Page 20 of For The Ring

Extra millions that were supposed to go to Nakamura.

Damn it.

This is my fault and I need to figure out a way to fix it.

Chapter 4

CHARLIE

“We’re going to open up to questions now,” Juan, the Eagles’ head of communications says to the sea of media sitting out in front of me. We’re about the same age and I remember him running press conferences whenever we were in Brooklyn. I didn’t know his name back then, but I plan on making friends. There’s no one more important to have on your side as a manager, especially in a major media market.

Sitting at the dais in the Eagle’s press room, I have on a creamy white jersey with a blueBROOKLYNacross my chest in all caps over my crisp dress shirt and a cap with theNYin block letters on my head. I signed my contract about an hour ago in Stew’s office. Now I’m being introduced to the local reporters and a handful of national media types. There are more than a few familiar faces. I haven’t been out of the game long enough for there to be a total changing of the guard.

Back when I first got to the big leagues there was pretty extensive media training. A bunch of guys from the press office taught us how to deal with the gaggle of reporters that would ask us questions after every game.LA’s obviously a big city and with that came a pretty hot spotlight on us, on and off the field.

One of the things they teach you is that the things that trip you up won’t always be obvious, that a good reporter will comeat you sideways and, before you know it, you’re saying things you never meant to say.

When the question comes, it follows the ones I expected. It’s like I was being lulled into a false sense of security.

There was the meatball starter question, “How does it feel to wear a different jersey for the first time in your career?”

“There’s some poetry to it, I think. After starting with the Dodgers, the original Brooklyn franchise, having this new part of my career beginning with the team that brought baseball back to Brooklyn feels fitting.”

And then the obvious follow up of, “What does it feel like to be here as part of the team instead of the opposition?”

“I’ll let you know once we actually play a game.”

“How will your tenure be different given the organization’s historical lack of success?”

“The Cubs and the Sox managed to get off the schneid after what? More than a hundred years each? I think I can say the Eagles’ll do it before we get that far.”

There are a few amused guffaws at that.

Maybe that’s what had me letting my guard down.

The next reporter is sitting dead center a couple of rows back. Pete Bruckner, the Eagles beat reporter for as long as I can remember, one of the most famous writers in the game. His hair is entirely gray now, almost the same color as the jersey I’m donning, no sign of the thick black curls he sported when I first came up to the big leagues.

“After a modicum of promise shown toward the end of last season, are you looking forward to building upon it with the addition of some new blood – Kai Nakamura for example?” Pete asks, pen at the ready to jot down whatever I say despite his phone recording the session as well.

I can’t help but dart a glance to my right, where Sullivan anda few other geeks from the analytics department are seated up against the wall.

“Nakamura’s a fantastic pitcher, but we already have a good mix of guys here who, like you said, showed a lot of promise toward the end of last season. And I’m excited to see what they can do.”

I’m ready to move on, but Pete gestures that he has another question. “Just a follow up. What about Ethan Quicke? I have his agent Dan Wilson quoted as saying, ‘If the Eagles have enough money to lure Charlie Avery out of retirement and pursue the top prospect out of Japan in recent memory, then they have enough money to pay my client what he’s worth.’ What do you say to that?”

“I say that I know Dan Wilson well enough to know that what he says and reality very often don’t coincide.”

Pete’s bushy gray eyebrows shoot up toward his receding hairline and he leans forward. “So you’re saying that the Eaglesdon’thave enough money to sign you, Nakamura and Quicke?”

“No, that’s not what I . . .”

But I’m cut off by Juan. Thank fuck. “Only one follow up each or we’ll never get out of here.”

The interruption is too late, though. Even as they move on to another reporter, I can’t take my eyes off Pete as he sits down, ignoring whatever the next question is, scribbling furiously into his notebook.

Fuck.

The rest of the press conference blends together and then we’re breaking up for pictures, but I just hear that question over and over again on a loop in my head. What I should have said is simple:Our front office is dedicated to putting a championship-caliber team out on the field. Obviously, pitching is an area of need and I have full confidence it’ll be addressed before we break camp in March.

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