I was doing the plate in a pre-season college baseball tournament. I happened to know several players on one team very well since they’d played with and against my son, (an injured teammate) since Little League.

The visiting team was from San Bernardino, which had many players for whom English was their second language.

So we’re in the bottom of the first inning and the leadoff batter for the home team comes up, taps my shin-guard with his bat, and says, “Hey Jeff, long time no see – how’s Josh’s shoulder coming?” Well, the catcher doesn’t say anything, but takes an extra second to throw the ball back to his pitcher.

This happens three more times, with almost the identical conversation. The catcher is getting irritated, and goes out to his pitcher. I follow.

To make a long story short, the head coach came out to add his two cents. I patiently explained my history with some of the players, and asked the catcher if he thought my strike zone had been fair so far. He said it had been very fair, and as a matter of fact he loved how I was giving his guy the corners.

The head coach smiled at me, looked at is two players and told them both to shut up and play.

Of course, between innings I had to explain to the home team’s coach why there was so much laughter on the mound. Sometimes you can’t win for losing.

What capped off the situation for me was when the visiting catcher came up to bat for the first time. He tapped my shin-guard with his bat and said, “Hey Jeff, long time no see. How’s Josh’s shoulder doing?”

Now I had to explain why the catcher, the hitter and I were all laughing our heads off.

Again – great post.