"You'll succeed!" Noah assured me. "Remember the championship game?"
I thought about it. I've been feeling good with my strength, speed, and endurance. It's not like there are any outfielders playing against me either. Just me, the pitcher, and a catcher. Almost like batting practice. "Okay." I said, more sure of myself. "I think I can do it too."
"That's the spirit!" Noah slapped my shoulder.
"You really think you can hit a homerun just because you're good in the cages?" Someone asked. The guy was near the back of the line, having come back from his first at-bat. "This is nowhere near the same."
"Mind your own business." Noah huffed as I shied away. "Him saying he'll hit a homerun has no bearing on your score."
The guy turned away to talk to the person behind him.
"Don't mind him." Noah told me. "He's just jealous."
"I'm jealous too." Travis laughed. "Jake, I can see why you're on a varsity-level team. Seeing you in the cages was like watching someone on replay. Your swing and hit were all identical."
"It's like he's a machine, right?" Noah grinned.
He nodded. "Precisely!" He glanced at me. "I know the cages isn't the same as a game, but I also don't know anyone else who can do what you did. Over a hundred pitches, increasing speed, and you didn't even look tired."
I shook my arms. "I'm kind of tired." My muscles definitely got some work in today. "It's harder to control where a fast pitch goes."
"Are you going to do it from the right side?" Travis asked. "I heard you tell Chandler that you're a switch hitter. And then your conversation with Coach Leroy...you said you would even it out by batting right."
I shrugged. "Yea, might as well."
"He has hit a homerun here before." Noah elaborated. "During our championship game over a month ago. He had to do it from the right side then too so maybe it's a sign."
I rolled my eyes. Noah and his superstitions.
Noah slapped my shoulder again. "Man, you're even in better shape than back then. As long as you don't get an unfavorable matchup, I think you'll be perfect." Noah couldn't say more, heading to the batter's box for his turn.
"Hey...do you mind if I ask what your batting average was during the season?" Travis asked.
I shrugged. "I don't know it."
Someone snorted.
"How was your batting average against Zeke?" Someone else asked.
"Oh. Better than his, but he had more homeruns." I told them honestly.
The group got silent so I figured they didn't have anymore questions. I faced forward to watch Noah's at-bat. He was up against a pitcher who had given up a walk and a grounder.
Noah had already told the coaches his number and was tightening the straps on his batting gloves. He picked up his bat and got set in the box. He was facing a right-handed pitcher. His skill level wasn't as high as the twins or Garret. He couldn't even compare to Rhys. Noah made short work of him, hitting a line drive to left field. He came back with his signature smile still on his face.
"Jake!" Coach Leroy called for me, going off script. I should have just gone straight to the batter's box, but now I had to go to him.
I took my bat and went around the catcher and home plate. I joined Coach Leroy, who was standing with the men holding clipboards. I stopped a couple feet in front of them.
Coach Leroy gave me a friendly smile. "Jake, these are the men in charge of grading the hitting for this station."
Okay? I continued to look at him.
"I've told them about your accomplishments. At least, the few that I know of." He said. "Going off my word alone, they're willing to give you a good score."
I deflated. "So I don't get to hit?" After all that talk with Noah and Travis, it would be kind of a let down.
He grinned. "There'll be plenty of hitting to be done later today and throughout the week. But, if you really want to, you can do one at-bat. Show these men that I know what I'm talking about."
I nodded immediately. Yes, I wanted to show my group too, that I had some good qualities. "One is good enough. I'm going to hit a homerun."
A couple of the men chuckled. Coach Leroy gave me a pat on the shoulder. "I believe you." He pointed at the box. "Go on."
I hurried to the batter's box before he could change his mind. Not that it sounded like he would. Those men next to him laughed when I said I would hit a homerun. Coach Leroy didnt. I can see why Zeke wanted to play on his team. He reminded me of our coach back home.
The pitcher on the mound had changed to someone else. He was another righty. Perfect. It'll be easier for me to pull the ball down the left field line. In the box, I recalled what Chandler had said before: don't do too much.
It made sense. Every pitcher only faced three batters at a time. There's no point in fouling the pitches to make them tired.
The pitcher nodded at the catcher, got set, and started his motion. He was starting off with a fastball. Good speed. Nice location, coming inside, but still in the strike zone. I had a stab of sympathy for him as I swung and connected. It was correct of Coach Leroy to tell me I didn't have to do this station.
I watched as the ball soared to left field and cleared the fence. Probably the stadiums shortest homerun, but I could do it. I could probably even do more.
I watched as the pitcher hung his head. It wasn't really fair of me to do that too him. Now he's going to get a lower score in the evaluations. Coach Leroy already knew I could hit and I got a perfect in the cages. I should have just sat back instead of making this guy look bad.
I hurried to the back of the line, trying to make eye contact with anyone.
"Hey! What's wrong?" Noah asked as I stood beside him. "You don't look like someone who just blasted a homerun like he said he would."
I peeked at the pitcher, who was trying to reset as Travis prepared for his at-bat. "I feel...guilty. Like I shouldn't have done that."
"Nah, it's all part of the game." Noah tried to reassure me. "There's always going to be a winner and a loser. There aren't any ties in baseball."
"Yea, but..." I was already a winner. I was offered full marks for this station and still chose to hit. "You don't get it." I explained to him what Coach Leroy told me before my at-bat.
"Wow." Noah said, shocked. "You're incredible. Already getting free passes on the first morning of camp." He patted me on the shoulder. "Don't think too much about it. Just don't go for your other two at-bats. I'm sure the pitcher will bounce back against a different group."
I hope so.