One of my passions (aside from being a judge and writing) is baseball. My dad, who grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, was a Detroit Tigers fan, and so I became one too. Growing up in eastern Pennsylvania, I would listen to Tigers games at night on a transistor radio, with the broadcasts by Ernie Harwell and Ray Lane coming in clearly from 50,000 watt radio station WJR in Detroit. Later, I was fortunate enough to be a Little League coach for my two sons. I loved the practices, I loved the games, and I loved writing the game summaries. Here are a few of those summaries from the spring of 2012 when I was a coach of a great group of young baseball players (who just happened to be named the Tigers).

Tigers vs. Red Sox, San Francisco Little League Rookie Division, March 21, 2012

Hi Tigers:

Wednesday night's game against the Red Sox was a true test of the character of this team.  After a relatively easy win against the Athletics in the opener, the Tigers were facing a Red Sox team that had demolished the Angels 15 to 5 in the Red Sox's first and only game of the season up to Wednesday.  15 runs scored told me that this was a good hitting team.

But Ben K. was up to the task in pitching against the Red Sox in the first inning.  In his seasonal debut as a pitcher, Ben K. was masterful, with no runs, three strikeouts, and, for the first time this season by a Tigers pitcher, no walks allowed in an inning.  Great control, and a great presence out on the mound.

Then the Tigers got their bats going in the top of the second inning.  Walks to Tristan and Dewie and a single by Sam resulted in the bases loaded with one out and Jackson at the plate.  And did Jackson deliver--a clean single that scored the first two runs of the game.  Aidan immediately followed with another single driving in another run.  The Tigers lead 3 to 0 after one and one-half innings.

Kevin took to the pitching hill in the bottom of the second and continued the Tigers great run of pitching.  Striking out the side with only two baserunners by walks, Kevin showed poise well beyond his years, no doubt helped by those years watching his older brother play in Little League.  Another shutout inning of pitching by the Tigers.

The Tigers didn't score in the top of the third inning, as the Red Sox pitchers showed some poise of their own.  In the bottom of the third inning, Dewie came in to pitch for the Tigers.  Providing a challenge to Dewie and the Tigers defense, the first two Red Sox batters got on base.  Then, the defensive play of the season to date.  The Red Sox batter hit a hard liner in the direction of Jackson at first base.  Taking a quick step to his right, Jackson speared the shot for one out.  The Red Sox runner at first, anticipating a single to the outfield, took two steps toward second base.  A fatal mistake for him, as Jackson swooped down on him, applying the tag for an unassisted double play.  Great athletic play to catch the ball, and very smart baseball play to apply the tag to the wandering Red Sox runner.  Jackson's great play definitely helped Dewie who, after then giving up a walk and having another Red Sox runner reach base, got the last Red Sox batter to strike out, ending the threat without the Red Sox scoring.  Six straight innings of shutout pitching by Tigers pitching over two games.  After three innings, the Tigers still lead 3 to 0.

The Red Sox pitching was again strong in the top of the fourth inning, getting the Tigers out in order.  Sam came in to pitch for the Tigers in the bottom of the fourth inning and did a fine job, showing excellent control.  But the Red Sox batters finally woke up, getting some key hits and benefiting from some Tiger mistakes in the field.  Ben B. made an outstanding defensive play in the inning, almost catching a drive to center, but then having the great baseball sense to know that there was a forceout play at second base and then making the nice throw to second for an out.  At the end of the inning, however, the Red Sox had five runs, the first runs scored against the Tigers all season.  The score at the end of four innings:  the Red Sox 5, the Tigers 3.

Did the Tigers slow walk into the dugout after the Red Sox big inning?  Did the Tigers come in with sad faces?  Did any of the Tigers say "I guess it just isn't our day today?"  Did any of the Tigers give up?  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!  Everyone came in to the dugout saying this is our inning, we can do this, we are going to hit! Coach Peter looked at the time and realized that the fifth inning would be the last inning of the ball game.  The table was set for a very dramatic fifth and final inning.  And boy, did the Tigers deliver!

After one out, Dewie drew a hard-earned walk.  Jackson followed with another clutch single.  And then the moment everyone who was watching at Kimbell Field on Wednesday night will remember for a long time.  Aidan went to the plate to the roars of his fellow Tiger teammates yelling:  "AIDAN! AIDAN! AIDAN!"  The atmosphere was electric.  Tigers down by two runs, two runners on base, one out, the last inning.  The game hung in the balance.  Those watching had the sense that something special was about to happen.  And then, it did.  The Red Sox pitcher threw one of his difficult to hit "blooper" pitches way up in the air.  The crowd watched as the ball slowly, oh so slowly, reached the high point of its arc and began its slow descent toward home plate.  Aidan waited patiently as the ball crept nearer.  Finally, the ball reached the plate.  And then......................CRACK!  A blistering shot by Aidan down the third base line.  The Red Sox third baseman had absolutely no chance at this rocket.  The ball landed on the Kimbell artificial turf, and it then seemed to accelerate, as if turbocharged.  The Red Sox left fielder, who had been shading Aidan to left center (probably as a result of a poor advance scouting report), started to run toward the left field line to try to cut the ball off.  It was much, much too late.  The ball was already past him, And the ball kept going.  And going.  And going.  Way out of the left field area, down to that part of Kimbell where some soccer players were practicing.  As Aidan rounded third base, the Tigers dugout was in pandemonium, the players surging toward home plate en masse.  Aidan seemed to float the final 10 feet toward home plate.  As he crossed the plate, the roar from the Tigers was deafening.  The Tigers had come back, thanks to a colossal three-run home run from Aidan.

