Let the Games Begin

Both for our impending visit west and for the home town team.

While it's just not appropriate to talk about the stuff happening with my family around the coming visit (exhausting stuff and we aren't even there yet), I can talk about baseball.

The boys haven't been playing with much spark. Sure, they are at the top of their division, but that something extra hasn't been there. Their archrivals are closing in.

Tonight was the return of a young hot shot pitcher to the local park. It was an emotional return, as the pitcher left the team about a year ago to be treated for cancer (a lymphoma), and this was his first local game since returning to the big show.

He pitched fabulously, giving up just one run on four hits. The opposing pitcher threw well, too, and we were behind 1-0 going into the bottom of the ninth. But the last play of the game may start the spark the team so desperately needs.

So it's two out in the bottom of the ninth, we have tied the game and it's 1-1. Our captain stands at 2nd. The batter is a very likeable player in his second year with the club. The count is 3-2. There are two outs.

Wouldn't you know it, the very likeable batter hits one into right field and brings the captain home. It's a walk-off win.

The crowd of, course, goes wild.

(And it doesn't hurt that the archrivals lost 12-0 tonight.)

Baseball is going to get a little more exciting over the next 6-7 weeks, I think.

If only this visit west could be a little less exciting. We'll see.