Day 1 in Phoenix ends in Victory!

Today was different. And by different I mean I played ZERO poker. And it was a good thing. It was truly refreshing to get away from poker and all of the wonderful people who make up that game that has paid my bills for the last 6 years...to get together with a bunch of guys who have nothing in common (well almost nothing) with me except the love for baseball, and a tremendous competitive spirit.

I am laying in bed right now with a swollen knee, caused from my slide into 2nd to break up a double play, and an ankle that was stepped on by the guy running down the first base line after he grounded into a double play, and then 'accidentally' spiked me, breaking my shoe in half and cutting my ankle. Don't take it the wrong way...he didn't mean to...I think he swerved too far into my lane for only one reason...he was trying like hell to hustle his 40+year ass down the line to avoid the DP. These things just happen. But now I need to get up extra early and ride with Chad over to Big 5 and get a new pair of spikes.

We started the day with a round of BP (batting practice for you couch potatoes) with Chad Brown and my roomie Jonny Abondanza. I didn't exactly light up the cage...but I wasn't as bad as I expected. But it just felt great to swing the wood for the first time in three years.

I went to the game with NO expectations to play. We have a really, really talented bunch of guys out here playing in this tournament. I just decided to come with a really good attitude and just be here to enjoy the comraderie of being with 'the guys' and if I got a chance to get into a couple games...hey, great! Well...we faced a team that had a pretty lousy pitcher, and we got a decent lead early...and our coach got me into the game for a couple of at bats and three innings at 1st base. I had a deep pop out to center and then walked in a run in my last at bat. We won the game 10-0. It was a blast...and we have some cool dudes on the team...a few that I played with on our original team back in 1990....and a bunch of others I'd never met before.

We play a game every day, sometimes two...for a full week...and these guys are all super fired up to win the championship...which is a National Championship...so its a pretty big deal. I think this will be a great week. We all met for dinner in the hotel's restaraunt tonight...and had some great chat. Chad and I ended up closing the place. Got a chance to talk about his deal, and Vanessa's, with Pokerstars. Found out some very interesting stuff I never knew. I've been friends with Chad for 20 years...but never felt comfortable asking him about anything dealing with money deals. In fact...I never like talking to people about what they make...but for some reason, we got on the subject, and I was just really surprised.

So now...I am driven to win a bunch of tourneys and get a deal with Pokerstars. Or Full Tilt. Or....well, anyone who wants to give me a deal like they have. Wow!

We had a guy on our team today who during a slide, broke his pinky finger. I mean...BROKE it....as in COMPOUND FRACTURE! Took off his batting glove and it was bleeding! Does he freak out? Panic? Leave for the hospital? Um....no, he asked someone for some tape...taped it up...and STAYED IN THE GAME!!! Wowwwww.....this guy is my new hero! I could NOT believe this guys balls! So how was I going to whine about my swollen knee or my new spike mark on my ankle!??? Answer? I'm not! It would have been like Vince Vaughn's character in "Couples Retreat" crying about his shark bite! So..uh, yeahhhhh....I'm good!

I spent some time tonight reading some of the other guys' blogs on this site, something I don't do nearly enough. Tonight I focused mainly on
THE BAT and his ramblings. Wow! Dude is pretty funny. I have to say, I really enjoyed it. No idea who he is...as he comes off as Mr. Anonymous...and now I have to know. So I will be badgering Wild Bill and/or Gene about it later.

I still haven't locked up lodging for me and my 'associates' in Chicago, but I have some inside dealings that should come to a head tomorrow and result in accomodations being finalized, hopefully by tomorrow night or Tuesday.

The maids forgot to visit our room here at the Best Western at Dobson Ranch today. I hate that. And the A/C doesnt work worth a shit. Really hate that! Thank god there isn't any humidity here. Everything on the west coast closes early...so it always feels like its a lot later than it is. I'm so used to going to bed late...like 2 or 3am...and when I'm out west, I just always go to sleep earlier. Pretty sure that is a good thing.

Okay I'm done here.

Monk