I walk out of the dugout and the noises begin to fade; within seconds there is complete silence. I walk up on to the mound and begin to warm up, blocking out all elements and focusing on my target. On the pitchers mound I feel comfortable, motivated and determined. The environment settles in and I begin to feel content with my self. I get a thrill of happiness and this feeling of confidence takes over my natural competitiveness. Short of breath, I walk off the mound and sit in the dugout doing my homework on the batters just like I would be doing at home. To some, baseball is just a game. Some play for fun and others feel pressured by their families, but for me baseball is a lifestyle. I spend so much time on the field that it feels like a second home to me, almost like a pirate ship in the Caribbean where I am the captain and I protect my ship. I slowly walk out the dugout and head towards the field with my 8 other sailors, my brothers. With every pitch I control the game, controlling the pace and momentum I feel confident because I have my brothers behind me ready for any challenge that comes our way. Just like a real brothers we have issues which we, as a team, solve together. When I think about home, I think about my family, the warmth and comfort they offer. I know that when I walk out in the scorching hot sun onto that orange clay, that my brothers will help me defend that ship. Bottom of the ninth and we're up by one, as I am sweating profusely and nervous my brothers approach me and explain how they believe in me. I lift my hat, wipe the sweat off my forehead, and focus in on the batter. Looking into the batters eyes I can sense he is nervous and does not want to fail his team, but after taking a deep breath I lock in and find myself at home. " Strike three you're out!", yells the umpire as I set down my first opponent. Attacking my next opponents weakness I try to defeat him, it is a full count and I take a deep breath. I realize, even if I fail I know that not only will