Cap City Build & BS AF

ChadsPride · Mar 6, 2019

Roll Tide said: ↑

Preface: This will classify as TL;DR, however, I will do my best to add a smidge of comedic (in my terms) relief.

I played a metric shit ton of baseball as a kid. Leagues in multiple states, national all stars, Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewer pitching camps, training sessions with nationally ranked high school coaches, etc. All of this under the age of 14.

At 10 years old I was throwing pitches between 50-66 mph. In my little town, that was untouchable. Around 12 years old, I started throwing a version of the curveball at about 40-47 mph, if I got a favorable count. Mostly, I stuck to offspeed and fastballs, typically two seam, but I'd throw a 4 seam or cutter every now and then. This was unheard of in my area.

When you throw that hard and fast, kids can start to time you up, and when they do you get a butt hole clinching shot right back at you. Since I always played "up" a league in Indiana, I played with kids that were sometimes 2 leagues ahead of me. These butt hole clinching shots became more prevalent, as players started to get used to my speeds.

I'll never forget 5 distinct sounds and feelings:

Sound #1: When you rope a pitch and feel it slipping through the strike zone, you know its a good pitch. You know you put some heat on it. The sound of that ball "popping" the catchers mitt is fantastic. Boner inducing.
Sound #2: When you rope that pitch and it "pings" off the bat, that is the oh shit moment.

It is in this moment that all of those training sessions for mechanics comes in handy.

Sound #3: When you hear that ball whisping towards you as a pitcher, the closest defender to the batter, you have a very few milliseconds to say a quick prayer that you snag it. Right after the ball "pings" off the bat, the crowd will gasp and ooh and ahhh. When you snap that mother fucker off, the crowd will ERUPT. Boner moment number 2.

Sound #4: If you don't hear the crowd erupt, there will not be a boner moment. More than likely, you will hear the ball smacking some part of your body. You may hear a very high pitch ringing, or things like "CALL 911!" or "IS HE DEAD?". If you hear "IS HE DEAD?", this is good. It means you arent dead yet.

I'd snapped off 30 or 40 balls hit back up the middle, and it is a glorious feeling.

One weekend, after making the trek back from a Texas baseball tournament, (flights, fatigue, etc.) I told my stepdad to go ahead and head to a tournament in Indiana. We arrived Saturday afternoon and luckily, my team got a late draw. We picked up some food and basically rested. Warm up times came and I felt good. Really good. I had great velocity, good movement on off speed pitches and no pain. No muscle tightness. Nothing.

I was working on a perfect game (PG) into the 5th inning (we only played 6) and my team had scored a few runs so I was working with a lead. It was about this time that the batters started making contact and timing me up. I take the mound in the top of the 6th inning still working this PG.

The first batter steps in, and he's a pinch hitter, so he has no timing on me. 3 pitches, 3 strikes. Move on. Second batter fouls off a couple pitches but I missed the strike zone twice so the count is 2-2. I pull out the cutter, and jam him up tight on a really funky looking swing.

Now, this is the moment in a PG where all the pressure happens. The last batter. He gets a hit, its over. You walk him, its over. (No-hitter is still on, but the PG is gone.)

Third batter steps in and I decide that I'm throwing him off speed pitches til he makes contact. I'll keep change ups high, and curve balls low. (This increases the chances of a foul ball). I throw a change up high and he chases it, whiffing. Which means he is either way behind, or way ahead. This is where I threw probably the best curveball of my entire career. It didnt feel right, but oh man... it was a riot. The ball felt like it slid out of my hand at the last second, which means it will probably hang UP in the strike zone, allowing the hitter to really turn on it and crush it. HOWEVER, the ball was going for his HEAD. The batter literally drops to his belly to avoid being hit and suddenly the ball falls into the strike zone. Strike 2. Now, I'm going to heat it up and throw a two seam fastball high.

As I let the two seam fastball leave my fingers, it was an absolute heater. Right down the middle. A proverbial meat ball. However, the next thing I heard wasnt the POP of the catchers mitt. It was the PING of a bat, in which I said a prayer, then promptly heard a high pitch ringing, "CALL 911!" and "IS HE DEAD?".

