Hey everyone... I wrote this and submitted it to have a chance to meet Nolan Ryan. I, of course, didn't win, but I still kinda like it...
The Rookie, by Adam Yoder
As I stood in the on-deck circle, I tried to get some kind of idea how fast that ball was really moving.
"Ball, outside!" the umpire screamed.
Nervously I rubbed my bat with the tar towel as my heart pounded.
"Strike three! You're out!" Man, that was fast.
That was it. It was my turn now, and I just tried to breathe deeply, but it wasn't working.
"C'mon, Adam. Just calm down. You've faced plenty of flamethrowers in the minors," I muttered to myself.
Skip was shaking his head when he took that long walk back to the dugout. He was a veteran- a good hitter for a long time, and in that at-bat, he looked like an amateur.
"Good luck, rookie," he said, "you're gonna need it."
With a long sigh, trying to gear myself up, I forced my feet into motion towards the batter's box.
I took a glance out to the mound, which I normally don't do, but I had to. There he was, smirking at me- the great Nolan Ryan.
"He's just a man," I said to myself.
I held my hand up for 'time' as I tried to get comfortable in the box. I kicked angrily at the dirt under my right foot. Got to get that one planted.
Finally I'm ready. A couple of practice swings, and I'm ready. It seems like slow motion, the way he winds up, but the ball just exploded from his hand.
Before I can even think about swinging, I hear what sounds like a Mack truck hitting a wall.
"Strike one!!" the ump yells.
"Man, that sucker was really moving, heh, rookie?" the catcher mumbled from behind his mask.
I had to step out. I can't believe how fast that was. Okay. I saw one now. I think I can get it. If nothing else, maybe I can shoot one to right field.
I stepped back in. I'm ready. "Alright, Yoder. Here comes the heat." My whole body was clinched tightly.
He winds up to throw- so far, so good. Looks the same, it's definitely the fast ball. I knew it as soon as it left his hand. I nearly came out of my shoes swinging as hard as I could, but the bottom fell out of it as he bounced a change up into the dirt.
"Strike two!!" shrieks the umpire.
I stepped out again. I need a little extra time now. I spit on my hands, and adjust my gloves. Now I have no clue what's coming next. "I can't believe he just pulled the string on me!" I thought to myself.
Alright. Make or break time. I've been in AAA ball long enough. This is my shot. Hell, my jersey is still itchy. I'd like to be here long enough to wash it a couple of times.
With a deep breath, I held up my hand again to dig in.
No balls- two strikes. I gotta protect the plate now. Again, he seems to wind up in slow motion. If I didn't think that he might throw another off speed pitch, I might have got started earlier, but once again, I had no time to swing.
Needless to say, the ball was by me in a hurry.
POP!! The ball smashed into the catcher's glove again.
"Strike three, you're out!!" He screamed, and then just loud enough for me to hear, he says, "Sorry, kid. Better luck next time."
I can't believe it. I've never seen a fastball like that. I stood and stared at the radar reading on the scoreboard. 104, it said. "Is that thing right?" But the catcher only smiled.
Slowly I took off my helmet, and glanced back out at the mound.
Mr. Ryan was looking at me. Straight in the eyes. I felt silly, but I guess I'm not the only one feeling this way this night. All I could do was nod my head at him. Strangely enough, Nolan Ryan tipped his cap right back at me. "What class," I thought. "This guy's really good."
I just struck out against one of the best pitchers in the game, and he even tipped his cap.
The walk back to the dugout was not as long as I thought it would be.
The Rookie, by Adam Yoder
As I stood in the on-deck circle, I tried to get some kind of idea how fast that ball was really moving.
"Ball, outside!" the umpire screamed.
Nervously I rubbed my bat with the tar towel as my heart pounded.
"Strike three! You're out!" Man, that was fast.
That was it. It was my turn now, and I just tried to breathe deeply, but it wasn't working.
"C'mon, Adam. Just calm down. You've faced plenty of flamethrowers in the minors," I muttered to myself.
Skip was shaking his head when he took that long walk back to the dugout. He was a veteran- a good hitter for a long time, and in that at-bat, he looked like an amateur.
"Good luck, rookie," he said, "you're gonna need it."
With a long sigh, trying to gear myself up, I forced my feet into motion towards the batter's box.
I took a glance out to the mound, which I normally don't do, but I had to. There he was, smirking at me- the great Nolan Ryan.
"He's just a man," I said to myself.
I held my hand up for 'time' as I tried to get comfortable in the box. I kicked angrily at the dirt under my right foot. Got to get that one planted.
Finally I'm ready. A couple of practice swings, and I'm ready. It seems like slow motion, the way he winds up, but the ball just exploded from his hand.
Before I can even think about swinging, I hear what sounds like a Mack truck hitting a wall.
"Strike one!!" the ump yells.
"Man, that sucker was really moving, heh, rookie?" the catcher mumbled from behind his mask.
I had to step out. I can't believe how fast that was. Okay. I saw one now. I think I can get it. If nothing else, maybe I can shoot one to right field.
I stepped back in. I'm ready. "Alright, Yoder. Here comes the heat." My whole body was clinched tightly.
He winds up to throw- so far, so good. Looks the same, it's definitely the fast ball. I knew it as soon as it left his hand. I nearly came out of my shoes swinging as hard as I could, but the bottom fell out of it as he bounced a change up into the dirt.
"Strike two!!" shrieks the umpire.
I stepped out again. I need a little extra time now. I spit on my hands, and adjust my gloves. Now I have no clue what's coming next. "I can't believe he just pulled the string on me!" I thought to myself.
Alright. Make or break time. I've been in AAA ball long enough. This is my shot. Hell, my jersey is still itchy. I'd like to be here long enough to wash it a couple of times.
With a deep breath, I held up my hand again to dig in.
No balls- two strikes. I gotta protect the plate now. Again, he seems to wind up in slow motion. If I didn't think that he might throw another off speed pitch, I might have got started earlier, but once again, I had no time to swing.
Needless to say, the ball was by me in a hurry.
POP!! The ball smashed into the catcher's glove again.
"Strike three, you're out!!" He screamed, and then just loud enough for me to hear, he says, "Sorry, kid. Better luck next time."
I can't believe it. I've never seen a fastball like that. I stood and stared at the radar reading on the scoreboard. 104, it said. "Is that thing right?" But the catcher only smiled.
Slowly I took off my helmet, and glanced back out at the mound.
Mr. Ryan was looking at me. Straight in the eyes. I felt silly, but I guess I'm not the only one feeling this way this night. All I could do was nod my head at him. Strangely enough, Nolan Ryan tipped his cap right back at me. "What class," I thought. "This guy's really good."
I just struck out against one of the best pitchers in the game, and he even tipped his cap.
The walk back to the dugout was not as long as I thought it would be.
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