It's Not Baseball, It is Tee Ball!

The time has finally come in Jack's life to get on the field and play tee ball.  He has been carrying around bats and balls and sleeping cuddled up with his glove for years.  Finally, he gets to play! And he loves it.  He loves the clay, the throwing, the hitting, the skill drills, practice, running bases...he loves it all! 

His first practice, suited up to look like a major league player.

He has all the legitimate gear.  His own bat, batting helmet and now the official uniform of the Sandy Plains Knights.  He is very particular about which ball he uses.  It has to be the one I wrote his initials on.  Well, looks like I am going to be initialing all the balls we own because I certainly cannot find that one anymore.  When I tell him we are going to baseball practice he is consistent in correcting me.  "Mommy, it's not baseball, its tee ball!"  One day I may say it right.

Hitting from the Tee

Forgive me for a minute and close your eyes if you don't want to read bragging.  My son is a talented tee ball player.  He understands the game and he owns it.  That boy swings for the stands and he can hit the stew out of a tee ball.  We practiced hitting from the tee a couple months prior to the beginning of the season since he was used to hitting balls we pitched to him.  And when he hit one over the fence, which was about 75% of the time, he would call out "Moneyball!" as he ran the makeshift bases in the backyard.   I had to negotiate with him, ten from the tee then ten live pitch.  When it comes to baseball, that kid knows what he wants.
He can also catch, field ground balls and throw with good accuracy. My kid has got mad baseball skills.  He is a good coordinated all around athlete that has shown elite skill in his first four years. We are making plans for him and dreaming of the majors.  

Running the bases

Jack is developing as a runner.  He loves to run and he says "I'm as fast as a bullet".  We encourage him to run, he craves it.  But speed is not yet Jack's virtue.  It is a good thing he can slam the ball to give him some time to round the bases.  His speed is coming, he can taste it.  That train is going to become a speeding bullet.  Run on sweet boy, run on!