Game 15

Something was off with her delivery, Mike noted during the 3rd inning against the D-Backs. He couldn't place what is was but something was off. Her pitches we fine and the suddenly started missing the zone. He spent the bottom of the inning just watching her from the dugout. She's up to bat 3rd in the inning. He sees her rub her fingers before putting on her gloves. She steps into the box with Hanan on second and Dusty on first. His eyes are laser focused on every micromovement she makes. She lays down a beautiful bunt on the first pitch. Hanan is forced out at 3rd. Mike's eye catch sight of how she is standing on the base. What ever it is that is off with her it doesn't appear to be in her arm or lower body.

She takes an extra squeeze on the rosin bag after the first walk off the top of the fourth. He's about to march out to the mound when she comes set. She gets a strike out and single before she's back at the bag, Mike's certain that he knows what the issue is. After a four-pitch walk, he's on his way to her.

He pulls his mask up and puts his glove over his mouth, "It's your finger, right?" he asked. She placed her glove up to her face and nods. "Blister?"

"Not yet. I think it's just a hot spot." She says as Mike is motioning for coaching staff and the trainer to come out.

Al reaches the mound first, "Ginny is it you arm? are you okay?" he asks with a hough.

"It's the start of a blister." She said holding out her hand to show the red spot forming at the tip of her right index finger.

Al is motioning to the bullpen for a righty. "Sorry Baker, I'm not taking chances with this." He said as she had a disappointed look on her face.

"He's right Rookie. Can't underestimate a blister." Mike said in his captain voice.

She handed the ball over to her manager and walked back to her dugout. She hated leaving a game for what was something so small and Mike knew it. He was setting up behind the plate to finish warming up with Butch when he caught sight of her slam her glove down on the bench. She is fuming and everyone in the dugout knew it.

"Of all the things to take me out of a ballgame and it's nothing but a bit of sensitive skin" she said cross armed in the front seat of his SUV after the game.

"Baker it's probably nothing. We have been working on your speed and delivery a fair bit so it's safe to assume that the extra friction has just built up. Am I taking you home?" he asked already knowing the answer.

"I want to swim, so your house please" she said with teeth baring smile.

Mike didn't know why he even asked. She had followed him around the clubhouse waiting for him to shower and change. If she was going home, she would have just bolted as soon as she was able. It was only a twenty-minute walk to her condo and she would often use that as a post game run. But by the way that she was not so subtly waiting for him, he knew that she was going to be his shadow for the night, not that he minded.

He doubted that she would actually swim though, it was close to midnight after all but he wasn't going to say anything. Instead, he just kept driving.

Ginny walked into Mike's house like it was her own. She kicked her sneakers off and dropped her backpack at the base of the stairs. Mike just shook his head as he watched her make her way to the pool deck. Ginny had a bad habit of leaving her things at Mike's house, which Mike would inexplicably would pick up and put away. Ginny never needed to ask Mike where her things were, she intuitively knew where they had been put. Mike made his way up to his room and changed into his sleep clothes. He stopped by her room to grab a towel and her bathrobe. He'd made sure that Elena, his house keeper, kept the sheets and towels clean.

When he reaches the deck, she has switched on the pool lights and she was leaning back against the edge of the hot tub. Mike slowly made his way over to the edge and placed her towel and robe near her. Mike rolled up the bottom of his pants and dipped his feet in to the water. "Is it helping?" he asked softly.

Ginny rolled her head along the edge of concrete, letting the hot water surround her body. "I don't know anymore." She answered with a grown. "Al is being over cautions with every little thing." Mike gave her a look and was about to interject when she continued, "I know blisters can cause serious problems long term, but did you know that he watches my side sessions. And I mean like the whole thing. It's one thing for Skip to check in on his pitchers but he was hovering Lawson." She said closing her eyes.

Mike gently swished his feet in the water. "You know he cares about you right Baker. I think he feels guilty for letting you go back out there that day."

She didn't answer right away. "I'm a grown ass woman and make my own decisions. I made the choice and lived with the consequences." She said turning to face him. "I appreciate that he was looking out for me, but I can't have him feeling guilty about that one decision for the rest of my, what is hopefully a very long career." She said with conviction.

