We are playing baseball, stop raining…

Posted on April 21, 2016 by kdarcy21

We are supposed to open our baseball season this weekend with the Jamboree Tournament, each clubs plays three games.  That is great, it is a nice tune-up for the season to be sure.  One problem, by the looks of it – Mother Nature.

The forecast for the weekend hasn’t looked good since last weekend.  Mid-teens and rain.  Now, it is two days away and it is still showing rain, but the forecast high for Saturday is only 8 degrees.  Come on now, leave us alone and let us play some baseball.

Even if it is dry, 8C isn’t fun to play ball in, although we will.  What typically happens is the games start because the rain hasn’t started.  Then, you get warmed up, throw 3 pitches and it starts, so you play in drizzle for a bit and then it starts raining harder and harder until the game is postponed and then, after 30 minutes and the field isn’t playable, cancelled.  I sound like a pessimist, don’t I?  No, not really, I am a baseball coach – that’s what happens…

Anyway, forecasts can be wrong, especially in Calgary.  I am hoping the rain skips by the South West part of the city, cold we can deal with.  Play ball !!!

Posted in Baseball | Leave a comment

Four years already…

Posted on April 19, 2016 by kdarcy21

Today marks four years since I arrived in Calgary, well, 4 years ago today was my first full day in the city.  The trip from Ontario was an interesting one.  Four days across country, I drove through Ontario as opposed to going through the US since I had a full trailer and didn’t want the customs guy to say something like “let’s see what is at the front of the trailer”, I never would have gotten it loaded again.

The four years has gone by pretty quickly.  When I arrived, I didn’t know the city of course and I rented a place in Forest Lawn.  This used to be one of the rougher neighbourhoods in the city, I didn’t mind it there though.  I’ve moved twice since getting here, keeping up the trend that I started in Ontario.

My fourth anniversary at work is in a few days.  I now work from home, haven’t gotten into the office since August. I have gotten quite comfortable working from home and I get a lot more done, no one comes to my door to ask me questions.  Quite nice.

I have settled pretty well here.  I am coaching ball, this is my third season as the club manager for the Babe Ruth Rockies club.  I have learned the city pretty well and it is home now, has been for a while.

So, thanks Calgary for four good years.  Here’s to many more.  🙂

Posted in Baseball, Personal, Work | Leave a comment

Let’s play ball

Posted on April 18, 2016 by kdarcy21

This is the final week of pre-season practices before the opening Jamboree Tournament next weekend. We have two practices this week, Tuesday and Thursday.  I think both teams are just about there, there are tweaks of course but in general, we have some pretty talented ball players.

We do have some injuries, only on the AAA team though.  Two twisted ankles, hopefully both will be good next weekend and one knee injury that could keep him on the bench for a while.  Results on his MRI come in today – hoping for good news.

Indoor training zipped by pretty quickly.  We’ve been working out for 6 or 7 weeks now.  We are all looking forward to getting on the field.

The weather forecast for next weekend keeps changing.  One day, it shows it at 10C and rain, then the next it is 18C and cloudy so who knows.  I don’t think forecasts are any more accurate now than 20 years ago, less accurate perhaps.  I hope we get out to play all 3 games anyway.

Well, wish the Rockies some luck.  Let’s play ball !!!

Posted in Baseball | Leave a comment

It is almost time for the first pitch…

Posted on April 11, 2016 by kdarcy21

The AA and AAA teams have now been split up for the 2016 Rockies.  We have two weeks until the Jamboree Tournament (3 games,2 hour time limit) and then the regular season starts up.  I am looking forward to getting outside for ball, that’s for sure.  The City of Calgary Park sites says that one of our diamonds opens today, April 11, so if it actually does, I am looking for some outside time.

Our indoor facility is great, but somewhat limited just because of size.  It does have a large infield area, but we can’t do much outfield work because the ceiling is too low (30 feet or so).

Looking forward to a great season of ball.

Posted in Baseball | Leave a comment

Indoor training wrap-up…

Posted on April 8, 2016 by kdarcy21

Our indoor workouts are just about done for the Spring.  The weather is nice enough now to get outside, unfortunately, the parks are not yet open.  We had a batting cage session last night at the Coyote Den. Saturday, we have infield practice.  Quite a bit of our team will be away since they play winter ball and those teams have tournaments on back to back weekends to end the winter ball season, this weekend in Medicine Hat and next in BC, Kamloops or Kelowna, one of those.

We have decided on AA and AAA team splits and will inform the team this weekend, or on Monday in my weekly email.  Nothing much else planned for the weekend, maybe sleep in – yes, that will be good.

Posted in Baseball | Leave a comment

I have a blog? Better update it…

Posted on April 7, 2016 by kdarcy21

Well, I guess I have not had the blogging bug the last few months.  I suppose that is OK, it is my blog after all.

For those of you wondering what has been going on, well, here it is.

We are well into Spring training for Babe Ruth.  The evaluations were in February, a good pool of talent for sure.  The Rockies had a great draft, we had 2 first, 2 second, 2 third round picks this year which gave us some excellent selections.  A few players left the Rockies via trades and two new players came in and I think we came out on top of those trades.  The coaching staff got together and came up with a good plan for the draft and we got pretty well who we wanted.

