Game 2: As bad as it gets?

People say baseball is a humbling game …

We proved it today.

After an easy and gratifying first win in our opener two weeks ago, we returned to the field this morning and got slapped around. The final: 12-2.

We were up against the perennial powerhouse of the league this morning, but going in -- given the way our team is built and how well we played two weeks ago -- I figured it’d be a competitive game. Instead, we didn’t hit, and they did. They also capitalized on our errors.

I got the start at third base to cover for a couple guys who couldn’t play this week. Second base and shortstop in our first game, and third base today -- just call me Aaron Miles, or Craig Counsell … I didn’t get a whole lot of action, however, other than a pop fly foul ball that I caught to end an inning.

At the plate, I came into today’s game as confident as ever after my 3-for-3 in the first game … But we also faced some hard-throwers today. In my first at-bat, I was thrown out on a slow bouncer to the shortstop -- but at least I could be happy I put the ball in play.

In my second and final at-bat of the day, I strode to the plate with two outs after the batter ahead of me drew a walk to load the bases. Nice. Here’s my chance to drive in some runs for us, I thought …

I swung and missed a letters-high fastball for strike one, then fouled off a breaking ball for strike two. Then, I fouled off a knuckleball to stay alive, and laid off a curve that dropped outside the plate for ball one. Finally, the pitcher threw another fastball; I started my swing too late and missed it. Strike three. … I could be happy I battled, but I badly wanted a sweeter outcome.

So went the game. It seemed as though the other side was piling on more runs with each passing inning ... During the final innings we were watching the clock and counting the minutes to lunch time. I was starving.

Oh yeah, and the umpires went to the wrong field and never showed for our game. Each team’s catcher had to call balls and strikes, which could not have been easy.