Chapter 18

My eyes didn't open until just after eight AM. We had gone to bed late last night. I had to smile as I thought about the girls bringing the two women down to the hot tub. I wasn't angry at them, just apprehensive. The girls meant well, and probably did get off on watching, but that hopefully won't be common practice.

I slid from bed, put my running clothes on, and looked out at the beach. The tide was out, so I was out back stretching when two women came up to me. Freddie and Nancy asked, "Can we run with you? Or at least follow along. We need to get in better shape and you'll make a good running partner."

They stretched with me and we began walking, followed by jogging, and then running. The two kept up and I could tell they were in decent shape. I told them to run with the girls in the afternoon instead of the early morning while we ran. A little breathlessly, Freddie said, "We should probably do that, but it's really hot then. I like the morning. Nancy will probably join the girls, but this is for me. I love to run on the hard sand like this."

They went their way and I went inside when we got back to the condo. The girls were up and preparing my breakfast. I jumped into the shower and was joined by Sherry, who as she cuddled, said, "Jeannie and I really liked watching last night, but we don't want to ever mess up what we have. Tell us if you get freaked by your two slutty women. We love you, and we want you to have lots of fun when you're home, Matt. We know you don't chase around on the road, so you should have all the fun you want right here with us."

The conversation and Sherry getting my interest up had us doing the nasty in the shower. I was thinking about how I could ever be anything but in love with my women, as I experienced a mutual orgasm with my love.

The girls wanted me to meet some people they had talked to about commercials after breakfast. We drove to a building that was a large appliance store in Tampa. The girls had talked to the owners, and they wanted me to make a couple of commercials in their store. They didn't want me to wear a uniform, but I wore a cap so everyone would think of my face as being a Ray. The commercial had me checking out refrigerators and stoves. The owner acted the part of a salesman and the result was Matt Williams buying his appliances from them, so others should too.

I made the comment that this was a little like false advertising, but Jeannie said, "No way. We called these people because that's whom the designer told us to buy the appliances from. You're already a customer, Matt." That made me happy. I liked the idea that I made commercials for people I did business with.

We ate a great lunch before the girls dropped me off at the ballpark. I did my workout, although I had done one yesterday. I liked doing my regimen just like I enjoyed running, practicing batting, and pitching. No one watched my batting practice today, but I continued swinging at low balls. I was just about done when Loney came in. He had me watch his swing until the coach came in and began working with James. I reminded Loney, "Tomorrow morning is the Children's Hospital gig. I have a car dealer and an appliance store owner coming for the publicity. I'll bet we can shame them into a small donation." That made Loney happy.

I went out to see if Scott was around, and he and Jim Hickey were talking. Hickey said to me, "Just who we were talking about. Go ahead and do your warm-ups. I may want you to hang out in the bullpen today. Joe said he wanted to play some other guys, so sit with the guys out here instead of sitting in the dugout."

"Can I still do batting practice and pitch for some of it? You know that's how I stay sharp for fielding, pitching, and batting."

Hickey looked at me and said, "You know that you are going to have very little value in the future if you wear your arm out."

"Hey, I'll still be a good infielder, and always good for DH."

The man looked at me and said, "Just let me know if you ever feel any pain in your arm, elbow, or shoulder. I think your workouts keep you in shape and from having any soreness. I sure hope so."

I warmed up with Scott who said he thought my four-seam fastball might be a little faster than usual. The forkball was diving, as well as my palm ball. I was lucky to have more than three pitches like most hurlers have. I didn't like my changeup, but it did the trick when batters were waiting for my fastball. I always hated to give that guy a curve, because the curve was faster than the changeup, but slower than the slider."

Rumors were flying around the bullpen because Alex Cobb was probably coming back from the DL. Sure hope he was throwing all right and that he could go five or six innings. The man has had his problems, with the concussion last year, and a left oblique problem this year. Everyone was counting the days until Hellickson was back, probably in June. Matt Moore was out for the year after Tommy John surgery, of course. The injury list didn't stop there. Zobrist dislocated his thumb, but we were blessed with decent utility infielders. Hanigan was on the 15 day DL with a hamstring injury. I'm surprised Joe hasn't come to ask me to catch.

Odorizzi was pitching, and that probably was why I was in the bullpen. He hasn't been able to get past the fifth inning without giving the farm away. Hickey and Madden probably wanted me to do a two or three innings of relief. We needed this sweep, and then go right into the weekend to beat up on New York.

I didn't have any toys or books while sitting with the social club, so I had a good time chatting with fans between innings. Someone came up with a Sharpie, and I was making the guys in the bullpen, including Scott and the Bullpen Coach sign some balls. I made sure the young fans near us all had a signed ball. If someone gets upset about my giving balls away, I'll go get some on my own. The bullpen had two buckets of balls and I only gave away about twenty.

