Sun, subs and a general lack of rain

Skirted some nasty weather and slid into a beautiful night. Stole all the rain away and caught some sunshine. Mother Nature pitched us a good one. Guess she can be nice, strike her nasty inclinations and play ball every once in a while. But enough of the inane, roll your eyes wordplay. As the summer rolls on, players continue to make an exodus from the field and escape to better climes, those filled more relaxing situations, escaping the heat and humidity of the field for fully recreational activities.

So the season of the sub continues. Most teams support a medley of players from other teams, creating a broth of the good, bad and, yes, sometimes ugly, concocting a full team roster, for better or worse, so the games can continue with a batch of missing regulars. Okay, I may have lied a little bit. We’re never truly ugly, because we continue to be a fine looking bunch, no matter how ugly some of the plays we suffer through may appear to skilled professionals. Thank god none of those ever show up. No matter if they did. No matter how critical they would be of our playing prowess, we would tend to ignore them and carry on, blissfully unaware, perhaps just throwing a few moments their way to stop and make fun of them. No matter the number of regular players who take leave of their absence and the plethora of subs we have to call up, we all manage to pull up our shorts (well, most of us) and continue on playing together, in something that oddly represents baseball. Perhaps not really odd, because we try to commit to an even number of players on the field.

Games continue, points are accrued, wins are suffered and losses celebrated but the games can be close as close can be. Well, closer than usual. The bottom two teams played an up and down affair, one team leading then the other, then the other again, then not. One won, one lost. You know who you are. The top two teams struggled it out to eke out a tie, a rare occurrence usually limited to rainouts, but sometimes what we experience in good weather can emulate what transpires in bad. And everything continues to work out for the best. No matter the outcome, no matter the plays that were made or missed, fun was had, laughter was shared and, occasionally, we had the opportunity to take time out, suffer a moment of reflection and ridicule our friends and neighbours. Perhaps not outright ridicule, but moments of gentle ribbing. No worries, season continues, there will most likely be opportunities for more strenuous ridicule, some even well deserved.

All in fun, we don’t really mean it, we love you just the way you are. So, don’t go changing to try and please…but I digress.

Okay, perhaps I lied a little bit more. Suffered full digression years ago, but it is a place I am never afraid to go back to again and am fully comfortable dwelling in. So, another fine evening of ball is completed. Good fun, good friends and some exceptional plays. Some less than exceptional, but don’t take it too hard. It is all still in fun. Besides, at our age, we surely have developed thicker skins, can take a lump or two and continue to enjoy ourselves playing a game we love to experience. The baseball is good as well.