First of all, I want to thank Steve, the owner of Tommy Nevin’s (which, by the way, is a terrific place) for footing the bill and including me in yesterday’s festivities at Wrigley Field, and Mark, the manager of the Naperville 12″ slow-pitch champion Mayhem, for inviting me. Not only did I get an opportunity to catch pop fly fungos from Alan Trammell, but I also got to take batting practice off Lester Strode. I was just thrilled I made contact. Majestic foul ball contact.

Notice that right after I put one through the box, Strode got scared and started pitching me outside. Which was smart, because I couldn’t pull the damn ball. Also, the brief cameo appearance was by none other than Thomas Diamond. Thomas, you’re in my shot.

Trammell and Diamond were both exceptionally cool. I asked Diamond if he still had the pink backpack, but then realized it was Maine. He pointed out that Mateo is also behind him on the pecking order. Then he laughed and said they had about 90 days to catch up with him, since he held the backpack for about 60 days in Texas and about 30 days in Chicago.

Strode clearly did not want to be there. He kept insisting that the next guy to hit be ready to go at a split-second’s notice, despite the fact that they provided us with exactly one left-handed helmet and one right-handed one. For ten hitters. Two lefties. After about the third hitter, he started asking, “Are you the last guy?”

Also, the first hitter to come up was a young man of probably 12 years of age. Strode flat-out gunned three pitches high and away from him. The rest of us turned toward each other and said, “We have no chance.” Les, the old character, must have learned from Dempster how to “joke,” because he laughed and said he was just teasing. The kid should have charged the mound. Incidentally, no one went yard.

Despite the outcome of the game and the insanely hot weather, it was one of the best times I’ve ever had at Wrigley Field. The staff was generous and cool, we got a complimentary official jersey and hat, and we actually got to hit, throw, and catch (which is more, ordinarily, than the Cubs do) on the surface of Wrigley Field. It was surreal.