Only Fools Rush In. Chapter Two.
Written by: lady_lilith
Title: Only Fools Rush In. Chapter Two.
Fandom: Major League Baseball.
Characters: Buster Posey.
Word Count: 1,205.
Rating: G.
Summary: Buster reflects on how he got here.
Author's Notes: A monologue in first person.
January 2007. Tallahassee, FL.
I loved playing shortstop. I was the hub of the outfield. Everything that happened went through me, even if it didn't look like it. I knew what everyone was doing and most of the signs went through me, even with the pitchers and catcher. If you couldn't tell any of that was happening, I was doing my job. I don't like to brag, but I was a darn good shortstop too. But a lot of kids like playing shortstop, it's a fun position. I knew I had to work hard to keep my spot and I was very willing to do that. Some said I was the best Freshman shortstop in the country. I don't know how true that was, but it was sure nice to hear said.
One day after practice, My coach called me into his office.
"Have a seat."
I couldn't think of anything I could possibly have done to get myself in trouble, but that was an in trouble way to start a conversation. The season hadn't even started yet and I had spent the summer working hard on my position and on hitting in the Cape League in Massachusetts. I sat, not saying a word.
"You're a very good shortstop, Buster."
"Thank you, sir."
"You're a very good all around baseball player."
"Thank you, sir."
I wanted to throw up. Was he cutting me from the team? What was this all about? I would have given anything if he would just cut to the chase and tell me what was going on. I was starting to feel dizzy.
"And I know you'll do anything I ask to help the team."
"Yes, sir."
"I want you to learn how to be a catcher."
I stared at him. A what?
"We've lost all of the playing catchers that we had last season and that's going to be a gaping hole in the field once the season begins. We have some Freshman that can catch, but I don't want to trust our season to a Freshman. The spot of catcher is far too important to give it to someone that hasn't been in the trenches yet. I want to trust our season to you. Can I do that?"
"Yes, sir." And with that, I was turned into a catcher.
A... catcher? I'd never caught a pitch in my life. I'd never put on the gear. I'd never been down behind the plate. And now Coach wanted to trust me not only to do this, but to do it right from the start next season. And he wanted me to do it well. They handed me a bag of used equipment and told me to put it on and get ready to take extra practices with our bullpen coaches.
It was going to be a hard road, but I would be ready by February.
June 2007. South Yarmouth, MA.
I learned something new every game. I was thrown into the fire from game one and I either had to sink or swim. I was determined to swim. I was studying tape like I never had before, every waking moment I could spare and then some. I was reading more books and notes about catchers than I was about business or ecology. That second class, I only squeaked out my A by the skin of my teeth and two straight all nighters after games. We won both games and I aced my final.
The season didn't end the way we wanted it to, no World Series Championship, but it was still a good season for the team and for me. Getting to the Regional Finals was something to be proud of, even if we didn't win. I was nominated for the Johnny Bench Award. I'm told it's the first time someone has been nominated after switching positions that year. I guess you could say I took to catching. I felt like I had been born to play that position and just hadn't known it yet.
But I had so much more to learn. Coach said that I shouldn't take the summer off and I had really enjoyed last summer in Massachusetts, so I decided to go back. I asked if they would mind me being a catcher this year, I needed to work on that every chance I got. They had another catcher coming in, but I was told he was coming off some injuries and would be DHing more than catching. I didn't mind even splitting duties. I'd be happy to learn from him as well. Everyone has something to teach.
The other catcher was named Jason and he told me he was from California. He didn't need to say so, I could hear his accent, it was very strong, even if he didnt think he had one. He went to Stanford University and they hadn't made the post season at all. In fact they had done terribly. Of course I wouldn't mention that. When he told me what school he went to, I had to surpress my desire to say 'I'm sorry'.
I have a habit of calling people 'sir' or 'ma'am', even friends. My Momma raised me to be polite and there's nothing wrong with that, if you ask me. I hold doors and say thank you. That is something to be mocked in the North, I guess. I learned pretty quickly not to call my Northern teammates 'sir', because they didn't get it and they'd laugh. But with Jason, every time I did, he'd smile and correct me. I kept doing it just so he'd smile and correct me. And when I said his name, he'd smile even more. I found myself saying his name a lot. Just to see him smile.
I should explain something here before you go getting the wrong ideas about me. I'm not gay, I have a girlfriend. We started going together in high school. I didn't kiss her until Prom night and it was very special. We are both good Christians and have decided to wait until we get married before we do it. The guys on my team have already mocked me for that. If they weren't sleeping with each other, they were sleeping with cheerleaders, or both. But my values are important to me and I love Kristen very much. And I respect her. I would never cheat on her. So when I mention that I noticed Jason smiled, it doesn't have anything to do with being attracted to him.
I was talking to Kristen on the phone as I was getting ready to go to practice and she asked me what I had gotten Jason for his birthday. I had told her about how they were having a party that I wasn't going to. Truth be told, I hadn't thought of it. I remembered him mentioning the music that I had been playing the last time I gave him a ride. It was a mixed CD that I had put together because I found out that Massachusetts didn't have one single country music station. I booted up my computer and burned a copy of the mix. It wasn't much, but at least I would have something to give him. That's what friends do.
