Brian is the main character and the protagonist. The story is in the voice of the third-person narrator, but the story predominantly focuses on Brian’s experiences, thoughts, and emotions. Brian’s pursuit of the batboy role reveals his deep determination to devote himself to The Omnipresent Influence of Baseball in his life. Like his mother, Liz, Brian doesn’t give up easily. After Schenkel turned down Brian’s application for batboy because the boy was still too young, Brian waited two years and applied again, even though he is still two years younger than the average batboy.

Determination also defines Brian’s shifting relationship with Hank, as he shrugs off a series of unpleasant encounters and continues trying to bond with his baseball hero. Ultimately, Brian’s determination overcomes Hank’s misanthropic tendencies, and Hank becomes a mentor and father figure to Brian. However, Brian’s determination can sometimes hamper him. For example, with Cole absent from his life, Brian devises an idealized version of his father that does not match reality, romanticizing his memories of their time together in the past. In reality, Brian has essentially lost his father, but he cannot fully realize this until Cole visits and treats him with relative indifference.