It's still not clear. The only guy older than me is the coach. It's an over 30 league and an over 37 league combined until we sort out the teams. I filled out the league forms and the coach asked for my entry fee so I guess they'll find a slot for me even if it is on the bench. I'm finding out that more "regulars" are showing up from last year. Turns out they find a way to miss the first few practices but they start showing up on game day expecting to play. Clearly there's some politics involved as some are long time pals of the coach and frankly I can outplay a couple of them. But I'm grateful just to be here as my second weekly basketball game just ended this week and I need something. I'm banking on showing them that I can be a asset after awhile.
This weekend I'm not sure I impressed the coach much though. I got picked off second base. That's like falling off the diving board before your first dive to impress the diving coach. Fortunately it was a scrimmage game. We played the local over 18 team (jesus, I'm 57 why do we keep playing the younger teams to get ready?) on Saturday. Two pitchers were throwing in the mid 80's according to a couple of our players that I asked. I worked a three foul strikeout with the first one and took a called strike three on the second guy. Making contact was actually pretty good since we were hitless with that pitcher. We lost that game and I made a very good catch which the coach pointed out. Yeah! But I also lost a fly in the unbelievably bright sun. The center fielder cut in front of me because he saw I was having problems but dropped the ball. It looked like he was being a jerk cutting in front of me to the others but I explained that I needed the help. The next inning another fielder of ours dropped one in the sun. It was brutal and of course helped to exonerate me a bit. I was running a bit on the base paths as a pinch runner (it was just my turn) and my knees and ankles were getting a good workout on the rock hard basepaths and the uneven outfield.
Sunday morning I could barely walk. There were a bunch of household chores that required my attention and the joints were barking big time. Another scrimmage at 2PM and I was trying to time my Ibuprofen pills- 3x200mg is my routine - with game time. A large cup of coffee an hour before game time also makes me forget the pain, but this time I was a hurtin' buckaroo. I got to the park trying to walk like it didn't hurt and I think I succeeded. I warmed up and heard that I was going to DH. That means bat only no field play. An embarrassment but just what the leg doctor ordered for today. Thanks.
The first inning though he said "I wanna get you in the infield today, you'll be going to third next inning". I was thrilled because that's my position I would excel there, I knew it! But an odd thing happened - the kid that plays third that I've internally bragged that I'm better than, had a very bad inning. He made 3 errors. All on easy balls. The coach and I had the exact same feeling; no need to embarrass the kid by thinking he was yanked for underperformance - he sent me to right field the next inning. I actually like the kid anyway.
I played well in the field - not really tested I made the routine plays. I did have a few feelings of "don't hit it to me" when a couple of big lefthanded sluggers came up. Any good athlete will tell you when you start thinking like that you're in trouble.
My plan is to beg for it to be hit to me from now on. Except in real game deciding moments. Heh. I'm sure my fielding confidence will return soon.
Well I got up three times made solid contact all three times but grounded out to the third baseman, the shortstop and lined out to short. I'm starting to get the bat on the ball. My preseason batting average has ended at .000 - 0 for 7 with one walk, one stolen base and one RBI. Not world beating numbers but fortunately they don't keep real track until next week.
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