Looking Ahead

Linus sat with Oliver and Filip on the edge of the field, the three of them going over the highs and lows of the scrimmage. The tension of the last inning still hung in the air, especially with how close it had come to tying the game.

"Man, that catch by Elias," Linus shook his head, still in disbelief. "He really saved them at the end."

Filip sighed, his eyes narrowing as he stretched out his legs. "Yeah, but I should've pitched better earlier in the game. Lukas and I were going head-to-head, but then I lost focus. I hate losing duels like that."

Oliver, quiet as usual, stared at the ground, picking at the grass. "Still didn't get a hit today. I froze again." His voice was low, frustration seeping through.

"You'll get there, Oliver," Linus said, trying to reassure him. Oliver had been struggling at the plate, and Linus could tell it was eating him up. The guy was solid on defense, but when it came to hitting, the pressure seemed to mess with his timing. 

Before they could dive deeper into the conversation, Coach Chris's voice cut through the low murmur of their teammates packing up. 

"Alright, everyone! Circle up, let's talk!" Coach Chris called, gesturing for both teams to gather around him in the middle of the field. His voice carried its usual calm tone, but there was an underlying firmness, a focus on learning from the game.

Linus and the others slowly got up, joining the rest of the players from both teams. They formed a loose huddle around Coach Chris, waiting to hear his thoughts.

"First of all," Coach Chris began, looking around at both groups, "good work today. Scrimmages like this are where we see what needs to be fixed, but also what's already working. So, no one should be hanging their heads about this game. Both teams played hard."

He paused, letting the team settle in before continuing. "Now, let's break it down. Filip, you pitched well for most of your innings, but like you said, you lost focus for a bit. That's what we're going to work on—keeping that intensity all the way through."

Filip gave a slight nod, his expression serious as he absorbed the feedback.

"Lukas," Chris turned to the other pitcher, "solid work on the mound. You challenged their hitters and kept things tight. Keep pushing yourself, and don't be afraid to mix things up."

Lukas grinned confidently, giving a quick thumbs-up. He always seemed to thrive on that kind of praise.

Chris continued, looking at Oliver next. "Oliver, your defense was dependable today, as usual. Don't get too caught up in the hitting struggles. We'll keep working on your swing. The timing will come, trust me."

Oliver nodded, but Linus could see the uncertainty in his eyes. Coach noticed it too and added, "It's a process, Oliver. Results will come with enough practice."

Then, Coach Chris's eyes moved to Linus. "And Linus, that was a good game out there—nice hit, and you're starting to read the field better. You're improving fast. But remember, we're still in the early stages. Keep your head in the game at all times, especially when you're out there fielding."

Linus smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment, though he knew there was still so much more to learn.

"Now," Chris said, stepping back and addressing the whole group again, "both teams had some solid plays today. There were a lot of good moments, like that diving catch by Elias—great hustle out there. But there are also things we need to tighten up. Fielding mistakes, missed throws, and a few missed opportunities at the plate. We'll focus on those in practice."

Everyone nodded, taking in the feedback.

"But the biggest takeaway today," Coach Chris said, his voice carrying more weight now, "is that we need to start strong and stay consistent. If we do that, we won't be in situations where we're chasing the game late. It's about staying sharp from the first pitch to the last out."

The team murmured in agreement. Linus glanced around, seeing the mix of tired but determined faces. 

Coach Chris clapped his hands together, signaling the end of the talk. "Alright, that's enough for today. Rest up, and we'll get back to work at the next practice. We'll iron out the mistakes and build on what went well. Keep your heads up, everyone. Good game today."

With that, the group started dispersing, some players already talking about grabbing food or heading home. Linus packed up his gear slowly, still thinking over his performance. There had been some clear mistakes, especially in the field, but he felt good about his progress.

As they walked back toward the locker room, Oliver broke the silence. "You think I'll ever figure out how to hit? I feel like I'm stuck."

"You will," Linus replied confidently. "Look at me. I had no idea what I was doing a few weeks ago, and I managed to get a hit."

Oliver gave a small, grateful smile. "Yeah, maybe. Thanks."

When he saw Oliver being so unsure of himself, Linus felt like he wanted to do more to help his teammate. He could tell Oliver was struggling with his confidence at the plate, and it reminded Linus of how he felt just a few weeks ago when he first started playing.

"You know, Coach Chris gave me a bunch of batting drills that really helped me out," Linus said, glancing at Oliver. "He told me that you might be overthinking it. Maybe if you practice enough that your body can just rely on muscle memory, it'll help you relax when you're up to bat."

Oliver looked thoughtful. "Yeah, maybe... I think I do get stuck in my head sometimes. I overthink every pitch."

Linus nodded. "Exactly. I'm no expert, but I bet if you talk to Coach Chris, he could give you more advice on building confidence. He knows a lot more than I do."

Oliver managed a small smile, seeming a little more encouraged by Linus's words. "Thanks, man. I'll talk to him next practice."

With that, they parted ways and Linus headed home, still reflecting on the scrimmage and his own performance. He felt good about the progress he was making, but his fielding still needed work. That was something he couldn't ignore.

Once he got home, Linus decided to spend some time researching drills that would help improve his fielding. He browsed through a few baseball websites, reading about different techniques and exercises. After a bit of searching, he found some simple drills that looked like they could be done on his own.

One of the drills was designed to improve throwing accuracy. Linus would grab a ball, field it as if it were a grounder, and throw to a target set at a distance similar to the throw from shortstop to first base. He could vary the throws, sometimes using full speed and other times throwing from different arm angles or positions, simulating real game situations. The key to the drill was repetition—getting in as many throws as possible to build consistency.

Linus decided to add that to his daily routine along with the batting drills and the daily missions he had been completing with the system. It would help him cover all aspects of his game, and hopefully, over time, his fielding would improve to match the progress he was making at the plate.

***

Later that night, after wrapping up his individual practice in the backyard along with his daily missions, Linus found himself thinking about the upcoming school year. Last year, he'd managed to keep his grades solid with minimal effort, usually just cramming the day before a test and still landing mostly B's. This year, he expected things to be much the same.

He hoped the teachers would stick to grading based on tests again. That would be ideal. If that were the case, he wouldn't have to worry about nightly homework eating into his free time. Therefore giving him less time to do his individual drills.

Linus had never been the type to spend hours studying or stressing about assignments. He preferred paying attention in class and picking things up quickly, which worked well enough for him in the past. 

Linus shrugged off the thought. He was sure it would all sort itself out. 

With school out of his mind, Linus's thoughts drifted toward the baseball season. There wasn't much time left—only until September or October but he was unsure since the coach hadn't mentioned a date yet. He briefly wondered how things would change during the offseason. 

How would they practice when there were no more games? Linus figured the team would probably run more drills and focus on conditioning, but he didn't know for sure what the off-season would look like. Especially since it would be too cold to do anything outside.

Linus decided to stop overthinking since he didn't really have anything to off of and finally get ready for bed.