So today I wanna talk about my Oviedo baseball adventure. Started when I found this dusty old glove in my grandpa’s attic last month. Figured why not give baseball a shot? First thing I did was head down to the community park with zero gear except that crusty mitt.
The Embarrassing First Try
Showed up Tuesday evening when the local league practices. Damn near got my teeth knocked out standing too close to the batting cage. Coach Jim spotted me looking like a lost puppy and yelled “Kid! You wanna live? Move your ass behind the fence!”
- Equipment Fail: Tried catching fly balls with grandpa’s glove. Thing was stiffer than frozen leather. Missed every single ball – got two blackberries on my palms
- Batting Disaster: When Jim finally let me swing? Whiffed so hard I fell on my butt. Those 12-year-olds were giggling behind me
- Shoe Problems: Wore my damn running shoes. Slipped rounding first base like a cartoon character
The Grind Begins
Next morning I hit Play It Again Sports. Grabbed some cheap cleats and a $30 aluminum bat. Started doing dumb shit in my backyard everyday:
Threw tennis balls against the garage wall till my arm felt like spaghetti. Broke mom’s favorite flower pot day three – still haven’t told her. Watched endless YouTube videos about batting stance. Looked like a gorilla trying to salsa at first.
After two weeks of this nonsense, I dragged my tired self back to the field. Jim actually smiled when he saw me. “Still breathing, rookie?”
Small Wins & Reality Checks
Progress came in tiny bites:
- Fielding: Caught my first pop fly last week! Then promptly tripped over the damn base
- Batting: Finally connected with a pitch Tuesday. Sounded like a tin can getting crushed. Got so excited I forgot to run
- Running: Remembered to actually drop the bat this time before sprinting. Still slower than old folks at bingo night
Coach pulled me aside yesterday: “You still suck but I’ve seen worse.” Best compliment ever. Now I’m hooked – buying batting gloves tomorrow and praying I don’t break anything this week.