David versus Goliath Part 1

Good morning!

Cue the theme from Rocky......

Here it is....this is the day when David of the north battles the Goliath of the south. Rocky battles Apollo Creed.....That's right. The big lefty is scheduled to start against the Yankees. Is he ready....well.....



If you are a regular reader, you know that on Saturday, he entered the game and did not throw well. He knew it. I knew it. The entire stadium knew it. When we had a discussion about it, he shared that he did not have ample time before entering the game to warm up. He also said: "my arm is dead. Lifeless."

Ok, this is not good especially with Goliath on the schedule. Hmmm....what can we do to inject some life into your dead arm? Adrenaline shots? Massage? Acupuncture? Acupressure? Aroma Therapy? Dubble Bubble?? This was especially nerve wracking for ole BPM.



Crud. Double crud. Triple crud.

All I could do was listen and not give in to negativity. My only role...it did not cost me a penny. I had to shut my mouth, listen, and not offer advice. He only wanted to vent and I let him. And yes, for those of you who know me....as he ranted.....I let my mind wander to warm weather, sunshine, pretty flowers, and singing birds.....

Back to the story......

When I got to town yesterday with a car full of food, he and I finally got together as he worked with his banned arm tube and  said:

"My arm has life. I can move it. It whips."

A miracle. Indeed.

While he worked out, he stopped and said: "I am nervous."

Crud, Double crud. Triple crud.

Now, it was time for me to speak.

Ok, this is natural. You have a game. However, you have done this before with bigger teams (if you count the local powerhouse in 8th grade). Remember what you said to me in Texas..."I am going to punch them in the face and make them bleed." Where is the face puncher that I was with two (or three...I forget) weeks ago?

"You're right. I am going to punch them in the mouth. I'm ready."

And that, my friends is where we stand. The face puncher....focused....arm whipper is ready for action.

Man, this can wear a person out. I believe that my next academic degree with be a doctorate in psychology. I can use it especially if he does well and moves to the next level or doesn't.

On another note, I saw two scouts in the stands on Friday night. I was praying that he would enter the game...but.....nope....oh well, there will be more opportunities.

Now it is time for me to put on my game face as I watch my David battle Goliath.





No eating until after the game. After all, I don't want to throw up. Yeah, I am a tad bit queasy, but I will never let him know. After all, this is what he has craved. It is time.

Go team.

Peace!

You're no good

Morning! And it is a good morning! Yep. I had the first good night's sleep in months....why? I'll tell you....because dad and the pups did not get up before the crack of dawn. That's right. They stayed in bed and asleep until 8ish....wow! This is an amazing feeling. It is 10 am and I am not looking for another cup  of coffee to keep me alert until 5 pm. Do most people get this feeling? It should be bottled....

Speaking of bottled....I finally had the opportunity to go to the spa for my facial. I was given a gift card two years ago and promised myself that I would use it. If I remember correctly, the facial ends with a shoulder massage, aromatherapy, and an opportunity to relax before heading out....did this happen? Uh, no.....not exactly....



You see, the gift card was for the chain of massage spas across the country. In other words, the aestheticians have a strict schedule and have to have their clients out of the room at exactly 55 minutes after the start of the facial/massage. So, I finally allow myself to relax when the lights go on, I am handed a bottle of water, and am ushered to the desk to drop a tip off for the woman who opened and closed my pores. Before the lights went on, she shared that my skin should be exfoliated every day to knock off build up. OK, I am listening....I have skin build up. Isn't this a good thing?

"Nope. you have to exfoliate every day."


OK, I need to exfoliate to rid myself of my skin?

"No, exfoliate to get rid of skin build up."

Oh, I get it. Too much skin....I still think that this is a good thing.....but Bambi, after inspecting my skin and pores does not.

"We have a product that you can use on a daily basis that is gentle and will exfoliate while you are in the shower. You definitely need it."

I do, huh. Well, if I have too much skin, then let's go and get it.

AS I walked to the desk to pay for my exfoliation product, I continued to think that I had just enough skin. But if Bambi says that I have too much and at 20 years old, she is an expert, I will definitely buy her product.

Standing by the register to pay, I asked how much my dead skin killer was...."Oh, this is $52.00."

I stared at the little bottle and made a decision that I was satisfied with my surplus of skin.

"But don't worry. It lasts for at least two years."

Two years. Let me do the math.....$26.00 per year....365 days a year.....divide by each day...this works out to be pennies a day...sort of...I think. I could use a calculator but did not to be more embarrassed with my math skills since I already had too much skin.

