Around the Horn: Dave

What position do you like to play?
Years of watching baseball too closely have curdled my preferences into some weirdly and dorkily specific shapes. I like to pitch -- even though there's no agency in it and even though Seth Nelson almost hit a ball through my torso last year. But I like to pitch middle relief. Part of this is an attempt to reclaim my Dan Plesac Award-winning form of 2003 (and maybe 2004? I don't remember), but most of it is just because I'm frustrated about only having pitched 1.3 innings in my real baseball career. I also enjoy second base. That last sentence would read as a high-five line to sixth graders.

Your softball role model:
My baseball role models are Pat Mahomes and Keith Hernandez. My softball role model is the person from the field directly South of us who ran onto the field a few weeks ago chasing a lost ball. S/he was wearing so much gear -- two knee braces, Sabo-ian (catch) rec specs, headband -- that it was pretty much impossible to ascertain gender. That's good work. (Editor's note: See post below. We may have verified that this person is, in fact, Ingrid.)

Thing you like most about Buttermilk Softball:
The laid-back, easygoing spir... uh, anyway I like playing softball quite a bit. I like high-fiving and hitting and when we execute well enough that plays look like realistic baseball plays. Also I like to drink beers at Buttermilk and put long songs on the jukebox.

Thing you like least about Buttermilk Softball:
Probably the fresh air and exercise.

What do you do in the off-season?
Train hard, take vitamins, write the back of baseball, basketball and football cards to keep my carpal tunnels sharp. Usually I try to spend a month or two down in the Dominican playing winter slow-pitch softball.

Complete this sentence: The highlight of my Buttermilk Softball career was when...
...my sister drove me in from second base with a line drive single to right field last season. Not only did it kind of seem like something that could happen in a real game, but it was probably the closest I've ever felt to Serena. Simply having the same parents and growing up in the same house is nothing compared to the connection shared by teammates acknowledging one another's smart hitting.