81 – The Sixth Inning

81 – The Sixth Inning

By Aramis Thorn

Here is the sixth installment of the short story as promised, Enjoy

Both the NL and AL league winners will be decided before the weekend is over.  I truly hope it is the Dodgers and the Tigers.  The series will be exciting either way.

Sixth Inning

Warm up

Jack watches his young pitcher carefully. Joe takes the field as if nothing has changed.  He glances up at the growing collection of K signs behind the home on deck circle.  He takes his eight concentrating on range and strike zone.  He knows that the well of speed is still full for his drawing on it.   Jack fires the last pitch down to second and it travels the bases then back to Zander.  Patch cleans the plate and calls, “Play Ball.”

Pitch 46

Wholesome Mathews makes his way to the plate.  This time he tips his hat Joe.  He looks back at the umpire and smiles a smile bred on yellow corn, sweet-tea, and South Georgia peaches. 

“Hello again Mr. Garner,” intones Mathews.

“Welcome back Wholesome,” counters Garner Patch.

“Howdy Jack,” smiles the batter.

“Howdy Wholesome,” rejoins Morris.

“Your boy sure has some stuff there Jack.  I recon coach wants me to get a hit though,” offers the ever humble Wholesome.

The comment reminds Jack Morris of his grandfather bartering at the farmer’s market when he was a boy.  His grandfather loved baseball and lived just long enough see Morris play in his first all-star game.  Jack Morris honors  his grandfather with his next replay.  “I know you will do your best Wholesome.  You always do.”  Jack calls for an inside fastball and steadies himself for the pain.

Joe smiles and deals.  The ball rockets in like a line of lime meant to chalk out the inside edge of  home plate.  Wholesome swings too late.  Slap, then swoosh.

“Steeerike  one Wholesome,” calls Garner.

“Yes sir,” replies Wholesome.

Whatever Jack mutters it is an expression of pain.  He tosses the ball back to Joe and glares at the pitch clock. 

It glares back saying only 103 mph.

47

As Garner Patch settles down behind Jack he asks the question, “Are you hurt Jack?  Those fast balls seem to be giving you some grief.”

“They hurt Garner,” replies the catcher, “but I am not going anywhere.  I think you understand that.”  The catcher signals for the changeup in the same place. 

Zander deals and the release point is identical to the fastball.

Wholesome Mathews inches back and swings at a changeup so deceitful you would recount the stitching on it.  It moves so slowly you would have time too.  The sound is swoosh then slap.

“Steeerike two Wholesome,” call Patch.

“Yep,” replies Mathews.

Jack is grateful for the soft landing and tosses the ball back to Zander.

The pitch clock hums along reading 64 mph.

48

Joe looks in and Morris calls for a slider.  The pitch will have the sideways movement necessary to fool Mathews and Joe will put it across the plate.  Called third strikes are always better than a swing and miss.

Joe’s delivery is right on target.  To those who look on it seems as if he threw the same pitch to Wholesome but faster.  As Wholesome shifts back to take the pitch inside the ball slides down and out.

“Steeerike three Wholesome,” calls Patch.

“I think that boy is a wizard,” replies Mathews.

92 mph calls the pitch clock.

“Perhaps,” smiles Jack.

49

As Jackson Daniels moves to the plate Crackerjack takes a moment to remove his mitt.  The pain from the last pitch is now a fiery blossom in the heel of his hand.  The ball boy thinks to bring the frost spray when he collects and numbers the ball.  Jack generously applies the spray, thanks him, and settles back behind the plate.

]He knows they can put Daniels down with magic versus speed.  He calls for the outside curve, slow.  Daniels chases it while he thinks it is headed for the plate.  It moves away from him just as Joe intends.

“Steeerike one,” calls Patch.

Jack is grateful for the slower pitch and a ball caught in the webbing.

The pitch clock comforts him at 77 mph.

50

Daniels looks back at Jack, “That was just plain sneaky.”

“How about some more of the same Jackson,” asks Jack?

He calls for a changeup.

Joe looks just as he does when he delivers the heat.  Jackson Daniels sets and swings far too early.  The swoosh then slap is easy to discern.

“Steeerike two,” says Patch.

“That boy is a liar,” says Daniels.

“You are a believer Jackson,” rejoins Jack.

The pitch clock winks relief to Jack at 72 mph.

51

For the third pitch Jack calls for the slider. 

Joe deals.

Daniels swings and misses.

“Steeerike three,” declares Patch, “batter is out.”

“That boy really needs to go to church,” says Daniels as he retreats to the dugout.