But it didn't stop there.  Ben K. followed with a walk, and Joe delivered a well-hit single.  Shane and Ben B. followed with hits, scoring one more run.  Finally, Frank delivered a big double to the outfield that scored the Tigers fifth run of the inning.  The Tigers had taken a tough shot from the Red Sox in the previous inning but had bounced back, the way real champions do.  The Tigers led 8 to 5.

Ben B. strode purposefully to the mound for the bottom of the fifth inning.  This was a save situation, with the Tigers needing to shut down the Red Sox to preserve the victory.  Ben B. was ready.  Two strikeouts, and a very nice fielding play on a grounder between the pitching mound and first base that Ben B. picked up and threw to Frank for the out.  No runs for the Red Sox.  Final score Tigers 8, Red Sox 5.

Each of the Tigers five pitchers (Ben K., Kevin, Dewie, Sam, and Ben B.) did an outstanding job in their first pitching performances of the season.  Jackson had an all-around outstanding game, with two hits, one run scored, two RBI's, and the fantastic unassisted double play.  Dewie had two runs scored.  And of course there was Aidan.

An amazing night of baseball at Kimbell.  Tigers, you should be very proud of the way you played and the heart you displayed.

Coach Peter

Tigers vs. Rockies, San Francisco Little League Rookie Division, April 1, 2012

"Let's play." --Coach Peter, start of 5th inning of Tigers vs. Rockies, April 1, 2012

Some coaches are born philosophers.  Some are fixated on statistics.  And some try to see the connection between the two.  Through the Little League Rookie Division games of April 1, six teams that each have played three games have fully up to date statistics on the number of pitchers used.  The numbers are interesting (at least to me).  I won't name the teams (you could find all of this on the Little League website), but one team has used only 5 pitchers, one team has used 6 pitchers, one team has used 7 pitchers, two teams have used 8 pitchers, and one team has used 11 pitchers.  Each team has 12 players, so some teams have used half or less than half of their players as pitchers through three games.  One team has used two of its players as pitchers in all three of its games, including one player who has already pitched four innings total.

So what does all of that mean?  Well, it could mean that half or more of the players on those teams have absolutely no interest in pitching and are very happy that the other players are getting all of the pitching time.  And if you believe that, I have a wonderful bridge connecting San Francisco to Marin County to sell to you today at a bargain price.  Our own survey of Tigers players found that 100 percent are interested in pitching.  So it's not a lack of interest in pitching by the players on these other teams.  There are at least two other possibilities.  One, the coaches don't think the non-pitchers are ready to pitch yet, for whatever reason.  Two, the coaches want to win at any cost, even if it means keeping in a "better" pitcher at the expense of another player on the team.  To which I say, baloney!  How would the coach know whether they can pitch if they won't let them pitch in a game?  This is the beginning of the season, not the playoffs.  It's the time when everyone should get the chance to pitch if they want to.  At the end of the season and the playoffs, we will have our best pitchers pitching more.  Right now, I want to see what all of our players have when they go out to the mound.  It's an experience, a right of passage.  It can be nervous.  The players can fail.  But it's about more than whether they give up a run or two.  It's learning to relax, to remain under control.  It's about dealing with adversity.  It's about being the conductor of the band, the center of attention.  And, for you more competitive types (count me in), there's nothing quite like the feeling of throwing a fastball by a batter for strike three.  Every Little Leaguer should have that experience.

So, which team has used 11 pitchers in three games?   You know it's the team with the D on their hats.  And Tristan, our only player who hasn't pitched, will pitch in our next game that he plays.

Let's see, I know that I was going to talk about something else in this email....oh yeah, a game summary.  The Tigers' game against the Rockies was one where the Tigers' first-time pitchers stepped up big time.  It started with Tyler in the first inning, who promptly retired the first two Rockies' hitters and then, after two runners reached base, got the third out on a weak ground ball force out.  A very strong shutout inning for Tyler.

The Rockies' pitcher for the bottom half of the first inning was throwing some searing fastballs.  But Joe, our leadoff batter, showed great plate discipline and worked the pitcher for a walk.  Ben K. followed with a walk and then Jackson was hit by a pitch, loading the bases.  Sam then connected with a hard hit ball to first base that allowed Joe to dash in from third for the Tigers' first run.  1 to 0 Tigers after one inning.

Jackson came in to pitch for the Tigers in the top of the second.  Well, pitch is not quite the word for Jackson's performance.  Jackson came in to dominate the Rockies in the top of the second.  Four batters, two strikeouts, no runs, no walks, and only 15 pitches, the lowest number by a Tigers' pitcher in an inning this year.  The Rockies' hitters were clearly overmatched.

Keeping the momentum going, Aidan and Tyler started off the bottom of the second inning with consecutive hits.  Frank followed with a walk, loading the bases with nobody out.  Shane then delivered a single, driving in one run.  Ben B. then walked, forcing in a second run.  Finally, Ben K. had a sharp single, plating the third Tigers' run of the inning.  4 to 0 Tigers after two innings.

Joe made his seasonal pitching debut for the Tigers in the top of the third.  Demonstrating a two-seam fastball that bewildered the Rockies, Joe shut down the Rockies without any runs, including a very nice strikeout with the bases loaded and two out to just rip the heart out of a potential Rockies' rally.  The Rockies had high hopes for a big inning, but Joe crushed them with a very clutch pitching performance.

The Tigers couldn't help but be energized by Joe as they batted in the bottom of the third.  Dewie led off with a walk.  Kevin then followed with a well-placed single to the right side, and when the Rockies threw the ball away, Dewie scored the first run of the inning.  Tyler followed with his second hit of the game.  Frank then walked, and Shane delivered a base hit that scored two more runs.  Ben B. followed with another single, and the Tigers had 5 runs in the inning.  9 to 0 Tigers after three innings.

