3.++The+narrator+tells+his+story+in+the+present+tense.++++++a.+How+would+the+effect+of+this+story+be+different+if+it+were+told+in+the+past+tense?++++++b.+How+effective+is+this+technique?++Explain+your+answer

a. Had the story been told in the past tense, the effectiveness would've been diminished drastically. If the narrator were to talk about his inability to hit in the past tense, it would give the reader the notion that he overcame the slump. However, since the narrator uses the present tense to describe his slump, it gives the reader the impression that the slump is continuing.

b. The technique is very effective. I'm pretty sure I explained it in the above answer, but just in case, it will be repeated. It allows the reader to connect to the story and also shows how deeply the narrator feels for baseball.