OPEN: The bullpen of the Charleston Capitols.
COACH DONOVAN
Carter is still injured.
XAVIER
We know.
MIKE
I don’t understand, though, why they won’t just get another starting pitcher. Don’t they have anyone in the minors?
COACH DONOVAN
Appears that they don’t. Luckily, we’re a coherent bullpen and I have a plan. Mike, you’re pitching.
MIKE
When?
COACH DONOVAN
You’re starting.
MIKE
Okay, and can I not go six innings?
COACH DONOVAN
We’ll see how you do.
XAVIER
That doesn’t sound too promising.
COACH DONOVAN
Why, do you want to start instead?
XAVIER
Oh no way. My arm still hurts from last time. I really don’t understand how Carter does it.
COACH DONOVAN
Me neither. I never saw potential in him but I guess I’m wrong every now and then.
JAMES
You didn’t see any potential in me either.
COACH DONOVAN
That’s why I’m the bullpen coach and not the general manager. When there’s only a few of you, I can make decisions. There’s around a twenty fiver percent chance it goes perfectly, and close to one hundred percent chance it goes decently enough. I have the best bullpen in the league, after all.
TYLER
Best?
COACH DONOVAN
Not the worst, at least.
MIKE
Xavier, are you going in the game? First batter is waiting.
XAVIER
You’re pitching.
MIKE
Oh, right. Wish me luck.
MIKE runs to the pitchers’ mound. RAY, the catcher, meets him there.
RAY
You’re going to be tired in a couple innings. Don’t worry about it. Don’t overdo it, if it goes wrong then maybe the front office will finally figure out that they need a new starter.
MIKE
Carter’s coming back soon, though.
RAY
Not soon enough. Please tell me you have more than a fastball.
MIKE
I have a slowball.
RAY
A knuckleball?
MIKE
Nope.
RAY
Well...do your best. That’s all I can say.
RAY walks back to the plate. MIKE pitches four straight innings without giving up a hit. In the fifth inning, he gives up six runs and the lead. After the game, he meets the rest of the bullpen.
COACH DONOVAN
Not great, Mike.
MIKE
I did what I could.
COACH DONOVAN
I’ll tell you what I told Xavier. Stick to the bullpen.
MIKE
I wish I could.
TYLER
Why don’t we go over to the front office and have a face-to-face with the general manager?
XAVIER
That sounds risky.
TYLER
This needs to end. We don’t know how many games we can lose if they keep making us start the games.
JAMES
Yeah, I’m suddenly feeling like Xavier and Mike have no value to this team.
XAVIER and MIKE give JAMES an angry look.
JAMES
I’m sure I’ll feel the same way about myself soon too.
COACH DONOVAN
You all still have value on this team. And I just got a text.
XAVIER
From who?
COACH DONOVAN
The front office. Mike, they might fire you.
MIKE
Fire me? They wouldn’t even let me do my job!
COACH DONOVAN
Sorry. Seems like they may want to go in a different direction.
MIKE
Since when can that even happen?
JAMES
You didn’t know you could get fired?
MIKE
I know I could get fired, but not that I would. I’m one of the best relief pitchers in the league!
COACH DONOVAN
Wait hold on...now they’re saying they texted the wrong number.
CUT to the dugout. RAY looks at his phone. He sees a text from the front office saying they are considering firing him.