Phinally...

It took what seemed like a tremendously long period of time, but Your Phillies got their first win yesterday afternoon. Battling the near 90 degree weather (1st pitch = 1 PM), the Phillies won, 7-6, to even their record at 1-1. (We lost Friday night to a superior team, 12-7.)

We made reference on Saturday to the fact that we are really the 1977 Toronto Blue Jays. We are the expansion team of the Bantam Division. Due to so many kids signing up, they had to create a 13th team -- us! On our 13 player roster, just four kids played Rookie League last year. The other 9 have either never played at all or are a year younger than everyone else in the league (due to a change in the age requirements this year).

What does that all mean?!?

Basically that every other team is far more experienced and older than we are. Undoubtedly, our 27-1-1 sparkling coaching record will take a huge hit this season. (We are now 28-2-1.) Playing 12 games this year, we will be lucky to go 6-6. With such lowered expectations, we are now free to enter every game just wanting to have fun and see the kids improve. And in the overall scheme of things, that's what coaching 8-year olds should be about.

The Playmaker is off to a good start. He is currently batting a robust .555 (5-9) with 5 RBI. He has also run into some "sheeet-ass" luck. Friday night he smoked a line drive to left field. It had triple written all over it. Unfortunately, the left fielder was standing in the perfect spot. He took one step to his right and made the catch. Yesterday, he came up with the bases loaded and hit a fly to right. We were thinking bases clearing double. Again, the ball was hit right to the left fielder. This time he didn't even have to take one step. He just stood there and caught the ball. Seriously, are you effing kidding us?!? On defense, he has settled in as the best defensive first basemen we've seen this season. He scooped two out of the dirt yesterday and caught a foul ball. (All of which prompted the Douche Bag Opposing Coach to remind us that, "players can't play the infield for more than three innings every game." Upon hearing that, we said, "Thanks for being concerned about our team.")

It's All Good.