"Ball four, take your base."
Ken let out a pained smile and threw his bat to the side, trying not to show his annoyance. After his home run in the first inning, he was subsequently walked in the following at-bats.
'This sucks…' He mused inwardly, taking his spot on first base.
He let out a sigh, feeling frustrated. Ken had never been walked this much in his life, yet only a couple of months in America and he had to face a new kind of reality.
Compared to back home, baseball in America felt far more calculated. In Japan, coaches spoke about fighting spirit, teaching their players to never give up and continue to challenge themselves.
This oftentimes led to a pitcher not wanting to walk a batter, even if it made perfect sense to. Some might call this arrogance, but to Ken, it was just a way of life.
What was the point in running away now? What would you do if there was no chance to walk the batter next time?
