Baseball Ch. 06: Louisville Slugger

1. All characters are 18+

2. No characters resemble real people

3. Enjoy the fiction

Baseball Chapter 6 - Louisville Slugger

Morgan practically leapt into my arms at the airport. "Big brother!" she yelled. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, squirt," I said with a smile. Morgan had always been short - just over five feet - but she always hated when I called her that. So, as the big brother, I always did it anyway.

It was a Friday morning in mid-June. Morgan was staying with me, crashing on my couch, for the weekend. As I drove her there, she immediately asked, "So when do I get to meet this Casey, the mystery girlfriend?"

"Today. She's meeting us for lunch at my apartment." I'd told Morgan the basics of the situation between me and Casey. As the owner's daughter, Casey wasn't supposed to date the players on the team. But she and I fell in love anyway. Not exactly Romeo and Juliet, but still a forbidden romance.

I drove Morgan around Allentown for a bit, showing her a few of my favorite places, before heading home. Morgan made me carry her bag inside, and I made her help put lunch together. Today's meal was a vegetable soup (made from scratch) and a spinach salad. Morgan hard-boiled some eggs for the salad.

"Smells delicious in here," came a voice from behind us. Casey had let herself in. She always looked good to me, but today she was wearing a skirt suit, as she'd just come from her office.

The sudden appearance made Morgan jump a bit, but she was able to beat me to Casey and hug her first. "I'm so happy to meet you!"

Casey was surprised at the sudden hug, but hugged Morgan back. "I'm glad to meet you too. I've been hoping we get along, and Johnny keeps telling me I have nothing to worry about."

That was true. Casey was an only child, and was nervous about this meeting. But Morgan liked everyone, unless you were a jerk, so she'd naturally love Casey.

We ate and discussed the weekend plans. Morgan would be going to all three games this weekend against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, the minor league affiliate of the Miami Marlins. I'd already bought her an IronPigs cap, but she wanted a jersey too and maybe more. I told her I'd leave the serious shopping to her, Casey, and Lani. Tomorrow, the four of us would have lunch together, then the girls would all go for manicures and dinner before the Saturday night game.

The fun would continue next week. The IronPigs were going on the road to Columbus and Louisville, three games each, which was close to my old stomping grounds of Cincinnati. I was arranging tickets for Morgan and my mother to attend the weekend games in Louisville, and have a hotel room there for Saturday night. Mom had been following my games, but she hadn't seen me play yet this year.

"The question is, when are you going to tell Mom about this?" Morgan asked, indicating me and Casey.

"You haven't told your mother?" Casey asked, pretending to be appalled.

I nudged her lightly. "I was hoping you could come to Louisville," I told her. "You could tell your boss you want to see the team on the road. Then we can find a way to introduce you."

Casey tapped her finger on her lips. "That could work. I bet I could get the GM to sign off on that." She looked at Morgan. "I hope she likes me."

"She'll love you!" Morgan gushed. "Don't you worry about that."

"I mean, if we end up together, it'll be like having a mom again." Casey's mother had died when she was a teenager. "I miss her. She could have helped me deal with my dad."

I hugged Casey close. "I know you miss her," I told her. "You are the woman today because of her. An amazing, strong woman. And my mother will adore you."

--

I had skipped my early afternoon workout to spend more time with Morgan, but then I left her with Casey for a couple hours before the game, while I went into the stadium later. I immediately got called into Chuck's office by his booming voice. "Mills!"

I stepped in. "Yeah, skip?"

"Close the door." I did, and he continued. "I wanted to give you a heads up. There's some trade chatter, and your name's been mentioned."

"My name?"

"The Reds organization is looking for catching help, in their minors team in Louisville. You grew up in that area, right?"

"Yeah, Cincinnati." Louisville was across the Ohio river into Kentucky, not too far away.

My face must have given me away, because Chuck looked at me funny. "You okay? I thought maybe that might be good news for you. I mean, I'd miss you here, but you'd be going closer to home. Very few guys get that."

It wasn't really home for me anymore, though. Not since I met Casey. I'd be heartbroken if I had to leave her, and she'd be crushed.

"I'm fine, just, it's a bit of a shock, that's all," I lied.

"Well, it's all just rumors right now anyway. Not much to read into. But, I'll keep my ears open, and let you know if I hear more."

"Yeah," I answered. "Thanks, skip."

