Hey, look. A post.

With like, words and pictures and stuff. Amazing. For those of you who thought that I may have been dead or stranded in the middle of nowhere (like Central Jersey) or quit my job and started my own firm and am being run ragged, the answer is yes. I'd promise to be more vigilant about posting in the future, but I've done that in the past, and we all know how that turned out.

Many of you readers may remember how last year I felt strongly about not coaching baseball, and then got suckered into...coaching baseball. This year, I figured I'd beat them to it, and just signed up from the start. However, I assembled a crack coaching staff of five - yes, five - coaches. So out of 13 kids, 6 were coach's kids. I had enough for a pitching coach, a bench coach, a strength and conditioning staff, and an equipment manager. But it was great having 'help', which is code for 'people I can shlep responsibilities on'.

Michael had a good year - not a contract year by any means, but a solid year. A few hits, some nice plays in the field and good pitching (in spurts), including a great couple of innings in the last game of the year. I think he enjoyed having me as a coach, although given the frustrations I felt towards the organization (which, despite the name, is completely unorganized), I've sworn not to coach again. See you next year.

His pappelbon face.

No paparazzi!