Playing Hardball

It's official. I now love baseball!

I have been watching baseball for y--e--a--r--s, learning the names of Giant's players, listening to strategy and technique, tuning into games on the tube, listening to pregame and postgame shows as Ralph Barbieri takes callers, hearing box scores and play off predictions, listening to possible trades and offseason baseball business for y--e--a--r--s. I am married to a baseball fanatic--that word may be a little harsh, lets see what it really means--a person filled with excessive and single-minded zeal, esp for an extreme religious or political cause ie zealot. . .--Nope, fanatic is the perfect word! To Richard, baseball is a religion. . I don't mind. It is something that he is passionate about and he loves to share it, hence why I have known so much about baseball and the Giants. I liked going to the games but I found myself watching people more than the actual game. But now. . . NOW. . . I love baseball. I love the tradition, the uniform, the players and the coaches and why you ask? What transformation has arisen that I now care so much about a sport that I have only tolerated in the past? Because my little guy is now playing. It's a whole new ball game.

When we play baseball, we play with a wiffle ball and bat, (don't laugh, it's not as easy as you might think when someone puts a nice curve on that plastic ball) so Will hasn't had much experience catching a hard ball with a mitt. At Will's second practice, I was sitting about 100yds away watching my kids play on the play ground as Will practiced with his team. Will is the youngest kid out there. His birthday falls just two days before the dead line, so he just barely made it. I know that he has a lot to learn, he doesn't seem to mind not being as good as the other kids when it comes to fielding etc. I am really proud that he is out there doing his best. As I watch, I notice that he starts to walk to his brother Mitch who is sitting close by. Mitch seems to console Will and then they both begin to walk toward me. Will's head is down. When he gets close I see the sad look on his face but no tears in his eyes. "What happened?"
He looks up and I see the abrasion on his chin where the ball bounced off. He points to his chin and describes how he got hit. "I don't like baseball!"

"Did you get hit?"

"Yeah! It hurts!"

"I know, it does hurt. Sometimes when we play we get hurt, but it will feel better soon."

"I don't want to play."

"Are you afraid"

"Yes,"

"You know what, your going to get better Will. Your going to get better at catching that ball and that won't happen again, and your chin will get better soon too." He sits on my lap and snuggles in to me. "But you know what? if you quit now, you will hurt inside, because you quit. Quitting makes you feel weak, and that doesn't go away. That pain stays with you. If you stay in there and face your fear you will feel strong. Do you want to feel strong?" He nods his head yes. "I knew it. Because you are strong. Okay then get back up and go practice with your team. " Will stood up and grabbed his mitt and ran out to join his team. Phew, You pray that your kids will make choices like that but ultimately it is their choice and their journey. I am so proud of him. I was that day and every day that he picked up that glove and tried to catch that ball.

For one complete week he caught the ball with Richard or I and would turn his head in fear, but he didn't stop trying. He kept it up. Just today we were playing catch and he cheerfully shouted, "Hey mom, see I didn't turn my head." Although those balls don't always land in the pocket, he is trying and improving each day.

When it comes to batting. Will is pretty confident. He could bat both right and left handed when he was three years old. So he gets up there and feels he can hit that ball, and he does. he has hit three out of the four times he has been up to bat. He doesn't worry about swinging too hard, he just makes contact and runs his little heart out to get to the base in time. He stands there waiting with his little fists clenched watching the pitcher and batter, concentrating on when to run. I love it: I love that each pitch means that there is something bound to happen that will affect the game. I am amazed at the pressure upon the batter to perform and the pitcher to throw strikes. I appreciate the smooth transition from fielding the ball to throwing someone out. I love the team play and the confidence team members have in one another.
I finally get it Richard!I now understand why you love the game so much!

Will's first at bat in an official game.
He waited through four balls
from the pitcher to have his coach
pitch to him. He hit the first pitch from
his coach.

















Will bolting from second to third.

















He gets there safely!


















Will waiting with clenched fists to run it in
all the way to home.