I love sliding.  There's something exhilarating about putting your body in harm's way just to make a play.  I play adult rec league softball and I know a lot of the guys out there are smarter than me (they'd rather "take the out" than risk injury); nevertheless, I love to slide on a play.  When I used to be an outfielder, I did it all the time.  Now that I've become a permanent pitcher, my sliding is limited to the basepaths.

It's funny, 'cause a lot of times I don't want to slide.  It's understandable.  The majority of amateur baseball injuries are due to sliding--but those are usually guys who don't know what they're doing.  I am an expert slider.  Sure, I broke my leg sliding--but I slid wrong and knew it.  Hell, I knew I was gonna slide wrong on the play--I didn't wanna cut up my leg (that and I was trying to hurt the second baseman).  Other than that, I've always been a great slider.

It dates back to my soccer days.  I was known as a great slide-tackler.  Some considered it a brutal form of soccer, but it was always legal as long as I got the ball.  I found it to be the most effective way to stop someone on defense (they can't score off you if they're on the ground).  I also learned how to make it an effective offensive tool (they can't stop you if they're on the ground either).  I was good at sliding.  Controlled, strong, hard, and able to pop up so quickly it was like I never slowed down in the first place.

Man, I miss soccer.  I'd love to get in an adult soccer league, but I'm not sure my body could handle the abuse.  That and I don't speak Spanish.

My sliding skills translated well into softball.  Sure, I have a "soccer slide" but it's effective and has kept me from getting injured.  I've made so variations to my slide--been able to alter it depending on the play at hand.  I've got things called the "close slide," the "low slide," the "hard slide."  They're all unique and I subconsciously make an instant decision as to how I'm gonna slide into the base at hand.  The way I see it, that base is mine and I'm gonna do whatever it takes to get it.

It's funny 'cause some days I'll say "I'm not sliding today" or the ground looks too hard and I don't wanna put myself through that.  Sliding is hard on the body.  I wear pads, but with every slide I make, I'm gonna get cut up somewhere (usually thighs, kneecaps, or palms).  And that's just the surface bruises.  Hitting the ground that fast hurts--it's like a cross between taking a punch and getting hit by a car.  Every part of your body gets affected from the jolt.  My muscles become sore and tender.

Despite all its drawbacks, I love the slide.  It's great being to pop up and listen to the ump call "Safe!"  I feel just a little bit taller as I dust myself off (but not too much--a ballplayer covered in dirt is something to be prideful about).  I like the respect I get from my teammates.  They congratulate and admire me because they know I made a play--I put my body at risk and did whatever it took to make a play.

I know we're not professionals and it's just rec league softball, but in my book, that's what sports are all about.

I just hope I can keep doing this too myself when I get older.

Now that I got that outta the way, we won tonight.  It was like a four-run game, but we were in control throughout.  I felt good about my pitching--I was missing and walked more guys than I should--but physically, I felt good.

Now that bad news--I think my shoulder is screwed up again.  I'm having trouble throwing the ball overhand.  I stopped doing my exercises--maybe I should start again.

It's all too much.  Brushing teeth, the macheen, arm exercises--who has time for it all?

Being grownup sucks.