I can remember those days when I was young and the starting pitcher for my Little League team: That feeling of responsibility that I felt as the umpire bellowed, “Batter Up!” as I stood on the pitchers mound ready to begin the ball game.

As I warmed up, I would look around at the infielders and outfielders throwing baseballs and playing pepper with each other and I would feel that same nervous sensation. “Oh Boy,  It’s all on me. I better get this ball over the plate.”

You see, I had a pretty decent fastball and I could throw a fairly “nasty” slider when it was in the strike zone. The problem, though, was my control. It was terrible.

There were times when I would feel like I was in a Bugs Bunny cartoon as I kept throwing heaters all over the place and the opposing team was doing their version of a Conga Line around the bases.

The frustration would set in after each “Ball Four!” call by the umpire. Leaving me muttering to myself and wishing I could shrink and find an anthill somewhere to crawl in and hide. Unfortunately for me, the only hill available was the pitchers mound that I was standing on and my whole team was looking at with sheer desperation.

A starting pitcher for a baseball team is arguably the most responsible position that any youngster can play in any sport.

No other position leaves you as vulnerable; where you can lose the whole game before anyone else on your team has even made a play; that feeling of leaving your teammates powerless and quite angry as they watch the opposing team walk their way around the bases while runs are added up.

It is essential for a pitcher to be able to control his pitches. The ability to throw your pitches for strikes will lead to greater confidence, less anxiety, and that favorite compliment of all pitchers: the young hurler showing poise on the mound.

Proper mechanics are certainly a big part of the equation which should also be studied. The ability to repeat the same motion each time one throws a pitch is of the utmost importance. Whether that pitch is a fastball, curve, slider or change-up. A pitcher must be able to execute his pitches. Especially when there are two strikes on a batter. This is the optimal time for a pitcher to use his “nasty” pitch.

Once a pitcher leaves himself the maximum wiggle room, by getting ahead of the count 0-2, which means you started out by getting two strikes on the batter, they are in an infinitely more commanding position.

Now you can throw that nasty slider or fastball with ultra conviction knowing you have 4 more chances in front of you before you get to ball four.

The key is to be able to get yourself in that 0-2 position. While you may have proper mechanics you will never get there without control. Control is the ability to throw strikes consistently or Pitchers Heaven!

I thought I would never get there and it would always be a struggle for me out there on the pitchers mound.

One day, while I was reading the N.Y. Daily News, I came across an article by Pat Zachry, a starting pitcher for the N.Y. Mets.

He was an older pitcher who used to win with a high octane fastball but now claimed to be even better because he had learned a new pitch the Circle Change. His record since learning the Circle Change was impressive and the article had diagrams which showed how to throw the pitch.

The Circle Change is an easy pitch to emulate. Instead of using your thumb, second finger ,and middle finger which you use to throw a fastball: You use your thumb, and last two fingers to grip the ball, excluding your second and third fingers and throw it the same exact way as you would throw your fastball. Your arm motion and pitching mechanics are the exactly the same, also.

This pitch is incredibly easy to control!

I was able to learn it quickly and consistently get it over the plate for strikes and get ahead of batters. Plus, because your pitching mechanics and arm motion don’t change, it will naturally fool the batter, who will think you are throwing him a fastball.

My Circle Change also had a late dip on it which caused the batters to hit a lot of choppers back to me on the mound. I would catch the slow moving ground balls easily and throw out the runners at first base. Additionally, I was getting ahead of the batters in the strike count by starting out my first two pitches with Circle Changes.

Once ahead, I could “put them away ” with a fastball or slider!

Your fastball will look much faster to a batter once they have been exposed to a Circle Change pitch.

I became way more relaxed almost dare I say “poised”after mastering the Circle Change. I could use my fastball and slider to get the out once ahead in the count.

This one pitch made me way more effective as a Little League pitcher. I started to get picked for All-Star teams after I learned the Circle Change.

I was the man, now!

The Circle Change also has the added benefit of putting much less stress on a youngster”s arm which will prevent injuries.

There have been countless cases of young “phenoms” who “blew out” their arms before they were out of High School.

Throwing a steady diet of fastballs and curve balls can take a dangerous toll on a youngsters arm.

For parents, this fact alone is all that is necessary to show how beneficial this pitch, the Circle Change, can be to youngsters. The added benefit is they will exhibit a much greater propensity for throwing strikes while making their other pitches seem even nastier.

Growing up a Yankee fan it is quite ironic that I learned this “game changing” pitch from an ex-Met player named Pat Zachry.

It made me a much better pitcher and baseball player and will do the same for any young pitcher. I highly recommend all fathers to teach their kids this pitch.

