BACK TO BASEBALL

We won last night, 9-7.  The game was an hour-and-a-half north of the city.  I rode up with Dave, the team’s manager.

The game started at 8pm.  We were playing a team called the Bears. They were mostly college kids.  They looked so young and I realized at some point in the game that I am old.  I don’t feel old.  And I don’t look that old, at least when I shave and you can’t see the white in my beard, but looking at the kids on the other team, there’s no denying it, mortality, it’s for us all!

I came up with runners on first and second in my first at-bat and hit a 1-0 fastball off the base of the fence in right field which is great, but it wasn’t a good swing and I knew then I was a little off at the plate and, besides a bases loaded walk later in the game, it was my only time reaching base.  1 for 4.  1 RBI.  1 Run scored.  I swung and missed twice at fastballs in the zone.  Swinging and missing at a slider, or a fastball up out of the zone is one thing, but swinging and missing at a fastball in the zone should never happen, especially off some college kid.  I mean, I am the King of All Jewish Baseball, after all.

I had a little swag working on defense, felt good out there, but I don’t trust swag.  Just when you think you’re good, something will happen, you’ll trip on the way to first base, or swing through a cock shot as it were.

I am heading into the stretch right now, July, where I will playing the most of my games.  And I need to get it working.  I am in my 7th month of training, and I amazed and pleased to report that apparatus feels good.  I can throw without pain.  I can run without pain.  And my reflexes, despite my advanced age, seem to still be in tact.

It is July 12.  59 days ’til we report.  I still do not know…

1) If I am going to make the actual tournament team.

2) How many other guys are reporting to training camp.

3) Who those other guys are.

4) When the team will officially be named.

5) What training camp is going to “look” like.

6) How good, or bad, South Africa, France, or Spain will be.

7) How the tournament will be structured.

8) Or what will happen to me in general following the tournament – creatively, personally, professionally, or otherwise.

I, we, know virtually nothing.

All I know is that I have a plane ticket to Florida September 8th at which point I am expected to play baseball to the best of my ability.  Pretty simple actually.  Much more simple than whatever is going to happen after the tournament…   For now, it’s baseball season.

Maria Hernandez Park, around the corner from my apartment, where I hit off the tee at night.