This kid, about twice my size had perfectly timed the pitch. I'd had just enough time to turn my head a little, but it didnt matter. This is where sound #5 comes in.

When a baseball thrown around 65-70 miles per hour from a short distance is rifled back and finds your face, there are a few things you will hear along with the aforementioned. First there is a ringing, but then silence. This isnt from being knocked out...but it is a peaceful silence. I think this is designed to allow you to have a moment to yourself, before the chaos happens. Before that silence though, and before the ringing you hear a deep thud, accompanied by a crack.

That cracking sound was my eye socket and nose becoming detached from my face.

"IS HE DEAD?" -Mom

Thanks Mom.
Click to expand...

Great story! Ouchie!

CaptAmerica · Mar 6, 2019

Roll Tide said: ↑

Preface: This will classify as TL;DR, however, I will do my best to add a smidge of comedic (in my terms) relief.

I played a metric shit ton of baseball as a kid. Leagues in multiple states, national all stars, Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewer pitching camps, training sessions with nationally ranked high school coaches, etc. All of this under the age of 14.

At 10 years old I was throwing pitches between 50-66 mph. In my little town, that was untouchable. Around 12 years old, I started throwing a version of the curveball at about 40-47 mph, if I got a favorable count. Mostly, I stuck to offspeed and fastballs, typically two seam, but I'd throw a 4 seam or cutter every now and then. This was unheard of in my area.

When you throw that hard and fast, kids can start to time you up, and when they do you get a butt hole clinching shot right back at you. Since I always played "up" a league in Indiana, I played with kids that were sometimes 2 leagues ahead of me. These butt hole clinching shots became more prevalent, as players started to get used to my speeds.

I'll never forget 5 distinct sounds and feelings:

Sound #1: When you rope a pitch and feel it slipping through the strike zone, you know its a good pitch. You know you put some heat on it. The sound of that ball "popping" the catchers mitt is fantastic. Boner inducing.
Sound #2: When you rope that pitch and it "pings" off the bat, that is the oh shit moment.

It is in this moment that all of those training sessions for mechanics comes in handy.

Sound #3: When you hear that ball whisping towards you as a pitcher, the closest defender to the batter, you have a very few milliseconds to say a quick prayer that you snag it. Right after the ball "pings" off the bat, the crowd will gasp and ooh and ahhh. When you snap that mother fucker off, the crowd will ERUPT. Boner moment number 2.

Sound #4: If you don't hear the crowd erupt, there will not be a boner moment. More than likely, you will hear the ball smacking some part of your body. You may hear a very high pitch ringing, or things like "CALL 911!" or "IS HE DEAD?". If you hear "IS HE DEAD?", this is good. It means you arent dead yet.

I'd snapped off 30 or 40 balls hit back up the middle, and it is a glorious feeling.

One weekend, after making the trek back from a Texas baseball tournament, (flights, fatigue, etc.) I told my stepdad to go ahead and head to a tournament in Indiana. We arrived Saturday afternoon and luckily, my team got a late draw. We picked up some food and basically rested. Warm up times came and I felt good. Really good. I had great velocity, good movement on off speed pitches and no pain. No muscle tightness. Nothing.

I was working on a perfect game (PG) into the 5th inning (we only played 6) and my team had scored a few runs so I was working with a lead. It was about this time that the batters started making contact and timing me up. I take the mound in the top of the 6th inning still working this PG.

The first batter steps in, and he's a pinch hitter, so he has no timing on me. 3 pitches, 3 strikes. Move on. Second batter fouls off a couple pitches but I missed the strike zone twice so the count is 2-2. I pull out the cutter, and jam him up tight on a really funky looking swing.

Now, this is the moment in a PG where all the pressure happens. The last batter. He gets a hit, its over. You walk him, its over. (No-hitter is still on, but the PG is gone.)

