My son's baseball league had their big "Opening Day" today. They had team pictures taken and played a couple of short exhbition games against other teams.

My life is about to change. This week my son started baseball again - practices three times a week for now. In a few weeks, his team will start playing games, some against the other 2 teams in our local Little League and others against teams from nearby towns. But I'm excited. I love baseball! I'm thrilled to have a son who plays the game! (And, I might add, plays it well.)

His dad took him to his first practice tonight. It looks like they're going to have a really good team this year. One of the telling moments was when my husband asked why one of the coaches had a football with him. Apparently they usually spend time during the first few practices playing catch with a football so the boys learn/remember to catch with both hands. But they didn't need it tonight because all the boys were catching properly!

This is J's first year in the AAA division - the first year for kids pitching and stealing bases and an All-Star team in the summer. About half of the team is new to AAA and half are in their second year. He gets to play for a coach who was one of his first Little League coaches 3 years ago - a great guy who helps teach the skills really well and focuses on having fun more than winning. It should be a fun and interesting season. And something pretty cool for us - J is one of 3 homeschooled boys on his team.

Oh, and guess who has already volunteered to keep score? Yes, I'm following in my mom's footsteps.

Bottom of the 9th inning, one run down, 2 out, 2 strikes, and everyone on the edge of their seats.

Strike 3, and the World Series is over. I couldn't believe it. Baseball is over! The Rockies are done for the season!

Next year, all the other teams better look out for the NL West - Rockies, Diamondbacks, Padres. These are some awesome teams! Congrats to the Red Sox. They earned this win. But watch out for the Rockies - they've had a taste of the World Series, and they'll be working harder to get back next year.

And now I rest my baseball rants until April (or so).

Saw this in the newspaper this afternoon. Very clever - written by Martin Bodek. For all baseball fans, regardless of where your loyalties lie!

Rocks and Sox.

Sox and Rocks.

Jocks from Rocks and Sox on Fox.

Fox has jocks from Rocks and Sox.

Rocks and Sox have jocks on Fox.

Sox with bats come.

Rocks with hats come.

Jocks with bats and hats and stats come.

Look, sir. Look, sir. Mr. Fox, sir.

Let's play games with hats and bats, sir.

Let's play games with stats, no gnats, sir.

Fans will snack on crackerjacks.

While Sox and Rocks take hacks and smacks.

Sox can rock with jack attacks.

Rocks can sock the warning tracks.

And here's a new trick, Mr. Fox.

Sox and Rocks on TV box.

Sox can sock or sack the Rocks.

Rocks can rock or wrack the Sox.

Now first of all, hold all your calls

And get enthralled, both tall and small

So all in all, it's fall baseball.

So gather all, and let's play ball!

Ummm ... have you all figured out that I'm a serious Colorado Rockies fan yet? Yes, I know it's just a game, but here's what I love about this team:

They're all team players. It's not about any one player (no matter how talented) being the hero. My son was shocked several weeks ago to learn that the SF Giants weren't in the playoffs - not even close. "But they have Barry Bonds!" he said. Sure, they have the best home run hitter in baseball right now.  But it takes a whole team working together to be really successful, and that's why the Rockies are so awesome now. In their last 5 wins, you can't point to any individual player who keeps saving the game. Last night Jeremey Affeldt got the team out of the tightest spot all night. He threw one pitch. One pitch - and that's all he did in the game!

Their hearts are in the right place. I almost cried when I heard that the team had voted a share in their post-season earnings to the family of Mike Coolbaugh, a minor league coach who died last summer when hit by a batted ball. When they make it to the World Series, that could be as much as $300,000!

They love their fans as much as we love them. Read this from Todd Helton's blog. (And my kids have been falling asleep listening to the Rockies games on their radios.)

And finally, I love them because they remind me of "my" Orioles team in the '80s. A team that's come out of nowhere to roll through the postseason, surprising everyone. Frankly, I'm pulling for the Cleveland Indians to beat the Red Sox in the ALCS and have everyone who follows baseball scratching their heads, wondering where these teams came from to get into the World Series!

(With apologies and condolences to my friends in Southern California.)

I've always been a baseball fan - maybe it runs in my blood (my mom's uncle pitched for the Indians). Plus I grew up cheering on the Orioles in the days of Cal Ripken, Jim Palmer and Eddie Murphy. And I have a son who is a great player already - he's outside throwing a ball up and catching it at the moment!

This year our whole family really got into following the Rockies, so we were thrilled when it looked like they had a shot at the NL wildcard spot several weeks ago. But even more, we've learned about some of the individual players, men for whom I have a lot of respect. Matt Holliday, Jamey Carrol, and Aaron Cook (sadly out for the rest of the season because of a strained muscle) are all men of deep faith and incredible humility - in addition to awesome talent! These are men I wouldn't mind my son admiring.

J asked me once several months ago, "What's so important about baseball?" I explained to him that our culture really admires athletes, and if he does excel at this sport, he will gain a lot of respect from other men and have a platform from which to talk to others about his faith. And the camaraderie of a baseball team is a great place to encourage teammates, sharing God's love and acceptance with them regardless of how well they play.

So, Rock on, Rockies! I hope this team will see miracles in the clubhouse this postseason - not just on the field!