Good-bye Baseball

Today at Life of a New Dad we enter the confessional booth. It's time to get something off my chest, and with the MLB regular season ending yesterday it seems like the perfect time.

I haven't watched an entire baseball game in at least 6 weeks.

There I said it, and the truth of the matter is I didn't miss it one bit. I still love baseball. I still love the Cardinals. It just so happens that a mixture of circumstances came together this year to create the perfect storm of apathy in my baseball life.

This is definitely the least amount of baseball I have watched since I was in high school. Back then there wasn't a Fox Sports Net. Every baseball game was not televised around the country. The only time I could watch my favorite team is when they were on ESPN or another national network. I followed the Cardinals daily through the newspaper. I looked at box scores and followed the standings.

When I went to college I was able to watch every Cardinals game if I wanted to, and I tried my best to achieve that many seasons. That type of habitual baseball viewing has carried on to the present day.

Now I am going backwards in my Cardinal following. I may not use the prehistoric newspaper anymore, but I have been reduced to following the team through box scores on the internet. Why has this happened?

Part of it is the fact that the Cardinals stunk this year. Stunk is a relative term. They finished in second so they didn't stink like, say, the Pirates. But this team bored me to death for weeks on end despite having two of the best hitters and two of the best pitchers int he league. The worst part is that many nights the players seemed to care less than I did.
So that leads me to the main reason I just quit watching. With a toddler ruling your house TIME IS PRECIOUS! If the team didn't care enough to play hard I certainly didn't care enough to spend my scant free time watching them.

As a husband and father of a nearly 2 year old free time is worth more than gold. I can either spend that gold on my wife, doing something useful, or watching a losing baseball team. For once in my life I started choosing someone else instead of falling back into my old habits. Sure I would enjoy watching the Cardinals lose if only so I could yell at the TV, but that wasn't what I really wanted.

I wanted to spend time with Braden. I wanted to spend time with Arica. I wanted to do what I could to help around the house. Parenting has a funny way of helping you learn what is important in life. Hopefully this same type of realization will happen in other areas of my life. I need to be rid of things that take too much time from my family. I especially need to get rid of those things that are harmful to my family.

Anyone who knows me will attest that putting baseball on the back burner was a big step for me. Hopefully it is only the first step in my realization that the real people in my life matter far more than images of people on the TV or any other inanimate object that calls my name.

Future Cardinal

Everyone here knows that I love baseball. Everyone knows that I dream of my son taking up an interest in the game as well. To some degree that has started to happen. Braden has, at last count, 7 different bats including three wooden ones that he can use to cause some real damage. He has too many baseballs to count including a couple real ones that are also relatively dangerous.

Most nights I put the TV on the Cardinals game while we play. Nearly every time Braden will sit down and watch a little bit with me. He can now say Pujols when we watch our favorite player hit. He claps when I clap, and he genuinely like watching for brief periods of time.

The best part of his growing love for baseball, however, is his actual ability to hit the ball off the tee.  He can really smoke it some times. And as a proud daddy I want to share a video of his hitting with all of you.

Braden swings and misses once during the video, but that is OK. Even Mighty Casey struck out. Unlike Casey, Braden only gets one strike before he follows up with a swing that nearly puts a dent in the wall. His best hit is the last one which follows a request for a home run. Apparently he can hit homers at will too.

The video is a little long, but I just couldn't decide what to cut. So you get the full experience including Braden's Godparents and our friends Kelly and Lisa doing most of the helping.

I hope you enjoy watching our future Cardinal.

First Cardinals Game

Who says dreams don't come true?

One of mine became a reality on July 2, 2010. I took my very own son to a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game. He won't remember it, but I always will. It will be great to share games in the future when he can actually talk baseball with his old man. Until then I am more than happy to just share the game I love with Braden whether it means chasing him around the stadium or actually sitting in the seats.

Here is a picture story of our family trip to the ballgame.

Braden is dressed and ready.

On the way to the park we saw the parachuters.

At the stadium we got a souvenir giveaway.

Then we found our seats and took a family photo.

After that we had to get a hot dog. It's un-American to not eat a hot dog at the ballgame.

With full bellies it was time to catch a little bit of the game.

We saw Daddy's Favorite Albert Pujols...

