Spring Training

Judging from Noah's energy level this winter (and the resulting state of our couch cushions), I knew it was time for him to pick up a sport, so we enrolled him in spring baseball. The 4-5-yr-old league meets 1 hour/week: 3 weeks of practice followed by 8 weeks of games (where they don't keep score). It's a great learning experience for him - and entertainment for us.

The coach started the season walking the cluster of boys from plate to plate ("This is home plate...This is first base"). It was a nice effort, but the best part was seeing that whenever someone actually hit the ball, the rest of the team was ready to run in random directions. And did. Unless they were playing in the dirt at the time. At one point, the basemen all started running to the next base when the batter made a hit. Such great intentions. You just gotta love it. Since then they've made admirable progress, leading up to the first big game today...

Right field was Daddy's position too!

Coach pitches 4 times, then they bat off the T

And he's off!

The 1:1 parent-player ratio on the field (displayed above) did not always prevent the hitters from running straight to 3rd or carrying the bat from base to base, thank goodness.

Relaxing in the shade of the dugout (while the parents and siblings sweltered in the sun, and it's only March!?)

Go Astros!

And the real reason we came. If there were no juice, there would be no baseball in my son's world.

I found out this morning that Josh's great grandpa was a starting pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds. Right now, Noah's just focused on playing till he's six, as he desperately wants them to "use a scoreboard" so he can win. He wasn't buying any of my "you've won if you did your best." Today they played a team in purple, so he told me that he doesn't like purple and they were probably the British (his perpetual bad guys ever since he discovered the revolutionary war). Sounds like sportsmanship (and diplomacy?) will be another lesson in our future. Go team!