Based on my 1st Prize Winner for Best Screenplay at the 2009 Rhode Island International Film Festival.
"Brokeback Mountain" meets "Bull Durham". Brad Hawley realizes his dream of playing professional baseball when the New Orleans Breakers draft him...
Brad was the spark alright, and the fuse was lit. The other teams in the Northeastern League were put on notice -- the Bristol Wolves were the team to beat for the upcoming, season ending championship series.
Despite the loss of Steven Chase, who was going to leave, anyway, the experiment with Reynoldo Ruiz at first base and the demotion of Carlos Manaya from The Breakers' Class Low-A affiliate in Spartanburg of the Western Carolina League to replace Jason Lowell behind the plate, the Wolves became a cohesive unit.
Manaya did not take the demotion well -- at first. He was playing very well in Spartanburg for a last place team. The Breakers assured him it had nothing to do with his performance. They were happy with his progress, especially his game calling behind the plate, but it was an emergency situation in Bristol. They needed a body and the 23 year-old was elected to go. Once he accepted the demotion, he came to realize that he was heading for a contending team, and he was escaping the brutal heat and humidity of the Carolina summer for the more temperate New England weather. Just as important, he had no issues with having a teammate who was gay.
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Carlos Manaya
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The national attention surrounding Brad had died down. The satellite trucks went away along with the reporters. There was still some noise from fans and players across the league, but now that the Wolves had Brad's back, it was time to focus on baseball, and let that stuff slide. Brad did agree to that interview with Danny Cosgrove. What was originally for Danny's blog was picked up by Baseball USA, a weekly national sports magazine. Brad let it all hang out in that interview. He did the same thing on the field. The team rode his back, and went on a tear.
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The Wolves made difficult double plays, some started by Brad, who could pick up a nubber down the third baseline barehanded, hurl it to Goldman or Sully, who'd wing it to Ruiz -- look routine. Brad's renewed energy inspired Goldman and Sully to be more aggressive at their positions. There as an extra inch or two in their leaps to snag line drives, or to backhand ground balls that were finding holes through the infield that turned singles into outs.
