There is no other explantion. We are hated.

The baseball gods have frowned upon the Crespi freshman team. I don't know if it's the baseball sins of their coaching staff, or the ugly uniforms, or what the deal is, but they hate us. Another battle that we were right in until the end, resulted in another L.

We lined into three inning-ending double plays. These were not baserunning errors. These were balls absolutely scorched right at infielders...no shot to avoid getting doubled. Even at that, we were still in the game down 2-1 when we rallied and picked up a run in the top of the 7th to tie it. We then threw up a zero in the bottom half to take it to extras...where we got left on the field by a run scored by the leadoff hitter who got on via a bitch hop that almost killed my 2B.

Such is life...we're sitting at 2-4 and could easily be 6-0 (or 0-6), so I suppose it depends on how you look at it. I'm getting frustrated for the kids, though. They're battling and competing like crazy (which is the first/most important rule) and seeing little of it translating in the win column. We're going to see very quickly what they're made out of mentally. So far, I still love what I see with these guys and think that when all is said and done, this will be one of the better classes to come through Crespi. We just gotta keep grinding.

This, by the way, is when I REALLY hate that I gave up drinking for Lent. I need a beer.

Great Day...

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." (Rogers Hornsby)

Wait no longer...happy spring to everyone! As my good friend and colleague Paula informed me (via her noticing the day's Google graphic...such is the life in tech), today is the first day of spring.

Baseball is going at all levels (yes, I do count the Classic and spring training). Being out of the office today would be fantastic if the reason wasn't that I'm laid out sick, but it's all good. The weather is warm, and I get the Amazin' back today.

Froshies are scuffling with runners in scoring position and driving their coaches nuts accordingly, but they're hanging in there and battling. Need a big W against Loyola tomorrow. Update forthcoming soon.

Ugh

More awful at bats with runners in scoring position. 7-5 L. I'll write more when I'm not so bitter. (So...probably not until we pick up another win. Hopefully Saturday at Loyola.)

Freshman Report: 500

Beautiful number...and can be used to describe our record after a 10-4 W at Thousand Oaks Saturday. If was a little dicey for a while, as we did the usual kick it around and throw it away on defense, but once we woke the bats up, there was no shot they were catching us.

For freshmen, these kids bang...seriously. I saw a couple balls hit Saturday that guys in varsity lineups can't barrel up to as well as these kids. There isn't anyone in the lineup that I would consider a soft out, and there are a handful who can steal bases like it's their job.

Good stuff going on this week...taking a half day off of work on Wednesday for the big away showdown against the Fighting Hillmans Seraphs of St. Bonaventure. Hopefully in between leaving work at noon and heading to St. B for the game, I am picking up the Amazin'. Then on Saturday, it gets even more interesting, as Coach Clark has an interview with the LAFD and can't make the game, so I get the league opener at Loyola by myself. Back to giving signs and coaching 3B. This is going to be a gong show, but I'm such a control freak...I love it.

Helloooooooo PRSA!

As a product of nepotism a strategic decision by the communications chair, I am now linked in the blogroll of the Los Angeles Chapter's Young Professionals group to add some color amid the serious links. That's right, folks. My good friend and fellow Trojan has decided that my blog belongs amid all the serious links and industry news.

This new PRSA link may double my readership and take it to...I dunno...maybe even double digits. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. For those of you YP rogues who do wander onto this, here's a rough sketch of the kinds of inane ramblings you can expect.

Sports: I'm a former D1 athlete bench jockey, a fan and a coach. Baseball is my game (and since it's high school baseball season, you will see numerous posts about my freshman team at Crespi Carmelite HS), but I am an equal opportunity fan unless it's soccer. I hate soccer.

Things/People that Suck: The following have all been covered in previous posts: giving up drinking for Lent, "word" verifications, drunk drivers who drill parked cars, obnoxious people in restaurants, Dave & Busters in Ontario, local utilities in Thousand Oaks, myspace, etc.

Things that are Underrated: Thermos bottles, shoe polish, cruise control....I'm really long overdue for another post in this category...probable future topics: college baseball, the Netherlands World Baseball Classic team, technology in SOUTHERN California. Stay tuned.

Random Technology Acronyms/Facts: Multiprotocol label switching, transient voltage suppressors...these are the kinds of things I do for a living and are tied to the accounts on which I work. Sooooo...you should probably skip them.

Other than that, it's pretty much my own take on my own life as a young professional. Hope it's interesting/entertaining to some of you guys. If you're looking for deep insights, hit the back button on your browser and then check another link. If you're just looking for something to deep fry me about on facebook or linkedin or at the next mixer, here you go.

ADDENDUM: Should you stumble onto Earl Weaver post, turn your speakers down if you are in the office because the dialog is definitely NSFW.