Kid Coach Read Online Free PDF Page B

schedule. “We got the Yanks and the Red Sox left, and we’d have to win both games. Eddie Wilson of the Red Sox is the best hitter in town. And the only guys hitting in our team are you, me, and Danny.”
    “Come on, Drew,” said Fran. “What about Maggie and me? We’re no slouches.”
    “Fran’s right,” Scott said. “Here. This is what I wanted to show you.” Scott opened a desk drawer and pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Drew.
    “What’s this?” Drew asked.
    “The team batting statistics after thirteen games.”
    Drew studied them as Fran looked over his shoulder.
    “What’s OBP?” Drew asked.
    “On Base Percentage—how often a batter gets on base. And walks count,” said Scott.
    Fran pointed at the paper. “Hey, Maggie’s got the best OBP on the team.”
    “You’re right, Fran,” said Drew, turning a little red.
    “That’s why Maggie’s the leadoff hitter,” Scott said, sounding a bit like Benny.
    Fran looked at Scott. “Did you do these stats?” she asked.

    “No.”
    “Your dad?”
    Scott shook his head.
    “Who then?”
    “Benny,” Scott said matter-of-factly.
    “Benny!” said Drew. “So that’s what the Brain’s been doing with all the stuff he writes in his notebooks.” Then Drew laughed, pointing at the paper. “The Brain does a lot better job keeping the stats than he does playing the game. You know who is the worst hitter? Benjamin P. Myles,” said Drew. “He’s 1 for 12.”
    “Give Benny a break, Drew,” Scott said. “He’s getting better, especially in the field. And his stats have really helped the team. Face it, you couldn’t do the stats.”
    “What do you mean?” Drew asked, sounding hurt. “I got a B in math on my last report card. I could keep the stats.”
    “You know what I mean,” Scott said. “We’d be lost without Benny’s brainpower.”
    “Yeah, maybe,” Drew said, and he quickly changed the subject. “Hey, did you ever find out what the P stands for in Brain’s name?” he asked.
    “Oh yeah, it stands for …” Scott stopped, remembering his promise.
    “Come on, what’s it stand for?” Drew pressed.
    “Nah … I … ah … promised Benny I wouldn’t tell anyone.”
    “Come on, we’re buddies.”
    Scott shook his head.
    “Come on, tell. Fran and I won’t blab it to anybody,” Drew said.
    “All right,” Scott said impatiently. “It’s Peaches.”
    “Peaches!” Fran and Drew blurted out at the same time.
    “Come on, you guys. You can tell anybody,” Scott pleaded. “And don’t tell anybodythat Benny’s keeping stats. He doesn’t want anybody to know.”
    “I can see why he doesn’t want anybody knowing his middle name,” said Fran. “I won’t tell anybody.”
    Fran and Scott then looked over at Drew.
    “Don’t worry,” Drew said. “I can keep a secret.”

E LEVEN
    S cott stood on the pitcher’s mound rubbing the baseball and eyeing the Yankee runners at first and second bases. He glanced over his shoulder to the scoreboard behind the center-field fence. The Yankees led 5–2 in the top of the third.
    “Come on, Scottie,” Fran called from third base. “One more out. No batter, no batter.”
    Scott hurled a hard pitch toward the outside corner of the plate. The Yankee batter knocked a powerful hopper to the right side of the infield. Danny, who was playing first base, dove to his right and knocked the ball down.
    In a flash, Scott dashed off the mound to cover first base. Scrambling to his knees,Danny tossed the ball toward first. Racing to first, Scott reached out, caught the ball, and touched the bag a split second before the runner.
    “Out!” the umpire cried.
    The Tigers were out of the inning!
    “Listen up!” Scott shouted as the Tigers got ready to hit in the bottom of the third inning. “Next inning, Drew’s pitching and I’m playing short. Danny and Nick switch. Benny’s in right for Sam. Brendan, you’re in left for Peter. Let’s get some runs.”
    The Tigers didn’t score