The Opposite of Opposite

SoulSlam got an iPhone. There, I said it. I have one pledge. No facebook.

I'm a conundrum.

The Fat Lady...

has sung.

Couldn't get it together in semi's last night, so my 10U team lost a one-sided game.

They went 1-9 in the spring season, then came back to go 10-2 in the summer. Including tourneys, playoffs, etc. they really showed up this summer as a team, all 11.

Good group. Season over.

Stormy Weather

Postponed our game yet again; we got in 1 1/3 innings before lightning was flashing across the sky. So we trek to the field again tonight for another attempt to play.

Stay tuned.

Waiting

Playoffs Round 2 is tonight at 8PM in another town after a rainout last night.

We beat these guys 4-2 in the 2nd game of the season, so it will be interesting to see if we still have their number.

In associated news, the 13U team is in the championship game tonight as well. Good luck to them.

Havin' A Heat Wave

It's been really hot hereabouts for the last few days, a couple of which have been over 100...today (right now), it's only 90 but I can't leave the comfort of the A/C.

Looks like it will cool off into the 80's for a day or two, which would be fine. The 10U NINJAS have their second game tomorrow night, and the cooler weather should help.

So I ramble randomly:

I like Falling Skies and Torchwood: Miracle Day

Beltran should be traded by Wednesday

LeBron James is tweeting a lot...guess he's bored

Just bought an Akadema glove on-line. I'll check it out

Bryce Harper is struggling at Double A Harrisburg; the kid is 18 give him a break!

Whisker Wars looks kind of interesting...

I would be sad to see Borders closing all it's stores if it hadn't closed the best one near me five years ago

Quizno's is next

The DMV Inspection station is always an interesting experience

Mets are .500 again. 50 Wins, 50 Losses. Not bad enough to lose, not good enough to win.

Round 1

10U Playoffs started today, and our 10U team beat a rival team (that thinks they can call themselves Blue Devils like us) by a score of 7-3. In about 98 degree heat.

We played great D, pitched well and scored when we had to, including three runs on one passed ball at the plate. Never seen that before.

Now we travel to a neighboring town on Monday night to meet the #1 seed in the East, us being the #2 seed in the West. Winner goes to Championship Game.

As I told the boys: ONE GAME AT A TIME.

Welcome Back Mr. Wright

D. Wright gets an opposite field RBI double in his first at-bat back from DL.

Great to see.

12U Season Over

Finally finished. In a way, sorry to see it over, but it was time.

The final summer record was 2-10. That included 5 losses by 1 run, and one loss by 2 runs. If only...

10U plays in 1st round of playoffs tomorrow. Gonna be about 101 degrees. Hot summer baseball.

Slope

With last night's 0-fer (as in 0 for 4) - Jeter is batting a sweet .181 since the ASB. Raised his K stat by one though.

BTW, Reyes was 2-5 w/ a run scored. Started 2 DPs as well.

Perspective

Perspective gives us the ability to see things as they really are.

Like Derek Jeter.

OK, he got #3000 on a 5-5 day that eclipsed all. If you remember I said to retire.

So since the All-Star game that he didn't attend for emotional exhaustion (OK, Mary) - what is he doing?

Batting a ripe .222; struck out 5x (in 18 ABs)!; scored a run, batted in a run (productive at the top of the order); has 4 singles, no extra base hits.

Perspective.


Walking back to dugout is his life's purpose.

Passin' Time

I like the pic of Mr. Wilson so much, I don't want to post something new!

Anyway, summer season is winding down. 10U will practice 2x this week to get ready for playoffs this Saturday.

12U - no chance at playoffs (my calculation), so we have two games left that maybe we can play spoiler. Anyway, baseball 2011 will pretty much be over around this time next week.

OSSS is looking at playing club ball in the fall, so we will go to a couple of tryouts over the next few weeks to see if we can find a program that:a) he likes, and b) I can afford. If it comes to $600 I might just build the hitting cage I've been threatening instead. YSSS is playing football for the 1st time. Should be an interesting first week of practices.

Reliving Freddie Mercury

In case you missed it, our favorite ninja ballplayer, Wilson, rocked some look at the Espys.

