ARLINGTON — The father-son duo of Dan and Joel Carson bring a “special dynamic” to the Arlington Aces recreational baseball league.

“The father-son thing is kind of timeless — playing catch with your dad in the back yard and then going on to do it in a competitive league,” said Trevor Miless, their team manager. “You’ve only seen it with the Griffeys at the highest level.”

The Carsons are on the Aces’ blue squad that plays against three other teams in town.

The two have always bonded over baseball and also have played softball recreationally.

Arlington’s softball league didn’t pan out this season, but fortunately they were aware of Arlington’s baseball league, and they were all over it.

“It’s just more fun than softball,” Dan said. “The infielders move around because of the baserunning, and plus I get to play with my son and watch him pitch.”

Watching Joel pitch is a highlight for Dan, especially since his son didn’t have many pitching opportunities during his Little League days.

“It was so fun being centerfield watching him pitch,” Dan said. “It’s just like the centerfield camera in the broadcast.”

Dan, 58, hasn’t played baseball since “Gerald Ford was president” but despite his age he’s been able to hit and move around playing in the outfield.

“I feel fortunate that I can run around and stuff. A lot of guys my age can’t,” he said. “I try hard without being stupid.”

Playing smart prevents injury no matter your age.

“Stay active but don’t over do it,” he said, adding once you get injured, you’re done and that’s when you “get old fast.”

An electrical engineer by trade, Dan likes to unwind with baseball.

“It just adds a dimension to life instead of making me feel like an old man,” he said.

His proudest moment so far was catching a fly ball in the outfield while being blinded by the lights. He said the ball “appeared right in front of him” as he caught it.

“I think I’m doing alright,” he said.

Joel, 20, has grown up playing competitive baseball through the Arlington Stilly Valley Little League program.

“I’m more for the love-of-the-game kind of guy,” Joel said.

Joel enjoyed his competitive years, but admittedly, the overtly-competitive atmosphere that comes with organized sports wore on him.

“Things just get too competitive. I just want to play.” he said.

Luckily that hasn’t been the case since playing for the Aces.

“This has been even better. We’ve had an absolute blast,” he said.

“The rules are pretty lax, and it’s just fun.”

But there is still competition to be enjoyed.

“We’re coming out here to win, but it’s not like life or death,” Joel said. “No one’s getting mad.”

Though Joel stopped playing hardball at 17, he was always throwing and hitting with his dad up until joining the Aces.

Dan has taught Joel pretty much everything about the game since Joel was growing up. Despite that Joel described his dad as a “go-out-and-have-fun” type of individual.

“He did a lot better than a lot of the Little League coaches, I’ll tell you that,” Joel said.

But Joel is returning the favor, showing his dad proper throwing mechanics to keep his shoulder healthy.

“He’s been teaching me as much as I’ve been teaching him,” Dan said.

“I always hurt my arm growing up [throwing], because I didn’t have anyone to show me how to do it.”