Cardinals Kids Clinic...

Tuesday started off REALLY bad. Seth and I woke up excited about his clinic at Longacre Park near Mom and Dad's. This clinic was held by former St. Louis Cardinal players (6) and as Seth was getting ready, I was getting the paperwork together. This did not happen according to plan, as the bag that we have all of our moving stuff in was not in the bedroom. Richie had it at work. It was 7am and I had 30 minutes to get the stuff from Richie, but how???? I called him and we figured it would be easiest if he scanned and emailed them to me. I printed them off, filled them out, Seth is dressed and ready to go. I asked Seth were his glove is and he answered in his bat bag. (Now, we are in trouble). I asked were the bag was. He thinks, because he had a game Monday night and had to figure out what car we took to the game. He says in Daddy's car. Bleepity, Bleep, Bleep, Bleep!!! I call Richie and freak out. I know have only 10 minutes to get him to the clinic and checked in. We have no glove and I am practically in tears. NOT a good morning. Richie knows I am freaking out, and calmly tells me that one of the guys he works with is on his way to Longacre with the bat bag. The clinic starts at 8am and we get there at 740am to check in. Seth and the other kids are playing keep away with Fredbird and my phone rings. It is Rick, and he is at the park and needs to know where we are. YAY!!!!! 8am, and we have been checked in and a glove in hand!!!! Grace plays on the playground while I listen to the first part of the clinic explaining what the day will consist of and then leave when Seth goes to his first station. I came back after cleaning up and getting the camera. Grace stayed with Mom, till she was dropped off at the park when Mom had to leave for an appointment.

There were 5 stations the kids participated in. Seth's group started at the throwing station with Ken Dayley. He was a pitcher for the Cardinals from 1984-1990.

Next station was base running. This was probably his second favorite because he got to slide into bases. The station was taught by Kerry Robinson, who played with the Cardinals from 2001-2003. He was an outfielder, but was a fast base runner.

Seth running a home run (all the way arond the bases) and sliding into home plate!!!

The third station was batting. I think every child would say this was thier favorite!! This station was lead by Neal Fiala, who was an infielder in 1981. He is now a coach at Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, IL. I probably learned as much, if not more about the game then Seth did.

Waiting his turn!!

After the third rotation was break time. During this time, there was a question and answer session. Scott Terry, who played from 1987-1991 as a pitcher for the Cardinals, ran the show this day. He was great with the kids and answered just about any question you had about the game.

After break Seth's group headed over to the outfield for fly ball practice with Lonnie Maclin. He played in 1993 as an outfielder. He was hilarious!!

I had to take a picture of this guy. He was kind of annoying. I never saw him take a picture, but he reminds me of the "Uncle Bob" that Stacy refers to when she is taking pictures at a wedding. He just kept talking about baseball and the Cardinals like he was in management. His great-grandson was in the clinic and was in Seth's group. He kept talking like his grandson was going to be the next Albert Pujols and the family was banking on his baseball career. WOW...ok, I will get off my soap box now...

The fifth and final station was infield working on ground balls. This was lead by Rich Hacker, who spent 4 years as manager in Cardinals' farm system and served as Cards 1b coach under Whitey Herzog from 1986-1990.

Once the instruction was over, it was time for autographs and pictures. The rule was you had to get one card from each player before you could get something else signed. Seth quickly got all the cards and then went around and had them all sign his Cardinals baseball he had in his bat bag. This is Kerry Robinson.

It was a GREAT day once we got everything figured out and I was able to calm down and enjoy watching him do what he loves, play baseball!!! We both learned alot about the game and I even noticed that he used some of that instruction at his baseball game tonight!!