The remaining members of Queen might want to contact this guy!

Thank You Reuben Kincaid

Your hero and mine. Let me 'splain.

The Dogs of SoulSlam, aka Maggie and Max were outside last night around 9PM after a little bark-fest in the house. Unbeknownest to us, Pepe LePeu was lurking. The result: skunked doggies!

So we get them downstairs to the utility sink and start hosing them down. But it doesn't seem to work. But as everybody knows, Reuben Kincaid once saved the day for the Partridge Family when they got skunked on their way to a one song show.

"Tomato Juice" - the big R said; the only thing that gets rid of the smell.

So off I drove to the market to get me two big cans of the red menace. Along with a nice deodorizing doggie shampoo.

The aftermath: clean dogs. I was covered in the red stuff though.

Two Sides of a Coin

See, you've got the heads and tails. Diametrically opposed in the grand scheme of life.

Kind of like my two baseball teams.

On the one hand you have the 10U squad. Currently sitting at 9-1 and in position for a great playoff run to end the season. Playing great ball.

Then you have my 12U team - the one I have been with for the last four years. A dismal 1-6 at this point. Heart is not an attribute for most. If I look at the talent we have, and added some desire, we could just as easily be 6-1. But fire and desire are something you can't teach. So we languish. And I sleep badly. With only a week or so to go, I wait for the bell to toll.

Now my youngest is playing football for the first time. And the oldest will most likely play club baseball during the fall. I will spectate for both. A break if you will. Before hoops season begins.

Bye Frankie

The clock strikes 12 and guess who's gone?

Francisco "Frankie" "K-Rod" Rodriguez!

Adios.

They get two (2) players to be named later aka a used bag of balls. Sweet.

Let the dismantling begin.

Jeter-riffic

So at long last, the day has arrived.
JETER! 3000! LEGEND!

Congrats, Derek. I mean it. True that.

Magical 5 for 5. A homerun (that he pulled! He hasn't pulled a ball in 7 years!). Tears. Of Joy. From Jorge. And Minka. And two guys named Joe (one a Saint, the other a dope).

So SoulSlam is giving out advice. Retire today, D. Immortal moment. You can never top it. So say goodbye. Then all the Yankee fans can get their true wish and go after Jose Reyes in the off-season.

BTW, he was 1-4 today with a bunt single. K'd 2x. Back to reality.


Getting ready for "Dancing with the Stars".
Keepin' it real. Real gay.

I Took A Poll

Informal you know, but I asked a number of people how they felt about my mustache.

Overall I'd say it was a winner.

But it got too hot and itchy. So off it went.

Fu Manchu has left the building.

Grind (Absolutely)

Back to the grind today...after a nice 5 days off.

Spent a couple of days in Hershey, aka the sweetest place on Earth. Spent about 12 hours or so in the park all told. Public service announcement: skip the pitbeef sandwich. At least in this neck of the woods.

Rockin' a Fu Manchu right now. Can't say it looks good. Just is.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OSSS

OSSS (Oldest Son of SoulSlam) is 13YO today! Wow.

He has been my best friend, my pal, my hero (along with his brother) since the day he was born, which seems such a short time ago. Now he's officially a teen (he's been teen-acting for awhile now). And he makes me proud.

Happy Birthday Jack. Dad loves you.

Break Time

The 4th O' July Weekend has arrived, and SoulSlam has the day off and the office is closed for a couple next week, so it's a five day break. Need it.

Also a bit of a break from travel baseball. Need that too.

10U team is an incredible 6-0. Incredible because our spring season was pretty awful. YSSS is our clean-up hitter and in an extra inning game last night he was 4-4 with 3 ribbies. He had a nice game.

12U team is an enigma. Talented, but not fiery. And that is how they play. Too many mental errors lead to errors in game on both sides of the ball. And we have a 1-3 record to show for it. I'm pretty much at my wit's end with these guys. So they have a week off due to vacations - and they have been told to show up as a different team or don't show at all. OSSS is a gamer; he made a pretty dumb mistake last night though. Mental errors.