"Get back to where you was.."
That's what my friend D.L.Smith used to say after I struck out or screwed up in the field. It was just a reminder to get back in the moment. The only place you can play good baseball from. The Moment.
We finally are in the Stadium, playing the Lowell Red Sox in the afternoon Game. Having been here last year, we knew it was a VERY GOOD idea to get the first base dugout. The Sun pours in 3rd base dugout in the afternoon and we Snow Birds are not used to this much Solar Radiation. The Lowell Red Sox are also aware of this, and we found them camped out in the prime real estate... Ha!.. Before lunch! The Lowell Boys are wiley. We have seen near fist fights break out over who gets the 1st base dugout.
Our opponent this perfect baseball afternoon is the very same team we played the last time we were here in the Stadium, in 2006. They are a feisty team with a pretty good sidearm pitcher. Kenny on the hill and Ski at SS led the way out onto the field.The Lowell righty has a very funky delivery, and last year he was wild. No such luck this year. He drops down pretty low, moves the ball all around, and has added a slider to his inventory. He was very effective, pitching around a Hammer 1st inning single.
Kenny and the Lowell sidearmer pitched 3 very quick innings. We gave them another gift run in the 3rd, and out bats stayed stuck in neutral. Sidewinder struck out 4 Nor'easters in the first 3, scattering 5 hits. Kenny was pitching a gem, giving up 1 single in 3 innings of work. But we were down 3-0 and still trying to find the touch.
Ricky came in for the 4th, and we were pretty sure we would get to the Lowell sidearmer. But with 2 outs and 2 on in the 4th, a lefty hitter for Lowell, a Dude who looks like Arnold Schwartzenneger, doubled in 2 runs stretching the lead to 5-0 Red Sox.
Along with the double, single, and walk, this guy hit a bomb to Fluff in center in the 3rd, and a bomb to "Mike" in center in the 6th. Ringer.
Our lone run came in the 5th, on singles by 2-Tee, Supe and Ski. Duse started shaking off his 3 months of rust with a couple of hits
. But really that was about it. Sidewinder went the distance, scattering 10 hits, and beat us convincingly, 8-1.
We were in a slump and we better snap out of this, because we will be beheaded by the Brewers tomorrow at field 3 if we don't. But our first stop on Saturday morning will be the Stadium again. We play the Smithereens, a team we should beat 10 out of 10 times we play them. Should beat.
The Brewers are a different story; they almost beat the Thunder, and we have heard that they are legitamately good.
They LOOK pretty good.
We need a change of pace, and as we headed to the Clubhouse and the baleful stares of Sarasota BaseballInternational Nation, we decided that hanging out at the Bordello, getting some Pizza and ordering a Pay Per View Movie would be the Ticket tonight. Casino Royale here we come!...pause...
