Who wants to make a real "trip" this year with the boys?????

We have played 20 games so far this year. If I counted correctly we have 19 more scheduled games (with at least one more to get scheduled) and 3 tourneys. With the tourneys typically guaranteeing 3 or 4 games, we appear well on our way to 48-52 games; just about where we were aiming. Call me crazy, but I'm bolstered by our relative success as a team and the great chemistry the boys are developing.

Poll to the parents - I can get us in local tourneys for the 3 tourneys we're slated to play, or we can make a real "road trip." I don't mean anything exotic this year. No Panama City, Denver, CO or the like. But I'm curious -- what is you feeling about a Louisville, Huntsville, Knoxville or Southhaven, MS tourney this year? I had originallly planned a Jackson, Tn tourney for early in the year but opted for a local instead. As those of you with older boys know, out-of-town trips are fun for the kids if for no other reason than the hotel pool and a change of venue/competition.

So consider this a poll of sorts. I'm more than willing to schedule us for a short-range trip this year if the consensus is we're up for it as parents. Please leave a post to this query for all to see. I'll make a call after hearing from most of you - there are a lot of fun options out there if we're willing to work on it and invest in it - let me know your thoughts..........

Field of Dreams (the only movie to make me cry)

"... They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past. ...for it is money they have and peace they lack. And they'll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they'll watch the game and it'll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have to brush them away from their faces. People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come Ray. People will most definitely come."

Terrence Mann character, portrayed by James Earl Jones, Field of Dreams, 1989 (gosh does that make me feel old!!)

Today's practice

Awesome job by all the boys today. Kudos to Mitch Rossi for showing up and participating some (and mentally staying involved the whole practice) despite being in a walking boot!

Moms/Dads, we didn't hit today or throw off a mound. Instead we fielded the entire practice. I bet we hit over 250 ground balls today and no more than 10 made it through the infield, and no more than 20 total were not fielded and thrown cleanly to the proper bag. The kids were great today.

We threw in few new wrinkles (particularly a different approach to cutoffs than years past), and they did very well. The coaches were truly impressed - way to go boys!!!

See everyone tomorrow (Sunday) on field #11, down behind the middle school at 1:00.

the new South Nashville Baseball League

Many of you know Chris Mercado - he's the young guy that runs Music City baseball/Sandlotter, in addition to coaching HS ball and working for the Preds! He just recently had the opportunity to take over reponsibility for the run down fields behind Tusculum Elementary (2 blocks from Music City). He's turned two of them into gems and is working on the other two. In addition to using them as overflow fields for tournaments at Music City, he's trying to reinvigorate the neighborhood rec league. Coined the South Nashville Baseball League, he is looking to greatly increase participation from the local neighborhood - one where 90% of the kids are on the free lunch program, where moms and dads are relatively few and far between, and where a grandmother recently called Chris to sign up her grandson and asked if he needed shoes to play!

I'm a big fan of Chris' - he does a great job and really loves the game. Please read the below excerpt from a recent email I received. If everyone can take 15 minutes next time we have a planned get-together (meeting, practice, etc.) to clean out your garage of old useable equipment, and bring it with you, I'll consolidate it all and take it to Chris from the Mustangs. Thanks!!!

Your Chance to Pitch In -

Donate Equipment

South Nashville Baseball League needs your help in providing baseball equipment for teams with players unable to afford the necessary equipment. The gloves, bats and other baseball equipment sitting in your closet or garage right now can give local kids a chance to participate in a sport we all love. Pitch in your gently-used equipment to give the gift of baseball to deserving children. Thank you for your help!

We are accepting donations of new or gently-used:

Fielding gloves

Youth bats

Catcher’s mitts and protective gear

Batting helmets

Baseballs

Soft cover balls for Tee Ball

Rubber baseball cleats

Team equipment bags

Batting Tees

Pitching machines

Sets of bases

Nets/ Screens (Batting cages)

What is the definition of “gently-used”?

‘Gently-used’ items are not damaged or in need of repair. The best way to think about something being “gently-used” is if you would feel comfortable giving it to a friend or family member. If in doubt, go ahead and donate it.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact: Chris Mercado @ 417-1659 or email

Information needed!!

I need the following as soon as possible for each player:

birthdate

home address

home phone (or primary cell if no home phone)

Ultimately, of course we'll need to gather and maintain for the season a copy of each birth cert. But right now, if you could reply with this basic info I can complete our registration and begin reserving tournament space.

Thanks in advance!

Uniforms and numbers

Parents, we need uniform sizes for each boy. Please respond by posting a comment to this entry.

We'll have good quality pants, of course - what size do you want? While we're still making final decisions for tops, we'll likely have a vest and 2 or 3 undershirts that are something like Under Armour (these may also be worn as the jerseys themselves from time to time). What size shirts does your son need?

In lieu of a get together to try on clothes, I suggest we go to the closet or to a store on our own and pick our sizes. We'll order our uni's soon.

Finally, ask your son what number he wants and include it in your post. While we won't ruin anyone's mojo by insisting they choose a number they don't want, it is cheaper if we have single digits on the jerseys.

Hitting instruction

We had a very good, crisp hour and 1/2 together on Saturday, with only a couple of boys missing. The focus was on hitting, though we did our basic throwing drillls to warm up and reinforce closing off to the target.

The hitting instruction will be different for many this year, by design. We are really going to focus on muscle memory drills to get and keep the bat head in the hitting zone for as long as possible. This greatly increases the margin of error and allows for the adjustments necessary to hit any pitch with authority. Most of the team really caught on quickly. Don't let the boys get frustrated if we "take a step back in order to leap forward" - the goals and drills may be significantly different than what they've been taught in the past.

Coach Mark will soon add the first content to our "coaches corner" to show you and the boys some of what we're striving for.