Outfield Beginnings (2)

Linus stood in right field, his eyes tracking the ball as it was tossed from the pitcher's hand toward the batter. A small flicker of nerves ran through him, but nothing too strong—just the typical feeling of stepping into something new. He shifted his stance, focusing on the game. After all, Liam had mentioned that right field was the spot where the ball was least likely to come, so Linus figured he had time to adjust.

The first batter struck out after five pitches. Linus watched closely, noting how the pitcher had decent control for his age. The second batter swung and missed the first pitch, but on the second, there was a sharp *ding* as the ball connected with the bat. Linus tensed slightly but quickly saw the ball headed straight for the shortstop. A smooth play, a throw to first, and the second batter was out. Linus relaxed again, nodding to himself. He hadn't had to make any moves yet, but he was starting to understand the flow of the game.

The third batter stepped up to the plate, but something odd happened after a few pitches. Instead of swinging, the batter tossed his bat back toward his dugout and casually walked to first base. Linus frowned, confused. No one had made a play, and there hadn't been a hit. What was going on? He made a mental note to ask Liam about it later.

Finally, the fourth batter swung at the first pitch, sending a ground ball straight to third base. The third baseman fielded it cleanly, tossing it to first base for the third out. Linus jogged back toward the dugout, his slight nervousness fading. He was still getting the hang of the rules, but he felt comfortable enough. The ball hadn't come his way, but he was ready for when it did.

When he reached the dugout, Liam—still in his catcher's gear—called him over. "Good job out there," Liam said with a grin. "Now it's our teams turn to bat."

Linus nodded, staying calm as always. He wasn't one to get worked up easily, but he was curious about how batting would feel.

"Just so you know," Liam continued, "you and I are batting eighth and ninth in the order. We're letting the younger guys get more chances at the plate. Sound good?"

"Yeah, no problem," Linus replied, glad that he had time to watch a few more at-bats before stepping up. He didn't mind waiting—it gave him a chance to observe and learn.

As they both settled onto the bench, Linus turned to Liam, his earlier confusion still lingering. "So, what happened with that last guy who just walked to first base? I didn't see a hit or anything."

Liam chuckled, leaning back against the dugout wall. "That was a walk. The pitcher threw four balls that weren't in the strike zone, so the batter gets to go to first without swinging. It's called a base on balls."

Linus nodded, understanding a bit more now. "So the pitcher messed up, basically?"

"Kind of," Liam said with a grin. "It's all part of the game. Pitchers try to throw strikes, but sometimes they miss, especially when they are younger. If they throw four balls, the batter gets a free trip to first."

That made sense to Linus. He wasn't overwhelmed by all the new rules, just working on piecing everything together. The more he watched, the clearer it became.

"Don't worry about it," Liam said, giving Linus a quick pat on the shoulder. "When it's your turn to bat, just keep it simple. If you see a pitch you like, give it a swing."

Linus smirked slightly. He wasn't one to overthink things, and that advice felt right to him. Watch, learn, and when it's time, take action. He liked being active, and this game was no different. It had its quirks, but he was getting the hang of it.

Curiosity still lingering, Linus turned to Liam between at-bats. "Hey, by the way, why are you playing in this game? Most of the other guys look like they're younger."

Liam smiled, clearly not bothered by the question. "Oh, yeah, I'm not really supposed to be playing in this. My little brother and his teammates wanted to have a fun game, and my mom asked me if I could help organize it. So I set everything up, and since I didn't have much else to do today, I figured I might as well join in."

Linus raised an eyebrow, glancing around at the other players. "So what you're saying is, you're at the same skill level as a bunch of 13-year-olds?" he teased, giving Liam a playful grin.

Liam just smiled, avoiding the question with a shrug. "Well, you know… it's all for fun."

Linus laughed, shaking his head. "Sure, sure."

He glanced over at the field again, still curious. "Which one's your brother?"

Liam pointed across the field. "He's on the other team. We split the teams up before you got here."

Linus nodded, understanding more of the context now. "So, this is a family thing for you."

"Pretty much," Liam replied, with a relaxed shrug. "But hey, it's more interesting now that you're here."