Second Chance at Bat, page 12
* * *
“We are looking at a couple of American League guys that didn’t make their rosters and choose not to take an assignment to Triple-A. We figure that it would take the hitters awhile to figure them out. There is also this guy that found out that he doesn’t like Sushi." This was Oscar’s reference to players who try to extend their careers in Japan and find that they are homesick for America.
* * *
When Oscar mentioned their names, Julio cringed. None of the teams that released them were in playoff contention last year and one team was a couple of games shy of losing triple digits.
* * *
“We are bringing them into Lehigh Valley for a simulated game in two days.”
* * *
Julio had to keep from pumping his fist in the air. This would be perfect, he thought.
* * *
“Oscar, you have three pitchers coming in for try-outs, you will need a fourth if you want two pitchers to pitch the top and bottom half of the innings, like we normally do for simulated games, yes?”
* * *
Oscar came right to the point, “Who do you have in mind Julio, one of the Double A kids?”
* * *
Julio took a deep breath and slowly built the suspense at the risk of pissing off a tired and cranky GM. “ No. You don’t know him. Since you didn’t have a fourth, let me fill that spot. His name is Joe DiNatale. I watched him pitch in Florida. You won’t be disappointed.” Julio wasn’t ready to disclose Joe’s performance at Phantasy camp.
* * *
“Julio, you are talking in riddles, what’s going on?
* * *
“Oscar, trust me, My guy will not embarrass you. I will deliver him for you. I have a good eye for pitchers. You are in a tight jam. What would it hurt to have a look?”
* * *
“I don’t see a problem here as long as it isn’t one of the kids.” Oscar said.
* * *
“You will not be sorry, Oscar. May I make the arrangements?”
* * *
There was a long pause. Julio’s heart was pounding. He had been calmer in elimination games than he was at this moment.
* * *
“ Hell, Julio- Desperate times call for desperate measures. All we are talking about is taking a chance on a fourth spot fill-in for a simulated game. We’ll do it in Reading. Tell the manager and the field guy. My assistant will hammer out the details. We’re gonna get some of the Triple A guys down there to get their hacks in too. I want to see our best minor league hitters against these guys.”
* * *
Julio felt like he just struck out the side with the bases loaded as he dialed the next number.
* * *
“DiNatale Insurance Agency, how may I direct your call?”
* * *
“Joseph DiNatale, Please.”
* * *
“Who shall I say is calling?”
* * *
"Mr. DiNatale’s newest best friend, Julio Vasquez.”
* * *
xxxxx
* * *
"Pinch me, I am dreaming. Right?" Joe asked.
* * *
He scanned the table at the twenty-four hour Reading Diner. Julio was sipping a large coke that had made a slight detour through the bar for a double shot of rum. The Callahans,Senior and Junior were finishing their blue plate specials, happy to be out in public with Julio Vasquez, Michael "Link" Lutek, the Reading Phillies manager and lastly their hometown hero.
* * *
The elder Callahan answered. "Its a better story than "Rocky", Joe-cuz its real."
* * *
"I can't wait to see those guys swinging at your floater Coach". Tommie Jr said. "I had
twelve years to try and figure it out. I knew it was coming and still couldn't touch it."
* * *
"Damnedest thing I ever heard of." added Reading Phillies Manager Mike "Link" Lutek,
baseball lifer and old school guy. "When Julio told me about this, I couldn't believe it. I
made a few calls to Benny Bogues and Gary Hayes. They backed him up. I haven't said
anything to Mr. Stemple, but I want a front row seat tomorrow from what they told me.
You got something special there Joe"
* * *
Joe blushed with pride. Lutek didn’t know Joe from the Little League World Series days.
36 hours had gone by since Julio had met with Joe at the Stadium during stretches
and replayed the conversation with Oscar. Both days and evenings, Joe expected
somebody to put the brakes on Julio's brainstorm, but he was still in the mix. It was a
surreal feeling. He hadn't said anything to Linda. He didn't want to get his hopes up and
then have his wife turn it sideways on him.
* * *
"When Julio told me how I was added to the try-out, I actually thought it was a month
late in coming." Joe paused now that he held everybody's quizzical stares. "I thought he
was pulling an April Fool's joke on me."
* * *
As everyone chuckled, Julio's cell phone vibrated on the table. He looked at the text
message and nodded his head in approval. "That was Ozzie Diaz, he cannot catch for
you tomorrow Joe. Not that he could catch you very well at Bright House field, but he
found a catcher for you."
* * *
"Who?" Link asked.
* * *
"Clay Triandos." Julio replied.
* * *
It clicked to the baseball insiders, but Link translated to Joe and the Callahans.
