Full Count???

Well, here we go. My first attempt at blogging. As I sit back and try to determine where to begin, I think that perhaps the best entry point would be to explain the title of my blog – Full Count. I grew up playing baseball, and I excelled at it. I love baseball. I love the intricacies of the sport, how every pitch can change the course of the game. I dreamed of playing in the big leagues like most kids do. Obviously I didn’t make it, but I continue to remain active in the sport, even if it’s now on a softball field – same concept, one additional player.

So, why Full Count? Well, I’m sure some of you have listened to a baseball announcer make some statement like this:

“Here it is, folks. Tie score. Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, full count. A classic confrontation.”

That is, in its purest form, what baseball (and softball) is all about. That pressure situation where one pitch will determine the outcome of the game. Many times, we think about that situation, and we think the pressure is all on the pitcher, or maybe it’s all on the batter. But the truth is, everyone on the field at that moment in time, and even a few in the dugout, is feeling the same pressure. The questions abound – What pitch do I throw? How soon do I swing? How shallow or deep do I play? How big of a lead do I take? Everyone on the field has a decision to make, and the manager of the team has to consider all of the variables and communicate to his players exactly where they need to be and how they should react. And all of this takes place in approximately 3 seconds!

Baseball is the purest team sport there is. With every pitch, each player on the field needs to be thinking “What am I going to do when this ball is hit to me?” The actions and reactions of each fielder is dependent upon the actions and reactions of their teammates. It’s true in baseball (and softball) and it’s true in life in general none of us can do this alone. There are many people in our lives that we depend upon to get us to the next play – our families, our friends, our co-workers. These are our teammates in life, and we are accountable to them as they are to us. So when we face those ‘Full Count’ situations in our life, we can rest assured that if we do our best to get the job done, there are people around us ready to support us and provide an assist if something goes awry!

So take a look around and see who your teammates are. And then go out there and throw that pitch! Once the ball leaves your hand, you never know what's going to happen, but whatever it is, it is bound to be exciting!