Wednesday, Apr. 27, 2005
Who's on First?, posted at 8:44 p.m.
Epiphany in Baltimore has moved to epiphanyinbaltimore.blogspot.com Baseball practice went much better today. Rather than get mad and flying off the handle, I had a sitdown meeting with my three captains after the last one decided to show up fifteen minutes late. I was very clear about my expectations about how I want the season's last two weeks to go. They took it well and practice went incredibly smoothly. I planned three thirty-minute sessions after warmup, one for 4:15-4:45, one for 4:45-5:15, and one for 5:15-5:45. We finished at 5:52, which was pretty amazing timing.Now, the big battle is at first base. One on hand is Josh and on the other hand is Sam. Sam is a big slow white kid who has played three flawless games in a row at first base. He's also been my cleanup hitter much of the season, mostly at DH, even though he's not really hitting right now (our first two runs on Monday were scored on a sharply hit grounder that the other team's third baseman let go through his legs, though). The other kid is Josh. The only reason Sam got a start at first base in the first place was because Josh - last year's first baseman - offered to move to third base to fill that void. Josh started that game at first base and again fell prey to the third base curse that we have had this season, when he had two errors in the same inning. But I liked how Sam looked at first and I started Sam the next game and Josh at DH. Josh wasn't happy, but I'm okay with that. But this next game is our last home game, and I'm starting all my four seniors, including my fifth outfielder who's not very good. That pushes one of my regulars to DH, so I can't start my leftover first baseman at DH. Both will act wounded if I don't start them, but Josh probably moreso. He feels like he earned it last year and this year, which he may have. But Sam is looking pretty damn good over there, too.
Anyhow, that's the #1 drama in my life right now. Are you jealous? It's nice to worry about something like that.
My parents are coming into town tomorrow night for my last home game on Friday and to stay through Sunday night. I need to clean the house.