I Believe in the Church of Baseball...

[Kevin T.]

I tried all the major religions and most of the minor ones. I've worshipped Buddha, Allah, Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, trees, mushrooms and Isadora Duncan. I know things. For instance, there are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. When I learned that, I gave Jesus a chance.

- Bull Durham

It's that time of year again! Practice started on Friday March 7th and we just had our first two scrimmages this weekend. It looks like I'll be splitting time between first base and the outfield this year.

Friday's scrimmage didn't go too well for the team. Personally, I played decent, went 1 for 2 with a single off the end of the bat and a strike out. My swing was way off, which I wasn't surprised with seeing as it was the first time I'd seen live pitching since last July. Played most of the game at first and a couple of innings in left. The rest of the infield had a rough go of it as every other position had at least one error. Still, that's what scrimmages are for: work out the kinks. I actually think we came back and won it with a bases loaded triple in the last inning, but noone really keeps count.

Saturday's scrimmage went slightly better. Still some stupid mistakes in the field, lazy getting to some ground balls and rushing throws, but cut way down on them. Swing was still off in the first at bat and I went down swinging. I've never struck out often so going down on Ks twice in a row wasn't too good of a feeling. After talking it over with one of the coaches, I approached my next at bat with a different mindset. Worked the count to 3-1 and looked middle-out. Got my pitch, lined a shot to left center, and just kept running. With no left field fence it was off to the races and I scored easily. Played most of this scrimmage in left field and an inning or two at first. There's position battles at 3 of the infield spots and 4 guys have really stepped up and played exceptionally well. Should be interesting to see how those pan out.

Nursing a bit of a left hamstring tweak, but it hasn't really slowed me down much. Couple of close plays that, by the time the season starts and I'm 100%, I'll be able to make. One was a little blooper in no man's land between first and second with the corners drawn. Dove for it, but just a bit short. If I could have gotten a strong first step with the left leg, I get to it. No worries, that's what scrimmages are for: get into full playing condition.

Scrimmage on tap for tomorrow, Wednesday (which I'll probably have to miss), and Thursday. Looking forward to getting back in the box and getting the timing down. More to come as the season goes along. It was Spirit Week this week at school and as a member of the NHS, I had a part in most of the activities. With baseball, Eagle Scout (soooooo close to being done), more college essays (to get into an honors program and a Global Citizens Program), scholarship essays, and school, it might take a few weeks to settle things down enough to start in season lifting. When that starts, I'll log those too.

So long for just a while...

[RedLefty]

Just now starting scrimmages? Dang, here in Houston our teams have already played 20 games...

You already knew I'd be following this.

[Kevin T.]

Yea the spring season doesn't officially start until the first Friday in March.

Another scrimmage today. The team played really well. Solid pitching as 3 kids combined for the shutout. Only a few errors on the day for the team. I had one of them. Really fluke. Hard hit ground ball down the line. Got set up for the backhand and I guess I just pulled up too quickly. Oh well, if I'm going to miss a ground ball all year, I'd rather it be preseason. Today was one of those, not my day kinda days. First at bat got jammed and hit the ball on the handle and the last at bat hit it off the end of the bat. Swings all worked out, so just keep swinging. Little things like the ball hitting the lip during warm-ups. Little things that just make you shake your head

Got more scrimmages scheduled for this week, but we'll see how the weather works out.

I'm really anxious to get back into the gym, but I'm just physically beat. Came home today and fell asleep on the couch for 2 hours. Should be back lifting soon, though.

[Deserve]

Originally Posted by RedLefty

Just now starting scrimmages? Dang, here in Houston our teams have already played 20 games...

You already knew I'd be following this.

Face it Red. That's why the South has better players.

Kevin, I'll be watching this one as well. good luck this year.

[Kevin T.]

Thanks Deserve!

More practice today with a lot of running.

I have a short day tomorrow and no practice for me so I'll be lifting. Probably some front squats and shoulder and hip mobility and prehab stuff.

[Deserve]

Stay up on the mobility. Doesn't that help with injury prevention?

[RacerBill]

Originally Posted by Deserve

Stay up on the mobility. Doesn't that help with injury prevention?

Yes, it does.

Kick some tail this season, Kevin!

[Kevin T.]

Scrimmage on Thursday and today. We won in the bottom of the 7th on Thursday and bottom of the 8th today. Went 0 for 2 on Thursday with a walk, k, and fielder's choice. Fielder's choice brought in the winning run, so it's all good. It was FREEZING during that scrimmage. Today, 0 for 2 with 2 strikeouts. Both times I just swung too early. I'm at a loss at the plate. I've never struck out so much as I have this preseason. I've always at least put the ball in play. I think I've struck out more these 5 scrimmages then I did all sophomore and junior year combined. My timing is just wayyyyy off. I've never done well in the beginning of the season in any of my previous seasons, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised but it's frustrating when you're ripping the ball in the cages during BP and then can't time it in the box. I was wayyyyyy ahead of the ball today so it's just slowing everything down. I'll get the swing down soon enough. I'm too smart for this game I gotta stop thinking and just react.

Still solid in the field. Made all my plays. I'm convinced my infielders are trying to kill me with all their throws that force me to dance around the oncoming runners. We're playing better and better with each scrimmage, and have proven so far that we can win the close games, as 3 of the 5 scrimmages have been. We nailed 2 kids at the plate today to keep the game tied, one on a relay from right field to me to the plate in the 7th off a base hit and the other in the top of the 8th straight from center to the plate on a kid tagging up. This team has the potential to go far in our conference and county. Looking forward to a great season. I'll see how things pan out with getting ready for tomorrow to see if I can get downstairs and lift a bit.

