Saturday's Stats

Saturday's stats, ranked by my Productivity Index.

(PI = (H+R+RBI+SB+BB+HBP+SAC+extra base hits)/PA)

This ratio is in parenthesis, to the right.

.

Will…6-9, 7 RBIs, 2 runs, 2 doubles, SB, 3 assists, 2 putouts (18/9)

Franklin…2-3, 2 BB’s, 4 runs, SB (9/5)

Tanner…3-7, 4 runs, 2 RBI, BB (10/8)

Russell…1-2, BB, sacrifice, 2 runs (5/4)

Sam…1-5, 2 RBI, 2 runs, double (6/5)

Michael…2-7, BB, HBP, 3 runs, 2 RBI, SB, putout (10/9)

Nathan…2-6, BB, RBI, SB, run, assist, 2 putouts (6/6)

Patrick…1-4, RBI, 2 runs (4/4)

Ian…1-4, run, 2 RBI (4/4)

Jake…2-4, run (3/4)

Jordan…2-7, run, RBI (4/7)

Ray…0-3, BB, run (2/4)

Nick…1-4, double (2/4)

Adam…0-4, RBI (1/4)

Six Hits, Seven RBI's.

Will’s Crown Knights swept their doubleheader down in McDonough Saturday, beating the New Creation Christian Academy Crusaders 15-4 and 9-8. Will had a great day at the plate, collecting six hits and driving in seven runs. Here’s a quick recap of his nine at-bats…

.

Game One…

1. Line drive single to right field.

2. Deep line drive to the fence in left center, where the centerfielder appeared to leap and catch the ball at the fence, robbing Will of a home run.

3. Single through the hole into left field, driving in a run. He later scored from second on Tanner’s single to right.

4. In the fifth Will got down 0-2 in the count, then lined a high & outside pitch right to the first-baseman.

5. In the sixth he again fell behind 0-2, then grounded into a 6-4 fielder’s choice, driving home the runner from third. He then advanced to second on an error.

.

Game Two…

6. Will lined a first-inning 2-2 pitch that sliced away from the centerfielder. On the run, the centerfielder was only able to get a little leather on the ball. The ball had been hit so hard that this deflection scarcely slowed it down. The ball either bounced over the fence or rolled under it, and Will was given second base. I marked GR2B CF RBI in my scorebook. Will then stole third and scored on a groundout.

7. With two out in the 2nd Will doubled down the left-field line, driving home Franklin from second.

8. In the 4th Will drove in the go-ahead run with a two out single, again down the left-field line.

9. Down a run with two out in the 6th, Will lined a 3-1 single well over the shortstop’s head, driving in the tying and go ahead runs.

.

After blowing out the Crusaders in Game One, Crown emptied the bench in Game Two, making for a much closer contest. The teams exchanged leads or tied the game seven times.

.

Will came on to pitch the last two innings with the game tied, pitching well despite having an inconsistent curveball. His first pitch plucked the leadoff hitter in the back, then his second was sliced into right for a single. When the ball rolled under the rightfielder’s glove, the baserunner scored. A nifty relay throw nailed the batter sliding into third. Will then struck out the next two batters to end the inning.

.

Back on the mound for the decisive final inning, Will easily retired the first two batters, then walked NCC’s leadoff hitter on a full count. The next batter hit what looked like a catchable line drive, but the centerfielder let the ball drop in for a single. The late throw to third put the winning run at second. But Will got the next batter to ground weakly to second, securing the victory.

.

Will is growing into his latest position, third base. He made two excellent plays, charging slow rollers to his left and firing to first to get the runner. With the bases loaded in the third he dove to his left to catch a grounder destined for left field. After rising to his feet he dove again, tagging the runner for the third out.

.

In baseball an outstanding play by one fielder can keep another fielder from being charged with an error. In Will’s case the opposite can be true. With a runner on third, Will snagged a hard-hit grounder to his left and threw home, across his body. When the throw bounced, the catcher was unable to hold onto the ball to make the tag. Later in the inning a batter hit a high fly, straight up in front of the plate. No one called for it so Will went after it, but he was unable to catch.

.

Crown committed seven other errors in the doubleheader. There were several other dropped throws that did not result in errors. The better the competition, the more these fielding miscues make a difference in the game.

.

