Blue Sloth

Father Daughter Game

For our end of season baseball party, we held a picnic out at the ball fields. We fed everyone pizza and cake and had a parents vs. kids game on the big field where the adults play softball. I got to play shortstop and fielded hard grounders for the first time in a quarter century. First three batters all tagged the ball my way, and I scooped them up and threw them out like I was still wearing the Brookwood Bullets uniform (green with gold highlights).

I was a little kid, but I was really good at baseball. I played pitcher and first base and have a stack of MVP trophies in the attic and thousands of great memories of my mom and dad playing catch with me, pitching batting practice in front of our air conditioner unit (which made a "ting" noise when I missed and the ball whacked into the louvered vents which were forever bent and beat up) and a thousand games on grassy fields with well worn dirt paths between the bases, and long grass everywhere else.

Some things you just never forget, and how to get down on a ground ball and make that hop-skip-step toward first must be one of them. Lot's of, "Atta boy coach," from the dads and groaning from our best hitters as they went down one, two, three.

The parents agreed to bat opposite-handed, so I trotted up to bat when it was my turn and stepped into the batters box from the left hand side.

The last time I took a swing as a lefty, I was five-years-old and playing underhanded coach pitch in the Cub Scout league. My dad was trying to make me into a switch hitter and when I stepped into the box from the left hand side, the coach shook his head, "No way," knowing just how far I was going to hit it from the right side. He didn't want me experimenting. A shame probably in the long run.

So I decided I'd be nice and just lay down a drag bunt, maybe catch the kids by surprise. When the first pitch came in I squared around and started running as I made contact . . . but the ball rolled foul.

I shrugged and thought to myself, 'Well I'll just take one easy swing at it. Why not?' Next pitch came in and I swung low to high, making sure I wouldn't hit a line drive and *crack* the ball sailed into the air. Not a big swing, felt good to make contact. But everyone in the outfield started running toward the fence, and there were soft "oohs" from the moms watching from the hill.

I trotted down to first as the ball sailed over the 290 sign in left center field. I grinned at Kelly as I made the turn for second, but she scowled at me. I wonder where she gets that competitiveness? No cheering for dad! I want to beat dad! She gave me a begrudging high five as I went by complete with trademark eye roll.

My first home run in 25 years and my first ever from the left side. Felt good.

"Coach Philip went yard!" The other coaches slapped me on the back. "That's your weak side?" I nodded. "I'd like to see what you can do from your strong side." I grinned.

The kids came back up to bat and got lots of swings, stole lots of bases, acted silly and generally had a blast. Kelly got a single down the third base line, and I tripled into the gap on my other at bat, slowing down to goose kelly as the ball rolled to the fence.

During the awards portion of the party, the head coach had lots of nice things to say about Kelly, and when the team mom brought the coaches their thank you gifts, she looked me in the eye and said, "And Coach Philip . . . a word for every kid with every pitch. Thank you."

I probably remember every at bat from every game, and I tried to get their feet set between pitches, or get them set, or get them to relax, whatever they needed to do to get them primed to hit the ball. I was full of words of encouragement - I guess I never really shut up when I was out there. I'm glad it was well received.

I will think back fondly on this season, Kelly's second season as a ball player, my first as a baseball coach, for the rest of my life. It was a new and wonderful experience for both of us.

And later that night when I was getting ready to go play soccer, Kelly came and put her arms around me and said, "I'm proud of you dad."

What more could any man wish for?

Last Game of the Season

Tough game for the Cardinals, and the streak of unbeaten games ended at seven. Kelly had a couple of put-outs at second base and doubled in a run with two outs in the third. Her next at bat, with the game slipping away from us, she ran the count full and then proceeded to hit everything I threw at her - but all of them just foul.

Sizzling ground ball three inches wide of third. Long fly ball drifting foul. Line drive deep into the stands. Foul tip. Sizzling ground ball. Deep fly . . . foul. Each time she would have to race down to first base, turn around, come back, get her bat, get set, and do it all over again. And the runner at first would have to run to second, turn around come back.

