After coming off a fabulous All- Star season, we were so excited for Callan's Fall Ball season. We knew it was going to be tough adjusting as he had to move up from machine pitch to kid pitch, but we had no idea what was in store. In the first few practices Callan got hit in the knee fielding grounders... and to him that meant DONE with the infield. Before even the first game, Callan got hit square in the back with a pitch from a kid (accidentally and on his team)... and to him that meant DONE at the plate. Because Jones' don't quit, he stuck it out playing mostly in the comfortable outfield. At the plate we offered all kinds of bribery just to get him to attempt to stand in the box for a chance to hit it. We knew if he could ever get the bat on the ball again he would find his groove again. He was just plain scared. He wanted to do it so bad... but he knew better than to trust the kids throwing the ball at him. Finally with just a few games left in the season Brent bought him a chest protector, and although he looks more like the umpire standing at the plate than a batter, it gave him the sense of security he needed to stand in there at the plate. He still did not get a hit in those last few games, but he stood in there and ended up getting walked several times (when he would back out of the box the umps would end up calling strikes because that is what they are taught to do).
He did however do something new... something he enjoyed.
It is very hard to get a good picture of a pitcher... and it was at night... and the OTHER teams coach fussed at me for my flash going off because it was messing up "the little boy that is pitching".
I don't know what the future holds in baseball for Callan. Maybe after a little winter break we will be ready to try again... maybe this is the end and it is time to find something else he wants to do.
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