Back From Vacation

Those of you who were fans of Jack Bauer and “24” know that a lot can happen in 24 hours. It can feel like it lasts months.

The same goes for a 24-hour break from broadcasting during the season.

With a day game on Sunday and a night game on Monday, Jesse and I have 26 hours away from the mic. That kind of break during the season is just lovely.

Anything more than 24 hours off, without travel, feels like a vacation. Both Jesse and I had a chance to grab dinner with some friends in the area last night. I was able to watch TV, read and workout. I almost feel like a real person!

Sidebar: We watched The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters last night. It is a spectacular documentary about the world’s best video gamers trying to set the World Record for the highest Donkey Kong score. I know, I know, sounds a little odd and geeky. Trust me, the story was beautifully told and if you appreciate a well produced, edited and directed film you will get a kick out of this documentary.

Anyway, back to a life in baseball…

During the season my entire mind is focused on baseball. I’m on-air every night talking about baseball. I am reading scouting reports. I am researching the background and history of the opposing players, coaches and franchises. Weekends and weekdays are totally blurred. The only way I know it is a weekday in April is when the crowd is light and I can talk to my 9-to-5 working friends on Google Chat. I know when a weekend is about to start because every self-respecting team has a “Thirsty Thursday” promotion.

It’s a strange and exciting life we live as broadcasters.

Well, the batteries are recharged after our 26-hour vacation and tonight the Lugnuts try to avoid losing consecutive games for the first time in 2012.

Negatives: The Lugnuts offense came to a screeching halt seven days ago. Remove the nine run output against Burlington on Friday and Lansing is averaging 1.8 runs per game in the last six.

Positives: Chris Hawkins is still torching the ball. He clobbered two balls on Sunday afternoon, one to center and the other to right. The wind caught them both and gently placed them in the glove of Peoria’s centerfielder and rightfielder.

In the three games against Burlington, Hawkins went 6-for-12.

Kevin Patterson’s plate discipline has improved…

First 16 plate appearances of 2012: one walk and eight strikeouts

Last 18 plate appearances of 2012: five walks and two strikeouts

Just for the record, the pitching is still lights out

First thing the players looked for when we showed up at the ballpark; which way are the flags blowing? They are blowing toward the rightfield foul pole. It looks like a strong cross wind for tonight’s game.

Bonus weather lingo from Jesse: “Pneumonia Weather”

This is when the sun is shining and it looks warm out so you leave your coat at home. When you step outside it is actually 50 degrees out and the wind makes it feel like 40. Because you did not bring your coat, you catch pneumonia.

That is the best way to describe the weather in the first two games of the Peoria series.