Checked out mentally.....

Good morning! It's been a few days since the last post and I have been a bit busy....work.....work....baseball.....work....

Yeah, I have to go back to the classroom in a few weeks after having the spring off from teaching. It's been nice....but now, it's time to put my head down and crack the whip.

Although yesterday, we decided to take a trip to campus to watch the last weekly game of the season. The pitching coach watching the big kid's bullpen last week liked what he saw and told him that he would pitch last night. He needs time on the mound to come back to form, but he is not getting it. This was a common theme this season. The team lost all three games over the weekend. Buddy knowing that he could have made an impact from the bullpen was none-too-pleased.

And so, we traveled to campus and wore the heavy coat since it was overcast, drizzling, and cold....another typical game night in the mountains. The opposing team scored three runs in the first inning largely due to errors. Then the starting pitcher whose ERA is 12.00 and has not pitched in 6 weeks settled down....Yes, those stats are accurate.

Finally, the coach started to look into the bullpen and brought out one of the pitcher who gave up a number of runs on Sunday and lost the game for the team, into the game. OK, looking into the bullpen, I see the big guy standing there just staring and spitting (They do that....lots of sputum....maybe it is the amount of dirt on the field....maybe not)...the pitcher naturally got into some trouble and as Tink and I always say: "Buddy would have been taken out for that one....." We waited and waited....I looked again at the bullpen, he was throwing rockets...or "cheddar biscuits" as one of the Texas guys calls fast balls (after the delicious biscuits at Red Lobster)...

he looked ready, willing, and able....come on...come on....come on.....game over....no time on the mound....it's going to be a fun dinner tonight....

To answer your first question: "Yes, he was miffed, which is an understatement...."

It seems that the head coach has checked mentally out of this season. Word on the street is that he had an interview last summer for a job in the south and did not get it. I'll tell you this...after watching this season, he ain't gonna be offered any jobs anywhere including Alaska, 'cause at this level it is all about winning and placing the best out there, developing skills, and motivating players.



Today, the players are going to complete a survey/evaluation about the coaches. That's fine, but the kids are worried that if they tell the truth, then they will be benched. Great system, right? In fact, the big kid, who really has nothing to lose at this point, plans to give mediocre evals rather than poor ones so that it cannot be traced back to him.

Ahh, fun....so we look forward to the last of the conference games to end this weekend and for the return of the big guy who will prepare for Houston. It's the only thing that is keeping his spirits up at this point....except for bread pudding...he really likes it.....

Time to roll.....later!