But the Rockies didn't give up.  Perhaps it was the John Denver rendition of "Rocky Mountain High" I thought I heard from the Rockies' side of the field that inspired them.  Whatever, the Rockies got their hitting mojo going.  Shane made a very nice play from the pitching position to throw to Aidan at home to get one run, but the Rockies kept coming, and when it was over they had five runs.  The Tigers went down quickly in the bottom of the fourth inning, and so it was 9 to 5 Tigers after four innings.

It was 458 pm when the fourth inning ended.  The Little League rules say that no new inning can start after 90 minutes of play, meaning that no new inning should start after 500 pm.  It really is the umpires' call to say whether a new inning should start.  The Rockies' head coach and I came out of the dugout to see what the umpires were going to do.  The lead umpire surprised me by saying it's really up to the coaches to decide whether to play another inning.  The Rockies' coach looked at me and asked what I wanted to do.  My choices:  either I say that the game is over, and the Tigers go home with a guaranteed 9 to 5 win, or I say we play, knowing that I'm giving the Rockies a chance to take the lead or possibly even win the game if they could score five runs in the top of the fifth inning.  What would Al Kaline have done?  What would Hank Greenberg have done?  What would Ty Cobb have done? What would my Dad have done?  Easy answer.  Little League is about the kids playing, not about whether some old coach has one more win.  I'd also seen more than enough of the talent and character of this team and knew I really wasn't taking much of a gamble.  So I said "Let's play."

I also thought I had a pretty good closer coming in to pitch the top of the fifth.  Aidan in our first game, Ben B. in our second game had been light's out in the closer role.  Now it was Frank's turn.  Frank got the first Rockies' batter to strike out on three hard fastballs.  Then, to add a touch of Brian Wilson to the festivities, Frank walked the next two batters.  Two on with one out, and the Rockies' top of the order coming up.  The Rockies' leadoff batter went down swinging on three more Frank fastballs.  And then with two out, the Rockies' next batter swung and missed for strike one, took a ball, then took a vicious cut and fouled the ball straight back for strike two.  Frank looked over at me and I gave him the thumbs up.  One ball and two strikes, and Frank delivered.  A swing ........and a miss at another fastball for strike three.  Game over.  Tigers win, 9 to 5.

I really have run out of superlatives for our pitching staff.  We have played 13 innings this year, and our opponents have scored in only 2 of those innings.  That just doesn't happen in Little League.  I thank Coach Doug and all of our parent coaches for taking the time to work with our kids on pitching.  It really has paid off big time.  That being said, Tyler, Jackson, and Joe deserve another well-earned round of applause for their tremendous first pitching performances.

The other thing that has really separated the Tigers from the other teams we've played is our batting depth. We are very solid up and down the order.  When someone makes out, the next hitter picks them up.  It's what teammates do.  It's what good teams do.  Hitting standouts against the Rockies were Tyler with two hits and two runs scored, Frank with two walks, two runs scored, and two nice slides into home, Shane with two hits, one run scored, and three RBI's, and Ben B. with a hit and a walk and three RBI's.  Well done, gentlemen. 

A very special thank you to the dads who came to the game early to help with practice and get the team ready to play.  We have had such tremendous parent support this season for practices and games this season, and you've made the jobs of Coach Doug and me so much easier.  Without intending to exclude anyone, particular thank yous to Dan Guinasso and Chris Shea for your pregame help and great jobs as the base coaches.

Playing the game the right way and showing true sportsmanship are more important than winning.  However, we do want and like to win, as you may have guessed.  And, if you look at the American League Rookie Division standings on the Little League website, you'll notice one team at the top at 3 wins and no losses.  It couldn't have happened without all of your contributions. 

Coach Peter 

Tigers vs. Indians, San Francisco Little League Rookie Division (Final Game), May 19, 2012

The baseball season is not supposed to end this way.  The baseball season is not supposed to end at all.  Baseball is eternal and really should not have seasons.  Baseball is a celebration.  Baseball is about hope.

Everyone on the Tigers knew that, realistically, Sunday's game against the Indians would be the Tigers' last game of the Little League season, win or lose.  People who didn't know this group of players might have thought that the Tigers would just go through the motions.   How very, very wrong they would have been.  The Tigers showed up on Saturday at Ketcham Field the way they have for every single game this year--excited, determined, and ready to play.

Frank was the Tigers' pitcher against the Indians in the top of the first inning.  He had his usual fastball working and got the Indians' leadoff batter on a strikeout.  The next two batters walked and singled.  The Indians' cleanup hitter then hit a long ball to centerfield.  Joe did a great job of running the ball down and then getting the ball back in to the infield.  Frank got the ball as the Indians' lead runner ran toward home.  Frank threw the ball to Aidan at catcher.  Aidan knew that the situation required a tag, and Aidan did just that.  Out at the plate!  Great teamwork by Joe, Frank, Aidan and the Tigers.  Frank followed up with a strikeout, and the Indians were held scoreless.

The Tigers put their first three batters on base in the bottom of the first, with Ben K and Frank hit by pitch and Ben B walking.  With the bases loaded, Aidan came through with a hit, scoring Ben K.  That was all for the Tigers' scoring in the inning.  1 to 0 Tigers after one inning.

The Indians came back with a run in the top of the second on a walk, hit by pitch, and then a double.  But once again the Tigers' relay team was perfect, with Kevin throwing to Ben B to Aidan again at catcher, with Aidan finishing the play by running at and eventually tagging the runner trying to get back to third.  Frank again got two strikeouts.