Third batter steps in and I decide that I'm throwing him off speed pitches til he makes contact. I'll keep change ups high, and curve balls low. (This increases the chances of a foul ball). I throw a change up high and he chases it, whiffing. Which means he is either way behind, or way ahead. This is where I threw probably the best curveball of my entire career. It didnt feel right, but oh man... it was a riot. The ball felt like it slid out of my hand at the last second, which means it will probably hang UP in the strike zone, allowing the hitter to really turn on it and crush it. HOWEVER, the ball was going for his HEAD. The batter literally drops to his belly to avoid being hit and suddenly the ball falls into the strike zone. Strike 2. Now, I'm going to heat it up and throw a two seam fastball high.

As I let the two seam fastball leave my fingers, it was an absolute heater. Right down the middle. A proverbial meat ball. However, the next thing I heard wasnt the POP of the catchers mitt. It was the PING of a bat, in which I said a prayer, then promptly heard a high pitch ringing, "CALL 911!" and "IS HE DEAD?".

This kid, about twice my size had perfectly timed the pitch. I'd had just enough time to turn my head a little, but it didnt matter. This is where sound #5 comes in.

When a baseball thrown around 65-70 miles per hour from a short distance is rifled back and finds your face, there are a few things you will hear along with the aforementioned. First there is a ringing, but then silence. This isnt from being knocked out...but it is a peaceful silence. I think this is designed to allow you to have a moment to yourself, before the chaos happens. Before that silence though, and before the ringing you hear a deep thud, accompanied by a crack.

That cracking sound was my eye socket and nose becoming detached from my face.

"IS HE DEAD?" -Mom

Thanks Mom.
Click to expand...

Ouch ouch ouch ouch! I’ve heard that sound, though not quite to the end that you did. In softball, you only get a broken nose.

You get free beer if you pitch the rest of the game.

It’s sad that the players in little league don’t get to know that particular joy.

How bad was the eye socket? Any surgery needed, or was it a crack?

Bluegrass Taco · Mar 6, 2019

FastEddy59 said: ↑

I’ll see your Leg & raise you a Foot.
Mornin All
Click to expand...

And I raise that foot to an entire central nervous system.

Roll Tide · Mar 6, 2019

CaptAmerica said: ↑

Ouch ouch ouch ouch! I’ve heard that sound, though not quite to the end that you did. In softball, you only get a broken nose.

You get free beer if you pitch the rest of the game.

It’s sad that the players in little league don’t get to know that particular joy.

How bad was the eye socket? Any surgery needed, or was it a crack?
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, facial reconstruction.

The eye socket fractured all the way around my eye and detached from my skull, along with my nose.

Funny story though, as the ball hit me, my glove was coming up and ended up trapping the ball between my glove and neck, meaning the batter was out. Perfect game....

Although I have sinus issues and every time I blow my nose it bleeds...I still have that perfect game.

ChadsPride · Mar 6, 2019

Roll Tide said: ↑

Funny story though, as the ball hit me, my glove was coming up and ended up trapping the ball between my glove and neck, meaning the batter was out. Perfect game....
Click to expand...

While it sucks you got your face busted that really makes the ending that much better!

medic2230 · Mar 6, 2019

Fenwick1993 · Mar 6, 2019

Stonewall's radio decided that my trip back to work just now was a good time to die. Checked fuses, as I had a couple minutes, they seem to be intact. Guess I'll play with it more later, or this weekend.

Roll Tide · Mar 6, 2019

Fenwick1993 said: ↑

Guess I'll play with it more later, or this weekend.
Click to expand...

Probably my fate as well....

Roll Tide · Mar 6, 2019

ChadsPride[OP] said: ↑

While it sucks you got your face busted that really makes the ending that much better!
Click to expand...

Recovery for that broken nose was quite a bit different than the other one...lol.

Plain Jane Taco · Mar 6, 2019

Roll Tide said: ↑

Preface: This will classify as TL;DR, however, I will do my best to add a smidge of comedic (in my terms) relief.

I played a metric shit ton of baseball as a kid. Leagues in multiple states, national all stars, Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewer pitching camps, training sessions with nationally ranked high school coaches, etc. All of this under the age of 14.

At 10 years old I was throwing pitches between 50-66 mph. In my little town, that was untouchable. Around 12 years old, I started throwing a version of the curveball at about 40-47 mph, if I got a favorable count. Mostly, I stuck to offspeed and fastballs, typically two seam, but I'd throw a 4 seam or cutter every now and then. This was unheard of in my area.

