A's vs. BoSox

Pre-game Practice
Steve talks to Kevin around noon and learns that we will not be having a practice. Oh no. We’ll be having a game. Do we have any idea who our pitchers our catchers are? Nope. Steve and I decide we’ll have a mini-practice before the game. The game is scheduled for 5:45. Steve and I make some phone calls and ask the kids arrive between 5:10 and 5:15.

Steve and I decide to get to the park at 4:45. And who is there, but Cameron. Talk about ridiculously early. Anyhow this gave us some real quality time to hang out with Cameron. He’s a quality kid and a good time was had.

Jeremy Me shows up. I do some hitting practice with him. Jeremy Me is a quiet quiet kid. His dad does a fair amount of talking. I learn that he was, according to dad, his team’s closer last year. I do some whiffle ball hitting with Jeremy and he is thoroughly unimpressive.

Eventually our team gets to the game. Steve takes the catchers aside and does some work. I do some real poor work with the pitchers. I did not bring my A game. I was very disappointed in myself as I feel like I squandered a good practice opportunity. The clock is ticking and so it’s time for me to start to do lineups. We have the team throw tennis balls to a few of the kids as catchers, but I was trying to figure out the lineup and so I didn’t really observe this closely.

The Game

We’re the home team. Initially we were going to pitch Jeremy Ma first since he says he pitches for travel and it wouldn’t surprise me. But in order to make the subs work, as I don’t like to sit all of the really good players at once, Cameron gets the nod instead. Right off the base we’re in trouble. Their #1 hitter on the first pitch lays down a TERRIFIC bunt. He of course reaches first easily since we’ve never practiced fielding bunts. On the next pitch he steals second. Their aggressive nature indicates to me that we’ve been out coached. They were simply able to accomplish far more in their practice than we were in ours. Next batter hits a single moving the runner to third. Here’s where my opinion of them starts to change. We call time and pull our catcher, Jared, over. We explain WHEN (not if) the runner goes fake a throw to second and hold onto the ball. Except the runner never goes. There’s a couple of pitches and the runner never goes. This ends up possibly being fortuitous when the batter grounds into a fielder’s choice to short. When the next batter strikes out, it looks like we might escape too much damage. Until their fifth hitter RIPS a triple into right center. The next batter is hit before Nick fields a well hit ball to short and makes it look easy recording out three at first. We’re down 2-0 to start the game.

No worries though as I feel we could come and get them right back. Jeremy Ma starts us off with a walk. Cameron then comes up and rips a double to score Jeremy. Justin hits one back to the pitcher and must have looked at the ball he hit 3 times, which was likely the difference between him being out and safe. Nick hits a single but they hold the run at third. We get another infield single from Jared to load the bases. Matt S comes up. This kid will hurt the ball if he can get a hold of it. Sadly he hits back to the pitcher. They get the out and home and easily double him up at first. 1-2-3 DP and we end up with only 1. 2-1, A’s.

I’m feeling good though as Jeremy Ma gets set on the mound. I figure after a little trouble last inning this should be a smooth go. Of course the first batter, on a full count, gets a single to center. This is where our problem comes in. The original plan had been to use our best projected catcher, Jared, with our best projected pitcher, Jeremy Ma. Except when I had to move Jeremy’s pitching to the second, I didn’t also move Jared. This means Matt S, who Steve said was our worst projected catcher, is now scheduled to catch. The fact that Matt can’t catch the ball definitely costs Jeremy some strikes this inning. The other thing that cost us some strikes? The wildly inconsistent strike zone of the ump. Anyway they’re able to steal 3rd due to passed balls. He then walks, on a full count again, the next batter (AK from last year). I hope he’s staring to settle down when he strikes out their #10 hitter. We’re now at the bottom of their order and I’m hopeful we can get another out here. Except he once again walks the guy to now load the bases. He then walks yet ANOTHER batter to walk in a run. He records a strike out, before hitting a batter with a pitch. At this point I go out to talk to him. Tell him it’s a weird strike zone. I know he’s a good pitcher. Just throw us some strikes. Alas he walks the next batter. I call time thinking I have to pull him (4 walks and a pitcher is pulled) except Steve says it’s only his third. This is of course a mistake. Anyway he stays in the game. Next guy hits a single. Finally, we get out of the inning when the 6 hitter fouls one off to the first base side, and Alec nearly makes a great diving catch. Next pitch he hits it again but this time Alec is able to make the catch, and adds in an unnecessary dive for good measure, to end the inning. The A’s extend their lead 6-1.

Austin, Alec, and Matt A go down 1-2-3 with Alec and Matt A striking out. Nick comes in as our next pitcher. I think we’re in better shape when he strikes out the first batter. But then the next batter rips one to left, and with Matt S playing there and taking forever to get to the ball, a single becomes a double. Nick doesn’t get rattled though and strikes out AK. He remains un rattled when he hits the next batter and walks their last kid. There’s a little dribbler back to the mound to end the inning without any runs scored. We head into the bottom of the 3rd still down by 5.