In the bottom of the second, Sam started it off with a hit, followed by walks to Tyler and Joe.  Kevin came through with a controversial hit, with the Indians claiming that their third baseman caught the ball but the umpires ruling that the ball was trapped.  Sam scored on the play, making it 2 to 1 Tigers after two innings.

The Indians cranked it up in the top of the third, putting together two walks and two doubles to score 3 runs and take a 4 to 2 lead.  The Tigers went down in the bottom of the third without a run.  The Indians had their hitting shoes on again in the top of the fourth, getting 5 runs on 4 hits and two walks, making it 9 to 2.

The Tigers had plenty of fight left in the bottom of the fourth inning.  Sam and Tyler walked and Kevin was hit by a pitch, loading the bases for our leadoff hitter Ben K.  Ben K got all of a pitch, booming it deep into the outfield.  Sam, Tyler, and Kevin all scored, and Ben K didn't stop until he was at third base with a triple.  Great clutch hit, Ben K.  So, after 4 innings, it was Indians 9 Tigers 5.

The Tigers hoped to keep the score that way in the fifth inning so that it would still be possible to win the game with a big rally in the bottom of the inning.  Ben B got two of the first four Indian batters out, but a two-out hit by the Indians' third place hitter scored two Indian runs.  11 to 5 Indians.

We were already almost at the time limit as the bottom of the inning started.  But that didn't stop the Tigers from putting on one of their patented late rallies.  Jackson and Shane led off the inning with walks, followed by a big single by Sam that scored two runs.  Kevin followed with a nice two out hit, scoring Sam and Tyler.  When it was over, the Tigers had 4 runs.  Final score Indians 11 Tigers 9.

Ben K kept up his great lead off hitting with a big triple, a run scored, and three RBIs.  Sam had two hits, three runs scored, and two RBIs.  Kevin came through with two hits, a run scored, and two RBIs.

I went to the Little League coaches' dinner the day after the game.  The Indians' coaches were there, and they had a lot of compliments for the way we played.  What impressed them the most was the way the Tigers never gave up after getting down.  I could have told them about all of the games I had seen when we were down and didn't quit.  Instead I just smiled.  My lasting memories of this team are of a group of guys who played the game with enthusiasm, who played the game with respect for our opponents, and who played the game well.  You guys are the best.  Thanks for letting me be your coach.

Coach Peter

In the fall of 2012, I had the privilege of coaching the Rangers in the San Francisco Little League Returning Rookies Division. Here is my summary of the final game played on November 4, 2012.

You played like champions. 

The Rangers were matched against the Yankees in our last game of the season, a playoff game yesterday at Sunset Recreation Field.  The weather conditions--sunny and hot.  The Yankees had suffered two heart-breaking losses in their last two games, both by scores of 7 to 6.  The Rangers had also endured two difficult losses in the last two weeks.  Both teams wanted to go out on top a winner.  Only one would do so.  It figured to be a hard-fought, well-played, tense, and close game.  And it was.

In the top of the first inning, Ben led off the game with a hit by pitch.  Mattheus then hit a hard grounder to short that the Yankees shortstop played perfectly and threw to second for the force on Ben.  Hunter then hit a virtually identical grounder to short, and again the Yankees shortstop made the play, this time forcing Mattheus.  Frank then hit a grounder to the Yankees second baseman, who tagged Hunter for the third out.  Some well hit balls by the Rangers, but the Yankees fielders made the plays, so no score.  The Yankees put together a good bottom of the first inning, getting a couple of walks and a couple of hits for two runs, then loading the bases with two outs.  But Mattheus, the Rangers pitcher, stood tall, stopping the Yankees from getting the big inning with a strikeout to end the first with the Yankees up 2 to 0.  Little did we know how important it would be for Mattheus to get that last big K. 

The Rangers couldn't generate any offense against a tough Yankees pitcher in the top of the second.  In the bottom of the second, with Mattheus still pitching, the first two Yankees walked.  But then the first of several outstanding fielding plays by the Rangers.  The third Yankees batter hit a fly ball to Henry at second.  Henry played it perfectly, catching it for the out.  But wait!  The Yankees runner at second was off the bag!  And there was Aidan, the Rangers shortstop, right where he should be, at second, waiting for the throw from Henry.  A perfect throw from Henry to Aidan!  Double play!  And just like that, the inning momentum turned, and the game momentum as well.  The next Yankees batter hit a popup to the center of the diamond that Mattheus got under and made the catch.  No runs by the Yankees after their first two batters reached base.  So, it was still 2 to 0 Yankees after two innings.

The great fielding by the Rangers carried over to the Rangers bats in the top of the third.  Noah and Gio started it off with walks.  Alex then hit a hard grounder to the Yankees first baseman, whose only play was to first, with Noah and Gio moving up to second and third.  Ben then hit a hard grounder to short, and the only play was to first, with Noah scoring and Ben getting the RBI.  Mattheus then followed with a single, scoring Gio and tying the game at 2 to 2.  Hunter then ripped a single to right, but the Rangers could not get another run across, so it was Rangers 2 Yankees 2 after two and one-half innings.

Frank came in to pitch the bottom of the third.  He definitely brought his fastball.  However, his control was in a different area code, with two Yankees hit by pitch and one walk.  The Rangers got some breaks, though, as the Yankees couldn't hit their coach's pitches.  With the bases loaded and two out, Frank got the next Yankees batter to hit a come backer to the mound that Frank made the play on and, with a nice throw to Ben at first, got the third out.  An amazing inning, with the Yankees unable to score despite the big threat.

