Baseball DIY

This past Saturday, I got to play in a St. Louis Unions game. I played well at short and had two hits (to go with two bound-outs...it's a frustrating game). My first hit of the day was definitely my best, but I didn't make the most of it. It felt good off the bat; it had that proverbial "give" that you hope for every time you swing. I pulled it into left center, and it crossed the paved path that separates shallow left field from deep left field at Lafayette Park. I touched first, second, third, and home. The umpire called me out at the plate, though, stating that the catcher tagged me before my foot hit the plate. This is objectively false, but maybe I deserved the bad call.

You see, I screwed up in three ways:

1) Physically. I didn't run hard all the way. I didn't really start running until midway between second and third when it looked like I might have a home run on my hands.

2) Mentally. I knew that it was going to be close at the plate. I also knew that there was one out, and Mayhem was batting behind me. He'd have no trouble getting me home, but I decided to try to go all the way.

3) Spiritually. This is probably the most egregious error I made: I wanted to have hit a home run. For whatever reason, a triple would not satisfy me. I had to have that home run. I put my own interests above those of the team, which is the worst thing you can do in baseball.

We ended up winning the game, 10-1, so it's not like I cost us the game or anything. What makes it especially troublesome is that it's the second time I've made this mistake this season.

Oh well, I'm just a second-year player. I haven't earned that veteran's wisdom yet.