For the Love of Baseball

This.

This is why I love baseball.

It's not who wins or doesn't.

It's not about the cool uniforms.

It's not about the hot dogs and beer.

It's all about the love.

Bandwagon Fan, and Proud of It

Matt Slocum/Associated Press
As a California resident and a few hours from SF, I'm so excited that the Giants are going to the World Series.

Last time they were there, Hubby was in the hospital.  Well, in and out, and back again.

2002.

Before that, I was driving on the back streets of town in a driver's ed car just as the Loma Prieta Earthquake hit.

1989.

My parents have been lifelong fans.

I like baseball, I do!

Never thought I was as competitive as I am until my own kids got into sports and I'm on the sidelines jumping and screaming and stressing.

Same thing these last few weeks with the torturous division series, then the league championships.

I was on pins and needles watching the games, giving myself a small ulcer.

One day I walked the soccer fields back in forth in a small wi-fi area to get the play by play on my iPod.

It's been so exciting, local team makes it.

I don't have to be a season ticket holder to enjoy a good baseball team. 

We've been to one whole game this year.

Come Wednesday, me like half the country will be rooting for the Giants to win.

For the first time as a San Francisco team, they can bring the title to my little pocket of the world.

We're considering giving my son a mohawk for the series, it worked for his little league team a few years ago.

Hub may grow his beard and dye it black.

I can not wash my hair for a week and Hub and I can go as Wilson and Lincecum for Halloween.


ooh good idea me!

Boys of Summer....er...Spring

Baseball is in full SWING this season.

hold on....laughing at self....oohhooohaaahhaaa!

I crack myself up.

So the boys are playing ball.



My guy has his "concentration tongue" back this year.



And by boyS, I do mean my husband as boy #2.

He is a sucker for baseball too.

You have to tell him when he's on umpire duty, "DUDE, you can't field that passed ball!"

He can't help it.

My Boy is catching, pitching, and playing first base this year.



Making nice contact...



In practice and in the games.



Cousin T is on our team this year, he's doing really well and it's easy on Grandma and Grandpa when they come out to the games!



K often likes to take pictures at practices.



Not necessarily OF the game.

The boys are unfortunately 0-4.

They're not down though. They're 8, 9, and 10 years old. They have positive energy still and just love to hang out together and have fun.



Everyone gets better each game. 3 of those 4 losses were all within one run.

We'll come back!



I love this time of year!

Maybe If His Team Were "The Pikachus"...

So baseball season is upon us and My Boy is a little league Tiger this year.

Opening day and his first games normally happen well after his birthday.

This year, they crossed over a bit.

Baseball practice has been squirrelly.

My son has other things on his mind.

Like his birthday presents.

Legos for instance.




Cool, no?

But baseball is put on his backburner.

Bakugan, Pokemon, Nintendo DS, iPod Touch (that he bought for himself with birthday money, piggy bank coins, and Target giftcards), and just being 9 years old are getting in the way of sports right now.

Distracted.

Not to mention getting hit in the elbow by his teammates pitch.

You know how much that hurts a kid who weighs 60 pounds soaking wet, with no body fat, bones sticking out everywhere and is sensitive?

Alot.

I never played competitive sports.

Being a mom of a competitive dancer and baseball player makes me crazy.

Crazy in that I hate losing.

Yes, I teach my kids "it's not about winning or losing....yada yada hoo."

But, I'm a sore loser.

I want my kids to win.

All the time.

Forever.

Is that normal?

Okay I just want them to be successful.

All the time.

At everything.

So far losing a game here or there hasn't deterred My Boy much.

Last year, we had a rough start to the season then we ended up winning the championship.*fist pump YES*

So, while we wait a few weeks before all the birthday hype wears down, and baseball kicks in, I can still dream my son will be a professional baseball player.

But, if he's a creator at Legoland, that would be cool too.

Our Lucky Day!

Despite all the SHAT that has been going on with the illness, side effects, and my downer posts lately, we did have a fantabulous day Saturday.

My friend Merrie (Sleepless Mornings)gave us free tix to an Oakland A's game and we were thrilled.

My hubby has been a fan since his youth, and frankly My Boy can't pass up a stadium hot dog for anything!

So we get their early and luck out-we get to watch batting practice which is always cool!

Soon after finding our amazing seats, an A's Ambassador comes over and asks if the kids want to go ON the field and watch BP!!

UM, YEAH!

The kids are on the field taking in the view from just behind home plate, very cool!

Soon after, another A's rep comes over and hands My Boy a BP ball!

Our seats were so close to the A's dugout, My Boy and I hung out and tried to get some autographs.

Luckily Eric Patterson was hanging out, so we grabbed our new ball and tossed it over the dugout for some signage!



And of course, I snapped some pics of my personal favorite player...Bobby Crosby.


First inning we see 4 runs score for the A's plus a homer from Mark Ellis, woot!


If that wasn't enough...another pair of A's reps came over to us and asked if we'd like to participate in the Chevron DiamondVision game in the 6th inning. 3 fans get a chance to win a $100 gift card for gas! We couldn't pass this up, so Hubby reluctantly agreed, since I had to take photos.

Hubby gets whisked away to the other side of the stadium and dons a Chevron car tee!


Then the computer-game is played on DiamondVision...and Hubby is then shown with his opponents!

Unfortunately, the car he represented, Muddy Maddie, did not win, but for his good sportsmanship he wins a $10 gas card!