I'll take it. As I handed her my well worn American Express card, I made the executive decision to have soup for dinner.....And I will serve it with less skin on my face. Good stuff, eh?



On to the big guy. He is still complaining and we made another decision not to talk about the Czar any more. The lefty has to learn to deal with guys like this and now is the time.

However, after he threw on Friday, he had one more story....."I had a guy 3-2 and was trying not to walk him when I threw a nasty curve ball and struck him out. I put my fist in the air and ran back to the dug out. The Czar walked up to me and said: 'Knock it off. Act like you do this all the time.'" And those were his only words about his performance on the mound where he struck out 6 guys with no walks or runs in 4 innings.

The reality is that the coach has nothing to add and is upset that this guy does not hang on every word. He wants zombies for players and not guys who think. Therefore, he is out of luck with this kid. In his own strange way, he is keeping the kid humble. Guess what? This has been going on all his life. He is always told that he is no good, stinks, or has no talent. He is proving them all wrong. Naturally, there is a moral to this story that we will witness and get by at the end of the season.

Enjoy Linda Ronstadt's "You're no good!" 

Time for me to finish my laundry.

Peace!

Baseball forecast 2015

Good morning! I sit in my chair typing with a mixture of emotions as the big guy packs the car to return to college. Yep, it is time and now the wait begins.....

He is going back a week early to work with his catcher before school begins. He has his own designated catcher since the other newbies cannot catch his pitches. This is a good thing. So the pitcher and catcher bond over a few throws and beers. All is good with the world...today....Tomorrow...who knows.

Here is what I anticipate: we are going to go from very highs to extreme lows which sounds like a weather forecast. That's right. The next 6 months will be like the forecast...unpredictable.



he is going to win some...going to lose some....going to be pulled out...going to be anxious....going to be praised...going to be blasted.....oh yeah....fun stuff.


At happy hour the other night, I made it a point to tell him not to read the newspapers or watch television during the season. He should not allow pundits or mock reporters to determine how he feels about himself.
"I don't care what anyone thinks...." uh huh....right...



I also asked him what happens if the season is horrible and he is not drafted. Then what?
"I will have done everything possible to make it. There is nothing more that I can do." This is true....

He has.....

• worked out for hours on end until exhaustion hit
• thrown the ball in the middle of the night against the pizza shop
• put the car lights onto the baseball field as he threw in the middle of the night
• been almost arrested for trespassing on a baseball field twice to throw
• lived in Texas and worked with the Pitching doctor for a summer
• taken lessons and advice from Coach T (who is no longer in baseball, but working for his dad's company. In other words, he did not make it despite being in the minor leagues for ten years).
• gone to chiropractors
• acupuncturist
• sports psychologist
• studied the game
• studied his films ad nausea-um
• worried
• panicked
• threw
• worked out with his pals around the country
• gave up parties and fun to work out and sleep
•  lived in Ohio and Illinois for summers rather than staying home and getting a job
• had shoulder surgery and rehabbed for a year
• was told by a shoulder specialist that he would never pitch again and if he did would not make the major leagues (to which he said %#** to the guy in front of his parents and the doctor's assistants).
• scrubbed and cleaned trash cans at the bakery
• juggled full time baseball and full time school
• arrived back to campus at 3 am on Monday mornings after leaving Thursday afternoon with an 8 am class
• spent hours on a bus traveling around the country
• been dissed, humiliated, sent home, and told that he was damaged goods
• told that he would do the world a favor if he took a piece of glass and slit his wrist and died.....

OK, this is just some of the stuff that has happened in a nut shell.



We saw a couple last night whose son went to elementary school with the big kid. They shared that one of the classmates was a football stud as he was playing at a local D 2 school (not that there is anything wrong with it. It is nice that he is still playing sports. Basically, a nice kid). They had no idea that he was playing D 1 because (once again) no one talks about it. We don't publicize it and keep it to ourselves.   They went on and on about football boy and we kept our mouths shut. Happy new Year!

Happy new year, indeed...This goes to prove my theory. When a person does something, he or she should keep their heads down and mouth shut, because it is all about the game and process and not about accolades. Most of the grade school studs are now losing their hair and have beer guts. Keeping up with their sports required effort and they were not willing to forgo the fun that high school and college had to offer. But my kid sacrificed.




I smiled and wished them the best.....and now after hugging my boy good bye, I wish him the best too....the best that life has to offer....the ability to take victory and defeat as part of life....keep your head down....mouth shut....and throw the dang ball!