Title: Only Fools Rush In. Chapter Two.
Fandom: Major League Baseball.
Characters: Buster Posey.
Word Count: 1,205.
Rating: G.
Summary: Buster reflects on how he got here.
Author's Notes: A monologue in first person.
January 2007. Tallahassee, FL.
I loved playing shortstop. I was the hub of the outfield. Everything that happened went through me, even if it didn't look like it. I knew what everyone was doing and most of the signs went through me, even with the pitchers and catcher. If you couldn't tell any of that was happening, I was doing my job. I don't like to brag, but I was a darn good shortstop too. But a lot of kids like playing shortstop, it's a fun position. I knew I had to work hard to keep my spot and I was very willing to do that. Some said I was the best Freshman shortstop in the country. I don't know how true that was, but it was sure nice to hear said.
One day after practice, My coach called me into his office.
"Have a seat."
I couldn't think of anything I could possibly have done to get myself in trouble, but that was an in trouble way to start a conversation. The season hadn't even started yet and I had spent the summer working hard on my position and on hitting in the Cape League in Massachusetts. I sat, not saying a word.
"You're a very good shortstop, Buster."
"Thank you, sir."
"You're a very good all around baseball player."
"Thank you, sir."
I wanted to throw up. Was he cutting me from the team? What was this all about? I would have given anything if he would just cut to the chase and tell me what was going on. I was starting to feel dizzy.
"And I know you'll do anything I ask to help the team."
"Yes, sir."
"I want you to learn how to be a catcher."
I stared at him. A what?
"We've lost all of the playing catchers that we had last season and that's going to be a gaping hole in the field once the season begins. We have some Freshman that can catch, but I don't want to trust our season to a Freshman. The spot of catcher is far too important to give it to someone that hasn't been in the trenches yet. I want to trust our season to you. Can I do that?"
"Yes, sir." And with that, I was turned into a catcher.
A... catcher? I'd never caught a pitch in my life. I'd never put on the gear. I'd never been down behind the plate. And now Coach wanted to trust me not only to do this, but to do it right from the start next season. And he wanted me to do it well. They handed me a bag of used equipment and told me to put it on and get ready to take extra practices with our bullpen coaches.
It was going to be a hard road, but I would be ready by February.
June 2007. South Yarmouth, MA.
I learned something new every game. I was thrown into the fire from game one and I either had to sink or swim. I was determined to swim. I was studying tape like I never had before, every waking moment I could spare and then some. I was reading more books and notes about catchers than I was about business or ecology. That second class, I only squeaked out my A by the skin of my teeth and two straight all nighters after games. We won both games and I aced my final.
The season didn't end the way we wanted it to, no World Series Championship, but it was still a good season for the team and for me. Getting to the Regional Finals was something to be proud of, even if we didn't win. I was nominated for the Johnny Bench Award. I'm told it's the first time someone has been nominated after switching positions that year. I guess you could say I took to catching. I felt like I had been born to play that position and just hadn't known it yet.
But I had so much more to learn. Coach said that I shouldn't take the summer off and I had really enjoyed last summer in Massachusetts, so I decided to go back. I asked if they would mind me being a catcher this year, I needed to work on that every chance I got. They had another catcher coming in, but I was told he was coming off some injuries and would be DHing more than catching. I didn't mind even splitting duties. I'd be happy to learn from him as well. Everyone has something to teach.
The other catcher was named Jason and he told me he was from California. He didn't need to say so, I could hear his accent, it was very strong, even if he didnt think he had one. He went to Stanford University and they hadn't made the post season at all. In fact they had done terribly. Of course I wouldn't mention that. When he told me what school he went to, I had to surpress my desire to say 'I'm sorry'.
I have a habit of calling people 'sir' or 'ma'am', even friends. My Momma raised me to be polite and there's nothing wrong with that, if you ask me. I hold doors and say thank you. That is something to be mocked in the North, I guess. I learned pretty quickly not to call my Northern teammates 'sir', because they didn't get it and they'd laugh. But with Jason, every time I did, he'd smile and correct me. I kept doing it just so he'd smile and correct me. And when I said his name, he'd smile even more. I found myself saying his name a lot. Just to see him smile.
I should explain something here before you go getting the wrong ideas about me. I'm not gay, I have a girlfriend. We started going together in high school. I didn't kiss her until Prom night and it was very special. We are both good Christians and have decided to wait until we get married before we do it. The guys on my team have already mocked me for that. If they weren't sleeping with each other, they were sleeping with cheerleaders, or both. But my values are important to me and I love Kristen very much. And I respect her. I would never cheat on her. So when I mention that I noticed Jason smiled, it doesn't have anything to do with being attracted to him.
I was talking to Kristen on the phone as I was getting ready to go to practice and she asked me what I had gotten Jason for his birthday. I had told her about how they were having a party that I wasn't going to. Truth be told, I hadn't thought of it. I remembered him mentioning the music that I had been playing the last time I gave him a ride. It was a mixed CD that I had put together because I found out that Massachusetts didn't have one single country music station. I booted up my computer and burned a copy of the mix. It wasn't much, but at least I would have something to give him. That's what friends do.