“It was good. I haven’t really pitched much this year, so I don’t expect Coach Mallei was too impressed. I felt I did best at short and third. But if I needed to, I could fill in at the other two positions.”
“That’s a good assessment, and about what my coaches told me. Are you comfortable at the other outfield positions?” he asked.
“I’d be game to try, but with my range and arm, I think I’d serve you better in center.”
“I agree,” he said and then paused to consider his next words. “Most of the players here have been at one position all their life and can play it well. Someone like you can give a manager versatility in his lineup options. I was talking to your coaches, and they told me you bat leadoff for your high school team. That tells me you’re flexible enough to bat up and down the order.
“There’s a reason I had you work at different positions today. When we finally get down to the twenty-man roster, someone like you can make it feel like a twenty-two-man roster. If you can spot-pitch when needed and play both infield and outfield, it’s like picking up two extra players.
“You caught everyone’s eye with your bat yesterday. That was some of the best hitting I’ve seen in a long time. Moose told me you thrive when the spotlight comes on. That would explain why you excel at football, and I expect you’d agree you’re doing well here. What I need you to do is to trust me,” Coach Kingwood said.
“Why’s that, Coach?”
“I may ask you to take on some roles or tasks that won’t put you in the best light. If you’re uncomfortable with that, you need to tell me. I would understand if you were concerned that you might not make the forty-man cut and wanted to play it safe and just play center field.”
“What I said the first day still holds true: I’m a team player and will do whatever it takes for us to win. If that means I have to play out of position, I’ll do it, even if it costs me a spot. Besides, if this doesn’t work out, I’m sure I would be okay playing football,” I said to convince him.
He gave me a sly smile.
“Don’t worry. You’re doing just fine playing baseball. Now go join the others at lunch.”
◊◊◊
Paul met me before I walked into the tent where lunch was being served. He handed me an insulated bag that had my food in it.
“Your mom dropped this off. I guess Melissa let her use her kitchen.”
“Thanks. What are they serving today?” I asked.
“Pizza and chips.”
“I guess it could be worse,” I said and left him to find my teammates.
“There he is. Looks like you got in trouble today, with having to go talk to Coach Kingwood,” Daz said.
“Yeah, he isn’t sure where to play me,” I said as I opened my bag and started to pull out my lunch.
My mom had poached chicken breasts, steamed broccoli, and made faux potato salad from cauliflower. I also found an apple in the lunch sack.
“Where did you get that?” Dave asked.
“My mom and host mom made it. Last year, I was sent to a sports clinic where they talked to me about the importance of good nutrition and supplements for athletes. Since then, I try to follow their advice and eat a high-protein, low-carb diet for the most part.”
“I thought it was just me. I do the same. Do you think you could talk them into helping out a fellow teammate?” Lucas asked.
To reinforce his plea, he held up his slice of pizza. It was limp and nasty-looking. Our New Yorker, Blake, was particularly unhappy with the soggy slice.
“That looks limper than David’s dick,” Mitch quipped.
“You can’t say that,” Dave said, crying foul.
“Careful, Mitch, or I’ll have to pull out something about your mama,” I teased.
‘Your mama’ jokes were old but still funny.
“Maybe we can pool our money and talk some of the host moms into cooking for us. I know mine is a great cook,” Nick said.
“I agree. Yes, I realize this is free food, but it makes me a little queasy,” Daz said as he patted the pizza with a napkin to show all the grease. “I’d be willing to pitch in some money for a decent lunch. Nick’s right, my host mom is a great cook. I told my mother that I might just stay because the food is so good.”
“What do the rest of you think?” I asked.
Everyone agreed. We only had three more days of lunches. Somehow, I was put in charge of organizing it and collecting money. Their parents had given them all money for the trip, so they each handed me cash for some decent food.
◊◊◊
We played the Stars in the first game today. My family showed up early, so I pulled Melissa and my mom off to the side and told them what we wanted to do about lunches. Melissa was one of the key members of the host family program for USA Baseball. She was shocked that our lunches were so bad, nutritionally. Melissa and my mom planned to talk to some of the other host parents about the situation. I gave them the money I’d collected, and Mom told me that if nothing else, she would either make something or have tomorrow’s lunch catered.
I went back and told the team we were set for tomorrow’s lunch, which made them happy.
