I'm sitting here "working" and it dawned on me how some of our extended family have been a tad bit quiet lately. Sure, they've got lives but I'm nosey. So....where are you and what are you up to?

I'll start with my update; Our oldest (daughter) is wandering a golf course with my wife in tow as we speak in the Ohio State Junior Girl's Golf Championship. I won't jinx her but her practice round score yesterday was decent so hopefully that carries over to Round 1 today.

Lil Beezer just finished a pretty good tourney last weekend and is in somewhat of a schedule lull waiting to head off to the USSSA Major WS the week of 7/23.

So now it's YOUR turn. What's going on?

Beez - I think it's just summer time and everyone is super busy!

My work has been amazingly crazy with folks off and changes going on. I have traveled many weekend to watch my son pitch in Nashville - who's doing super! We've got his orientation for a couple of days at the end of this week. My daughter is at volleyball camp right now with her HS team at a college here in KY. My house that I've neglected for so many years is screaming for some attention or threatening to fall down around me! So......... that's where I've been for the most part this summer!

I think summer probably is the busiest time of the year. However, check back with me around the Christmas holiday!

Glad to hear your summer is going so well and hope everyone else is having a good one too!

quote:

I have traveled many weekend to watch my son pitch in Nashville - who's doing super!

I saw this quote in lafmom's post and started a thread in the After High School forum to let people know what "super" means - it is an understatement to say the least. Please stop by and say hello to her in that thread as well.

Beezer - good thread you have started. I will be honest, I have been in a slump for thinking of topics. This type of thread may be just what we need to get conversations going in here again. My summer has been good so far. Haven't seen my son play as much which has been a big adjustment, but all his games are on the Internet so that helps out greatly Sounds like Will has found his stroke again which is great

Hey Beezer....been doing some travelling to Arizona this summer to see son play ball. He's having a very good summer and it appears to be just what the doctor ordered. Looking forward to August when all the kids will be together so that we can gather and head out for a much needed FAMILY vacation before the two oldest head back to college! Summer is flying by waaaay to fast for us.

quote:

Originally posted by ClevelandDad:
Sounds like Will has found his stroke again which is great

He's found A stroke.....not sure if it's the one he wants (no HR's) but he's positive it'll come.

I have been stopping in to read but haven't posted much. Summer going by much too quickly.

This summer has felt much different than in years past. Have enjoyed watching Joe play legion ball but feel a twinge of envy for those of you that are watching or following your sons through a summer of a collegiate woodbat league. Legion competition here is good but once your boy has played in college there just seems to be a different level that they have reached so I am hoping that he is able to maintain the edge he needs when returning to school. No real reason to think he won't just a Dad worrying because that is what we do these days.

The past two nights have been great, rather than being out with his friends he has stayed home to watch the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game. It is a pleasure just to hang out and share comments about the action.

Keep postin you all, it is great hearing about how everyone is doing.

Not sure where he's been, but today is IB's birthday!
I'm sure he'd be too embarrassed if I started a whole new topic!

Ya don't say.

Happy Birthday IB!

Beezer, et al.:

TW checking in. Youngest son on a travel team and every weekend is taken up. He is playing well batting above .400, on base above .500 with three home runs [one of which was a grand slam]. It will end the week of July 18-23 at Greensboro, NC.

Then football practice begins August 1. Senior year. High Expectations. The head coach says he wants my son to "try out" for quarterback since the young man that was supposed to be a shoe in for the spot this coming year broke his collarbone and will be out till the second game of the season. Just what I need. More opportunities for him to get blindsided by some over eager opposition linebacker and ruin his baseball career. Oh worry, worry, worry, worry.

Oldest son is back from college and taking a renewed interest in golf. Spends almost every weekday evening playing and I play with him as much as I can. He has a job doing title work during the day and makes pretty good money doing it. We have some great conversations on the golf course; and not just about golf either.

The wife's mother is living at the "summer estate" here in West by god and will be returning to the winter home [Florida] in November so she and her mother spend a great deal of time together.

Well. Oldest just called. Finished his work early and wants to play golf. Will be back in touch in early ........err mid.......... ahhhhhh lets seeeeeeeeee......... late September.

TW344

Working. B was playing Summer ball, then vacation comes up and now, no more Summer ball. I don't really know why. But, B is itching to play.

He has been to a showcase and will be at another next week.

We will be heading to Tennessee soon for another short vacation.

