Finding the strike zone

With the monsoon rains playing havoc with the surface of our ball field at Udall Park, it is hard for the members of the Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) baseball club to get in a lot of playing time during the month of July. I probably have 15 at bats this month.

If you play three times a week, there's a good chance you could step into the batters box 50 times on a good month if the frequent afternoon downpours would stay away from the area. Tucson residents are used to the monsoon season and know first hand that a downpour could occur on the east side of town, while the west side receives not a drop of rain. Or, it may go the other way, with the west side getting all the action and the east side left with nothing but a lot of grumbling of thunder and lightning. But we did get in two games this week, one on Monday and one on Friday.

Yours truly took the mound in both morning games. Both days were hot and sticky, but somehow I managed to go the distance in both and with the help of my teammates picked up two wins. Still having trouble with my consistency. Finding the strike zone isn't easy, especially when you're 66 years of age. Finding that rhythm, releasing the ball at precisely the right time, working the corners of the plate, developing a curve ball, a good four-seam fastball and a decent change-up isn't easy at any age, but at 66 years of age, it is a bit more difficult.

Maybe I'll toe the rubber again next week and give it another shot...weather permitting, that is.