The First Appearence

April 18, 2009 - We interupt this blog to link to my first official appearence on the mound. I'll get back to all the other stuff again, because there are a whole bunch of experiences I want to share.

http://www.stuttgart-reds.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=211&Itemid=1

Our first official league games are a pair of games in Memmlsdorf, which is about 3 hours north of Stuttgart. Our game starts at 1 PM, and with travel and stuff, I have to leave the apartment at 7:30. I think it's going to be a long day. Not to mention, it's raining again! and 40 degrees! What happened to summer.

I arrived at Bad Cannstatt train station to meet Ruben in the club van. I'll introduce you to him later. He's a funny guy and seems to always get the American says wrong. The best one yet was "Bret, were you fucked off at yesterdays practice?" What he was trying to say was "were you pissed off". It makes for good fodder.



We hop in the team bus and go to the complex to meet the rest of the team. Still raining and now we have to cram everyone in this 10 passenger bus. Usually the coaches sit in the front (one driving and one riding shotgun). With this particular bus, only Ruben can drive, so Micha (Assistant Coach) and myself both sit up front. Micha is about 6 foot 190 lbs, so he's not that small.

For three hours, in a cramped, wet bus, we rode to Memmlsdorf. I sat at an angle with one cheek off the seat and the side support sticking in my back. Micha sat at the same angle so we both could fit. Nothing like riding in style!

"Can we play in this" I asked Micha. "I call and they say it rains light and will be clear later" he says in the Terminator voice.



As we drive on, it rains harder and harder. It's going to suck to get there and turn around and drive back.

We stop along the way in a rest stop with no facilities, so like ballplayers do, we lineup along the road and fire away. Baseball players are pretty much the same where ever you go.



We arrive in Memmlsdorf and it's a small German town like you would imagine from a postcard. They have a schloss (castle) that greets us as soon as we get off the autobahn. This one has oninon shaped domes all over and an amazing laberynth garden.

As we weave through town and tiny side streets so small you couldn't get 2 Mini's through, we come upon a sports complex. Quickly into the locker room to change and then a 1/2 mile hike to the field. I see nothing buck soccer fields. Finally, after hoofing it for a while, we come upon a cow pasture looking field that has a small backstop. This isn't anything like our home field!

Still raining, we go through our warmup routine and stretching. The grass is wet and thick. A little batting practice and we were ready to go. I had to exchange lineup cards and meet the umpires. Thank god most speak English because there are some funky rules. Will tell you about those later.

I take the mound for the bottom half of the first inning and I'm so amped up, I can't see straight. Maybe it's because I drank a Red Bull and I didn't even need it. Good nights sleep and adrenaline already!!! My warm up pitchs are all high and hard. I better fix myself or I will be walking the whole lineup.

First batter steps in and looks fast, but I can tell by the way he's holding the bat, that's all he's got. Just as I thought, first three pitches were high and hard. Gota relax. Threw a couple strikes to bring the count full. Addi, who is catching has learned I love my changeup. He calls it. Good call Addi, I like you already. Toss in the change and the batter swings out of his shorts.

Glad I got that over with. First strkeout. Got the next two guys and a gounder and lazy fly. 1-2-3 inning is a good start.

Second inning started like the first. Struck the first guy out and got another quick out. Third batter hits a ground to second and our second baseman kicks it towards our shortstop and our shortstop kicks it into center. They are both hispanic, so maybe they though they were playing soccer! A hit and another couple errors and before we knew it, they scored 4 unearned runs. Had to strike the last guy out to get out of the inning.

Third inning went pretty much the way the first did. 1-2-3 and I was done. Not bad, but wasn't hitting my spots and had way too much energy. All in all, I had a good time and was happy to get the first one over with. When I left, it was 4-4, but our next reliever (how has been our best releiver in the preseason) coughed up 10 runs in 4 innings, all earned. Poor guy couldn't throw a strike. Lost that game 14-8

Next game went well. We rolled and beat them 14-5 and defense fell into place, offense hit the ball and the game went like it should have. Time to go home for another game tomorrow in Sindlefingen.

Didn't get home until midnight. I think tomorrow is going to be a long day.