Opening Day, Doubleheader vs Rockies, North Meadow #5, Central Park, 4/10/10
There is no better day on the calendar than Opening Day. The hope and the hunger of a successful season linger in the air. In the distance, the smell of charcoal. The grass is Irish green and cut short. The light brown dirt is manicured like frosting on a cake. If you're lucky, the temperature is warm and the sun shines brighter than a spotlight on a broadway stage. The uniforms are crisp and clean, free of the dirt and grass stains that are sure to come. And most importantly, every team is even in the standings. After weeks of workouts, fielding drills and debating lineups and positions, it's finally time to play ball, for real. And coming off last week's exhibition debacle, the Eagles were looking forward to starting off on the right foot. Or left foot, depending on your preference.
I hardly slept the night before. My excitement disguised as nervous energy took me back to my adolescence and the way I felt every night before a game. I'd go through the motions in my head, trying to remember what I worked on in practice. I imagined what my boys must be feeling. Perhaps they were doing the same. Of course, they also could have been playing video games or thinking about their girlfriends. (Yes, they all claim to have one. That's my boys.) It made me laugh to think that 22 years later, I would have the same feelings as a coach. Afterall, this was a special occassion: my official coaching debut.
The day got off to a great start. It was 70 degrees and the sky was clear blue. Coach Jeff picked me up early so we could get to the field way ahead of the team, allowing us to go over a couple things. Larry would get the start in Game 1, Albert in Game 2. Our two best pitchers. We told the team to arrive an hour before the game so we could properly warm up. Earlier in the week, Coach Jeff sent out an email to the parents explaining a few team policies. One was that the dugout and bench area were off limits to parents. Players and coaches only. You may think this is a little strict, but trust me when I say it is absolutely necessary. Not only do some of the fathers think they are also coaches, but the boys become distracted during the game if they are constantly being spoken to by Mom and Dad. All the parents lined up chairs on the outside of the fence behind the dugout and when they were all settled in, Coach Jeff and I said hello to each one of them, welcoming them to the season and thanking them for coming. This was a really cool touch, I thought, and perhaps would become a ritual each week. Very classy. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgGCIZi1UjY)
In another classy move, myself, Coach Jeff, our 3 captains (Albert, Archie, and Ned), and our 8 yr old bat boy Billy (Larry's little brother), went out to home plate to exchange lineups with the other team and go over the ground rules with the umpires. Billy is adorable btw. He reminds me of myself, when I used to bat boy for my brother's teams. Although no longer a bat boy, I must admit...I'm still adorable. I have to be honest, my heart was beating pretty fast as we addressed the team prior to them taking the field. I really felt like I was about to go out there and play. It was great to have those juices flowing again. It had been a long time. And also similar to playing, as soon as the first pitch was thrown, the nervousness was gone. It was time to play ball...and for the first time, coach.
Unfortunately, that excitement quickly grew into frustration as the routine play was once again not routine for the Eagles. We fell behind early by a few runs and it took the bats too long to get going to recover. In the 4th, we had an opportunity to get out of a jam when, with the bases loaded, a ground ball was hit up the middle. Albert was right there for an easy double play ball to end the inning and the threat. All he needed to do was field the ball, step on 2nd, and throw to 1st for the out. But, partly because the area around 2nd base was like a sandbox, and partly because Albert tried to throw before he caught, instead of 2 outs we got no outs. Too many wild pitches, not enough hits by us and too many by them resulted in a 7-2 loss. Not the way I pictured my coaching debut to go.
Game 2 started out no different as we fell behind 3-0. But these boys have fight in them. They clawed their way back behind outstanding pitching by Albert and a few timely hits. We tied it up in the 4th inning on a suicide squeeze play. I told Jeff before the inning started that if we get a runner on 3rd with less than 2 outs, we should run it, and he agreed. The boys executed it perfectly. It looked a little like this. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc735DyuvV4&feature=related) (It reminded me of my bro's squeeze play to knock in the winning run of 1989 Florida 2A State Championship game.) Unfortunately, the game ended in a tie because of a terrible time limit rule set by the league. How can a 7 inning game be played in 2 hours? It's very difficult. If we had played one more inning, I know we would have won. We had all the momentum.
Umpire Arguments Update:
Game 1: I hope this is not going to be a weekly occurrence, honestly I do, but once again, I couldn't stop myself. In Game 1, we were in the field facing the bases loaded. The infield was playing in to stop the run from scoring with Albert at shortstop playing just behind the runner on 2nd base. The runner was taking a huge lead so we called for Brady, who was pitching, to step off the rubber and throw to Albert, in front of the runner. As soon as Albert caught the ball, the runner from 3rd broke home and we got him in a rundown. The umpire called a balk and shut the play down. He claimed that, unless you throw the ball to the base, it is a balk. I went mildly ballistic and responded with:
"Where did you make that one up from? He can throw the ball into centerfield if he wanted to."
Umpire: "He must step off the rubber before throwing the ball."
Me: "He DID step off."
Umpire: "He did? Oh, yeah, you're right, he did. OK, my bad."
He ordered the runners to go back, reversing the balk. But I was still upset because he took away an out from us. For those keeping score, that's 2 arguments and 2 apologies.
Game 2: Jay is on 2B, Fred is at the plate. The umpire calls a balk AFTER Fred hits a line drive up the middle and Jay rounds 3B. The play is stopped. Then the Umpire gives Coach Jeff the option of a single with runners on 1B and 3B, or no pitch with a runner on 3B. Huh? Option? This isn't like do you want fries or a baked potato with your steak? Since when do we have options in baseball?? I argued, but later found out that it actually was the correct call. Sort of. Based on the below, the balk should either be called or the play should go on. By calling the balk, you essentially stop the play. But how many times have you seen a balk called AFTER the batter hits the ball. Exactly. Never. Score: 3 arguments, 2 apologies, 1 ridiculous rule. (see below)
Rule 8.05
PENALTY: The ball is dead, and each runner shall advance one base without
liability to be put out, unless the batter reaches first on a hit, an error, a base on balls,
a hit batter, or otherwise, and all other runners advance at least one base, in which
case the play proceeds without reference to the balk.
2. #2. Jay swings and the ball bounces straight down, then down the 3rd base line. The Base Umpire calls foul ball, saying the ball hit Jay in the batters box, but the home plate umpire calls nothing, ruling fair ball. Jay stops running as soon as he sees the base umpire throw his hands up and calls "FOUL!!". But the defense throws the ball to 1B anyway and the home plate umpire rules out, not the base umpire, who is still yelling "FOUL!!". Confused yet? I was. I argued that one guy can’t call foul and the other not, especially since it’s not the base umpire’s call to make. But, since there were two calls on the play, you must go with foul. The home plate umpire then says that we were wasting time arguing and the “clock is ticking” in relation to time limit. Again with the time limit thing???!! I said, “You are in a rush to get out of here and you guys are umpiring two different games.” It was as if Abbott and Costello were umpiring our games. That would have been more entertaining. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sShMA85pv8M&feature=related)
This is going to be a long season.
Next episode...A special anniversary on Week 2.
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