Aidan led off the Rangers fourth.  He had been the victim of a called third strike in the second inning on a ball over his head.  But Coach Doug had the right words of advice--get your revenge on the umpire by ripping the ball back up the middle.  And that's exactly what Aidan did.  A big smash that whistled by the umpire's ear and into the Yankees outfield.  Aidan burned around first and beat the throw in to second for a ringing double.  Henry then got a nice single, advancing Aidan to third.  Then Jackson came up.  A crucial at bat, as it turned out.  What the Rangers needed was for Jackson to get his bat on the ball, so Aidan could come home.  And Jackson did the job.  A hard grounder to first that got Aidan in to score.  The Rangers threatened some more but were unable to cash in.  But the Rangers had come back from a 2 to 0 deficit to take the lead, Rangers 3 Yankees 2.

Frank was back pitching for the Rangers in the bottom of the fourth.  The first Yankees batter walked, then the next batter took a fastball to the batting helmet.  Two on with nobody out.  The situation again looked bleak for the Rangers.  But Frank settled down and got the next Rangers batter with the heat for a strikeout for the first out.  Up came the next Yankees batter with runners at first and second and one out.  He swung and hit a shot toward the middle.  Mattheus, playing shortstop, read the ball perfectly, took two steps and put out his glove.  Caught! Ever alert, Mattheus saw that the Yankees runner had strayed too far from second and was desperately trying to get back.  A foot race......won by Mattheus.  The runner--tagged out.  A double play.  An unassisted double play by Mattheus!  Truly a spectacular play to end the inning.  The Yankees, despite the big threat again, had failed to score.  It was still Rangers 3 Yankees 2 after four innings.

The Rangers had a big threat of their own in the top of the fifth inning after singles by Ben and Hunter and a walk to Frank.  But the Yankees showed some good defense too, including putouts at second and home, and the Rangers did not score.  Aidan pitched for the Rangers in the bottom of the fifth inning.  The first two Yankees walked.  But again, with the game in the balance, Aidan rose to the occasion.  A strikeout, then a comebacker to the mound that Aidan handled and made the throw to Mattheus. And then another strikeout.  Again, the Yankees threatened, but again the Rangers shut them down.  After five action-packed innings, the score remained Rangers 3 Yankees 2.

It would have been nice to get an insurance run or two or five in the top of the sixth inning.  But this was the kind of game in which nothing came easy.  Jackson and Gio walked, and Alex had a hard grounder that unfortunately went right to the Yankees first baseman.  So going into the last half inning of the last game of the season, the Rangers still led 3 to 2.

Aidan once again strode purposefully to the mound for the bottom of the sixth inning.  The Yankees fans were screaming for two runs, just two runs to win the game.  But the Rangers had fought hard the entire game and were not about to give in now.  The first Yankees batter went down on a smoking fastball from Aidan.  Then the next Yankees batter hit a dribbler near the pitcher's mound.  I knew it would be a tough play, and it was.  Aidan got to the ball and made a slightly wide throw to Ben at first, and the Yankees runner made it to second.  A runner in scoring position, one out.  The next Yankees batter was determined to be their hero.  A fierce swing at an Aidan hard one, and a shot, one of the hardest balls I've seen hit in Little League, coming right back to Aidan.  A lesser player, a less determined player, would have ducked out of the way.  Not Aidan.  In perfect fielding position, glove ready, the ball screaming toward him, Aidan caught it.  I was stunned.  The Yankees were stunned.  How did Aidan catch that ball?  But he did.  And now there were two out.  But the Yankees weren't done yet.  The next batter walked, putting the winning run at first base.  A hit to the outfield, and the Yankees would go home winners.  And the next Yankees batter had hit two balls hard earlier in the game, including that shot to shortstop that Mattheus turned into an unassisted double play.  But Aidan was calm.  Aidan was focused.  He got two strikes on the batter.  And then the pitch.  Strike three! Game over.  The Rangers had battled and battled and battled, and when it was over, the final score was: Rangers 3 Yankees 2.

What a thrilling game to be a part of.  There were just so many outstanding plays.  Henry and Aidan on the double play in the second.  Mattheus with his unassisted double play in the fourth.  Aidan catching that laser beam in the sixth.  And then there were the things that sometimes don't make the headlines but that should.  Like Jackson getting his bat on the ball and driving in the winning run.  Like Noah, Myles, and Gio all doing a great job behind the plate blocking balls. Like Ben getting on twice with a single and hit by pitch.  Like Hunter going two for three.  Like Alex hitting the ball hard and putting the ball in play in all three of his at bats.  An individual didn't win this game.  The Rangers won this game as a team.  You just couldn't ask for a better way to end the season.

I had a tremendous amount of fun coaching this team.  I think I can speak for Coach Doug in thanking all of the players for their hard work, their effort, and their commitment.  And we particularly want to thank all of the parents for your time helping us throughout the season.  You all were amazingly supportive.

I hope all of you continue to play this great game of baseball.  Thanks for letting me be your coach.

Coach Peter

And, in the spring of 2013, I coached the Blue Jays in San Francisco Little League’s Minors Division. Here is the summary of the May 28, 2013 playoff game.

I don't ask for much, I only want your trust

And you know it don't come easy

And this love of mine keeps growing all of the time

And you know it don't come easy

-George Harrison

What can I say?

A game with big hits.  A game with stellar pitching.  A game in which one team had scored only one run and found itself down by six runs with two innings to play.  A game in which that same team mounted a seemingly impossible comeback.  In the end, a one run game filled with high drama, with everything on the line in the bottom of the sixth and last inning.  A game with a lot of heroes.  And a game played by a team with a lot, a lot, of heart.