[fitzy21]

yea, i definitely think you are thinking too much at the plate. just relax and react to what your pitched
its only preseason, so this is the time to just get relaxed at the plate.

[RedLefty]

Being too early was always my problem at the plate, too. It'll probably get better once the season starts and you're consistently facing better pitching.

[Kevin T.]

Facing another slow pitcher today didn't help at all. I know exactly what I'm doing wrong. Tee work and in the cages, my swing is fine. I step into the box and my lower body decides not to work like I want it to. First at bat was all over the place again. Second at bat, made some adjustments and I'm almost all the way there. Flied out to center. I just gotta lock that front leg more to help keep my weight back. Got 2 more scrimmages to get it down before the season opens next Tuesday. In the field, business as usual. Had a pretty nifty play, laying out to my right to save a run and get the out.

Been kinda under the weather past few days. Not feeling too well. I'm not sure if it's a cold or just allergies starting up for the season. Congestion, coughing, etc. Also had my college plans flipped upside down yesterday with Villanova's financial aid offer coming. I essentially got just enough scholarship and grant money to barely cover room and board and a few thousand in tuition. They just don't have the endowment fund to cover all the students' demonstrated needs. Was really looking forward to heading down there in August, but $33k+/year in loans kinda forces my hand. At least I have Georgetown to fall back on Still waiting on a decision from Notre Dame too (April 10), so I'll have to take a step back and reevaluate the whole situation, see how much money I can get from the other schools (who have more $), and go from there.

Two days of practice, then back to back scrimmages on Friday and Saturday, before a final practice on Monday before we open on Tuesday.

[RedLefty]

All your credentials and you'd still have to pay/owe $33K per year at Villanova? Sounds like a screwjob. Hope the Notre Dame offers blows your socks off.

[ParanoidAndroid]

Good luck with ND, man--I remember you saying that you had a monster first semester, that should help a good deal. And I hear you on the college tuition, too. It really is absolutely ridiculous.

At least I have Georgetown to fall back on

This is a problem most kids would love to have, you know? Put it this way, you're going to end up somewhere great.

[Kevin T.]

Thanks guys. I definitely hear ya PA. I can't complain at all about what I still have to choose from (Georgetown and BC at the moment, hopefully Notre Dame in 2 weeks).

I can't really blame anybody but myself for getting all hyped up on Nova. They were straight up during all their financial aids presentations, basically saying "we just don't have the money that other schools have to offer" I knew for a while that it'd be a stretch money-wise, but I didn't let myself believe it'd be this much. Still a punch in the gut cause I'd gotten so excited about it. I was just about to submit my application for the honors program and a program that would let me study abroad at the London School of Economics 2nd semester and get me a freshman year internship in London. On the bright side, 2 less essays to write

Both GTown and BC cover 100% of demonstrated need, most of it with grants and scholarships, so I know I'll get solid offers from them. Same goes for ND if I get in. Not to be arrogant, but I'm thinking if I had the 3 years' worth of credentials to get into BC and Gtown early, then, with the addition of a semester where my GPA was 4.585 on a 4.0 scale (weighted obviously with APs and honors courses), I should be qualified enough to get into Notre Dame. If not, their loss. I wouldn't mind going to my original dream school though.

I'm really feeling crappy and I have to get up early tomorrow. Not a fan. I'd consider taking a day off to just stay home and rest but I won't be able to do that until next Wednesday at the earliest (thank you in-school scholarship essays, athletic participation eligibility rules, and AP Calc tests), and by then, hopefully I'll be feeling better.

To do by Friday:
- Remember how to hit
- Finish Personal Fitness Merit Badge (all the work is done, depends on when the counselor calls me back to schedule the review)
- Fill out 2-3 more scholarship applications
- Work on Citizenship in the World Merit Badge and schedule that review
- Call the Museum Curator and find out when I can formally submit the project
- Start the (Paper) Trail to Eagle

If I feel better sometime soon, I'll be back in the basement. Haven't posted any "log" info because most of what I've been doing downstairs is lighter front squats to get the blood flowing in my legs and prehab stuff for my shoulder and hips. Nothing really exciting to report about that.

Reckon I'm out for now.

[RedLefty]

What's your usual demeanor at the plate? Relaxed and cool? Cocky? Angry?

Open stance, neutral or closed?

What's your favorite pitch to hit, and where in the strike zone? Where do you hit that pitch?

[Kevin T.]

Usually, relaxed and cool but depending on how I've been hitting it fluctuates. Last year, I pressed alot, like I'm doing this year, when things weren't going so well. After I turned things around, I just went up to the plate and swung.

Neutral stance. I have never had a set stance, ever, which I think contributes to me having a slow start. I need to find a new comfortable stance each year. The stance is down pat by now thanks to tee work and in the cages. It's just all in my head as what I'm doing in the cages with my legs is not what I'm doing in the box.

Low ball hitter, middle out. My power is gap to gap. Never been a pull hitter. Almost all my big hits are to straight away center to left center, with the occasional shot to right center.

Just found out that I'm leaving tomorrow for the Georgetown weekend. Dad called up and got us in last minute. I had nixed going several weeks ago after the 2nd Nova visit, but obviously now Gtowns back in the running. For baseball, it means having to miss the pre-season dinner and our last two scrimmages, but college trumps pre-season stuff.

I'm confident I'll bust out of this slump on Tuesday in the opener. It sounds semi-pathetic but just putting the ball into play in my last at bat yesterday was a big mental lift.