They will have greater control of their pitches, much more effectiveness which will in turn raise their confidence and poise on the mound while simultaneously protecting their young arms from serious injury.

Once your child has mastered the Circle Change they will always be itching for the umpire to say the words, “Batter Up!”

“Now All Shall Bow and Obey My Rules on This Ship!”

Bellowed the overbearing Captain Crook

With that he ordered everyone out onto the deck

In the pouring rain

The swells rocking the boat

As if going from mountain to valley

“None shall eat, nor talk, neigh even to loosening your bowels!

Until I have confirmed that it shall be granted by my judgement

And mine alone!”

All of a sudden!

A giant Black Marlin

Rose from the depths of the ocean

And smote off the evil Captain’s head

With a quivering

Poetic agile stroke!

A man from the galley

Quill

Who was particularly set upon

By the degraded whims

Of the arrogant Captain

Picked up his severed head and said

“Is this okay, Captain!”

And proceeded to urinate all over the face

Of the separated cranium!

A raucous cheer!

With the faintest understanding

Of freedom reclaimed

Broke out amongst the hundred or so men and women

Hoarded on the Amistad

Within mere minutes

The blood of the Captain’s crew spilled

Aft and stern into the open seas

The tempestuous storm departed

And the sun’s golden rays magnificently came piercing down

Bathing the men in its glory!

As if wanting to add some divine finality

To the former slaves/master peculiar predicament

Though some might think it folly

And others fear it just

I write

Without feeling contrite

To fight for what is right

Simply as an Elephants charm

Because I must!

To right the wrongs

And sing the songs of the poor troubadors

Workers all

Veterans

Senior citizens

Children

Toilers and more

And illuminate the light

Fight write the good fight

And provoke and revoke the ideas

Prevalent

Championed from the minds of the Chosen Ones

As well as the upper-crust

Once upon a time there was a country that was flourishing with a huge middle class, it’s economy was booming and it had achieved a shared prosperity for its citizens that had never been accomplished before anywhere throughout history.

In fact , it was the envy of the whole world.

Everyday union members, factory workers, workers of all stripes and their apprentices worked together with their company managers for a shared prosperity.

Their motto was “All for One (Corporation) and One For All (Workers).

One day in 1980, a former actor named Ronald Reagan, running to be President of the land, railed against the prosperous system. The actor, beloved by many for his acclaimed portrayal of The Gipper, called for “individuality.” Where everyone would fend for themselves. Unbeknownst to the people, he secretly carried this alluring message from the plutocrats, a greedy cabal previously known as the “robber barons”, who though defeated, gradually after the devastation of The Great Depression, were looking to foster an atmosphere from which they could ascend to their privileged thrones, and install an agenda that would bring corporatism and inequality back to the lands.

The GEOs (Greed Enforcement Officers) wanted Reagan to create an “illusion of prosperity”, a new American Dream, not unlike a mirage that deludes a thirsty traveler in the hot desert sands.

They bankrolled Ronald Reagan’s Presidential bid and unleashed all the monetary forces  and financial hooliganism they had at their disposal.

Because of that, Ronald Reagan was elected President. His enticing message so enthralled the people that they no longer cared to provide safety nets to the most vulnerable amongst them. Unions and working class peoples concerns were marginalized as the GEOs looked for more and more ways to bolster their profit numbers.

Because of that, the country suffered greatly. The disparity between the Haves and Have Nots grew exponentially each year until it reached a level never seen before in the country’s history.

There were millions more living in hopeless poverty. The working class saw their wages decimated as costs for everyday items and rent went up. Unions and workers collective bargaining agreements were discarded whenever possible, and they were labeled as thugs, counter culture to the new spirit of Individuality. Many of the former middle class were now poor and relying on food banks or “the pantry” to survive.

Policies were put in place to continue the assault against the working class. One of the GEOs was heard to say, “Excise them, like you would excise a tick, lest it take more blood.”

To top it off, when the GEOs reckless gambling cratered the economy, they orchestrated a bailout from the government, positing that “they were too big to fail.” The people paid for the trillions of dollars lost, in the reckless GEO run, by its banks and corporations, in the “growth” profits casino.

This after “suspending” their Free Market Frankenstein theory which previously had always been touted as the panacea for any economy.  The”benevolent” hand of the Free Market would make us the creme de la creme with the cream flowing down eventually to the “lower” classes. No one guessed in advance that the “creme” parts should have been replaced with “crime” to reflect a more accurate picture.

Wars had become common place now.

Wars, no longer necessary only for defending the home-front and national security concerns but touted as “democracy building” in foreign nations and “opening up their markets” which was a nice way of saying the big multi-national companies were coming in and taking over.