Nowhere was that heart more evident than when I saw William before the game.  I had received the bad news earlier this morning:  William had fractured the tip of a finger last night.  His parents told me that he wanted to play.  He knew what we all knew:  everything was at stake tonight in a game we had to win.  William wanted to play.  But the splint on his finger said otherwise:  William wasn't able to take the field.  But the important thing was that he was there, with the team, his team, our team, cheering us on throughout the game.  Great Blue Jay spirit, William.

March 9, 2013.  Almost three months ago, when the calendar still showed that it was winter, the Blue Jays took the field for the first game of the  2013 season against these same Oaks on the very same Ketcham Field, a game that the Blue Jays lost 8 to 7 in a heartbreaker after rallying for three runs to tie it in the top of the fifth and last inning.  Round one had gone to the Oaks.  But that was a game when the Oaks pitchers walked nine Blue Jays and hit two more.  Our game plan for tonight: patience, wait them out, grind.  Eventually we would score runs.

But the beginning of the game tonight didn't quite play out according to the script.  Alexander, our starting pitcher, and the Oaks' pitcher engaged in an old-fashioned pitching duel.  The Blue Jays had hits from Ben B and Alexander and several other hard hit balls but couldn't score in the first three innings.  Alexander gave up two walks and an infield hit in the first inning but then got the Oaks cleanup and fifth place hitters to escape without any runs being scored.  The second was a 1-2-3 inning for Alexander with two strikeouts and 12 pitches, leaving it scoreless after two innings.  In the bottom of the third inning, the first two Oaks reached base on a double and an error and eventually scored to make it Oaks 2 Blue Jays 0 after three innings.  Outstanding pitching by Alexander.

In the top of the fourth inning with one out, Christopher crushed a 2-1 pitch to center field and cruised in to third with a triple.  Ben S then delivered with a single, knocking in Christopher with the first Jays run of the game.  Although the Jays threatened with runners on second and third, we wouldn't get them in, so it was Oaks 2 Blue Jays 1 after three and one-half.

The Oaks showed they could hit the ball in the game we played against them in March, and their 2, 3, 4, and 5 hitters got in some good hacks in the bottom of the fourth inning.  Throw in two walks and some misplays by our outfield, and just like that the Oaks had a five-run inning.  Oaks 7 Blue Jays 1 after four innings.

The Blue Jays had two innings to turn it around.  Before our bats, I said that we could score five if we worked hard, waited for our pitches, and took walks when they were giving them to us.  Jackson led off, working the count to 3-1, then blasting a hit and ending up at third base.  Xander then really hustled on a grounder that the Oaks first baseman bobbled, with Xander beating the tag at first while Jackson scored.  After a strikeout, Lucas had a crucial at bat.  Patiently, he took pitches, getting the count to 3-2 and then walking.  After another strikeout for the second out, Ben B walked on four pitches, loading the bases for Christopher.  On a 1-1 count, Christopher came through again with a double.  Ben S then ripped the first pitch for another double.  After scoring one run in the first four, the Blue Jays had matched the Oaks last inning with a huge five run inning of their own.  After four and one-half innings, we had a ball game:  Oaks 7 Blue Jays 6.

The Oaks had gotten some hits off of Mattheus in the fourth.  But Mattheus was back out on the mound in the bottom of the fifth, determined to shut down the Oaks and keep it a one-run game.  After a lead-off walk, Mattheus got the next batter on a grounder to Christopher at first.  Then Mattheus really showed what kind of pitcher he is.  Six pitches to the next two Oaks batters.  Six strikes.  Two strikeouts swinging.  A monumental shut down inning of pitching by Mattheus.  Still Oaks 7 Blue Jays 6 after five.

We huddled up before the start of the sixth and last inning.  We were down by a run.  We needed baserunners.  And so I told everyone coming to bat to take a strike.  Unfortunately, Frank, the coach's son and leadoff batter, forgot that instruction and swung at the first pitch, grounding out to the first baseman.  I started rehearsing my lecture to Frank for the ride home, which was going to be a very long ride home indeed if the Blue Jays couldn't overcome that first out.  But Alexander and Mattheus, our next two batters, were able to follow the take order, and both of them walked on four pitches.  The Blue Jays had it going, with runners on first and second and one out, down by a run, with Jackson at bat.  Jackson took a strike, then a ball, then swung and missed.  The count was 1 and 2.  The pitch and .....a line drive down the left field line! Fair!  Alexander and Mattheus, burning around the bases, scored.  Two runs score!  Jackson stops at second with a double that somehow, some way, had put the Blue Jays ahead for the first time in the game.  Just an amazing turnaround, with Jackson delivering in the clutch.  Blue Jays 8 Oaks 7.

But wait.  A little detail.  The Oaks as the home team had the last at bats in the sixth and final inning.  Down only by a run.  With their 2, 3, 4, and 5 hitters due up.  Yes, those same hitters who had produced five runs just two innings before.

My mind flashed back to Game 6 against the Angels on April 7.  That game was also hard fought and close at the end.  With the score tied at 5 after four innings against the Angels, Christopher came in and pitched a scoreless fifth, and the Blue Jays followed with two runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 7-5 lead.  Then Christopher slammed the door on the Angels in the top of the sixth, getting them out in order to preserve a 7-5 Blue Jays  win.  Christopher had shown me he could come up huge as a closer.  And now, against the Oaks, I brought him in to close again, to face the heart of the Oaks order, to preserve that razor thin one run lead.  With Christopher moving from first base to pitcher, I moved Frank back to first.

