The 823rd Hit Read Online Free PDF Page A

almost made me sick to my stomach.
    â€œSorry. I know that you guys like the Porcupines,” Casey told me and Dylan at lunch. “But the Rogues are just a better team in every category.”
    â€œNo, they aren’t,” I said.
    â€œHitting, pitching, fielding—no matter how you slice it, the Rogues are better,” Casey replied.
    I knew he’d win any of those arguments, what with his DIPS and OPS. But I knew something he didn’t. “The Porcupines have better personalities.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œSorry, it’s true,” I told him. “The Rogues are stuck-up.”
    â€œSays you!”
    â€œI worked with them,” I reminded him. “They made fun of the ballpark, the team, and the town. Tell him, Dylan.”
    Dylan looked up from his book—he was still reading about cells. “The Rogues can come across as stuck-up,” he agreed.
    â€œWell, maybe it’s hard not to be stuck-up when you’re the best,” said Casey. “Anyway, they aren’t all stuck-up. Damien Ricken isn’t stuck-up.”
    â€œHe’s the worst one of all!” I said.
    â€œWhy? What did he say?”
    â€œHe said Pine City was all pines and no city.”
    Casey laughed. “Well, Damien’s from New York. He’s used to a big city.”
    â€œHe also complained that you can’t get catfish and hush puppies at the ballpark.”
    â€œThat’s all? Have the catfish and hush puppies they sell at the Rosedale ballpark sometime. Then you’ll know why he said that.”
    â€œFine!” I told Casey. “Everything is better inRosedale. But the Rogues didn’t have to trash Pine City while I was sitting right there.”
    â€œYeah,” said Dylan. “They did that to me too. They said the Porcupine logo looked like a hedgehog. They also said Victor Snapp wasn’t fit to hold the microphone for their announcer.”
    â€œThey made fun of Victor Snapp?” I couldn’t believe it. Their stuck-up-ed-ness had no limits. Victor Snapp was the best announcer in the league!
    â€œThe Rogues made fun of pretty much everything at Pine City Park,” said Dylan. “Except for Spike.”
    â€œNobody would make fun of Spike,” I said.
    Spike was the junior mascot, a funny-looking porcupine kid everybody loved. Not many people knew what Dylan and I knew about Spike. We knew that our classmate Abby was inside the Spike costume.
    â€œDamien Ricken did say that Myung Young was the best defensive player in the Prairie League,” Dylan continued. “Plus Ricken said he’d give anything to have Ryan Kimball saving his games. Oh, and he said he liked you.”
    â€œMe?” I asked.
    â€œYeah,” Dylan replied. “Ricken told me, ‘I want the kid who was here yesterday. I liked him.’ Nice way to make
me
feel welcome. Ricken said the pizza place you recommended was great. He said it was the best pizza he’d had since he left Long Island.” Dylan went back to reading his book.
    â€œSo maybe he’s not
completely
stuck-up,” I admitted.
    Abby came over to our table and sat across from me and Casey.
    â€œHi, Chad! Hi, Dylan!”
    â€œHey,” I said. “Are you excited about the game on Saturday?”
    â€œEeep. I can’t go. I have play practice.”
    â€œHuh? You’re not going to be there? We
need
Spike!” Abby was a great junior mascot.
    â€œI’m really sorry!” she said. “I can’t do both.”
    â€œHow are the Porcupines going to win without you?” I asked. I felt like the junior mascot was part of the magic that had turned the Porcupines into a playoff team.
    â€œI’m really sorry,” said Abby.
    â€œHuh?” Casey looked confused. “Why would the Porcupines lose without you?”
    â€œShe’s their best player,” said Dylan.
    â€œKind of a secret weapon,” I