“You still got it,” Tristan admitted.
That was when everyone put together that we knew each other. I decided to come clean.
“Everyone, this is Tristan Pratt, no relation to Peggy. We played ball this past summer. He was the starting left fielder for Team USA.”
It felt great to be back on a baseball field. Moose let the older guys go early so he and the staff could evaluate the younger players.
I was glad to see that my ‘little brothers,’ Phil and Trent, had come out as promised. We’d made a deal that I would help them with football if they would come pitch for the baseball team. If we planned to win it all, we needed the depth. The two of them had been practicing for seven-on-seven football. I’d kept my end of the bargain and spent time working with them to get them ready for next year.
Tristan had hung around and worked with the outfielders alongside Coach Haskins. They treated him like a rock star and hung on every word he said. He explained that he was in the area because he was on a recruiting trip to State. They had a good college baseball program.
As we strolled to the locker room, we found Cassidy waiting for us and blocking the entrance.
“Ah, shit,” Wolf moaned.
“What’s wrong?” Tristan asked.
“You are about to see what sets us apart,” I explained.
“What’s that mean?” Tristan asked.
Cassidy was in rare form. Tristan turned out to be a total wimp and was dry-heaving after only fifteen minutes. That made Cassidy’s day.
◊◊◊
I invited Tristan and his family to my house for dinner. His sister hadn’t come with them, making me happy. I also asked Moose and Coach Haskins so we could reminisce about last summer.
After dinner, Tristan and his family said they had to leave, and I asked my coaches and parents to join me in our office.
“I need your advice. I’m considering exploring baseball for next year,” I said.
“You mean professionally?” Coach Haskins asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“Is this for sure?” Mom asked.
“No, but I just pulled my football commitment from Michigan and decided I want to explore my options,” I explained.
Surprisingly, not a single one of them asked why. The events surrounding the Valentine’s Day Massacre didn’t seem to be the secret I’d imagined they were.
“You must realize this will be a distraction,” Moose said.
“That’s why I’m talking to you before I do anything.”
“It can’t be any worse than last spring,” Dad reminded him.
When the
“You are a pain in my ass,” Moose said, making my mom laugh.
No way was I touching that comment.
“Let me call my contacts and get some advice on how to manage this,” Coach Haskins said to offer some structure to what could turn into chaos.
“You’re sure?” Mom asked another time.
“I need to at least get some others’ opinions. If it doesn’t look likely that I would make the majors anytime soon, I’d be better off going to college,” I said to explain my thinking.
“Make the calls,” Dad said.
He would talk to my mom. I expected her strong pushback at the notion of me not going to college. She had to accept, though, that I loved to play baseball. It was still a game for me. While I also loved football, it took a lot more effort. Not that I wouldn’t have to work at baseball. I guess baseball felt like I was out playing ball with Tami, while football was more of a job. The kid in me just liked baseball better.
◊◊◊
Chapter 20 – Boss of Me Wednesday February 22
I came back from my morning run to find I had a text to call Scarlet.
“When were you going to warn us that you’d opened your recruiting back up?” she asked, sounding unhappy.
“How about now?” I asked, trying to be smart.
“How about next time, you keep me in the loop? Did you forget I’m your PA while you’re going to school here?”
“Sorry, I’m not used to you being my go-to person yet. I should have called you,” I admitted.
“I called Lexi, and she suggested that I get in touch with Frank. She said you need to handle the narrative … whatever that means,” Scarlet said.
“It means we need to make sure the true story is out there. I don’t want someone from the University of Michigan trashing my character because they’re upset with me,” I explained.
“Is that possible?”
I remembered Coach Title saying that I would be labeled a problem. That was hard to imagine since I’d never stepped foot on campus as a player. Yes, recruits could be fickle, but guess what, they were teenagers.
I at least had a reason not to go, and Mike being a douche-nozzle only made up half of it. The whole ‘my way or the highway’ attitude rubbed me the wrong way. Coach Title might preach that we all get along, but that wasn’t happening on either Mike’s or my part. Mike beating the crap out of my little brother was the last straw.
“Unfortunately, yes. Then there’s me wanting to explore the possibility of playing baseball instead of going to college. If that isn’t handled right, it might become a big deal,” I surmised.
