A father's pride

I am back. I am also beaming with pride. I did not mention that on Monday, I had attended, as usual, the Lad's baseball game. I even got to coach first base. In that game, the Lad had been swinging at pitches higher than his shoulder. If he made contact, he would end up pounding the ball down into the ground. His first at bat, he swung high, topped the ball for an easy ground out to the pitcher. I admonished him for swinging at something that high.

The message obviously did not sink in. His next at bat, he swings at a pitch over his head. Oddly enough he hits it, into the ground, but down the third base line (he bats from the left), so he singles and drives in a run. He gets to my base where I give a "good job" pat and then ask what he was doing swinging at a pitch over his head. On the way home, I tell him that he did hit the ball, but it was lucky and not by design. I then go on to explain that you have to play the game the "right way".

The right way is the way that gives you the greatest chance of success. In baseball, it is being patient at the plate and swinging at balls you can hit, hard. If you play that way, it may not always work out (nothing does) but you put yourself in the best position to succeed.

He did make a good outfield play that game. Unfortunately, he threw from left field to a third baseman who has no clue what is going in the game and cannot catch. He was pissed but I told him that he did the right thing. It was the right play to make and his execution, the only thing he can control, was excellent. You cannot control if the other players can or cannot catch, so you control yourself.

He has a make-up game yesterday evening for the Thursday game that was cancelled. His first at bat, he swings high, grounds out but drives in the runner from third. I am coaching first again and I give him a look. His second at bat, he waits, gets a lower pitch and pulls the ball "on a rope" into deep right field. It was another legitimate home run. His teammates were running on the field to greet him. It was great to see.

On another note, the coaches son was playing centerfield and was positioning the other outfielders. I liked that, somebody taking charge. He made a nice catch, too. The shortstop was amazing. He made ranged back to catch two flies and consistently got to balls and made the throws to get kids out at first. He is this little guy but he can throw across the diamond.

I am still beaming with pride over the home run, though. It is funny. He hit his only home run at the same park last year. His last at bat of the season and he actually wore his glasses that game and clubbed a homer. This time, he actually listened to me, succeeded because of it and now he can see I may know what I am talking about. Then again, maybe not.

That is my story for today. Ciao!