Mother of Magic

The Le Season

Pat: I can't believe this. Blackburn goes on the 30-day disabled list, and they put a coach into his place?

Vanessa: (Very knowingly) I watched the team off-season, practicing up in Fort Collins. Le is going to surprise you.

Pat: I guess we'll see. Blackburn was batting fifth, but they have Le at ninth. His first major league appearance. I mean: Vanessa: The guy never even played college ball, more or less minors. He invented a better program for coaches. That doesn't make him a player!

Vanessa: Well. Bottom of the third, and Lee is the leadoff batter. We'll see what's what.

Pat: "Indeed. So far, Villanueva has kept Colorado hitless. A few walks, but now hits. Not even Santiago."

Vanessa: Well, Stephanie flew out to right her first at-bat. She at least hit Villanueva. Even if it landed where they could catch it.

Pat: Le Garten, rookie player if there ever was one, steps up to the plate, and is ready. Here's the pitch and ... holy crap! Sorry. That ball is going deep center. I mean deep. Going. Going. Gone. Not just over the wall, but up a tier. Holy!!! Not saying that again... but... wow. Just wow."

Vanessa: (Amused at Pat's consternation) Garten makes it one to nothing here in the bottom of the third. The new first baseman is on a thirty-day contract, and still coaching as well!. You know Stephanie vouched for Le to play, right Pat?

Pat: I did, but still. Speaking of, here is Stephanie Santiago. She flew out her first at bat. Now she is facing a very shaken-looking Villanueva.

Vanessa: I'm pretty sure that he thought like you did. That he was facing a guy that had never played ball before. It's no easy thing to get to the majors. Even the worst players are still cream of the crop kinds of people. And here Le Garten shows up having never played a day in his life, and one first pitch wacks it downtown.

Pat: Speaking of first pitches, the first one to Santiago is in the dirt. Villanueva is really shaken I think.

Vanessa: Makes sense. Villanueva is a young pitcher. 22 years old. Second year in the majors, and drafted out of high school. Came up through the minors. All the traditional things. Now he had that happen to him and the very next thing is he is facing Stephanie Santiago? That is going be a bad day on the mound I think.

Pat: Here's the pitch. Outside. Ball Two. Looked like Villanueva was trying to get his head back into the game, and that curve just missed the outside corner.

Vanessa: Good luck with that!

Pat: Here's the pitch ... and Santiago reaches out and grabs that one. Straight down the right field line. Staying fair ... and it's out of here. Back-to-back home runs by Colorado!!! They take a two-nothing lead!

Vanessa: Told you.