Read Online Bases Loaded by Mike Knudson - Free Book Online

swing if it’s a bad pitch?” Zach asked.
    â€œWell, because we want the runner on first base to steal second base. If the batter swings, it will be more difficult for the catcher to catch the ball and throw the runner out.”
    Wow, I had never thought of that either. I hoped I would never have to swing at a bad pitch. There’s no way I wanted to give up a strike just to make the base runner’s life easier. Coach showed us another signal for when he wanted us not to swing, and then he said, “But if I clap after any signal, that means ignore whatever signal I gave you and just hit away.”
    I was getting really confused. “So if you give us a signal to bunt, but then you clap after the signal, we ignore it?” I asked.
    â€œRight,” he said. “It’s just to confuse the other team, in case they’re catching on to our signals. Now, since we’ve lost a couple of games, we need to get on a winning streak. And this year we’re going to make it to the championships! Let’s really work on getting the signals down in tonight’s game.”
    We did a little infield practice as the Astros arrived one at a time. Then we let them take the field to warm up. After a few minutes the umpire showed up, put on his gear, and yelled, “Play ball!”
    We were up to bat first. Coach Parker stood by third base. Luke’s dad was coaching first base. Graham was batting first today. He walked up and pounded the plate with his bat. “Give me a good one!” he yelled out.
    Graham let the first two pitches go by and complained when the umpire called them strikes. He stepped out of the box and looked at Coach, who was giving him a signal. Coach touched his hat, then slid his hand across his chest and clapped.
    Graham looked confused. “One more time, please,” he called down to Coach Parker. He gave him the signal one more time, and then said, “Let’s go, bud. Let’s get a hit.” Graham looked over at us on the bench and mouthed, “What?”
    â€œHe said bunt,” Zach yelled.
    â€œNo, he didn’t, he clapped. Just hit like normal,” Luke yelled.
    â€œHey, quiet, you guys,” Luke’s dad called over from first base. Coach Parker just shook his head.
    Graham let the first one go by as a ball and then smacked the next one. He made it to first base. Carlos was up next.
    As usual, his parents started yelling to him in Spanish. Coach gave him the signal to swing no matter what. The pitch was low and in the dirt. Carlos swung anyway, and Graham stole second base. The ball bounced behind the catcher, and Graham stole third base too. Carlos’s parents were still yelling. I figured they were telling him to quit swinging at bad pitches. Someone needed to explain the whole signal thing to them. The next four pitches were all balls, and Carlos jogged down to first base.
    I was up next. I looked over at Coach for my signal, hoping he would tell me to just hit away. He gave me the bunt sign. I waited a second or two. Maybe he would clap after the sign, but he didn’t. I hate to bunt. First of all, I can’t do it very well. And second, it’s a stupid kind of hit. Who wants to hit a ball and have it roll five feet away? Baseball’s about home runs and grand slams, not bunts. But I followed Coach’s directions and tried to bunt.
    â€œStrike one!” the umpire yelled. I had missed the ball completely.
    â€œMove in, everyone,” their pitcher yelled. “He’s bunting.”
    Coach whistled to me and gave me the signal to hit. I swung as hard as I could.
    â€œStrike two!” the ump called out. Everyone on the other team moved back a little.
    After two bad pitches, the Astros’ pitcher threw the ball right down the middle. I felt a home run coming on. I swung as hard as I could and hit the ball. It bounced on the ground in front of the plate and rolled about halfway to the pitcher. It