“He does have a gift for deception,” offers Jack.

The pitch clock agrees at 82 mph.

As Jack gives the ball to Tom he asks him to get the waffle ready for the next inning.  The ball boy grins and nods.  He knows if he is going to last through more heat he needs the extra padding.

52

Andy Vine is pitching a good game.  There is no score and he has pitched his way out of trouble twice.  Pitcher versus pitcher is one of the things that Jack Morris loves about the game.  No batter knows pitching better than pitchers.  Jack feels that the designated hitter in the American league is one of the things that has harmed baseball.  Pitchers should have to face each other.  Today two good ones are doing just that.

Last time Andy visited the place they pitched him curve, changeup, changeup.  Andy has had three more innings to study Joe Zander.  Andy is aware that it is his duty to break up the perfecta.  He is also aware of what this type of game means to any pitcher.  Jack can see on Andy’s face that his heart is not in this at bat.

Jack calls for the heat first.  Andy will not expect it and he will spend the rest of the at bat wondering instead of anticipating. 

Zander fires with all he has.  Four seams of lightning strike toward home plate.  The ball moves so fast that only Jack reacts and it is in pain.

“Steeerike one,” calls Garner Patch after what seems like an hour.

The sound Jack Morris makes is somewhere between a grunt and a cry of pain.   He immediately calls and is granted time.  As he moves to the dugout for assistance the stands erupt with thunderous cheers. 

The pitch clock reads 105 mph.

53

Garner Patch moves half the distance between the plate and where Jack Morris and his trainer stand.  The trainer drops a rag that has blood on it.  He is quickly taping something onto Morris’ hand.  He then sprays the hand.  The ball boy has the waffle and hands it to the catcher. 

The waffle is an over-sized mitt that catchers use to catch knuckle-ball pitchers.  Sitting out in the home bullpen is one of the best in the league.  What Crackerjack Morris is after is the extra padding and thicker sweet spot.  No one realizes that there are three crushed carpals in Jack’s hand.  They are all focused on the burst blood blister from the last pitch.

They patch up Jack’s hand and he switches gloves.  He nods to the umpire and trots back to the plate.  As the players take their places he apologizes for the delay.

Andy smiles down at him. “No worries Jack.  That kid throws some voracious heat.  I am sure the waffle will help.  Feel free to lay off for the rest of the inning.”

Jack nods and signals to Joe for a changeup.

Andy sees the grin and believes fastball. As he pulls the trigger Andy realizes he has swung too soon.  The young Zander has fooled him again,

“Steeerike two,” signals Patch.

The combination of waffle mitt, tape, and freeze spray work so that Jack feels only a tingle as he catches the pitch.

The pitch clock joins in the reassurance reading 77 mph.

54

It is one of the living things about baseball that too few ponder.  The mechanics of baseball are a constant transfer of control.  The pitcher has control until he releases the pitch.  Then the batter has control.  Then either the fielders or the umpire or physics are in charge.  So far Joe Zander has mastered the transfer of control.  He has held it between himself and Jack the entire game.

Andy wants to take the control from Joe Zander.

Jack wants to maintain things as they are except for the pain in his catching hand.  He signals for heat to finish off Andy.  He knows Andy does not expect it.

Joe grins, winds, and deals.

Again Andy is caught looking.

“Steeerike three,” calls Garner Patch.

Jack looks over his shoulder at the pitch clock just as Joe catches up to him.  The pitcher looks Jack in the eye.  “Can you catch that,” he asks eyeing the waffle.

Jack nods.

For the first time Joe Zander says something that worries him.  “This could be fun,” chuckles the kid.

After passing number 18 on to the ball boy Jack spends the bottom of the sixth getting his hand worked on.   Palmer Grant, the trainer disinfects and cleanses the open wound on Jack’s hand.  He then applies an analgesic spray of benzocaine and two butterfly bandages.  Then he covers the entire thing with a deep coat of dermoplast.

Jack’s time to recover is limited.  Joe Zander goes down on four pitches.  Hamilton and Clover both string together a series of fouls before they ground out to second and short respectively. 

At the end of six the score is still nil to zip.  The catcher ponders that were it not for Joe Zander this would be a very boring baseball game.  Before leaving the dugout he catches the eye of the trainer.  “Let’s get some extra for the song and dance.  Get a marker and write Joe’s number on them.  They will make great souvenirs.”

The trainer pauses a moment then nods his understanding.  He dispatches one of the pinch hitters to the tunnel for what Jack wants.