The Rookie Page #6

Besides your own?

Uh, I'm --

I'm here for me.

For you?

Uh-huh.

Well, all right, then.

All right.

-- Good to see you.

-- That's good.

-- Good to see you.

-- Uh-huh.

Sign here.

[ "Nothing I Can Do About lt

Now" by Willie Nelson plays ]

# I've got a long list

of real good reasons #

# For all the things

I've done... #

Come on. Let's go.

Oops.

Oops. Excuse me.

#...Of what I've lost

and what I've won #

# I've survived

every situation #

# Knowin' when to freeze

and when to run #

# And regret is just a memory

written on my brow #

# And there's nothing I can do

about it now #

# I've got a wild

and a restless spirit #

# I kept my price

through every deal #

# I've seen the fire

of a woman scorned... #

Daddy,

you can be X's this time.

Okay.

#...I've got the song

of the voice inside me #

# Set to the rhythm

of the wheel #

# And I've been dreamin'

like a child #

# Since the cradle

broke the bow #

# And there's nothin'

I can do about it now #

[ Crying ]

Now, now.

That's the last diaper.

Well, it's okay.

We're outta here just as soon

as Jamie's set to go.

But, Dad --

No "But, Dads," okay?

I'm dealing with enough butts

here as it is.

Hold on, honey.

Daddy's almost done.

[ Jamie continues crying ]

Hunter...

...Look,

I promised to try out,

but there's nothing

I can do if they won't

take a look at me.

Jimmy!

Come on. You're up.

[ Jamie continues crying ]

Just a second.

I'm not doing it.

All right, look, look, look.

You just stay right here.

You look after your sister,

all right?

Come on. Let's go.

[ Jamie crying ]

Sit!

Be right back.

Who do we got here?

All right. All right.

Need to warm up?

Uhh...no.

I'm good.

Don't hurt yourself.

Wheneveryou're ready.

Whenever I'm ready.

[ Exhales deeply ]

[ Scraping ]

[ Grunts ]

[ Air whooshes,

ball slaps mitt ]

[ "Blue Moon Nights"

by John Fogerty plays ]

# Help me, fellas,

I'm feelin' kinda weak #

# The way I'm livin'

just ain't right... #

[ Grunts ]

[ Whispering ]

#...All my blue moon nights #

[ Grunts ]

# I want a girl to take me

by the hand #

[ Grunts ]

# Follow me

right down the line #

# Hold me gently

while we dance... #

[ Grunts ]

You want me to keep going?

Couple more.

[ Grunts ]

#...Help me, fellas,

it's gettin' kinda late #

# Runnin' outta precious time #

# She might pass me... #

[ Grunts ]

#...All my blue moon nights #

# Heaven only knows I don't

want to be just a fool #

[ Giggling ]

# Passin' through #

# Won't you send an angel

to walk with me?

# All my blue moon nights #

# All my blue moon... #

[ Grunts ]

#...All my... #

That's good, Jim.

Pitch.

Pitch.

Man, you were bringing

some heat out there.

Aw, come on.

You had 'em talking.

You had 'em talking.

Good job, man.

[ Horn honks ]

That was Jessica.

Jim.

Man:
You did good,

though, man.

How fast were you throwing

Slow enough that scouts stopped

using the word "fast."

Jim, how fast

were you throwing?

I don't know.

Why?

You just threw

Nah.

Dozen straight pitches.

Three radar guns.

Same thing on all of 'em.

Nah, D-Dave,

there's no way that I --

I've been a scout

a long time now,

and Rule Number One is arms

slow down when they get older.

Listen, Jim,

I call the office

and I tell them I got a guy here

almost twice these kids' age,

I'm gonna get laughed at.

But if I don't call in

a 98-mile-an-hour fastball,

I'm gonna get fired.

I'm just letting you know

that there's a chance

you might get a call

on this.

You figure out what I saw out

there today,

you let me know, okay?

Okay.

[ Beep ]

Jimmy:
Hey, hon,

don't fix dinner.

We're getting some pizza.

Oh, thank God.

[ Beep ]

Man:
Jim, this is Dan Jordan

with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

I'll try you back later.

[ Beep ]

Man #2:
Jim, Mark Rafus with

the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Dave Patterson told me

about this afternoon.

I'll try you first thing

in the morning.

[ Beep ]

Dave:
Hey, Jim, this is Dave.

Listen, uh...

We're gonna have you throw

again in a couple of days

just to make sure.

They're gonna send out

some of the boys from Tampa.

[ Brakes squeak, engine stops ]

Mommy!

Daddy told me

to give you the pizza

and not say anything else.

Thank you, sweet pea.

I'm sure that's exactly

what he told you.

[ Jamie cries ]

All right.

All right, go. Go ahead.

Hunter:
There was, like,

a thousand players,

and it was so hot.

And Daddy was pitching

really hard.

-- Oh, yeah?

Jessica:
Yeah.

-- And it was really hot,

but it was fun.

-- Yeah.

-- And I got my nose burned

really bad.

-- Yeah.

Hmm.

Jimmy:
The guy thought that the

damn radar gun was broken.

Do you know how many guys

can throw the ball

Not many.

You can count 'em

on one hand.

I still don't believe it.

I mean, those are major-league

scouts on our message machine.

I know.

[ Chuckles ] It's great.

Um, listen, honey, w-why didn't

you tell me about all this?

Well, I just...

thought you'd laugh at me.

Oh, come on.

It was just this --

it was this thing to get

the kids to start playing.

I thought I'd just go there,

I'd throw a few pitches,

then I'd be done with it.

So...

are you considering this?

I-I don't know.

I -- l-I don't know.

I...I have never thrown

that hard before.

What?

Hmm?

Y-you don't seem

too excited.

No, I am.

Really.

[ Dishes clinking ]

[ Water running ]

Announcer:
[ On television ]

It's a tough decision.

Do you go ahead and call in

your set-up man

to try to counter

the left-handed batter

with the

lefty middle-reliever?

Announcer #2:
[ On television ]

That's right, Tom.

They have Johnson available

as well as Bisou,

who did work one full inning

on Tuesday night.

Yup, now it appears they've

made up their minds...

And they're gonna go

the set-up route.

And here comes Gray

out of the bullpen,

making the traditional run

through the outfield

to the mound.

You know, Jim, I'm sure

no matter how many times

you've made that run,

it still has to be

quite a thrill.

Right you are, Jim.

Back to the action.

[ Television turns off ]

[ Remote control drops ]

[ Rain falling ]

[ Sloshing ]

[ Grunts ]

[ Slap ]

Ain't nothing wrong

with that one right there.

[ Grunts ]

[ Slap ]

So much for his arm

falling off, huh?

[ Slap ]

[ Grunts ]

[ Sloshes ]

[ Engine running ]

[ Engine stops ]

Jimmy?

Yeah -- yes, sir.

[ Clears throat ]

I was just driving by.

I saw that...

Your light was on.

It'll be on

for a few more hours.

You want to come in?

Oh, no.

That's all right.

I was, um --

I got to be heading back.

I just, uh, wanted to,

um...

[ Clears throat ]

-- Uh --

-- Lorri called.

Yeah?

Guess the scouts saw

what they wanted to see.

Well...

I don't know what to do.

[ Chuckles softly ]

Give it some time.

[ Sighs deeply ]

I haven't got

a lot of that.

You're asking me?

[ Clears throat ]

[ Smacks lips ]

[ Sighs ]

Yes, sir.

Your grandfather

once told me

it was okay to think about

what you want to do,

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