Game ball

Jack's not the best player on his summer travel team. But every once in a while, he plays the best. This was one of those times.

On Saturday, we played a home game in pretty high heat. Jack caught three innings, a position he only just started playing a week or so ago. He loves it; the thing is, he typically plays in the outfield, where he might get 2 balls hit his way all game. As catcher, he handles up to 20 pitches an inning, throws them all back to the pitcher, and takes a shot at throwing out a base runner every few batters. One day he'll throw somebody out, although it's worth noting that the stolen base success rate with 9 year olds is probably about 90 percent. One day! Anyway, he did a nice job catching some off-target throws and fielding the position, and after the game got a game ball for his efforts.

Afterward he said to me, "you know, Harrison would have probably got it if he hadn't just got one the other day." I said -- and I'm sensitive to this because I tend to shrug off or downplay praise -- Jack, don't ever think like that. You got it because you deserved it. You did a nice job. Be proud of yourself.

On Sunday, we played a doubleheader. I kind of had an idea that Jack would make his pitching debut, since the head coach had done some extra work with him in practice last week, and said to me he'd try to get Jack an inning this weekend. So after the starter had worked his 3 innings (the most 9 year olds can pitch), and we had a big lead, Coach said Jack would pitch next.

Pitching is something special, because the ball starts with you on every play. It's basically quarterback in baseball, moreso I think at this level, and it's a far cry from outfield.

Jack had pitched an inning on two occasions last year, at least one of which I think was a favor to me because we had worked hard at practicing it. Both outings he kind of survived, gave up 2-3 runs, got through them. But he's improved. He threw a lot of strikes, struck out 3-4 in three innings of work (he remembered it at 6 Ks), threw fairly hard and was around the plate. Little fist pumps after strikeouts. Moreover, he fielded the position very well, jumping off the mound on a slow roller out in front and nearly getting the guy at first, and finishing his outing and the game by catching a popup off to the third-base side. How great was that? It was pretty great.

His teammates and coaches rooted for him throughout, calling him Jackster and whatnot, and when he finished up he flipped the ball to the coach. Who gave it back to him a few minutes later, his second straight game ball. Didn't matter that he'd just got one.

Good as it gets, right? Well, in the first inning of Game 2, he was in left field with two outs and a runner at 2nd. Guy at the plate had a base hit to left, Coach yelled "Home!" And Jack fielded the ball and threw a one-hop rainbow to the catcher to nail the runner. I'll tell you how often that happens with 9 year olds, or at least I would if I'd ever seen it before. As he jogged off the field with a big grin, teammates and coaches surrounded him and clapped him on the back like he'd hit a home run. Usually stoic coaches gave big smiles, one saying, Jack, that was a GREAT throw.

Jack also hit pretty well over the weekend, an important point because he'd been struggling, and we had been working in the backyard a lot with a tee, trying to iron out flaws. So we made progress. And that was something rewarding to see. Though in a weekend where he pitched 3 innings and threw a guy out at the plate from left field, well, it was still secondary.

Jack sometimes talks like he doesn't care about game balls, and I try to say they're not a huge deal. It's a team game, and everyone contributes. But it was pretty cool that on getting home, Jack wrote the date on his game balls, and built a little trophy case in his room, with game balls, tournament trophies from last year, and other awards and mementos. It's important to him, even if he doesn't always say it.

I remember the bad moments. Striking out a couple times one game last year and coming into the dugout saying, "I stink at baseball!" Lamenting that one of his friends did better than him "and he doesn't even care that much about baseball...I do!" Getting caught stealing in a playoff game and blaming himself for the loss.

And it really is those moments that make the good ones all the sweeter.

Like I said. Jack's not the best player on the team. It's not always this good. But this weekend, it was. It's rewarding to see the hard work pay off. It's rewarding to see the respect and happiness from his coaches, teammates, and other parents. Almost, but not quite, as rewarding as the big grin in his face when he came off the field.