Baseball Family #7
Pitcher – the Father’s Place on the Team
In baseball each play starts with the pitcher. In Little League it was usually the biggest most athletic kids who were pitchers. They could throw harder than anyone else and were just a bit scary to see on that mound. It is funny how that no matter what age the players are the pitcher still takes center stage. They are the most sought after as players. They always say that good pitching beats good hitting. A pitcher can determine how the entire game goes for the team. The catcher may call the pitch they want, but the pitcher has to throw it to make the plan work.
In families moms call the pitches many times. It truly does fall to the fathers to throw the pitch the family needs at that time. But the thing about MLB pitchers is that they don’t rely on just one pitch to get through a game. Great pitchers have several pitches that they can throw for a strike whenever they need. With that thought in mind about pitches. What are the four pitches a dad needs to be successful in his family?
Every pitcher starts off with a fastball. Some can really bring the heat. As fathers we have our fastball as well. It is teaching and disciplining our kids as they grow up. Proverbs 19:18 reads “Correct your children while there is still hope; do not let them destroy themselves.” Proverbs 29:17 carries the same theme: “Correct your children, and you will be proud; they will give you satisfaction.” We need to teach our kids some discipline in their life. We all need to realize that our kids will be disciplined, either by us or by someone who might not do it out of a heart of love. We cannot hope our kids turn out with discipline in their life; we need to set out with a plan to help them find their way. That is our fastball. Our go to pitch when we need to help our kids.
There are several kinds of fastballs that we can throw. A four seam, two seam, a splitter and a cut fastball. They are all fastballs but they are gripped differently so the ball moves differently when it is thrown. It is the same with teaching our kids. We have to understand how they learn, what reaches them and throw the fastball that works for them. In discipline we have to make sure the pitch fits the situation. We have to find what gets the point across to our kids. There is no one way to discipline our kids, but we need to discipline in a way that teaches and helps them understand why they are in trouble.
Then there is that pitch that has made many a batter just look dumb as they scrambled out of the way as a pitch seemed to aimed right at them only to curve at the last moment and drop across the plate for a strike. If we are the father who is always correcting everything our kids do we will wear them down. We need to throw a curve ball and be involved in their daily lives. The Bible talks about every day we should talk with our kids about God, when we get up, lie down or walk down the street. Having a father who is involved in his kids’ daily life will be a curveball for our times. It is a tough pitch to get right at times. Over time it could tear up your elbow, but it is really sweet when the pitch is working right. Just like our kids will be forever changed not by big events, but by the simple interactions we have with them each day in our homes.
When I pitched my one inning and half in Little League I warmed up with the bases loaded and 2 outs. After I had thrown a couple of pitches to get warm the catcher came out to the mound and asked me what pitches I could throw. I looked at him and said I can throw a fastball that is pretty fast, then a fastball that is sort of fast and then a fastball that is really slow. He said so fastball and changeup? I shook my head and my pitching moment happened. I got a ground ball to end the inning and then got 3 quick outs in the next inning. Then it was done. Back to shortstop so the real pitcher could take over.
I had only two pitches, a fastball and a changeup. Our kids need that also. Sometimes when my boys lived at home I would change something up just to keep them on their toes. Ephesians 6:4 encourages us to throw a change up to our kids. The verse says “Fathers, don’t exasperate your children by coming down hard on them. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master.” We need to just not tell them but at times show them. Spend time doing fun things and exploring what they enjoy. It is better to connect with them not just when the correcting but watch for chances to catch them doing something right. The changeup is a great way to draw their hearts to ours. If we only catch them doing bad things, if that is when we talk to them, then that is all they will do to gain our attention. When we reward them it reaffirms the positive things about them.
The last pitch we need for our kids is simply called a gopher ball. It is not a pitch you would normally want to throw in a game. A gopher ball is a name for a pitch that is hit for a homerun. You throw enough of them and you end up not being a pitcher for very long. But with our kids Jesus encourage us to serve up a gopher ball whenever we can. Jesus said: If your children ask for a fish, which of you would give them a snake instead? Or, if your children ask for an egg, would you give them a scorpion? Even though you are bad, you know how to give good things to your children. We need to help our kids win. We need to help set them up for success whenever we have a chance. I’m not talking about your kids always being right no matter what they’ve done. I mean do not put an extra hazard in their way. Push them when they need it and cheer their wins. It is hard enough to grow up today. We all remember that at times all we wanted as a kid was a kind word and some encouragement. We need to do that for the kids in our lives.
All four of these pitches can be combined to make us great fathers for our families. It is knowing when to throw which pitch and what time. It is a teamwork thing between the catcher and pitcher. A mother and father working together to impact the lives of their kids in a positive way.