018-Sports Stories,Changeup 2-A New Pinch Hitter幼儿英语绘本

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SportsStoriesChangeup2

ANewPinchHitter

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hno,”Patrickthought,staringindismayatMickey’scatcher’smitt.DanielhadjusttoldPatrickthatCoachrarelystartedseventh-graderslikePatrick.Thiskid—aneighth-grader—wouldprobablybumpPatrickdowntoabackupcatcher.

“Theregoesmyfantasticbaseballseason,”thoughtPatrickgloomily.

JustthenCoachapproachedthedugout,hisgrayhairtuckedunderaDragonscap.“Iseeyoutwohavemet,”hesaid.“Daniel’sgonnacoachthepitchersandcatchersthisyear.Ijustinformedhimthathe’sgotanewplayer.We’regladyoumovedhere,Mickey,”Coachadded.“Weneedagoodreliefcatcher.”

“Phew!”Patrickthought.Coachhadjustcalled

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Mickeya“relief”catcher.ThathadtomeanthatCoachthoughtofPatrickasstarter.

Coachjerkedathumbtowardthefield.“Getoutthere,youtwo.Daniel’swaitingforyou.”

Afterwarm-ups,practicewentintofullswing.Patrickcrouchedbehindtheplate.DellthrewpitchafterpitchasDanielstoodrightbehindPatrick.

“Notfastenough,Patrick!”yelledDaniel.

“Toostiff!”

“Standhigheronyourtoes!”

Patrickfeltstungbyhisbrother’sconstantcriticism.“Whatishisproblem?”hethought.

MickeyreturnedfromhisturninthebattingcageandcameovertowatchPatrickandDell.

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Dellthrewafastballontheoutsideedgeoftheplate.Patrickreachedforitbutmissed.

“Youshouldhavehadthatone!”yelledDaniel.

Patrickglaredathim,evenmoreembarrassednowthatMickeywaswatching.HethrewtheballbacktoDellandthenglancedatthebleachers,wherehisfathersatwatchingpractice.Dadshrugged,signalingtoPatrickthateverybodymissessometimes.

“Patrick!Keepyourheadinthegame!”Danielsnapped.“Eyesonthefield,notthebleachers!”

“Gotit,”mutteredPatrick.

FinallyCoachcalledPatrickandDellovertothebattingcage.MickeyandJerry,areliefpitcher,movedtohomeplatetoworkwithDaniel.

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Dellwentintothebattingcagefirst.PatrickwantedtowatchMickeycatch,toassesstheothercatcher’sskills.ButheforcedhimselftopayattentiontoCoach’sbattinginstructionsinstead.Patrickwastoolighttohaveapowerswing,soheneededtomasterthemechanicsofbatting.

CoachguidedDellintoposition.“It’sonehundredpercentphysics,plustenpercentattitude,”hesaid.

PatrickandafewotherplayersgroanedatCoach’slamejoke.

ToddsteppedclosertoPatrick.“Didyouseethatnewkidhit?”

“Nope.”Patrickshookhishead,keepinghiseyesonDell.“Isheanygood?”

“Unbelievable!Hewhackedthatballlikehewasshootingforthemoon.He’llbeapinchhitterforsure.”

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“We’llneedanewpinchhitterifyoustartinleftfield,Todd,”saidBuck,theirfirstbaseman.

Toddnodded.“Mickeycoulddefinitelygetthejob.”

Patrickgroanedinwardly.Inbaseballapinchhittercameintohitforanotherbatter.Theplayerhereplacedwasoutfortherestofthegame.SoifMickeywascalledintopinchhitforsomebody,MickeywouldreplacePatrickascatcher.

Afewminuteslater,itwasPatrick’sturninthebattingcage.Hesethisfeet,relaxedintoposition,andnodded.Hewasreadyforthemachinetoreleaseapitch.

Swoosh!

TheballsailedpastPatrickandslammedintothenet.

“We’lltryanotherone.Butfirst...”CoachcameovertoadjustPatrick’sforwardarmandthensteppedback.

Ping!ThistimePatricktippedtheball.

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Whack!Thenexttimehehadasolidhit.Itwasatleastasingle.

CoachwatchedPatrickhitafewmoretimes.“Notbad,Patrick.You’remeetingtheball.Spendsometimeontheweights,buildingupyourstrength.Weneedtogetafewdoublesoutofyou.Nextup!”

Patrickleftthecageandglancedathomeplate,whereDanielwasstillworkingwithMickey.PatricktriedtoreadDaniel’sexpression.Daniellooked...

“Impressed,”thoughtPatrick.

“You’vegotgoodspeedandgoodinstincts,Mickey,”Danielsaid.“Andyouknowhowtousethem.”

DellwasalsowatchingDanielandMickey.“Don’tsweatit,Patrick,”hesaidquietly.“Mickey’sgood,but

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he’snew,andhe’sgonnaneedtimetogetusedtoworkingwithourteam.IthinkCoachwillstartyou—he’sseenyouplay.Plus,you’reDaniel’sbrother.”

Patricknodded,buthisthroatfelttight.HewasworriedaboutMickey,andhedidn’tlikebeinglinkedtoDanielallthetime.“We’llsee,”hesaidwithashrug.

Anhourlaterparentsstartedarrivingtopickuptheirkids.Coachcalledtheteamintothedugoutbeforeendingpractice.

“Goodstart,boys.”Helookeddownthelineofplayers,meetingeachoftheireyes.“Howmanyofyouhavehomeworkthisweekend?”Everyoneraisedahand.

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“Getitdone.Havingbaseballpracticeisnoexcuseforslackingongrades.SeeyouonMondayafterschool.”

PatrickwalkedoutofthedugoutwithDellandDaniel.Mr.Deboeclimbeddownfromthebleacherstojointhem.

“Whatdidyouthinkofthenewkid,Dad?”Danielasked.

“Helooksconfidentbehindtheplate,”saidMr.Deboe.

“Yeah,”agreedDaniel.“He’sgotsharpinstincts.”

“Good,”saidMr.Deboe.

Patricktrailedbehindthemintotheparkinglot.“Whataboutme?”hethought.Weren’thisdadandbrotherconcernedthatPatrickwouldprobablylosehispositionas

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starter?

Justthenahornbeeped,andPatricklookedup.Anoldvanpaintedtolooklikeagiantdogsatintheparkinglot.Ithadeyesandearsstickingupontopandatonguelappingoverthegrille.ToPatrick’shorror,hismomsteppedoutofthedriver’sdoor.

“Hi,everybody!”shesaid,abigsmilespreadingacrossherfreckledface.“Doyoulikemynewvan?”

“What?”Patrickthought.“You’vegottobekiddingme!”

He’dknownMomwasbuyingavanforhernewdog-groomingbusiness,DoggieExpress