Finally! Rabbit started fifth grade this morning after a great summer of laziness, baseball, bar-b-cue and general good times. This has been a pretty normal week, BP with Blue Wave on Monday, hitting lesson (last one for a few months) on Tuesday, conditioning workout with Blue Wave on Wednesday and a tournament this weekend in San Clemente. Tonight, as a special bonus, Rabbit is the bat boy for the OC Flyers game against the Long Beach Armada. He will be in the dugout with Darrel Evans, Gary Carter and all the players. What a cool experience.
The Blue Wave 10U team is starting to gel a little bit. Rabbit is fitting in nicely and has several friends on the squad. We have a minimum of four games this weekend so I am looking forward to watching them play together more. I figure this group will need a few more tournaments before they are real competitive, but progress is clearly being made.
I mentioned earlier that Rabbit has finished with private hitting instruction for a bit. His grandmother got him some pitching lessons for his birthday. We are going to focus on that through the end of October and then go back to hitting once a month and pitching once a month. It gets very pricey, but the results are dramatic. Plus, part of me wants him to just blow everyone away at Little League tryouts this coming March.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Happy Anniversary to us!
As seems to happen from time to time we spent another weekend revolving entirely around baseball. Friday night we went to the Flyers game, Saturday Rabbit had a Blue Wave tournament and played two games, then a Flyers Double Header, and the continuation of the tournament on Sunday. Sunday also happens to be our twelfth wedding anniversary. A lot going on to be sure.
Game one of the tourney and Rabbit was handed the ball to start us off. This was a bit of a surprise but he took it in stride and pitched well. Coach likes to keep the innings low early on so it was no surprise when he came out after two innings pitched. In that time he had 4 strikeouts, all ground balls, no walks allowed and one earned run. In his only AB he was hit by the first pitch and came around to score after a few steals. Sadly, the game got away and was a lopsided loss.
Game two meant some time at first, but also some bench time. We had been told that Rabbit was going to get some pine to rest up since he would start the first elimination game on Sunday. When he played he did well and had no errors, went 1 for 1 and was walked on 5 pitches. Scored 2 runs and drove in one. Not bad.
Sunday morning was game 3. Another early morning. Rabbit started and kept getting ground balls, but we had a tough time getting a handle on them. He struggled a bit, but ended up surrendering 3 in the first. In the bottom of the first he got an RBI on a fielders choice grounder as part of a five run rally. He then struck out the side in the second on 11 pitches and gave up an unearned run in the third. Then, the fourth happened. The wheels fell off, and the entire team participated. Four runs came across, but they were lucky it was only four. Many mental lapses and poor fielding cost them the lead. They struggled and scrapped the rest of the way, but ended up losing in the first round 11-9. Rabbit went 2-3 with 2 RBI and another run scored. Overall in 4 innings he had 3 earned, 6 strikeouts and one walk. A very solid performance.
It is frustrating to watch the team make some of these errors at this stage. But we need to remember that the boys are all 9 or 10 years old. Rabbit played well and we all have high hopes for the future of this group. There is incredible talent out there with this team, we just need to be sure that we are learning from these tournaments.
Game one of the tourney and Rabbit was handed the ball to start us off. This was a bit of a surprise but he took it in stride and pitched well. Coach likes to keep the innings low early on so it was no surprise when he came out after two innings pitched. In that time he had 4 strikeouts, all ground balls, no walks allowed and one earned run. In his only AB he was hit by the first pitch and came around to score after a few steals. Sadly, the game got away and was a lopsided loss.
Game two meant some time at first, but also some bench time. We had been told that Rabbit was going to get some pine to rest up since he would start the first elimination game on Sunday. When he played he did well and had no errors, went 1 for 1 and was walked on 5 pitches. Scored 2 runs and drove in one. Not bad.
Sunday morning was game 3. Another early morning. Rabbit started and kept getting ground balls, but we had a tough time getting a handle on them. He struggled a bit, but ended up surrendering 3 in the first. In the bottom of the first he got an RBI on a fielders choice grounder as part of a five run rally. He then struck out the side in the second on 11 pitches and gave up an unearned run in the third. Then, the fourth happened. The wheels fell off, and the entire team participated. Four runs came across, but they were lucky it was only four. Many mental lapses and poor fielding cost them the lead. They struggled and scrapped the rest of the way, but ended up losing in the first round 11-9. Rabbit went 2-3 with 2 RBI and another run scored. Overall in 4 innings he had 3 earned, 6 strikeouts and one walk. A very solid performance.
