Even batting practice coaches feel the twinge of competitiveness every once in a while. That was rather evident on the day the travel team coach tried to blow the ball by 12-year-old Seth Peay. But baseball's middle-in on the plate were Peay's forte even then and he launched batting practice ball after batting practice ball into the weeds beyond the left field fence. As other players kicked around in the brambles, the coach was determined to throw a baseball by Peay. But it never happened that day and some of the balls still remain, in some form or another, in those weeds.
Fast forward four years and Peay has honed his batting skills even further. One individual goal Peay set before the 2010 Allen County-Scottsville baseball season started was to hit .400. Peay, hitting in the third slot, did that and more. His .480 batting average was the second best in Patriot history and he led the team in hits (49), singles (28), doubles (17), and slugging percentage (.745).
But attaining that goal was not done on the weed-finding middle-in pitches. Top pitchers might challenge him, but the days are over when Peay will see a lot of those. Driving the breaking ball consistently the other way is what transformed the Sophomore from an outstanding hitter to a superlative one.
"Seth really stepped up this year," says Allen County-Scottsville head coach Kerry Harwood. "Yeah, it helped that he was difficult to pitch around with (Cory) Cooper and (Chris) Ogles behind him, but he took curve the other way very well. Pitchers can't just feed him the curve."
Peay's quick hands and strong wrists are God-given. And that God-given ability was on display on a 2009 fall night as he rolled out of the football locker room onto a open practice baseball field. Peay had been busy starting linebacker as a freshman on the Patriot football team and hadn't clutched a baseball bat in weeks; rust would be expected. Instead the first pitch was roped one hop off of the right field fence.
But no doubt, though blessed with a quick bat, hard work has been the residue of Peay's success.
Many times while other youth players were deservedly safe within the confines of Pizza Hut or Dairy Queen, Peay was taking extra ground balls at Fred Hale Ballpark; or blocking up pitches with the catchers gear; or going through his 5-step pitching routine. That work ethic continues now.
"We knew last fall that we had a chance to make a run at the district and regional championships," says Peay. "So we worked hard in the weight room and came in (February 15th) ready to put it together."
Peay's success at the plate has been satisfying, however it's his play behind the plate that Peay hopes to improve by next spring, starting with a summer season with the 19U Kentucky Colonels.
"I have a pop-time of about 1.94 now and I want to improve that to somewhere between 1.8 and 1.9", says Peay.
Pop-time refers to the length of time between a ball "popping" the catchers mitt and the time it "pops" the cover mans mitt on a throw down to second. A 1.9 pop can be compared to a pitchers 90 mile per hour fastball. Any time less than that would be progressively superior and is indeed a lofty goal. But don't count Peay out of reaching that goal. He's decided he wants it.
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