University of North Carolina Athletics
Lucas: Rain Delay Diversions
May 18, 2006 | Baseball
May 18, 2006
This year's expanded Carolina baseball game day program includes more information than ever. There's a new program for each weekend and weekday series, and each edition includes a new column on the Diamond Heels plus up-to-date stats for both teams. The following story ran in the UNC-Greensboro game program this week. Check out the latest edition this weekend at the Bosh against Boston College for a new column.
By Adam Lucas
In a key at-bat, Matt Danford peered in to get the sign. He shook his head, looking disgusted with the sign flashed by his catcher. Finally, he received an acceptable signal. He began his delivery, whipping his right arm over his shoulder, and...
Fired a tape ball in the direction of Adam Warren.
This, folks, is true rain delay drama.
The weather looks promising for the three-game series with Boston College that begins today at Boshamer Stadium. But if, by chance, the clouds don't cooperate, the Tar Heels are more than capable of entertaining themselves.
They had time to kill before Sunday's game against Virginia. Rain was moving through Charlottesville, the tarp was on the field, and it was impossible to go through the usual pregame routine. Most players sat on the bench engaged in a variety of esoteric conversations. Sample snippets:
"North Forsyth is a lock to win the state title this year."
"See, this is how I should wear my pants."
"One time it rained so much at NC State that people were using fishing poles in the puddles in the outfield."
"Nate, I just want to ask you one thing: really, why do you wear your hat like that?"
But some players aren't content with idle chat. Baseball is a sport that requires lots of sitting, so it's easy to get restless. Which is why Danford and Warren were engaged in a tape-ball death match with a fungo bat on the fringe of the Davenport Field grass. Bryan Steed served as the usual catcher, although Andrew Miller occasionally filled in. Tyler Trice was the home plate umpire.
Mike Fox was the man charged with policing all this merriment. "Watch this," he said. "Danford is going to lose his grip on the bat and it's going to hit someone in the dugout."
"Danford!" he barked. "If you hurt somebody I'm going to get you."
"What'd you say?" the righthander asked.
"Nothing," Fox said with a sigh and a smile.
Beneath the stands, another display of hitting prowess was taking place. Equipment manager Nate Yarbrough was showing off his sweet lefthanded swing against Miller, which meant a future top-5 major league baseball draft pick was pitching to, well, someone who probably won't be picked in the top five.
To Yarbrough's credit, he showed off solid fundamentals (even bunting a couple before he took his hacks) and took some good cuts--with Benji Johnson watching to verify his prowess and occasionally offer some crucial hitting tips.
In the corner of the dugout, Robert Woodard was singing lyrics from the hit 1992 Kris Kross tune "Jump" ("Cause I'm the miggida miggida miggida Mac Daddy") while using masking tape to turn a Virginia "V" logo into an interlocking "NC."
"I was looking at this during the game yesterday," Woodard said, referring to his masterpiece on Saturday when he limited the Cavaliers to six hits in a complete-game shutout. "And I thought, `Hey, I could turn that into an `NC.'"
Even the laser-focused Woodard has time to take a moment out from pitching a gem to ponder future rain delay activities.
Closer Andrew Carignan walked over, perplexed.
"Woody, what are you doing?" he asked.
Woodard's answer perfectly captured everything happening in the dugout.
"Hey, it's a rain delay, baby."
Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly and can be reached at alucas@tarheelmonthly.com. He is the coauthor of the official book of the 2005 championship season, Led By Their Dreams, and his book on Roy Williams's first season at Carolina, Going Home Again, is now available in bookstores. To subscribe to Tar Heel Monthly or learn more about Going Home Again, click here.
