Pitch And Catch

One of the greatest things about summer is baseball. I love baseball. From the surface it is such a simple game of pitch and catch. In reality, it is a game of skill, technique and strategy. The best hitters in the Hall of Fame are only successful three or four times out of every 10 at bats. That shows you how tough the game can be.

Baseball is called “America’s Pastime.” And for good reason. This time of year games are being played by kids of all ages – girls and boys – in every city, town and wide spot in the road. (Well, girls play softball, but it’s still the same.) And Hollywood is in love with baseball as well.

One of my favorite movies is Bull Durham. The movie follows the rising career of Ebby Calvin “Nuke” LaLoosh who plays for the Durham Bulls, a minor league team. Nuke is a pitcher with out of this world potential. The problem is he has no control. One minute he is throwing heaters high and tight over the plate for a strike, the next he sending a loping long one into the stands scattering the crowd.

The team management sensing they have a diamond in the rough that just needs some good strong polish, bring in Crash Davis a major league catcher on his way out of his career. The two men meet at the crossroads of their careers – one on the way up the other on the way down.

Nuke, of course, does not think he needs polish. He thinks his game is just fine. With Crash behind the plate calling pitches Nuke feels reigned in. He wants to throw what he wants to throw. But he has been told to do what ever Crash tells him to do. Eventually, the inevitable happens.

Nuke’s exuberant youth and know-it-allness takes over. Crash calls for a change-up. Nuke wants to throw the heat, a fastball. Nuke shakes off the sign from Crash. Crash gives the change-up sign again. Again, Nuke shakes it off. Crash calls “time-out” and walks to the mound to discuss it with his pitcher. Nuke wins the debate and he gets to throw his heater. But Crash wins the lesson – he informs the batter of what’s coming. The ball leaves the park so fast you’d think it was the Concord and they were selling tickets on it.

Nuke asks Crash if he told the batter what he was throwing and he admits he did. From that day forward whenever Crash calls a pitch-sign we see Nuke’s head nod up and down in an exaggerated “yes” to whatever Crash wants catch. Nuke has learned that his teacher knows best. That perhaps Nuke has the skills to be a great pitcher but his catcher has the know-how to make him one. Nuke has learned a valuable lesson in patience, humility and trust. Nuke listens to his catcher and his dream of making it to the big leagues comes true.

I have been invited to a little game of pitch and catch myself. Unfortunately, I am a bit bull-headed like Nuke. I find myself going along with what my Catcher is advising I pitch but after awhile I get anxious or bored or lack trust or full of myself and just throw what I want. I can’t tell you how badly that has not been working out for me. Completely sleepless nights, anxiety riddled and confusion filled days. My fastballs get hit completely out of the park. Not the making of a big league legend.

God let me in on a not-so-secret secret the other day. I was wondering why I seemed to still be stuck in the same mud I have been in for quite some time, just wearing different shoes, and He let me know it was because I didn’t trust that He would take care of me. I said I did, but I didn’t act like it. That if I take His advice and I just trust and relax, really relax into Him His way I will make perfect pitches every time. I just need to nod an exaggerated “yes” up and down to His plan and I will be fabulously alright. Just like Nuke, I will see my game turn around and make it to the big leagues.

Who knew you could learn so much from a simple game of pitch and catch? I told you baseball was great.

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