Bill wiped his forehead and settled his cap back on his head. This was an early season game against the Angels, and the first time the public would see him pitch since the accident. Bill was a little nervous.
Normally there was an intense competition between the two teams, including a fair measure of trash talk in the blogs, on twitter and on the cable sports shows. This time the rhetoric was toned down, since everyone was aware a significant focus would be on himself, the Bill Sullivan show. According to Twitter, most players and fans were pulling for him.
Bill faced the plate and looked for the call from Jake, a curveball. Bill started his windup and then released, earning a strike and he could not help a brief smile. What he was not happy about was that the pitch was more across the lower part of the plate. Two pitches later he had his first batter down and the home crowd was roaring with delight. He was not. His arm speed was as fast as ever but his accuracy was a bit off.
While the next batter was making the trip to the plate Bill looked at the fans in the stands, not at anyone in particular, but the group as a whole, people that supported the team, supported him, and yet he felt separate, and worried.
“Folks, this is Jim Manning along with Ken Hamilton with CBS Sports Network. Ken, we just finished the third inning and I have to tell you that Sullivan is struggling. It’s not his speed. He is as fast as ever, maybe even a bit faster, but his accuracy is just not the same as it was before the accident. As a result, the Dodgers are down by two. This is an important milestone game for Sullivan and the Dodgers.
“That’s right Jim. The Dodgers are in the process of deciding who will be the starting pitchers for the season, and this does not look good for Bill Sullivan.”
It was the top of the fourth inning and Bill stared at the ground, his mind in turmoil. He had just let the first batter up get on base. His shoulders slumped then he looked over at the dugout, met Coach Jackson’s gaze… and gave him the sign to send in a replacement.
By the end of the game the Dodgers were back on top, winning the game three to two. When his teammates streamed onto the field to shake hands with the other team Bill remained on the bench. No one blamed him, or Jake, who stayed behind with him.
“It’s your first time back, Bill. No one expected miracles, and you didn’t do that bad,” said Jake.
“Really? I allowed two scores in three innings. Not a major league effort, by anyone’s standards.”
“How many players, after a fractured hip and injured vertebrae could make it back?”
“I haven’t made it back, Jake.”
Jake was silent. There was nothing he could say at the moment that was going to be heard or accepted by Bill.
The two of them watched Coach Jackson approach with a sympathetic smile. Sweat broke out on Bill’s forehead, and his stomach tightened up.
“I’m not booting you, Bill, but this was not a great show. Now go hit the showers and get a massage. We’ll give it another shot in two weeks. I’ll take care of the press conference.”
Bill spent thirty minutes in the whirlpool, toweled off, and headed for the massage room, where a couple other guys were just finishing up. One of the PT’s, Tamera, started working on his neck, when Jake walked into the room.
“Hey, Bill, do you want to get a beer?” he asked.
Bill was not in a hurry, hoping that the reporters would have left the stadium by the time he was ready to leave.
“Is the press conference over?”
“It is, a couple guys tried hanging around, asking me if you wanted to make a statement. A few of us suggested they leave the stadium.”
Bill snorted. “Thanks!”
“So how did it go?” he asked, meaning the after-game conference.
“Jackson told the press he supports you and was not going to cut you on the basis of your first game back. That he expected you to be a little rusty, as anyone would be recovering from an accident, and you would be back on the mound again in two weeks.”
Bill breathed out a small sigh of relief.
“So how about that beer?”
“Sure, in the lounge in about an hour?”
Jake looked at his friend and at Tamera, giving her a nod of thanks that Bill couldn’t see with his face buried in the massage table. Both knew Bill was severely disappointed in his performance.
After Jake left, Tamera worked on Bill in silence for over ten minutes. As she started on his back Bill would jerk occasionally with sudden spasms of pain.
“I’m sorry you didn’t have a better game, Bill.”
“Thanks, me too.”
After a few more moments of silence, she spoke.
“I’m no fan of Human Growth Hormones, Bill, but they would probably fix you right up.”
Bill was beat and drifted off.