...and Mommy's favorite Yadier Molina seen here catching in this great action shot taken by Arica. I think I should send this in to Sports Illustrated or something.

Then Braden had a Coke.

He likes Coke.

Then Braden watched some more of the game with his beloved Coke.

As the night was winding down we took a lot of pictures to commemorate the occasion. Here is one.

Unfortunately the game ended and we had to go home. But We'll be back.

First Things First

The word first is one of the most exciting adjectives in a parent's vocabulary. I don't mean first as in my kid won first place at the science fair. He is awesome. Although that can be quite thrilling, I have something else in mind.

When Braden was a newborn I couldn't wait for the first time he rolled over. Then I was ready for his first steps. Then his first words. The list of firsts goes on and on.

I got excited for his first bottle, then his first baby food, then his first real food. It was fun to watch his first bite of chocolate and ice cream.

I think I even wrote about the first time he wore "big boy pants." Clearly I have a sickness.

After 18 months of feverishly recording firsts we managed to find a few more this weekend.  Braden, Arica, and I visited Arica's Dad in Missouri and had a great weekend. Here are some of the firsts we experienced.

First time in an inflatable bouncy thing. I don't know what you call them, but the kids love them and Braden did too.

First ball game. We chose a AA game because we just aren't quite ready for the big leagues yet. We had a lot of fun watching some future Cardinals. I didn't go to my first ball game until I was 8 years old so Braden beat me by a long shot.

You can see that both Dad and Grandpa took time to explain the nuances of the game to Braden. I am not sure which of us was more excited. In the picture you can see Braden is holding a ball. That is another first. His first foul ball. I am still waiting for my first.

First time on a horse. I have never ridden a horse in my life. To me, borrowing from Jerry Seinfeld, they're like big riding dogs. That is the limit of my knowledge on horses, but I am excited that Braden will get a chance to be around them growing up.

Braden actually held out his arms to get up on the horse with Arica's step-sister. He caught us off guard and by the time Arica got a picture he had changed his mind and wanted off. That is why he looks upset in the picture. We didn't force him onto the horse. He wanted to go, but he didn't want to stay long.

First time on a tractor. I rode a lot of tractors at a very young age so he should have this one in his genes. When the tractor started up Braden started clapping and pointing. He wanted on, and this caught us even more off guard than the horse riding. So by the time we got a picture he wanted off again. I feel the need to explain that we are not forcing him to do his firsts. He just changes his mind quickly.

Finally we have Braden's first time to hang out with a Grizzly Bear. He showed no fear making his Daddy very proud.

After this weekend we can mark a few more things off our list of firsts. Next up first Nobel Prize.

Opening Day 2010

I had nothing prepared today to post on Baseball's Opening Day.  As one of the literally dozens of baseball fans under the age of fifty I should be ashamed of myself. I am not supporting the sport that I love in a proper way.  I have plenty of Easter footage and other thoughts rambling around upstairs, but today must be reserved for baseball.

Right now as I type this the Cardinals are playing the Reds. I am recording the game with my trusty DVR so I can watch it tonight. I will have hot dogs and perhaps a few cold ones to celebrate Opening Day.

Lately I've tried out baseball a few times on Braden. I posted about his first viewing when he got a bat and watched with me while whacking away at the furniture.

The last time Braden watched part of a game he got excited because the players were wearing hats. He kept saying ha, ha, ha until I got him a hat to wear. Then he sat on my lap and watched a few innings.

I am looking forward to a special summer with Braden in many ways. We will go to the lake. We will swim and maybe even try to fish. We will play outside at the park. Braden will even get to watch Mommy and Daddy play softball this year.

Not the least of our summertime fun will be watching the Cardinals. I know he won't watch a lot, but surely we can exchange a few high fives over a home run or clutch strike out.  He already clapped with me last week while we were watching a spring training game.

Few things have the power to bring fathers and sons together like baseball. It was something special I shared with my Dad, and I hope it will be the same for me and Braden.  Our 2010 journey begins today.

By the way, I watched the first inning of the Cardinals game at lunch because I just couldn't' wait until tonight.  Albert Pujols hit a home run in his first at bat of the year. I think I heard Braden cheering all the way from his classroom.