I’m not sure how the dad (Mr. Brooks?) scoring the game on Gamechanger ruled Will’s ground-rule double. He only showed three hits for Will, and just one double…but no errors by NCC. Without digging very deep I noticed several other scorekeeping differences.

Tozer Tuesday

When we become too glib in prayer we are most surely talking to ourselves. Tozer

Luis Salazar

Salazar played during the height of the baseball card craze. I seemed to get his card in every pack I opened…like the ones pictures on DOB’s blog. I immediately knew who he was, though I hadn’t heard the Braves had hired him. A guy I know was at that game.

I wasn’t feeling good Wednesday night, so I went to bed early.

Crazy about the refs walking off the court…wonder if they’ll be disciplined?

After the first game against a weak opponent (that they only won 7-3), Will’s more reasonable coach boasted that this year’s team has “tremendous speed” and “strong defense.” Bases were stolen because the opposing pitchers weren’t holding runners, and the catcher couldn’t throw. And the strong defense committed 5 errors in 7 innings. Perhaps I’m used to a higher level of baseball. Guess the coach was trying to be encouraging.

Will is behind the curve as it comes to college entrance stuff, which stresses him out. We’re finding out this play Anna signed up for will also be time-consuming, particularly the first two weeks of May. Thankfully it will just take up Anna’s and my time, and not adding to Ceil’s burden.

The kids take Ceil’s lead about waiting to the last minute to do things. When I try to get things done early I become the bad guy. Our friends in Virginia have been trying to get us to visit for years, so we’ve agreed on a week in June. Anna & Matthew will get to tour Washington. We usually don’t plan things out that far ahead.

More on the Team

New player Jordan is the starting shortstop. As I've said, he played with Will in Cooperstown. Last night he batted fifth, hit the ball hard, and had the best inning on the mound. A great addition to the team (though he did make an error last night). Looks like they’ve got a good new catcher as well.

Will was moved to third to shore up the defense, the thinking probably being that second-base is an easier position for younger players. But when Will pitches, a weaker fielder has to play the field.

When I got home Tuesday night I helped Matthew write his Thomas Jefferson paper. He usually works at a snail’s pace, but after Ceil went to bed he hammered it out pretty good.

I’ve been looking at most of the daily Braves pictures on AJC.com, though I’ve missed a few days lately. McLouth has a sore shoulder and a weak arm in general. I wish he was the one getting work in left and right, so Schafer could play more in center.

iPod Playlist

I’m not really into music that much. In the car I’d just as soon listen to talk radio…sports, politics, or morning chatter. I’d much rather listen to a book on CD during my commute, though sometimes my mind wanders.

But if I had an iPod, I would load in the following artists…

Beatles

Blood, Sweat, & Tears

Casting Crowns

Chicago

Phil Collins

Neil Diamond

Elvis

Fee

Fun

Mumford & Sons

Queen

REM

Mark Schultz

Taylor Swift

Switchfoot

James Taylor

Chris Tomlin

Veggie Tales

Brett Younker

Actually, I’d probably load in what looks good from our family’s iTunes playlist, then go through all the various CDs we have laying around the house…loading in whatever I find that I like. Probably not Crash Test Dummies.

I was thinking about this Wednesday afternoon, and decided to make a list.

The Book Signing

I was glad I made it to Lang’s book signing, down at Manuel’s Tavern. There was a decent turnout, and I saw lots of folks I hadn’t seen in a while. Instead of sitting at a table, Lang mingled with the crowd, sitting only to sign.

Edie and Reid were enjoying the scene. Andrew said the twins were back at his parent’s house, that Claire was enjoying a rare night off. She admitted that Andrew’s side of the family was publicizing her new pregnancy more…another set of twins!

Saw Mary Elizabeth Teem for the first time in a long while, and blogger Missy brought daughter Gemma. They didn’t stay long, and though I had a nice quick chat with ME, I hardly got to say hello to Missy. She just moved back to Atlanta from Tifton, wanting to get out of prosecuting, since she’s become a single mom. Last night on her Facebook profile I discovered she has continued to blog, changing blogs every time she changes seasons of life (which for her, is a lot). Her current blog is appropriately “Letters to Gemma.”

