PROLOGUE
It was a bright Saturday afternoon in mid-May, and Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland was surprisingly close to a sellout for a matinee game between the Cleveland Indians and the Kansas City Royals.
The national anthem had just been completed, and the Indians rushed out of the dugout to take their spots in the field. Charlie Brown was the last to leave the dugout, striding purposefully towards the pitcher's mound. He took in the scene as he kicked at the dirt that abutted the pitching rubber.
I made it, he thought to himself as he caught the ball from the catcher and prepared to take his warmup pitches. How many pitches had he thrown in his life to get to this point? 23 years old, and making his major league debut. From the little park down on the corner to the stadium at his high school to long bus rides in the minor leagues – thousands and thousands of pitches. All to get to this point. I made it!
"Batter up!" the umpire called. The leadoff hitter, a quick switch-hitter who loved to slap the ball to the opposite field, stepped into the batter's box.
Charlie Brown stared in at his catcher, who flashed the signs. Fastball, low and inside. Charlie Brown nodded, took a deep breath and exhaled. Into the windup, and then the pitch was away. At the knees, catching the inside corner of the plate. 92 miles an hour. Strike one.
Charlie Brown looked in again to get the signs. Fastball, high and away. Strike two. The Royal couldn't catch up to that one – 93 miles an hour.
The signs flashed across for the 0-2 delivery. Curveball. As the pitch left his hand, Charlie Brown could tell it wasn't perfect. It hung over the plate, just asking to be hit.
And it was.
A screaming line drive right back to the mound. Charlie Brown flailed as the ball whizzed past his head into center field for a single, his glove and hat flying into the air as he fell to the ground with a thud.
As Charlie Brown got up and collected his things, dusted off his pants, and tried to regain his composure, he heard a voice in the crowd.
"Welcome to the big leagues, kid!"