The Oaks lead off batter, second in their order, had walked and singled in his two previous at bats.  He was not going to go down without a battle.  But Christopher was more than up for it.  A 2-2 count, a fastball from Christopher, and ....strike three!  One big, colossal out. The Oaks next batter, third in the order, walked on a 3-1 count.  The Oaks must have been confident. A runner on first and their cleanup batter up, who had merely blasted a triple in his last at bat, driving in the two runners ahead of him and scoring himself on the play on a Blue Jays error.  This was mano a mano, pitcher against hitter, the closer who was bringing heat against the cleanup guy wanting to end it all with a big blast.  Two warriors going at each other.  And the count went to 2 and 2.  Then, another fastball, and a swing, late.  A pop fly toward the first base line, beyond first base, over Frank's head, twisting, curving, arcing foul.  Some first basemen would have given up on making the play.  But Frank turned and raced with his back to the infield into foul territory.  He had a good jump.  And he had a good read on it.  But this was a very difficult play for anyone to make, the ball in the air, behind him.  But Frank stayed with it and got to the right spot just in time to settle under the ball and catch it.  A big time play by Frank when the Blue Jays really needed it.

So two outs.  But the Oaks had their number five hitter up.  And of course, another duel, with Christopher firing fastballs and the Oaks batter hanging in there. Another 2-2 count.  Christopher throws a low fastball, the Oaks batter swings and .....misses.  Strike three! Game over.  In a game filled with high drama, the final score was the Blue Jays 8 the Oaks 7.

Whew.  Now that was a ball game.  Not for the faint of heart.  So many of the players stepped up and played large.  Ben B with three terrific at bats in the leadoff spot, working two 3-2 counts and getting a hit, a walk, and a run scored.  Ben S, two for three with a single and double, capping off that five run inning.  Alexander with a single, two walks, and a run scored, and an outstanding three innings as pitcher.  Mattheus, who scored the winning run after a huge walk in the sixth and shut down the Oaks while pitching in the fifth when the Blue Jays really needed it.  Nick, getting to two 3-2 counts and a walk.  Frank with that great catch on the foul fly over his head.  Jackson, with two big hits, driving in the tying and winning runs with that two strike double.  And Christopher, a double and a triple, two runs scored, and closing the game out against the toughest hitters the Oaks had.  And William, the essence of a great teammate.

Go back to our Game 3 against the Red Sox on March 17, when we trailed 9-2 but stormed back to win it 10-9.  I told you after that game that there would come a time this season when we would be down just like we were against the Red Sox, but that we could come back if we were focused and believed in ourselves.  Gentlemen, tonight was that game.

So what had shaped up to be a long, dreary  ride home became a ride filled with the joy of winning, between a coach and a player, a father and a son.  That lecture about not following the take sign?  That can wait until tomorrow.  Way to go, Blue Jays!

Coach Peter

And here is the account of the final game on June 1, 2013.

You saved the best for last.

If the season had to end, this Blue Jays team made certain that the final game would be a memorable one, one where we played with focus, skill, intelligence, and determination.  We played this beautiful and compelling game the way it was meant to be played.

On a spectacular June 1st day on Treasure Island, both the Blue Jays and the Astros had hopes of advancing in the playoffs with a win.  Under the league's rather strange tiebreaker rules, for the Blue Jays to advance to the next playoff round, we needed (1) a Blue Jays win over the Astros, (2) holding the Astros to fewer than one run per inning, (3) the Oaks to beat the undefeated Yankees in a game played at the same time, and (4) the Yankees to score at least three more runs in their game against the Oaks than the Astros scored in their game against us.   As I said in an email to Coach Doug before the game: "No problem!"  The bottom line was that we could control only the game we were playing.

The Blue Jays had beaten the Astros 10-9 in the last game of the regular season.  The Astros had issued eight walks and had hit one batter in that game, and we had moved up on the bases numerous times on wild pitches.  Significantly, the Blue Jays did not score in any inning in which the Astros didn't walk a batter.  So our game plan was clear:  the take sign would be on a lot, no swinging at bad pitches, let's get baserunners, and be ready to advance on the bases.

We had one other advantage over the Astros.  We had not pitched Alexander in our earlier game against them, so going in to Saturday's game they were not familiar with his stuff.  I thought this would help us.  Alexander had been very strong in our previous game against the Oaks, limiting them to two runs in three innings.  I expected another strong start from Alexander.  And I was not disappointed.

Twelve pitches by Alexander in the top of the first inning.  Their lead off batter grounded out Alexander to Frank at first, then Alexander mowed down the next two batters on swinging strikeouts.  A huge shutdown inning by Alexander, something we really needed given that one of the tiebreakers was runs allowed per inning.  In the bottom of the first, Christopher walked with one out, then moved around the bases to score on Astros wild pitches and passed balls.  1 to 0 Blue Jays after one.

Alexander struggled a little bit to start the second, with the first two Astros getting on base with a walk and hit by pitch.  But Alexander regained his form, getting the next two batters on strikeouts on a total of seven pitches.  After an infield error loaded the bases with two outs, the Astros ninth place batter tried to bunt for a hit, but Alexander fielded the ball cleanly and threw to Frank at first for the third out.

Mattheus got it started for the Blue Jays in the bottom of the second with a walk after working it to a full count.  Jackson then sharply singled up the middle.  The Astros followed with more wild pitches, allowing both Mattheus and Jackson to score.  Blue Jays 3 Astros 0 after two innings.

Alexander faced the bottom of the Astros order in the third.  We had talked before the game about just getting the ball over the plate against the bottom of the order, and Alexander followed the plan perfectly.  Another 12 pitch inning with two strikeouts and a grounder back to the pitcher.  Another shutout inning by Alexander.

We were ready to take command of the game in the bottom of the third.  After two outs, Ben B was hit by a pitch.  Christopher then perfectly placed a ball down the right field line for a double.  Ben S was up, and he was not going to be denied despite the Astros remembering that he had hit two triples against him and were playing as deep in the outfield as anyone has played against us all year.  Ben S hit a line shot into right center that rolled and rolled and rolled.  A mammoth blast for Ben's fourth homer of the season.  Three runs in for the Blue Jays, making it 6-0 after three.