I watched as the game was tied at zero through five. Gomes did the sixth, McGee the seventh, Peralta the eighth, and Balfour closed it for a one to nothing game. I was so bored I actually ran back to the dugout to congratulate Balfour before going in, taking a shower, dressing, packing food in my mouth and in some cartons. I reminded Loney that I would see him at the hospital at nine in the morning.

The girls were waiting for me and said that the game was really boring. They said they saw me talking to fans the whole game. I told them that I needed a baseball card or something like that to give to the kids who made their way down to the bullpen fence. They said they would work on it.

I drove home since I needed something to wind me up a little. Doing nothing all night is a sure way to have me go crazy. Hey, I'm a team player and I'm all for it if this is good for the team. I may go nuts, but I'm all for what's good for the team.

We actually ate all the food I brought home, walked the beach, and then enjoyed each other before falling asleep.

I was up at six thirty, stretching on the patio, when the two neighbor ladies came down. They asked if I was going to run the beach and I checked to see the tide coming in and knew we would never get back by the time the hard sand was covered. I suggested, "Let's run down the beach until we run out of sand, and then use the streets. We'll run home that way."

Freddie said, "Good, we can pick up some donuts on the way. I'm always dying for a donut."

Nancy didn't have much to say, but mentioned that she hoped the girls might be around this afternoon. I told her they probably would be after we got back from Children's Hospital.

I ate my usual huge breakfast, and added a donut to the mix. Freddie and Nancy ate with us, and the girls could see Nancy was in a funk. Sherry asked her, "How about coming with us to Children's Hospital with us. The kids love to have people visit with them."

Nancy said, "That might do it. Take me with you and I'll make Mom write a check for a donation."

Jeannie told her, "Save it today. There will be a big party and auction soon. You can help us round up prizes to be bid on."

Nancy seemed to perk up a little. I told everyone, "I'm taking a shower and dressing. We need to get it together and leave here by eight. That caused a scramble, as Nancy rushed out the door with Freddie following. Freddie had said she had some business to take care of this morning, so she would be busy.

Believe it or not, we left the condo at ten to eight and arrived at the hospital by eight thirty. That was record time to get there. I wore a regulation jersey with my name and number, except my name had 'Matt' on it instead of my last name. Loney showed up with one of his jerseys, and brought his wife or fiancé, Nadia, along with him who he was introducing to the businessmen we had invited as 'Fatima'. Nadia was embarrassed, because I later heard how the two of them had been playing that Fatima was the Genie in the bottle. Loney obviously liked the game.

We spent over two hours going from ward to ward, talking to the kids, passing out baseballs, pictures, and Rays paraphernalia, signing casts, but just smiling and chatting most of all. A Fox Sports cameraman and reporter showed up to video us with the kids. I made sure to introduce the two business owners who both said on camera they were leaving a nice donation for the hospital. I also introduced the girls and Nadia. Nancy was her happy self by the time we had been through the wards, as she enjoyed visiting with the kids and their parents.

We finally left a little after one, so I recommended that we all eat lunch at the Longhorn so Loney and I could stock up on protein before going in. The girls later dropped me off at the ballpark and said they would see me at the game.

I was working out in the gym when Loney came in. He said, "Just what I need, some exercise. I'm running in the morning, but that isn't enough, is it? You have me in this workout routine, and now I miss it if I don't so some lifting a few times a week."

After a solid half-hour of lifting, we used the cages for almost an hour and received some instruction from both the Batting Coach and Joe. That man loves the game and loves to coach. While we were going out to the field to stretch out and do some throwing, Joe asked, "Will you be mad at me if you're in the pen again tonight?"

"Yeah, Joe, I will. I sat on my thumbs down there all last night. I didn't have a book or game, and you can't watch grass grow in this stadium. Isn't there anywhere you can use me?"

Joe was standing in a defensive posture and said, "You're pitching tomorrow night, so I want you to be fresh. I'm trying to protect you after losing so many on the DL. I have three rookie pitchers, actually four with Archer, but three pitchers who are new to the rotation and Odorizzi is already acting like he has a sore shoulder. I can't afford to lose another pitcher."

I shook my head and softly said, "I know how to take care of myself, and I don't overthrow. I know to say 'enough' when pitching batting practice and how to be careful when I'm doing infield practice. You know I'm better than either of the guys subbing at short and second. If not there, let me bat as DH. You really don't have a decent DH right now."

With a smile, Joe said, "I wish I had your energy. You must have been a terror when you were a kid. You're still a kid, but I mean around five, six, and seven. Did you play baseball then?"

"I've been playing since T-ball at five. My dad taught me to love the game and to try to be good at it. I didn't understand at all if I didn't play back then. They rotate kids into the game so everyone has a chance to be in the field and bat, even off a tee."

