Scouting Report

We did not sleep well Saturday night. Josh dreamed there were snakes everywhere. I felt like I was up with the baby every hour.

Maybe it was the excitement of the game the next day. Maybe it was just a coincidence. Either way, the 6:45 alarm was a relief for both of us. Josh headed to the field around 7:30. The bus would leave for Kissimmee at 10 am.

"Let me know if you're pitching for AA or AAA," I said as he climbed into the 4Runner. He nodded as he backed out of the garage, waving goodbye as he drove away.

"Lord, please give him success today," I prayed, shuffling back inside in my fuzzy rhinestone slippers. Pouring a cup of coffee, I heard little peeps from the nursery.

"Out, Mama. Out."

McKenzie and I went along with our morning routine as usual. Yogurt and cereal in the booster seat. And on the flour. And in her hair. And...time to wash up. Get dressed. Go for a walk. It was warm already, but breezy with the question of rain.

We walked by the grocery store and got a Sunday paper for the coupons. Josh texted and said that he wouldn't know which team he was pitching for until he got there. It was 10 am. I wouldn't hear from him again until I saw him at the game. (Josh thinks cells phones are God's third curse to mankind, right after death and snakes. It would be in his locker the rest of the day.)

On our way back from the grocery, I was deciding what to wear to the game. It was the first of the season. Despite the clouds, a warm and sunny day. The perfect excuse for a sun dress. So I took McKenzie out of the stroller and buckled her in her car seat. Walmart is 10 minutes down the road. It was 10:15. We had to leave for the game at 11:45. Plenty of time.

$13.58 later, we were back home with the sun dress. Catherine would be proud of me. I went for the funky pink and brown one instead of the plain more conservative tan one. It was 11 am. Yikes! I was still in my running clothes.

Into the crib McKenzie went. I jumped in the shower and threw on the sun dress and some makeup. Plopped some chicken in the crock pot and slapped a PB&J together for McKenzie. Grabbed a water bottle, a sippy cup, a pink baseball, some books, and the baby, and headed out the door. Whew! Only 15 minutes late.

We got to Kissimmee at 1:20. Not bad. After getting sunscreened and hatted, we made our way to the fields on the look-out for daddy. The first game we walked by seemed to be the AAA guys. No Perrault on that bench. We came to the next field. As the away team, the Nationals' were on the first base side. There he was. Number 41. Arms out. Leaning back on the bench. Black Oaklies on his face. He looked up at us and waved.

"Stephanie," I heard a voice from the stands. I looked up and there was my friend Melani Baez. Her husband Edgardo played with Josh last year in Potomac. McKenzie and I joined her. We visited and caught up, baking on the metal bleachers in the hot sun.

Before long, Vee arrived. Her fiance, Dee, is another of Josh's teammates. They had a baby three weeks ago. Baby Javier was a cutie. McKenzie wanted to play with him, but had to settle for chasing the pink baseball.

We kept watching the game and cooking to death on the concrete sidewalk. I had no idea what inning it was until the trainer walked by and filled me in. There are no scoreboards at minor league spring training games. We were in the bottom of the 7th. Josh was still scoping out the game behind his Oaklies. Another pitcher went to warm up in the bullpen. I was beginning to worry. Josh might not pitch at all.

Top of the 8th came. And went. Josh got up and started to stretch.

"Thank you, Lord. He's going to pitch the 9th."

Bottom of the 8th. He was in the bullpen. I was praying and my stomach was churning. Two outs. Three outs. Show time.

My prayers were pouring out as fast as I could think them. He took the mound and did his warm-up pitches.

"Oh, crud." First batter was a big lefty.

First pitch. He lined it down the right field line.

"O.k., o.k., it was just a double. Not irrecoverable. Help him calm down, Lord."

Right hander up next. Two strikes. Blooper hit to the third baseman.

"Come on. Throw it. Get the out at first."

Didn't make the play. Runners on the corners.

"Oh, Lord. Have mercy. Help him get in his groove."

Another lefty. Strike one. Strike two. Strike three.

"Thank you, Jesus!"

Lefty number three on deck. He strikes out! Two down one to go.

Right hander. Two strikes. The wind-up. The pitch. Hit to short. Play at first.

"Safe," the ump bellowed. The runner on third came home.

"Darn it anyway!"

Next batter. Strike one. Strike two. Smack. It sailed toward center field. Before sailing over the fence, it dropping into the center fielder's glove.

"Thank you, Lord Jesus!!!!" I could breath again. Josh wasn't going to be very happy about that run, though. Oh, well.

Randy Tomlin, the pitching coach walked by. "He did good," he said.

My racing heart slowed a little bit. I smiled a thank you.

Josh came out of the dugout dripping sweat. After hugs and kisses from his girls, he walked over to look at the pitching chart with Randy.

"Your change-up looked really good," he said. "That was a change-up you struck that lefty out with, right?"

"Yup. I can't believe that guy swung on the first pitch. He didn't hang back at all."

We walked to the parking lot. Gave Josh hugs and waved good-bye. He had to ride the bus home.

"You did good against the lefties today, Babe," I said, when he got home later that evening.

"Yeah, all except that first pitch."

"Yeah. Well If it hadn't been for that blooper hit to the third basemen there wouldn't have been any runs at all."

"Well, he should have made that play. They scored it as an error."

"Really? I thought he should have made it, but wasn't sure. So it didn't count against you?"

"Nope."

Hallelujah!

We sat down for dinner. "Thank you, Lord, for this meal," Josh prayed. "And for the good outing. I pray for continued strength and success in that area. In Jesus name, amen."

"Yes, Lord," I agreed. Thankful that Josh was satisfied.

I will sing aloud of your strength; I will sing aloud of your
steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge.
~Psalm 59:16