He raised an eye brow at her "I take it things have been going well with Dr. Barton." Ginny had been seen her through the off season.

"Surprisingly yeah. She said that by taking charge and not looking at the negative outcome, but instead using it as a learning opportunity, it will help gain perspective."

"Maybe I should start seeing her." Mike muttered under his breath.

Ginny gave a small simile. "Maybe she can give you some perspective on that thing on your face."

Mike leaned back on his elbows and laughed, "You love the beard."

Ginny slowly stood from the hot tub and reached for her towel. "Keep telling yourself that Old Man." She said as she rubbed her self down.

Mike swung his legs from the edge of the pool and pushed his way to standing. "Midnight snack?" he asked already knowing the answer.

"uhmm." She said as she ran the towel over her hair as Mike made his way into the house. Ginny was going to change on the pool deck and leave her swim suite pilled by the drying rack like she always did, and Mike would go out and put it away like he always did.

He quit trying to tell her to put her stuff away, because some where deep down, the mess she left in his house reminded him that his glass mansion was not just for show but was actually a home that was lived in.

There was a stillness in the club house when Blip walked through the door that morning but not because it was empty. "It's only Sanders" Melky said to about 2/3 of the team.

Blip made his way to his locker, "Good day to you too" he said in a sarcastic tone as he sat in his chair. He looked around to see that even the notoriously late guys were milling about the club house. "did I miss the memo about some team meeting?" he said half seriously.

"No, we're just waiting for Lawson and Baker to arrive." Salvi said like it was obvious.

"And why are we doing that?"

"So we can add more evidence to the file." Dusty said just as casually.

"I know I'm going to regret asking, but what the hell are you guys on about"

"We're trying to figure out if they have a 'thing' going on and if they don't why the fuck not because they are so in love with each other that it is painfully obvious to everyone but them." Salvi answered.

Blip shook his head, "You know Ginny doesn't date players." He said.

"We know" JJ piped up from the back "but after she was pulled yesterday, and the way she was hanging around Lawson after the game, we kinda thought maybe they had some kind of agreement."

"We don't care if they are together or not…it's just that they are so…uhmm what's the word I want?" Stubbs said snapping his fingers in search of the perfect descriptor.

"Well matched?" Sonny offered.

Stubbs shook his head. "Nah. Its's more than that. It's like they make each other better both on and off the field. They seem happy with each other. He never had that with Rachel. Ginny may be new to our team but it kinda feels like she has always been here." Blip looked around and saw the nods of agreement from the rest of the guys.

"So you have taken it upon yourselves to play match maker?" Blip asked.

"No, we're just tracking the situation" Livan said.

Just then, they heard the door to the clubhouse swing open, followed by Ginny's distinct laugh. Blip saw the guys instantly scatter as if they all hadn't been discussing if their aging catcher and the first women on a pro sports team were in love with each other.

"You really said that to a waiter." Ginny's voice was getting louder.

"Of course, I did Baker. He brought me a stake that was well done. Ruined a perfectly good cut of meat." Mike answered as they made their way to his locker. Blip noticed that some of the guys were having silent conversations with each other.

Mike put his bag down and sat in his chair as he started to change. "okay Old Man, I've got to go see Al and find out what they are doing with me." Ginny said giving him a fist bump as she walked away.

Blip watched the interaction between the two closely. It seemed like nothing other than two teammates sharing a laugh. But then again, he'd also seen them share some pretty personal moments. What ever was going on between them was definitely ineffable, that was for sure.

Game 20

"Baker, relax. There is nothing you can do about it." Mike said as he was getting dressed in the locker room.

"But it's my start." she said with a pout as she spun around in his chair. "I hate missing a start."

"Yeah well be thankful that you're just missing a start and not on the list." He said pull on his under shirt. "clearly your finger is still causing an issue cuz you had to had to stop your side session early. Take it easy these next few games and you'll be back out there in a week." He said pushing her from his chair so he could put his cleats on.

