An Unlikely Slugger: The story of Cole Bassitt

Chapter 24: The Limelight

Eden looked a little more confident on the hill today, firing in some heaters to Kairo's mitt. He was a husky man, and his pitching style reflected that, utilizing his 99 mph fastball and mean running slider to bring down hitters. I hated that slider. Not only was it difficult to catch, but also for nailing me seemingly every time I tried to hit lefty against him. Gotta remember to stop doing that.

Some rookie whose name I forgot was staring at Eden, wide-eyed in the corner, like he had never seen a big-league fastball before. He looked like a seasoned veteran with his considerable beard, however. Maybe Eden was wearing the wrong color belt.

Kairo punched me in the stomach. He had seemingly had enough of Eden assaulting his mitt. I shrugged and trotted behind the plate, lazily dropping to a knee and taking a fastball. The pitch speed clock on the side wall read 98.0 MPH. Coach Maeda shook his head.

"Triple digits!"

Eden shrugged at me. I tossed the ball back to him, and he tried again, throwing his hardest fastball. He loudly grunted as I slid to block it in the turf.

100.9 MPH was what the clock read this time, as Eden fist-pumped and high-fived Kairo.

"You good. Don't blow out your arm!" Maeda seemed pleased at Eden's effort, nodding his head with satisfaction. Eden lazily tipped his cap to him as he walked off the mound. I took my gear off and walked down the stairs and onto the field, where I met the rest of the team to line up for the national anthem.

As I trotted down foul territory, Cordell was sprinting across the outfield, next to Drake, who was hitting fly balls for the outfielders. Craig and Tate were playing catch.

Bryan waved us into the dugout. Everyone followed me down the steps, clutching hand warmers inside their gloves due to the frigid October weather. After a few minutes of nervous anticipation, we began the opening ceremonies.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we will now introduce the starting lineups. First, the away team, the Warren Wildcats." We were rocked by an ocean of boos.

"Batting leadoff in center field, from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, number 5, Cordell Brantley."

Cordell trotted out, stopping at third base right next to the coaching staff.

"Batting second at shortstop, from Haleiwa, Oahu, Hawai'i, number 9, Kai Kordes."

Kai, starstruck, trotted out to Cordell's right, tipping his cap.

"Batting third at catcher, from Berkeley, California, number 15, Cole Bassitt."

I clanked out to the line in my shin guards. My knees were wobbly, taking punch after punch from my heart.

"Batting cleanup in left field, from Dubuque, Iowa, number 14, Kellen Caldwell."

Acting as if nothing had happened, Kellen tapped me on the butt and greeted me with a smile as he trotted to my right.

"Batting fifth in right field, from Pensacola, Florida, number 21, Cadmon Sipe."

The lights gleamed off of Cadmon's pink sunglasses as he trotted out. He's a sunglasses nut.

"Batting sixth at third base, from Austin, Texas, number 25, Bray Barranda."

Bray cocked a grin as he trotted out next to Cad.

"Batting seventh at second base, from Freeport, Kansas, number 3, Tate Short." 

Tate stared down the skyline, in disbelief that he had made it to the big stage.

"Batting eighth, at designated hitter, from Ruidoso, New Mexico, number 11, Isaias Crawford."

Isaias bounced out to the line. He had a little more zip in his step after a new payday.

"Batting ninth, at first base, from Reno, Nevada, number 26, Xander Dumas."

Xander's hair was in a tight bun as he pounded his fists and prepared for the biggest day of his life.

"Pitching, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, number 51, Eden Greer."

Eden tipped his cap from the bullpen.

"And now the lineup for the home team, the Indy Fire!" The crowd went nuts, ready to see their team demolish the underdogs. The Fire's clean white jerseys glimmered as they bustled excitedly in their dugouts.

"Batting leadoff, at second base, from Manzanillo, Cuba, number 4, Jadiel Frye!"

Jadiel stared at our group from across the field, delivering a penetrating eye into my soul.

"Batting second, in center field, from Indianapolis, Indiana, number 52, Hayden Theodore!"

Theodore hyped up the crowd as he jumped out of his dugout.

"Batting third, at second base, from Yibin, Sichuan Province, China, number 15, Caleb Xi!"

A stocky Asian dude trotted out of the dugout.

"Cleaning em up at third base, from Plymouth, Indiana, number 41, Ethan Garremis!"

Garremis raised a powerful fist as the crowd roared.

"Batting fifth, in left field, from Normal, Illinois, number 33, Madox Stroman!"

Stroman pointed his bat to the sky as the crowd got even louder.

"Batting sixth, the catcher, from Ventura County, California, number 20, Wes Rhodes!"

Hey, look at that. That guy went to my high school a few years before me. Well, before I moved to Iowa. Ultimate downgrade.

"Batting seventh, at first base, from Traverse City, Michigan, number 10, Jacob Morejon!"

Morejon pushed his glasses up. What was with these teams and having timid, stocky, slap-hitting blond-haired first basemen with glasses? First Corey Joseph from Lansing, and now this guy? There must be a factory somewhere.

"Batting eighth, the designated hitter, from San Carlos de Bariloche, Rio Negro, Argentina, number 5, Nicky Riviera!"

A small kid jogged out. He was beaming.

"Batting ninth, in right field, from Manzanillo, Cuba, number 2, Nico Galaraiea!"

This small Nick didn't look as cheery as the last one. He looked super bored as he put his hair into a ponytail and yawned.

"Pitching for the Fire, from Manzanillo, Cuba, number 51, Stérling Bonventré!"

Bonventré waved from the bullpen.

My insides slammed around my ribs like a bingo cage as the national anthem was sung very slowly and obnoxiously. As the national anthem went by like a blip, I knew what I had to do now.

It was time to just lose everything else. Lose Kellen's right hand and its consequences. Lose Braxton's messy divorce. Lose everyone in the crowd calling me the bust of the century. It was time to just do what I did best.