The overwhelming military forces destruction were primarily visited upon civilians of the countries of these occupations and is reflected in the civilian reports of injuries and deaths.

War was no longer a scourge but a business with enormous profits for the victors.

All mainstream media was complicit in the salesmanship of the moral need for these occupations mainly through the use of fear propaganda.

These economic, social, and political forces also combined to reek terror on the natural world.

Global warming and climate change warnings by responsible and respected scientists due to enormous corporate pollution and the corporate abject disregard for the well being of Mother Earth were ignored.

Their voices muzzled by bought off politicians and mainstream media as the corporate interests were not interested in making the positive changes needed to reverse the scary environmental changes happening because they would not consider losing any of their profit margins.

This Free Market Frankenstein theory had always been justified as the way to the “promised land.”

The reason why workers wages needed to be cut, unions abolished and their workers typecast as thugs, benefits stripped and millions of jobs exported to foreign lands, wars to be waged, and innocent civilians killed and maimed.

Mother Earth being stripped, her environmental patterns disrupted and careening to a tipping point were said to be necessary in promoting the new dream of a “Growth Heaven.”

Until finally, after thirty plus years of promises that the wealth would “trickle down” yet only misery and apathy prevailed for the working people; they realized enough is enough.

They joined together, sharing information, pictures, stories and poems that told of the true nature of the GEOs greedy plan.

Using a new medium, social media, which ironically, the GEOs had imagined would enhance their chances on influencing ever more persons of their message of “Exalted Consumerism”, “Financial Growth Numbers over Humanity”, “Infinite Growth”, “Nation Building”, “Profits Over People” and “Environmental Wackos”, the people fought back.

The people banded together in solidarity utilizing their new Facebook Page called The Appeal.

As the word got out on the GEOs nefarious plans of economic domination the people started gaining strength in numbers.

More and more people were outraged at what was going on and were making the appeal to their friends, coworkers, family members and associates through social media.

Coming together and pushing for much higher tax rates on the GEOs and their Corporations, voting out all the corrupt politicians who were bought off by the GEOs, and installing their own candidates, who pushed laws that overturned the heinous ones that the GEOs had propped up, such as their being able to control political campaigns with their money, their anti-union and worker laws, their stripping of “entitlement” programs, imperialist wars for corporate gains, and their evisceration of the natural environment for profits sake which had caused the world to be on the brink of environmental disaster due to ever increasing warming climate change.

These changes and more returned the unions and working class people of all stripes to their rightful role as partners with Business in the Blessed Economy and Consumers were replaced by concerned Citizens wresting back their democracy from the forces of greed and exploitation.

An economy whose principles were based once again on a shared prosperity.

Which put the interests of the people over the interests of profits.

That said that when the Company or Corporation prospered, all who worked there did also, including the workers.

They endeavored to always take care of those who were less fortunate. The poor, disabled, veterans, economically disadvantaged, and all those in need of a helping hand in the spirit of humanity.

The peoples revolt had succeeded and they settled down and went back to work comforted in the knowledge that they had restored the American Dream, not only for themselves, but for all of the generations to come.

The world was saved from economic greed, financial hooliganism, imperialism, never-ending wars, and environmental disaster.

And they were happy.

THE END

The World is not a Circle!
We aver it forever plained

Lincoln freed the slaves
Or so it is explained

Unemployment during a vicious economic time

Of no Social Safety net

Capitalism never to suspect

Who art to blame?

For its insidious racist mooring

Money flourishing

Income Inequality soaring

Cotton-picking picturesque white colorless frame

The Eagle and The Trees

The Sky
The Earth
The Moon and Sun

More wasted Trump Apprentice President Time

He should just hire a Border Wall

Advocating Mime

To do a narcissistic song-and-dance

Lacking any government policy motives

With a ham-fisted anti-government

And anti-media whine

A Trumpist rally yet again signifying nothing!

Except praises to The Self-Proclaimed Genius

Crowing the opponent with childish insults

And his glowing prevaricating businessman prowess fancy pants

While The Donald opines!

Wearing a red “Make America Great Again” cap

Slashing the social safety net for the working class and poor!

This I adore!

Creating the Competitive Society

Is my way of sharing piety!

No more alms to the poor!

To ensure winning!

You must score!

The economy is about survival

Of the richest!

Are the working class, poor, elderly, veterans, and economically-dis-advantaged children?

Not ruled by Caesar in the Bible?

As if military contractors are flush with consumer cash!

Throw more working class and poor citizens into the American Economic

Domesticated trash

Let the corporations and rich gain

All that their money can afford

To amass!

You concern yourself solely

With hard work

Positive thinking

Taking the blame for your inequities

At my Sunday Mass!

Material blessings for the Upper Class!

– Republican Jesus