Had a nice chat with Bruce, who seems to be back in good health. He’s been working on the IT side of the concert/entertainment business, traveling to locales such as Vegas. Audra was there, chatting with Claire. Rich Morris hasn’t aged, and seems to be his mischievous self. His parents Danny and Connie were well, and we chatted for a long while about children, sports, and his longtime hangout Manuel’s.

Much was made of the favorable Wall Street Journal review, which Isabel had posted as her profile picture on Facebook. I am continually impressed by the graceful way Isabel handles herself. She always says the right thing (as does Lang). After sitting next to her at the Whitaker’s anniversary dinner last fall, I felt like I had been Forrest Gump “chattering on like a monkey.” At Manuel’s Isabel mentioned how she’d somehow became Facebook friends with Anna, and she enjoys keeping up with Anna’s various crazy antics. It was great she was able to take time from her own busy schedule to support Lang.

I’m looking forward to reading the book. I saw Lang’s shoutout to his “Atlanta boys.” Besides Bruce and Matt, I didn’t know any of the others. The Dave could be me, though I’m not 100% sure.

I timed the evening right, staying at Will’s game until seven. Traffic was light the whole way downtown, and I may it from almost Woodstock in just over thirty minutes. On the way home I resisted the urge for fast food, which is rare for me.

Lately I haven’t been able to read Lang that much, either his daily Links column or what he writes in SLAM. Compared to other national writers, he’s always seemed to put a more personal slant on whatever the story is about. It’s been great for me, since I’m usually more interested in Lang’s personal experiences more than whatever his subject is. But I wonder how his editors like that.

I haven’t read the book yet, but it’s certainly interesting that Lang uses Cox and certain key players as comparisons to what he’s gone through in life. It’s interesting how the normally close-to-the-vest Lang has literally opened up his life to the world (something I often feel dumb doing, even on my readerless blog). I wonder if the book’s context is evident enough to be a determining factor to the casual fan browsing in the bookstore, as to whether or not to buy the book.

I looked up the Atlanta Magazine blurb about Lang. There wasn’t much to it, more about Lang than the book. WSJ.com’s review was more personal, telling about when he played JV basketball. I went to a few of those games at North Fulton. By the time he entered college Lang was a pretty decent player.

Tuesday I had lunch with Mark Fallis, who I hadn’t seen in ages. He’s hardly aged, He recently bought Accents in Glass, a small stained glass business in Alpharetta. He and Donna still attend Sandy Springs UMC with Glenn and Noodle. As with Bruce, we discussed the state of the various churches that have impacted our lives over the years.

Season Opener

Will’s Crown Knights won their season opener Tuesday evening 7-3, at the East Cobb baseball complex. He blistered the ball all three times he batted, drove in a run, walked, and handled the two chances he had at third base.

The first Peachtree City batter of the game hit a chopper that Will charged, caught, and fired to first for the out. In the bottom of the inning Will batted third. Down 0-2, he worked the count full, then drove the payoff pitch deep but right at the rightfielder, who made a nice catch.

In the second Crown batted around, scoring six runs. Will didn’t see a good pitch, and walked on a 3-1 count. He went first to third on Breaden’s two out single to right, but Jordan’s hard knock hit Breaden in the foot, ending the inning.

A different player pitched each inning. Breaden allowed a bloop infield single and unearned run in the second. Will faced the meat of the PTC order in the third. As he often does, he came out overthrowing, and walks put runners on first and second with one out. He settled down and struck out the next two batters, both looking.

In the fourth Will hit the ball on the nose again, another line drive, this time right at the centerfielder. I hoped the liner would either rise over his head, or even dip into the grass and bounce…but the centerfielder made the catch.

It was nearing 7 pm when the inning ended, so with traffic thinning out I made my dash downtown to Lang’s book signing.

Will batted once more after I left, doubling off the centerfield wall 375 feet away to drive in the last run of the game. He continued on the third base on the play, and later told me he had tripled. When I got home I checked the new Crown website. Mr. Nunn had ruled it a double…perhaps the ball was bobbled, or Will took third on the throw.

Mr. Nunn scored the game on his iPad, which updates the website’s stats in real time. http://www.hometeamsonline.com/teams/?u=CROWNBASEBALL&s=baseball&t=c He types up a short recap for each game, and the box score and statistics as well. One interesting stat was “quality at bats,” which should prove interesting as the season progresses. The 3-4-5 hitters (Will/Breaden/Jordan) each had three.

