Chapter 28

Friday morning was a great day to run. It was only about seventy-two degrees outside and the incoming tide smelled good. I was really digging in this morning, running faster than normal, and I had the mental picture of me pitching up in Toronto tomorrow. I was ready to throw my best game ever at that moment in time, but I had to wait.

The girls fixed me my usual huge breakfast back at the condo, and told me that they had already packed my bags. Sherry told me she had charged my laptop and IPad so I could use them on the airplane. We would be up in Toronto by this afternoon, and I wanted to go to the ballpark to workout and throw some. I needed to be at my best since I was pitching tomorrow.

The girls were all over me while assuring that I would be fine for the game. I knew that Toronto would have to be at their best because of being at home and down by two. They had to win the next three straight to stay in the playoffs.

The girls took me to the ballpark to get on the bus to the airport. It wasn't that big a deal, but everyone's family was there waving goodbye.

We were up in Toronto by two, and I was on the field running by three. I came in and Scott began warming me up. Hanigan came out as we finished some long toss, and said, "How about I watch while you throw to Scott. Scott and I will discuss what you need and go from there."

I had to smile at how diplomatically Hanigan was able to work with Scott. Hanigan went through the signs with Scott and I was soon throwing pitches to my substitute catcher, while my primary catcher was watching from the umpire's location.

After what Hanigan felt were enough pitches, he told me, "Enough for today. They have the batting cages open for us if you want to use them. Their guys don't think they need them, so we're welcome."

I knew that was tongue in cheek, because every man on every team needs practice. It was a shame I was there to use the cages with my catcher and bullpen catcher, with no competition from the home team or even our team.

We three each hit at least a hundred balls before closing the batting cages. All of us had been joking and having a good time. Joe walked in when we were finished showering and dressing in the visitor's clubhouse. Joe said, "You guys are special. That you refuse to let a day go by without practicing is what makes you each worth more than you're paid. We'll play for all of the marbles tomorrow. We have another day to play if we lose, but we will have an extra day to prepare for the next opponent if we win, so let's win."

The three of us went back to the hotel where we ate in the restaurant, eating a lot of good meat and anything else they had that was edible.

I had checked out the hotel's gym and changed to go in to workout. Andy came in while I was using the machines, and said, "I heard you were at the ballpark working with Hanigan and Scott today. Why are you here?"

I told Andy, "I needed to lift some, so I came in to get some exercise."

Loney came in while I was still pulling on the machines, and told me, "How come you didn't call me to tell me you were going to the ballpark?"

"I really didn't know if you wanted to, Loney. I told you I was going to get ready and go when we were checking in. Not to worry though, we'll go in early and use the cages tomorrow. This is what we'll do. We'll run in the morning, workout up here, eat, nap, go to the ballpark a few hours early, use the cages, and I can loosen up. We can probably eat again in the clubhouse, dress for the game, and be ready to play by the time the rest of the slackers show up."

The two of us were laughing as we finished doing our regimen. I told Andrew, "You know there is a good steak house for a late evening snack here. Want to come?"

Andy, Loney, and I went to the steak house we knew had good meat. I didn't have but a sixteen-ounce steak, but I ate everything else they gave me. We even split a bottle of red wine that was of dubious quality according to Loney, who was the expert. He bragged that he had been studying under Joe the last two off-seasons.

I called the girls once back at the hotel, and told them that I had a room full of women to help me go to sleep. They instantly challenged me to have at least one of the women talk to them. I used a high falsetto voice and tried to fool them but they were more clever than me. We had a good laugh as I told them I would be dreaming of them tonight. I was told to sleep well and be ready for the game tomorrow. I really do love those girls.

Morning up in Toronto in early October was crisp. I was stretching out behind the hotel when Andy came out, and Loney and Scott showed up shortly after. We began our fast walk that changed to a jog and then a run, and continued until we had run away from the hotel a half-hour before turning around to run back on the other side of the street for a change of scenery. I said I was going to the gym before breakfast, and was joined by the other three.

All of us had a set regimen and did the required lifts, pulls, and tugs. I said when I was through, "I'm going to shower and have some breakfast. I'll be down in the restaurant in twenty."

