Better to get knocked out in may then to get knocked out in November: A sequel to "Deep Center Field"

Better to get Knocked out in May then to get Knocked out in November: A sequel to “Deep Center Field.”

When we last saw him, Kyle Riveras was being celebrated, hailed as a hero in Los Angeles. But all this was about to change. Coach Carlos was coming. So was Soto Raleigh. And this was about to be more painful than anyone could imagine.

Chapter 1: Announcer Finn Reaper

Stupid Kyle Riveras. Stupid, stupid, stupid. But I have a plan and it all starts here. All we need is Soto Raleigh and his friends. Time to make some calls to some people, and my plan will be set. 

I walked across the room, dust off the red telephone, and dial 555-676-6767, the phone number of Coach Carlos. RING! RING! I smile and shout into the phone: “Carlos!” He replied: “Well, well, well. Ready to get revenge on that idiot Kyle?” “You bet.” “Alright, I’ll give you his number. 414-167-6767. That’ll teach Kyle a lesson: Don’t mess with Coach Carlos.”

RING! I dial his number. The 2nd best (After Soto) most feared player in the MLB- his name’s only spoken in dreaded whispers across the field- picks up. “Hello?” I ask. “What’d you want? Who are you?” His voice scares the crap out of the crows trying to steal my lunch that’d just been delivered. “I’m Finn Reaper. I have a plan to get rid of that pesky Kyle once and for all. He’ll never play baseball ever again!”

At the end of my plan, he laughs- a deep, rumbling laugh. “That’ll teach them not to mess with Soto and Barstool Mike!”

I laugh along. “That’s right Mike, better to get knocked out in may then to get knocked out in November!

Chapter 2: Kyle Riveras

I smile as the fans cheer whilst I run out of the tunnel. Today’s World Series game starts against the Seattle Mariners, the same matchup I had last year when I hit that game winning homer that made me a hero in LA. But then, the crowd gasps. I wonder why. The weather’s perfect, we’re healthy- oh. I found the reason on the pitcher' s mound: Barstool Mike.

“It’s-It’s HIM!” Someone cries out in fear. Fans gasp and cover their eyes as the game starts. I don’t blame them. Mike has been scary as long as anyone can remember. This man is a ruthless, violent pitcher who leads the league in both HPB’s and 100+ MPH pitches. He’s argued with the umps so many times he got suspended for 162 games last season.  He has a chip on his shoulder, a scar on his face, and a reputation for trash talking. All of MLB celebrated when Mike retired in 2028, but why’s he back now? I got into my batting stance, and- Wham. The ball lodges into my shoulder. The crowd boos and jeers as Mike shouts “I hate you all!” Into the crowd. On my way to 1st base, I see an all-too-familiar face in the stands. Finn Reaper. Now I understand. This isn’t an accident.

 It’s Finn’s revenge.

Chapter 3: Barstool Mike

The crowd jeers as I turn to Finn and smile. I put my high-kick windup on full g ear and throw one on the edge. The umpire calls: “Steeeerrrrrrrr-iiiiiiickkkkkke!” I laugh, putting one into the curve as another guy swings and misses. I give a cruel wink, dropping my ball like a mic. He groans as the crowd covers their eyes, not wanting to witness my next pitch. 

A mic drop with me means I throw his signature feared pitch: The 3 finger splitter, a rare pitch that I have trained for years. As the ball bears down on the batter, I almost feel bad for him.

Almost, but not quite.

But there’s one reason I threw this pitch so early.

I have hired a goon here to put an illegal substance on Kyle’s bat to make him Rivers’s everything. Time to plan HJC to activate.

Chapter 4: AJ Cadron

  As Mike’s pitch bears down on the poor batter, I sneak into the locker room with a bottle of C3 Invented in 2027, it’s a substance that makes the material it’s applied on very hard to control. And as Kyle covers his eyes in anticipation of the pitch, I squint a bunch of the stuff on Kyle’s bat and his backups, as well as his glove and water bottle. As Kyle reopens his eyes, I sneak into the bathroom and replace the soap with the rest of the C3, squirt some on the sink, and then make a blitz for the stands before anyone sees me.

Oh, I forgot to introduce myself! I’m AJ, a former ninja and assassin. Finn and the mariners paid me a ton of money to do this job. Kyle will be very mad when he keep missing his swings!

Chapter 5: Kyle Riveras

I miss it again. AGAIN! I’ve missed 5 times IN A ROW! It must be part of Finn’s plan. Suddenly, I gasp. There’s C3 on this! I race to the bathroom and wash my bat- and my hands while I’m at it. 

The next time I come up to bat, I still feel like there’s C3 on me, even though I’ve washed them multiple times now. What is wrong with me?

Six_Seven^SixSeven

Chapter 6: Yoshinobu Yamamoto

9th inning nerves. We all have them. Down 2-1 with a man on 1st and 2 outs,   Our only chance of a comeback is Kyle. I found C3 on his bat, water bottle, and sink. Now I just need Kyle to deliver- his only bat without C3. But his morale is low. He thought it was his fault that he missed, but it was actually the C3. But it’s too late now.

Chapter 7: Kyle Riveras

As I walk out the plate, I sigh. I have no chance to deliver. I’m getting a single at best. I can’t do much more.

But as I walk up to the plate, I get a calm feeling. Like the one when I hit that home run last year. It’s time. As Mike throws his 3 finger splitter on an 0-2, I swing, and it’s going, going… it looks like it’s aimed perfectly towards the center stands, and I smile as I run the bases, sure it’ll be a home run…

But I forgot who was in center field at that time.

In what seemed like slow-mo to me, Soto ran to the warning tract, leapt, and held his glove high, catching the ball perfectly.

We lost.