On the Crown side at least five dads kept scorebooks, so we had a lively discussion on the subject. Last year I had been surprised by the season-ending statistics the coaches had published. Though I wasn’t at all the games, the “official” stats varied widely from mine. Perhaps the JV games had been included with the varsity.

In the second the PTC shortstop had to go deep in the hole to reach Tanner’s grounder, all the way onto the outfield grass. The shortstop bobbled the ball, but even had he fielded it cleanly there was no way he could’ve thrown out the lead-footed Tanner. To us four dads sitting together it was an obvious hit, but the coach ruled it an error in his book. If Mr. Nunn scores all the games, this year’s stats should be more equitable.

The JV won as well, by a 10 – 0 score.

Chipotle Chipotle Chipotle

If it hadn’t been for running kids around all weekend, I wouldn’t have done hardly anything.

Friday at lunch I went to Chipotle, to use a BOGO coupon. After a theater parent’s meeting Friday night Ceil & Matthew ate Chipotle in Johns Creek. Like lunch, the line was long…I made it to Taco Bell and back before they made it through the line.

Anna’s friend Brittany slept over. The house was a mess, so Saturday morning I cleaned up downstairs. Ceil cooked French Toast. I took Matthew to meet friends at the Picture Show, then later picked up Anna from a movie at the old Startime Place in Roswell (earlier I had met Brittany’s dad up at that Chickfila).

Ceil picked up Will from his Kentucky trip. C & W cashed in a Chipotle coupon in Roswell.

Sunday afternoon we napped. I ironed shirts, and took A & M to the E. Cobb Chipotle with another coupon. We rented Secretariat from Redbox

There are also reviews of Lang’s book in Atlanta Magazine and the Wall Street Journal. Link: WSJ.com - A Fan on the Couch*

Went to Fuddruckers for lunch with the Ogre, where I had my review.

Answers in Genesis

Will was pictured several times on Ken Ham’s blog, performing “The Redeemer” Skit at the Creation Museum.

Everyone was very impressed with Answers in Genesis. Mary Hurt described it as “Disney Quality.” She should know…she’s been going to Disney World every year for the last ten.

AIG is located across the river from Cincinnati, in northern Kentucky. Will’s group actually bunked in southeastern Indiana, just a few exits west on Cincinnati’s perimeter highway. Their accommodations overlooked the University of Cincinnati’s astroturf practice fields, where they got to play.

Check out the link: http://blogs.answersingenesis.org/blogs/ken-ham/2011/03/05/living-science/

88 cent Crunch Wrap Supremes

Not much going on. Will called last night and talked to Anna and Ceil. He returns Saturday.

Thursday I got off at 3:10 and went straight home. Ceil hopped in the car and went to the DeKalb Farmers Market, returning after eight. She swears the prices are cheaper than Harrys, Kroger, Publix, etc.

Went to Chipotle for lunch, with young Thomas, Dialysis Darryl, and Dennis the Menace. There’s a BOGO coupon going around, and there was a huge line.

Ceil is going to a parent meeting tonight, and Anna to a friends. Might take Matthew to Taco Bell for 88 cent Crunch Wrap Supremes. Not much on tap for the weekend, that I know of. Need to get to Macon at some point.

Baseball Trivia

Question:

What three major leaguers homered before they turned 20 AND after they turned 40?

One is in the Hall of Fame, and another might join him.

One played for the Braves.

The third had one of baseball’s most colorful nicknames.

Answer:

Hall of Famer: Ty Cobb

Most colorful nickname: Le Grande Orange: Rusty Staub.

Played for Braves / recently retired / will probably make the HOF, since he hit 500 home runs: Gary Sheffield.

This was mentioned in this week’s Sports Illustrated.

Perhaps Andruw will hang around long enough to become the fourth.

March Reading List

The War of the Worlds, by H.G. Wells

Baseball: a History of America, by George Vecsey (I may have read this already)

The Amateur Marriage, by Anne Tyler.

Famous 42s

What top 8 players from MLB/NBA/NFL wore the number 42 ??