* * *
"He was a back-up catcher in Boston for a few years and was the personal catcher for
their knuckleballer, until their rookie backstop figured out how to keep a flutterball in
front of him."
* * *
"Clay came up in the Royals organization and was baby sitting the Hot Shots in their
farm system until he finally made it to the Bigs in his 30's. He could manage pitchers but
got his best shot with the Sox when they found out he could handle the knuckleball. He
didn't have a stick but he could keep runners honest." Link Added.
* * *
"When the Sox released him a couple years ago, Oscar brought him in as bullpen coach
on the Instructional league team and promoted him to Lakewood to fill my spot. Julio
said. "He'll have big shoes to fill. You know what they say about guys with big shoes?"
He asked the table.
* * *
Link rolled his eyes at his bullpen coach, Joe and the Callahans smiled at Julio's self-
promotion in everything related to baseball and manhood.
* * *
"So who else are they looking at besides me?" Joe asked.
* * *
"Meat, just meat." Julio said shaking his head dismissively.
* * *
"I'll decide that tomorrow Julio. Tom Sr. said aiming his thumb into his own chest.
* * *
Tom had told Joe earlier that night that in simulated games, as the head
groundskeeper, he'll set out trash barrels where the fielders would normally stand. He'll
put on the mask and chest protector and play umpire. Besides calling balls and strikes,
when the ball is put in play, he'll decide it they are hits, outs, double plays and such.
* * *
"In all fairness to Mr. Stemple," Link began. "He's between a rock and a hard place.
There's nobody here or at Lehigh that can move up this soon. Put them on the bench
on the big team and they miss their starts here. They need to polish their skills here and
keep strong. He needs to buy time. At the All-Star break, the market will loosen up and
at the same time, we'll find out if any of the kids are ready for a call-up. He's looking to
buy three months on the cheap, that's all. No offense, Joe.”
* * *
Joe understood that he was the long shot and even if he made it, like some TV ads
said, it was for a limited time only. He was not a dreamer.There were some pretty bigs
ifs here. He wouldn’t be throwing batting practice to high schoolers or pitching to over-
the-hill ballplayers. Tomorrow he and the "meat" would be throwing to professional
ballplayers. Hey its just pitch and catch, Joe thought. He done it a thousand times
before. Once the ball left his hand, he had no control over the outcome. Besides, what
did he have to lose, an afternoon at the office on a sunny day? Then he remembered
what Jim Short said that beautiful Friday morning in Clearwater when the Bay Sox came
together as a team and proceeded to run the table.
* * *
It was Julio that finally broke through Joe's reverie. "Boss, I don't disagree with you, but
once you see what Joe can do, you will become a believer."
* * *
Joe could see that the Callahan's were drinking Julio's kool-aid after polishing off their
rice pudding with whipped cream.
* * *
xxxxx
* * *
A tryout. Coach D is getting a tryout with the Phillies; Not the Reading Phillies; the Philadelphia Phillies. Wow! Gotta tell Joey. Where is he? He called in sick at work. He’s not at his apartment. He’s not at his parent’s house. He’s not at Carmine’s. He wasn’t with Hotshot. He wasn’t at the player’s watering hole down on 5th street.. Where the hell is he? Tommy was getting a sick feeling in his stomach. Since getting straightened out, his old teammate and friend kept a low profile. They talked now and then, mostly about baseball. He had told Joey the stories that came out of Phantasy Camp where nobody could touch Coach D’s knuckleball. Now it looked like the Phillies wanted to see for themselves what Vasquez and the Legends were telling them. He’s not at the Quickie Mart. He’s not at the Bowling Alley or the Skate place. He’s not at the Mall or the Cinemas. Where is he? Should I look there? He wouldn’t be there. Not after all he’s been through.
* * *
Tommy Callahan was getting more upset the longer it took him to find Joey. His car wasn’t at the Wa-Wa, Mickie D’s or Dairy Swirl. Tommy couldn’t avoid the scary answer any longer and slowly made his way to the part of Reading that he knew about. Any teenager in town could tell you where to go. It was easier to score dope than get your hands on liquor, if you didn’t have somebody buying for you.
* * *
The more he thought about the good news, the worst he feared that Joey would be in no shape to hear it. Huh? What was that? Lemme back up. What? What’s his car doing there? Oh Shit! I hope I’m not too late. Whose that dude that Joey is talking too? Why they looking around like that? Tommy laid on his horn long enough to get everybody’s attention including people in the houses nearby whose lights were coming on. He could hear dogs barking as the neighborhood of row houses came to life.
* * *
The dude disappeared and Joey was left standing there alone as Tommy pulled up.
* * *
“Joey, didya here?” Tommy yelled out of his window as he skidded to a stop.
