Six Throws for Six Outs

[sleepyjeff]

My Son got to pitch for the first time this year in a practice game this last Sunday. In Farm level he did a lot of pitching because he was one of the few kids who could actually throw the ball over the plate...at that level that was the biggest concern. Last year, in Minors, he was on a team flush with pitchers so he only saw 4 innings all year from the mound.

This year(Majors) he once again is on a team that is flush with pitchers; but for whatever reason the pitching coach wanted him to pitch 2 innings to see how he does in a game type situation.

The kid who pitched before him really put on a clinic. 3 Strike outs, 1 walk, no hits.

When my son got up on the mound you could tell he was a little nervous....but still focused which is important at this higher level.

His first throw and CLANK......line drive right into my Son's mit---OUT!
His second throw and clink....fouled into the catchers mit---OUT!
His third throw and Clank......pop up caught by the First Baseman---OUT!

Next inning

His first throw and clank. clunk....grounder to the mound, my Son throws the runner out easily----OUT!
His second throw and BAM!.....A beauty of a hit right out into Center field....caught by the Center field man with an amazing catch---OUT!
His third throw----Fouled up and caught by the Catcher---OUT!


Now everyone was clapping and cheering but Alex, who was mad at himself for not striking anyone out...and brooded about it the rest of the day:rolleyes:

[scaeagles]

Wow! You must be very proud! Knowing nothing about this, what age is he?

Too bad to waste such an athlete on baseball....:)

[NickO'Time]

Now that is what makes being a parent great! I loved the play by play, it's something to definitely be proud of.:snap: :cheers:

[sleepyjeff]

Wow! You must be very proud! Knowing nothing about this, what age is he?

Too bad to waste such an athlete on baseball....:)

I am very proud....:D

He's 11 and Baseball is the only sport he really likes....which is funny because it was one of the few sports I never really cared for(I played Hockey and Soccer at his age)

Now that is what makes being a parent great! I loved the play by play, it's something to definitely be proud of.:snap: :cheers:


Thank you, I've been telling that story over and over again for the last couple of days:blush: ....Thanks for listening/reading:)

[Strangler Lewis]

Sounds like he's already got some movement on the ball. Once he picks up some velocity, the strikeouts will come and he'll be the next Mariano Rivera. As things stand now, he's probably only good enough to pick up a key out in middle relief at $2.8 million a year.

[cirquelover]

Wow, sounds like the young man did great! He'll be striking them out in no time!

[Kevy Baby]

Too bad to waste such an athlete on baseball....:)Too bad your son has such a heathen for a father :)

[sleepyjeff]

Too bad your son has such a heathen for a father :)

Yes, that is his one weakness:)

[katiesue]

Congrats to Sleepyjeff jr.!

[sleepyjeff]

I hate being stuck at work on a day like today!

Alex, my son, has been playing both 1st base and right field most of the year. Other than the aforementioned practice game he only got to pitch a couple of half innings this year....both times with limited success.

Today, the top two pitchers couldn't make the game so the coach decided to let Alex actually start on the mound.

My wife just called and so far Alex has struck out, after two innings, 5 batters. He has allowed no walks and one hit:):):):)

Why can't I be there:mad: /:)

[sleepyjeff]

He just finished pitching the third inning(his last today, as this league limits pitchers to three per game)..............

Two more strike outs...including one against his best friend/rival.

Allowed one walk and one hit.

Father extremely proud of son and upset that he missed the game.

[Motorboat Cruiser]

What an exciting day for your son! Sorry that you were unable to attend. Life just isn't fair sometimes. Hopefully, after today's performance, your son will get more pitching opportunities in the future and you can make some of those.

[sleepyjeff]

Thanks, I do see most games as it is rare that they play this early. He will play again tonite, but because he already pitched his maximum(the league doesn't let anyone pitch more than 3 innings out of 12) I'll have to be satisfied with a great play at first(or outfield) which he does do from time to time. He's in a bit of a batting slump, maybe he'll come out of that for me tonite....doesn't matter, I suppose, as long as he's having fun(which he will now that he's not pitching; my wife said he was all business like up there and not his normal carefree clown around self):)

[sleepyjeff]

Ok; got to see the nighttime game and boy was it fun to watch. We lost 18 - 14, both teams ran out of pitchers and had to pull in their short stops to pitch the last inning. I don't think a single player on either team didn't get at least one hit(my son got a single and a double)....hitting slump over:)

He played all but one inning in right field and did catch a foul ball for an out. Best of all, even though they lost it was a very fun game for everyone(except for a few of the poor pitchers).