When you throw that hard and fast, kids can start to time you up, and when they do you get a butt hole clinching shot right back at you. Since I always played "up" a league in Indiana, I played with kids that were sometimes 2 leagues ahead of me. These butt hole clinching shots became more prevalent, as players started to get used to my speeds.

I'll never forget 5 distinct sounds and feelings:

Sound #1: When you rope a pitch and feel it slipping through the strike zone, you know its a good pitch. You know you put some heat on it. The sound of that ball "popping" the catchers mitt is fantastic. Boner inducing.
Sound #2: When you rope that pitch and it "pings" off the bat, that is the oh shit moment.

It is in this moment that all of those training sessions for mechanics comes in handy.

Sound #3: When you hear that ball whisping towards you as a pitcher, the closest defender to the batter, you have a very few milliseconds to say a quick prayer that you snag it. Right after the ball "pings" off the bat, the crowd will gasp and ooh and ahhh. When you snap that mother fucker off, the crowd will ERUPT. Boner moment number 2.

Sound #4: If you don't hear the crowd erupt, there will not be a boner moment. More than likely, you will hear the ball smacking some part of your body. You may hear a very high pitch ringing, or things like "CALL 911!" or "IS HE DEAD?". If you hear "IS HE DEAD?", this is good. It means you arent dead yet.

I'd snapped off 30 or 40 balls hit back up the middle, and it is a glorious feeling.

One weekend, after making the trek back from a Texas baseball tournament, (flights, fatigue, etc.) I told my stepdad to go ahead and head to a tournament in Indiana. We arrived Saturday afternoon and luckily, my team got a late draw. We picked up some food and basically rested. Warm up times came and I felt good. Really good. I had great velocity, good movement on off speed pitches and no pain. No muscle tightness. Nothing.

I was working on a perfect game (PG) into the 5th inning (we only played 6) and my team had scored a few runs so I was working with a lead. It was about this time that the batters started making contact and timing me up. I take the mound in the top of the 6th inning still working this PG.

The first batter steps in, and he's a pinch hitter, so he has no timing on me. 3 pitches, 3 strikes. Move on. Second batter fouls off a couple pitches but I missed the strike zone twice so the count is 2-2. I pull out the cutter, and jam him up tight on a really funky looking swing.

Now, this is the moment in a PG where all the pressure happens. The last batter. He gets a hit, its over. You walk him, its over. (No-hitter is still on, but the PG is gone.)

Third batter steps in and I decide that I'm throwing him off speed pitches til he makes contact. I'll keep change ups high, and curve balls low. (This increases the chances of a foul ball). I throw a change up high and he chases it, whiffing. Which means he is either way behind, or way ahead. This is where I threw probably the best curveball of my entire career. It didnt feel right, but oh man... it was a riot. The ball felt like it slid out of my hand at the last second, which means it will probably hang UP in the strike zone, allowing the hitter to really turn on it and crush it. HOWEVER, the ball was going for his HEAD. The batter literally drops to his belly to avoid being hit and suddenly the ball falls into the strike zone. Strike 2. Now, I'm going to heat it up and throw a two seam fastball high.

As I let the two seam fastball leave my fingers, it was an absolute heater. Right down the middle. A proverbial meat ball. However, the next thing I heard wasnt the POP of the catchers mitt. It was the PING of a bat, in which I said a prayer, then promptly heard a high pitch ringing, "CALL 911!" and "IS HE DEAD?".

This kid, about twice my size had perfectly timed the pitch. I'd had just enough time to turn my head a little, but it didnt matter. This is where sound #5 comes in.

When a baseball thrown around 65-70 miles per hour from a short distance is rifled back and finds your face, there are a few things you will hear along with the aforementioned. First there is a ringing, but then silence. This isnt from being knocked out...but it is a peaceful silence. I think this is designed to allow you to have a moment to yourself, before the chaos happens. Before that silence though, and before the ringing you hear a deep thud, accompanied by a crack.

That cracking sound was my eye socket and nose becoming detached from my face.

"IS HE DEAD?" -Mom

Thanks Mom.
Click to expand...