I immediately texted Casey, "call me, emergency." Then I found a quiet, isolated corner of the hall and waited. It was only 30 seconds before she called.

"What's up?"

"Am I being traded?"

"What? What the fuck?"

I told her about what Chuck said. "I don't want to leave you," I told her.

"Calm down, I'll look into this. Obviously I had nothing to do with it, but I bet I know who does. You're not going anywhere, not if I have any say. Have a good game, and I'll talk to you after."

--

I did have a decent game. I got the start, and got a hit and a walk, contributing to the narrow win over the Jumbo Shrimp. The best part was seeing Casey and Morgan sitting together on the first base side. Casey pulled some strings and gotten Morgan an IronPigs jersey with my name and number on it. When I'd ask later about the cost of such a custom item, Casey shrugged and told me not to worry about it.

At the apartment that night, Casey met us there to tell me what she'd found. "It's Landon," she said, "he's the one looking at trading you."

"Does he know about us?"

"No. At least, I'm pretty sure he doesn't. This is more of a numbers thing to him."

"Who's Landon?" asked Morgan. Casey frowned and clearly didn't want to go into it.

"Landon was the other guy," I said. "The rich guy who likes numbers."

"Oh, that guy," said Morgan quietly. She was quiet the rest of the conversation.

"So he thinks he can get a good deal for me?"

"Yes, but the way he said it, it was more like, he doesn't see your complete value. Like you said once, he doesn't see the intangibles because they don't translate to statistics." Casey fiddled with her thumbs. "He's after this high-touted pitcher named Drake Walters. And if Louisville needs a catcher..."

"Then I'm trade bait," I said, finishing her thought. "Is Louisville interested?"

"I don't know, but I know they're listening," she said. "It's complicated, because the major league clubs have to pull the strings. Minor league teams can't just make trades without the major league office completing the deal."

"When will we hear more?" I asked.

Casey only shrugged. "Trade deadline isn't for a while, so it could be tomorrow, or a month, or never."

I took her hand. "I just found you. I don't want to leave you."

"I don't want that either," she answered, and kissed me.

"Okay," Morgan said, breaking us up. "Maybe don't suck face in front of your little sister."

I laughed and punched her lightly in the arm. "Why'd I bring you here again?"

"It's late," Casey said. "See you tomorrow, Morgan."

I walked Casey to her car and gave her a proper goodbye kiss there. Normally we'd avoid that, but it was dark, and no one was around. When I got back inside, Morgan was exiting the bathroom, now changed into pajamas. "Did you get your goodnight kiss?" she asked, sprawling out on my couch.

"Yes I did. Don't get too jealous, squirt."

"Yeah, maybe I can find my own ballplayer while I'm here in town."

"No way," I told her, "I like my teammates too much." She threw a pillow at me, and I threw it back. "Goodnight, Morgan."

"Goodnight, dork."

--

Lunch with the three girls was an experience. I was the butt of many jokes. Casey and Lani told Morgan about the charity luncheon a few weeks ago, and the drama around it. Morgan was the perfect audience, gasping and laughing in the appropriate places.

Morgan, in turn, shared childhood stories about me. Casey was eating up my embarrassment. Lani was especially interested in the stories about my brief high school romances. She had two brothers of her own, so she related to Morgan on that level.

"What about Renee?" Casey asked. "Johnny won't tell me much about her."

"Because she's not important," I insisted.

"Maybe not now, but she was," Morgan said. "Admit it, you probably would have married her eventually."

I frowned at my sister. I didn't want to admit that, especially in front of my current flame.

"I, for one, would also like to hear about Renee," commented Lani.

"Stop me if I get any details wrong," Morgan told me, then cleared her throat. "Johnny dated Renee for at least two years. They graduated together. But she hated baseball."

"She didn't hate baseball. She came to my games all the time."

"Okay, fine. She didn't love baseball," Morgan said in correction. I nodded, and she continued. "She thought Johnny would be a psychiatrist and treat patients, and make all the money. She was shocked when Johnny entered the draft, and more shocked when he signed."

"I had told her I was going to do that."

"She thought you were joking. So, right before graduation, they fight and break up. She said..." Morgan paused. "What did she say?"

"She said I'd never make it and I'd come crawling back."

"Yes, that's it. I used to like her, but that's before I realized what a bitch she was. And a gold digger. We haven't spoken since."

