Will Fame And Love Return

Part 3

Reporting For Spring Training

Ocala, Florida

Saturday February 16, 2008

Rick Randolph walked into the Baltimore Clippers spring training facilities, but the reception that he received, especially from the team executives, was like being given the cold shoulder.Having come off an injury riddled, below subpar performance the previous baseball season, Rick could not ignore that he was looked upon as an outcast, especially from the very same front office executives who gladly bestowed upon him, his 4 year, $29 million dollar contract extension 16 months earlier.

After the cold welcome by the team executives, Rick headed with his gear to the teams clubhouse where he was greeted by his fellow teammates.

After unloading and setting up his gear into his stahl, Rick was called to the manager’s office. When he walked in the office, the Clippers team manager Edmond Hawthirne growled at him to close the door, then pointing at the folding chair in the corner of the office and being told to sit down, Edmond Hawthorne took off on Rick, telling him in no uncertain terms that he needed to step it up this coming season and return to his pre injury superstar, all star playing performance otherwise Rick was going to lose his starting status and would be platooned and split time with Kasi Seitan.

Edmond Hawthorne rudely told Rick to get out of his office and get himself out onto the playing field and step it up.

So Rick left the clubhouse and made his way to the dugout where he stood on the dugout steps for a few moments, taking in the scene on the field, watching the players who had already arrived, gathering together with the coaches to begin their stretching exercise workouts.

Afterwards when the stretching exercises were over, the players took their positions to begin fielding workouts. 

Making his way toward second base, Rick Joined up with Kasi Seitan where they began their fielding drills, with the two players alternating, fielding baseballs hit in their direction by hitting coach Stan Dillon, as they caught, then flipped baseballs to the alternating shortstops, Eric Ayers and Albert Kress.

Afterwards, fielding practice ended and it was time for batting practice to begin. Pitching coach Deron Banks was throwing to the batters. Then it came time for Rick’s turn in the batting cage, and it turned out that compared to his teammates, he was rusty, not even being able to hit the ball out of the infield and as he kept trying he just could not loop it and drop it out in the middle of the outfield like he had a great reputation throughout his storied career.

After the day’s workouts had ended, the players headed for the clubhouse and hit the showers.

When Rick left the stadium and climbed into his rented car, many thoughts were going through his head that left him wondering just what was going on. He had noticed how everyone had a different attitude towards him that he had not experienced during the pennant winning championship years.

When Rick arrived at his apartment suite in Ocala, he beginning to understand what Bill Falstaf had been explaining to him of what was going on behind the scenes. The only thing that those who were part of the cabal against the likes of him in baseball, they were making it plainly obvious and were not trying to hide it.

Rick certainly did not like where it was all heading toward. He just wanted to keep his head down and continue striving like he always had.