Life as a Lefties Mom

Now it truly is over.  Marten left today on the 2:45 shuttle.  His parents sent him a ticket home that leaves at 10:30.  The party is over for him.  He told me today he does have an offer from a school in North Carolina.  Hope it works out.  With luck, we will see him in September in Philadelphia.  He wants to come back here and golf with Dean. I got a picture of him and Brandon.  They call each other Shrek and Donkey. Tonight they lost 5-0 and Brandon didn't pitch.  I guess he has a slight injury or just got canned.  Anyway, the irrepressible Laser is leaving tomorrow with his startlingly blue eyes.  Back to Wenatchee for the rest of the summer, then back to Tacoma Community College in the fall.  I told him we would try to take in a game or two this spring.  Jon is also on the TCC team (he is here again tonight) so we can see him too. This has been the best summer in a long time, but now it is over.  Just like ever...

Watched them play tonight in bitterly cold weather.  I can't imagine what it will be like to watch U of Portland or Tacoma Community play in February.  This may be Martin's last night as his parents put their feet down and told him to come home.  He still doesn't know where he is going to school in the fall and I guess they have had enough.  Four schools in 3 years does seem a bit much. God knows how many credits he has and if they are towards any kind of a degree. Hopefully, wherever he goes to school will not start until later in September so we can visit him in Philly. It sounds like Brandon is sticking it out to the end and who knows what Mitchell is up to.  He was out of the house around 9:30 according to Dean but said he would be back later. Once again, this week is get up and go to work, the dudes get up after noon.  They are at the ball park by the time I get home and we are in bed when they get home.  Tonight they are getting Sunday gravy and...

Martin wasn't playing because he has a hurt thumb.  Today he and Mitchell are going to Seattle to work our with a "professional".  Brandon is going to Tacoma to pick up his new car. Last night when he came in, I asked if he had gotten to pitch in that night's game.  He said was the closer and got the save.  The look on his face makes it all worth while.  No wonder they love it so.

Life has settled into a routine.  We cook, they eat.  They play ball.  We watch.  After the meatloaf came the ribs, which they devoured.  Since we were at a Mariner's game today, it's Costco lasagna and bought cookies.  We left his morning at 9:30 and they weren't up yet.  Looks like no one ate or drank anything here today when we got home at 9PM.  Branden said something about going to Tacoma to pick up a new car, so maybe that is where they are.  Or at a party.  They are off tomorrow. Marten told Dean that a bunch of them may bail out at the end of this week rather they get on the bus again.  It would be really sad for the community who have supported them so thoroughly, however the owner is such a shit, no one feels any loyalty to him or the team.  They are fiercely loyal to each other, but not to management. If this team is to survive in this town, things are going to have to change next year.  I am going to write the ...

These dudes like to eat!  They really loved Dean's baked pasta. And my cookies.  And they love their milk.  Mitchell was looking for plates in the upper cabinets and I said,"Look at me.  Do you think I would keep anything like that in an upper cabinet, look down."  He's at least 6'4". They had 2 days off in a row, so they went to Victoria.  They came back last night after the game like a large group of puppies.  "Did you miss us?"  Of course we did! Dena had made chicken and dumplings using perogies and post stickers in place of dumplings.  They were picking the pot stickers out with their fingers.  I finally convinced them to use a serving spoon.  They devoured the rest of the meal.  Mitchell eats standing up.  I assured him it was OK to sit down to eat.  They polished off a pan of brownies and were looking for more milk. Today we have made meat loaf and mashed potatoes.  And a Jewish Apple Cake. There is so...

Tonight they won 7-6  in the bottom of the 9th thanks to an RBI by Marten.  WooHoo!!! Brandon brought home Mitchell and the other Brandon (who lives at Lori's) for more of the pasta and cookies. Mitchell kind of sheepishly said he has been staying here the last 2 nights and hoped it was OK.  Of course it is!  He is now a permanent fixture.  They are all such sweet boys.  Wow.

