My son had his first baseball game of the Fall League. This particular league is very informal. All the rules are followed, of course, but this season of ball can be used to explore other positions that the players may want to try. A couple of innings in the outfield, a couple on third base, maybe he’ll pitch an inning here or there.
The team we were playing had just enough players to play the game—nine, for those of you who need a baseball lesson. During one of the inning changes my son jogged in from the outfield because it was now his team’s turn at bat. I watched him kick around the dugout, drink some water, and then jog back out to the play left field! Oh no! What is he doing? How embarrassing for him. What a bizarre mistake to make. He was standing in the outfield with the other team! Clearly the heat was getting to him making him go crazy.
I started flailing my arms like a crazy man trying to get his attention. It appeared to him that I was trying to coach from the sidelines and tell where to stand. He moved over a couple of feet and gave me the thumbs-up sign. I so wanted him to sprint back to the dugout to avoid the ridicule that was no doubt coming. I ran over to the coach and whispered in a frantic kind of way, “Coach! Logan is in left field!”
“He is alright. The other team had a player that had to leave early and their coach asked to borrow one of our players. Logan was the first to volunteer. I like his enthusiasm.”
Whew. That’s way better. I thought I was raising a baseball loser-freak for a minute there.
The coach added, “As I was sending him out there, he stopped, turned around, and asked me if he should try his best, or drop anything hit to him.” That’s my son—the team player. As it turned out, he almost threw out one of his teammates at home plate. The ball was just a fraction of a second too late. Maybe he held it just long enough to purposely miss the out. Just maybe.
Buy my book, coach. I’m ready to play.
Voices In His Head 
Ha! Yes, I need a baseball lesson. It’s so funny–when my son started soccer at age 4 or 5, there was this other mom who was English. I think she and I knew this about soccer: you kick the ball into the other team’s goal. She had a habit of yelling “helpful” comments from the sidelines. One time, she kept yelling, “David, no, go the other way! The other way! Turn around and run!!!!!” The coach yelled across, “No–he’s going the right way!!!” Her son gave her a withering look. She never “helped” again.
I try my best to keep my ignorance inside my head. Sometimes it just flies out of my mouth. Someone should have taken a picture of my reaction on the sideline.
Thank goodness you ran to the Coach first and not your son. 😉
It was close. Slow motion replay would show my fake to the field and then a left run toward the coach.
You must be so proud!
Of course! Always put your team first, unless you are subbing for the opposing team–in which case you do what matches your feelings toward your coach on that particular day.
I have that plaque on my office door!
Fall league? is it actually fall yet?
Leaves will be falling soon.
Thanks for visiting my blog. Smart kid.
I agree.
Love that story – we do alot of baseball around here (ok, that would be an understatement). I love when kids have that kind of attitude – especially in the casual fall league. It is baseball, it is actually supposed to be fun…I think that part gets forgotten sometimes!
but it is not suppose to give this father a heart problem.
Ha, forget about it! I have full blown anxiety attacks every time one of them even looks like they are heading in the direction of the mound! If you have time – I wrote this about it during the summer season – you might find it funny http://lookingforthesweetspot.com/2012/06/05/take-us-to-warp-speed-scotty/