How to Baseball 101

The baseball diamond is where I developed a passion for baseball and also where I grew determined to become a better baseball player. I started playing baseball during the summer of 2013 at Sage, where I learned how to throw baseballs far without risking any injuries to my tendons. I also learnt how to tag runners out by fielding ground balls that have unpredictable bounce. However, I struggled the most with hitting 70 mph pitches with bats that have a diameter of about three inches. I developed a passion for baseball that still burns fiercely today; I dedicate myself to strive towards to be a better player every day by practicing whenever I can.

Since I haven’t found a sport I could fully devote to during high school, I tried various sports, such as soccer, rugby, and cross country. I wanted to dedicate my time and efforts to a sport that offers the most fun without sustaining too many injuries to my skinny body frame. Unfortunately, I ended up quitting all of the sports out of frustration. I was devoted to soccer before coming to Sage, but my physical capabilities led the coaches to believe I was not fit for soccer, resulting in most of my time spent on the cold, steel bench. Even the coach told me I had to “fatten up” in order to allow me to play on the field. Thanks to him, I lost hope in finding any potential in myself as a soccer player, so I took off my soccer cleats and never seen them since. It does not feel good to be told that you are incapable of being able to play a sport that you enjoy participating. I was a very active child but with no specific activity to do. However, I failed to find interest in any sports during middle school. Without a sport to devote to, I was like a Ronin, a master less samurai wandering around the village looking for jobs. Until, I was introduced to a new path at my first baseball game at the Angels’ stadium. I enjoyed every moment of the game. The cheering crowds, the delicious, but expensive, hot dog in my hand, the bright stadium lights shining onto everyone within the stadium. Most of the details has been imprinted in my memories, but I mainly focused on the pitcher and his pitches. Every pitch thrown piqued my interest, because each pitch was thrown with a purpose. That’s when I realized, everything I do has a meaning. Similar to how every pitch I throw has an ambiguous outcome, it’s how I deliver my next pitch that ultimately dictates the outcome. That was when my passion for baseball sparked into a fiery inferno. The intensity and the thrill of not knowing what will happen after each pitch is thrown stoked my fiery passion and ultimately influenced me to fall in love with the game.

You can say that baseball was the key to a revelation that brightened my life, but I also experienced dark and painful times during my career as a baseball player. I started as an outfielder when I started because I had to pick up the basic skillsets of every baseball player: catching a fly ball, then throwing the ball back to an infielder to stop the runners from advancing further. As I have stated before, I have a pretty fragile and feeble physique, so I had difficulties adjusting to baseball’s demanding physical capabilities. For example, one of the first struggles I have faced during practice is that my arm cannot withstand the violent action of a powerful throwing motion, so the ball did not go as far as I had hoped. Also since I was not accustomed to a constant throwing motion for my arm, I consistently experienced cramps and soreness in my biceps and my elbow. What made it worse was that the upperclassmen, who were already experienced with throwing baseballs since elementary schools, used such a powerful force to effectively launch their balls much farther than expected. I was extremely discouraged by this. Although the upperclassmen told me not to worry about it since I was a beginner, I was still discouraged that I will never be able to rise to their level. I also struggled with catching fly balls, which I thought was to be a simple task. I have never been so wrong in my life. First of all, it is almost impossible to predict a fly ball to come towards your way, so most of the times, I had to chase after fly balls because I was not expecting them. Each outfielder has their own territory that they have to cover; the entire area of the outfield on a regular baseball diamond is vast. So having only three people covering the entire field has high risks for letting ground balls or fly balls finding a hole between these outfielders. It is also surprisingly difficult to predict where a fly ball will land while it is high in the air. Think about trying to locate a white 9 inch baseball spinning at a height of 50 feet in the air. However, to this day, I still struggle with one of the most important skill necessary for every baseball player: batting. As I have said before, I use a metal or a wooden bat, which has a diameter of 3 inches, to hit a baseball streaking at a speed of 70-80 mph. What prevented me from swinging was that I did not know what kind of pitch the pitcher was going to throw next. I was shy and never took full swings at strikes, which resulted in me striking out most of the times. I really did not like to bat, mostly because I did not have the strength nor the accuracy to hit the ball. I was pushed to the brink of quitting, but I pushed back with a strong will to keep my head in the game, and continue forward.

After months of grueling batting and fielding practice, I realized that making contact at the sweet spot of my bat will require less effort for distance, so I tried aiming for the ball instead of blindly swinging my bat. Recently, I have been able to make solid contacts with the ball, which led to my first RBI double in an official game. My reaction time for determining whether a pitch is a strike or a ball became much quicker; the moment the pitcher threw the first pitch, I immediately knew it was a strike. I did not swing at full strength because I instinctively reacted with a light, but accurate swing. It was a clean hit towards center-left field. While the runners on 2^nd and 3^rd made it home, I was able to make it all the way to 2^nd base, thus resulting in an RBI double. Needless to say, I can confidently say that I have made significant improvements since my first summer baseball practice. My throwing distance nearly doubled in length, my fielding skills are more quick and agile, my batting average is no longer a .000, I also moved to 2^nd base and shortstop for my position, eventually I also became a pitcher for my team. I also started pitching last spring, which opened a whole new perspective of baseball to my life. As a pitcher, I imagined my pitches from the batter’s perspective, so I can throw a pitch that the batter will most likely swing at. I devote my entire body into each and every pitch, starting from my legs to my fingertips. I lift my leg up to create the initial momentum required for a stride, then I step forward pushing from the rubber with all the strength my quadriceps can muster. As I set my left foot down, I create a stable base, so my torso rotates to create torque and ultimately more momentum. My pitching arm comes up from behind while my gloved hand is pulled downwards to create additional rotational torque. My pitching arm comes up over my head and extends towards home plate, where I give one last snap of my wrist and my fingertips to add extra velocity, accuracy, and control over my pitches. Right after I let go, I follow through downward, causing my right leg to rise up from the rubber. Sometimes I cannot lift my head in time to see whether I threw a strike or not, but there are sometimes where I instinctively know it’s a strike without looking. Since I am a pitcher for Sage baseball, I ultimately lead my teammates to victory; I must also trust their ability to successfully make plays.

Before baseball, I truly felt hopeless and lost. Wandering around with my body aching to stay active. However, with no specific sports activity to devote to, my body’s athleticism starts to deteriorate. I was similar to a lost sheep, until baseball found me like a shepherd. As I started to play and learn skills, I also developed instincts as an infielder, so I do not have to think about what I have to do; my reaction times are much quicker due to my instincts. As a second baseman or a shortstop, there are times where I cannot make a throw to first base in time. However, I would rather play it safe and not risk making a bad throw; I learned that sometimes I should not foolishly give an advantage to the other team by risking bad throws. It has been a year since I first picked up a baseball, but I assure you I will never put it down again.