Smokin' Joe

I saw something in Joe on the pitcher's mound last night, something I've been looking for.  

Joe's got a good, accurate arm.  Very similar to JP's arm at that age, as I recall, perhaps even a little stronger.  He's also got a very good baseball mind.  Again, just like JP at that age.  I always used to say that JP was able to think the game at a young age.  Joe is exactly the same way.

For some reason, though, when Joe pitches in a game, he normally doesn't throw very hard.  My guess is that he's aiming the ball and not throwing it, not just letting it go.  We've talked about this because it's important, especially when he's pitching against 10 year old's who are stronger and can hit the ball harder.  Earlier in the season, a good team of all 10 year old's ripped him because he was throwing meatballs.  

Last night, however, was a bit different.  Pitching against the Cardinals - another team of mostly 10 year old's who were good hitters - Joe went three innings.  In the first inning, he got hit pretty hard, mostly because he was grooving the ball and pitching with no real speed.  It was like he was holding something back.  He gave up four runs in the first inning but didn't pitch badly.  The top of the Cardinals' lineup just hit the ball, which is what you expect 10 year old's to do.

In the second inning, Joe pitched better.  He threw a littler harder against the bottom of the Cardinals' lineup and, as I recall, didn't give up any runs.  He felt good, was pitching well, so Coach O (Oliver) let him pitch the third inning, with the top of the Cardinals' order coming up.

Sitting on the bucket of balls outside the third base dugout, I exhorted Joe to throw hard - as hard as he could - just as I had told him in between innings.  "Everything you have!" I said, before almost every pitch.  

And to my pleasant surprise, that's exactly what he did.  Joe threw harder that he has yet in a game.  Every batter - and these were good, 10 year old hitters - swung late and was behind the pitch.  A couple of them got base hits but I'll take a good hitting righthander getting on base with a soft line drive to right field and a lefthander blooping a base hit to left field.  

In the third inning, Joe was solid.  He threw the ball hard, with control.  In fact, for the game, he struck out five batter in three innings and didn't walk anyone the entire game.  His control and poise, especially when he began throwing harder in the third inning, was impressive.

The icing on the cake came in the bottom of the last inning, when Joe was playing shortstop.  With two outs and a couple of runners on base, the batter hit a hard ground ball right at Joe.  He field it cleanly, on a short hop, and fired a seed across the diamond to Micah playing first base.  My stretched and Joe's throw popped into his glove a split second before the runner's foot touched first base.  Bang bang play, as they say.  

There was a pause, then an audible gasp from the crowd, then everyone cheered as Joe and the boys ran off the field.  I bowed up, stuck my chest out, and made eye contact through the fence with some of our parents.  Damn, I thought.  That was a nice play.  And it was.

A good night and a good week of baseball for my boys.