All I hear is “Cinderella”! Blogging’s going to be delayed until a little bit later today (look for a profile of possible 1B Juan Tejada). I absolutely wrecked myself XC skiing this morning. I’m a fair cyclist, but I suck diddly uck at cross country skiing; I have no technique. Zero. Essentially, I rely on my aerobic engine and just grind out the kilometres while the other guys glide away from me. It’s demoralizing and exhausting all at the same time, but you gotta do what you gotta do - stopping with sweat soaked clothes in -15C weather is not an option.
It’s nice to see another local baseball story in the Citizen - this one’s about Orleans native and O’s pitcher, Erik Bedard (HT: Patrick).
All winter, though, twice a week since early December, the Orioles’ top winner drags his 24-year-old brother, Mark, to the barn where every night is like Opening Day in the northeast in early April — temperature-wise, that is.
Inside the barn, it’s always 5C, and it nevers wavers despite weather conditions outside.
Mark was a tough-as-nails running back/safety with the Orleans Bengals in his teens. Now he passes for a pretty fair left-handed catcher by evening, and just like his father, Normand, is an elevator mechanic by day. It remains open to debate which vocation is safer, but Mark earns more in his real job.
Catching a 90 to 92 m.p.h. fastball is never easy — even if his brother does have great control. And an above average major league curveball can sometimes get away from a pitcher, and it’s the catcher who always chases the ball.
Reminds me of Rocky, speedbagging the side of USDA grade A beef in the cooler.
It’s also nice to see a little more commentary being posted on the blog. Keep the comments coming!
