Wild Spring Championship Super NIT 13U Majors

The 4 day USSSA Spring Championship Super NIT 13U Majors tournament was among the most exciting yet!  The AZ T-Rex Baseball Club, a class act, took it all.  Yea for Arizona!  Ian's team, the East Valley Heat, played well and overachieved. The Heat went 2 and 2, placing 8th overall and were the highest ranked 13AAA team.  They faced the best from all over the western USA and held their own in a rough and tumble, wild west shootout.   

Club baseball is crazy rough and tumble.  Some teams are brutal in how they cream the best prospects, quickly dumping players who don't perform.  Some are franchises that run like slick machines.  Most cost a lot of money.  Some take their wins through brute strength, out slugging mere mortals and not caring too much about their lackluster defense.  Some are all about defense.  Most of the coaches are intense, capable, and good sports.  Some are absolutely, positively the worst examples of manhood with their cheating, bullying, and disrespectful ways.  It really is frustrating how often the bad guys win.

My kid is fortunate.  He plays on a small team with good players who are good kids from good families, too.  None are phenoms, but together they make each other better.  The key is the coaching and management staff, in particular, the head coaching of Ray.  He respects himself, the players, and the game.  He expects a lot out of his players, and they give it to him.  He sticks by his players and keeps perspective, wanting what is best for them in the long run.  Rare in the wild west of club baseball.     

Let the Sun Shine on Spring Training

Spring Training at Salt River Fields was phenomenal!  In its second year and with the Arizona Diamondbacks coming off of a winning season, the fans filled the place.  The game sold out to the tune of a record breaking 12,552 fans.

You could easily forget today was Tuesday, convinced that no one went to work.  Many schools are on Spring Break allowing students to attend.  More schools are on Spring Break next week, including ASU, giving more students the opportunity to enjoy baseball in the sun.

And the sun did shine all day at a perfect temperature of 78 degrees.  If felt hotter in the sun, like a perfect day at the beach.  We sat in the grass section, paying only $8 each for the privilege.  Among us we ate Crust pizza & Island Noodles.  We drank Fresh Squeezed Lemonade & Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy.  For dessert was Angelo's Italian Ice & Berry Kabobs. Seriously good eats and drinks.

Everything was perfect!  Except the Diamondbacks lost.  No matter because we know that a lackluster Spring Training outing doesn't correlate to the season.  The Diamondbacks will be ready to win then, so for now we get to stretch out on the grass, relax, and enjoy the Arizona sun.

Salt River Fields Spring Training

Our whole family is venturing to Salt River Fields to watch the Arizona Diamondbacks play the Anaheim Angels.

Dressed in D-backs gear?  Check.
Concessions list ready?  Check.
twitter reply direct from Derrick Hall to check out Crust?  Check.  
Balls and sharpies to catch some autographs?  Check.
Blankets to sit on in the grass?  Check.
Sunscreen?  Check.
Cash?  Check.
Enthusiasm for a picture perfect sunshiny Arizona day? Check!!

We're a Team

Driving home from coach pitch practice today, JP talked about some of his teammates.  He is particularly concerned about CS.  From my mom perspective, I can see that CS is troubled.  He is the oldest player on the team yet he has the least self-control.  He is big, loud, and pushy.  He can't hit, throw, or field, poor kid.  JP, being among the youngest and smallest on his team, doesn't quite know what to do with CS.  JP said, "Mom, he is mean to every one.  But this is baseball.  We're a team.  I don't get it?"  The best I could come up with was to say, "You are right, kid.  Baseball is at its best when all players treat each other well.  But that doesn't always happen.  Just make sure that you treat others well."  He said that he will.

No Easy Way

Ian is reading No Easy Way: The Story of Ted Williams and the Last .400 Season to JP.  In between pages, they are talking about how crazy hard it is...was to hit .400 "all the way."  Ian reminds JP that Jose Reyes sat out last season to hold onto some record and how that's cheap.  "Can you imagine Ted Williams sitting out to ensure his record?  Of course not, because he didn't!"  Moral of the story:  Don't take the cheap way out.  There is no easy way to greatness.

JV First Game & MC Hammer

The first game of any baseball season is exciting, full of hope and anticipation of glory!  The first JV game didn't end with glory but definitely showed that there is much hope for a great season.  I was most impressed by the improved athleticism of the players combined with all out effort.

It was a blessing to be back with many families we came to know through Freshman ball.  Dave and I were also able to meet new families.  We definitely missed a few players and parents who didn't return for a variety of reasons (didn't make the team, moved, private concerns, etc.)  Every day we play is a gift to be appreciated.

Aiden started at 2nd and did a fine job.  The first ball to come his way was a pop fly...which got lost in the brutal sun.  Once lost, he did his best to find it, doing a spinning type of dance move.  Not pretty or glorious,and definitely not anyone's idea of a great start.  Yet he bounced right back and went on to play excellent defense, fielding cleanly 2 grounders for 2 outs and acting as cut-off often with no assist opportunities.  He batted 8th, went 0 (infield grounder, K swinging) for 2 with a walk, coming across the plate for 1 of only 2 runs scored.  Final score 9-2 loss.

On a lighter note, and back to dancing on the field, for a week prior to the game I heard about how much the players disliked their uniform pants.  I dismissed the whole chatter, chalking  it up to teen style preferences and the need to do what the coach says, even when he says to wear your pants long.  When Aiden stepped into the box, I stared...and thought...M.C. Hammer?  Hopefully coach will relent and allow the players to show sock next game:)

JP's Observations of First Practice

JP had his first Coach Pitch Little League practice.  He loved it!  He loved Coach Josh, who he quickly identified as an experienced player and maybe "the best coach I'll ever have."  JP also noticed that during the infield practice taking grounders, some players couldn't throw the ball back to the coach.  Finally he concluded with a matter-of-fact statement that, "Some of my teammates aren't athletes."  True.  Many of these young players are sweet kids, bravely attempting to learn one of the toughest games out there...and having a blast.