I've been playing softball since I got here in SoCal. But it has lost the challenge I crave so much. A big ball comes floating, slowly to the plate. Stevie Wonder would probably be able to hit it. I've grown bored of softball. I wanted a new challenge. I found it.

I signed up for baseball, a sport I haven't played since I was a 160 lb weakling in high school. Now I am a 215lb muscle head and I am at the cusp of 35 years old. Now that is a challenge I can wrap my arms around.

Yesterday I was called upon to be a replacement player on a team in Hawthorne. I was under the impression that it was a 35 and up league. My kind of speed. But when I got there, I met all mid twenty somethings. Can you say, oh shit? I did.

Game time: The manager put me at number 9 in the batting order. So I had to wait 3 freaking innings to have the baseball thrown at me. That just gave me too much time to wonder what the hell I was doing.

The third inning came and it was my time to make that walk to the plate. It was a slow walk, the deadman walking as I like to call it. I was so nervous. I just did not want to embarrass myself, so I was hoping he would just hit me with the ball.

First pitch - BALL. Oh my God, that thing was coming fast. Why the hell is he throwing golf balls at me.

Second pitch - BALL. Thank goodness. I am glad it was a ball. I had no idea where that was going. The spin was so weird. On the bright side, I saw the spin of the ball.

Third pitch - STRIKE. I saw that one a lot better. I just didn't want to swing. Three pitches and my eyes are adjusting already. Damn that pitch was fast though. "Why is he throwing golf balls, blue?" I ask the umpire. He just laughs.

Fourth pitch. Oh man, it is coming right down the middle. To hell with it, I'm swinging. CRACK! Whoa....what the...wait...did I hit that? Run Jayson...run.I look up to see the ball has landed in front of the leftfielder. My first time swinging at a baseball and I got a hit.

Man, this is going to be easy. My thoughts were already wondering to my first pro contract. I was wondering who was going to be playing me in the movie. It can't be Tom Cruise, he's too freaking small. Maybe Vin Diesel. Of course they would have to give him and anti-tan.

Well let me tell you. That first pro contract will have to wait. I struck out on my next two at bats. I swung at two sliders that looked like they were coming right at me. But they didn't. They curved so far away from me that I almost dislocated my shoulder. He was back to throwing those damn golf balls again.By the way, I am writing a story about this. This is just a preview.