2036.6 - 5 year absence
Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2018 7:41 pm
September 17, 2036
Li "Sonny" Beggs
It's been five years since Li Beggs has thrown a pitch in the BBA. We last saw him in a San Antonio Outlaws uniform, mainly working out of the bullpen. The year was 2031. Beggs put up decent numbers that year, posting a WHIP of 0.94 in 31 innings of work with an ERA of 3.19. At 33 years of age he never thought he'd be out of the league, failing to ever again catch on with a major league club. But that's where he found himself. He went on to flounder in the minors for a couple of years after the 2031 season, before ultimately tearing his UCL in September 2034 at the age of 36, resulting in Tommy John surgery. The odds were firmly stacked against Beggs, nobody thought he would see another inning in the BBA.
Beggs never really understood why he had failed to land on a major league roster after the 2031 season. He had more to give, but no team to give it to. The perceived slight is what lit the fire to endure the long bus rides and day-to-day drudgery of the minors. He was desperate to get back to the show one more time. Learning that his rehab would take at least 14 months following the successful surgery, well, the fire grew three sizes that day.
In June of 2035, Beggs signed a minor league deal with the Madison Wolves, never reaching the bigs only to be released at the end of the year. In May 2036 the Las Vegas Hustlers took a shot, landing him on a minor league deal, only to be released less than two weeks later. Two months following, the Boise Spuds signed him to yet another minor league contract in July. And then it happened, Beggs was called up to the BBA during the September roster expansion. The hours of arduous work, the pain, the blood, sweat, and tears had all finally paid off.
Beggs's number was called from the bullpen on September 10, 2036. He sprinted to the mound in record time and stood there, wide-eyed and grinning ear to ear. He just wanted to soak it all in, one last time, the ballpark, the lights, the rumbling from the stands. The fans didn't really cheer and they didn't really boo him either. They didn't know who he was, what he had been through, it's just some relief pitcher entering an extra-inning game. He didn't care. This was his heaven. The clown-sized grin never left his face as Beggs toed the rubber. He closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, brought his hand to his glove, and delivered the pitch that was five years in the making. STEEEERIIIIIIIIIIKE. Beggs was back, he did it. He went on to strike out the only batter he faced that day. He winked at the skipper as he came out to take the ball away, signalling the end of his night. Beggs walked off the mound toward the dugout, still beaming, scanning the stadium seats, taking in the sights, absorbing the atmosphere of the ballpark. Nobody was really cheering for him, but nobody was really booing him, either.
Li "Sonny" Beggs
It's been five years since Li Beggs has thrown a pitch in the BBA. We last saw him in a San Antonio Outlaws uniform, mainly working out of the bullpen. The year was 2031. Beggs put up decent numbers that year, posting a WHIP of 0.94 in 31 innings of work with an ERA of 3.19. At 33 years of age he never thought he'd be out of the league, failing to ever again catch on with a major league club. But that's where he found himself. He went on to flounder in the minors for a couple of years after the 2031 season, before ultimately tearing his UCL in September 2034 at the age of 36, resulting in Tommy John surgery. The odds were firmly stacked against Beggs, nobody thought he would see another inning in the BBA.
Beggs never really understood why he had failed to land on a major league roster after the 2031 season. He had more to give, but no team to give it to. The perceived slight is what lit the fire to endure the long bus rides and day-to-day drudgery of the minors. He was desperate to get back to the show one more time. Learning that his rehab would take at least 14 months following the successful surgery, well, the fire grew three sizes that day.
In June of 2035, Beggs signed a minor league deal with the Madison Wolves, never reaching the bigs only to be released at the end of the year. In May 2036 the Las Vegas Hustlers took a shot, landing him on a minor league deal, only to be released less than two weeks later. Two months following, the Boise Spuds signed him to yet another minor league contract in July. And then it happened, Beggs was called up to the BBA during the September roster expansion. The hours of arduous work, the pain, the blood, sweat, and tears had all finally paid off.
Beggs's number was called from the bullpen on September 10, 2036. He sprinted to the mound in record time and stood there, wide-eyed and grinning ear to ear. He just wanted to soak it all in, one last time, the ballpark, the lights, the rumbling from the stands. The fans didn't really cheer and they didn't really boo him either. They didn't know who he was, what he had been through, it's just some relief pitcher entering an extra-inning game. He didn't care. This was his heaven. The clown-sized grin never left his face as Beggs toed the rubber. He closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, brought his hand to his glove, and delivered the pitch that was five years in the making. STEEEERIIIIIIIIIIKE. Beggs was back, he did it. He went on to strike out the only batter he faced that day. He winked at the skipper as he came out to take the ball away, signalling the end of his night. Beggs walked off the mound toward the dugout, still beaming, scanning the stadium seats, taking in the sights, absorbing the atmosphere of the ballpark. Nobody was really cheering for him, but nobody was really booing him, either.