Another Butt Kicking

We lost again yesterday at baseball, and I made the comment to someone that I didn’t remember the last time I’d won a game. It was sometime last year, early last year, before we went on some type of long term losing streak. Actually, I’m not sure the last time we had a 1-2-3 inning.

However it’s still fun for me. I’m enjoying the games for the most part, getting the chance to field some balls and get some hits. Yesterday was no exception, with me trying out a new position for me. They asked me to play third, with our normal third baseman out. My right shoulder was sore, but I’d already given up my left handed glove to our new pitcher, so I was semi-committed to playing right handed. I thought I might be in the outfield and would use my first baseman’s mitt out there, but I didn’t want to run.

So I played third, and had a good game. I made loopy, easy, warm up throws to first, and that wasn’t too bad. I fielded two balls, but I made plays at second, actually making good throws over there for outs. One time I led the second baseman the wrong way, so he couldn’t make the double play, but that was my first throw. I was all set for another one, with a hard hit coming down the line, I moved in front, was ready to play the bounce when it hit the dirt and bounced up about 15 ft in the air. It was stunning. Needless to say I didn’t make a play. I did get a throw on a hit to left and got the guy out on a first to third runner, but I think they guy was safe and the ump was just giving us a play.

At the plate I had another great day. 3-3, with a hard double to right center, a high fly to right that they guy never saw, and a hard hit to first that the first baseman knocked down, but couldn’t get to it and I made it to first. That stunk since I was looking for the looping curve and didn’t get enough of it.

However the game was embarrassing. Our “new” pitcher, a lefty, walked 4 or 5 people in the first inning, bounced a few balls to the plate, threw 5 or 6 behind the batter, and we were down an easy 5 or 6 in the first inning. The second wasn’t any better, and I’m not sure how far we were down, but the game was running slow. We used another pitcher, but in the 6th his arm was hurting and he couldn’t get balls to the plate. So we moved the manager in, and lobbed a couple up there, and then the umpire threw him off the mound. The ump said he couldn’t let our manager hurt himself and if we didn’t have a pitcher, we would forfeit. Never seen a pitcher tossed off the mound.

So our shortstop threw and got us two outs. However after a hit to center, two and a half hours into the game, the ump called the inning. He gave us the third out and called the top half of the inning, giving us a chance to hit in the bottom.

And in typical Skysox tradition, with us down well over ten runs, we managed to rally and score 3 or 4 meaningless runs. The first two guys hit, I got up a couple batters later with an out and hit, and the guy behind me moved me to third, giving us 3 runs before they closed us down and put us out of misery.

I had fun, but I know there are people that aren’t enjoying this. Some thrown gloves, bats, and helmets during the game. The walks are frustrating, and that’s the part I hate. I don’t mind losing, or giving up hits, but I hate the walks. They are hard to take, it’s hard to stand in the field and do nothing. I’d rather chase balls around and at least do something.

I suspect this team might not exist next year.