Election Day

November 4, 2008

     An important day has arrived, time to elect a new US leader. I went ahead and voted already, using an absentee ballot. As I read the ballot over, proposals and candidates, it dawned on me to think how lucky I am, we are, to have the chance and voice/vote for whoever we deem worthy. Our country is a free fun living culture with the most precious land on the planet, US North America. Some countries are so behind and backwards in their private affairs. The people of these countries don’t have the privilege of our freedoms and are stuck with the same old heads of state with the same old dark existence to the rest of the world. So, thank you to all that give me the chance to vote, and well, just be an American.

     Besides November 4th, Fall League is moving right along. The short season out here is more than half way done, as we have two and a half weeks until its over. Some players are racking up nice numbers to boost their season totals, possibly making themselves break through expectancy levels and get put on their 40-man roster. Many players in the league have reached their protection years, years that their organization is obligated to protect the prospect or gamble with other players, hoping you wont be rule fived to another anxious team. The rules are laid out in the contracts and they seem to make more sense in that smaller font. Anyway, those players in this situation have a golden chance to shine, and earn a spot on a Major League roster by playing in Arizona. I was so thrilled last year when I received a phone call informing me of my placement on the roster. It was right after Fall League. Many guys here will get the same great news that I recieved when the phone rang that day.

     The Javelinas record as of today is 10-13. We seem to be in a losing slide here, dropping the last six games. Our offense is a really lethal combination of all hitting traits. We seem to get runs in bunches at times, often rallying past other teams late in the game. Right now, it seems to be the other way around. I believe luck has as much to do with baseball than a cow has to do with a grass field. Obviously it takes great skill for a pitcher to throw the baseball to a location relative to the hitter. Placing unbalance to his hand eye coordination in hitting the baseball, is all baseball is. Once the pitch leaves your hand, there is no controlling its ultimate destination 60 feet away. The hitter swings and to his best ability trys to square up the ball, and put it in play. Seems simple, and it is at this level, but the concept is so clear yet challenging and thats why many kids and grown-ups alike thrive to play the game. Now back to the luck thing, once pitch meets contact, the path of the ball can vary so greatly on the angle, speed, and force applied to the ball. A blowout game with homeruns, off the wallers and walks is plain and simply bad pitching. When the hits come about by squeezing through defending infielders, thats when it hurts most, maybe scoring a run late in the game with two out. I’ve done it many a times. “Why couldn’t the ball have bounced seven inches that way.” I often ask myself this question. Had it bounced my way, maybe an inning ending threat, double play or better. But the fact that your groundball traveled its intended path past the close leather of a infielder glove, makes you grit your teeth. Tough to swallow, but thats Baseball, and luck will always deliver its highs and lows.

     Wow, feel like I just spent an hour typing the basics of baseball, and don’t think that I fully explained the luck thing, but you get the idea. Until next time folks. Good Luck!  

Written by mlblogsaflmariners1 Posted in Dailies