She fouled off nine pitches, each one a solid hit just a foot off the line. I didn't dare adjust her stance or swing or mind set - it's so hard to hang in there when you have a full count and keep fouling it off.

She looked so good in the batter's box, wiggling her hips, nice and loose, bat waggling overhead, knees bent, eyes focused - she looks totally at ease up there and is really starting to wallop the ball. I just smiled to myself as I paused she before each pitch, knowing it might be the last one for the season.

Finally on the seventeenth pitch I threw at her, she hit a line drive into left field just inside the line and got her second double of the night.

As I told her, and the team afterward, it was a memorable season, and I am very proud of all of them. Sunday we have the team party and the parents are going to play the kids (and bat opposite-handed). Some of the boys were upset after our loss, but I told them to shake it off and that they would feel better about the season after dinner. "By the time you get to dessert, you'll feel like yourselves again."

Cardinals

Tonight is Kelly's second playoff game in the single-elimination tournament. Wish her good luck and think good thoughts at 6:15.

Playoffs

The Cardinals ended the regular season tied for first place with the Astros, both squads at 8-3. Tonight we opened the playoffs against the A's.

Beautiful night for baseball. Kelly went 3-3 with an RBI, a run scored and a couple of tough bounces in the infield. The team won 11-8. Not our prettiest game; we had some bad breaks but managed to overcome them. Hopefully a good practice on Friday night will get us on track for the next round.

I had to remind Kelly that there is no place for perfectionism in baseball. Everyone makes mistakes and the most important thing is to bounce back quickly, shake it off and focus on the next play.

There will always be another play, another at-bat, another game, another day. You've got to be ready the next time the ball comes your way.

Saturday Baseball

The Cardinals won today's rematch with the Mets 15-12 who had defeated us earlier in the season. Kelly was 3-4 with a double and two RBI's. In both the first and second inning she came to bat with runners in scoring position and two outs, and each time she delivered: a single and a double. She struck out in her third at bat after smashing several line drives foul down the third base line. Her fourth at bat came in the bottom of the fifth, with the game very tight. She drove the ball into the outfield and scored two batters later.

She made two fantastic plays at second base and had three force outs at second. She was awarded her third game ball of the season, this time by one of her teammates (the coaches award two and a player awards one each game).

With the victory, the Cardinals finished the season 8-3 and it looks like we'll have a very good seed for the tournament which starts Wednesday. I'm very proud of my boys - and my girl - and for the first time I'm nervous and excited about a sport besides soccer.

Friday Night Lights

Tonight is our final baseball practice of the season. Tomorrow morning we play the Mets in our final regular season game before the playoffs. The Mets beat us in week one, but we are a different team now. The kids have made amazing progress this season. It's really fun to watch them play.

I'm looking forward to working with the kids on hitting one final night. It's cool and breezy and something tells me that this is where I'm meant to be: working with my kids, welding when I have the time, coaching whenever possible, and living each day to its fullest.

Tonight I am taking everyone to see Prince Caspian.

Sloth Notes

Important safety note: if you are standing on temporary scaffolding with your goggles on, iPod cranked up loud and one hand holding the next steel piece in place, do not scratch your bare leg with the welding torch no matter how badly it itches, especially when the torch is currently spewing flame.

Alex is a few weeks away from a perfect school year of straight A's. So is Kelly. Isabel draws very nice cats. If they were graded, I would give them A's too.

My outdoor soccer team won the Championship.

My left foot is nearly healed. My right foot now has a very similar injury and hurts like hell. Overcompensation i guess. I am playing very good soccer right now, despite the pain.

The angel's location in Davidson should be completed in two weeks. I am to meet with the landscape artist to make sure we're on the same page.

Isabel gets out of school a week from tomorrow. Summer is right around the corner.

