Out of the Park

Batter Up ✔️

batter up. (baseball) Used by an umpire to invite the next batter to the batter's box, especially at the beginning of a half-inning

~Sammy~

I was shaking. Yesterday was bad enough being the first day of school, but not as bad as today. The first day of baseball tryouts.

I love that this district is a little different when it comes to sports. Because not only do they offer the usual baseball in the spring, but they also play in the fall. Double the playing time, I guess.

I am not saying that I suck or anything, I personally think I'm really good at baseball, but that doesn't stop the nerves. It's my third year at this school but I haven't been on the team since my first. My brother broke my arm last year—don't ask how—so I wasn't able to play my whole sophomore year.

The thing is, me being a junior, if I don't make the varsity team, that will basically ruin any chance of me getting a sports scholarship to any good college.

I walked into the locker room a little early because I surly wasn't going to show up to tryouts late. There were only one or two guys already there, Joey, who I got the pleasure of meeting earlier, and another kid I didn't know. Both half undressed and both are hot as hell. That second thought is will be keeping to myself for the sake of not telling everyone I'm gay. God knows that if I do that I might get burned on a stake.

I found a quiet little corner before I started to change. I wasn't ashamed of my body, I didn't have abs or anything, I was your regular tall and lanky kid. Sure I had some sort of muscle but I am far from jacked. I'm doing this for their own good, I tend to stare, it's a bad habit.

Before I could get my shirt on, someone clapped me on the shoulder.

"Sup new guy! Haven't seen you around here before," Joey's friend laughed. His personality seems to be the complete opposite of Joey's. Instead of being quiet and silently angry, he was loud and obnoxiously happy and annoying.

Well considering I haven't played in almost two years...

"Unless you're trying out for cheer," Joey's friend let out a loud cackle. Yes, because the only sport that gay guys do is cheerleading. I rolled my eyes and continued putting my shirt on. I heard more laughs as more guys entered the locker room, I also smelled a lot more body odor.

"Don't talk much, do ya? As long as you play good that's all that matters." Joey's friend, whose name I don't intend on learning, smirked as he walked back to Joey and his jerk-terage. What a douche. I find myself rolling my eyes again as I shove my school clothes in a duffel bag. I threw open my locker and pulled out my bat bag, replacing it with the duffel before locking it. I don't need any of these airheads stealing my shit.

First day and I already hate everyone on the team even though there's no set team yet. I leave the man cave and enter the gym, looking for the coach. Spotting him across the gym talking to a few kids trying out, I walked over. A sat on my bag with some other kids, sitting next to a small kid with purple hair.

He turns to me, smiles, and sticks out his hand, "hey I'm Marcus." I shook his hand, "I'm Sammy." He opened his mouth to say something but he was interrupted by a load of loud-mouths. I turned to see Joey followed by his goons shoving each other and laughing loudly like the dorks they were.

"Ayyy, it's Diaz our little cheerleader! Who's that next to him?" Jerkwad must be on drugs or something because this dude cannot be this fucking obnoxious. I looked at Marcus to see him practically murdering them with his eyes. The guy with Joey continued talking, "it's lord Rider himself in all his purplish glory!" I tuned them out as coach approached them, scolding them for being loud before directing all of us to the field.

Before we actually got to work, he gave us little questionnaires so he can know our position and such. I was a pitcher, I threw with my left arm, 350 batting average, hitting lefty. I could do other stuff like third or maybe even outfield, but I was a strong pitcher with throws reaching 90mph. Finishing the form with what year I was in, I stood up to turn it in. Being one of the first ones to finish, the coach had time to look mine over, and my ego was pleased to see him looking impressed. I went back to my seat in the bleachers and just watched as one by one everyone finished and turned in their form.

I had accidentally made eye contact with Joey as he got up to turn his in, and he did not seem happy. Not my problem. I went back to watching the others until the last form was turned in.

"Okay, boys! Now that I got your positions, I will be grouping you by your positions. Pitchers will be with pitchers, thirds will be with thirds and so on and so on." Guys started chatting, already figuring out who they'll be grouped with.

"Starting at home, our catchers, Spencer, Marcus R, and Reese. At first we have..." His voice started to fade as he rotated around the bases then into the outfield.

"Last but not least, at the mound we have Marcus A, Sammy, and Joey." My mind simply froze at the third name. Joey is a pitcher??? Well that's just fucking fantastic. Twice already that I got grouped with him. The dude surrounds himself with friends who think they're God's gift to the world, like the greatest thing since sliced bread.

"Chop chop boys!" We all started running, not wanting to get cut for just being slow.

~~~

Tryouts lasted three whole days, first day we practiced throwing and fielding, second day we did hitting, third day we did conditioning and a practice game. I waited anxiously for the fourth day, the results day. I paced my bedroom while Rosie played on my phone on the bed. "You're making me nervous and I didn't even try out, stop pacing," she snapped while keeping her eyes on her game.

"Well, I'm sorry but if I don't make the team this year, I won't be eligible for a scholarship which is the only way I could possibly get into college. My grades are okay but not enough to get an academic scholarship. My mother works two jobs, my brother almost dropped out of school so he could work full time, and I just got a job just so we could eat every day. There's no way I could get to college by paying."

Rosie looked up and gave me one of those pity looks that make you feel bad for making them feel bad. "Don't give me that look," I snapped and she didn't drop the sad face. "You're a good player, you're the best pitcher I've seen, even after you broke your arm nothing changed how you play! You are going to make that team, you hear me?" I nodded my head til it felt like it was going to fall off because she seriously scared me when she gets passionate about something.

My laptop dinged as an email came in. I practically dived to reach it and Rosie jumped up as well. Coach Wellis: Varsity Baseball Team Roster. This is it, the thing I've been stressing over for the past 48 hours. Rosie, the ever so impatient one, opened the email.

-Joey Reid (CC)

-Spencer Gode

-Rory Mikaelson

-Marcus Rider

Name after name I grew more nervous but then Rosie shrieked and clapped her hands. Then I saw it.

-Sammy Diaz (CC)

I was a little confused by the CC and concerned that Joey had one too but all I could think about was that I made the team.

I did it, I made the varsity baseball team.

looky here, a second chapter, let's ignore the fact that i needed help with all the baseball terms from someone who played softball. im just happy i got this far without screwing something up

farewell peoples