it, he said, "It's not my ball. It was Rod's (the 3Bman). But we still got the out." I explained to him (again, nicely) that as the SS, every ball on the left side of the infield is his ball, until someone calls him off. That was two.
On a tailor made double play ground ball to 2B, he fell asleep and didn't cover the bag at 2B. He got there late and the runner was safe. No outs instead of 2. He said, "I didn't think Brad (the 2B-man) was going to make the play." That was three.
On a bomb to left hit by a kid that I'd like to see a birth certificate for, Larry didn't go out to the outfield to take the cutoff throw, instead just standing and watching our left fielder chase after it. Again, he fell asleep. That was four.
And finally, halfway during game 2, he came up to the coaching staff in between innings complaining of not feeling well. His face was 3 shades of green and we asked him what he ate in between games. "Nothing. Just a hot dog, a Twix bar, and a hot chocolate." We couldn't figure out why he was feeling sick. This actually just made us laugh, and I have to give Larry credit, because he did look like all of that plus whatever he ate the night before would come back up any second. But he still went out to pitch the next inning and got 3 quick outs.
Besides some positives from our big three, Ned (who hit a towering triple to left), Archie, and Fred, who all hit the ball well, game 2 was one to forget, not remember. We were never in it, lost 10-0, and shut out for the first time this year. But even though the playing wasn't great, the stories still were.
In Game 2, Archie was now behind the plate and unfortunately, took a foul ball in the one part of his body that wasn't protected. The ball hit the ground and bounced straight up and hit him behind the cup that he was wearing that protected his manhood. Or future manhood. Actually, getting hit there is another rite of passage for all ballplayers. So in essence, Archie, although not Jewish, had his baseball Bar Mitzvah. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeNSoV_L3Lc) But all joking aside, he immediately fell to the ground and was writhing in pain. I ran over to him and asked him where it got him. "In the ball sack!! Oww!!". I rolled him over onto his back and just told him to breathe it out. Not much else you can do. Or so I thought. The base umpire came over and without even asking anyone, rolled Archie onto his stomach, grabbed his belt and began shaking him up and down, like he was shaking out a rug. I asked him why he was doing that and he told me that, "when you get here there (in the ball sack), your nuts go into your stomach. So by shaking him, they go back down." Good thing, because I thought he was going to give him a wedgie. I wondered though if this method really worked, so I asked Archie's parents, both of whom are doctors. Neither of them had heard of doing that before.
Since we were losing 10-0, we decided to let Fred pitch. It was his first time on the mound, so he was a little erratic to say the least. After walking the bases loaded, Coach Jeff asked me to go out and talk to him and calm him down. Fred said he was nervous because he's never pitched before. Then Archie told me that his ball sack still hurt. Albert then came running in from shortstop and said he had to use the restroom. Then Brad, who is Spanish, came running in from third base. He said he was going to his first Bar Mitzvah and didn't know what to get as a present. His question was directed at Albert. Sound familiar? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lptsSTTWLVQ). OK, I'll confess. All that really didn't happen. But I did go out to calm Fred down and just told him to "step and throw to the glove. Piece of cake." The next pitch was right down the middle for a strike. That made me feel good. Maybe I do know something about this game. That's coaching my friends. Of course, the next 4 pitches were in the dirt. And so ended Fred's pitching career.
I'm happy to say that there I didn't get into any arguments with the umpires today, but I did have a "discussion" on an interference call. I asked for an explanation, and after getting 3 different answers and confusing both of us, the umpire said, "I shouldn't even be discussing this with you." It should be noted that this was the same umpire who gave Fred the wedgie.
Record: 0-3-1.
Next episode...What's That Smell?
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