Take Me Out to the Ball Game

1

Chapter 1

"Ms. Sandberg!" The leading team physician for the Chicago Cubs smiled, shaking my hand as I stood before him in the medical center of the team's clubhouse. 

"Doctor Admas!" I smiled brightly, shaking his hand. "It's an honor to meet you!" I nervously pulled my hair behind my ear, looking into the man's eyes. 

"I've heard very highly of you Ms. Sandberg. Your credentials are remarkable to say the least!" He sighed, leading me into his office. "I'm beyond privileged to be working along side you!" He smiled, sitting down on his large leather desk chair. 

"I'm the privileged one! You're an amazing physician! I'm simply an overconfident recent med school graduate!" I smiled, sitting down on the black chair in front of his desk. 

"Ms. Sandberg-"

"Please, call me RJ or Ryne!" I crossed my legs and he laughed nodding his head. 

"Ryne, you are more than that! Today, Mr. Epstein wants you do an evaluation of our infielders and tomorrow he wants an evaluation of our outfielders. I've already conducting a basic one of the major league standards, but, he'd like to see what further information you can find out since you're more of the personal physician. Me, I'm to make sure everything we do is up to league standards!" He sighed, handing me about, roughly 50 folders filled with league physical charts and other papers medically related to the athletes. 

"Am I doing the catchers and pitchers separately or are you considering them part of the infield?" I gulped, taking the folders from him and placing them in my lap. 

"They will be separate at some point next week!" Dr. Adams sighed, looking at his computer. "And I'm pretty sure that's it!" He clapped, smiling at me as he looked me in the eyes. 

"Perfect, thank you!" I smiled, standing up with the folders in my hand. 

"M. Sandber- Ryne, good luck!" Dr. Adams sighed and I nodded. 

"Thanks..." I gulped, walking out of his office and into my own. My was spacious compared to his. There was nothing in mine except for the generic bookshelves filled with books, a desk, a desktop computer, a large leather chair that held my black Nike jacket, and a small picture that was framed on my desk. I placed the folders down on the mahogany desk and plopped into my large chair, taking a deep breath. There was a faint knock on my door and I sat up, clearing my throat. 

"Come in!" I yelled, grabbing a folder and opening it, making it appear as if I was doing work. 

"Little Sandberg!" Joe Maddon, the man with a plan, walked in, smiling brightly. 

"Big Maddon!" I laughed, standing up. 

"I'm so proud of you!" He sighed, hugging me tightly. 

"Thank you!" I smiled, hugging him back. "I like your shirt!" I giggled, stepping back and taking a good look at the green 'Try Not to Suck' shirt. 

"Thank you!" He laughed. "I love that picture of you with your dad!" He smiled, picking up the framed picture on my desk. "How old were you?" He studied the picture and I shook my head. 

"It's when he was elected into the Hall of Fame, so I was, 14?" I raised an eyebrow and Joe nodded, smiling brightly. 

"Well, now that we have the best Sandberg with us, it's the perfect time to get down to the lady's lounge and meet the girls!" He smirked and laughed slightly, nodding my head. 

"I, actually have to evaluate your infielders!" I sighed, picking up the top 8 folders. "But, you can join us if you really want to!" I smiled and he nodded. 

"I'm going to! You can evaluate me and make sure I'm good enough to manage!" He clapped, leading me out of my office and into the elevator. 

"You also have to be my tour guide!" I sighed, holding the folders close to my chest as we waited for the elevator to go to the lobby. 

"You don't remember the layout of the club house?" He gasped and I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. 

"I was three when my father first retired and I was 6 when he officially called quits!" I smiled and Joe nodded. 

"Excuses!" He smiled as we stepped off the elevator. "We're gonna go across the street to our clubhouse med center... This one here is disgusting and the men hate coming here!" He sighed, leading me through the building.

"Sounds good!" I laughed, simply following behind Joe.