Elizabethton is a commuter trip for the Flyboys. The team boards the bus outside the home ballpark at 245 for the 50 minute trek. The walk from the clubhouse to the bus is uphill, probably 200 yards. By uphill I mean an estimated 15% grade, carrying my equipment bag, These old knees don’t appreciate it but hey, burning more calories. The team arrives one hour before the pregame routine begins. This arrival allows ample time for the players to get dressed into batting practice attire, receive treatment from the athletic trainer if needed as well. It also allows time for the staff to write and post hitting groups and to peruse the opposing team roster, stats, lineup, etc. The team caters a box lunch for the players and staff before and after the game. Without opening the box I know we are having a wrap, a bag of kettle chips, a fruit cup, tiny donut hole things and cinnamon butter dipping cup. I rarely eat it so I can’t say the quality. I am gluten intolerant and every day there is a flour tortilla staring at me. The catering group also delivers gallons of sweet tea and lemonade of sorts. The post game box meal is a variety but often has pasta so I leave mine on the table.

The pregame routine on the road is fairly consistent. Stretch, run and throw followed by batting practice. We divide the position players into three groups of four hitters. Each group hits for 12-15 before rotating back to the field. The batting practice is thrown by the coaches. The hitters have a strict daily routine, that’s announced before the hitting starts. While one group is hitting the other players are working on defense. The infielders take ground balls hit by the fungo hitter and make throws to 1st base or 2nd base. This is a great time to gauge how the infield plays, fast, slow, true or bumpy. Each park has different grass and the clay can be hard as concrete or damp and smooth. Outfielders can play balls off the bat. This is a time to test the wind, the grass , the warning track and to see how balls bounce of the outfield wall. Pitchers during this time help shag the balls. They might have bucket duty, which is where the batted balls are thrown and placed in the large plastic bucket. The bucket of balls is used to replenish the balls thrown by the coach. Generally when one gets near the bottom of throwing balls a yell of “Balls” can be heard around the diamond.

The starting pitchers and I usually head out 45 minutes before the game. Pre game routines have become more elaborate and involved than they were a decade ago. The starting pitcher generally goes through a total body warmup. We never want to use the throwing arm to warm up the back and legs. The majority of pitchers use weighted balls( heavier than a baseball) to warm up. The hurlers usually throws these against a sturdy wall. Exercise bands that clip to a chain link fence are also used and are a great way to get the throwing arm warmed up to compete. The pitchers need a good pre game routine, a precise one. Some of my guys start throwing at 20 minutes before the game and some are 22 or 17 minutes. So the coach needs to know the time of day and the scheduled time of the first pitch of the game. The pitcher warms up with the starting catcher in the outfield so the pitcher can long toss some to get maximally lubed up. Long toss means, to me, over 90 feet. Some pitchers toss to 150 feet, others out to 200 feet. The average pitcher throws for 8-9 minutes in the outfield before heading to the mound. The number of throws in that time period is 32-35 throws. The pitcher and catcher then walk to the bullpen mound to prep for the game. The pitchers works on each of his pitches from the windup as well as the stretch. Most pitchers need to be reminded to throw from the stretch but truth is 50% of pitches in a game are made with runners on base. A good bullpen routine is 30-36 pitches thrown. Most of the kids here throw much less than that but they will learn. The pitcher wants to give himself a five minute break between finishing up in the bullpen before the game starts, There is that time thing again, time management and starting pitching is a must for creating a fantastic routine. Routines lead to consistency.

Game one of this series saw the Flyboys fall in the last inning. We did battle back to tie the game in the top of the 9th. Too many wasted opportunities in the game to come out victorious. The pitching staff had no walks in this contest for the first time all season. The Flyboys also had 12 strikeouts. Two throwing errors gave the River Riders the extra bases to win, 3-2. Game two of the series was all Flyboys. The pitching staff was dominant. The Boyz from Eastern Michigan combined for 7 innings, 1 hit and 9 strikeouts. I look forward to watching the pitching future of Russo and Wagoner. Overall we allowed 3 singles in the game and 2 of those were not hits but the official score keeper loves the home town team. The Greenville Flyboys head home for a weekend series with the Turtles, who have a potent lineup. For now, it is post game shower, skip the non GF meal and drive back to Tusculum for a cerveza and gluten free chips and salsa. diggity!