And now, the end is near...

Day 4 has come and gone. Only a few small events remain before week 2 is officially in the books. 

It was a beautiful day in PSL, with a steady breeze which kept the temps lower than any day thus far this week. With Rusch Hour no longer in title contention, I prepared for today's first game against a team known as "KB's Got A Pulse". Where's the name come from? Well, their coaches are Kevin Baez (the KB portion) and Bill Pulsipher (the pulse portion.) 

My friend and HOFer Bobby Whelan was dealing for our opponents. KB's bunch jumped out to a 4-0 lead. We didn't get going until the fifth when I led off with a single to right. I actually had two hits in the game. But even though we collected 13 hits we fell short by a 4-3 score. The game was played as though we were all double-parked. It was over in no more than 70 minutes in length, which allowed our teams to have access to the hot and cold tubs before the remaining campers finished their own. I once again managed to get through the entire week without a visit to the trainers room. That seems like no big deal to some people, but the head trainer said she saw about 130 names of the 136 players on the list for treatment. 

Game two saw us score 10 runs but allow 13 runs to our opponents. I crushed a double over the left fielder's head in my first at bat to score a run. It felt good to be productive for the team. I closed out my 2022 camp week with a triple down the right field line which carried to the corner. I may have been able to turn and burn to the plate but we were trailing by 8 when I scalded that ball. Figgy picked up the base out of the ground and gave it to me expecting that I would raise it above my head, a la Ricky Henderson when he set the all-time record for stolen bases in a season. So I finished strong. That was my goal. I hit .450 for the week with 5 walks and 1 hit by pitch. 

The awards banquet was a great event. Each team was introduced and team MVPs were announced. To no one's surprise the week's Rookie of The Year and winner of the award for most RBI was Seth Caridi. Seth, or as I nicknamed him, "Sarge" was a force at the place. Figgy called him "Six and a half feet of muscle". A gentle giant, he was a great teammate and someone who represents our military in exemplary fashion. He currently is a sheriff for the New York State trooper. 

There were new inductees into the Hall of Fame. This week Tom Borowski and Chris Manganelli were inducted this week. They are both so very deserving of the honor bestowed upon them. 

Our team MVP was a man who did not let up all week. He fought through pain in his legs all week and turned down a runner most times because he wanted to enjoy the full experience of the camp. He served in two branches of the military for over 10 years each and is a part of the Hope For The Warriors charity which MFC donates to generated by Kangaroo Court, Casino Night and other events during the week. I had some great conversations with him during the week and he almost always had a smile on his face. His name is Tony Borg, but I nicknamed him Bjorn Borg because his skin tone is much closer to my own than that of the real Bjorn Borg. 

I want to take this time to thank all of my teammates with whom I took the field with this week. To Jim Beaumier, Tony Borg, Chris Buscemi, Seth Caridi, Sean Gagnon, Steve Gruber, Paul Isserles, Ken Veseli, Justin Vogt and Patrick Vogt thank you so much for making my week so enjoyable. 

All week long I was given accolades from other campers for my writings and told how much they enjoyed them. I have found out that there are those who find my entries so pleasing that they put them in a better mood on days that might not be going that well. Luis Marcos, between innings yesterday, asked me how I do it. I told him that when you love something as much as I have loved baseball all of my life and loving this team for over 50 years, it just flows out of me at times.

I grew up as a Mets fan. Always have been. Even during my employment with the Minnesota Twins (1989-2002). But orange and blue run through my veins. I was born on the day on which ground was broken for what would later be known as... Shea Stadium. That pretty much summed up why I felt connected to this team.  

I will tell you that as much as I have enjoyed the writing this week, it's probably not my best effort of the eight weeks that I've attended. I'm still dealing with the events of the past seven months or so, but I hope that you have enjoyed them as much as you have in previous years. My biggest writing supporter may be gone, but I will continue to bring you into my world and allow you to attend alongside me, albeit vicariously, for as long as I am able to. 

For those of you who have far too much free time on your hands and would like to read some of my past season's blogs, do the following. Choose a year (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 or 2022) and follow that year number with "metsfantasycamp.blogspot.com". For example, to see my entries for my championship week 2014, go to "2014metsfantasycamp.blogspot.com". Posts are read from bottom top, with earliest entry on the bottom of the list. 

Tomorrow I fly back to America's Favorite Twin Cities, Minneapolis/St. Paul. My 3 dachshunds will try to remember who I am and I will then treat them like the most important beings in my life today. 

I wish you all the best in the future. Thanksgiving is but less than a week away. It has always been my favorite holiday. I am thankful for the past week that I have spent on the Treasure Coast of the Sunshine State and everyone who made me feel appreciated. May you all have a great holiday season, whatever your particular observed holiday may be. Week 2 of 2023 is now but 51 weeks away. 

I look forward to being there.