My oldest son, now almost 14 years old, has entered the realm of sports where he and his peers execute plays with precision and thought as though winning is the only reason to play. Of course these teenagers still play the game as if it’s exactly that, but an element of indifference to the outcome of the score has ceased to exist. They realize that thinking ahead, calling out the possible double play prior to the next pitch and applying their acquired tools, could possibly result in the best possible outcome- winning the game. My wife and I enjoy watching his games as the higher level of play does create excitement and entertainment, not to mention make us very proud when our son has just one handed a grounder to throw the runner out at first.

Then there is the younger level of baseball. In our younger son’s case this level is referred to as the “Minors”. This is the first year where the kids actually pitch the games. Here you have an array of players, some of whom are already showing talent and some of whom can’t get over the fact their their wieners are covered by that ungodly piece of plastic known as a the “cup”. Although the level of play may not be the main attraction at this stage, there is a layer of entertainment that just can’t be beat. It might come in the form of the geeky kid in left field wearing his cap sideways while shooting at non existent aliens with his hands as if continuing the video game he left behind just 30 minutes ago. It might be the kid in right field who is swatting flies with his back to the infield just as the ball rolls by. It might be the batter who’s 8th in the lineup and bails to the dirt every time a pitch comes hurling, even if that very same pitch is way outside on the opposite part of the plate.  We actually saw a kid hit the dirt in fear of getting beaned by a ball that was literally 15 feet out in front of him. Or how about the 2nd baseman and shortstop who can’t stop talking about the new Batman movie all while a pop up is about to land right between them? I still think about the kid on deck who decided that it was more important to hit the snack bar and was nowhere to be found when his turn came up to bat. They ended up spotting him on the playground with half a snicker’s bar in his mouth. These moments in baseball are not about winning or losing, double plays, stealing home to tie up the game and definitely not about the parents getting too serious. Don’t get me wrong, as the father of the smallest kid on the team I pray to the baseball gods for him to make contact when he’s at bat, or to at least go for the catch when a blooper comes his way. However I do take it with a grain of salt when he decides to do his best Michael Jackson dance while standing on 3rd base, or how he sings “we are the champions” when his team is down by 12 runs.

This level of the game is about getting the boys to start thinking as a team, respecting their coaches’ wishes and learning the game the right way. So if that means they are all simultaneously going to adjust their new jock straps while taking the field for the first week, look down and give those cups a knocking every 5 minutes as if to check their packages are still in there, and do it all together while trying to crack a few hits and get a few outs, that’s fine by me- not to mention it’s freaking hilarious to watch. Funny balls.