It was an amazing day, and the A's beat the Indians 8-4, which means that every fan got a free 2-liter of Pepsi from their sponsors...I also found 2 A's merchandise cards in my wallet for $33 that i've had for over a year so the kids got a A's pullover.

I'm thinking with that luck, I should have purchased a lotto ticket!

Thanks again Merrie!

Nah Na Na Nah, Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye!

So the mohawk had something to do with it...

Maybe it was all the Airheads your little sister ate at the games...

Maybe the 'not going to wash your stained uniform pants' superstition was the reason...

Maybe it was just skill, and practice, and these guys...

Maybe it was pure heart that took them to the Farm Championship Game and the win!

Man, I miss them all already, and their moms and grandmas too!

School being out, baseball over, it's starting to hit me now.

So we got a little distracted and went to a real MLB game, http://www.eventchaser.com/2009/06/oakland-athletics-vs-minnesota-twins-at-oakland-alameda-county-coliseum-in-oakland-california/ thanks to EventChaser!

Dollar hot dog night....oh yeah!

Giving your son the camera...well you get what you get.

Moms fave player...he's #7 like My Boy!


Win or lose, spending time with your loved ones, priceless!

Long-Ball

What a season!

My boy's Farm team had a great year with tons of growth and improvement in all the players.

Last weekend we played the last two games and were ranked for playoffs.

Excited to just get one extra game the boys went into Tuesday's game with a positive attitude.

My Boy, sporting a lucky Mohawk that he received 2 winning games ago, hits a line drive down the 3rd base line....

He rounds second, heads to third....STOP I yell from the score booth!

He's headed home!

OMG!

With no intention of slowing or sliding the ball gets there, but a tag is not made, My Boy has his first in-the-park HOMERUN!

After the 4th inning we had 10 runs!!

In a normal game, it would be over...but playoffs go 6 full innings.

Chattering our teeth, we held it out and the boys won the game 10-5!

Yeehaw, last game for the championship...

My nephew T and his team were playing the undefeated White Sox the next night, the winner would play us for the championship.

We got the play by play via text.

"Rangers 2, Sox 0"

"Rangers 4, Sox 0"

"Rangers 6, Sox 2"

"Game over, Rangers WIN!"

We couldn't believe it, it had been done, someone had to knock the Sox down!

So here we are, still in it and headed to a championship.

Cousin vs. cousin.

Mariners vs. Rangers.

May the Mariners best team win!

Please Ask the Manager!

Baseball season is here.

Love it.

Minus the allergy pills for a few of us, inhaler for My boy, and shirts with booger-sleeve, Spring rocks!

So Hubby resumed his role as Manager of My Boy's team, Mariners this year, he loves it. He's a natural leader/coach and he likes to have fun too. Great combo.

As per usual, no one ever jumps at the chance to volunteer for say Team Mom or scorekeepers, so guess who's doing it?!

I really don't mind much. Hubby gets all the paper work so I have it, just need to pass it out, send emails about fundraisers and such, remind parents to give one of their kidneys up a donation to the league here and there.

This year gets a tad trickier though. For everyone.

Score is kept for the first time for 8 year olds. No more..

Us-great game boys!
Boys-did we win?
Us-everyone is a winner!
Boys-Huh? What?!

Now bragging rights will be introduced, and yes, someone is going to cry.

Not only will score be kept, no more 10 pitches per kid. The 3 strikes and you're out is officially in order in the Farm A division.

That means keep your eye on the ball, and be smart. No swinging for the moon each time.

If that wasn't enough, the kids will pitch the last half of the season.

I'm guessing protective eyewear and a cup are mandatory.

And what's the deal with the jockstrap?!

Yeah, that thing is gross, dudes buy some sliding pants and tuck that bad boy in there.

At practice Friday, one of the dads was asking me about the cup/strap rule and my eyes got all big and buggy and I immediately covered my ears and going LALALALALALALALA!!

Please refer all of that *making a motion with my hands to that area* kind of questioning to the Manager of the team please.

Manager's answer..."if you don't want to get hit in the nads, wear a cup, I don't care how you wear it."

Um, yeah. What he said.

Beautiful Days

A Thousand Words Thursday

March, 2007--2 reasons this picture is powerful for me right now. It means baseball season is around the corner and we love that. (This is My Boy's Farm team, we are A's/Giants fans). And, more importantly, baseball season means SPRING! No one is more tired than the cold than I am. Even living in the mild central coast.

Want to join me in A Thousand Words Thursday, read and grab my button from HERE. Then write in your name and blog addy in Mr. Linky below.

Please link only to "A Thousand Words Thursday" posts, and visit the other participants as well, thanks!

The A's Won...I Think.

*Don't forget to enter my contest!!*

Went to the A's game yesterday.

I forgot my camera!

I'll wait until the booing stops.

I know, how could I? We had fabulous seats. It was a gorgeous day in the bay area. My Boy got to run the bases after the game!!

To boot, we each got a Bobble-Head of a newly-inducted-to-the-Hall-of-Famer Dick Williams! Cool.

I'm still kicking myself.

Great game. We won, I think.

My Boy and I were distracted by these.











And then these...










Oh and these were delish!









Then this guy came by with this in a HELMET...









And these...












These came in a RAINBOW of colors!












PRETZELS HERE! (My Boy flicked off every salt grain) I like mine with mustard.










Then I did get into the game, and a little distracted by HIM...

















Oh and wha?! Seventh inning stretch already? Okay. (((((((((Stretch, Sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game)))))))))

Okay. Right, we did win. Beat the Rangers 6-5. Holla!