What is Cal Diamond thinking?
If this isn’t evidence of a future problem, I don’t know what is.
The Renegades pulled out the victory, despite the ejection of Bailey, over what was a disputed foul call. Bailey is going to have learn to pick and choose his battles and remember that Diamond is the one paid to get in the ump’s face.
Tomorrow, the Tampa Bay Rays will be at Jet Blue Park. The Rays are rumored to be moving to Montreal if they can’t strike a deal for a new stadium in Tampa Bay. Of course, some of the commingling that went on with their current facility probably isn’t sitting well with the city officials. Montreal has expressed its desire to have a Major League team return to its city, and they prefer the American League and are promising the Rays organization a brand new state-of-the-art stadium.
GOSSIP WIRE
Not much happening in Fort Myers…yet, but give the guys time. The rookies always make for great fodder!
The BoRe Blogger
Chapter 19
Cooper
We won, and I missed it. I had to watch from the clubhouse while my teammates celebrated the victory on the field. Even when they came in, they were jovial while I sulked on my stool, ready to leave. Except the team had other plans, which consisted of a team dinner. It’s a tradition after our first win. The organization charters us to the same diner they’ve been going to for a few years and buys us dinner. The guys tell me that this restaurant makes the “best damn pie” ever, and by the way this place smells, I’m already in agreement without having tasted a piece yet.
“Cheer up, rookie,” Davenport says, sitting down next to me. It’s easier said than done, but he’s right. I can’t dwell on what I can’t fix. I do need to get my head straight, though, because whatever I have going on right now isn’t working for me.
“I’m not making a good impression.”
“On who? Diamond or Stone? They both know what you can do, so stop stressing about it and just play ball. It’s spring training. Who gives a shit if you play well? We’re all rusty. Don’t be so damn hard on yourself.”
I care and probably too much. I need to relax and find my groove.
“What’d you say out there anyway?” Davenport asks.
“I said the call was fucking bullshit.”
“Seriously?” he asks, shaking his head. “Bill must be having some serious issues going on right now. I’ve said worse than that, and he’s never said a thing to me.”
“I’ve never even lost my temper before. I think I was so stoked that I connected with the ball that I needed it to be fair.”
“It was fair,” Bainbridge adds as he sits down on my other side.
“That’s what I thought,” I say in agreement.
“Next time, let Diamond do your fighting. When it comes to season play, you’re the most important player when you’re up to bat. That is where your focus needs to be.”
I nod, accepting his advice. Thing is, I know all of this, but have seemed to forget everything I’ve learned over the years.
Diamond greets the waitress when he sees her. Kidd cracks some off-handed joke, making us laugh. Everyone cheers when she tells us that they have extra pie baking just for us.
“So, rookie, are you using a batting glove?” Kidd asks. I look at him questioningly, wondering why he’d ask me something like that. The guys around us laugh, but Kidd keeps a straight face.
“Um…I use two.”
He tries to hold back a laugh, but to no avail. I shake my head, quickly realizing that it’s another one of his sexual innuendos. I throw the paper from my straw at him. “Are you ever fucking serious? You act like an eighteen-year-old.”
“I gotta keep shit from getting too serious here,” he says. I choose not to ask him what the innuendo is, because I don’t want to know. For all I know, I’ve just insulted Ainsley.
Speaking of whom, I pull out my phone hoping to see a text from her. I don’t know if she listened to the game today. Though I actually hope she didn’t. Getting ejected isn’t exactly a glowing recommendation when I’m trying to start a relationship with her. Instead, I find the slew of missed calls from my dad and an equal number of texts from him, berating me for my actions, each text message angrier than the previous one. I knew he’d be pissed, and I could’ve probably headed some of these messages off if I had answered his first call.
After dinner and dessert, we drag our tired asses back to the bus and head back to the stadium. Once I’m in my car, I text Ainsley while Guerra and Wilder get in and situated.