A/N: Thank you everyone for the alerts and reviews!
This one is posting a little early for my OK Teacher. :D
Chapter 4
"Good afternoon from Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia," the announcer smiled into the camera. "And welcome to Sunday afternoon Braves baseball on Fox Sports SouthEast. I'm Chip Carey, along with my partner, Joe Simpson. With the September call ups, we get to see a bit of the Braves' future heading to SunTrust Park next season Joe."
"Yes we do Chip," Simpson said. "And today's battery is that future. Andy Minton was the ace of the George Mason Patriots in their first national championship. And since his call up from Double AA to Gwinnet he's posted a 1.09 ERA."
"And he's got his battery mate from those college years as well as his time at Gwinnet," Cary said. "That being Zach Hotchner, the Braves' number one draft choice last year. Zach proved he can handle a bat with his SAC fly on Friday night to give the Braves a win. We finally get to see him behind the plate doing the catching. The Braves and Phillies are coming up next on Fox Sports SouthEast."
Dave rubbed Aaron's shoulder. "You OK?"
Aaron shook his head. "I know my son. He's got butterflies in his guts as big as eagles." He looked at Dave and shook his head. "So do I," Aaron smiled.
The guy sitting next to Dave wearing a Phillies t-shirt and cap looked at him. "You know someone," he waved at the field, with a question. Dave looked at him. The man smiled. "I'm not a Philly asshole. And I heard the group around here," he said, waving his finger around.
Dave smiled. "The starting catcher for the Braves today is my nephew." He pointed at Aaron. "His oldest son," he smiled.
The man looked at him. "Holy shit! You're David Rossi." He stuck out his hand. "Lieutenant Carl Reeves; Philly Detective Squad, Precinct 914." Dave warmly shook his hand.
As the Phillies PA stadium announcer introduced the starting line-ups, the group largely cheered when Zach was announced. The few Phillies fans that were sitting among the group largely smiled at them. Philadelphia fans had a nasty reputation. Yet the ones around them were wonderful with the group, asking questions.
"Dodged that bullet," Derek smiled at Will.
"No kidding," Will smiled. "They're worse than us New Orleans fans.
Just then, Andy and Zach came out of the bullpen with Roger McDowell, the Braves pitching coach. Zach looked at Andy as they walked towards the dugout. "You nervous," Zach asked.
Andy smiled. "Only if I screw up and you come to the mound to chew me a new one." He smiled at his friend. "You?"
Zach laughed. "Only if I have to come out to the mound and chew you a new one," he smiled.
"Before God and creation," Andy laughed. Zach laughed more, putting his arm around his friend. Roger just shook his head at the two of them laughing.
Reeves nudged Rossi. "Which one?"
Dave smiled. "The big kid that looks like a baseball player."
Reeves smiled. "He sure does." Walking into the dugout, Zach pointed at his dad.
Reeves looked around Dave. "Pleasure to meet you SAC Hotchner," he smiled, sticking out his hand. Aaron warmly shook it. "Good luck to your son."
"Thank you," Aaron smiled.
The Phillies PA announcer echoed through the stadium. "At this time ladies and gentlemen, we ask you to rise, take off you hats and honor America with the singing of our National Anthem." Zach and Jack came out of the dugout together along with the whole team. They stood in front of the dugout. Jack had his regular cloth cap like Zach. They both removed them and stood together, with the caps over their hearts as the anthem played, standing up straight, looking at the US flag lightly fluttering in the breeze in centerfield. Kim pulled out her cellphone and videoed it all. So did Jessica. And Garcia of course.
Coming out of a commercial break, the camera shot was of the field with the Phillies coming out of their dugout to take their defensive positions. Chip Carey came in as a voice over. "Folks, we gotta show you some special video. There's an extra number 62 in the Braves lineup today but I don't think the umpires will call the Braves out on that." A snippet of video rolled of Zach and Jack standing together during the anthem.
"I was down in the clubhouse," Simpson said, "when John Schuerholz brought Zach's brother Jack in to change into his uniform. And I had a chance to talk to him for second. He knows baseball like his brother."
"Another future Brave Joe," Chip asked.
Simpson laughed. "He's going to be the family soccer player. But Jack just really supports his big brother. Their dad is law enforcement that travels and they lost their mom some years back. Back then, it was Zach that took care of Jack when their dad was away. Those brothers are extremely close. And the Braves know it and to their credit, honor it."
"That's why Jack is an honorary batboy today," Chip smiled. "And I heard there's a large contingent here for the game today from Zach's home area of DC. And here we go with Adois Garcia digging in."
Todd, the batboy assigned by the Phillies to be that for the visiting team, smiled at Jack as he sat down in the chair next to him with his helmet on. "You keep your butt parked in that chair until I tell you otherwise. With all due respect, you're a bit of a squirt." Jack glared at him. "Kid, we don't want to see you get hurt. That's my job today."
Jack smiled at him. "Got it; and thanks." He looked Todd in the eyes. "Honestly, my head is spinning," Jack said, waving a finger around. "It's all so …."
