Read Online Prime Time Pitcher by Matt Christopher - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Matt Christopher
Ads: Link
bit of a nosedive in their rematch against the Greenview
Green Jackets. Pitcher Koby Caplin slipped, allowing four hits and an unusual number of balls. The Green Jackets walked away
from Cain Park Field with a solid 3-1 victory.
This defeat doesn’t hurt the Cardinals, as they maintain their one game lead over the Danville Mudcats, but it does bruise
the team ego.
But here’s an alarming bit of information asecret source passed on to me. According to my informant, at least one error—an error that eventually led to a run being scored,
mind you — might have been avoided. It seems our own TV celebrity, Koby Caplin, refused to throw the pitches his battery mate,
Tug McCue, signaled for. In fact, he started choosing his own pitches. Would Tug have been able to nab the strike that got
by him if he’d known what to look for? No one will ever know … but in the meantime, the Cardinals chalked up their first loss.
Ah, well. We can only hope that Koby will remember what teamwork is before the game against Runkle. (But maybe he’s lost himself
to stardom completely?)
Miguel Sanchez will be on the mound for Monticello versus the Erieview Jethawks, so be there if you can to cheer him on!
“Sports Shorts” Trivia Question: Which major league team once wore shorts for it’s uniform?
Answer to the last trivia question: Houston Astro Bob Watson scored the millionth run in major league history on May 4, 1975,
at Candlestick Park, in San Francisco. He scored from second base on a three-run homer by teammate Milt May at 12:32 in the
afternoon.
Koby’s heart sank as he read Sara’s article. He was glad Dan and Buck weren’t around with the camera. He wasn’t sure he could
control the panicked look on his face.
How could she have written that about me? he wondered. And how did she learn about the signals? There’s only one person who
could have told her, he figured: Tug.
Koby recalled seeing the two of them with their heads together right after the Greenview game. He flushed — but whether from
a sense of betrayal or guilt at having been found out, he didn’t ask himself. All he knew was that he had to find Sara and
hear for himself that Tug had been the source.
But when he tracked Sara down just before lunch, she was tight-lipped.
“My source asked not to be identified” was all she would say. “But I will tell you this. It wasn’t who you think. It wasn’t
Tug.”
Koby snorted. “Oh, come off it, Sara. Stop trying to make the Cardinals into some kind of mystery, with villains and heroes
and intrigue, just so people will keep reading the
Megaphone.
I thought you were a better reporter than that.”
Sara’s eyes blazed. “Seems to me you didn’t question my reporting abilities when I had nice things to say about you,” she
retorted. “Funny how I don’t hear you denying that your actions led to Tug’s error and a run for the opposite team. Tell me,
Koby, would you be confronting me if, instead of fingering you as the problem, I’d said it was Tug? Would you have come here
and defended him by admitting that it might have been your fault?”
Koby was silent.
“I thought so. And as for revealing my source, forget it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to go to lunch. Although my appetite
isn’t what it was a few minutes ago.” She pushed by him and stalked into the cafeteria.
Koby had no choice but to follow her. He picked up a tray and loaded it down with food, then headed for his usual table, where
Tug, K.O., Scoop, and Prez were already sitting. On the table in front of them was a copy of the
Megaphone.
Nobody moved when he tried to squeeze in.
“Hey, you guys, can you make some room?” Koby asked.
Scoop, K.O., and Prez gave him hostile glares inresponse. Tug didn’t even look up. Then Prez said, “This table’s reserved for
team
players. No room for hotshots who gamble with the team’s record for personal glory.”
Koby flushed. “Fine,
Green Jackets. Pitcher Koby Caplin slipped, allowing four hits and an unusual number of balls. The Green Jackets walked away
from Cain Park Field with a solid 3-1 victory.
This defeat doesn’t hurt the Cardinals, as they maintain their one game lead over the Danville Mudcats, but it does bruise
the team ego.
But here’s an alarming bit of information asecret source passed on to me. According to my informant, at least one error—an error that eventually led to a run being scored,
mind you — might have been avoided. It seems our own TV celebrity, Koby Caplin, refused to throw the pitches his battery mate,
Tug McCue, signaled for. In fact, he started choosing his own pitches. Would Tug have been able to nab the strike that got
by him if he’d known what to look for? No one will ever know … but in the meantime, the Cardinals chalked up their first loss.
Ah, well. We can only hope that Koby will remember what teamwork is before the game against Runkle. (But maybe he’s lost himself
to stardom completely?)
Miguel Sanchez will be on the mound for Monticello versus the Erieview Jethawks, so be there if you can to cheer him on!
“Sports Shorts” Trivia Question: Which major league team once wore shorts for it’s uniform?
Answer to the last trivia question: Houston Astro Bob Watson scored the millionth run in major league history on May 4, 1975,
at Candlestick Park, in San Francisco. He scored from second base on a three-run homer by teammate Milt May at 12:32 in the
afternoon.
Koby’s heart sank as he read Sara’s article. He was glad Dan and Buck weren’t around with the camera. He wasn’t sure he could
control the panicked look on his face.
How could she have written that about me? he wondered. And how did she learn about the signals? There’s only one person who
could have told her, he figured: Tug.
Koby recalled seeing the two of them with their heads together right after the Greenview game. He flushed — but whether from
a sense of betrayal or guilt at having been found out, he didn’t ask himself. All he knew was that he had to find Sara and
hear for himself that Tug had been the source.
But when he tracked Sara down just before lunch, she was tight-lipped.
“My source asked not to be identified” was all she would say. “But I will tell you this. It wasn’t who you think. It wasn’t
Tug.”
Koby snorted. “Oh, come off it, Sara. Stop trying to make the Cardinals into some kind of mystery, with villains and heroes
and intrigue, just so people will keep reading the
Megaphone.
I thought you were a better reporter than that.”
Sara’s eyes blazed. “Seems to me you didn’t question my reporting abilities when I had nice things to say about you,” she
retorted. “Funny how I don’t hear you denying that your actions led to Tug’s error and a run for the opposite team. Tell me,
Koby, would you be confronting me if, instead of fingering you as the problem, I’d said it was Tug? Would you have come here
and defended him by admitting that it might have been your fault?”
Koby was silent.
“I thought so. And as for revealing my source, forget it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to go to lunch. Although my appetite
isn’t what it was a few minutes ago.” She pushed by him and stalked into the cafeteria.
Koby had no choice but to follow her. He picked up a tray and loaded it down with food, then headed for his usual table, where
Tug, K.O., Scoop, and Prez were already sitting. On the table in front of them was a copy of the
Megaphone.
Nobody moved when he tried to squeeze in.
“Hey, you guys, can you make some room?” Koby asked.
Scoop, K.O., and Prez gave him hostile glares inresponse. Tug didn’t even look up. Then Prez said, “This table’s reserved for
team
players. No room for hotshots who gamble with the team’s record for personal glory.”
Koby flushed. “Fine,
Similar Books