A Positive Response to Baseball

Just before his bedtime Braden usually snuggles up with Mommy and Daddy on the couch and watches TV. He watches some TV, and the rest of the time he uses us as his own personal jungle gym. For the most part though it is a good way for Braden to wind down a bit before he goes to bed.

Last night Braden was on the couch with me. I couldn't find anything that I thought he would watch so I put it on my old standby, ESPN. They were playing an NBA game at the time. Braden likes watching basketball most of the time. Last night he kept saying ball, ball, ball.

While I was still searching the menu for something to watch I noticed a spring training game was on Fox Sports. It was the Texas Rangers who I care nothing about. I wouldn't normally bother to watch such an uninteresting game, but I wanted to see what Braden's reaction would be. This summer will be Braden's first baseball season since he began understanding what is on TV when he watches.

I changed the channel to the baseball game.  I nearly lost Braden right off the bat because the game hadn't started yet. He was fidgeting around a lot. I could tell he was thinking about making his escape. Finally the game started and I said, "Look Braden. They're playing baseball. See him throw the ball."

It definitely caught his eye. Braden kept watching as the pitcher threw a few more pitches. Finally the batter hit the ball to the outfield for a single.

After the hit Braden got up and left the couch. He left the room. I figured that the great baseball experiment had failed. I would have to chase him down now and play something else until bedtime.

Then Braden came back around the corner. He had his "bat". It was actually a golf club, but he doesn't use it in a golfing way. He swings it like a baseball bat at everything in his path.  He brought it over to the couch. Then he hit the couch. Then he hit the chair. Then he hit me.

After a few moments of wild swings Braden turned his attention back to the game. He carried his "bat" right up to the TV and stood staring at the next hitter as he took his cuts.

It seems like such a little thing, but as a parent this is really the good stuff. It is great to see your child recognize something and take part. Watching their mind work is always amazing.

It is even better for me personally to see my son respond positively to a baseball game. It was great to see Braden retrieve his bat and march back onto the playing field. It makes me dream of that day in the future when Braden will emerge from his room with a glove and ask his Dad to play catch.

Dear Albert Pujols

I know that you are busy down in Jupiter Florida.  Full squad spring training workouts start tomorrow. I am sure you and your teammates have plenty to do preparing to defend your NL Central crown. Believe me, as a Cardinal fan for 25 years I would never do anything to derail your preparation for a new season. Much of my summer is spent following your glorious pursuits on the baseball diamond.

You are my favorite player. I remember when you entered the league in 2001.  Tony didn't want to bring you North with the team, but an injury to the ancient Bobby Bonilla gave you a spot on the roster.  You got a hit in that first game in Colorado and the rest, as they say, is history.

More to my point I saw a video on the web yesterday of you working with your oldest son AJ.  You were throwing batting practice, and he was hitting rockets around the cage.  I guess the normal Dad would now use this time to ask you for tips on teaching his son to hit like a big leaguer.

Well, as you can see, I am not the normal Dad. If I were I would not be so confidently penning this letter to my favorite baseball player.  I would not be posting this letter to the world where there is a possibility that you will read it and have a restraining order placed on me.

Because I am not normal I will not ask the standard question.  My question to you is, "Will you please fly me and my son to spring training this year so you can work with him on his swing." Yes I know he is only 15 months old and some people might think it is a little early to start serious instruction.  I disagree. Tiger Woods started at such an age and look how well it turned out for him.

Scratch that last thought.

Nevertheless, I would love an opportunity to work on my son's swing with you in Florida or anywhere else. I prefer Florida though because it is nice and warm. My son, Braden, has a great cut already.  He can swing full force at a ball on a tee and hit it every time.  He drive liners off furniture, walls, down the hall, and off me if I am not ready. Believe me, a lifelong baseball enthusiast, that he is ready to receive your instruction.

I appreciate your prompt response to this matter, and I look forward to working with you.

Your Friend,
Otter

P.S. I have enclosed a photo of Braden's swing for you to study prior to our arrival in Jupiter.

No Matter How Cold the Winter, Baseball is Ahead

It has snowed three times in the past week here in southwest Arkansas.

The winter Olympics are all over the TV and the news right now. Although I have to admit I sometimes have felt like Homer Simpson when he proclaimed on last nights episode "There's a winter Olympics?!"