It is frustrating to watch the team make some of these errors at this stage. But we need to remember that the boys are all 9 or 10 years old. Rabbit played well and we all have high hopes for the future of this group. There is incredible talent out there with this team, we just need to be sure that we are learning from these tournaments.
4 4 3 3 0 1
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Summer draws to a close
We have a tourney next weekend that will be played with wood bats. That should be fun and help even out some of the power gaps between the kids. Monday is BP with Blue Wave, Tuesday hitting lesson, Wednesday night conditioning and then the games on Saturday and Sunday.
We bought season seats with the Orange County Flyers for next year and get the rest of this year included. As part of the package Rabbit gets to be a bat boy at one of the later games. I hope the schedules work out for that, that would be a lot of fun for him. School starts in a few weeks (August 28th I believe) so we are starting to wind it all down. We have had a blast and are looking forward to the fall.
Rabbit's team is now the 10yo team and they will play together for the next 4-7 months. Next sumer he may play up again if they need the help. It is a good group of kids and I am excited to watch them grow together. Rabbit's hitting is amazingly better thanks to Coach Jason and he will start some pitching lessons after school starts. We will do series of 6 lessons hitting over a two month period, then a few weeks off before 6 pitching lessons over 2 months. We will decide again in January if we want to do more private lessons. They are very valuable, but not cheap.
We bought season seats with the Orange County Flyers for next year and get the rest of this year included. As part of the package Rabbit gets to be a bat boy at one of the later games. I hope the schedules work out for that, that would be a lot of fun for him. School starts in a few weeks (August 28th I believe) so we are starting to wind it all down. We have had a blast and are looking forward to the fall.
Rabbit's team is now the 10yo team and they will play together for the next 4-7 months. Next sumer he may play up again if they need the help. It is a good group of kids and I am excited to watch them grow together. Rabbit's hitting is amazingly better thanks to Coach Jason and he will start some pitching lessons after school starts. We will do series of 6 lessons hitting over a two month period, then a few weeks off before 6 pitching lessons over 2 months. We will decide again in January if we want to do more private lessons. They are very valuable, but not cheap.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Now I can say I have seen it all
Just got back from Hanford, CA (near Fresno) where we went Friday night to the AAA Fresno Grizzlies game. If I am doing the math correctly I have now seen every level of baseball played competitively in the US. So far this year I have seen:
Youth Rec League - Santa Ana North West Little League T-Ball, Coach Pitch, Minor B, Minor A, Major, Junior, Senior and All-Star.
Travel Ball - CCYB, USSSA and USTBA tournaments
High School - Mater Dei and Orange Lutheran
College - Cal State Fullerton
Independent League - Orange County Fliers
Single A - Savannah Sand Gnats
Double A - Jacksonville Suns
Triple A - Fresno Grizzlies
MLB - Los Angeles Dodgers
If I missed anything let me know.
Back to practice this week for Rabbit. Monday is hitting and Friday will be a conditioning practice. We may do some mound work on Wednesday depending on my work schedule. It has been a nice two weeks off but Rabbit seems ready to get goin again. Next tournament is the 16th and 17th.
Youth Rec League - Santa Ana North West Little League T-Ball, Coach Pitch, Minor B, Minor A, Major, Junior, Senior and All-Star.
Travel Ball - CCYB, USSSA and USTBA tournaments
High School - Mater Dei and Orange Lutheran
College - Cal State Fullerton
Independent League - Orange County Fliers
Single A - Savannah Sand Gnats
Double A - Jacksonville Suns
Triple A - Fresno Grizzlies
MLB - Los Angeles Dodgers
If I missed anything let me know.
Back to practice this week for Rabbit. Monday is hitting and Friday will be a conditioning practice. We may do some mound work on Wednesday depending on my work schedule. It has been a nice two weeks off but Rabbit seems ready to get goin again. Next tournament is the 16th and 17th.
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