baseball bubble bursts - big time
At least on the little league front it did. We played (if you want to call it that) Mr. Little League's team Saturday morning, and pretty much got blown out, but it was our own fault. We had no pitching. The pitching hasn't been bad at all up to this point, but Saturday morning, none of our guys could throw strikes, and we put 5 different kids in there. In the top of the first, we walked most of their lineup, and they countered by taking us three up, three down. 8 - 0 going into the second, and it went downhill from there. Our kids pretty much gave up, which only made it worse. The pitching got no better. I think three of their kids actually got hits, but we walked everybody, and then watched them steal their way around the bases and get home on the first wild pitch thrown after they got to third. The defense was getting bored and when someone actually did hit the ball, caught them by surprise. Bottom line, it was painful waiting for the fourth inning to end, so the 10 run rule could take effect and we could slink out of there. It was very ugly.
Next there's this whole advanced ball thing which is getting to me, and I have a feeling I need to dial my attitude back a bit. They had a double header on Sunday, and Friday I get a call from the coach. The gist was, we have this double header Sunday and we're playing a really really good team (played them before, they won Nationals as 10 year olds and they are pretty much still all together - they killed us last time) and two of our pitchers won't be there. So I asked a few boys who have played advanced in the past to play with us so we don't get creamed. Therefore, they will be in the games and the youngster will be able to play in one game of the double header. Don't know which one yet.
In other words, I'm bringing in ringers, so the youngster needs to be squeezed out.
I was...well, livid would be a good word. I've been good about all this, and kept my place, but this just seemed a bit over the top, and still does. I know they think the youngster isn't quite there, and maybe he's not. If that's the case, we never should have been here in the first place. I know I have a bit of 'dad' bias. But the deal was if someone wasn't there, he gets to play. Period. Not, "I'm afraid we'll get smoked so I'm bringing in the cavalry and your kid suffers." As it was, he brought in about 5 kids...and they still got smoked. The youngster got one at bat and played 3 innings in the outfield in the second game....and he was happy. We got there at 11:00 for pregame practice, and he sat through the first game (playing some catch behind the dugout most of the time), and we were there till 4:30....for one at bat and three innings in the outfield, but he was happy. I need to get over the fact that we blew an entire Sunday (five and a half hours out of the middle of the day) for one at bat and some outfield time.
And that's the bottom line, and why I feel I need to let go and let him play. The situation pissed me off, but he was just happy to play, and I want him to be happy to play. If I don't get over it, I could ruin the whole thing for him, and I don't want that. Just because I feel like we're being taken for a ride, and maybe we are, he's enjoying what he's doing...and I need to let him do that, before I turn into one of those dads I can't stand.
Next there's this whole advanced ball thing which is getting to me, and I have a feeling I need to dial my attitude back a bit. They had a double header on Sunday, and Friday I get a call from the coach. The gist was, we have this double header Sunday and we're playing a really really good team (played them before, they won Nationals as 10 year olds and they are pretty much still all together - they killed us last time) and two of our pitchers won't be there. So I asked a few boys who have played advanced in the past to play with us so we don't get creamed. Therefore, they will be in the games and the youngster will be able to play in one game of the double header. Don't know which one yet.
In other words, I'm bringing in ringers, so the youngster needs to be squeezed out.
I was...well, livid would be a good word. I've been good about all this, and kept my place, but this just seemed a bit over the top, and still does. I know they think the youngster isn't quite there, and maybe he's not. If that's the case, we never should have been here in the first place. I know I have a bit of 'dad' bias. But the deal was if someone wasn't there, he gets to play. Period. Not, "I'm afraid we'll get smoked so I'm bringing in the cavalry and your kid suffers." As it was, he brought in about 5 kids...and they still got smoked. The youngster got one at bat and played 3 innings in the outfield in the second game....and he was happy. We got there at 11:00 for pregame practice, and he sat through the first game (playing some catch behind the dugout most of the time), and we were there till 4:30....for one at bat and three innings in the outfield, but he was happy. I need to get over the fact that we blew an entire Sunday (five and a half hours out of the middle of the day) for one at bat and some outfield time.
And that's the bottom line, and why I feel I need to let go and let him play. The situation pissed me off, but he was just happy to play, and I want him to be happy to play. If I don't get over it, I could ruin the whole thing for him, and I don't want that. Just because I feel like we're being taken for a ride, and maybe we are, he's enjoying what he's doing...and I need to let him do that, before I turn into one of those dads I can't stand.
John put this out here at 7:30 AM
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