"Overwhelming," the fifteen year old Todd laughed. Jack smiled with a nod. "You're good," Todd said, rubbing his shoulder. "And I get the big brother thing," he smiled. Todd smiled as he ran out to get Garcia's bat after he flied out to center for the first out. The Braves quietly went out in the top half of the first inning with three straight outs.
Zach, already in his catcher protection, pulled his Braves helmet without the ear protection off the shelf above his seat. He grabbed his catcher's mask next and slid the strap that went around the back of his head and left the mask up on the top of his helmet. A.J. looked at him. "I got this one," Zach smiled, pointing at Andy.
A.J. smiled. "Just keep his emotions in check for the first inning. I know rookie pitchers."
Zach took a drink from a water bottle and set it down on the shelf. "His emotions will get checked after the first pitch," Zach looked at A.J. and smiled. "He knows me and I know him," Zach winked and ran out of the dugout to his spot behind homeplate.
Joe West, the most tenured umpire in the major leagues serving as the homeplate umpire looked at him. "Welcome to bigs son," he smiled.
"Thank you sir," Zach smiled back. West smiled and shook his head at the young catcher that crouched down to take warm up pitches from Andy. After Andy had thrown eight pitches, West tapped Zach's back. "Two more kid." Zach threw the ball back to Andy and waved two fingers at him, sending out a whistle to the infielders. Andy nodded and threw another pitch.
Receiving Andy's last warm-up pitch, Zach bolted out of his crouch and sent a bullet throw towards second base. Dansby Swanson, the Braves shortstop, fielded the throw at the first base side of the bag a foot above the ground. Exactly where a runner trying to steal second base would get called out. The throw got a lot of notices; in both dugouts.
A.J., sitting next to Matt Whisler, the starter for the Braves in yesterday's game, shared a look with each other. Dave smiled at Aaron. "I think that just sent a message." West shouted "play ball" and the Phillies batter dug in. Zach gave Andy his signal for the first pitch. Andy nodded. And promptly throw a pitch that was very high and outside to the left handed batter. Zach sprung up to catch it. He looked at the ball in his glove; and then Andy. And then returned the ball to Andy with blistering speed right at Andy's head. Andy caught the ball, looked at Zach and went to the backside of the mound.
Aaron smiled at Dave. "I think he just delivered another message."
"No shit Dave," Aaron and Sean said. They all could see Andy take a deep breath and then stepped back up on the pitching mound. Zach was still standing up as Andy toed the rubber of the pitching mound. He looked at Zach. And got the total Hotchner glare.
"No gentlemen," Aaron smiled. "Now the message got delivered."
Emily, sitting with JJ, Will and Henry behind Hotch said. "Yupppp; that damn Hotchner glare does it every time."
Andy, now relaxed, threw every pitch that Zach called and perfectly where Zach wanted it. He struck out the Phillies in the bottom of the first. A.J. looked at Whisler. "Whis, I think your learning curve just got upped," he smiled.
"No shit A.J." Whis said, looking at him. Zach trotted into the dugout and looked for Andy to get in at the other end. Andy smiled at him and gave him a point coming down the steps. Zach smiled at him and gave him the Rossi point back. Roger McDowell winked at Brent Snitker as Zach went into the dugout tunnel to the clubhouse to take out his cup batting fifth in the line-up.
Matt Kemp, batting clean-up, lined a solid double into the gap to start off the second inning. Zach looked at Jack and headed to the batter's box, quickly settling in. He took the first pitch from Cole Hamels, the Phillies ace.
"That ball is drilled," Chip Carey excitedly said in the broadcast booth. He paused for a second as the ball nearly missed landing in the upper deck of right field. "And it's gone! Zach Hotchner gets his first major league homerun."
"And it won't be his last," Joe Simpson added. "He took Hamel's outside fastball and buried it."
Todd looked at Jack as Matt Kemp came around third to score. "I know the tradition," he smiled. "And I like being part of it," he evilly smiled.
Dave pointed to the group sitting behind him. "Watch," he smiled. "A rookie's first homerun doesn't get a team's initial love."
Zach, after touching second base at his usual speed to never show up his opponents, slowed a bit and looked towards the heavens and pointed. Beth hugged Caleigh. "That's for all of them," Caleigh smiled.
"Yes it is," Beth smiled, rubbing Hannah's back. John Brooks wiped a tear away as he watched his oldest grandson touch home plate making it official. Zach picked up his bat and trotted to the Braves dugout. Kemp was already sitting down on the bench. Zach handed the bat to Jack with a wink, went into the dugout, stuck his helmet into the racks and grabbed his cup off the shelf and headed into the tunnel. When he came back into the dugout, he sat down to put on his catcher's gear.
A long standing tradition with Phillies fans was they would throw the ball of an opponent's homerun back onto the field. The right fielder for the Phillies, knowing the significance, picked up the ball and softly tossed to Eddie Perez, the first base coach. Eddie smiled and pointed at Jack. Jack looked at Todd. "Now?" Todd smiled at Jack, taking Zach's bat. Jack raced around homeplate to get it.
Coming back, Snitker looked at Jack. "JP! Get your butt in here!"
