The Hitting Zone

"What?" Noah looked disgusted. "I'm not going to catch for you. I play shortstop, dummy."

Some of the guys laughed at Noah's outright refusal.

"Don't be like that!" Dave made his way through the team to get to Noah. "You catch for me all the time at home. Now I need a catcher. This is your time to shine."

"I shine just fine at short, thank you." Noah rolled his eyes.

"I'm throwing a perfect game, Noah." Dave pleaded. "Don't leave me with a rookie. I need someone who knows me behind the plate. Help a brother out."

"Why don't you ask Kyle then?" Noah shot back. "He's your brother too. That has also caught for you."

"You guys playing or not?" The umpire came to our dugout entrance to hurry us.

Coach pursed his lips and looked to Mitchell. "Can Noah wear your equipment?"

"Of course!" Mitchell nodded immediately.

"Put it on!" Coach said firmly to Noah. "The rest of you, get out there and be ready to play some baseball!"

Everyone started to move.

"Who's playing shortstop then?" Sean asked.

"Nelson!" Coach looked around, trying to find Dalton.

"On it, Coach!" Dalton grabbed his glove.

Mitchell got up and led Noah to his bag, pointing at all the stuff a catcher has to wear. "I honestly think you're a better pick for behind home plate than me with how much you catch for your brothers. You'll do just fine."

"I know that." Noah stressed. "I just don't want that. I like playing short where the action is."

"Now you'll see action every pitch." Garret laughed, leaving the dugout with Korrey and Bryce.

The rest of us left too.

Dave went to the mound and did a light warmup with Logan just wearing a mask behind home plate. Noah came out and Logan went back.

"Balls in! Coming down!" Noah hollered as he squatted behind home plate, having not even caught one practice pitch yet.

I got in place at second base. Dave threw a fastball to Noah. He popped up and threw a bullet to me at second. I caught it and did a casual fake tag.

"Damn." Dalton muttered. "That was good. Hard to believe he doesn't practice that every day."

My lips twitched. Noah was just that good. He didn't do flashy things at the plate like home runs, but everything else? He relies on his pure athleticism.

The ball was thrown back to Dave at the mound and the batter stepped up to the plate. Back at the top of the order.

There was an awkward pause as Dave looked at Noah waiting for a sign that didn't come. Noah just had his glove up, waiting. I resisted the urge to cover my eyes...Noah doesn't have to give out signs normally when he catches for Dave.

After the pointed look, Noah understood and soon gave out the sign. A fastball down the middle. Dave immediately shook his head. Noah looked like he laughed and gave a new sign. Dave nodded and got set. Fastball inside, a brushback pitch for ball one.

Noah threw the ball back to Dave. Then he gave out a new set of signs. Dave nodded and got straightened out. A fastball inside but still in the zone for a called strike. Noah and Dave worked well together despite never syncing up for an actual game. Heck, an actual practice. Dave only shook Noah off that first time, liking his choices so far.

The lead off hitter was late to a pitch and barely hit a grounder down the first baseline. Sean scooped it up and held up his hand to stop Dave from coming over. He beat out the runner to the base for the first out. The second batter got cornered quick, 0-2, then chased a ball in the dirt for Dave's third strikeout of the game. The third batter made the best contact, hitting a grounder to short. Dalton was there to make the play and threw him out to end their half of the inning.

"Wow. You were pretty good out there, Noah." Jason told him as we all headed to the dugout.

"Thanks." Noah shrugged.

"I can't believe you knew all the signs." Sean commented. "I just know the basics."

"Same." Noah laughed. "Dave is bit predictable so I can figure out what he wants. Even if I'm not giving the perfect signs, he'll know that I'll know what he wants."

"I'm not predictable. I'm strategic." Dave corrected. "Your very first sign was crap. Want me to get bombed right off the bat?"

Noah shrugged. "You wouldn't get to use your perfect game as an excuse to keep me behind the plate."

"I think it would be pretty special if you caught a perfect game for your brother." Mitchell said as we filed into the dugout.

I nodded in agreement.

"Yea, yea. I'm doing it, aren't I?" Noah started to take the gear off by our bags as everyone went to sit down. We were starting the bottom of the fourth with the top of our order too like Golden West just did.

"I kind of like you behind the plate too." I whispered to Noah.

Noah glanced at me, eyebrow raised.

I gave a tiny shrug and looked around to make sure no one was listening. "I don't know either. It's like a kind of reassurance. You're good at every position. And this position touches the ball the most along with the pitcher."

Noah laughed. "I'm not omnipotent, Jake. Gosh, I'm starting to feel like I'm doing more than just catching for Dave because you guys are making a big deal out of this."

"It kind of is." I pointed out. "Coach must think so too since he chose to go with you instead of Oscar."

That made Noah think as he finished getting ready for his at bat. He let out a small sigh as he picked his bat up. "The things I do to keep this team going." He laughed and headed for the exit.

I casually got ready for my at bat too, not sure if it would get to my turn, but at the very least I would be left in the on deck circle. Just as I got to Bryce and Coach, Sean poked a grounder up the middle for a single. Our dugout livened up and Bryce left me for the on deck circle.

Coach focused on Mr. Miller, looking to what he was deciding to do with Noah up to bat now. He gave the sign for a sacrifice bunt. Sean had to start his run as soon as the ball left the pitcher's fingertips and Noah had to get the ball down fairly for us to catch them off guard.

I held my breath as Noah got set. The pitcher checked on Sean at first, but no check throw. Just a glance. He started his motion and Sean started his run a second too early. The pitcher must have change the pitch to a high fastball. Noah shifted his hands and got his bat up on the high pitch. He did his best to make contact and the ball did drop, rolling to the incoming pitcher. The pitcher picked the ball up with his right and checked back at second where Sean just slid in safely. He had to settle for throwing Noah out at first. Not bad.

I let out a sigh of relief. Bryce went up to the plate; I left the dugout as Noah came in. We slapped hands and the game continued. Bryce was given the green light to swing freely. Sean had to pay attention to the possibility of advancing to third. Either on a ground ball or if Bryce hit a fly ball he could tag up on. Bryce came through with a long fly ball to right. The right fielder had to make the catch at the warning track. Sean tagged up and sprinted for third. He needlessly slid into third and clapped his hands as he stood up.

He wasn't the only one. The whole crowd seemed to livened up as I headed for the batter's box. Two outs with a runner on third. With me coming up to bat. I was nervous on what Golden West was going to do. A pitcher change? A walk? I looked around and saw nothing out of the ordinary. The catcher was already squatting while the pitcher was eyeing Sean at third.

I looked around and saw most of the fielders playing back. Infielders and outfielders. The infielders really wanted to focus on getting me out while the outfielders wanted to catch any fly ball I may hit.

The pitcher did a small walk off the mound to make Sean inch back to third. Then he got back on the rubber. Nodded at the signage. I gripped my bat. I know Coach said to try for a double in my next at bat, but I had to play it safe here to get us on the board. The first pitch came, outside. I swung and connected, hitting a line drive just out of the reach of the first baseman. Sean ran home, I sprinted to first. And the right fielder caught the ball on a hop before throwing it back in to prevent me from going any further.

1-0. Claps and cheers filled our small baseball field.