You can have snow skiing, ice skating, ski jumping, and every other cold weather sport. I am tired of the cold. I am longing for the winter to end and the spring to begin.  I dream of sunny days, blooming flowers, green grass, and baseball.  That's right, baseball.

All around Florida and Arizona major league players are reporting to camp. The official "pitchers and catchers report" is happening this Wednesday for my favorites, the St. Louis Cardinals.

I can think of no better words to warm my heart in the deep dark cold of winter. I wrote this last year about Baseball's return. I think Weasel Momma and my darling wife were the only readers on board at that time so be sure to go back and check it out.

As for this year I look forward to sharing a little bit more of the season with Braden.  It will be a while before he can play catch, but he is already hitting off the tee with great ferocity. Just yesterday he sent two balls flying out of his room and down the hall with a vicious cut reminiscent of a roid raging Mark McGwire.

By the end of the summer Braden will be approaching two years old. Maybe by then I can get him to say Pujols. I think it's a noble goal.

Developing Sports Related Skills

Braden is old enough now that he has basketball goals, a tee ball set, and about 43 other balls of various shapes, sizes, and colors.  All boys that I know like balls.  Many of them choose to make it their first word. That is one of several words that Braden currently spews forth from his toothy grin.

He constantly pics up a ball, or says ball, or points at a ball, or does all of these at once.  Usually when I say throw it to Daddy he winds up and gives his ball of choice a toss.  Sometimes it comes to me.  Sometimes it just trickles in front of Braden's feet. Other times it goes backwards.  But this is just the beginning.

It will take a while before Braden develops his pitching and/or quarterbacking skills.  In the meantime he is working on developing other talents.  Basketball was his first love.  He has had a small goal for nearly a year now.  When he was big enough to sit up we started working on the dunk.  Eventually he would get the ball and dunk it home when asked.

Now we have a little Winnie the Pooh basket ball hoop in the tub.  When I say give me a dunk, Braden searches out a floating ball and turns to throw it down.  He can go either left or right.  Sometimes he can dunk without even looking.

More exciting for me as a huge baseball fan is his new love of his plastic baseball bat. Granted he uses it most often to hit things other than his baseball, as I detailed in yesterday's post.  He hits people, which is bad.  He hits toys.  He hits balls on the ground ala a little Tiger Woods. Once he even whacked a ball right off the Christmas tree. Sometimes though he puts the ball on the tee and takes his cuts.  Braden does not have the technique of an Albert Pujols, but he is able to make contact with the ball.  Eye hand coordination....Check.

I certainly don't want to be a stage dad if that is the right term. I won't be putting videos of his baby sporting prowess on You Tube (at least not yet). Braden can take up whatever interests he chooses. But as a die hard sports fan it sure is comforting to know that he is developing the skills necessary should he choose any athletic pursuits.

Things Braden Has Hit with His Bat Other Than His Baseball

Christmas tree ornaments
Door knob
Window
Rubber balls
Mommy
TV
Floor
Computer
Daddy
Smaller Baseball Bat
Storm Door
Blocks
Monkey
Football
and Himself

Airports Can Be Fun

I have been around the world several times by now. I have spent what must be weeks or even months waiting in airports. I have been in JFK, La Guardia, and Newark. I have been to LAX. I have been to O’hare dozens of times. I have been in the airports in Miami, Rome, Paris, Tokyo, and many, many others. Still with all this time spent in the wonders that are modern airports, I have never seen a famous person. I haven’t even seen a relatively well known person. I only see the other weary eyed travelers struggling through their ordinary lives.

Monday night I was sitting at an airport bar in Detroit, drinking a beer, watching Monday Night Football, and reading the menu. Someone approached me on my right so I turned to see this would be bar friend of mine. I looked up at this mountain of a man and all I could muster to say was….Dave…..Winfield?

He looked down on my awestruck person and said, “Yeah, how are you?”

I am sure there are many of you who think I have still never met anyone famous. Who is this Dave Winfield you ask. I also know that I have some readers who are baseball fans and know exactly who sat by me the other night. Dave Winfield is a Major League Baseball Hall of Famer. He currently works for ESPN and is on TV quite often. I watched him play as a kid. While he was never one of my favorites any baseball fan can admire the exploits of a Hall of Famer.