Jack raced down the dugout steps. Snitker rubbed his shoulder. "You get to give Zach you two's homerun handshake in front of the team." Jack, still holding Zach's ball, looked down the dugout at the whole team smiling at him while Zach was putting on his second shin guard. Andy came down the dugout to take the ball from Jack with a smile rubbing his head; which Zach noticed.
"Bro," Jack smiled. Jack waved his finger around. The entire dugout was waiting with big smiles. Zach shook his head and rubbed Jack's.
"That was for mom," he smiled with a point.
"And Uncle Harry and Aunt Erin," Jack smiled pointed back. They did their high school homerun high five tradition and shared a hug. The Braves engulfed the brothers to celebrate with them.
Dansby Swanson, batting next after Zach, hit a wicked foul ball into the stands just past the Phillies dugout. The first base umpire called time to make sure all the fans were safe. Chip Carey took the time opening, getting a heads up in his headset from the production truck. "And the rookie tradition continues," he said, as the video played of the dugout scene. "But you know what Joe? That's one I'll never forget."
"That's just special Chip," Simpson replied.
In the fourth inning, Joe West took a nasty foul tip off the bat of a Phillies batter in his left shoulder and immediately dropped to one knee, taking off his mask. Zach was already standing up, pushing his mask to the top of his helmet. He bent down and looked at West. "You OK blue?" West was already rubbing his shoulder just past the protection of his shoulder pads on his chest protector.
"Damn kid; it hurts." Zach waved at the Phillies trainer to come out of the dugout. The home team trainer took care of the umpires in case of injury.
"I tried to snag it blue," Zach apologized. "It came off too fast."
"Son you couldn't get that."
"But blue, part of my job back here is to protect you the best I can. I failed you."
West smiled at Zach as the trainer got to the plate. "No you didn't son." He looked Zach in the eye. "The rumors are true about you," he smiled.
"Yes sir."
"Thank you Zach," West smiled deeply. "You're learning from A.J. But you haven't learned all his lessons?"
Zach smiled as he helped the trainer sit West on the ground a few feet away from home plate. "My parents overrule A.J. on that." The trainer looked West over.
West shook his head. "I'm OK. It just took the feeling out of my arm. It's already coming back," he said, shaking out his hand. The trainer continued to work with West. Zach moved back behind homeplate to take some soft throws from Andy to keep him warmed up.
"Kid," the trainer said. Zach zipped the ball out to Andy and looked at him. Together, they got West on his feet.
An inning later, Andy threw a couple bad pitches. Zach stood up and looked over his shoulder at West. "Can I have time Blue?"
"Make it quick kid," West said. Zach trotted out to the mound. Andy looked at him.
"Minnie, your shoulder flew open on those last two pitches. Tighten it back up."
Andy looked at him and slightly smiled. "Thanks Cob."
Zach nodded at him and trotted back to home plate and pulled down his mask as the crouched down. "Nice job kid," West said.
After 9/11, during the seventh inning stretch, all baseball stadiums played God Bless America on Sunday. Jack and Zach, along with all the Braves, stood in front of their dugout, their caps over their hearts.
Andy Minton pitched a three hit shutout through seven innings, the Braves young guns in the bullpen stepped up and the Braves won 6-0 with Zach providing a double in the seventh inning to drive in two more runs.
Walking out of the stadium, Dave looked at Aaron. "Has this sunk in yet with you?"
"Dave?"
"Aaron," Sean smiled, putting his arm over his shoulder. "Zach went two for four with four RBI's and got his first major league homerun."
Beth smiled at them both, rubbing Dave's shoulder. "Give dad a bit more time on that," she winked.
Aaron kissed her and shook his head. The rarely unseen Hotchner grin spread across his face. "It was a good day," he smiled at the bus group standing in the tunnel.
"But," Dave asked.
"I'm thinking about Jack, with Zach being with the media," Hotch said.
Caleigh kissed his cheek. "I think John and the team have got that handled as well," she smiled and looked at him. "And Aaron, you know Zach. Jack is his first priority."
Aaron smiled.
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A/N: As Radar O'Reilly once said, "Awww h-e-double toothpicks". It's a baseball chapter and I've got some explaining to do. This chapter is littered with yellow highlights. From the top…..
ERA is Earned Run Average. That's how many runs a pitcher has allowed in the amount of innings he has pitched. PA is the stadium Public Address announcer. "Digging in" is what most batters do. They dig their cleats into the dirt of the batter's box to get their specific footing they want.
Except for in the end of season playoffs, batboys do not travel with the team. The home team has four; two are of which are assigned to the visiting team, wearing their uniform.
"Toed the rubber" is the rubber piece on top of the pitching mound. Pitchers must throw their pitch keeping contact with the rubber. Andy striking out the Phillies in the bottom of the first inning means he struck out all three batters.
The seventh inning "stretch" is a baseball tradition. It's the time between top and the bottom of the seventh inning (the visiting team bats in the "top" of the inning; the home team in the "bottom" of the inning). The fans are encouraged to stand up and sing along with the unofficial baseball anthem Take Me Out to the Ball Game. Which is still sung on Sunday's after God Bless America.
Phew….
If you fans have more questions than I anticipated, I'm a PM away. :D