On the Lam, 60.5 - Oh, "next man up"

[trmmilwwi]

Sometimes lightning shoots out of the bottle and you can’t help but notice. It was one of those kind of weeks for 1B Lee Bundy.

Bundy is a veteran first baseman for the San Antonio Outlaws and saw extensive action during the 2058 season after the Outlaws dealt Big Papi the previous season. Bundy was 27 years old when he got his big chance and slashed .279/8/56 over 455 at bats in 138 games. After receiving only September callups the previous 3 seasons where he totaled 32 atbats while batting over .300 it was his chance to prove he belonged on a big league team. He showed he has talent but the team brought in free agent Jorge Pena in '59 for some major power when the team lacked pop in other positions. Thus Bundy was relegated back to AAA where he hit .331/16/77. Enough to earn him a sprint training tryout and he ended up on the big league squad for 2060 when new Manager Johnnie Oh saw enough good play from the vet.

Bundy was getting spot duty every few days and appeared in 15 of 24 games for the Outlaws heading into an important series in San Antonio against Phoenix. The Outlaws just dropped 3 games to Boise and were sitting at 12-12 trending downward. Phoenix would be a tough series because they were trying to make their way towards the top of the Frontier after having a rough start to the year.

The first game of the series was not even close as the Outlaws jumped on Tian-bai Chio early taking a 5-0 lead into the 8th inning (boxscore). Third baseman Roberto Rivera was having an especially rough game, going 0-4, and the Outlaw's first year Manager Johnnie Oh sensed he could use a break. Oh inserted Bundy into the game to pinch hit for Rivera with the bases loaded in what seemed to be a nugget for the veteran bench player. Bundy took the most he could from the opportunity and after a strong swing and miss at the first pitch from reliever Angel Villaneuva he sent the second pitch he saw 365 feet into the left field bleachers for a grand slam homer. It was an amazing night for Bundy and he enjoyed every second with some beers with his teammates that night. It was a great day.

Coming off of the amazing game the previous night Johnnie Oh called Bundy into his office prior to the second game of the series against Phoenix. Bundy wasn’t sure what was going on but certainly he couldn't be sent back up to Austin, San Antonio’s AAA team 80 miles away, could he? It was a bus ride that the veteran had taken way too many times.
The Manager sat down next to Lee and started, “Well, it was a heck of an at-bat last night, wasn’t it! Was that your first slam?”

“Gosh, goodness, first one. It felt good. The bat is swinging well.”

“Good, good. Love hearing that. I’m all about getting you chances when we can. It’ll take all 27 to keep us at the top of the Frontier, it’s a long season and 27 (the last man to make the roster) is as needed as 1. You're running hot, right?”

“Bloody hell right I am, best I felt in a while to be perfectly honest with your boss" stated the ballplayer from London, England.

“Good, because you are starting for us today. We need to win this series in the worst way to keep the mojo going. We need that hot bat in the lineup. We’re going against their lefty, Theophanous.”

Bundy’s head bounced up quickly as he glared at his first year manager, “Boss, are you sure. I’ve been gobsmacked by southpaws this year. Bloody hell, I’ve gotten like 2 hits in 20 atbats (17 to be exact). I just ain’t seeing them right Johnnie. I don’t know…”

“That’s why I’m putting you in. You’re swinging well and this will get you right back where you need to be. Get that monkey off your back. And no pressure, you’re 7th in the lineup tonight.”

Bundy was quickly going through the math of the equation, “Isn’t that Arm’s spot?” The Outlaw centerfielder, Dennis Armitage, had taken the most reps at 7th in the lineup and was the likely candidate tonight as well.

“Naw, he’s 9th tonight. Moved Bug up to second.” Julius "Jitterbug" Lewis was easily the lightest hitter in the lineup and it was unique to see him batting anything but 9th in the lineup but Bundy nodded in approval.

“Sounds good boss.”

“Oh, and one more thing. You’re playing second.”

Johnnie Oh is a player’s manager and goes by his gut. The guys love it because they need to be ready at any time. This was one of those times. Bundy hadn’t started a game at second base since 2057 when he was 80 miles away in AAA Austin. He wasn’t sure if he had it in him but his new manager, who he was starting to love, thought there was a reason.

“Well, well, it’s quite the opportunity. Blimey, I’ll make you proud mate.”

Bundy went out and made Johnnie proud. The first baseman trying to do his best at second base when he came up in the bottom of the 2nd with the score tied at zero and with one runner on base. Bundy quickly glanced at Johnnie in the dugout, not sure what to expect, and saw the manager give him a wink and a nod. It was almost like he knew what was going to happen. Bundy hit the first pitch he saw into the left field stands for two run homer. The Outlaws were up quickly 2-0 and on their way to a win. When Bundy got back to the dugout his manager was there with fist bump. “That’s the way kid, I knew you had it.” The next time up Bundy grounded into a double play but Yoshida scored from 3rd on the play to go up 3-1 and counter Phoenix's run in the top of the inning. Johnnie again reinforced the play, “Scored another run. We needed to answer and we did that. Good hustle.” Bundy’s next atbat was even better. He came up with no runners on but was seeing the ball really well. He took 3 straight balls before taking a questionable called strike. The veteran refocused, it surely wasn't a strike and the ump definitely had it wrong, and eyed the next pitch, seeing it perfectly. He swung and hammered a hard ground ball into the left field corner. Bundy hustled around the bases as the ball ricocheted into center field. He kept running at made it home just before the throw for an inside the park homer.

Johnnie smiled from the dugout as he watched Bundy get mobbed by his teammates. “That’s the way kid” he said to himself, "that's the way."