While we ate our dinners Mr. Winfield and I talked. We talked about how terrible the Redskins are this year. We talked about our travel plans. He remarked to me during a commercial about lawn care that he wouldn’t want a yard that required that much work. I think he probably has a big yard, but pays someone else to care for it. Maybe he doesn’t. What do I know?

So I sat there at the bar carrying on a friendly conversation with a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. I was like a kid on Christmas morning. Then he left and said, “Have safe travels my man.” That was it. My brush with greatness was over.

Before Mr. Winfield sat down by me Monday night airports only meant delays, waiting, more waiting, and time away from home. At least now when I walk through an airport I know there is at least a small chance that something fun will happen.

Watching the Cardinals with Dad or Not

I posted briefly about opening day on Monday. I didn't really do a big baseball post, and that feels wrong. So today I want to visit another area of my baseball conscious. Will Braden be a Cardinals fan like his Dad or not? I am almost certain that he will but let's examine the topic anyway.

For true fanatics sports loyalties are passed along like any other genes. You acquire your team from your Dad or Mom just like you acquire their last name. It comes with the territory. It doesn't work for casual fans. In those cases the child is left to find a team or even a different sport to follow. I became a Cardinal fan because my Dad was a Cardinal fan. My grandparents are also Cardinal fans. You may recall that I live in Arkansas. Why is a guy from Arkansas such a big Cardinal fan? It is the MLB team of choice for a majority of Arkansans. We don't have a team of our own, and St. Louis is one of the closest options. The Rangers are closer for some but they have no history which brings me to my next point.

Before the Dodgers and Giants moved to California the Cardinals were further west than any other team. Teamed up with the powerful KMOX radio station the Cardinals were broadcast all over the midwest and beyond. Our grandparents generation growing up anywhere west of the Mississippi had a great opportunity to become Cardinals fans. Many of them did. Several western states have their own teams now, but throughout the midwest the Cardinals are still king. They are regularly in the top 5 in attendance in a relatively small market like St. Louis. They can accomplish that because people come from Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and elsewhere to watch the Redbirds. I am proud to be a part of that large following.

Back to the subject of Braden joining our throng. He is off to a good start in Cardinals fandom. My brother gave him an Ozzie Smith autographed baseball that he had signed at a local Wal-Mart. Ozzie was my favorite player growing up. I remember my Dad telling me about "The Wizard" when we first watched games together. I played short stop and wanted to be just like Ozzie. Now Braden has this Hall of Famer's autograph. It will be a great time when I get to explain to him who signed his ball.

I know there is no guarantee that Braden will like the Cardinals. There's not even a guarantee that he will like sports in general. My Grandpa watches Cardinals baseball every day. He never misses a game and his son hates sports. I mean he hates them with a passion. So I don't have to look far for an example of what could happen. Still I am certain that Braden and I will share many summer nights watching the Cardinals play on TV. I plan on taking him to games in St. Louis as soon as possible. Doing those things should create memories that will last a lifetime. That is the truly great thing about sharing this interest. The time spent with Braden will be priceless.

Sports in a Marriage

I am a bonified sports junkie. I love the big three baseball, basketball, and football. I have followed a team in each of these sports ever since I was a kid. I still do that today, but some other things have changed. I once heard Colin Cowherd on ESPN Radio say that as you get older you have to trim your sports tree. I don't always agree with him but he definitely has this one right on. When you are younger and single you can follow every sport you want. You have no real responsibilities so you can spend every night watching TV. As you get older and have other duties with family and work you have to cut back on following some sports. For instance there might not be time to watch the random Saturday afternoon badminton match any more.

There was a time in my life, during college and shortly after I graduated, that I absolutely watched every single Cardinals game. This was before the advent of Tivo mind you. Every summer night during college you could find me sitting on the couch with a cold one tuned into the game. After I graduated I usually took my party to the bar at Applebee's. There I got control of the TV from the bartender and watched the Cards like it was my own personal viewing room. Everyone else had to watch or go somewhere else.

Those aren't the only sports freedoms the younger man can enjoy. I also watched nearly every single college basketball game on TV. I love college hoops so I would watch Big Monday, Super Tuesday, Whatever Wednesday and so on. I was a little over the top with sports, but if I was home that is what I was watching. I didn't watch TV dramas. I either watched Sports, Seinfeld, or maybe a movie. Now with a wife and kid things are different.