They arrived back from Walla Walla at 0600 yesterday and immediately went to bed. I left some taco meat so they could make something to eat when they got up.  The game last night was a heartbreaker.  They lost 6-5 in the 10th inning.  It wasn't over until 11:30.  Needless to say, we did not stay beyond the 6th inning when Nick B was done pitching.  He did really well.  Austyn has 2 awesome hits -a double and a single his first 2 at bats.  Marten got on base a lot (HBP or BB) and kept trying to steal.  He isn't that fast, but I found out today he was doing it to mess with the pitcher's head - and it worked.  We sat next to 2 pitchers from the Corvallis team who were very nice,, one from Tulane and one from UC Irvine.  They are putting these guys up in the dumpiest hotel in town with one bathroom per floor and 5 to a room.  Not much to eat after the games either.  We told them to go to the Haven for breakfast. Out new guys (so f...

Yesterday morning the guys had to leave at 0700 to get the bus to Walla Walla.  So, early in the morning, a dude comes out of one of the bedrooms.  "Hi, I'm Mitchell. Don't worry, I'm not permanent." Sure, why not?

So I have found out more about our 2 new guys - Marten and Brandon.  Marten is the 6'6" guy from Philly who offered for me to stay at his house.  He had been offered a full ride baseball scholarship to Temple U. They got a new athletic director who pulled the baseball program the summer before he started. So he went to Tampa Community College, but because he was a late addition and a freshman, he was behind another player for his position and did not get much playing time.  He subsequently went to a small school in Alabama and another in Oklahoma. He just finished the year at Lewis-Clark College in Idaho.  He didn't think too much of the coach there, so he is planning on going to Valdosta State in Georgia this fall.  When I asked him what he was majoring in besides baseball, he said, not much. Brandon is from Wenatchee.  He was wearing a WSU sweatshirt, but he goes to Tacoma Community College, majoring in business.  He just wants to play ball.  T...

Said good byes to Dutton this morning.  He is taking this really hard.  Hope we can see him play for U of P next spring,  Dean said he is heartbroken.  Me too. But then, Marten (6'6") was sleeping on the sofa in Dutton's room last night and is moving in tonight. Nick the second is still here and there is a third guy who is living in Sequim who wants to move into town. So we are still Lefties' parents.  Better make some cookies.

I knew something was up.  Dutton hasn't played all week and when I checked the stats on the West Coast League's website, there was the x of death by his name.  Apparently he has been cut from the team with the idea to send him down to Kitsap.  His batting average is better than the other catchers who are getting more playing time,  To add insult to injury, they gave his uniforms to a new guy.  He talked to his parents and college coach and decided to just leave.  He is so disappointed and I feel so bad for him.  At least he can go home and take those on line classes he needs so badly.  He did get a raw deal. Nick the first is going to leave early next week too.  His elbow isn't getting better so he can't pitch.  He is going to go to school and get ready for the semester.  We will miss them both so much.  They have made out summer so much more fun.  But, as I was telling Nick, one thing I have learned from this experience ...

Well they guys won before a large crowd on the 4th and our Nick the second pitcher was awesome, allowing only one run in 6 innings for the win.  There was a nice write up on him in the paper today which I have saved in case he wants to keep that sort of thing. The 4th was crazy.  The guys all had responsibilities to get out with the public.  AJ from Lori's house had to be down at the pier at noon, so he was pressed into judging the apple pie contest.  He was very happy to have tasted 7 pies!  He is African American from Tennessee and has the most beautiful teeth I have ever seen.  I just stare at them while he is talking to me. Dutton lost a bet and is not supposed to shave his mustache for the rest of the season.  That would be a bad idea.  Luckily, I think Nick talked him out of it.  It's all about looking good. Fortunately they all got to spend some time at the party so they were well fed and had a chance to chat up the neighbors. Nick ...

The dudes came home after a disappointing road trip where they went 1 and 8.  They pulled in at 5:10  this morning just as Watson and I were headed out for our walk,  Dutton has his car, so I guess they drove all night.  They looked a little ragged, and yes, there are now 3.  The third guy is another pitcher and another Nick.  They promptly went to bed, but Dean says they were up and out to the lake by 1.  They did not come home for dinner as I guess there is a great party at the lake.  Apparently, it includes some of the local girls which was enough stimulus to get these guys up and at "em.  It's 10:20 and they are still not home, Oh to be young!!!!