Today My Son...

agreed.....

good job Dad!

 

My son only played 4 innings of his first varsity game last year and had to miss the rest of the year due to a back injury. So, his junior year was gone in a hurry. He is a pitcher and plays third and the back injury caused him to unknowingly change his delivery that put extra stress on his elbow. To relieve the stress, he had to change his over the top delivery and drop his arm down. We found out about this in February. This change in mechanics and lots of rehab along with moving to play first base did the trick and he was released to pitch the last week in March. In his second game back he had a no no for 4 innings but the coach took him out because he was on a pitch count. Last Friday, he pitched a 5 inning no hitter that ended early due to the mercy rule. He also went 2-4 with a triple at the plate. He could have folded up the tent after missing a year and having the elbow injury but he didn't and worked his way through it. As he plays his last home game tonight, I am sad his Sr year is almost over but glad he learned a life lesson that you can't quit when things don't go as planned. I am more proud of that than the no no and the homers he hit this year.

 

Baseball is about more than the game. This post shows it clearly. Baseball is about the friends, the experience, and the memories. This young man clearly has a very bright future and a well rounded head on his shoulders. This kid is going to go places and soon!

 

That reminds me of the worst night of my son's career. It happened to be the last game of his HS career. After having about as good a career as one can have with a school record twenty one wins, he hit wall in the first round playoff game his senior season. Before that, I can't remember a game that he started that he didn't finish. But that night, he just couldn't find the groove. He didn't make it through the first inning and when he left we were down 7-0 and New Hanover ended up scoring ten in the first. It was over before it started. I could see the look of dispair and shock on my son's face the rest of the game. Afterwards, the tears flowed not because he was embarassed but because he felt he had let his team down. Sometimes life just smacks you just to let you know it doesn't always go your way.

 

Made One Heckuva Play

In a 1st round conference game at "arch-rival" Concord, who we were playing for the 3rd time in 6 days. Concord had just scored, making it a 2 run game. With 1 out and a runner on 1st, Concord calls for a "hit and run" with their best hitter up. As the runner breaks, the batter "loops" a sure base hit into shallow RF. Not so fast my friend, we have "The Asian Sensation" playing 2B. He breaks on the ball, then jumps while diving, must have been 10ft in the air (OK maybe 8 ft.) catches the ball jumps to his feet and throws to 1B, doubling up the runner and ending a big threat. It was a really special moment to see his coach sprint from the dugout and embrace him in a "bear hug" and his teammates celebrate his effort. However, seeing every single tooth in his head as he grinned from ear to ear, made me one happy and proud DAD!!! In the 12 yrs I have either coached or watched him, this was the his finest play he has ever made. As I left the field on my way back to work, I was continuously stopped and congratulated on his "play", which me made me a little late getting back. But I was the happiest and proudest employee around last night!!! We went on to win the game 6-5.

 

It was even better than that.....Justin caught it over his shoulder with his back to the plate, did a barrel-roll to throw to first for the DP.....It was the play of the game, in a game of great defensive plays, and it came at a crucial point in the game----way to go JK, and congrats DAD !!!!!

 

My 6 year old hit on "daddy's big field with the big boys watching" - with his new bat... and afterwards told me "thank you dad."

And my 2 year old son poo-pooed in the potty for the first time!

OK, I'm not where some of you are, but it's what I got...

 

revenge is sweet

Earlier this season my son was taken out at 2nd base. On the play, a player rolled into his knee ( as opposed to sliding) and sprained his MCL. He missed 10 games due to this questionable tactic.

Now fully recovered, we play the same team in the semi finals of the conference tourney. He goes 3-4, scoring twice. The last hit being the biggest. Tied 6-6 in the bottom of the 7th with 2 outs, he hits a line drive to right scoring the runner from 2nd to secure the win. Watching him come back after the injury and putting this team out was very satisfying.

 

Today my son found out that he just played his entire senior season with a BROKEN WRIST!!! He hurt it right before the season started. We went to the doctor and they didn't see anything wrong. They wrote it off as a sprain and he went on playing. It never really healed because he was still playing (catcher of all things). It's been getting worse and worse the last couple of weeks. We went back to the doctor the other day and they did another x-ray. They call us back today and sure enough....it's broken. Don't know why they didn't see it in the first x-ray, but stuff happens.

So his team (Southern Lee) is supposed to start playing in the state playoffs next week. Looks like he won't get to play in the playoffs for his senior year. He is also supposed to play with GBC Prepstars this summer. Not sure how that's going to play out now.

Needless to say, not quite the senior year he had imagined.

 

I love it Catcoach! How precious. It's been 11 years since ours 6 and 2, but it feels like 15 minutes. Enjoy it all becasue it goes much too fast.