So that's what's a matter with you

Roll Tide · Mar 6, 2019

Plain Jane Taco said: ↑

So that's what's a matter with you

Click to expand...

Oh yeah, I'm "special". That's what momma said too.....

Bluegrass Taco · Mar 6, 2019

Wife's birthday. It's expected that I'm getting wild. Must do what is expected. She's 59 now. (2-1/2 years younger than me) I've never witnessed her reacting to a birthday like this one.

2 years ago today, my best friend and also best employee, Todd Wheeler, passed away. He will be missed forever. I'll have one for you later on. .BTW...The "experts" say our Reds are gonna kick ass this year.

Roll Tide · Mar 6, 2019

Bluegrass Taco said: ↑

Wife's birthday. It's expected that I'm getting wild. Must do what is expected. She's 59 now. (2-1/2 years younger than me) I've never witnessed her reacting to a birthday like this one.

2 years ago today, my best friend and also best employee, Todd Wheeler, passed away. He will be missed forever. I'll have one for you later on. .BTW...The "experts" say our Reds are gonna kick ass this year.
Click to expand...

They've made some moves!

CaptAmerica · Mar 6, 2019

Bluegrass Taco said: ↑

Wife's birthday. It's expected that I'm getting wild. Must do what is expected. She's 59 now. (2-1/2 years younger than me) I've never witnessed her reacting to a birthday like this one.

2 years ago today, my best friend and also best employee, Todd Wheeler, passed away. He will be missed forever. I'll have one for you later on. .BTW...The "experts" say our Reds are gonna kick ass this year.
Click to expand...

I stopped following the Cincy River Rats after that 1990 series where they swept the As. Are they still owned by Marge Shottenheimer's "far less racist than she was" kids? Do they show up to games with the world's dumbest St. Bernards?

Been kinda hanging with the Texas Rangers who come close but can't close escrow.

Roll Tide · Mar 6, 2019

CaptAmerica said: ↑

I stopped following the Cincy River Rats after that 1990 series where they swept the As. Are they still owned by Marge Shottenheimer's "far less racist than she was" kids? Do they show up to games with the world's dumbest St. Bernards?

Been kinda hanging with the Texas Rangers who come close but can't close escrow.
Click to expand...

Im not sure about any of that.

I was a Rickey Henderson fan, so I was an A's fan during that WS.

I'm a fan of teams now that SUCK. Which has bitten me in the ass.... I was a fan of the Red Sox, because of the curse, and then they became a jugernaut. I was a fan of the Royals for a while, then they got good for a minute. So then, I started liking the Cubs. Another curse broken.

Now, I guess I'll be a Padres fan.

Cant jump on the Red's bandwagon. They made some off season moves and should improve. I do like going to the ballpark though. Nice place.

Bluegrass Taco · Mar 6, 2019

CaptAmerica said: ↑

I stopped following the Cincy River Rats after that 1990 series where they swept the As. Are they still owned by Marge Shottenheimer's "far less racist than she was" kids? Do they show up to games with the world's dumbest St. Bernards?

Been kinda hanging with the Texas Rangers who come close but can't close escrow.
Click to expand...

Not sure who owns em now. I started following the Reds in 1969. Went through some incredible years. Developed a life long hate for anything Mets or Dodgers.

BIG RED MACHINE

Roll Tide · Mar 6, 2019

Bluegrass Taco said: ↑

Not sure who owns em now. I started following the Reds in 1969. Went through some incredible years. Developed a life long hate for anything Mets or Dodgers.

BIG RED MACHINE
Click to expand...

I dont know that I can like the Red's until they start pushing for Pete Rose to be in Cooperstown.

lynyrd3 · Mar 6, 2019

First stop San Juan .

CaptAmerica · Mar 6, 2019

Marge Schott, not Schottenheimer. Not sure where that came from. Googled her...

And holy shit there were more than I remembered. She just got worse.

Bluegrass Taco · Mar 6, 2019

Roll Tide said: ↑

I dont know that I can like the Red's until they start pushing for Pete Rose to be in Cooperstown.
Click to expand...

Yep. Ty Cobb made it and he killed a man....

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