Vin Baker (Bucks)

Elton Brand

Charlie Connerly…2% (I should’ve gotten Charlie, as a kid I had his jersey)

Pat Cummings

John Gilliam (70’s era WR: SC, Vikings, Saints, Falcons)

Mike Gminski

Connie Hawkins…2%

Ronnie Lott…11%

Kevin Love

Sid Luckman…3% (I did not get Sid)

Rick Mahler

Donyell Marshall

Sam Mitchell (Mercer U, Timberwolves)

Chuck Nevitt

Lee Petty (NASCAR)

Biff Pocoroba

Stan Putnal (Central High, Macon, GA)

Theo Ratliff Pat Riley (San Diego Rockets)

Gerald Riggs (Falcons)

Mariano Rivera…11%

Jackie Robinson…67%

Jerry Stackhouse (I have his 76ers jersey)

Bruce Sutter

Roy Tarpley

Nate Thurmond

Mo Vaughn

Paul Warfield

Kermit Washington

Scott Williams

Walt Williams

Kevin Willis (the ageless one)

Mike Woodson

James Worthy…4%

Lorenzen Wright

These lists are usually heavy on basketball players, since basketball reference sorts players by number. I have yet to find a similar site for baseball or football. I previously researched the Braves, and the Falcons have an all-time numerical roster as well.

Matthew's W3 Checklist

1. Camera J

2. Variety of Glasses J

3. Variety of Sunglasses J

4. Variety of Hats J

5. Crazy / Awesome Outfits

6. Funny Jokes

7.

(Matthew added the smiley faces himself).

Walking Wisely Weekend

Left work early Friday and arrived at North Point right at 5 pm. Soon several volunteers assembled, donned red T shirts, ate PaPaJohns pizza, and were given assignments by Sheff, the Middle School Director. Ceil and Will brought Anna and Matthew early, so they were two of the first to reach their classes. There was a problem with M’s late registration, so it was good we had extra time. By 6:15 there was a crowd waiting outside the locked West Auditorium doors.

In my position in the boy’s hallway, I never saw the crowds flow through the six lines. Thirteen hundred middle-schoolers flooded through, each with one or two parents (and often a brother or sister). The volunteer up the hall did a good job of funneling the girls left and right to their temporary classrooms, so it was easy for me to spot the stray girl or three that wandered past. Most of the boys that came through zeroed in on the directional signs, but there were plenty I needed to help. First I had to squint at their nametag to see their room number.

As the river of people slowed to a trickle, us volunteers had a little time to walk our beat and chat with one another. The volunteer at the end of the hall had a fashionably shaved head, like many NP dads. He looked familiar, and I asked him if he went to Tech. He did, but didn’t start until 83. By the next time we chatted I had figured it out: Second Ponce. I probably only knew him as a face in the crowd, or a picture in the directory. Mark Wilson. His mother went there, he said.

Matthew used the time to put on a tie and gangster hat. he didn’t care that most of his group were wearing T shirts and shorts. I had seen several people I knew. Mrs. Moran gave me a hug. Card-playing buddy Kevin led his son down the same hall Matthew was on. After the session when I checked on M one last time, Kevin was still there. Matthew was staying at his house, near the Sandy Plains Target.

Next all the small groups migrated to the East Auditorium. We kept people headed in the right direction, funneling through the correct doors, and keeping them from wandering the halls. Most were entertained by the loud music, but some got antsy when the speaker began. With all the luggage in the unlocked classrooms, kids didn’t need to be on the prowl. I saw one girl head off down a hall. I circled around, but never saw her. Twenty minutes later a female volunteer was making the rounds. She hadn’t checked a particular restroom until I asked, and sure enough, there the girl was. During Saturday night’s session the same girl came poking down the hall, saying she was going to the restroom. I directed her back to the one that was being monitored.

I left NP and headed to the Hurts around nine. Will was there helping Margaret and Hannah with her Rube Goldberg contraption/invention. Mary was downstairs helping. Haley and Elin were upstairs, and a hungry David was watching the Golf Channel. Around ten they were headed out to eat. Will and I were bushed, so we headed home.

Saturday the groups had fun on their own. Anna had stayed up till five, and later fell up to her waist in the Chattahoochee, bruising her knee. Matthew’s group played laser tag and kickball. Will had baseball practice, Ceil took a class at the Perimeter Apple store, and I did my usual housework. We watched The Right Stuff.