There was no question about sending Alexander out to pitch the fourth:  he was strong, accurate, and in complete control out on the mound.  The Astros had their top of the order up, but Alexander got the first two on a grounder to third that Jackson smoothly fielded and made the perfect throw and then a strikeout.  The Astros managed to get their third and fourth place batters on with an error and a single, and they then scored on an overthrow to second as we tried to get the runner trying to steal.  But Alexander limited the damage, striking out the Astros fifth place hitter on three pitches.  6-2 Blue Jays after three and one-half.

The Astros had a new pitcher in the bottom of the fourth.  As expected, he had control issues.  And the Blue Jays put together some great at bats, with Mattheus walking on a 3-1 count and Xander, Nick, and Lucas all walking on 3-2 counts.  Great discipline, guys.  With wild pitches and passed balls, Mattheus and Xander scored despite the Blue Jays not hitting a ball fair in the inning.  It was Blue Jays 8 Astros 2 after four innings.

Alexander was up to 62 pitches, but it was another easy call to have him pitch the fifth inning.  The lead off batter got on with a hit, but Alexander then struck out the next batter looking and then forced out the runner at second on a comebacker to him for the second out.  Alexander was at 73 pitches, so he could pitch to one more batter before he would have to be removed.  The Astros batter hung tough, fouling pitches off and working a full count.  But Alexander won the battle, getting him on a called third strike.  Still 8-2 Blue Jays after four and one-half.

In the back of the mind, I was contemplating the possibility of a big inning and ending the game by the mercy rule when a team leads by 10 or more runs when four or more innings had been played.  We had not "mercied" a team this year.  Now was the time.  With one out, Christopher walked on four straight pitches, bringing up Ben S.  I heard the Astros coach to have his outfielders play even deeper.  I wasn't sure that was possible without their centerfielder standing on the pitcher's mound at TI#4 and their right fielder standing in the street behind the right field fence.  On a 1-1 pitch, Ben S crushed another ball to right center.  The Astros did a better job of getting this one back in than on Ben's earlier blast, but it was still too late.  A two-run homer by Ben, his second of the day, his fifth of the year.  That made it 10-2.  Frank then got on base on a grounder to short that wasn't fielded cleanly.  Then Alexander, following Christopher's lead from earlier in the game, hit one just fair inside the right field line for a triple, scoring Frank.  Alexander then scored on another Astros wild pitch.  Four runs in.  The Blue Jays 12, the Astros 2, with the game ending on the mercy rule after five innings.

An exuberant bunch of Blue Jays gathered in the infield after the game.  We weren't sure whether it was our last game of the season.  What we did know was that we had played a superb game against a team, like us, who was fighting to advance to the next round of the playoffs.  A team win that happened because of a lot of individual battles that we won.  Christopher, an outstanding job catching the first three innings and a double, two walks, and three runs scored.  Mattheus with two walks and two runs scored.  Jackson with a single and run scored.  Xander with a walk and run scored.  Nick and Lucas with walks to keep the inning going.  Ben S, with an unbelievable, superhuman two homer day. And Alexander, a big triple at bat and five masterful innings pitched.  By far our best played game of the season.

As I was in the dugout picking up equipment, someone mentioned a score of the Oaks-Yankees game going on at Tepper.  Did I hear right?  The Oaks were ahead 10 to 8 against the undefeated Yankees?  Did I hear right?  I started going through the tiebreaker scenarios in my mind.  Blue Jays win? Check.  Blue Jays hold Astros to fewer than one run per inning? Check.  Yankees score three more runs in their game against the Oaks than the Astros had scored in their game against us?  Let me see......Yes!  The Yankees had already scored eight, and the Astros had scored only two.  So that means.....all we needed was for the Oaks to hold on and win against the Yankees, and the Blue Jays amazingly advance to the next playoff round.  So we quickly packed up our equipment and headed over to Tepper.  As I walked to the stands, the scoreboard showed 11 to 8 in favor of the Oaks.  Yes!  But wait.  The Yankees were at bat, it was the bottom of the fifth.  And they had the bases loaded with two out.  And then, a big hit to the outfield, opening the floodgates.  The Yankees scored five, putting them ahead 13-11.  Although the Oaks came up to bat in the sixth with the heart of the order, they couldn't score.  Final score Yankees 13 Oaks 11.  The Blue Jays season was over.

For a moment, I was stunned.  So close to advancing.  I couldn't wait to follow up our best game of the year.  But it wasn't to be.

Disappointment. 

But only for a short while.  I then thought back on this season.  So many good things.  So many thrills.  That Red Sox game, when we came back from 9-2 to win.  The Oaks playoff game, when we came back from 7-1 to win.  A lot of other satisfying wins.

But there's more to a season than wins.  There's seeing players work hard and improve their baseball skills.  I saw amazing improvements from those first pre-season practices. And there's playing for the team.  This game is not just about individual statistics.  It's about being a part of something bigger than one individual.  It's about playing the right way, with hustle and with integrity.

It has been my distinct honor and privilege to have been the head coach of the Blue Jays.  To Coach Doug, thanks for all of your hard work (and putting up with all of my late night rambling emails!) To all the parents, I can't thank you enough for your support and counsel throughout the season.  And to you the players:

Ben B.

Christopher M.

Ben S.

Alexander H.

Mattheus T.

Jackson B.

Alexander N.

Nicholas G.

Lucas C.

William A.

Teigue B.

Frank W.

Thank you for making this season so special.

Coach Peter