I just got back from the movie theater where I saw Transformers, and it was definitely more fun than I expected! An unbelievable amount of CGI, but it still retained some of its original charm :-)

The weekend started normally, a nice bike ride with the Cycling Spoken Here group totalling 30 miles in 100 minutes. Then a turn for the weird. I came home and noticed tire tracks around the house, like you'd expect from a four-wheeler. I thought it was a little strange, but I figured kids will be kids. We had a fun day of playing Halo on the XBox and doing our usual Saturday evening activities (Sweet Tomatos, REI, etc).

On Sunday we realized the Internet was not working. We called up Time Warner and found out the problem was with our line outside (usually the problem is inside the house -- a loose cord, for example). Later on we took the dogs outside, and realized that the tire tracks coincided exactly with the location of our cable wire. We walked up to the cable box and saw that it had been pulled completely out of the ground! Someone must have pulled the cable out and replaced it. The TV is working fine, just not the Internet. I called Time Warner again and they had no record of anyone coming to the house. The repair appointment on Tuesday should be enlightening!

We finished the weekend with Elise's longest stint in her new running program, two and a half miles at the Apex Community Park.

An unspectactular 17-12 loss, with not enough hitting and not enough fielding. My line: 1-2, 2B, R, 2RBI

33 miles in 1:52, with no gas remaining on the last major hill. Still, a good ride!

28.6 miles in 1:33, an average of 18.5 mph -- yikes! I guess I have to bring my A game to these weekend rides!!

Grandpas just don't play well from behind, it seems. A 14-2 deficit after the first inning turned into a 28-9 defeat. My line: 1-3, 3B, R, 2RBI.

The Grandpas got blown out last night, losing by the mercy rule after a mere five innings. The final tally was around 15-1. Very few bright spots, although a surprise roster change moved me to #2 in the batting order. Coach quickly pointed out that every time I moved up in the order last year, I'd go 0-4. I did ok in the new spot, but the change didn't provide the desired spark in the offense. My line: 2-3, 2B.

I went out with the Cycling Spoken Here road riders, expecting a "15-16mph 90 minute ride". I checked my speedometer after about 20 minutes, and noticed we were indeed averaging 14mph. Of course, my speedometer only records data 3/4 of the time, so we were on a pace much closer to 20mph than 15! At least it was a large and fun group to ride with. In the end, we tallied approximately 34 miles in 1:52, for an average pace of just over 18 mph. I had been talking tough during the week that I wanted to try a faster group, and I got one! It was pretty tough (also near 90 degrees outside), but I had a good time, and will likely give it another shot next week.

Two evenly matches teams squared off last night at the IBM Rec Center. Grandpas won the toss and elected to be the visiting team (most teams prefer to be home, to get the chance to bat last at the end of the game). We always pick visitors, to bat first. And why do we bat first? Because hitting's fun!

Our strategy paid off early as we started with a five-run first inning. I joined the fun by roping a deep shot along the right-field line for a triple. We shut them out in the bottom, and we got five more runs in the second inning. I got a single to right field, knowing this was probably the last at-bat they would let me hit uncontested to right field. In the bottom of the second, they scored two runs. At the end of the inning, I robbed their pitcher of a bloop single with a diving catch in shallow right field.

Up 10-2 in the top of the third, our bats did not cool down. I had a proud accomplishment -- hitting a double to right field while their defense was specifically shifted to stop me from succeeding in right field! We tacked on an additional five runs in the inning. The opposing baserunners started to press for extra bases, leading to some easier outs. I threw out a runner trying to stretch a single into a double -- probably my first career outfield assist!

Now it's 15-3 in the fourth inning. In a move statisticians would call "reverting to the mean", we popped out on three consecutive batters. And in a cruel twist of fate, the opposition also reverted to the mean, exploding for seven runs. With two outs, a runner tried to go first-to-third on botched ground ball by the centerfielder. I was already on my way to back him up, and the ball took a lucky bounce into my bare hand. I whirled the ball to the relay man, who turned and fired to third for out number three -- chalk up half an assist for me! It's a strange game when I'm throwing guys out from the outfield... I'm one of the weakest arms in the league.

In the fifth inning I lead off with another triple against the shift, this time hitting the ball between the right-center and right fielders. My personal good fortune is getting a little ridiculous. We end up with two runs on the inning. 17-10, and given the length of the game so far, it's a good bet that we can go home if we home if we give up less than seven runs.

The opposition starts the inning with nine of the first ten batters reaching base. If you're scoring at home, that means one out, seven runs, and the winning run on second base. At this point I'm just thinking "don't hit it to me... don't hit it to me...". The masher at the plate was obviously not impressed as he sent a fly ball deep to right field. I backpedaled, just thinking "don't trip don't trip don't trip". Fortunately I caught the ball and managed to throw it in on time to hold the runners at second and third.

Now a left-handed hitter comes to the plate. And we all know where they like to hit the ball (right field). I'm still hoping that someone else gets the "opportunity" of a pressure-packed defensive play. CRACK goes the line drive to right field. It must be good coaching, because I was standing at the perfect spot to catch out number three.

I could go for a casual seat on the bench, but I have to lead off this inning. I hit a dinky ground ball to second base for an easy out. Hey, the luck had to end sometime. The next batter also grounded out. Things are looking bleak... it would sure be a good time for a rally.

Our tenth batter is at the plate and squeezes one through. Now it's the top of the order, and we've got new life. Single, double, double, and three runs have scored. Our cleanup hitter hits a hard ground ball to the third basemen, who appears to tag the runner coming from second. The umpire yells out, and the Grandpas bench erupts in protest -- he missed the tag! Our runner is adamant that he was untouched. The third baseman looks not unlike the cat who caught the bird. In a stunning display of ethics (IBM values?) the third baseman admits to having missed the tag and the umpire reverses the call. From the bench, I look for a cell phone to dial ESPN about a possible "instant classic" game.

The hitting doesn't stop. Three more hits and three more runs. I get a shot at redemption. The defense is shifted to the right. I foul off the first pitch well behind first base. As the second pitch is in the air, I hear the umpire shout something, which I later realized was "illegal!" (That realization did not good while I was in full swing.) It's a line drive just past the second baseman, good for another double. For those scoring at home, that's an incredible three extra-base-hits against the shift. I fully expect to never duplicate that feat. We get a few more hits and runs before recording our final out, but we have recorded a total of nine runs in our two-out rally.

Our last turn in the field is much less dramatic. With an ultra-conservative, keep-everything-in-front-of-you mindset, we give up two runs while getting the last three outs. Final tally: 26-19, with my career-best line: 5-6, 2 2B, 2 3B, 5R, 4RBI, as well as 1.5 outfield assists, three catches (one diving), and an error.

What a game!

We lost 18-3 last night, by the mercy rule in the 5th inning, after surrendering 15 runs in the first inning. Pretty much no bright spots for our team, save Tim's inside-the-park home run in the fourth inning. My line: 0-2.