I was surprised that my three running and workout buddies were there, along with Joe and Shelton. We had a good breakfast, but I sort of out ate them all because the restaurant had a sixteen ounce steak they made especially for me. They knew me from former visits. I ate potatoes and toast, along with a half dozen scrambled eggs this time.

Joe and Shelton were commenting on how much I ate when Andy said, "I've eaten with him at his house and he eats almost twice this much at home. Can you believe that this scrawny guy can eat that much?"

Joe said, "Who cares if he can pitch and hit the way he does? I think I short him on being in the field, but the man could be a gold glove at several positions. I'm happy to feed him and hope he has the energy for tonight."

I told Joe, "Just make sure there's plenty of food and protected protein shakes here tonight. I'm ready right now, but I'll take a nap and get ready early. Let's finish this."

There were a lot of heads nodding in agreement.

I slept for two hours, then shaved, showered, and went down to see when the next bus was going to the ballpark. I called Loney when I heard that no buses had gone yet, and told him to get his butt downstairs because we were headed to the ballpark. I called Scott and told him to come too. I thought for a second, then called Myers and asked him if he wanted to come and hit from the cages for a while. He thought that was a good idea and said he would be right there.

We had to use two taxis to get to the park, but we were there without any competition for the four batting cages. I hit from both sides while the others hit from the side that felt good. Scott said that he should get the team to sign him as a pinch hitter the way I had been working him in the cages so much.

I grabbed Scott and we went to the field to loosen up. We lazily tossed the ball back and forth until it became fun to throw the ball in a straight line for two hundred plus feet. I went through all my pitches when we started throwing from the bullpen mounds, but not with a lot of force. I wanted to have perfect command so that I could put the pitches where I wanted them.

Hanigan showed up and was almost concerned that I had already been practicing. I told him, "Watch each of my pitches and point to where you want it. I'm getting ready."

The man didn't have me throw that many pitches, but he was pointing at locations that I threw at and to until he said, "Stop, I'm convinced. Let's get dressed and be ready for some live batting practice."

Joe told me before the game, "Remember what you did with Price? You do the same thing if you think you're tired or sore. I know you're like Price and want a complete game, but let's just win this and not worry about who finishes."

Joe had me batting third today. I don't think I had ever batted third. I probably have, but it was a different place for me to be.

I watched the pitcher warm up and made some comments that reflected the pitchers' book. You had a choice of first pitches, since he liked to throw changeups, curves, and sliders on the first pitch. He set up the same on all three. His fastball and forkball came with him upright at the left edge of the rubber.

Jennings flied out to center. Myers ended up walking. I stood in and waited. The pitcher was shaking pitches off until he set up on the left side of rubber and wound up. The ball came from his hand spinning which wouldn't be a fastball, but it was also coming fast right at my head.

It was easy to duck, but it was a surprise. The next pitch was also right at me but lower, and would have hit me in the ribs if I didn't fall back and land on my butt in the batter's box. I was becoming concerned now. I couldn't pitch if I was hurt. I called time and said in a softer voice than normal so only the catcher and ump could hear. "That's two balls that were thrown right at me. I'm going to be pissed if the third one comes at me. Let's see if he throws at me again."

I was on my toes, although trying to look at ease at the plate. The pitcher hardly looked for a sign and wound up and threw right at my middle body. I dove for the plate and landed on my face to avoid the throw. As I stood up, the ump looked at the catcher and told him, "One more and he's out of the game and the rest of the season. Go warn him."

The catcher didn't want to go talk to the pitcher, but he did. The conversation lasted long enough for the pitching coach to come out, and the ump went out to have his say before breaking it up. The pitcher threw wide of the plate and I walked to first with a very dirty uniform already. I should have stepped across the plate and hit the slow batting practice ball he threw. That would have really pissed him off.

Longoria came to the plate and acted apprehensive against this pitcher. I wondered why. The first pitch was like my first pitch and barely missed Longo's head. The second pitch caught Evan in the thigh and he limped down to first, with me on second, and Myers on third.