Sean comes up. I’m thinking, honestly, another 1-2-3 inning at this point. Except Sean RIPS a ball to deep center. The outfield was playing ridiculously in and so we get a triple out of a double. Steve and I are pleasantly AMAZED. Jeremy F then gets up and hits a weakly hit ball. However, he SPRINTS down to first and due to his great speed just barely makes it there in time. The run is held at 3rd, however. Jeremy Me strikes out as does Jeremy Ma. Cameron then hits a single, which turns into a double as they throw home to prevent Jeremy F from scoring. Justin, however, hits one back to the pitcher to end the inning. We’re now down 6-2.

We start the inning well. The first batter hits a well hit ball to center off of Jeremy Me. Cameron, however, is there and makes a good catch for out number one. The next batter hits a ball and the throw gets by Austin who is playing first. He then attempts to throw the guy out at second, despite Steve and I saying not to, and that ball gets by them so the runner ends up at 3rd. Jeremy looks a little upset on the mound but strikes out their next player. This is when the ridiculousness starts. On two consecutive plays there is a ball hit to second. Justin fields it cleanly and throws it to first. Both plays are close and both times the runner is called safe. I think it was the right call both times. Steve insists that the first one was definitely an out. However, our team gets fired up as they think both of them were outs. This puts some runners on and instead of ending the inning without allowing a run, when the next kid hits a single two runs score. Fortunately the next player hits a ball to right field, right at Alec who is playing there. Alec makes the catch and we end the inning. We’re now down 8-2, however. We’re able to get things going, however, when Nick hits a great ball to the warning track for a double. Steve had pointed out that the catcher is weak and so I have Nick steal 3rd. Jared walks and steals second uncontested. Matt Sherman hits a check swing tip to the catcher for our first out. Austin is then walked, loading the bases. Alec is then walked, scoring a run. Matt A walks for good measure, causing the pitcher to be pulled. Their catcher has been weak this whole time and I’ve been looking for a reason to send a kid home. Sadly it never comes. Sean hits a single scoring another run. I had started to send Alec home but then called him back. If I’d just sent him, he’d have been safe as the catcher lost the ball. That was my mistake as I sent him knowing the catcher wouldn’t likely catch it and then I wimped out. Our rally is cut short, however, by yet another double play. Jeremy F hits one to second base and Sean gets caught off of first to end our inning again. Still, we score three and make it an 8-5 game.

I still think we’re likely out of it however as scoring 4 runs is hard and we still have to hold them in the 5th. The 5th is going to be our last inning based on the time limit (no inning starts after an hour and a half). Justin is our next pitcher. As I’m catching him in warm-ups he’s showing exactly what he told me during practice: he can’t pitch fast but he throws the ball over the plate. Facing the bottom of their lineup he strikes out the first two players on seven pitches. It takes 3 more to induce a ground out to the mound. Three outs on 10 pitches is just terrific.

So now, with basically the top of our order, we just need to score four to win, three to tie. It’s going to be hard, but it’s doable. Jeremy Me starts us off well with a single. Jeremy Ma walks. Cameron then laces a double scoring one. Justin doesn’t want to be outdone as HE hits a double. I’m coaching first base this inning. When there is confusion getting the ball back to the pitcher I send Justin to third. This exposes my one big frustration with Steve: he’s not a good base coach. Fortunately I am able to correct it in this very important situation. I honestly think Nick will end the game but he bloops one to first. Jared, however, ends the game with a great hit into the gap in right-center and the BoSox win the game.

Jared got the game ball for his game winning hit.

Post game thoughts

The team is just ecstatic about our come from behind win. Steve and I are just so happy that this team is not going to be a repeat of last year’s.

We learned that we should have a surplus of pitchers and catchers. We have, for sure, three kids who we can use at catcher: Jared, who’s likely going to be our best catcher, Jeremy Ma, and Alec are also going to be just fine. Alec in particular surprised me with how well he caught. While Jeremy Ma is a better catcher now, I think Alec could easily grow into our #2 catcher. Matt S thinks of himself as a catcher, and he certainly has that build, but is our weakest catcher. Hopefully we’ll be able to grow him as the season goes on.

As for pitching, Nick and Jeremy Me proved that we’ll be able to use them regularly in any situation. Nick could have easily pitched another inning were we not trying to see as many players at different positions. Justin showed he could get the ball out of the plate. Cameron is the one who I feel the least good about. Jeremy Ma actually pitched the worst, but I have to think that’s just a fluke.

What was most amazing about the game was the fact that we didn’t have one fielding error. Every ground ball was fielding and every fly ball, with-in reason, caught. We had some throwing errors, but to have basically a perfect fielding game in the first game bodes VERY well for our season.

Also the fact that the top of our order produced both times they were hitting with no outs means that Steve and I likely did a good job of putting together the order, despite our limited knowledge of them. I’m not saying we’re going to go undefeated, but after last years pain I’m just so glad to have a better team.