The Price of Hard Work

By the second week of training, Logan Carter's body was screaming at him.

Every muscle ached, his legs felt like lead, and his hands were raw from countless swings and ground ball drills. But there was no turning back now.

Tryouts were in February.

The season started in March.

And Logan had made a promise to himself—he wouldn't just make the team, he would be one of the best players on it.

Monday – Hitting: A New Challenge

It was another afternoon in the cage, and Logan was facing off against Marcus Lee again.

Coach Talbot had upped the difficulty—Marcus wasn't just throwing fastballs anymore.

Now? Logan had to face everything.

Sliders. Curveballs. Changeups.

The first round? Brutal.

Logan swung over two sliders, then barely fouled off a changeup before striking out on a fastball up in the zone.

Drew, watching from behind the cage, winced. "Oof. That was rough."

Logan shook his head. This wasn't working.

Coach Talbot stepped forward. "Carter."

Logan exhaled. "Yeah?"

"You're guessing. Stop guessing. Start reacting."

Logan gritted his teeth. He had heard it before. See the ball. Trust your eyes.

Coach motioned to Marcus. "Again."

The next pitch? A curveball.

This time, Logan waited. He tracked the spin, let the ball drop—then unleashed a smooth swing.

CRACK.

The ball rocketed into the gap.

Coach Talbot nodded. "Better."

Logan adjusted his grip on the bat. He was getting there.

Tuesday – Defense: Cleaning Up Mistakes

At second base, Logan was still fine-tuning his instincts.

He had the range. He had the hands.

But? He still made mistakes.

Like when Jimmy flipped him a perfect feed on a double play—

And Logan rushed his throw, sending it into right field.

Big Mac, playing first, shook his head. "Come on, Clutch. You trying to hit a fan?"

The guys laughed, but Logan wasn't amused.

Jimmy jogged over, resting his glove on Logan's shoulder. "Dude, slow down. You've got time."

Logan sighed. "I keep messing that up."

Jimmy shrugged. "Yeah, but you're also making plays you weren't making last month. Progress is progress."

Logan nodded. He needed to trust the process.

Coach Talbot called out, "Alright, Carter. One more."

This time?

Logan planted his feet, took his time, and delivered a perfect throw.

Wednesday – Base Running: Pushing Limits

Drew wasn't messing around.

"Today?" Drew announced. "We're running until I see actual speed."

Logan groaned. "Didn't we already do this last week?"

Drew grinned. "And guess what? We're doing it again."

First drill: Stealing second.

Drew had Logan read pitchers' moves, teaching him how to time his jump off first base.

The first time Logan took off? The throw beat him by a mile.

"Way too slow," Drew said, shaking his head. "Try again."

The second time? Closer, but still out.

The third time?

Logan exploded off first, slid into second—safe.

Drew pumped his fist. "That's it."

Logan grinned through his exhaustion. He was learning.

Thursday – Weight Room: Strength is Key

Big Mac had been waiting for this day all week.

"Alright, Clutch," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Time to lift some real weight."

Logan stared at the barbell in front of him. "Uh. That looks heavy."

Big Mac clapped him on the back. "Because it is. Now lift it."

The first set? Tough.

The second? Worse.

By the fourth, Logan's arms felt like jelly.

Big Mac crossed his arms. "You wanna play college ball, right?"

Logan gritted his teeth. "Yeah."

"Then keep pushing."

Logan let out a breath, grabbed the bar, and lifted.

Friday – Scrimmage: Testing Everything

It was time for a real test.

Full game simulation.

Coach Talbot put Logan at second base, facing live pitching and making plays under real pressure.

The first ball hit to him? A routine grounder. Logan fielded it clean, threw to first—easy out.

Later, a chopper up the middle forced Logan to range deep. He made the play, but his throw was off-target.

Big Mac stretched and saved him.

"You owe me for that one, Clutch."

Logan chuckled. "I'll buy you a burger."

At the plate, Logan faced Marcus again.

First pitch—fastball inside. Logan turned on it—double down the line.

The dugout erupted.

By the end of practice, Logan felt like a real ballplayer.

Coach Talbot pulled him aside. "Carter."

Logan wiped sweat from his forehead. "Yeah, Coach?"

The coach studied him for a moment. Then, he said, "You're starting to look like a real second baseman."

Logan grinned.

He was getting there.

The Aftermath: Exhaustion Sets In

By the time Logan got home, he was so tired he could barely move.

He collapsed onto his bed, groaning.

Drew's text popped up on his phone.

Drew: Yo. We're running more tomorrow. Be ready.

Logan sighed, then smirked.

Logan: You just like watching me suffer, don't you?

Drew: Absolutely.

Logan shook his head.

This was brutal.

But?

He wouldn't trade it for anything.

To Be Continued…

(Next Chapter: Logan starts feeling the pressure—can he keep up the grind?)