Spring Intra-Squad Game

First things first: let's all remember what Spring Training is for: getting in your swings, finding that release point and running the warning track. For Whifflers, two out of three ain't bad.

Today, what started as just batting practice for Matt, Kurt and (Rookie of the Year candidate) Mike Lucas turned into a seven inning intra-squad game with the arrival of Brent and Dave (R-OH). And the fans were treated to plenty of "finding the release point." More like "searching for the release point." Not all release points were actually found.

There was also a good amount of getting swings in, as the contest featured a fair amount of offense. For the record, we kept the score but not the stats.

Brent working on his "eye" (i.e. not swinging)

Take note, reader, in the photo above one of the high notes of the day: Starbucks coffee and DLM doughnuts delivered mid-game by Robyn. Nowhere is the term "Better Half" more apt than in the Mosser home. In the background you can make out Brent "getting in his swings" whilst waiting for Kurt to "find his release point."

Emphasis in the preceding paragraph is placed upon "one of" because there was another high note of the morning. In what was his fourth inning of pitching of the day, Kurt got shellacked. It started with four straight singles before Kurt struck out Matt. He'd see 6 more runs score before he got the second out. It got so bad that even when Matt was laughing so hard in the batter's box that he could not see, Kurt still couldn't hit the strike zone. When Matt did get it together he laced a single up the middle for another hit. Brent, Dave and Matt sprayed singles to all fields, and Dave hit a 3 RBI triple in the middle of it all. When the third out finally came, Kurt in that inning had surrendered more runs (9) than he did in all of 2010 (7). A one-game ERA of 20.25. Ice, Kurt. Ice.

9 runs allowed by Kurt, 2 driven in by him (off Brent)

But, hey, that's what Spring Training is for.

REMEMBER: Da Commish has declared next week Opening Day. Come on out and get in some swings that count.