Peace!

Bullpen Mom 2.0

Good morning! It's a drizzly day and somewhat cool. After experiencing temperatures in the 80's and now they are 60ish, I am wondering what is in Mother Nature's mind....

Tonight begins the summer baseball season and the guys are headed to Indiana for the first game. No, the kid is not pitching until Sunday night which has made our decision to travel an easy one.



Let's first review the life of BP mom for a moment....the reason that I started this blog was to share with family and friends the convoluted road to the majors if there is one. Further, there seem to be a need to defend the big lefty since people especially his peers did not understand why he was the way that he was. In other words, he worked, slept, ate, studied, and played ball. He sacrificed a normal adolescence and young adulthood for a goal...a dream.....he refuses to leave anything on the field except his heart and soul. Therefore, here is his story which in a way is our story.....actually, it is my story.



The title "Bullpen Mom" was created since I was the mother of a bullpen pitcher....a wannabe starter. I would attend games and wait and wait and wait for the kid to be handed the ball. Sometimes, I would travel a great distance and watch my player spit and cuss in the bullpen never making it into a game. It would frustrate him and make me sad knowing that he could be out there making a difference for the team.



Although, I have to be really clear....I have witnessed over the years, parents and players who were not only clueless but unrealistic in their expectations. They would think that their son and daughter were heads and shoulders above their peers. Fortunately, I never thought that way. In fact, I went to the opposite end of the scale as I worried a great deal when the kid was put into a tight situation. Yet, over the years, he began to demonstrate not only a high baseball IQ but a work ethic that was unparallelled. His body, which he inherited, was developed into a pitcher's physique and he worked even harder on his competitive nature. In fact, I would never, ever want to be a batter facing him. Last week, his fast ball went through the catcher's mitt and hit him on the chest. Another pitcher wanted to work out with him but dropped out during the warm up. This, folks, is the reason for his success. He does not stop until he is perfect. Hopefully, it will bode well for him as he settles into a life after college.

On to this weekend...he is scheduled to pitch on Sunday night. This is indeed a new phenomenon for us. In fact, in the old days, Tink and I would have hit the road yesterday to watch tonight's game hoping that he would be called in. What a reversal of fortune! We can now plan trips. This is a huge shift in our lifestyle as we now have a date and time set for a future start.



And so, this summer begins a newer, more prepared BP mom....in fact, we can call it BP Mom 2.0. That's right. This is a new version....we are now focusing on each pitch, velocity, placement, and strike out rather than the question...'will he make it in this game or not?'

It's fascinating how life works. The highs and lows that this kid has experienced have molded him into what he is today....which is a guy who has confidence....wants the ball in a tight situation....will never back down from a challenge....

This is it. The road has been bumpy and will continue to be tortuous, but he will navigate it with the skills that he has as well as family and friend support.

Wow...BPM 2.0...whaddya know?

Peace!

Quiet time

I'm back! I had lots of end of the year work to do plus a large college senior came home for a few days. Originally, we thought that we had a week to get things ready for his big Illinois adventure but as fate would have it....OK, not fate...the kid did not read his email, he has to report to his summer team on Friday at 5p. When was this discovered? How about last night?
 


Let's look at the events leading to Friday....on Monday, he had a final meeting with the Czar and his staff. The staff including the Psycho pitching coach were complimentary. The Czar...not so much. It is obvious that they will never...ever....ever be best friends. In fact, I am pretty confident that they will never live in the same town or state when this is over. Nonetheless, the meeting was sort of positive.

The big kid claims that he will never go back. My interpretation is as follows: he hates it but won't jump and will stay for his last year of eligibility. Although, he assured me that he would be picked up after this summer...nice....dream....or is it reality? I don't know, the lines are blurred.



Now the plan is that he will fly out on Friday to join the team rather than the two of us hitting the turnpike and heading west. I will bring his car out to him next week, then fly home. I have a huge bag of Skittles to get me there although the aforementioned Skittles gave me a huge backside, so I best look to other ways to stay alert and move away from sugar.

Since he has been home, we have chatted for approximately 12 minutes. He commented that my right arm muscle tone looked....how do you say it? Hmmmm...let's call it 'flaccid'. My muscle tone is gone and I need to figure out how to get it back with the elbow injury. Unfortunately, the injury prevents me from lifting weights or correcting the damage. So, I made an executive decision....tomorrow, I am undergoing...accupuncture....yep...me...a pincushion.



Will let you know how it goes as well as future plans.

Peace!