Loney was batting in his usual number five position and came up with his solemn determined face. I think every one in the ballpark was surprised when the ball went right at Loney's head. This was three straight first pitches that were right at the batter's head. Joe called time from the dugout and came out to talk to the ump. Whatever Joe said must have made sense, because the umpire stepped to the front of the plate, pointed at the pitcher, and then to the dugout.

The manager came running out, and was told to replace the pitcher because he was a hazard. It was obvious there had been some kind of strategy, but it didn't work.

Bases loaded, one out, Loney up with one ball and no strikes. I didn't know the new pitcher and didn't know what he threw. Myers came to me and told me that the third base coach said this pitcher could get wild if we all pushed our lead-offs. We watched him warm up and he seemed more than competent.

I watched the catcher trying to hide the one finger between flashes of other fingers when he stood in to get his sign. The pitcher looked around and could see me about a quarter of the way to third, but no one was near second to get me. The first baseman wasn't holding the runner, and the third baseman was way back and toward where the shortstop was.

The man couldn't get the runners out of his mind and let go of the ball very early on a fastball throw. That meant the ball sailed over the catcher's and ump's heads to the backstop. A run scored with me and Longoria now on second and third.

Loney had a serene look on his face as he watched the pitcher. The wind up and pitch were without distraction this time. Loney caught the ball perfectly and watched it go over the right field fence. A three run homer will always help.

The pitcher settled down now that the bases were empty, and threw strikes past the batters for two more outs.

Hanigan was telling the ump about my deliveries while I was throwing my warm up pitches. I had no idea of how the ump was calling balls and strikes so far, so this would be interesting. Hanigan came out before the first pitch and told me, "The ump says he calls everything in the zone a strike, but it's a ball if you're off the black or on top of the numbers. The low zone is as he sees them. At least he's honest."

I threw a curve for a first pitch and watched it go into Hanigan's glove for a strike. My second pitch was a slider that came back a lot fatter than I wanted. Strike two. I had thrown the slider faster than I should have, so thought a changeup would be good. The dugout wanted another curve, but I flashed Hanigan the changeup sign and threw. The ball floated over and the batter tried to hold up, but couldn't.

The next two batters were easier with a curve, and two sliders.

I was feeling good about all of my pitches by the fourth inning, although I hadn't thrown but a small sample.

It was time to tease them with a fastball, but I threw the forkball for the first strike instead. They all swung at the pitch. I finished everyone in the fourth, fifth, and sixth with two successive sliders.

My second time at bat was a lot nicer. I hit the ball a mile, but it came down in a fielder's glove. Yeah, I was disappointed, but it happens. My third time at bat, there was one on and no outs. I was given a bunt sign and put one up the third base line. I made it from first to second when the man who ran to third continued and attempted to slide under the catcher. He did and we picked up a run.

My third time through the lineup had me wondering. Hanigan had told me in the dugout that I had them baffled and could throw anything I wanted. I didn't believe that, but when the leadoff man came up at the top of the seventh, I didn't want to throw him anything resembling a strike. Hanigan was right as none of the batters came close to hitting a ball.

The first pitch in the eighth caught the upper outside part of the zone. The man swung, but was way off. He didn't swing at the next two pitches that were called strikes.

Batter 23 grounded to Escobar at short and was thrown out to Loney at first. Batter 24 hit the first pitch straight at Zobrist.

I had one more time up at bat, and I didn't want to waste it. Jennings had singled, Myers doubled, and Jennings was on third. I looked at the reliever and knew he almost exclusively threw fastballs. He threw one right down the middle thinking that I'd take one. I was ready and put it in the left field seats. That was a goal that I had made, and it was now off the list.

We were up by eight when I went out to throw the bottom of the ninth. I had to do some talking, but I told Joe, "I'm close to a playoff no-hitter. Let me try. Replace me if they get hits off me, but let me try."

Hickey was on my side and slapped me on the back as I went to the mound to warm up. I really didn't need the warm ups as I was ready. Hanigan came out to tell me, "They might bring some pinch-hitters in, so watch me for the signs from the dugout. You're close, so let's finish it."