Indoor workouts have been good, development of the club has come along well.  The split into the AA and AAA teams is pretty well decided.  Both teams will be strong, by the looks of it.  Of course, sometimes a team on paper is not the same as the team that shows up on the field.  We will see.

The weather this Spring has been excellent, we are waiting for the parks to open so we can get outside. Our opening Jamboree Tournament is the weekend of April 23/24, two games for the AA’s and one for the AAA’s.  The regular season starts right after that on Tuesday the 26th.  It will be a quick season, I am sure.  Time flies when you are having fun.

Let’s see, what else has gone on…  Well, Hera turned one in early January and Blondie turned five a month ago.  I think Hera finally realized that this is her permanent home and she has settled in quite well.  She drives Blondie nuts, but Blondie is a very tolerant dog and puts up with the play.

I am still working from home, works very well.  I have not been in the office since August.  Not planning on going in any time soon, I don’t think.  We are having a conference again this year, it will be in September back at Blue Mountain in Collingwood, Ontario.  I am not planning on staying in Ontario either before or after the conference, at least at the moment I am not – guess I will see.

Now that baseball season is here, I am sure I will be making more regular entries.  Guess we will see on that as well.

 

 

Posted in Baseball, Blondie & Hera, Personal, Work | Leave a comment

Almost baseball time…

Posted on January 12, 2016 by kdarcy21

The baseball off-season is almost done.  It has flown by, for sure.  We have a coaches meeting this weekend and we will start evaluations the first week of February.

I am looking forward to getting back to it.  My hibernation over the late fall and winter has been good, but it will be nice to be doing some baseball drills again.

We have to draft fairly deep this year, a lot of players graduated.  Hopefully the talent pool will be as good as I’ve heard, time will tell.

Posted in Baseball | Leave a comment

The rest of December

Posted on December 30, 2015 by kdarcy21

It would appear that I have not made an entry since the beginning of the month, just after I moved into my new place.

Well, that doesn’t completely surprise me.  I typically hibernate this time of year.  It is my off-season from baseball and I don’t do a lot, including blog entries, apparently.

I am settled into the new place.  I like it, lot more room.  It is quiet and I have control of the heat.  All good things.  The dogs are settled and I think they like it as well.  There are a couple of dog parks in the area which is good for all of us.

Christmas has come and gone.  It was a cold Christmas day as well.  We went to one of the dog parks and nearly froze.  I had four days off around the holiday which was great.  Three days to work this week and then three days off for New Years.

Baseball starts back up with meetings in January and evaluations in February so I am sure I will start making regular entries here again.

If I don’t talk to you before, have a great New Years and all the best for a great 2016.

Posted in Baseball, Blondie & Hera, Personal | Leave a comment

Almost settled…

Posted on December 4, 2015 by kdarcy21

I’m pretty well settled into my new place, still have some organizing to do, mostly clothes. I still need to connect my washer and dryer as well, I’ll blame that on pure laziness on my part. Seeing as I need to do some laundry this weekend, that’ll be a priority tomorrow. I also need to put the legs on my dining room table. Everything else is pretty well done, which is good. I’ll also update my drivers license and vehicle registration tomorrow. There is a registry office within walking distance.

Blondie finally ended her huger strike, or whatever it was. I think she was protesting the move. She was eating biscuits and drinking water, so I wasn’t worried about her. Silly dog. Hera didn’t protest anything, what does a puppy have to protest, really?

The week at work has gone by pretty quickly, hopefully Friday will follow suit. I don’t have to work any crazy evening and weekend shifts over the holidays, although I volunteered. I’m ok with that, it’ll be fairly slow, the near downtime.

I’m still waking up very early which is odd, I typically hibernate this time of year. Perhaps this is the new norm. Perhaps I’ve already turned into a senior citizen. Oh well.

Enjoy your weekend.

Posted in Personal | Leave a comment

Almost all set and back to work…

Posted on December 1, 2015 by kdarcy21

I slept in a bit today.  Well, slept in under my standards.  I was awake at 4:15.  I am not sure why I have not switched over to “winter” mode, or more likely, “hibernation” mode.  I have for years.  I am actually OK with waking up early though, better than dragging myself out of bed and feeling like a zombie for ages.

The house is getting there, almost organized.  I still have to do a few things here and there and still have to unpack clothes, but pretty much everything else is done.  It is a good feeling.

The office is setup, I am back to work today.  I decided to locate my office in the basement.  I think it will be a good fit down here.  Telus was setup yesterday.  I have faster internet service, an upgrade for free for 6 months but over wireless, I am unable to take advantage of it.  So, I guess I will downgrade when the free “trial” is over.  I don’t have a computer near the router/modem so I will never be wired in.

I plan to walk the neighbourhood at lunch today with the dogs.  We hit a few dog parks in the area yesterday.  They are great for walking/hiking, but not enough open space to use the ChuckIt to throw the ball.  I will continue to explore and I am sure I will find one.

Back to work for me – enjoy your day.

Posted in Blondie & Hera, Personal, Work | Leave a comment