"What was she like before that?" asked Casey.

Morgan shrugged. "Mostly nice. Really pretty." I scowled at her, and she threw her hands up. "What? She was pretty. I'm just being honest."

I looked at Casey. "She was a dog compared to you." Casey smiled her sweet smile, while Lani and Morgan made simultaneous retching sounds.

--

Casey and Lani took Morgan off my hands for the afternoon, while I went in for a good workout. I stopped in to see Chuck, but he had not heard anything new about potential trades. I knew I wasn't starting that night, but I told him my sister was here, and wondered if could at least pinch hit tonight so she could see. He smiled and gave me a 'definite maybe.'

From the bench, I was able to see the three girls having a great time. They cheered, they danced, they booed when the other team hit a home run.

They cheered extra loud when I was put in to hit in the ninth inning. Chuck had me go in for the right fielder, who was struggling at the plate lately. Since we were behind by one with runners on first and second, Chuck wanted a stronger batter in the box.

I stepped in and saw the look of fatigue in that pitcher's eyes. He'd thrown everything he had just to get through the eighth inning, and now he was struggling in the ninth. Worse, his team's manager was in no hurry to relieve him. I took a strike, then watched two balls go in the dirt. Finally, he threw me a weak-ass curve that wasn't curving. I crushed it. I hoped it would go over the center field wall, but it bounced off the top and back onto the grass. It was enough for a double. The first runner scored from second, tying the game, but the other runner got thrown out at home.

Jose Garcia, the team's other catcher, was up next. He didn't waste time. He smacked the first pitch he saw into the right field corner. Now, I'm not a speedy runner, but I burst into a run, rounded third, and headed for home. I slid in and just beat the tag, scoring the game winning run.

The crowd exploded with the amazing finish. Garcia and I both got mobbed by our teammates. The next morning, the Allentown local news would be all abuzz about the two phenom catchers, winning the game together.

I looked over at the girls. Lani was dancing to the celebration music. Morgan was beaming at me with pride. And Casey was just watching... well, everything, myself included. That night was a microcosm of everything she always wanted. She had the good guy, and the successful team, and the happy fans surrounding her. I watched her grin with joy, and I grinned with her.

--

Moments of joy don't last as long as they should. Chuck called me the next morning, before the Sunday game. "You might want to pack a little more than usual, Johnny. Just in case."

"Are you telling me..."

"Just in case," he repeated, then hung up.

I looked around my apartment. My love life aside for a moment, I'd just settled in here. I didn't have a lot of things, as I'd left a lot of personal items back in Cincinnati with my mother. But what I did bring would take a while to pack. I'd miss this place if I had to leave it behind.

Then there was Casey. How could I leave her? The girl of my dreams. Even if we made an effort at a long-distance relationship, we'd be forced apart most of the year. Even during spring training, the Reds would be in Arizona while the Phillies would be in Florida.

Morgan helped me pack an extra bag of clothes and other things I might need. Then we headed for the stadium, for possibly the last home game I'd ever play as an IronPig. Casey sat with Morgan, and despite the win last night, the mood today was much more somber. Even the weather that day, while not raining, was grey and ominous. We lost that game by four.

Chuck gave me the start, since I didn't start yesterday, but told me to expect to be replaced by Garcia sometime later. It worried me, because sometimes players are replaced mid-game because they've been traded. He reiterated to me that his actions as coach would not reflect any trades, and he still had not heard any news.

I played the first six innings and was replaced. I had gotten two at-bats, one walk and one flyout to left. I hit the showers and got dressed, ready to take Morgan back to the airport.

Casey had left Morgan to wait for me, so she could go to her office. "She said she hasn't heard anything," my sister told me. "But she says she loves you and she'll see you tonight."

I took Morgan to the airport, and told her, "Remember, the current plan is that I'll see you in Louisville on Friday. And if something happens before now and then, I'll still probably see you there, but... I'll be wearing a different jersey."

She hugged me. "Don't give up. And don't let her go, no matter what happens."

"Thanks, squirt. Tell Mom I said hi."

--

Casey and I hadn't had sex all weekend since Morgan was around. Instead, we had planned on spending Sunday night together, before I went on the road.