Kelly's team won their game tonight which makes five wins in a row. Kelly was 3-4 and made three nice plays at second base. The infield is really playing well together right now. The third baseman and shortstop trust Kelly and fire the ball to second for force outs. Our catcher even pulled off his mask and caught a foul ball tonight. Pretty amazing for an eight-year-old.

I repaired my riding lawn mower yesterday. The drive belt snapped, the fuel line was leaking, and the blades needed repair. I tracked down the spare parts and then Isabel and I fixed everything. Running great again. Grass looks really good.

I pitched to Isabel, Alex and Kelly at the park today. All three of them were whacking the ball. Then I let Kelly pitch to me with the machine and I hit with her little bat. I put Alex and Isabel behind me and took a couple of real swings. Third pitch I put over the two tennis courts, over the ten foot brick wall into someone's backyard in the patio homes.

Kelly watched the ball sail over the courts, waited for it to land, turned back and looked at me with an eye rolling, "Dad-deeeee."

"What?"

She shook her head. "Now you have to go get it."

Game Ball

The baseball season seems to be accelerating as the weeks roll on. We have our fourth game in eight days tonight. We had practice Friday. Also, I have been sure to pitch to Kelly every day in the front yard. Thirty minutes before last night's game I walked up to Kelly and told her to forget everything. Just relax, hold the bat like this do what comes naturally.

Early in the season, she was pounding everything into the dirt right in front of home plate. I got her to drop the barrel of the bat and swing lower. This worked for several games until she began to swing under everything.

I told her, "Just hit the ball," and I tossed some soft ones right at her by hand. She fended the balls off with her bat, deflecting each throw like she was holding a light saber. "See? You can hit it naturally. Now get back in there, relax and hit the ball."

I threw her another 36 pitches, ran out of time and rushed over to the field when my Mom showed up to watch the little ones (Alex was sick).

The game started and Kelly was moved up a notch in the batting order: up to number six. This is relevant in that she started at number eleven out of twelve. Defensively she has already secured the second base position - something that we are both proud of. She gets very excited about every out she makes in the field, almost more than getting a hit. Offensively I have been working very hard with her to move her up into the elite section of boys who get a hit at every at bat.

On this picture perfect night, I watched her walk up to the batter's box and go through her routine. Swing the bat like an elephant's trunk, down low, getting loose. Working on shifting her weight forward and back with the bat.

"Ready?" She tenses, weight on back foot, bat held loosely overhead. "Ball," I declare before I pull the lever that releases the spring-loaded arm.

I have pitched every pitch to every batter on our team for an entire season. I remember every hit. I remember every agonizing foul tip with three strikes (they get seven pitches, four strikes and you're out). I go through the full emotional spectrum with every kid on every at bat. I want them to get a hit so badly each time they come up. And things do not always go smoothly.

Kelly likes to drive me particularly crazy. She will watch the first pitch go by as instructed (to get a sense of being up there, to see where the ball is flying, to get in the groove) then whiff on two pitches, foul off the fourth and as the pressure mounts, foul off pitch after pitch until finally *CRACK*

The ball zooms past my head and she has her first hit of the night.

There is a particular pleasure in watching her succeed at baseball that I cannot quite describe. Soccer is a universally playable sport. I love it completely. I am very proud of her skills as a soccer player, and to be honest, she is a formidable soccer player. Baseball is a curious beast though. It is not the easiest thing in the world to hit a pitched baseball. Some might say it is one of the hardest things to do in sports.

Add to that the notion that it's a "boy's sport." I have taught Kelly that she can do anything and everything her heart desires. I am of a mind that she can engender the best qualities of both boys and girls, and tackle any subject, sport, or passion that she desires.

There is nothing more empowering than whacking a 40 mph fastball into the outfield when you're eight-years-old and the only girl on a team of talented boys. As I've said before, I love her ability to be a great teammate, a good sport, and fit into any situation. But it gives me a particular thrill to see her excel when I have put her in a challenging situation.