Second best of all I got to see it:):)....still a little bummed I didn't see the early game though(life, whaddya going to do?)

[katiesue]

Congratulations! I hate missing milestone moments too (I'm missing one tomorrow).

Hurrah for Sleepyjeff jr!

[sleepyjeff]

Ok....just to catch everyone up Alex, my son, has been playing most of the year on either 1st base or right field(pretty much trading back and forth between another player who likes 1st too). Since the game he pitched described above he has only pitched a couple of innings durring garbage time(when the game's outcome is pretty much decided) and with only limited success.

So last night, with his team up by 2(9-7) the coach yelled out all of the positions for the final inning; Alex was a little disapointed to not hear his name for either right field or 1st base(the coach always calls out the positions starting with rf,cf,lf,3rd,ss,2nd,and then 1st before he calls catcher and pitcher) and sat down on the bench a little dejected looking:(

"Tyler!" bellowed the coach. "You're catching for Alex". Alex jumps up and both the pitching coach and the head coach huddle around him for a minute saying words of encouragement I guess.

Alex goes up to the mound and throws his alloted 8 warmup pitches to Tyler before the other teams best hitter comes up to bat. 1st throw and "BAM" the ball flys clear out to the fence in right field where the r. fielder just misses catching it. The center fielder scoops up the ball and throws to second---SAFE!

With a runner on 2nd and no outs Alex gathers his composure and faces his next batter.

1st throw: A low pitch but the batter still swung...Strike one.
2nd throw: Another low pitch and the batter gets a piece of it...foul ball..strike two.
3rd throw: Another low pitch...Ball one.
4th throw: High pitch....Ball Two.
5th throw: Change up...batter swings STRIKE Three!
Tyler(catcher) throws to third and gets the boy trying to steal it out!

Two outs.

Next Batter.

Alex throws a meat ball right over the plate and the batter swings and hits a home run:(

9-8...two outs.

Next Batter.

1st throw.....a no swing STRIKE!
2nd throw....high ball but batter fails to check his swing and misses...STRIKE!

Opposing coach tells batter to swing at anything close(Alex knows that when a coach tells a kid this he can usually pitch a little outside and still get the batter to swing) Which is exactly what happens..Alex wins his first close:):):):):):)

Season almost over folks and Alex has elected not to try out for the more competative Summer League(even though I think he would be great) and instead join a swimming team this summer. Thanks for reading the ramblings of a proud papa and if there is anymore this year I will be sure to post it here...but I can't imagine anything topping that game last night.

[katiesue]

Yay for Sleepyalex and of course to proud parent Sleepyjeff.

[sleepyjeff]

Alex played his last game tonite.....and yep, he got to pitch again.

I won't go into the details as he did pretty good but the game was lost and partially due to one of his errors.

He played 3rd base for the beginning of the game and then finished the last 3 innings pitching. Early in the game he also hit a double that drove in 2 runs...very nice as his hitting was not so hot early in the season.

The great thing was that this was the last game of the year and we were down by 3 runs when durring the beginning of the last inning the best pitcher(player for that matter) finally makes it to the game--car trouble-- Alex was already on the mound warming up and the coach left him in even though he could have brought in his ace. Alex rewarded his decision by striking out two batters and fielding a grounder for the third out.

Alas, they still lost due to cold bats in the final inning.

:)Season over; 3 week break before swim meets...whew.

[scaeagles]

I won't go into the details as he did pretty good but the game was lost and partially due to one of his errors.


I say flog him.

[sleepyjeff]

I say flog him.

Nah.....he beat himself up over it more than anyone else.

The error occured when he was playing 3rd(he never plays 3rd; not sure why the coach had him there instead of 1st). Ball went right between his legs allowing 2 runs to score...:(

[sleepyjeff]

http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=162119300/PictureID=3269992707/a=97445818_97445818/groupid=1690000/groupownerid=97445818/t_=97445818

[SacTown Chronic]

Ball went right between his legs allowing 2 runs to score...:(Ah, the old "Buckner" play. Flog him.

[scaeagles]

I went to the same HS as Bill Buckner.

[sleepyjeff]

I went to the same HS as Bill Buckner.


Buckner, Buckley...you say tomato..:)