The first time Joseph Rodriguez, 12, hit a home run, he got a piece of a low pitch and lobbed it out past center field. It was a bit of a surprise, he said, when that hit sailed out of the park.
But the second time Rodriguez hit a homer, it was much more definite. He swung and hit an inside pitch and sent it soaring over the outfield.
“I knew that one was going over,” he said. “I hit it hard.”
Those were Rodriguez’s first two and only two home runs, and he’s justifiably proud. Two homers in one season is more than most 12-year-olds get—and more than enough to brag about to his older brother.
“I gave him the ball and told him that’s what a home run ball fells like,” he said. “Then he brought out all his trophies to show me.”
With the sibling situation evened out nicely, Joseph went back to what he likes to do: hitting the ball. Batting is the best thing about baseball, he said.
He’s been playing baseball since he was 5 years old. This season, he played third base for the Angels team in the Northside Little League. In his off time, he plays football. Now that baseball season is over, he has some time off from both sports. He said that he’s not sure what he’ll do with his extra free time, but he knows he’ll keep hitting.
This article appears in Jun 19-26, 2008.