"I can see you doing that somehow. Okay, I'll let you DH, but you have to be careful in case we need you to relieve or play a position. I really need your start tomorrow. You and Price are the only ones that can go seven innings and Price's last outing left something to be desired. Use Scott to loosen up and work your pitches. That's another thing. You have so damned many pitches that I don't know what to call half the time. I'd let Hanigan call the game, but you're going to have Molina again tomorrow. You even speak Spanish, and the guy loves you. You can talk to Escobar while he sits out and rides the pine tonight. He'll hopefully be in shape to play tomorrow."

I did my warm-up routine with Scott before moving to the live batting cage. I hit from the left side first tonight, as a right-handed pitcher was pitching to us. I really didn't have any trouble with righties, but then I didn't have any trouble with lefties either. The theory is the right-handed pitcher can't control the ball as well against a left-handed batter, and the other way around. I threw right-handed, and I didn't care where you batted from. I had pitches for either.

New York can be deceptive, but they were suffering from the same injury bug we were. The pitcher couldn't get the ball anywhere near the strike zone my first at bat. I walked after four pitches. The man in front of me walked and the man behind me was actually thrown a strike, but you knew he was being told to take the pitch. It didn't make any difference; the bases were loaded after two more pitches.

The number eight hitter in the lineup came to the plate with a whopping .188 average and .000 with men in scoring position. Son-of-a-gun if the guy didn't hit a double down the right field line scoring two. Foley, the third base Coach held the guy following me up just to be sure we didn't lose the man on third.

New York had a reliever warmed up and brought him in with two men on and nobody out. Molina, the chubby catcher, hit a long single to centerfield that scored two more, but we didn't do anything else now that we were back to the top of the lineup. We held the Yankees in the third and I was up again. The reliever threw to me this time. I thought I got enough of the ball to put it out of the park, but the centerfielder made a jump and caught the ball in the web of his glove over the fence. We blanked the rest of the third. The game was still four to nothing in the seventh, when our pitcher began giving up singles and a double that gave them two runs. Joe brought a reliever in who promptly gave up a home run, giving them a five to four lead.

Our reliever corrected whatever he was doing wrong and got out of the inning, but the damage was done. In the eighth, Longoria batting in the cleanup position doubled up the left side. The number five hitter struck out, and it was my turn to try and get Longo in. I recognized the reliever they had in, but I couldn't place him. Hickey didn't show me a pitchers' book before I went to the on deck circle, and that was unusual.

The guy was grinning at me, so I smiled and nodded back. He was a lefty, so I batted right. The first pitch was way inside. I had to jump back to keep from being brushed. I wanted a strike, not play keep away. The next pitch dug the dirt in front of the plate and the catcher mishandled the ball. Longoria was able to get to third without a throw.

The pitcher had a very intense look on his face, and wound up and paused before throwing. The ball came out of his hand directly at me, but I recognized it and hit the ground face first. That was close. The pitcher actually laughed as I got to my feet. That's when I recognized the asshole. This is the guy who fractured my wrist. This was the pitcher who bragged that he put me out for the balance of the season. Oh, please give me something to swing at. I wanted to put a fastball in his gut, but I also wanted to get Longo home.

I called time and backed out of the batters' box and said to the catcher, "I have a history with Mr. Montana. Why don't you go out there and tell him that I'm going to hit one at him so hard that he's going to puke his guts out in front of forty thousand people. I'll make sure he's suspended for at least the rest of the season if he hits me again."

The Ump told the catcher, "You better go tell him. I remember the way the man bragged that he took Williams out. I'll make sure he's suspended."

The catcher walked, not trotted, out to mound. He talked to the pitcher long enough for the Yankee pitching coach to come out to see what the problem was. They were almost yelling out there, but then the coach left and the catcher came back. I asked, "Is he going to throw at me or what?"

"Don't know. Just watch and be ready to either swing or duck."

He threw what would have almost been a batting practice pitch. I didn't waste it. Instead of sending it up the middle into the pitcher, I put all of my wrists, arms, and hips into the swing. The ball came off the bat with that satisfying solid 'whack'. I didn't even look at where it went, but began running for first. The crowd told me what I wanted to know. I had hit the light banner around the top of the stands and shattered some of the LEDs.

Our team now needed to hold them, and try for another insurance run or two. We didn't get another run, and we were able to put two on in the eighth, but didn't bring anyone home. It was up to Balfour to finish it. He had been hot lately, so he got up and threw like a closer. He had two first pitch groundouts and a first pitch popup. Game over with a six to five win. We did the high fives, and I was congratulated by my personal cheering gallery. The girls, Freddie, Nancy, and two older ladies from the condo came down to say nice things to all of the players. It was Loney who asked in the clubhouse, "How many women do you have? I saw two new ladies that are definitely talent come to see you tonight.