Player Profile #8- Robert Carey

(So the only picture I have of Bob is this one, he is the man behind the mask. I know there has to be a better one, so somebody send one to me....)

By now you have all heard me talk about Bob, he is one of the most stalwart warriors we have in the club. Before I even get into his baseball skills, the first thing is Bob is the reason we aren't praying every Sunday to find an open field. Like Nick Smith, Bob has his shit together just a tad more than everyone else, and it shows. He is the club accountant, the club organizer, and though he probably would prefer a different term, he IS the team dad. He organizes the Fourth of July double header, along with the email for the weekly games. If Bob ever leaves our little thing, I fear the wake of disorganization and chaos that might follow.

Bob is a classic ball player, dug in and full of hardball spirit. He always comes to the field in full uniform, with a trunk full of gear, ready to play any position or cure any ailment. You wanna know how Bob rolls? Red Man chew, maple bats, and metal spikes. You got a problem with that?

Pitching to Bob is always a crap shoot. Once he's in the box, he ain't moving. He might turn slightly, but if you throw an inside pitch, there is a good chance that Bob is gonna wear it rather than get out of the way. And he seems alright with that. I think secretly, he likes it, as long as it doesn't hit him in the spine....But when Bob gets a hold of one, it's a thing of beauty, the crack of a wooden bat, the compact swing, and the shit talking that you get when he saunters up the baseline are all part of his glory.

Bob's catching is what keeps us in business as well, he prefers not to catch the whole game, but he will do it if needs be. He is a rock behind the dish, ready to plunge headfirst into the gear in pursuit of a foul ball. As a pitcher it is sometimes fortuitous to get Bob catching in the latter parts of a game, as the strike zone will get larger as he gets sorer, or if he needs to get home by a certain time.

Bob can play any position, first is usually his preferred if he isn't catching. Bob was unfortuately part of one of the uglier incidents we had in MBC lore. While playing at Balboa, Johnny hit one directly into the sinking sun. Bob was in center field, didn't have to move, had a bead on it, then it crossed the sun, and hit him square in the nose. Have you ever heard someone punch a side of beef? That's what it sounded like. I heard it from the infield. We rarely have real injuries, so this was pretty traumatic. The nose was broken, but everything else seemed to be alright. I think Bob took a week off, and then he was back the following week, bragging about his blackeyes. Never complained about it. That's a tough guy, I get hit in the side, and I'm whining and taking pictures for it for the blog....

Bob's a good guy. Ornery and set in his ways, yes, but he's got a heart of gold. He loves the game, and he has passed that love to his son, John, who has been coming out to the field since he could walk. John got his debut last year, at the tender age of 9, 10???? and proved himself more than capable of playing with the big guys, not only is he faster than all of us (he must get that from his mom's side of the family), but he plays a thinking man's game rather than the Cro-Magnon version most popular with our fellas. He is also blessed with natural ability and a great arm. John is a great kid, a spitting image of the old man, in gait and attitude, and it's nice to see two generations enjoying a common interest.

One final great thing about Bob, he has started his own grass fed beef company, Brandon Natural Beef. If you are a beef person, you have got to try some, I have utilized Bob's services for a couple of parties so far, and the reviews are always the same, AWESOME. And if you are a good customer, he might throw a extra strip steak in...His website is:

http://brandonnaturalbeef.com/

Bob, we all salute you. Thank you for your years of service dealing with the ineptitude of the Parks and Rec people, resupplying us with baseballs, letting us use your sweet bats, and most of all, for just being who you are. It wouldn't be MBC without a full spectrum of characters, and you are one mighty character.

S. Paige