Sunday Funday

Here's the logistics of it all:

Leave at 8AM ro take OSSS to his tourney about 35 miles away, last pool game begins at 10AM. They are 2-0 so far.

BWSS will bring YSSS to field so I can bring him to his playoff game

Leave OSSS' game at 11 to get to farther away field for noon showup. Drive looks like 50 minutes.

YSSS' 13U playoff game at 1PM.

Somehow figure out the easiast way for us all to meet up again at OSSS' championship game at 5:30PM (they have already made that win or lose)

Watch championship game

Go home

Collapse after a beer

An Update of Sorts

So on Monday we got to go back up to Newburgh NY for another day of baseball. It was LONNNNNNGGGGG. Left Casa de SoulSlam at 10AM for a 12:30 game. The game being played when we got there went to extras...so that meant the start of game 1 got pushed back to 1:20. Wow.

OSSS played 1B and batted...went 2-2 with a walk and 2 runs scored. Pretty sweet. And they won that which of course meant they would play another game. That started at 5:45pm. And OSSS didn't see the field in that one, whcih ended in a mercy. So a copule of thoughts:

Why would you pitch a guy in game 2 that pitched 4 innings in game 1. That happened.

Why don't you know the rules about deadball in HS (not MLB rules) and almost get yourself tossed.

So with playing in half the games in first tourney so far, OSSS decided to play Legion as well. I can't blame him, but I'm not a fan of Legion Ball. Maybe it's just me. I played it, but that is definitely my opinion.

You Blew It Coach

Watched the summer team that OSSS plays on. It was first day they have played as a unit; most boys were on this team last year, with OSSS and the Big Man (name withheld to protect me!) being the newcomers I think. The coach is a former All-State Catcher who coaches JV in the inner city I think. He brings a couple of players with him as well. Lots of Spanish being spoken. Which is awesome because the only kids that speak Spanish are the coach and the kids he brings.

So they play game 1, lose 5-2. OSSS played 1B, got two (2) AB's, went 0-2. Looked a little lethargic at plate. He told me on the flight ride up that he was tired. Chalk it up.

Game 2, OSSS not playing. Big Man at 1B. Now, they played together on varsity and the Big Man was never allowed near 1B. He was serviceable. Doesn't have a clue where to back up throws or take cuts however.

Pal of OSSS, we'll call him Sleepy is pitching, and doing great. He's a tough lefty and he will get better as we go. He pitches 5 and leaves with a 5-2 lead. Then the coach made the first of some questionable moves:

Put in some kid he brought who quickly loaded the bases (1B, 2B, HBP), then allowed two runs on 2 consecutive wild pitches. Wow. He was terrible.

With 1 out and #21 spitting the bit, decided to pitch the boy who had caught 13 innings on a hot sunny day. That boggles this mind.

With the starting catcher now pitching, he takes the starting SS and moves him behind plate. BTW, they have a backup catcher who was playing LF which would probably be the better move.

Put a kid he brought at SS who had the range of Stephen Hawking.

So the other (terrible BTW) team scored 8(!) runs to go up 10-5. That was the final.

So I leave you with this...because you played doesn't mean you can coach. WE SHALL SEE!

Arm Dangling 2

A followup to this little gem

So YSSS's team played far, far, away the other night. Late game about an hour away, so we finished around 9:45pm. We've played teams up around this way for years, so SoulSlam knows some of the folks in the baseball circle.

Anyway, this team used to have two brothers (twins) playing with them. After we exchange lineups, I see only one brother is playing, batting 2nd, playing CF. He's a good player. I don't think much because some of these kids play with multiple teams, yadda, yadda.

After the game, the kids dad comes up to say hello while I'm packing the Tahoe of Baseball. We exchange pleasantries (they beat us so their parents were all giddy...it's not that hard to beat us though). He then tells me the other son is on the shelf with an injury...a torn UCL! Kid had Tommy John surgery! At 13! OMG!

So I'm not casting blame. But these kids only play baseball (to the best of my knowledge), play on a lot of teams, and undoubtedly, pitch a lot. So there could be smoke at this proverbial fire.

Did Somebody Order Salami?

What the H does that mean? (Shrugs)

Memorial Day Weekend upon us...well in a few minutes or so when I evacuate the J-O-B. And we have some rain on tap, but not like last year. If methinks correctly it was pouring rain and about 50 degrees last year on Saturday. It'll be a little (but not much) better this year.

Last game of regular season for our 13U team (YSSS) tonight. Been a tough season. Team is in a funk with 2W's and 7L's to their collective name. And on the off-chance we sneak into spring playoffs, it will be against a #1 seed we will have a tremendously tough time with. I am looking forward to the end of this team for my son's sake. Get him someplace else. That's the SoulSlam plan anyhoo.

OSSS is playing in a tourney this weekend. First time these boys (by and large) will be playing together. So we see what that is.

Maybe I can catch a cold Landshark and get some pool stuff done in the meantime.

Season (Almost) Over

HS Season that is.

OSSS' team played in States last night, lost 5-1. Valiant effort. OSSS gave it his all. One game left in regular season is today.

Couple days off then it's Summer Showcase Team time. Wow. Time flies.

Arms Dangling

What is happening with all these MLB pitchers? Jose Fernandez is the latest. Ouch.

So over the weekend and esteemed panel was on MLB Network with some roundtable discussions. Talk about overuse as youth ballplayers, throwing at 100% all the time (instead of just going full tilt every so often), and the "babying" of arms were raised.

Then I saw an article about Tyler Kolek, a 6'5" 245 lb. HS Senior from Texas. Throws 100-102 MPH!

Yikes!

Hope his arm doesn't fly off when he gets to where he's going.