Put Me In Season 1 Episode 2: The First Start (A TV Ratings Guide Original)


PREVIOUSLY ON PUT ME IN

COACH DONOVAN takes the phone call, listening without saying a word. When it’s over, he hangs up.

COACH DONOVAN
They want me to pick someone to start the game.

TYLER
Who?

COACH DONOVAN
Well I’m not sure how many of you have the stamina, since most of you do an inning or two at a time.

MIKE
This sounds like the job for the utility pitcher. Too bad I don’t want to.

COACH DONOVAN
Yeah let’s talk about your attitude. Crap, who’s left?

CARTER
Put me in.

__________________

COACH DONOVAN
Put you in? Why would I do that?

CARTER
Because I’m willing to. I want to show everyone I have potential.

COACH DONOVAN
You don’t. But fine. Go in the game and then head to the dugout at the end of the inning.

CARTER
I’m sure I’ll be back as a reliever soon.

COACH DONOVAN
Not if it’s up to me. Get in the game, the crowd is waiting.

CARTER runs onto the field and to the pitchers’ mound, having thrown no warm-up pitches. The first pitch is a strike. The crowd cheers. RAY, the Charleston Capitols catcher, walks over to the mound.

RAY
Listen up kid, I don’t know if you’re good or not, but that was a nice pitch. Keep it up.

CARTER thanks him, but RAY doesn’t hear as he has already turned around to go back to the catchers’ box.

CARTER takes a few seconds, then throws the next pitch. It’s a strike. The crowd cheers.

CARTER (to himself)
How did that happen?

CARTER throws the third pitch. It’s also a strike, and the batter struck out. The crowd cheers. He gets through the next five innings allowing just one hit.

LEWIS, the manager, congratulates CARTER.

LEWIS
You can really pitch kid!

CARTER
It’s probably a fluke.

LEWIS
Who cares? Good pitching is good pitching.

CARTER
True.

LEWIS
Coach Donovan was right about you.

CARTER
What do you mean? He hates me!

LEWIS
He put you in.

CARTER
I think he was saving the other pitchers for later in the game. Plus, I volunteered. He doesn’t even like to talk to me.

LEWIS
That’s Don for you.

CARTER
I hope he doesn’t hate me when I go back to the bullpen.

LEWIS
Oh you’re not going back there. You’re a starting pitcher now.

CARTER
Huh?

LEWIS
If this outing looks anything like the future ones, you’re the best pitcher on our team! I can feel it right now, you’re going to be famous.

CARTER
I doubt that.

LEWIS
You don’t appreciate yourself enough.

RAY interjects

RAY
You really don’t. It was so easy to catch for you. I’d do it again any day.

CARTER
I don’t know what to say.

LEWIS
I say you walk a few steps out of the dugout and tip your cap to the crowd. They’ll love it.

CARTER does just that. The crowd cheers and chants his name.

RAY
You’re on your way to stardom.

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