Overheard in the Swamp Foxes' Clubhouse: Spring Training Edition (2063-03)

[woods]

First Day of Spring Training — North Charleston, South Carolina

The day when position players report for Spring Training is always a little reunion: teammates showing off their new vehicles in the parking lot, or sharing their new workout regiments in the gym. Anxious prospects try to soak up knowledge from anyone they can in order to make the team.

Swamp Foxes' first baseman and designated hitter Juan Hernández was more excited to show off his new jewelry.

"Five thousand per diamond," he said, revealing a studded-out piece around his neck in the shape of a 7, his uniform number. "And they needed fifty-six diamonds to make the seven."

"How can you even afford that?" asked António Huerta, one of the on-lookers.

"I got it financed," Hernández explained. "I pay it off after my first arbitration year."

Another player walked over to the group, and extended his hand as a greeting. "How ya doin'," he said, with a thick Long Island accent. "Dave Ferrell. I'm new here, just came over from the Brook Park camp. Any o' yas know where the bullpens are? Hey, nice chain."

Hernández was about to give him directions, when Farrell noticed the number on the chain.

"Hey, you're Hernández! I wanted to talk to ya. See, the seven is kinda my thing. Been wearing it since my rookie year in Omaha. But I see you like jewelry, so maybe we can work out a deal for the number. Whattaya say to a Rolex?"

______

In another corner of the Spring Training complex, familiar faces who once knew each other only as opponents, came together as teammates for the first time. Swamp Foxes' new shortstop Ken Proctor was sharing stories about his time with his previous employer.

"Something weird was goin' on in Madison, man," he explained to a small group of players in the gym, between training sessions. "I always stayed out of trouble, but sometimes a guy would be in a big slump, and he'd get a call from the higher-ups. And I don't mean the GM. Even higher. The owner would ask to see him."

"The owner? What would he do?" asked pitcher David Wade.

"She," Proctor corrected him. "It was some rich old lady with a weird baseball kink."

"So what happened to the players?" asked Wade.

"Nobody knows what went on in those meetings," Proctor continued. "But when they came back, those guys were different. Quiet, like they had seen something they shouldn't have."

Proctor shrugged. "But they could hit again."

______

In the clubhouse, veteran pitcher Nathaniel Davis and a few others were playing a video game on a system that Davis had rigged up to the clubhouse monitor using actual, physical cables. The tech was so old that it belonged in a museum.

"Hey, pops! Nobody wants to play your old game," second baseman Richard Vernon complained. "Turn this shit off so we can hook up the new console."

"Sorry, Dick," said Davis. "I'm pulling seniority on this one. We play Fortnite."

"What even is Fortnite?" asked Lewis Deck. "It looks like a kids' game."

"This was the hottest thing back in the '20s," Davis explained.

"The '20s? Are you that old?" spouted Vernon.

"Why do you do a stupid dance after you kill somebody?" asked Deck.

"That's the whole point. You've gotta flex," explained Davis. "I'm gonna try out some of these as my new strikeout celebration."

[RonCo]

Caleca candidate!