I went back to NP shortly after five. Some groups of kids were playing out in the big field. Employees from three different Chickfila restaurants were preparing serve 2600 sandwiches in 15 minutes. Groups massed outside like women waiting for stores to open on Black Sunday. When the doors were opened the kids entered in a relatively orderly fashion, and ate on the floor. My new buddy Mark and I guarded doors and snacked on Chickfilas. I found Anna in the throng. The Chickfila cow roamed the room, posing for pictures.

Sheff was on stage, delivering a barely discernable monologue of announcements. At one point I heard him say “Matthew Murphy”. M had gotten Sheff to announce his name! Eating on the floor, the kids were making a mess. Soon it was time for the kids to migrate to the East for “worship”. They were to all flow through the hallway near the front of the building, so the other 900 kids from Buckhead Church, Browns Bridge, and Watermark Church could enter from the other side (they were eating in other parts of the building). I helped keep the NP kids from using other doors. The only one to crash the barrier was Anna’s group leader.

My next assignment was out in the hall, since the other churches were unfamiliar with the layout. Once the music started the cleaning crew moved in and tidied up the West. Only 50 Chickfilas remained from dinner. I was able to sample the banana pudding in the Green Room, where the musicians ate (Regretfully, I passed on the tenderloin). Eventually I made my way inside, directing bathroom-goers to the back of the building.

Forty miles worth of paper streamers had been distributed to the group leaders, to be thrown during the final song. Some were flung prematurely. Sheff’s co-leader Kristen handed me a streamer to throw. The lead singer, a real big guy, mentioned between songs “Those things hurt when they hit you!” Kids were draped in streamers. High overhead a streamer hung from a speaker that hung from the ceiling. Afterward streamers were tracked outside, and back into the clean West Auditorium.

I spotted Kevin in the back, taking it all in. As several conga lines snaked past, he said Matthew was behaving himself. Afterward I went with him to meet the group outside. I could tell Matthew was having a great time.

Sunday morning I took Will up to Living Science for their 6:30 am departure. Willis Norman brought Joel. I caught up with a few people, but didn’t stay long. Parent pickup for WWW was at 10:15 in the North Point Mall parking lot. There was a huge (but orderly) traffic jam. Even without my red security shirt, Kristen recognized me. I dropped A and M off at church.

After a nap we had a late afternoon small group meeting. We left both A and M in their rooms, both deep asleep. Sunday night we had bacon & eggs while watching the Red Carpet and the Oscars.

Odds & Ends

The weekend retreat was a blast for both A and M. Anna didn’t have play rehearsals, so she was able to go. She fell in the river and bruised her knee. M played laser tag. I volunteered both Friday & Saturday night and had a good time. They served 2600 Chickfila sandwiches in 15 minutes. Will post a L-O-N-G recap later. Watched almost the entire Oscar broadcast, including the red carpet. Working to visit both the capitol and White House in June. The Nats aren’t home when we can go. Haven’t checked Baltimore, but I might. When I checked the work vacation schedule I noticed a co-worker is taking the same weeks as me, in both June and July. He’s also going to DC in June, and staying in western Fredericksburg, like us. I hadn’t planned on crossing paths with Dennis, since we’ll be staying with friends. My friend Bryan is going to start filming his movie in late March. Has to do with church softball. Smoltz and Jeff Foxworthy may be involved. Other friends were down at Disney this weekend…his wife ran a marathon through the parks. It started at 5 am. All women, and most wore tiaras and posed with Cinderella.

Famous 34s

Reid has me listing the most famous athletes who wore certain numbers.

Ray Allen

Charles Barkley

Frank Brickowski

Earl Campbell

Austin Carr

Jason Collier

Terry Cummings

Mike “the Stinger” Glenn

Clyde Lovellette

Xavier McDaniel

Charles Oakley

Hakeem Olajuwon

Shaq on the Lakers

Walter Payton

Paul Pierce

Nolan Ryan

Isaiah Ryder (Lang’s favorite)

Joe Perry (49ers)

Thurman Thomas (Bills)

Herschel Walker…No # 34 gained more yards in pro football (or any other number!).

Kerry Wood

Braves Cecil Upshaw, Zane Smith, and Kevin Millwood

Nike Lunar Elite +

Couldn't pass over a great deal on these late model Nikes. They are a little snug for me, but hopefully Will will put them to good use.

The Cover

Hopefully the author won't mind me making a small deal about his book coming out.

BTW, that's not his photo on the cover, nor his dog.