Last night she came to bat four times. She got four hits, knocked in three runs, scored three runs and made a great play at second base scooping up a sizzling ground ball and trotting over to first for the force out. She received a game ball for the second time this season.

Not bad for a little girl. Particularly when I suggested she change her swing right before the game.

I am quiet as her coach; I kiss her on the cheek between innings and give her instruction on her last at bat, or her last fielding effort, but mostly I just stand by when the kids are in the field (and I'm not pitching) and call out instructions to the infield, chat with the other coaches, fret over the game situation.

I don't get a chance to go, "Wow." All she gets is a dusty hug and a smile between innings, and I just whisper wow under my breath.

Last night was one big wow.

Coaching Kelly

Baseball was fun last night. The Cardinals won the game in the bottom of the fifth and Kelly drove in her second run of the night with a single to seal things. She was 2-3 and had one ground ball hit to her at second base. She has earned the role of starting second baseman and she is very proud to jog out to her position at the start of each inning. We have practice Friday night, and a game Saturday, Monday and Wednesday.

Let's Talk Baseball

Kelly and I are walking to our baseball game on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon. I'm carrying her equipment bag over one shoulder and she has her mitt tucked up under one arm. She looks like she's been playing ball all her life; she walks with that jaunty air of relaxed confidence. We're both silent, content to soak up the sound of the birds, the trees, the exuberant shouts of children ahead.

She's wearing the St. Louis Cardinals colors: red hat, red shirt, white pants, red socks, black cleats. I have a matching red hat on, and my coach's shirt. I could walk by her side forever - in these quiet moments I can place my fingertips lightly on her shoulder for an instant and tell her that I love her without a word.

We crest the hill overlooking the park and see three diamonds spread out beneath us. Spectators are sprawled out on the hillside, watching a softball game. It's Kelly's age group, and I can sense her interest.

"Do you want to watch for a minute?"

She nods.

Some girls from our street wave to Kelly from the bleachers, but her eyes are studying the game. The girls are wearing shorts, and long socks pulled up to their knees. A coach is pitching very carefully to one of the girls.

"They're pitching underhand," Kelly says with undisguised surprise.

"Yep, it's softball."

"And the ball is huge."

"And yellow," I note as the batter hits a dribbler down the third base line.

"It's so slow."

Some boys from the next field are beckoning. Kelly's name is hollered. "C'mon Kelly."

We resume walking toward her teammates and she looks up at me, "I'm glad I'm playing baseball."

"Little different hitting 40 mph pitches, huh?"

"Yeah, I think I would be bored in softball."

"Well I'm very proud of you for playing baseball."

She grins and runs ahead to greet her team.

And proud of her I am. She's not only bonding with her teammates and making friends, being a good sport, showing enthusiasm and spirit - all things I fully expected her to thrive at - but she's also becoming a solid player.

I have become the de facto hitting coach, and all the players are showing improvement at the plate. I have gotten so good with the pitching machine that I can put each pitch exactly where I want it, and I tailor the pitches to each hitter's preferences.

Kelly is an excellent contact hitter and I've been working with her to develop power, so that she can start driving the ball.

In her first two games she was 1 for 3 and hitting ground balls to the first baseman. We adjusted her swing and stance, and I pitched her hundreds and hundreds of balls.

In her last three games she is 8 for 11 with a triple and three doubles. She has been ripping the ball up the middle.

I lobbied the head coach to move her up in the lineup along with several of the boys who have really been showing improvement and after looking at the stats, he agreed.

Last night Kelly came up with two outs in the third inning and two runners on. She took the count all the way to the seventh pitch and then drove the ball into left field for a double, scoring both runners.

In the sixth inning, with the game on the line she came up again with two outs and two runners on. She fouled off pitch after pitch and I kept trying to deliver them right into her wheel house. Finally on the tenth pitch, she hit a ground ball up the middle for her third hit of the night, scoring both runners.

The smile on her face was priceless.