The Gamer

I'm exhausted, mentally and physically.  Three straight days of mediating a divorce case that involves a very, very high asset estate, complicated tax issues, six attorneys, two financial experts, and two anxious and, at times, angry, parties will do that to you.  It's draining.  And they're coming back for day 5 on Friday. 

Still, before the week got away from me, I wanted to write about Joe's baseball doubleheader last weekend. Classic Joe. 

After playing in a soccer game at 8 a.m. against his classmates from USN, a 2 - 1 victory, Joe had back-to-back baseball games at Warner Park at 3 and 5 p.m. on fields 2 and 3 with his Diamondbacks.  That's a good sports day.

In game 1, Joe played catcher.  Crazy, but just like JP, Joe can catch, pitch, and play anywhere on the infield.  He didn't catch much last fall or early this spring but he's caught twice in the past week or two. Ram - a USN kid w/Joe that I've coached since he was five years old - pitched.  

Joe was solid at catcher, settling in and helping Ram get into a good rhythm.  Ram had struggled pitching as of late but I encouraged him to throw hard, the thought being if he's going to walk batters, walk them throwing fastballs, hard.  No aiming the ball, just throw it.  I'm trying the same thing with Joe in an effort to help him increase his velocity when he's pitching.  So many of the boys throw hard generally but aim the ball when they get on the mound, in a game situation.

What was really impressive, though, was that Joe threw two batters out as they tried to steal third base.  Both good, strong throws that Henry St. caught and applied the tag.  Granted, these were not fast, skilled baserunners but still, catchers in our league rarely throw baserunners out in our league at ages 9 and 10.  Joe had a third baserunner nailed when he tried to steal third base, too, but Cullen dropped the ball as he applied the tag.

Diamondbacks 1 won easily, the we hustled over to field 3 for the Diamondbacks 2 game.  The plan was for Joe and a couple of other boys from the Diamondbacks 1 team to sit mostly in the second game and bat lower in the lineup. 

Preston - our best pitcher - started and got into trouble in the first inning when our boys made a couple of errors behind him.  It was clear that two or three of our boys weren't focused and ready to play.  So, before our boys took the field for the second inning, Oliver and I decided to bench three of the players for an inning because we had substitutes - including Joe - and to reinforce the importance of working hard and being ready to play. 

Joe went in at second base and sure enough, the first batter hit Preston's first pitch to Joe's left, between first and second base.  Joe took a few steps to his left, fielded the ball cleanly, and threw it to first.  Out one.  I could see Preston take a deep breath after the play and visibly calm down because he knew he had someone behind him who could make a play.

The next batter hit a ball, hard, to Joe's right, toward second base.  Showing good range, Joe moved smoothly to his right, backhanded the baseball, and calmly threw it to first base for the second out of the inning.  This was a much harder play than the first one - a real baseball play.  JJoe made a difficult play look routine.  

Our parents' cheered and, instantly, our players' spirits - including Preston's - lifted, which was good to see.  Diamondbacks 2 went on to win the game easily and Joe finished the game at catcher.

The takeaway for me - and what really impressed me - was the way Joe played with confidence, at catcher in games 1 and 2 and at second base, when he entered the game in the second inning of game 2.  His confidence inspired his teammates to play better, and looser.  That's leadership.

Joe has that something.  Charisma.  Confidence.  Self-assurance.  Something.  It translates to leadership plain and simple.  I'm not sure you can teach a boy those things to any great extent.  Some just have those traits.

Look at the pics below and the smile Joe has on his face, after game 2.  To me, it's the smile of a boy who believes in himself, is comfortable in his own skin, and is ready to lead.  I love it.