Play Ball!

This fall was Lance and Matthew's first baseball season playing in the "Minors".  It was also their first season playing for someone other than the Hippie. 

We were very thankful that the league and particularly Coach Chris A.  was willing to take Lance knowing he would miss the pre-season practices and his first game while we were in Boston.

This season they made a switch from the "Red Sox" to the "Rays".  Which meant a switch from white pants to grey pants, and picking up a few new pieces of attire for the fans. 

BTW Mom note:  I really like grey pants better than white and UnderArmour (all that was available in grey) is worth the price because they clean much better than Easton!

Lance played a lot of positions but really enjoyed and excelled at catcher.  Coaches from other teams paid him numerous compliments such as "He's like a cat behind the plate". 

Matthew played pitcher and 1st base but it is clear 1st base is his favorite.  When he got an official 1st base glove mid-season, he really started sucking the balls up like a vacuum.  His claim to fame however was breaking our wooden bat at the last day of the wooden bat tournament!  Another moment I wish I'd caught on video.

This week they finished up their first three day, six hours a day, baseball camp.  In a word they said it was "Awesome!".  They learned a lot and the coach really enjoyed having them.  Not to be left behind Lance cracked our new wooden bat the last day of camp. I hope they'll be able to do his camp in the summer too.

This is what they, and their pants, looked like at the end of 18 hours of baseball.  Rather clean and fresh considering :-) 

Here's a quick picture of everyone going to walk with NOKLL in the BP Winter Parade.

On an aside, if you're a big baseball fan the movie/documentary "Knuckleball" is worth watching.  Its very well done and kid/family except for one expletive at 50 minutes.  So just set your timer and mute when the bald reporter comes on the screen.  Chris is of the opinion that all kids should learn how to pitch and how to throw a knuckleball.  After watching the movie seems like a valid idea.