I prepared for this year’s camp a bit differently than the last two.
For the Pirates and Tigers experience I found a local batting cage and would go once a week for about 30 minutes six weeks before having to report to Florida. I had no throwing or fielding in my preparation.
This time around I found a baseball academy a few miles from home and wound up working directly with the owner Jarrod Patterson, who was a third baseman/first baseman and hit .238 including two home runs.
So being his oldest student by only 37 years was an experience for both of us. We worked one day a week on throwing and fielding and then live batting practice the other day which I really loved. I fully understand my skill set, or lack of one, wasn’t going to improve but it was a good workout, I got a good schvitz and hopefully a little better off than the guys this week that did no training at all.
And I knew it was time to call it a day on Saturday when I looked over at the next hitting cage and saw a 7-year-old training. I felt like Kramer in karate class.
It’s funny how goals and expectations change with experience. Two years ago doing this for the very first time with the Pirates I wanted to be competitive and maybe get a base hit at some point during the week. Last year with Detroit I knew I could compete so I wanted to have fun and enjoy the outing with Fred.
My first hit with Pittsburgh came in my first at-bat so the pressure was off. The average age of campers at both camps was about 55 and even though I am on the upper end of that number it was obvious early I wouldn’t embarrass myself.
With the Pirates I was 8 for 19 at the plate and with Detroit in the rain shortened week I was 6 for 9, so through the two experiences I posted a 14-28 slate for a .500 average.
So this year I’m excited to play with BarryO. Of course, I also want to be competitive with the group in pinstripes. My goal this week is an extra base hit. Just one. I came close in 2010 with the Pirates as I hit a wind blown ball over the right fielders head but by the time I reached first the legs start to give out and I couldn’t find a cab to take me to second. I just turned around and enjoyed my single. In two years 13 other singles have followed.
It’s time to get a double on my resume. I’m afraid a triple is a physiological impossibility.
