End of the Season

Baseball season 2012 is now in the books for John David and his team.  His last game was Monday night. That would be over two weeks ago now.  We are having computer issues so I haven't been able to blog.  Sorry.   As much as I will miss watching him play and as much as I know he will miss the actual games, I am thankful for the short season. I'm glad the season ends before the real heat of our summer hits.  It's been hot enough this year already without having games in July and August.

John David played great all season and has definitely made progress this year.  This year the team focused mainly on fielding the ball and then throwing it to first.  Those were the standard directions.  They did vary from this as the season went on and they figured out more of the rules of baseball.  In the second "half" of the season they started going to the nearest bag after fielding the ball trying to get the runner out.  They didn't do this all the time but every once in a while they would tag the nearest base.  In John David's league, all players get to bat each inning and the runners advance one base with each batter.  Once runners are on base, there is always a force out somewhere on the field.

One of the cutest things I have seen all season happened Monday night in the last game.  The little boy playing third base had, according to his parents, wanted to tag someone out all season long.  His chance came Monday night.  This little boy was playing third base.  The bases were loaded and the batter hit the ball directly towards third base.  The third baseman fielding the ground ball and then raced back to third to tag the base.  Only in his mind, tagging the base meant touching the base with the ball.  He beat the runner to third, took the baseball in his right hand, and bent down and touched the ball to the base.  It was hysterical and adorable and the little boy was thrilled and so proud of himself.  These boys are still so young.  They are just learning the rules to the game.  It is so cute to watch as they interpret what they are told by the coach.

Monday night John David played the pitcher position in the first inning.  Now at his age the pitcher doesn't actually pitch the ball.  These boys are stilling hitting off the T this year.  But the pitcher does end up fielding a lot of the balls hit by the other team.  John David played well but when they were waiting on the next batter and there was downtime during the game, John David was pretending to actually pitch.  Wind-up and all.  It was adorable.  Maybe he will grow up to be a Major League lefty pitcher one day and then he can help Mommy & Daddy retire.

Tuesday night after the final game, the team all met at a local pizza place for the team party.  The coach handed out the trophies and CD with a photo slideshow of the boys his wife had made.  The boys played in the arcade while the parents got to visit.  It was a nice way to end a great season.  Can't wait for next year. 

Going to hit it out of the park

 Waiting patiently on third for someone to bring him home.

 Sliding into home plate.  He came up just a tad short.

 Baby Ava at the game.  She doesn't look too interested in baseball yet.

 Going after a ground ball.

 Last at bat of the season.

 Going home to score.

 After scoring his final run of the year.

 Look mom....a trophy.

 The formal pose.

Go Phillies!