Germany To The Balls

I arrived in Germany nearly 5 months ago to play baseball, and over the course of those 5 months have kept you updated with a seemingly random barrage of nonsense. On few occassions did I even mention the glorious game our nation calls it's pasttime. That being said, it was a major part of my life here. I'd go so far as to call it consuming. Yet you heard little about it.

Now that our season is over, our place in the standings is set, and my personal numbers are finalized, allow me to catch you up with a brief overview of my last five months of baseball.

The Baldham Boars finished a respectable 15-13. After getting off to a disastrous start, we put the proverbial pedal to the floor and ran off 8 consecutive victories, finishing on a high note with the best record in the second half of the season.

Due to restrictions on foreign pitchers I was limited in my innings on the mound. I finished an inconsistent year with a respectable 3.27 ERA, striking out 45 in 33 innings pitched. My FIP was 1.84.

At the plate I ended up hitting .457/.545/.543 (batting average/on base percentage/slugging percentage - for all you non-stat freaks) and pulling a Joe DiMaggio by hitting as many homeruns (1) as times I struck out (1).

When not on the mound I played a fairly consistent shortstop, and as is usually the case was called upon to strap on the tools and get behind the plate a few different times over the course of the season.

Overall it was a good year. I had a great time in Germany and will miss many of my newfound friends...but I'm pumped to be coming home.

*****

I do plan to keep this blog going, so check back for occasional updates. Awesome things happen just as much in the U.S. as they do in Germany, so prepare yourself for a slow but steady stream of sweetness.

With that being said, I have prepared something for my last post from Germany. It follows:

Germany To The Balls

The green grass hills roll lusciously and thunderclouds abstruct the sun,

but when it's clear the Alps appear upon a brilliant horizon.

A smile and a friendly wave, a 'gruss got' everytime you meet,

the people here are very nice and Germany is really sweet.

There's unicycles everywhere and ten year olds with cigarettes,

plus absolutely awful poker played with crazy, queenless decks.

The 'volks' will often sit outside to drink their beer and eat their meat,

but rarely are there fatties here 'cause Germany is really sweet.

Wet, clean clothes dry upon the line and window screens do not exist.

Bavaria's not Germany, of this Bavarians insist.

There are no foosball tables here, 'cause Fussball's soccer played with feet,

and knee is pronounced 'kuh-nee' here, so Germany is really sweet.

Eggs are sold in packs of ten and never need refridgeration.

Transit rides are always free at any of the S-Bahn stations.

Why all this information's gathered? - just for you, a special treat,

so now you'll know that Germany, straight to the balls, is really sweet.