Arica is very understanding. She finds other ways to busy herself when I must watch sports. I have trimmed my tree back to the Cardinals and the Razorbacks. For some people that would still be a ton of sports but not for me. That is the bare minimum. I am not complaining. Spending time with my family is much more important than watching total strangers play games inside the television. I am writing about this today because it is one of the great sporting days of the year. Today is opening day of the baseball season. There was a game last night but it doesn't count as opening day in my mind. Today the St. Louis Cardinals will start the season in pursuit of another pennant. If you are unaware of my love for baseball you can read about it here. Being opening day I am sitting at my desk wearing my bright red Cardinals T-shirt today. I may be a grown man, but much like David Puddy, you gotta support the team. I don't know if many of my readers are baseball fans. I do know that my friend over at Daddy Files is a big Red Sox fan so he is probably excited today too.



Later tonight the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship will be played. I haven't missed a championship game in forever. Now the trick for me tonight is to watch these events while still maintaining my duties as father and husband. It is a tricky thing to pull off but I can do it. I am thankful that I cut back on so many unnecessary sports events. Doing that makes nights like tonight possible.

Spring Training 2009

I love the speech James Earl Jones gives above in the movie Field of Dreams. Baseball really has marked the times in our country. People have been playing the sport as far back as the civil war. The game survived the depression. It helped break down racial barriers in the country with all that Jackie Robinson did on and off the field. It was a huge part of our nation's recovery after 9/11. Baseball still marks the time today. I know we currently live in a world ruled by the NFL. I know that baseball is not nearly as popular now as it has been in the past and currently is undergoing a public relations nightmare with all the steroid news. I also know that there are few things that can create and nurture a more meaningful and lasting relationship between father and son.

As we come to the beginning of spring training for 2009, I wanted to reflect a little bit on what baseball has meant to me and what I hope it will mean to Braden. Four of my favorite words in the English language will be heard around America in the coming days. Those words are "pitchers and catchers report." Those words signal that winter is nearing an end and spring time is on the way. For baseball fans spring training represents a rebirth. No matter what happened last year every fan is filled with the optimism and promise of a new season. My beloved St. Louis Cardinals will report on Saturday to start pursuit of an 11th world series title, however unlikely. Every year I treat the first day of spring training like a holiday and it just so happens that the holiday is coming this weekend.

Baseball has been a big part of my life as long as I can remember. I started playing when I was 6 and played all the way through high school. I was not good enough to continue after that but my love for the game remains. Baseball represented some of the best times my Dad and I ever spent together. He was one of my coaches every year and was my head coach from ages 9-12. Through baseball my dad taught me about team work. Through baseball he taught me about hard work and practice. Baseball teaches young men about dealing with success and failure as well. No one wants to see their child fail but it is certain to happen no matter how hard you try to avoid it. Baseball can help children learn to handle that. My dad and I also went to watch the Cardinals play in St. Louis nearly every summer. We would watch 2 or 3 games on a weekend and do little else. There was nothing we would rather do than watch a big league ball game anyway. The first time I saw the Cardinals play was against the Padres in 1986. Much to my delight the Cardinals won all three games. Arica and I still take a trip every summer to see at least one game. My brother and I also share a baseball relationship. Shortly after he learned to walk I taught him to hit a soft Nerf ball with a snoopy bat in our parents house. We kept playing together until I left for college. Baseball is still one of our favorite topics of discussion.

As you can tell I love the game. It has been a big part of my family and ultimately my entire life. Lessons I learned on the diamond carry on with me today. I can't wait for Braden to be old enough to play with me. I will love teaching him to hit and field. Later we will learn about the small nuances of the game. Hopefully I will get a chance to coach him some too. One day taking Braden to his first Cardinals games will be one of the greatest trips of my life. I have dreamed of bringing my own son to a game since long before I even had a son. This is the power over father and son that baseball holds. I know Braden and I will share it as a part of our life. I hope some of you that read this will share the game with your kids too. Join in the time honored tradition of father and son playing catch. Take the whole family out to a local game. Baseball has stood the test of time and we should all enjoy it.