Work it, bitch

I am seen. That is the expression in my own language for how I felt yesterday after training. Even after my first beer. Nothing left of the triumphant feeling from last week. I know now what that grin on Coach's face meant while we entered the hall. 'Last week was hallo welcome back again, this week I'm gonna bend every single one of you 'till you break.' Because that's exactly what happened.
Physically I'm worse than last week, but I realize my body needs to wake up and as long as I'm back for the next training. that's ok. But all the balls I missed yesterday while fielding, the wild pitches on 1st and home, the fly balls that went by, the long, long rests I took during the lifting drills, it was beyond embarrassing.
Everybody seemed to work and suffer harder than last week. When I passed the group doing sit ups, while I picked up another missed ball, I heard them encourage each other. 'Work it bitch!' There was no aggression in the expression, not even a faint hint of conviction. It sounded like somebody pushed out the last gasp of air. Like a relief.

Triples in trouble

In an attempt to consolidate my love for the three base hit, I looked for statistics that support my persuasions. All of a sudden it was sic gloria transit mundi all over again. The three base hits went the way of the stirrups. They are disappearing and they are disappearing fast. In the wonderfully detailed article 'Endangered species: the Three Base Hit' for hardballtimes John Walsh describes the decline of the triple with convincing arguments and with tears in his eyes. (If I lived anywhere near him, I think we would have founded a support group.) Smaller ballparks, improved fielding and steroid fueled homeruns ate the triples and they still do. The graphs of triples over the years suggests that we all go to a ballgame NOW to see the last one of them being hit. It seems that the things I like most about the game took it for granted a long time ago. I don't even dare think about hook slidings anymore.
Let's conclude with a quote from John Walsh.
"So, let's move those outfield fences back. Let's deaden the ball and bring back the thick-handled bat. Let's get those outfielders playing shallow again. Friends, let's save the triple!"