She reluctantly got up and moved to the couch opposite him, while rolling her eyes. "I just don't like having someone else pitching in my place." She said as she looked over and saw the call up looking like a lost puppy.

Mike walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Look at me Baker. He's not staying. You've never had blister issues before. Yes, Al is playing it safe but I'd rather have you miss a game in April than missing the second half of the season." She stared at him for a moment, considering what he wasn't saying. She stood so she was level with him, "you good Baker?"

"Yeah I'm good."

"Good. Now go get dressed." He said. She stated to move towards her room when he gave her ass the smallest of slaps. She didn't say anything, just continued to walk away. Mike caught sight of the call up with eyes wide, Mike gathered that one of the guys had given him the rules regarding what you could and could not do around Baker "you're not aloud to do that you hear me Johnson" he said with a pointed finger.

"It's actually Millson" the kid called out but put his head down when he saw that Mike didn't care.

"Stop pacing Mami, you're making everyone nervous." Livan said frim the bench during the fourth.

"How can I be making everyone nervous, they are on the field. They can't see what I'm doing." She said as she took a seat next to him.

"Maybe not but I can, and it's bugging me."

She crossed her arms after shoving some sunflower seeds in her mouth.

They guys came off the field and Mike took off his chest protector and helmet. He grabbed some water and took his seat next to Ginny. He looked over at Livan "I thought you were going to stop her from pacing. It's really distracting."

Livian leaned across Ginny to speak to Mike, "I tried Lawson, but have you ever tried to get Baker to do something. The woman drives a hard bargain."

"um hello" Ginny said between them. "If you are going to talk about me and try and make side deals, the least you could do is not discuss them when I'm literally in the middle of it."

The catchers on either side of her started laughing, "You're right Livan, I should have known better than to try and get her to do something she doesn't want to do."

"You should have heard her when I tried to take the sun flower seeds from her."

"That's just asking for trouble." Mike said with a chuckle.

"I'm still right here." She said very pointedly.

"And have you seen the way she mimics the pitch?"

"I'm okay with that because at least she's not shaking me off before hand."

"But you're not hearing her curse at the way your setting up."

"You two are assholes" she said as she slumped into the bench.

Mike rose to get his gear back on, "you hear that Livan, we're assholes because she's grumpy."

"I'm not grumpy." She said sounding very grumpy.

"And I'm not Cuban." Livan said.

Mike took a piece of gum from his cubby while grabbing his mask.

"You're out voted Rookie. Definitely grumpy" Mike said as he headed for the dugout stairs.

"Yeah well if anyone knows about being grumpy, it's you" she said with a slap to his ass. Livan laughed at the other end of the dugout.

It wasn't a long flight to Phoenix, but Ginny, had somehow managed to fall asleep the second the wheels went up. Her head fell onto Mike's shoulder and Blip noticed how he causally lifted his arm and wrapped it around her body while never taking his eyes off the ipad in front of him. He watched as she curled into Mike's body as if she had done it a million times. He watched the way that both of them seemed to relax at the touch of each other. He watched them the rest of the flight and noticed that some of the other guys stealing glances as well. He saw Melky and Hanan speaking in hushed tones, while Stubs and Sonny pointed in their direction. Blip watched as Mike started to gently wake Ginny by rubbing his hand along her arm and brushing the hair from her face. He saw a soft smile appear on his best friend's lips while Ginny's eyes fluttered open. She stretched her arms but Mike didn't remove his from her shoulder. The guys maybe on to something, Blip thought to himself.

Blip pulled Dusty aside as they where waiting to check-in at the hotel, "This file that you have on Baker and Lawson, what's the general consensus on them."

Dusty smiled, "Pretty much we've given them a year tops." Blip nodded, "So you want in on the pool." He said with raised eyebrows.

"100 on October 1st." he said against his better judgement. He watched Mike pick up Ginny's duffel and walk towards the elevator laughing. They were in their own little world, Blip thought and he wanted that for them.

He quickly snapped a picture of them and sent it to Evelyn. She responded with the heart eye emoji. Blip smiled knowing that it was only a matter of time for those two and everybody knew it.