My check-in, I've just been playing ball everyday. We aren't doing so hot though, 7-16. But, you know, just keep showing up and playing hard and things will turn around. The past few days I've been in Pittsburgh for all the all-star festivities, which were awesome BTW if you didn't check it out. So how did everyone else's regular seasons go? Hopefully better then ours, lol.

-Kevin

Catch - I wondered about you last night when I was watching the All-Star game. I figured you might be there! I'm sure you enjoyed it greatly!!!

lafmom,
Yeah I definitely enjoyed it a lot. It's just too bad the NL didn't pull it out. Who would have thought Hoffman would blow the save? It's baseball, it happens. Freddy made a few nice plays and the place went crazy for him. It was really awesome. Did anyone else go to Pittsburgh for the All-Star game?

-Kevin

I haven't checked in much lately because, frankly, there hasn't been much baseball in our lives this summer. We have spent some time becoming "just fans" of the game again, though. We are watching a lot of baseball on TV and planning trips to see games in Cleveland, Cincinnati and Chicago. It's actually been kind of nice to enjoy the game without the pressure of worrying about our son's perfomances, stats, relationships with coaches, etc. which tends to dominate our lives during his season. I think that taking the summer off was a great thing for him and for us.

He took 3 courses in summer school so he can graduate on time next May. He is also using the time to lift "hard," which pitchers can't do very well when they have to pitch regularly. He's put on the weight he felt he needed to, and the elbow inflammation he had at the end of his college season has healed.

I read with interest, however, all your posts about what your sons are doing at all their levels of play. Keep that information coming! And even with our last one graduating from college next year, we are anticipating the birth of our first grandson in September, so in just a few years I may start a "T-Ball THread" and start the process all over again

Hope you all don't mind. This was in this mornings paper.

Boynton defends its crown

By Ben Volin

Special to The Palm Beach Post
Monday, July 17, 2006

LANTANA - West Boca Post 245 has seen enough of Joe Ezekiel.

Ezekiel went 4-for-5 with a home run and two doubles Sunday to lead Boynton Beach Post 164 to an 8-4 win in the championship game of the District 11 American Legion baseball tournament at Santaluces Athletic Complex.

Ezekiel's offensive outburst came a day after he pitched a three-hit victory against West Boca.
"I'd like to see him get the heck out of here," West Boca coach Tony Teti joked after the game. "He's just a great ballplayer."
The win gave Boynton Beach its second consecutive District 11 title. The two teams have met in the past four championship games, with West Boca winning in 2003 and 2004.
Ezekiel, a sophomore at Lafayette College, finished Sunday's game with three RBI and three runs scored.
"He came back (from college) and just knows the game so much better," Boynton Beach coach Mychal Teman said.
West Boca was playing its third game in two days and was forced to start pitcher Tyler Dennis, who pitched eight innings in Thursday's victory over Lake Worth Post 47.
Boynton Beach took advantage, scoring four runs in the first inning and taking a 6-0 lead after three. Ezekiel's home run came in the bottom of the third, when he hit an inside fastball over the 325-foot sign in left.
West Boca's Corey Adelman entered the game in the bottom of the third and kept the game close, striking out six batters and allowing one run in three innings.
West Boca slowly crept back, closing the score to 6-4 after 5 1/2 innings before Boynton Beach scored two late runs.
"I'm proud that we came back and made them sweat out that victory," Teti said.
Both teams entered the game knowing they would advance to the American Legion Southern Area Tournament, which pits the top two teams from Palm Beach County against the top two teams from Broward County. The Area Tournament is Thursday through Sunday.
One of the four teams will advance to the state tournament.

Never heard of the Ezekiel kid but he's obviously pretty good!

Nice article JME. Did they have a nice picture too?

quote:

"I'd like to see him get the heck out of here," West Boca coach Tony Teti joked after the game. "He's just a great ballplayer."

Great stuff jme

Great job - awesome performance!!!

You know its funny, I was in St. Louis for training on Friday and Saturday (got to see the Cardinals new stadium Friday night, awesome place and a great game against the Dodgers) so I missed Saturdays game when Joe pitched. He told me he was interviewed after the game so I expected a picture and some quotes in Sunday's paper. Well there was a picture but not of Joe and not even one quote. The reporter talked to Joe before the game on Sunday and Joe teased him about not using anything from the interview. Still didn't get any quotes in this article but can't complain about the content.