Bridge league action is over for the summer, but baseball is still a full-time job now for White Sox fourth-round pick Landon Hodge. Even at 18 years of age, that fits Hodge fine, who feels like his commitment to the sport had started taking priority over other pursuits well before he landed a $1.1 million signing bonus.
One of the biggest benefits -- or at least one of the benefits that he appreciates most on a personal level -- is the expectation for him to entirely call his own game behind the plate, which Hodge treats as something he's been freed up to do rather than an added responsibility.
"In high school most of the time I called my own game, so it's just kind of expanding on what I already know and getting information from professional guys, and I'm trying to be a sponge," Hodge said. "Especially in high school when my coaches would call a pitch, I feel like they weren't paying attention to the batter so much.
I feel like I have a better idea of the hitter, pitch-to-pitch of how they're swinging, their timing, everything. You're right there with the batter, so you know what he did, so I can act on that instead of having to listen someone and this is what they think, but they're not playing the game and may not see things I see. It makes me pay attention to the game more, but also I feel more comfortable because I know what works against guys and what doesn't."
Hitters are often asked about what it feels like to connect on a home run, pitchers on the exhilaration they feel after a strikeout. But for a swing-reading catcher like Hodge, who is still relatively new to the position, satisfaction comes with inducing frustration.
"If I see a guy and he's late, or let's say he's sitting offspeed, and you throw a fastball, you can just tell they're a little pissed off," Hodge said. "So it's kind of fun just messing with them a little bit, messing with their timing and their swing."
So rather than the crack of flush contact off the bat, or the pop of the mitt after a firm fastball, success for Hodge often sounds like a hitter cursing under their breath or asking for timeout.
"Or if they ask, 'Was that a strike or a ball?' I know they're already in their head thinking about the pitch and where it was, and I'm like, 'All right, I'm just going to do it again,'" Hodge said. "It is enjoyable because you get to mess with the hitters a little bit. It's not as fun if you're the one getting messed with."
Omaha 11, Charlotte 3
- Jacob Gonzalez was 1-for-4 with a stolen base.
- Tim Elko, 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Bryan Ramos went 0-for-3 with a sac fly and a strikeout.
- Peyton Pallette: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 4 of 9 pitches for strikes.
- Jairo Iriarte: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 11 of 25 pitches for strikes.
Birmingham 7, Biloxi 6
- Rikuu Nishida was 1-for-4 with a double, HBP and strikeout.
- William Bergolla went 2-for-4.
- Ryan Galanie, 1-for-3 with a double, walk and strikeout.
- D.J. Gladney became the first Baron to reach 10 homers this season, finishing 1-for-3 with a walk, strikeout and stolen base.
- Wilfred Veras, 1-for-3 with a sac fly.
- Hagen Smith: 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 BB, 6 K, 1 HR, 40 of 78 pitches for strikes.