Casey was at my apartment when I got there. We had dinner and then started kissing. But it was obvious the mood wasn't right. The trade rumors hung like a black cloud over us. So we watched a movie, something Casey liked but I'd never seen before. It was of course a romantic comedy where everything works out in the end. Casey cuddled with me on the couch, and then again in my bed as we fell asleep. It was like we were both just clinging to each other, unwilling to let go.

However, the morning was nice. I woke with Casey's lips teasing my dick to hardness. When I was fully awake, she told me, "I've decided not to let you leave while we're both sad." She mounted me, then rode me slowly and tenderly. I enjoyed every second, and I came right after she did, her spasms squeezing me tightly.

I kissed her lovingly, and thanked her. "This is the way I wanted to leave. Not sad, but hopeful. And even if something happens, I don't want to lose you."

"Me either. And I'm going to fight to keep you," she told me. "I'm not losing you this easily."

--

The bus ride out west was mostly uneventful. It's a long ride across Pennsylvania, and into Columbus. We left Monday morning and didn't get in until that night. My teammates asked if I was going out with them to the bars, and I did go to one, but came back to the hotel early, feigning a headache.

That's where I finally got to check my message from Casey: "Got the green light to travel. I'll see you Saturday and Sunday in Louisville."

I called her back, since I had the room to myself for a little longer. "That's great!" I told her. "I can't wait to see you there." I had worked through Casey to reserve tickets for my mother and sister, so it was easy for her to get a third ticket for herself.

"I also talked to Landon," she told me. "He said he's close to terms on a trade with Louisville, to get Walters. He's going to be meeting with the GM tomorrow to go over it."

"Hopefully you'll be there too."

"I will be," she assured me. "I'm just trying to figure out legitimate reasons to keep you that don't include the fact that we're in a secret relationship." There was a slight pause, then she added, "That came out different than I meant it."

"I get it. You're trying to explain it to Landon. You need numbers to give to the numbers guy."

"Exactly. He doesn't understand the game the way you and I do. I don't even know if this Walters guy is worth all the effort."

"What happens if he's not?" I asked curiously. "Isn't Landon gambling a lot on one guy, a pitcher he's never even met, let alone seen play?"

"I guess so," mused Casey. "If Drake Walters comes to the IronPigs and bombs, it makes Landon look bad. But all the numbers I've seen so far show he's doing a good job this year."

"What about scouting reports? Has anyone gone to see him pitch?" I asked.

"Not that I've seen."

I frowned into the phone. "Landon is being reckless. He's willing to buy a commodity he doesn't know, and he's willing to sell a strong, known asset to get his pipe dream. It's not good strategy."

"Yeah, but all he sees are numbers. He hasn't been to watch a game since we broke up."

"Then maybe we need to get rid of him," I said assertively. "The longer he sticks around, he's going to ruin the team. Your team."

"I'm doing my best to stop him. Give me a couple of days."

--

While I played three games in Columbus, Casey was going to battle against Landon. The GM seemed to like Walters, but Casey insisted on sending a scout to see him, and the GM agreed. It bought us at least a couple more days.

When the scout's report came back, it said Drake Walters was the real deal. His fastball was decent, but he had a curve and a slider that ate hitters up. The GM was convinced, and was ready to go for it. Now it was just a matter of agreeing to terms with the Louisville Bats and the Reds organization. I rode the bus from Columbus into Louisville in a funk that Friday morning, dreading the inevitable. Casey had kept me updated, but it seemed like an uphill battle.

--

We arrived in Louisville that afternoon, with enough time before the game for me to spend time with Morgan and my mother. Both hugged me close as I talked about the potential trade and how sad it was. "But why are you so down?" Mom asked. "You loved the Reds growing up. You'd be a step away from being one."

"Mom, I can't leave Allentown. I found a girl there, and she's amazing."

"Oh! Oh good!" My mother said, then realized the problem. "Oh. That's why you don't want to get traded."

"I can't leave her."

"Can she come with you?"

I grimaced. "No. She's... she's kinda the team owner's daughter. And we're kinda not supposed to be dating, but we are anyway." I had to explain the whole story to my mother. Morgan then added how she'd met Casey last weekend, and they got along great.

"She sounds lovely. When were you going to introduce her to me?" Mom wondered.

"Tomorrow. She's got the seat next to yours at the game," I said. Morgan clapped her hands excitedly, as that was news to her. "Once you meet her, you'll understand how I feel. If I get traded, we want to try to stay together, but we'll be apart most of the year."