* * *
“No. What Tommy?” What’s going on?
* * *
Ignoring the irritation on Joey’s face, Tommy started right in with,“ Catch this, I was with my dad at the Diner. We were with the Reading Phillies manager after the game, when Julio Vazquez walked in. They were sitting there kinda excited when the manager got a call and said ‘its on’. Then he and my dad starting talking about getting to the stadium earlier to set things up.”
* * *
Joey looked at Tommy with a screwed up expression.
* * *
“Joey, your dad is having a try-out tomorrow before the game, but its real hush-hush. The Phillies Brass will drive up for it. He is gonna throw a simulated game with the R- Phils before their game with Trenton. He’s trying out for the big ball club. Joey, your dad is getting a tryout for the Major Leagues! “
* * *
Joey reached in his pocket and pulled out his keys, when he did so, a folded $20 drifted to the ground.
* * *
Not too late, thank God. Tommy thought.
* * *
“Let’s go grab a pizza, Tommy- I want to hear all about it.” Joey grinned and held up the $20 and said, “My treat.”
* * *
xxxxx
Joe jogged in from the bullpen with catcher, Clay Triandos. Joe was wearing sweats and his coach’s jersey from American Legion Post 76. Julio and Joe had discussed what to wear for the try-out. They toyed with Joe wearing his Phantasy Baseball uniform, but decided against it.
* * *
“Nice and easy Joe, just like in warm-ups," Clay said as he swatted Joe on the backside with his oversized mitt as he made his way to his position in front of the grinning Mr. Tom Callahan. The veteran catcher, now coach, was three years younger than Joe, decades wiser in the child's game played by men.
* * *
Joe grabbed the ball from the mound and turned towards the third base side and stared over the stands at the huge, white Carpenter Steel water tower outside First Energy. Although he never worked there, he knew lots of people who did and was glad that his life had allowed him today to be on the mound and not in a factory. Grateful for this opportunity, he was calmer rubbing the ball than he had been all day. He had done his yoga and got his 5-miler in, but still, how often does a 39-year-old businessman get a tryout for a Major League Baseball team? Joe had a little experience with a once in a lifetime opportunity from the Little League World Series, but today the clock still couldn’t move fast enough until it was time to go to the ballpark. He left a note for Linda that he might be late; they seemed to be talking more now with Post-its than face-to-face.
* * *
Julio, Hot Shot, Clay and he already witnessed two pitchers throw what amounted to batting practice to the Minor League hitters, who feasted on the over-the-hill Major League pitching. This was also a chance for the hitters to strut their stuff in front of all the Phillies Brass assembled.
* * *
When Joe toed the rubber, he felt he had nothing to lose. The Triple-A hitter settled in for Joe's first knuckleball and studied it for strike one. On strike two, the hitter flailed at it and missed it by a good six inches. Strike three was a ball off the plate that he lunged at awkwardly. The next batter was the Double-A lead-off hitter and he sat back down after only fouling off the first of the three that he swung at. Joe was trotting off the field after the number three hitter hit a check-swing dribbler to the blue recycle bin guarding first base.
* * *
Julio was sitting with the Phillies Brass that Joe had been hastily introduced to before the simulated game. Joe could see that he was engaged in an animated conversation with Oscar and the Assistant GM. Link Sitek was talking head down with Tom “Doc” Barnes, Manager of the Major League Phillies, skipper to skipper. The Director of Scouting was huddled with the Director of Player Development. Joe could see the buzz he was generating.
* * *
As the other pitcher took his warm ups, Joe could see that this guy was definitely hittable. He looked over at the hitter’s dugout and sensed that the sharks smelled blood in the water. Eighteen minutes and forty-five pitches later, Callahan Sr. signaled the end of the inning before all three outs had been recorded. Joe thought it was like a boxing referee stepping in to stop the fight to avoid a senseless beating.
* * *
Joe went out to the mound and didn’t make eye contact with the pitcher who fell onto the bench like a turned-over basket of damp clothes. There would be no second inning for him.
* * *
The tantalizingly slow pitches danced wickedly. Clay handled them well, but the next three batters did about the same as the first group. Joe started towards the dugout when there was a shout from the general direction of the Phillies Brass, “Stay out there. Next batter.” Joe turned to see that it was Oscar ordering the change in plans.
Joe looked in his dugout at the towel-shrouded pitcher and realized that he, Joe DiNatale, was now the main attraction. Joe settled into a rhythm to the bark of “next batter.” Joe zeroed in on the strike zone or was close enough most times to coax the batters to swing anyway. Julio had the 'I told you so' look on his face and Hot Shot learned quickly not to root for his old coach, so as not to incur the wrath of present and future teammates returning to the dugout shaking their heads.
