The Twenty-Sixth Man
Title: The Twenty-Sixth Man
Author: 2theletter
Category: Gen, but some Zito/Hudson undertone could be inferred
Rating: G
Synopsis: San Francisco, October 7. Postseason rosters are released, and someone is left off. A drabble ensues.
Disclaimer: Not true. In fact, Zito and Huddy were going to have lunch anyway, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Barry Zito pitched himself out of the San Francisco Giants' rotation for the playoffs.
Manager Bruce Bochy is going with Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez for the first three games. After that, he will decide between Lincecum and rookie Madison Bumgarner.
While it's disappointing for the left-hander, it's not surprising. Zito (9-14), who signed a $126 million, seven-year contract before the 2007 season, lost to the Padres on Saturday when San Francisco had a chance to clinch the division. The Giants wound up doing it Sunday in their final game. Zito gave up consecutive bases-loaded walks in the first and was booed off the field when done after a season-low three innings.
He picked up on the third ring. “Zeets! What’s up?”
“I’m off the roster.”
Hudson rubbed his forehead. “What?”
“The postseason roster,” Zito said. “I’m not on it. Boch told me this afternoon.”
Hudson closed his eyes. “Christ, Barry. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah.” Zito’s plaintive reply broke Hudson’s heart. It reminded him of the painful conversations he had with Mulder when Mulder was falling apart in St. Louis. How had two of the Big Three fallen so far, so quickly?
“I’ve been tryin’ my best, you know that,” Zito said.
"I know you have." Hudson sighed, shifted the phone from one ear to the other. "Look, I’m sure it ain’t personal. Maybe they just wanted to give Bumgarner a shot." The words immediately rang false, even to his own ears.
There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Finally, a bitter laugh escaped Zito’s mouth. “Oakland seems like a hundred years ago, doesn’t it, Huddy? Maybe I should fly down to Arizona, hook up with Mulder. Work on my golf swing. God knows I won’t be much use around here.”
Hudson winced. “Don’t say that.”
Another pause. “You’re gonna do good for ’em,” Zito said. “But you know I can’t root for you.”
“I know.” Hudson bit his lower lip. “Listen, if you want, we could have lunch or somethin’ while I’m in town. Catch up a little or whatever. We don’t have to talk baseball or anything.”
“I think I’m going to stay close to home this weekend,” Zito said. “But thanks.”
“Okay,” Hudson replied. “But, y’know, if you change your mind or something..."
"Yeah, yeah. I'll call you," Zito said, though he knew he wouldn't do any such thing.
“I really am sorry about the roster thing.”
“Eh, gives me time to work on my paddleball skills.”
“Heh. I guess.”
“I better let you go. You’ve got stuff to do.”
“It can wait.”
“No, it can’t. Go out there and do what they pay you do, Huddy. I’ll catch you later. Bye.”
"Bye, Zito," Hudson replied, but the line had already gone dead.
Author: 2theletter
Category: Gen, but some Zito/Hudson undertone could be inferred
Rating: G
Synopsis: San Francisco, October 7. Postseason rosters are released, and someone is left off. A drabble ensues.
Disclaimer: Not true. In fact, Zito and Huddy were going to have lunch anyway, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Barry Zito pitched himself out of the San Francisco Giants' rotation for the playoffs.
Manager Bruce Bochy is going with Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez for the first three games. After that, he will decide between Lincecum and rookie Madison Bumgarner.
While it's disappointing for the left-hander, it's not surprising. Zito (9-14), who signed a $126 million, seven-year contract before the 2007 season, lost to the Padres on Saturday when San Francisco had a chance to clinch the division. The Giants wound up doing it Sunday in their final game. Zito gave up consecutive bases-loaded walks in the first and was booed off the field when done after a season-low three innings.
He picked up on the third ring. “Zeets! What’s up?”
“I’m off the roster.”
Hudson rubbed his forehead. “What?”
“The postseason roster,” Zito said. “I’m not on it. Boch told me this afternoon.”
Hudson closed his eyes. “Christ, Barry. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah.” Zito’s plaintive reply broke Hudson’s heart. It reminded him of the painful conversations he had with Mulder when Mulder was falling apart in St. Louis. How had two of the Big Three fallen so far, so quickly?
“I’ve been tryin’ my best, you know that,” Zito said.
"I know you have." Hudson sighed, shifted the phone from one ear to the other. "Look, I’m sure it ain’t personal. Maybe they just wanted to give Bumgarner a shot." The words immediately rang false, even to his own ears.
There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Finally, a bitter laugh escaped Zito’s mouth. “Oakland seems like a hundred years ago, doesn’t it, Huddy? Maybe I should fly down to Arizona, hook up with Mulder. Work on my golf swing. God knows I won’t be much use around here.”
Hudson winced. “Don’t say that.”
Another pause. “You’re gonna do good for ’em,” Zito said. “But you know I can’t root for you.”
“I know.” Hudson bit his lower lip. “Listen, if you want, we could have lunch or somethin’ while I’m in town. Catch up a little or whatever. We don’t have to talk baseball or anything.”
“I think I’m going to stay close to home this weekend,” Zito said. “But thanks.”
“Okay,” Hudson replied. “But, y’know, if you change your mind or something..."
"Yeah, yeah. I'll call you," Zito said, though he knew he wouldn't do any such thing.
“I really am sorry about the roster thing.”
“Eh, gives me time to work on my paddleball skills.”
“Heh. I guess.”
“I better let you go. You’ve got stuff to do.”
“It can wait.”
“No, it can’t. Go out there and do what they pay you do, Huddy. I’ll catch you later. Bye.”
"Bye, Zito," Hudson replied, but the line had already gone dead.